Friends that last a life time!!!

Good morning sweet ladies.......been a very busy last week filled with grand babies, grand children, gardening, canning and friends!! We had two of our grand sons and a friend for dinner.....I have decided that I am inviting them to our farm......I will feed them and we will get to hear what is happening in their life......they stayed for 5 hours......it was wonderful!!! I have time now that I have not had and it will be so fun to invest in their lives......they need us and we need them. Then one of my granddaughters has gone to college...2 hours away.....it will take some commitment on our part to go and see her!! We will!!! Can't wait.....I am painting her a chair and building her a bench. That will keep me busy!!! I know is it is rough out there and it scares me for her to be far away...but I am thankful for the Lord and how he hears this Grammies prayers and He will be all over in protection for my girl!!! She wrote me...she found a good Bible believing church.....she wrote how the Lord touched her that first night.......I cried through the whole message.......God had heard me...and He answered!!! Such a precious Lord I serve!!! I will continue to keep her covered along with all the other grands we have!! It is important that we pray for our family and friends!!! 

His smile.....her little hand!!

She thought she would just take his kerchief!!

Now how do I get up?

I also got to spend two days with these two littles and their Mommas!! We went to a greenhouse.......it was beautiful and the girls got pics of our time......they are so so precious!!!

Started picking and canning my tomatoes. I use a very simple recipe......Here it is from a past post years back. 

 I picked two big containers full!!!

Super easy, tomatoes, garlic, green peppers and celery!!!! Used my food processor.......ladled in jars!!

Pressure cooked them!
Here is an old pictorial Here

Cooled and they are ready for the shelf!!

Yesterday was a day for me to go visit my sweet friends that live down in the Beachy, Amish/Mennonite area. They are adorable ladies!!!

I walked into their kitchen.....memories hit me....dinners with the family right before Grandpa Yoder died.....Marian, Rosa's sister and my best friend sitting on the floor shucking corn while she was battling cancer....Grandma Yoder telling me that I had a problem with pride because I wouldn't take Rosa's fresh whole wheat bread....I took it and told her I was sorry......coming at CHRISTmas time to go to the tea room and get it ready for their family to have dinners and our tea party!! They all made me their own.....I was English and they were Beachy......perfect fit!!! How I miss all of those days!!! Thankful for the memories though. Rosa  had a jar of homemade pickles and a jar of just made fresh homemade pizza sauce!! She gave me the recipe!!! She also let me taste the finished sauce.....oh my delicious!!!

Here is the recipe......she sent me home with the bag of all the spices I need.....I will return when I am done!!! Love how she takes care of me!!

Their pickles were beautiful!!! Didn't get to try....but one day I will after they sit to ferment!!

I was invited to sit at their dining room table for tea......and homemade chocolate cookies......and I noticed the teapot......galvanized white and black........cutest!!!

Rosa went out on her porch and cut off some "fresh mint tea" as she calls it....and pressed it down into the boiling water to let it steep.......

videoed the process.......as she is stirring the tea........

our cups were ready!!!!  Aunt Ella brought in the cookies.......

now to laugh and share.......together all afternoon.......was so so fun for all of us!

 As we went out the front door I noticed all her beautiful white roses in front of their porch. It was beautiful. She had about 7 all across the front. Her daughter buys her the small miniature roses in the little pots.....you see them on Mother's Day a lot.....someone had told Rosa that inside one of those pot there are 6 to 7 individual plants......she broke them up and planted each one. I AM DOING THAT!!! They are beautiful!!! Big too!!! I have so much work to do on my little rose garden and I can't wait to get some plants and start planting!!! Not sure if it should be in fall or spring!! I will see!

We walked over to the tea room......it wasn't the same.....since Marian died life changed for all of us.....no more Tea Room parties......I am going back.....we are going to clean it up!! She has grands that need to have fun in there! It won't be the same.....but we can make it for the next generation!!!

