There Are Some Really Fun Parties Going On Out There!

Sweet Ladies,

I am not real good on the computer as you all know. I need help so much of the time, but I am trying to learn some things. There are two giveaways that are going on that I think you will like.

Farmhouse Country just got put into Gooseberry Patch Featured Friday’s I am so excited for Dee. Then on her blog she has the cutest Cupcake Sign for her 100th giveaway celebration party, that you will like sooooo much. Go over and be sure to please tell her I sent you! You will have a lot of fun over at her place!!!! It is truly a fun party! Be sure to sign up soon, it is over on March 31st.

Isn't this sooooo cute?

Over at Faithfulness Farm, Mrs. P. is also having her 100th post party. Just to much fun for all us ladies! She has a Gooseberry Patch Cookbook, a hand embroidered tea towel redwork rooster and a sweet breakfast set that has cute little hens all over them. You will have so much fun at this blog also. The drawing is over on Friday April 2nd. Please tell her I sent you!!

You will enjoy both of these blogs!

Blessings

Time To Transplant At Prairie Flower!

You may use this picture on your sidebar if you like.

Just put that it is from Prairie Flower Farm please. Thank you!

It is sun shining today, so I am going to enjoy it!!!!!

What is happening at your place?

Dear ladies, It did snow, could not believe it!!!! It wasn't as bad as they thought it was going to be. It is all about gone now. Yes!!!!!!! This week we are to have warmer weather, which I am very grateful for. I will have to be in the house though, because I am working on two Patriotic Fabric lines. Any of you that would like to pray for me, please do. Thank you very much. Smile! I do have some of the icons drawn and I just need to start painting. Then I will scan them in and my Tressy and I will start making some fabric pieces. I enjoy designing, but sometimes it can be a little stressful. It is kind of like harvest, when you work so hard and then it is cutting time. Long hours!

This morning I transplanted some of my little tomato and basil plants that were needing it.

You will need some 7 oz. Dixie cups and potting soil.

Poke a hole in the bottom of the cup with a sharp knife.

Fill cup with potting soil almost full and pat soil down. With your first finger poke a hole in the soil. Lift up the soil carefully along the side of little tomato plant after it gets about 2" tall. Handle the little plant very carefully.

Push soil carefully around the plant and fill the hole. I have about 1/2" of the little plant above the top of soil.

Now you will want to have some kind of inexpensive fluorescent shop light. You can use a south window if it has good sun light. You will have to turn the plants though. Keep plants moist with water. I always pour warm water from the bottom or use a tea pot filled and gently pour warm water from the top.

If you would like more information go here. Starting seeds They have wonderful pictures.

Here is another site called Grow Better Veggies, I like to read. If you are interested in starting your own seeds just read and read and read! There are wonderful sites on the web.

Here is a picture of my Roma's last year.

I have this cute little Potters Shed on the side of our big barn. I will show you pictures at a later date, as I get it all cleaned up from winter. Along one side it has a feeding trough that my honey and I filled with dirt. I take my plants out there when it starts getting warmer in the day.Iput old windows on the top to make a greenhouse and later screen window. It is so wonderful to go and sit out there with all my little baby plants growing away. Hope you are getting to enjoy some Spring Thyme weather!

Here is my little Potters Shed.

On my last post some of you wrote me the most precious comments and some personal emails. I loved it. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. Some out there may be very sad about yesterdays healthcare vote. I am also, but I am confident that the Lord knows what He is allowing. It is for our good. I remember this one pastor telling us that in the perspective of eternity we are a little teeny tiny dot on the line. That is sooooooo true. Just keep your eyes on Him, know matter what we will go through, He will go through it and He will be with us. I am sure of that. Don't quit praying. It is our life line!!!!! He loves us so much. It gives me comfort to know that the Lord has my family covered by His protection. Isaiah 49:16 says., "See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me." Is that not so precious of our Lord to put in His Word? It is His gift to us, for those who want it.

Blessings sweet ladies that follow my blog! You mean a lot to me and don't forget it... smiling!

Happy Spring Thyme

Can We Pray?

A bouquet of flowers for you!

You may use on your blog if you like.

