Our Weekend On the Farm

Hello sweet ladies,

All day Friday it rained........when we got home the Potter's Shed was wet and everything around the farm! 

It didn't matter that it had rained.....it had a earthy atmosphere and that was fine! 

I had these little homemade lanterns along the side of the shed. I took wire, wrapped brown floral tape around it. Wrapped one piece around the top of a regular mason jar then attacked a loop long enough to so I could hang it from this holder. Tired a simple piece of ripped homespun fabric, put a little votive inside the mason jar....perfect for what I wanted.  Looked so sweet against the hanging lights that were all around the Potter's Shed.

 Finished in the shed by taking a window and placing little votives with leaves set under each........ 

I was finished! We were ready for company!

OUR SWEET NEWLY WED FAMILY WAS HERE!!!! 

We took them out to the Refuge Cabin where they were going to stay. 

I had the candles lit all around.

We showed them the little bedroom upstairs in the loft. You have to climb a ladder to get to the two lofts......that makes it kind of special. 

My sweet man started the fire. The evening was perfect. Not cold, but not real warm out either.

The Lord gave us a gift as the sun went down! We sat and talked, roasted hotdogs and ate s'mores......how can it get better then that. The fellowship was wonderful...... we talked of the Lord, what was going on in each of our lives! A memory made by all!

If you ever come to Prairie Flower Farm.......we would give you an experience like this! It is a peaceful place! 

It is time for church.....know that you are loved......by me.....but mostly Jesus! 

Linda

Going To Be A Busy Day Today!

Good morning sweet ladies,

I thought this would make you smile! This morning I went to let the girls out. They were ready to eat. Two hopped into the scrap bucket and the tails were all you could see. Is that not the cutest pic? 

I wanted to do a post this morning of our evening last night.......not happening! My time is running out......we have some more young men coming to help put up the round pen and so we have to make use of the time. I will do a post........thought later. Last night was so fun. 

Here is a pic of the Potter's Shed, the sun was going down so it is a little dark. The evening was beautiful! God blessed us! 

One more thing........again when I got home I went to let the girls out and I went to see if Missy Red had another little one. I couldn't believe my eyes! Another baby.......for our guests to see! SWEETNESS!!!!

Hope you have a nice day!

Hugs, 

Linda

Hugs to your Day......It is Friday!!!!!!

Hello sweet ladies, 

it is very late and I am beat! The week is almost over and can't wait for the fun weekend we will be having with a young couple that we just love. They just got married this last summer and they will be coming to the farm for 2 days. My girls and I have been having so much fun getting the Refuge Cabin all fixed up for them. We will be eating around a camp fire and making a couch out of bales of wheat straw. If you remember we did it for another couple last year. I will take pic's. 

The "Girlies" are laying Yesterday I went out to gather the eggs with my apron on......look what they gave me and by the end of the day I got two more....sweet Girls! I put up a question on my face book and got some fun ideas on what to make with them.  I will share after I make them. 

I also have been selling my "Girlie" eggs at work to some of the ladies. For some time I have been adding a feather to the top of the eggs. The ladies like! Looked at this pic, this morning as I was putting fresh eggs in the egg cartons. Couldn't resist to take a pic! Love the way it turned out! I loveeeeeee egg pictures. 

Well today was exhausting. Some "sweet pea" at the college left me a waffle glued to the top and bottom of the waffle maker. They didn't even tell me........ugh! I am out in the front again scanning the kids meal tickets for the next few weeks. The morning didn't start to well.......I was rushed and then this. Took me twenty minutes to get the whole thing off.......I kept praying....asking the Lord to bless that "sweet pea".......who ever it was. Helped my attitude. Then that wasn't enough.....more things happened. Just kept praying! Then.......the inspector of the company came.....everyone went into high gear.....I was already exhausted with the morning stuff. Then I am sitting in the entrance of the caf......and in walks another inspector!!!!!! The State! Could the day get more fun????? Our boss said that this has never ever happened to him in all the years he has been in food. Yup.......by the time 2:30 was there......I ran out the door. Hee hee....really I just had to laugh at the day. I got more praying done! Smile!

