Happy Thanksgiving.......praying you are blessed!!!!

Hello my sweet precious ladies........I am embarrassed that I have not had time to write......for months. I have to say since we got the coffeehouse it has been one of the hardest times in my life. I am so busy...... half the time I don't know what way is up. I am not complaining......it just has been hard. It is like we have three shops in one building. The front is the sitting area, gift and flower part. The flowers keep us going with the funerals, birthdays, get well and special occasion flowers. That part can be busy for days. Then the middle part of the coffeehouse is the kitchen.....that is where we make the sandwiches, salads and soups. We have really doubled sales almost in that area. The back part has the coffee area. Tress has done amazingly well. We have also doubled sales there......so that just says we are busy! I miss writing and hearing how you all are. I do think of you often! Thankful so many of you follow on Facebook and I can still keep up with you there.

We have been so busy at the shop and it is getting a bit much for Tress and I to keep everything going. The flowers have also been busy and seems never ending. We have decided to sell that part of the business. We prayed and in 3 days we had a name. It just came to me one morning. I called a friend.......and a few days later she said yes, So now we will be done by the first of the year! I am so thankful the Lord provided a way out. The lady is going to be perfect. She already found  a building just down from us and she will be fixing it up!!!!! Ekkkk! Happy Momma here. It will help us not be so tied down. So many times we would go somewhere and have to come back because of a funeral. Hopefully I will be able to do some crafting and designing again. I have missed it so! Loved flowers.....it just got to much. God is good! 

The other part was I was having to give up so much of my farm life. That will change now also. My little Rupples is growing.......precious boy! He started out big and healthy! The other girls have looked pregnant......but nothing so far. One day we may have a sweet new baby lamb.......I just wait! 

We did raise 21 meat birds. I had bought a new chicken cage this last summer. It was quit big so I was able to get almost all but 3 birds into it. We drove up to the farmers place who was going to butcher them for me. We had to take mine all out and then put them into the farmers cages. I had never done it this way before. It was really easy and we will do it again come spring! We had to leave them for the night and go then just went and picked them up the next day.....they were all bagged individually and ready to put them in the freezer. We also gave half to our friends who used to have the market. We will all be enjoying chicken during the winter months with our egg noodles. Blessed!

At the end of October I put up some applesauce. I bought Jonathan apples and it turned out wonderful. So tart yet sweet. All the red from the peels came through and made the most beautiful pink sauce. 

See how pink it is? It is in my freezer! It is so good if you thaw it and then put it over ice-cream, it is like apple ala mode! 

Every Monday we have had a friend come and help us work on our home. We have put two new windows in our bedroom.......ask if I feel blessed!!!!!! The biggest window is a 4'x5'. The other night we woke up at 4:30 in the morning. Venice was straight out the window. It was so beautiful. All our farm windows were old (which I love and will save) but not efficient at all. Hoping the new ones will be more efficient and the house will be warmer for winter. I will show pics after the bedroom and bathroom are finished. 

Well that gives you just a bit of what has been happing here at Prairie Flower Farm and Broadway Market (our coffeehouse) I am so thankful for the time we have at the market. My heart is calming just knowing we will not have the flowers. So much ministry and encouragement are happening there. So many opportunities. I miss my home....but I do know God has us where He wants us. We are living in such a volatile time.......things are happening so fast everyday it seems. I am waiting for the Lord's return. He said all that is happening would happen. I trust you are ready!!! I so want you to share heaven with me. He is waiting for each of us to come and repent. That is why Jesus died.....so we could have eternal life....Jesus said ......., “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. John 14:6

I didn't say that, Jesus did.......I chose to believe Him! 

I love you all........I wanted to wish you a Happy Thanksgiving. You are truly such an important part of my life. I write as often as I can on fb. You can always follow me there. It just happens to be the easiest way I can write these days. After we sell the flowers.....maybe life will be a little less demanding. 

Hugs and God bless each one of you!! YOU are precious!!!

Linda

P.S. please leave a little comment.....or a big one......and let me know how you are.......I do miss you!

Hello sweet ladies!!!!!!!!

Hello sweet ladies, it has been a while since I have said hello......I miss you all terribly. I think of you daily! Life at the coffeehouse is almost to much at times.....but we are learning to be content. We can't believe that we have been at the market for 10 months now.......that is amazing to me. 

