We Have A Winner!

Good Morning sweet friends,

This morning I was tallying up all the names who had entered our giveaway and happened to look out the window of the big door. This is what I saw to the east.........a huge line of clouds, bright red and pink........thought you might like to see what it looks like in Kansas.......sometimes in the mornings.......He blesses me so!!!!!

Yesterday Birch was right by my side as I was working on this wooden sign for my Tay's wedding. 

Thought it turned out sweet. You may have a problem with reading it, but the sun was shining right on me! It says......

Come as you are,

stay as long as you can,

we're all family here

so no seating plan!

We found it on Pinterest.......of course!!!!! Wink! Love Pinterest......so many creative ladies out there!

Okay.......I am sure that you would like to find out who won the giveaway........of the Gooseberry Patch Hometown Harvest Cookbook.........

the winner is........ Nancy Wolff........

her blog is called:

Prudent Living 

On the HOme Front......

you must go over and check out her blog......you will like! A lot!!!! Very helpful blog!

Congratulations!!!!!!!!!!!

Thank you to all who signed up.......I love reading your comments.......makes us all a little bit closer! 

We worked on the Sanctuary yesterday..all day! Thought you might like to see a pic.......we got the roof up and will get the back part (where you see the opening). The boys who are helping will finish that and the bannister later. It is almost done.......we got another load of wood chips for the front of the sanctuary. .......those will all be leveled. Will look so pretty.......this week and next we will work on the reception. That will be fun also!

My sister is coming to the wedding!!!!!!!! She is on a new med and it has been helping her so much......she walked up 16 steps the other day......she couldn't do that at all sometime back! Thankful to the Lord for all His help in her life.....thank you to all who have prayed for her. 

Today is SONday and it is time to get myself ready to go to church........trust your day is a sweet one!

Also......talked with the sisters last night of Marian......she is going to be with our Heavenly Father soon......her body is shutting down.......I am so grateful for the time we have had with each other.....sharing, crying and hearing her wishes she is leaving with her family members and myself. What a gift that we have had together......we will be united again someday and live with each other forever in heaven. We both have that promise from the Lord.......she will be totally healed when she goes HOME! Praise be to our Jesus who came to wipe away sin for those who put their trust in Him alone for their salvation! 

Love you, 

Linda

Gooseberry Patch Party Until midnight tonight October 6th!!!!

Hello sweet ladies,

Today is a huge day for us as far as getting the Sanctuary ready.......I made up a huge pot of Willie Family Chili using the recipe from the Hometown Harvest Cookbook.......you can sign up for the party if you would like by going here or scrolling down to sign up. 

The recipe is super easy and very nummy! 

Willie Family Chili

2 lbs. ground beef

1/2 to 1 c. onion, chopped

2 15 oz. cans pinto beans

28 oz. can diced tomatoes

15 oz. can tomato sauce

6 0z. can tomato paste

1 cup water

2 T. chili powder

1/2 t. dried oregano

1/2 t. salt

1/2 t. pepper

Brown beef in a soup pot over medium heat; drain. stir in remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer for one hour. For best flavor, refrigerate overnight, then reheat and serve the following day. Makes 8 to 10 servings. 

It is a really so easy and will fill up a whole bunch of my college throughout the day!!!!

Hope you sign up to the Gooseberry Patch and Prairie Flower Farm giveaway!!!!!

Hugs from the farm, 

Linda

Hope You Have A Sweet Day Today!

Hello sweet ladies,

Just a little note to remind you of the Gooseberry Patch and Prairie Flower Farm Party going on here! 

You can go here to sign up, if you haven't already! It is so full of beautiful recipes for your fall cooking!

My girls have been laying so good lately.......the weather is cooling down a bit so they are blessing me with beautiful eggs. One of my favorite things every day is going to the Girls Hen House and gathering eggs! I sell my eggs at the college to some of the ladies......gives me a little "egg money". 

Well.......I am off to work at the college. I have been excited for some of the students who are taking a stand for Christ! It has been precious as I work at my station how many come up to either tell me what is going on or asking if I need prayer! 

Two weeks until the wedding.......can't believe it is almost here and my sweet girl will be setting up her own home with her precious husband! I have been praying so!!!!!! My emotions and hers are the end of our mixed. She and I are so excited though for all the fun we will have on that day and memories that we will all be making as two families! Thank you so for praying! 

Tonight I will go down and see my sweet friend Marian. Yesterday she took a turn for the worse.......life sure can be hard!

You are all in my prayers.......trust your day will be a sweet one!

Hugs and God bless your day,

Linda

It's time for a Gooseberry Patch and Prairie Flower Farm Party!!!!!!!

Hello sweet ladies........