I am going to ask the Lord for a break tomorrow........and this time I am keeping my eye on that waffle maker for sure!!!!!

Hugs and God bless you sweet ladies, thank you for all who prayed after I put up the request on fb! It didn't get better, but my heart was happy!!!!!!! 

Linda

Planting time on the farm!

Hello sweet ladies,

What a busy time it is on the farm. Our son is planting wheat and that means family time. Memory making for me........... that will be tucked away in my heart for another day! It is a favorite time of year for a farm family. Nothing like it. 

Brother and sister putting wheat seed in the drill. Our family has been doing this for 6 generations. The grandchildren are the 7th. 

family heritage that has been passed down. Each one doing hard work to keep the farm going. Precious thing!!!!!!

Our girls have worked along side our family.....from the time they were 11 and 12. It gives them an appreciation for work and accomplishment. Their Grandpa Jack always loved watching them drive tractor. Just one of those memories I haven't forgotten. He is now gone to be with the Lord. We miss him every time we do another planting or harvest. Can here him saying, "make sure those rows are straight. When Josh our son left he said to Tress......make sure those rows are straight!"

Lots of laughing time going on!

My precious family!

We love to see "clean wheat" in the drill. Means planting time. We have a dependence on the Lord.......we ask every time for His blessing. It is so needed. 

Checking for the depth of the wheat. You don't want it to deep. We have rain in the forcast. Perfect timing. 

Another beautiful sunset from the Lord. He is letting us know that He is with us........for that we are thankful and blessed. He wants to be a part of our everything! We love to invite Him. He will now take the seed and make it grow. An amazing thing. New little life in the ground! 

I love Him!

Hugs to your day sweet ladies. Hope you enjoy it and that the Lord's presence is noticed......... as you go about your day!

Linda

Autumn Washcloth Hand Towels

Hello sweet ladies......

I have been crocheting on the wash clothes that I bought from 

wal-mart some time back. Sometimes I have to just sit out front in the cafeteria waiting for kids to come in. It has always been hard for me to just sit and do nothing.......so I brought my crocheting to do. I have enjoyed it....a lot! 

Remember these? You can now get 18 for $4.00. Found all the crochet thread colors I needed to match at Hobby Lobby. Some are the little small size 20 and some size 30. 

Wash clothes

US7/1.5mm crochet hook

Matching ball of crochet thread extra fine 30 size or 20.

Instructions:

The wash clothes I bought already had a blanket stitch around the wash cloth. That made it easy for me to start stitching. Begin with a slip stitch along one side of the wash cloth. Do a single crochet  into every one of the blanket stitch space. When you come to each corner, do 2 single crochets in one single crochet on each side of corner. It will help your shell stitch lay better. Single crochet all around the whole wash cloth and slip stitch into the first single crochet. Now to start your shell stitch. Start with one single crochet in the first single crochet of first round. *Skip 1 single crochet and do 6 double crochets in 3rd single crochet* Repeat this all around the washcloth. Tie off. Easy and really fun to make......doesn't take much time either. Fast gift! 

To finish the washcloth hand towel off. 

Cut a piece of 1/4" ribbon 6" long to make a loop for the top corner of washcloth.  Cross the ribbon as shown in the picture. Pin and sew in place. To make a yoyo cut out a piece of matching material using a mason jar lid for the pattern. Sew the yoyo to the front of the ribbon where it crosses. Now it is ready to hang on a peg near the sink. Easy to wash. I am making these up as gifts for the Autumn season. You can also just make washcloths in the different colors, stack, tie a ribbon around them and give as gifts. One lady said when I made the white ones, that she uses hers as napkins at their table......cute idea! Would love to know if you make any!