I have fixed up my little kitchen..........to look like I want it to. I love looking at a few pretty things. We get so busy at different times of the day........we have many stories each day......some are 

sad, happy and just plain life. We are meeting so many people that we never even knew lived in our town. We are meeting needs.....life seems to be lived through the lives of the people that come in on certain days......we see little ones, children....high school kids who come in with snacks that they bought at the gas station......(I think that one is cute).....Mom's who come to meet other Moms.......they have little coffee breaks.......Professors.....Pastors......Grandparents on vacation with the grands......so many people. We have to take calls.......calls for orders......funerals......birthdays.......just because calls.......little old men who have been married for 56 years and still count each year as if their sweeties were here..... but their sweetheart is at the cemetery.....they can't forget them.........nor will they let us.......they always tell us who they were and how cutie they were.....what they liked.....what they didn't.....we are their friends. Life has changed for us....we have grown......learning more about what the Lord wants us to do in this mixed up world we live in now......the most important part......is to love people where they are......it has stretched us.......I know He will stretch us even more in the coming year. 

I started a garden at the backside of the market.  It's my me time......I love it! A man and a little girl come in all the time. We have things in common.......like old things. He took some of my pallets and some of his "junk......beauty to me" and built these adorable boxes. 

It is growing.......lots of basil......lots of different peppers, flowers, herbs, oregano, lavender, rosemary, and more flowers. It is so nice to just go to the back and look, smell and pick. I have been harvesting my basil in at the shop and at home. 

Our family also went on a mini vacation a few weeks ago. So much fun. Went blueberry picking!!!!!! Ekkkkk my heart was so stinkin happy in the blueberry patch! We picked for hours. I loved it. We also picked some blackberries. I have them all frozen for winter use. They tasted just like Alaskan blueberries. No kidding, couldn't believe it. A gift........from the Creator..........HIMSELF! 

Hmmmm what else has been going on........

oh........I have also been putting up rhubarb........its my quiet place out in my garden. I can sit and hear the birds singing and have not a care in the world. Nobody is asking me for anything!!!!! Smile! I will have it running out my ears by the end of the season! Thats okay.....love rhubarb muffins and pie! Will sell it at the market. 

In the garden I saw this adorable little leaf. Only about a 1/2 long.......if you click on the picture you will see a teeny tiny little spider. He is weaving the feather into his web. Now that is amazing!!!!! I will treasure this picture for sure!

Another thing that happened last week was Tress and I went to an estate sale........look at what I got. I love it! Well, I can't love it, but I like it a lot!!!! It is in perfect condition......not one hole in it. Nothing wrong except some stains on it. I put it up on my fb and ladies helped me out on what to do  to maybe get it out. Please if you have ideas.......leave me a comment. Will try it this weekend. 

Well this is probably enough to write.......one more pic

Aspen.......she is pure naughty.....hops the fence.......and she can jump! We are going to have to work more on the fence. 

It feels good to write again......I have missed you.........a lot!!!!!!! 

Blessings to each of you.......and may the Lord 

bless you. Please pray for our country and the

world. So thankful the Lord has it in His control!

He is precious and will not let go of His children. Good thing to 

know!

Hugs, me

Best Sugar Cookie Recipe ever!!!!!!!!!

Hello sweet ladies, 

I had to show you what my Taylor gave me for my birthday.........pure sweetness!  The cookie jar has a rooster on the top........perfect.......then she wrote my name on the chalk part on the front. Inside she made me our family favorite cookie recipe cookies and decorated with our favorite butter cream frosting. Isn't this the cutest idea for a gift? I was spoiled by my kids and I loved it!!!!!! Momma's need that once in awhile! 

Deluxe Sugar Cookies 

1 cup butter, softened

1 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar

1 farm fresh egg (I wish I could share mine with you)

1 tea. vanilla

1/2 tea. almond extract (a must)

2 1/2 cup unbleached flour

1 tea. soda

1 tea. cream of tartar

Mix thoroughly butter, confectioners' sugar, egg, vanilla and almond extract. Blend in flour, soda and cream of tartar. Cover; chill 2 to 3 hours. 