You know, I love how the Word of God speaks to our everyday lives. I too have been seasoned by grief and disappointments in life. Raising children in todays world is just plain hard, but do able with the Lord! I do not have it all together as reading my blog may seem. I have tasted much sorrow over wrong decisions that our older children have made. When our children leave our home they get to make their own choices and that does not necessarily reflect our life choices for them. That has probably been the hardest thing for me as a Momma. As a parent if you take training and teaching the importance of seeking the Lord seriously, it is hard when your children maybe don't do what you taught when they leave your home. But I will tell you, "Momma's and Daddy's don't give up!" Some have to find their way to the Lord on their own the hard way. Letting them do that is probably one of the most painful parts of being a parent. But just as the Father doesn't leave us. I will never leave my children. That is when the only thing I can do is pray. I would encourage Momma's and Daddy's that have children at home "Hide God's Word in their Heart!" It will not leave them when they are old. The Lord does something supernatural in their hearts when they tuck the Word away! Secondly if there are parents that have not done that, it is never to late! If your kids are out of the home, pray the Word of God over them. I have a prayer that I prayed for years as I saw wrong choices in my older children's lives. I blamed myself, if only I would of done this or that. No, they get to choose their own decisions. I did confess though what I knew I had not done wrong, even to them. It was hard to see some of my own bents in them. It was a precious time though when I confessed to them my wrong. It truly is never to late to say we are sorry. I think that is why the good Lord gave us families. We learn so much about life!

Hear is my prayer that I started praying in 2005 for my children.

My eyes will watch over them for their good, and I will bring them back to this land.

I will build them up and not tear them down; I will plant them and not uproot them.

I will give them a heart to know me, they will return to me with ALL their heart.

Jeremiah 24:7

Thank you Lord for your promises! I can stand in confidence that you love

my husband, children and grandchildren more then I ever could.

This is my prayer bracelet.

I just put all the initials of all the big kids in the middle and then all

the grandkids initials on the bottom strand. One day they will go through

my things as I have gone through our Dads. They will know that I

loved them and the Lord.

Is anyone concerned for what is happening to our country?

Pray...... he will hear us and act on it!

I was reading this, this morning.

Blow the trumpet in Zion, declare a holy fast, call a sacred assembly.

Gather the people, consecrate the assembly; bring together the elders,

gather the children, those nursing at the breast. Let the bridegroom leave

his room and the bride her chamber. Let the priests, who minister before

the Lord, weep between the temple porch and the altar. Let them say, Spare

your people, O Lord. Don not make your inheritance an object of scorn, a byword

among the nations. Why should they say among the peoples,

"Where is their God?"

I think we need to get serious. Please join me, we can make a difference if

we pray!

I know this is kind of a serious post, but it has been heavy on my heart

as I watch choices being made for the next generations. We can

stand together and God will make a difference! Makes me so

sad, can't imagine what it is doing to the heart of God.

On a lite note. We have a 90% chance of snow this afternoon. Oh stink!!!!!!

I have all the little animals all tucked as a bug!

Everyone have a wonderful weekend!

Blessings,

Rosa's Garden Tea Recipe

Fresh Garden Tea

You are welcome to use this picture on

your blog if you like.

I have enjoyed fellowshiping many times when I enter the home of the "Yoder Girls." Grandma "Grosmommy" Yoder, her name is Lydia, Rosa her daughter and Marian the youngest daughter all live toether. I usually come in the back door and it is always filled with colors that would satisfy the eye. Plants, eggs, fresh produce from Rosa's beautiful garden. Rosa would say her garden is not "fancy." I enjoy walking around their little farm and sitting at Granda's table drinking Garden Tea. Both of the girls care for their precious momma. They are my most dear friends (family). They are quiet ladies. A I sit in their home I tend to be a little quieter. Heehee, that is hard for me and sometimes I get them to laughing so hard. We have a wonderful time together. I found the picture above of a day I was down at the girls. I took a picture of this beautiful pitcher and glass filled with their famous "Garden Tea". I knew that one day I would use it on my blog. Since they are talking about snow, I thought I would just bring out the tea and hope that the weatherman doesn't know what he is talking about. If you can find a neighbor with any kind of mint, get some starts. Usually anyone that has it is so willing to share. It spreads like you wouldn't believe. Keep that in mind, don't plant it by anything that you want the mint to take over. Rosa also dries the Apple Mint in the fall. You can lay it out on screens or she takes a sheet and lays it over a bed and lets it dry with a fan on it.

The girls also have a little Tea Room that I help them fix up every fall. They use it a lot during the fall and winter season. So do the other family members, for CHRISTmas parties. It is really a fun place to entertain. If you could ever come and visit me, I will be sure to take you down for some Garden Tea with my special friends (family). They gave me a wire wall hanging. It is one of my favorite treasures.

Almost forgot to tell you!

MY BASIL BABY SEEDS ARE UP!!!!!!!!!!