Hugs to your day......oh, one last thing....the young man I told you about on Sunday.....he wasn't eating today, but he came in and said, "Hi Mom".......nice way to start my day!Told my Tressa and Taylor......they smiled.....they are learning also! 

Thanking the Lord for divine appointments! He has a plan.....I want to be a part of it!

Linda

We Can Be Forgiven.....Any Time!

Hello sweet ladies......

trust your day will be blest this SONday I am remembering that His mercies are new every morning.....

I was meditating on this verse this morning. This pic was taken early just as the sun was coming up. Looks a lot like when the sun goes down in the evening. His paintings are so beautiful.....I find myself seeing more of His detail as I get older.......I stop more......see more......think more of His sweetness. I can also look back and see His faithfulness....... even when I didn't want to have anything to do with His plan for me. I am learning it isn't about me......it is all about JESUS! 

This morning my sweet man brought in this wounded duck......you know the ones that I thought were chicken eggs.....the ones I bought at the Yoder Auction....and they ended up being duck eggs...not my plan? Well two of them keep flying out of the pen......sweet man puts them back in every evening. They must have flown out again last night. He was found with legs straight out and all dirty and feathers matted to his body with mud. Doesn't look like it in the picture, but he is a stinky muddy mess! It was very cold last night here on the farm and so that didn't help matters much. Now he is in the box and not to happy about it. His feet are messed up a bit now, so that makes it hard to care for him. I am trying to help him, but he doesn't understand that. Reminds me of when I am needing the Lord's attention.....and I don't let Him do what is best for me. God is using this wounded duck to help me understand a little deeper of His constant care for myself and my loved ones. I am sometimes a slow learner.......I don't want to be....but I find that I am. 

The other day it was very cold. I was out in the cafeteria with my sweet man serving. I served this one student and then went on to another. There looking at me face to face was a someone with a black ski mask. My heart dropped. I was really taken off guard. With all that is going on in our country.....it just freaked me out! I know this is funny but I looked at both of his hands.......thought maybe.....you know what? I am giggling a little bit now, but not at that moment. I then in my brave voice said......."what are you doing?" He said......"I am safe.....I am safe"......I said then take that off please!" He knew I meant it. I was a little upset by this point.... that He wouldn't of thought...... maybe this wasn't a good idea!!!!! 

He kept saying I am sorry!!!!! I am sorry!!!!! I asked him to please not do that again. I was kind of like a mother bear....protecting her cubs! Anyway the next day I was in the bakery......he came by and was standing out the door. I went up to him and talked a little bit more.....he was precious.....kept saying he didn't mean anything by it.....said he had a daughter and would never want anything like that to happen to her. I said, oh.....you are married?" He said no......but I will......the little girl is 2. I said more......I told him to give the momma honor if he loved her......he said he did.....I said......no you don't. I said I know that I sounded forward, but men are leaving women all the time to do their thing.......he listened......I wasn't sure how I was being received.....it was okay. I was again being a mom......he was black...I am white.....I loved him because Jesus loved him. I told him about my sweet man.....that I was also an unwed mother....alone....raising a little boy by myself. That our son was now 40 years old and said that God knew that we needed a man to protect us.....and he gave us my sweet man and his Dad and that the grill guy Phil adopted our son. Just like when Jesus adopts us. This young man stood there....and said that was nice. Later on that day he came up to both of us at the grill. Told my sweet man he had heard wonderful things about him that morning and he was a good man. I smiled.  The next day he ran up with kids all around and said, "I just want you both to know...... I love you".....he was off. I was so griped with emotion and I had to leave.....the tears were falling!!!!! I was bold for Christ that morning......I am not always.....I was thankful I was that morning. I also had asked him if he knew Jesus.....he said, "yes mam I do".....I said, then please do what He has called you to do..be an honorable man! I told him that he was Christ's bride......he had to think on that.........so do I. Almost forgot to tell you......the reason he was wearing a mask......he was cold.....he is from southern Texas......it really was very cold out.......I understood better the why.