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Divide dough in half. Roll each half 3/16 inch thick on lightly floured cloth covered board. Cut into desired shapes, sprinkle with granulated sugar, we don't do this step because we frost ours. Bake on lightly greased baking sheet. Bake 7-8 minute.

Butter Cream Frosting

1/3 cup soft butter

3 cups confectioners' sugar

1 tea. vanilla

1 tea. almond extract

about 2 Tbl. milk 

Blend butter and sugar. Stir in vanilla, almond and milk; beat until frosting is smooth and of a spreading consistency. 

I put this up on my Facebook and said I would share the recipe if anyone wanted it. Here it is. Hope you have as much fun as we do making nummy sugar cookies. They are really the best we have ever had!!!!

How are you all doing? We have received straight from heaven much needed rain. Thankful. It came down so hard and really creamed out my rhubarb........it will come back!!!!! We love all the rain we have been given from our Heavenly Father. He answered our prayer for sure!

Blessings to you,

Linda

Hello!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hello sweet ladies,

trust your Resurrection SONday was a blessing for you and your family. Ours was a little interesting. We were getting ready for church and the lights went out. Need I say more. Thankful we were almost ready!!!! Thankful we had the market so we could have our dinner as a family together. It was a precious time with our family......lots of laughter and memories were talked about. My favorite time was listening to everyone share. 

We had lots of damage on our farm last week. Our animals and our family were safe! It was a bit scary for sure. The wind was so powerful. Out in our area they said their was real dangerous weather. It came through the farm with hail that broke out windows (on our back porch) and a kitchen window.

Our meter and light pole blew down and fell on our farm truck. The electric company came today. It will be 2 days until they can come and put a new one up. So many are still without electricity. We can wait! Ours came back on yesterday....... even though we still have lines down on the ground from our farm house to our big barn it was still working. 

Outside we had a port potty on one side of the hay barn before the storm came and it ended up on the inside of our hay shed.

Tin from the hay shed wall and roof is up in a tree. We had a watering trough that flew somewhere.........it is gone. Can't find it. Now that is weird!!!!!!! Farm life.......has it's trials. God protected us and that we are grateful for. 

Our sheep were gone at our neighbors farm..........that was a huge blessing. The shed they stay in had a huge limb fall on the edge of the roof. They could have hurt each other because of being scared. It is that time of year again. Praying for our farm. We have not had rain..... the wheat is stressed. Thankful my Father understands my heart! He is a strong foundation in times when you are walking around your farm and needing His divine intervention and comfort. Thankful He never tires of me coming to Him. The sanctuary has damage on the top of the roof........branches and tree limbs hanging everywhere. We will repair it.......not sure when........but we will!

Thankful His mercies are new every morning! 

This morning we went to our friends house to give water to their dog........she has a row of lilacs like I have never seen in bloom like they were!!!!! My farmhouse smells lovely. I will take some to the coffeehouse tomorrow. It you were here I would share with you also. 

Hope I hear from some of you and how you are!

Hugs and God bless from the farm!

Linda

Farm Life..........Almost Spring Thyme!

Hello sweet ladies! 

I miss you.......it seems like my time is taken up with lots of new things. I find it hard to find time in my busy day to get all I want to get done...anyone feel the same? I think of you all every day and miss the time I used to have when I could blog more! The coffeehouse has so many parts to it. The people we serve each day are precious to us. But I so miss the farm.......checking in on my animals and chickens......baking in my kitchen.....crafting and you! Maybe in the summer it will be a little different when we don't have the college kids in town.

I did bring a little country into the shop the other day when I started my tomato seeds. They are life and I enjoy watching them grow each day, especially when it is snowing outside and you want Spring to happen!

I have them up in front of the floral area. I was gone over the weekend and when I came back they were about 2" tall. I had put them in a dark place, because seeds don't need light to start......they just need warmth. Love watching them grow. I will never tire of life that grows!

Bittersweet and Myrtle are growing and running and playing with each other more. We got their tails docked. My farm friend who is a Shepherdess helps us each time we get new babies. They need shots and looked over and 

Cheryl helps me.......every year I learn more. I love watching her love my babies! She loves them as much as I do!