I have a surprise for you! Has anyone been noticing the chill in the air when the sun starts going down? Are your leaves turning and starting to fall off the trees yet? We are noticing a little bit of change.......it is still warm (80's) during the day....but love waking up to a cool breeze coming through our bedroom windows each morning. 

Sooooo..... it is time for another 

One of my favorite things to do!!!!!!!!

You know what I love about Autumn.......it's so nice to be in my farm kitchen cooking with the windows wide open cooking away. It's so nice that it isn't hot like it was a lot during the summer months. Guess what came in the mail a few weeks ago......just in time for our fall cooking!!!!! I am so excited to say we are going to have a party here on my blog. As you know with all the wedding planning, I have not been able to post as much......this too will pass! Thankful I get to do this party! I will give you all a chance to sign up and maybe you will be the one who wins this........

 Hometown Harvest Cookbook, if you would like to check it out 

look here. 

Here is the Contents and a few recipes from each:

Hometown Pancake Breakfast

German Apple Pancake 

Perfectly Pumpkin Pancakes

Church Social Soup Supper

Hearty Healthy Potato Soup

Chicken Pot Pie Soup

Thanksgiving Dinner to Remember

Thanksgiving Poultry Seasoning

Maple Whipped Sweet Potatoes

Game Day Get-Together

Fresh Harvest Bruschetta

Buffalo Chicken Sliders

Pumpkin Patch Sweets

Butternut Squash Pie

Old Fashioned Soft Pumpkin Cookies

Slow- Cooker Potluck Pleasers

Cheesy Bean Dip

Stuart Family Chili

Over the River and Through the Woods

In this section you will find family stories and memories.

Doesn't it sound wonderful......it is!!!!!

As you know I work in the pizza area at the college.......so I picked this recipe out........

Pesto Pizza Squares

Pesto Pizza Squares

11 oz tube refrigerated pizza crust.....(I used homemade pizza dough)

1/2 c. pesto sauce

2 T. low-fat or regular mayonnaise

8 oz. pkg. shredded mozzarella cheese

1 c. cherry tomatoes, halved or to taste

Roll out crust on a greased baking sheet or pizza stone; set aside. In a bowl, mix pesto, mayonnaise and cheese; spread on crust. Arrange tomatoes evenly on top. Bake at 400 degrees for 13 to 17 minutes, until crust is golden. Cut into squares, making sure each square gets a few tomato halves. Makes 8 to 12 servings. 

EASY!!!!!!!

The key........ the kids loved it! If you can get college kids to eat it......you have a winner right?

As you know we are having a wedding on our farm......we have been so busy getting ready for it. We have been writing down all the ideas that we want at the wedding and the reception. I will be fixing up a little area at the reception for all the little people who will be coming. A table that will be just their size. I have been looking for recipes to serve the children and when I got 

Hometown Harvest......

I looked and found a snack food I think they will like. 

Here is the recipe.......I haven't made it up, but will be soon. I will show you a pic when I do. 

Reed's Savory Snack Mix

12-oz. pkg. bit-size crispy corn and rice cereal squares

1c. mini pretzel twists

3/4 c. fish-shaped crackers

1/2 c. cashews

1/2 c. canola oil

1-pkg. buttermilk ranch salad dressing mix

1/4 t. lemon pepper

1/2 t. dill weed

1/2 t. garlic powder

In a large roasting pan, combine cereal, pretzels, crackers and cashews; toss to mix and set aside. Combine remaining ingredients in a small bow; mix well and drizzle over cereal mixture. Stir well to coat. Bake, uncovered at 250 degrees for 12 minutes. Stir well; bake for an additional 12 minutes. Cool completely; store in an airtight container. Makes about 14 cups. 

Okay......now for the party to begin. 

It will be simple to sign up for the giveaway to win the

Hometown Harvest Cookbook

Party Starts October 1 and ends on 

Saturday at midnight October 6th

You have at least 3 chances to win......but do what is comfortable for you!

Vote 1 

leave me a comment.......tell me what is your favorite fall celebration, decoration or food that you always have to make. You can pick one idea or tell me what you would like!

Vote 2 leave me a note on my facebook

page come back and tell me you did this please.

Vote 3

Leave a little love at Gooseberry Patch fb.....please tell

them Prairie Flower Farm sent you, then come back and leave me a comment that you did please!

Thank you so much for participating with this giveaway. I always love a party!

Rembember........we don't want anyone to miss out. If you don't have a blog.....send me an email at 

prairieflowerfarm@gmail.com, put Gooseberry Party in the subject. Easy!!!

Hugs and God bless you all,

Linda

Miss You Allllll!!!!!

Sweet ladies.........love you!!!!!!!