"perfecter"

perfectadjective |ˈpərfikt|having all the required or desirable elements, qualities, or characteristics; as good as it is possible to be

I heard this song this morning,

"Worship the Lord, feast at His table......taste of His Goodness.......I did that this morning......we had a sweet fellowship......now

that I would just trust Him more......my choice. 

Hugs to your SONday sweet ladies......you are precious.....

in His sight and mine! So thankful our paths crossed......

it was a gift!

Linda

Hope Your Saturday is a SWEET ONE!

Good morning sweet ladies!!!!

The weather today is absolutely BEAUTIMUSSSS!!!!! I went out this morning and couldn't believe how cool and crisp the air was. 

I went to let all the teenagers out of their pens. They are so busy this morning eating bugs and worms! 

I was moving the canned peaches and chicken that I had canned this last week, down into the cellar. Heard this little baby chick peeping away. I had noticed that Missy Red had hatched a new one earlier this morning. Thought I would just keep it under her for a few more hours before I brought it into the house. I am always afraid of a cat hurting them....so I hurried down to see the commotion..... this is what I found peeping away on the ledge. Eeeekkkk! Missy Red had taken a break from her nest and he just came out on his own. It is safe under a light now in the house with 3 others.....total 11 in the last week. All of them are the sweetest! 

Some may ask why I am letting the Momma sit on babies at this time of year. Well the reason was I didn't realize that the other girls kept going in with her and laying eggs. I didn't realize that until it was to late. I was candling the eggs and saw that there were new babies.....in the eggs.....I can't hurt them so that is why we are having babies. I keep the Milk House nice and warm during the winter months so the chicks will be fine......just sayin.......in case you were wondering. 

Found Here

It will be a busy day around here on the farm......cleaning, decorating......getting ready for some newly weds that will be coming this next weekend! Can't wait to have them here on the farm! I will be making this.....for the front of the Refuge Cabin door.....isn't it so pretty? I have everything I need.....I will show you later what mine looks like....want it to look just like this!  

Hope all of you have a sweet day......and know that you have been prayed for...He loves it when we come to him!!!!!!!

Hugs from the farm, 

Linda

A Very Sweet Evening With Family!

Hello sweet ladies......

tonight I came home and some of the new girls are laying eggs. It is so nice to have some more laying for me. Thought this pic turned out so pretty! My girls are so sweet! I am selling them at the college to different ladies. So nice to have a little "egg money", saving it for something special! 

Last night the sky was gorgeous!!!!!!!!! It doesn't always show on a picture what it really looks like, but this is very close. 

Then tonight the sun was just starting to go down and I got this pic.......again so beautiful. Love how the Lord says goodnight!

This was after the sun was all the way down. The clouds looked like a paint brush was just taking strokes all across the sky. 

But this was my favorite scene. Our daughter Tressa was driving tractor for her brother.......just a little ways from our farm. The tractor always looks beautiful to us when the ground is getting worked up. On a farm, you work so hard.......but it is a good working hard.......smile. Planting the seed...... then asking our precious Lord for His help.... gives us comfort knowing He will take care of us. Even if it doesn't always look like we want it to.

The soybeans that were planted late May are looking very good. Some are to my hip. Thankful that the Lord answered our prayers by giving us rain when we really needed it. Remember when we asked for prayer.....well God answered! There will be a crop this year.......we praised Him as we walked through the field and then we just kept thanking Him over and over! 

Thank you to all who prayed with. You are all so 

precious.

Hooking up with Farm Fresh Friday Blog Fest.......you will 
like! 

Hugs to your day.......yeah for Fridays! I like them......a lot! 

Linda

Homemade Applesauce Tutorial~

Hello sweet ladies, 

After I got home to the farm I could hardly wait to start on my applesauce and get it cooking. I also put on a big pot of chicken pieces to cook..... so I could start canning it tomorrow night. As I was working in the kitchen with the north window open I could her the roosters were doodling, the birds where singing each sound that was familiar to their kind and the crickets were chirping. I could also hear the breeze blowing through the evergreen trees right outside the window. Love all those sounds. Peaceful!!!!!!!!