The vegetation has taken over.....still looks pretty!!! 
I had not yet picked out my tea cup yet they were Marians. We had washed them a many times after having some kind of party!!! Oh the chatter that went on.....or the prayers that we prayed for our children that we lifted up to the Lord. She was a sweet sweet friend!! It was so hard to give her up....she died on the night before our youngest daughter got married. Marian wanted to so bad come to the wedding. It was a sad night for me.......but one day we will be together again!! She loved me deep.....I did the same with her. 

Lots of little stitches!

Before I left Aunt Ella wanted to show me her room. It was precious.....very neat and orderly!! Her dresses hung on a post.....with her bed clothes.....simple life! On her bed was a quilt.....her  Aunt (I think she said) made her the two color (my favorite kind of quilt) quilt. Precious.....worn and loved.......a long the top in some of the squares was written......Never to busy to Pray.......a reminder!!!

Then she handed me this blue rag.......she said would I like.....of course I would like......it was the best dusting rag she said......I will treasure it and I will use it!! Prayers for Aunt Ella and her precious family will be said!! 

Do you have a sweet friend that you love and loves you back? It is a treasure for sure!! 

I would love to hear if you would like to share!! 

God bless each of you.....I know this is long......but I had to get my week journaled or I would forget!! One day I want still want to write a book.....hope my dream comes true.

Hugs to your day and know that you are loved by me,

Linda

Hello.......it has been awhile!!!

Hello sweet ladies.......oh my it has been forever since I have been on here......I have started some other posts......and then life happens......and when that happens.......I don't get to finish them. I have missed blogging for sure......and maybe this will get me started on a roll. We sold the coffeehouse......we are thankful that we can now give time to help our family and to be on our farm.......you will find me in the garden and putting up produce and picking zinnas. I am so grateful the Lord has allowed this in our life again!!!

                It is wonderful to be back  H O M E and not working                                            outside the HOME!!!

For the last 2 and a half weeks we have been out with my sis in Idaho......and what a sweet time we had......I picked plums......then we put up plum jam. It was delicious and I got to bring produce and fruit back home!!! I will put it up when I have time after I get the things in the garden put up. 

Went to OHANA Farms a no-till while in Idaho........had such a sweet time.....picked blackberries and weeded an area for them to replant. We loved the place and the precious people. It was such a delightful time seeing how they farmed! Lord willing we will go back and we told them we want to help again!!! 

When we came back from Idaho we took a few days and went to Estes Park Colorado.......how beautiful are the mountains!!!!! Loved it. It was such a sweet time. First time we have ever gone with just each other......different......but ever so sweet!! Usually we have traveled with our family!!! It is different not having kids in our home......we are learning! Not always easy still......but the Lord has been with us!! He is enough. 

We have been building things.....using my tools.....I love it. One item was a long long dining room table 9' 9". I have had the chairs reupholstered for months......is so nice to have a table again. We will use it much with college kids back and for our family and friends!!! 

I started to build this little porch area.......we had at the coffeehouse and now I wanted it at the farm. My sweet man helped me put up the top part......now I love sitting.........stitching or knitting! It is peaceful and a quiet place to sit at the end of the day!! 

This last weekend I bought a cupboard that was 7' tall x 4' wide.......lots of shelves and perfect for what I have been wanting. I have to paint the outside...it will be white......and I will try to change the look of the doors.....maybe build some new ones.....we will see. I couldn't wait to start organizing love cupboards!!! 
Like a lot!!! Behind each door there are 3 big size shelves.....perfect!!! I still have more sorting today of things to go on each shelf......I know it is going to help me a lot!!! Oh and it cost me $10. Now that made me really happy!!! 

For the last 2 weeks we have been getting rain......lots of it.......I am not sure on the whole amount.... over 7"at least.....we have so needed it!!! This morning we had a literal pond in our yard. The geese were all to happy!!!  It was a beautiful rain......took my umbrella and went out to the garden......I dug some potatoes for breakfast. So nice to have fresh from the garden! 

I hope all are well.......I hope I can hear from some of you and hear what has been going on with you......I love hearing from you too!!!! God bless......and lots of hugs to each of you, 

Linda