Looks at these little seeds. They are the sweetest little things.

I just love LIFE! God is so good to give us seeds!

BLESSINGS!

A SWEET ACT OF KINDNESS

Last Saturday I was humbled when I received the Sunshine Blog Award from "Our Bluebell Country." First, thank you so much for the sweet award my friend, Mrs. Homemaker. My prayer clear back when I started my blog was that when ladies came to it, it would be a place of encouragement and a place where they would be built up as precious ladies that the Lord intended for them to be. I had just a few followers back then. This is what I prayed for on the first day of my blog.

Heavenly Father, as I come into your presence I first want you to know that I want to serve you all the days of my life. I know that without you life for me would just not matter. You have been my rock when I just didn’t think I could handle life. You have been a light unto my path, when I needed direction for the next step. You have been my JOY when I was able to see your finger prints all over the circumstances that needed healing. You have been my deliverer when I couldn’t see an escape. You have touched my life, my family and Father for that I call you Faithful. Thank you for holding me in the palm of your clenched fist hand and for not ever letting me go. You are truly my God and I choose to serve you with your help living out my days. Some say you are a crutch, I choose to believe that you are my Savior. I ask that in my writings that others will see your presence in the words and will hold on to you, May they be encouraged and if they have not accepted your gift, I trust today will be the day. I am a grateful woman that has been seasoned by life. Thank you for never leaving me. In Jesus name, Amen.

The Sunshine Award is awarded to bloggers whose positivity & creativity inspires others in the blog world. By earning this award, I have been given the privilege of awarding it to 10 other blogs that I love to read. Mind you, it was so hard to pick just 10. I have so many that I love to follow. Oops I picked 11. Guess it was meant to be!

And my award winners are....

A Merry Heart Journal

My Picket Fence Cottage

Farmhouse Blessings

Here's A Hand To Hold On To

Lady Farmer

Faithfulness Farm

Live Well, Laugh Often, Love Much

Sunny Morning Farm

Keep'n The Sunny Side

Farmhouse Country Style

Country Blossom

These ladies have followed me and I them for some time. Now for those who don't have your name up here, if I could have I would have put your name up. I have sooooooo many that I absolutely love!!!!!!! I really didn't like it that I had to pick just 10! Oops I picked 11. So I can't count.

Enjoy looking up the different blogs!

Yesterday was such a beautiful day. It was filled with much cleaning around our farm. I started with the chicken coop. Yuk! I usually clean the coop in the fall and then again in the winter time. Not!!!! It was cold alllllll winter, so I just let my honey do the honors of feeding all the "Girls" and a few roosters. He is such a sweet man to do that for his honey! Smile! It was so nasty this year. So I wanted you to see what I did. My body is killing me today. Oh, I also had three adorable grand sons out for two days. They played Farmopoly with their Aunt and also helped me a "little" outside. I told them if we cleaned some in the garden they could start a fire. That got them real good! Here is what I did.

This is the entrance to my little" Chicken Coop". The siding is coming off this year and we are going to paint it. I have gone back and forth on what color. Any ideas? It used to be the wash house along time ago. The other day Aunt Evelyn told us that when a tornado came through they were all sitting inside shelling peanuts. They all had to take off to the little milk house for safety. I really don't like tornados. Being an Alaskan girl we didn't have them up there, only earthquakes. That isn't much better. Smile.

I know this isn't a pretty picture, but when you have chickens this is what you get. Sometimes I see these little chicken coops on blogs and they look so clean and cute. Not a real thing! Chickens do two things. Eat and _ _ _ _! I am starting to giggle........... wish they could use the toilet. Heehee. I think I am probably the only one that is laughing right now! It would save me a lot of time!

Now look here, my sweetie "Man" came to rescue me! He is such wonderful good man!!!!!!! Remember Claris? My little 98 year old friend? When she saw "my sweetie" the first time she said, "Well hi Santa Clause!" She isn't funny.

Miss Little Chick" said, " I am not coming down!" I love it when they go up into the loft. She is the "new girl" in the coop! The other girls can be mean, like I told you before and they are.

Oh this makes this farm girl veryyyyyyy happy!

Remember Lily? Well....... now she has a husband. I ordered him last year and they are going to have babies. I hope...... I fixed them all up in a nice homey cage and hopefully she will start laying eggs. After she gets her eggs laid, he will move out and will be safe with here chicks from our cats. I just can't hardly wait!!!!!!! I love babies. Any kind!!!!!

Here is Momma and Poppa White Cochin! I have them in a happy home also. I just so badly want to see if they will have little babies also.