This is the machine I use to make my applesauce. It is easy, quick and takes hardly any time. It is called a Norpro Food Strainer/Sauce Maker. 

I found one here  if anyone is interested. You can do other things like making tomato sauce and tomato juice. Other things like jams and jellies. I have not used it for that yet! 

I would not be without one..........ever!!!!!! I have had one for at least 30 years. 

I washed my apples, cut in 1/4ths. You do not have to core or peel, for this recipe if you use this machine. I like it that way....... just for that reason. It is fast and easy. 

So you have cut them into 1/4 ths. Now put them into a big pot with some space at the top to fit all the apples. I add enough water to cover the apples about 3" from the bottom. Now turn burner on med. heat. You don't want to burn or scorch the bottom of the apples. Cook until tender. 

After it is finished cooking, scoop out some apples and liquid..... a few cups at a time. Pour into the funnel. Push apples down with the wooden plunger.  

Turn handle and it will come out of the screen, keep adding the cooked apples until they have all been squeezed through the sieve. I use an old 2" enamel cake pan to catch the applesauce. And a little bowl to get the apple peel waste.

I take the peel and put it back through for a second time. It is amazing how dry it comes out the next time around. After it is all finished I pour the applesauce into another bowl. To sweeten your applesauce, you can use honey, raw sugar or regular sugar. The pink comes from the color of the red peel. I don't usually can it, we like the flavor after it has been frozen, it seems fresher. I spoon into freezer bags and take as much air out as I can. Lay them flat and put into freezer. Something we really enjoy is to scoop a few tablespoons on top of vanilla ice cream. It tastes just like apple pie without the crust. Really good!  

I hope you enjoyed the 

If you have a recipe please leave it in the comments! We would love to know!

Hugs and may the Lord bless your day!

Linda

P.S. I haven't forgotten to show you the Potter's Shed...on Sunday night! 

Freezing Applesauce This Afternoon!

Hello...sweet ladies,

I am on my break at the college so I thought I would stop in and say hello. I didn't have time last night to put up a post after fixing up the pen for Miss Emma. She took all of my time and that was just fine. She is the sweetest "Girlie"! Very gentle and she is fitting in  very nicely on the Prairie Flower Farm. I am thinking of putting in my Buff rooster that is getting quite big. He is the one that I bought at the Yoder Auction this last spring. He isn't the same type, but he would keep her company. 

Pinterest

Tonight when I get back on the farm I will be putting up some applesauce to freeze. I will show you how I do it if you have never done so.....it is soooooo Simple! 

Hugs and God bless your day!

Linda

My Miss Emma

Good morning sweet ladies,

it is early and the sun is not up yet.....smile! The roosters are doodling as I type. I don't have much time, but I wanted you to meet........

 Miss Emma. She just came to the farm yesterday. She is so big, beautiful and very very sweet. In this picture she is sitting on my lap on a plastic bag. In the morning when we left for church.....I had no intentions of buying a "Girlie"......but I did! Right after church we went to the State Fair for just a bit......for one reason. To gather some feathers. I know......most people go to see the booths....eat.....and ride rides. Me......I go to see the chickens. They always have feathers that are on the floor, in the empty cages and along the side of the cages. I was gathering them with the help of my sweet man. He has a good eye! Then I was just about at the end  and I saw her and a lot of others like her. Buff Orpingtons are the sweetest of hens. I noticed that some of her type were for sale! I was on a mission and nobody could stop me! Ha! I called the number and the lady was standing right by me. Emma was for sale for sure and I could buy her. I did and could come back and pick her up at 3:00. I did not have a box or a cage. You should have seen the people stare at her when I was walking back to the car. She sat on my lap all the way home. She is one big "Girl". It is the type that she is. I was so excited I didn't bother to ask, but I do have access to the ladies number and I will be buying a rooster from her! I will be keeping her separate from the others. I do have another Buff rooster......not of her kind....but I may put them together in a separate pen. Eeeekkk! I will get better pic's....because I am sure you must want to see. Right? I just love her......as I said it wasn't my intension to buy yesterday......but I am so glad I did. She will be so fun to show when the Lord brings who ever He wants to bring to the farm. She is so unique and so beautiful!! Can't wait until she has babies. 