Bittersweet is just plain adorable!!!!!! When it is really icy and such outside we keep him and Myrtle inside the pen. He is ready to get out when the sun is shining. Love his little pink nose.......looks so much like Birch did.

Notice his pink ears?  Sweetness!

I was taking pic's of Daddy Cardinal.......look what happened next!

Momma Cardinal was hitting up against the window again. She had been doing it the day before, but I didn't get my camera in time. Right when I was going to take a pic of her, Daddy C. came and fed her. Courting time......Spring is happening!

All clean......needs some more work done to it this summer. This is my little Milk House. It works great to house my Momma Cochins and their babies.  Cleaned the coops.........love laying fresh straw. Filled the nesting boxes also.  Makes me feel better and the Girls will be scratching and eating the wheat heads for days! 

Love seeing my little greens popping out of the ground!

Today I have been weeding out in my rhubarb patch. Will lay paper and straw to keep back the weeds. They look like they are going to do well. Transplanted them last year.  Can't wait for Rhubarb and Strawberry Jam.....what do you make? 

Here is a little post to keep you posted on what is happening here at Prairie Flower Farm..........sorry.......I do miss you all and if you want to keep up with what is going on...... I do post on my Facebook. Hope life slows down.......some day right? 

Hugs to you and may the Lord bless and keep you. It seems to be getting rather crazy out there in the world. Hold onto everything the Word of God tells you......it is important to do the right thing even if you stand alone! He says He won't leave us or forsake us....we may lose all here on earth......but not our souls. That is Truth. We need His guidance like never before. Pray for the persecuted whenever you think of it. Watching so many things going on. What was always wrong is now right.......so much against what He has said in His Word for All of our protection. Looking for Jesus to return to get His Church. Please be ready. 

Linda

New little ONE! Her name is Myrtle!

Hello sweet ladies, 

How are all of you doing.......I know.......I haven't been by here lately. We are putting in so many hours at the coffeehouse and when we are home...... I am trying to get all done that needed to be done the whole week. God is using the coffeehouse in precious ways. After watching the news.......and all that is going on..........we have to share Jesus more than ever! Just seems to me that the Bible and the Truth of His Word is being ripped apart. Choosing what we want to believe and not taking His Word seriously. So, I am thankful the Lord has me where I can love people! Sin is abounding.......not because I say so, but because He has a way for us to live....... in His Word to protect us from ourselves! I am so not perfect! I need my family of God to encourage me and they do! 

If you need prayer in anyway........please leave it here in the comment or contact me via email......found at the top right side. I will pray. Please pray for us also. My heart is so sad to see what is happening.......but God knows it all and will work it out until He comes back for us! What a precious day that will be! Hope in the real! It is going to happen.......we have to be ready!

Now for the news.......you know my Olivia has been waiting just forever to have her baby or babies! Everyday we would check.....sometimes 3 and 4 times. She was fat......not that it looks like it here in the pic. Cameras are funny sometimes. Well.........

today we were home.........our day off. My sweet man came in and said.........."get your camera........and heavy coat on and come with me"! Well I knew exactly what was going on. One.........two? Out the door! 

Only one little girl.......her name is Myrtle! I love her name.......don't you? She has black little ears, black under each eye and a little black smudge on her nose. Absolutely adorableness! By the time we got out there she was all dry and snuggled in a bed of straw. She had probably been born in the wee hours of the morning.  .....while I was sleeping in! 

I could barely wait to get out there! I peeked in.........and was surprised there was only one. Olivia was huge...couldn't believe she had only one........but it was a girl and I was ecstatic! 

I am so thankful the day was a warm one here. Now I just have to keep both the little ones nice and protected from the winter and we will be fine. 

As you can see Bittersweet is a sweetie. He is eating alfalfa like a big boy! Getting fat and so so healthy! The babies are almost exactly a month apart! They will have fun scampering around the barn yard. 

I love my gifts! I miss being home.........and the city is not my thing.......never has been........but that is where the Lord has us and I am learning to adjust! Everyday He gives us something specific to do for Him. I want to listen......so having these two little ones in the dead of the winter........I know He was thinking of me at this time! I needed a little fun on the farm!

Well, love you all.......please write and let me know how you all are......I do so miss you, but Facebook has been good. 

Come over and join in!

Blessings and may the Lord be all you need!

Linda