I took this picture out in the chicken coop. I am not sure what they used the hooks for when it was the wash house, but I love it! You are welcome to use this picture

from Prairie Flower Farm,

please put it that it is by us. Thank you!

So that was my day yesterday. Today is to be an other nice day and then they said, snow!

I hope you can read that, because I am not saying it very loud. I hope the weather man is very very wrong! It makes my head hurt just thinking about it.

I love you all bunches! You make my heart smile alllllll the time! Blessings to your day!

Tell me what you are doing today and don't forget to tell me what color you think I should make the coop or you could send me a picture of what color yours is if you have one.

Do You Want To Start Some Seeds With Me?

It was so warm today and it was wonderful! I planted some tomatoes and basil. I thought I would show you what I did. Last year I did a lot more with my seeds (click and you can see). It will have to be a little more simple for me this year.

You will need: Potting Mix Soil (Miracle-Gro), a cup or tea cup, seeds, heating pad, cooling rack, plastic bag and a tag.

Planting seeds is so easy! You save a lot money wise and it is so enjoyable watching the little sprouts come up. Today we will do tomatoes. You will need a clean cup or tea cup, as my friend Gail uses. I chose a little granite ware cup. Make sure it is real clean. Potting Mix Miracle-Gro is found at a greenhouse near you. It is good to support an independent Greenhouse. It helps a family make a living!

Fill the cup with damp potting soil.

Sprinkle tomato seeds on top of the dirt and cover with soil 1/4" deep.

Slip cup into a plastic bag. I like to blow air into the bag and puff it up. I don't know if that helps, but it makes me feel better. smile! Tie it off at the top and put a little tag with the name of the plant and date that you planted it.

I made a new cover for my heating pad today. It needed some cheering up! I made a flannel covering. I like it a lot better now.

Place a little table by a south window. Put a cookie sheet on top of table, then a heating pad (set at med) on top of the cookie sheet. Place a cooling rack on top of the heating pad and if you are like me, you will check the little plants every day to see if they are up. I love it!!!!

I painted a little bluebird today. He just reminds me of spring. I wanted a signature for a long time and today I bumped into how to do one. Thank you Jesus for making my path straight! Tressa put up my little bluebird for me. I think it turned out so fun. I will give you the link on how to do your own signature, in case you would like to do one also. It is from The Cutest Blog On the Block. If you need a little bluebird, maybe we can help you with that!

March 3Oth will be my One year anniversary on having my blog. I am thinking what I would like to do to celebrate. I am thinking I need to have a very special giveaway party. We do need to celebrate. I have so many wonderful friends that have made my days so rich and special. I thank you all so much for that. I have a few weeks to figure out what I will be doing. I can't hardly believe it has been almost a year.

HAPPY PLANTING!

Egg In My Pocket, Not A Good Idea!

Not very smart!!!!!

Hello!!!!!!!!

It is sun shining outside TODAY! I love all the SEASONS, but I do like it when one season is finished and the next one is starting to show it's self! Today is like one of those days and I am so excited! Well, as some of you know I love to go out in my night clothes and gather my eggs. Only when it is warm though. Today it is warmer then it has been so out I went. I had on my sweatshirt, nightgown and pj bottoms. Quite the sight I must say. Anyway I decided to move one of my chicks, that I had in our little milk barn to the big chicken coop. She is such a sweet and very very tame. I moved her in and stayed around to make sure that the big girls wouldn't bug on her. They are kind of bossy that way when a new girl gets introduced. She did fine, but I will have to check on her through out the day. I saw that one of my girls had laid an egg, so I put it in my pocket. I forgot that it was in there. When I came into the house I noticed that someone had left the door open to my cupboard and Cassie our oldest daughters cat was in it. I bent down.............. to get her out. I still wondered what it was. Duh!!!!! I went into the kitchen and said to the girls, "I can't figure what just got on me". I am a little slow. Yuk!!!!!

I remember one time when I was a young girl homesteading with my parents in Alaska. My Mom needed some eggs, so my Dad put me behind him on our horse. We road over to my Grandparents house to get the eggs. For some reason I put them in my pocket. Not sure why I did that! We did not make it home with whole eggs. Guess I am a slow learner.

Happy Spring ladies!

It is almost here. Tell me what the weather is like in your area. Hope it is pretty like it is here. We hardly had any sun it seems this last winter. I really need some sun!!!!!

I am planting some seeds today. I will let you see what I did tomorrow. Are you planting any seeds in the house? I just love to see the little green sprouts coming up.

Blessings,

Linda