Oh one more thing. Yesterday I was thinking......."Lord it would be so neat if Miss Red would hatch another baby chick when the family comes." As soon as I got home I went to check if she had any eggs that either hatched or were ready. I jumped....she DID have a little peep hole in an egg and a little one was chopping away on the inside. I will tell you the rest of the story later.......it is totally amazing and it is so precious, because my God the creator of good things...... cared about my measly little desire. It blessed the little 2 year old boy and his Momma........just like I was thought it would. They are from the city for the most part! Can't wait to tell you!!!!

 

 I will post later also about the dinner last night..... after I get home from the bakery! It was so so delightful. The Potter's Shed was so beautiful all lit up by the time evening came. 

Hope you all had a wonderful weekend and SONday! We did......God was with us last night.....in a very real and precious way! 

Hugs to you and may God bless you bunches today,

Linda

New Life and A Day With The Farrier

Hello sweet ladies,

It is SONday......and I wanted to share this verse. It is a favorite of mine, and I thought it might bless you. 

What does the LORD require of you?

To act justly and to love mercy

and to walk humbly with your God. 

                                    Micah 6:8

If you look real closely you can see the two little tiny pieces of thread that the cocoon is attached to the parsley with. Sweet!

Some wanted to see what happened to the caterpillar. It is so amazing and beautiful. Only God can create such an amazing thing. New Life! One word AMAZING.......to think what is going on inside the cocoon. Think of it. So thankful I have asked Jesus to do the same thing in me.......He chose me......I chose Him......it is called a precious relationship.......forever! I pray today....if you are reading my post and you have never accepted Jesus and what He did on the cross that day that today is the day of YOUR Salvation. It is found in Him alone...... and found in no other.

Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: “Rulers and elders of the people! If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a man who was lame and are being asked how he was healed,  then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed.

 Jesus is

"the stone you builders rejected,
    which has become the cornerstone."

And there is Salvation in No One Else, for there is No Other Name under Heaven given among men by which we must be saved. Acts 4:12

I now wait expectantly for Jesus the Bridegroom to come and receive His Bride! 

The farrier's name is Ray and my sweet man likes the way he works with our horses....... in fact a lot. My sweet man was not raised around horses.....just cows, but he has wanted to learn the last 5 years. He got into horses because of our girls. The first two horses we had on our farm were given to the girls 5 years ago. This picture is of Kiowa. She's a Paint. My sweet man is rubbing her gums....because she has never been good at balancing and is always jittery. It was amazing how it helped calmed her. 

She finally started cooperating and did better with the farrier. 

Now it was Lady's turn. She is our granddaughter's Palomino that she received as her CHRISTmas gift this last year. Lady is a pistol! Ray showed my Phil a lot of good pointers to help as we train. She is a big girl! 

Lady does not lead  and the family she came from really did not feed her well. They had her on oats with lots of molasses. She was so so hyper and since she is on a new diet she has calmed down a lot for us. The other day she bit our Tressa......really bad. You could see her big mouth and teeth. Ray said to bite her back on the ear......now he is a big man......we are going to need a ladder to get up there! 

Ray said to possession a rope around her behind, like in this picture. 

He put pressure as he lead her......... it really did work. 

Lady didn't fare as well as the others. Ray gave lots of pointers. He said to do them over and over again. It would help her.

I was working at getting the Potter's Shed ready for the sweet family that is coming......guess some college kids are coming also......that will be nice......can't wait for the evening. 


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