Birch is our little building buddy......he is underfoot all the time while building the Sanctuary. 

Just a note.......I am so busy....I barely have time to breathe!!!!!! I miss you all so much.....just not enough hours in the day to keep up the blog....but I do miss you all........we have 3 more weeks and the girls and I are ready to have the day here! I didn't realize how much went into having a wedding .......we are enjoying ourselves, but I have to say we are exhausted!!! Working outside the home and then coming home and working another 6-7 hours has us dragging......I know so many of you have had weddings and you know what I am talking about! Just need some prayer...please. You are all such prayer warriors and we need some "peace" in our lives. God has been so faithful through the whole thing...and we are keeping our eyes on Him! We need some extra help with the Sanctuary ......please ask the Lord to give it.  We need manpower like help....smile!

Just had to put up a note to say hello....like I said.....I miss you all.

Hugs to your day......and I still am praying for you......I try to keep up on my fb.......you can go there and read the daily happenings!

Hugs from the farm......me,

Linda

 

Blessing to Your SONday!!!!!

Good morning.......to say I have been busy is an understatement.......I feel like I have dropped off the face of the earth sometimes on writing on my blog......well, ya know I have!!!! I miss you all immensely!!!!!!!! There is just not enough time to my day to keep up with everything.....this to shall pass and after the wedding I will be back! . The wedding preparations are taking so much time......

and for some time my precious friend Marian has been having a rough time with her cancer......it is back.......all over her little body. I am choosing what is best!  I want to embrace all the Lord has for us......praying for a miracle. Asking God to have His will for her........she is one of my dearest friends....will will enjoy our prayer time together.....for how ever long the Lord gives us....we talked about eternity......that we will have forever!!!!!!  I told her I wanted her mansion next door to mine...I know the Lord heard me! My Momma told me that if I could count on one hand my true friends I would be rich......I am rich! 

I have been at least trying to keep up on my fb to stay in touch......please come over if you want to see the what is happening at Prairie Flower Farm. Yesterday we had some baseball guys out painting the joists to the Sanctuary......a huge blessing!!!!!!!  Now to get the stairs finished and then we will be ready to lay the cedar boards.....so excited about that. It has been busy on the farm!!!!!!! 

Some of our other baseball boys went down to the saw mill and brought back more wood!!!!!! Please pray for protection for us! We really need it. I know the Lord is going to use the Sanctuary......did you know that Solomon used cedar in the rebuilding of the Temple? Here is what the Lord says.......Here

Just know ladies you are loved......a bunch......by me and Jesus......you are always in my prayers!

Thought you might like to see what I did this morning......I rose early before church to get it done...felt good to stand in my kitchen.....listen to a sermon.....and cut up tomatoes.....into the freezer for the winter months for soups!!!!!!! So thankful to the Lord for the rain.....the garden is feeding another family also.who is canning tomatoes and making salsa........now that is a double blessing!!!!

Hugs to your SONday! 

Linda

Burlap Roses and Sheer Ribbon Roses Tutorial

Hello sweet ladies........feel like I have dropped off the face of the earth......I had know idea how much it would take to get ready for my sweet girls wedding!!! I so miss blogging and keeping up with my journaling about our life! I do try to keep a little going on my facebook if you want to see what is happening! 

We are making lots and lots of burlap roses that will be used all over the farm.....they will be on milk cans.....fence posts......the Sanctuary....mason jars......the and anything else we can think of. The rose I have here is about 8" wide when all finished......we will be making lots of different sizes though.

I bought my burlap ribbon at Hobby Lobby. The package measures 5 1/2" x 15" long. They seem to go on sale every other week for $2.50 a piece.....

also you will need heavy thread I use crochet thread

also 

yarn needles. I got those at Hobby Lobby also......I love to buy

most of my craft supplies there......the man that owns it loves Jesus!!! He loves life also! 

This rose is very easy to make......I will try to make it simple for you to understand.

Step one: Cut burlap ribbon 5' long. Lay ribbon on table. Turn the top righthand corner down to bottom edge as shown in picture. 

Tie a knot at the end of thread. Stitch around the beginning of the ribbon bottom corner two times. Start a long running stitch along the bottom edge all the way to the other end......

It will gather a little as you stitch along the edge. 

After all has been gathered a bit......start with the right hand side of rose......start rolling it......and keep it secure at the bottom of the rose.....keep rolling until you get to the left hand side edge. 

With the needle and thread continue to sew all the edges together until the edges are all tacked together. 

At this point I take parts of the rose and turn the top edge. It gives the rose a little more dimension. I play with the rose until it looks pretty to my eye. 

We are also making roses using sheer ribbon from Hobby Lobby. I do the same steps as for the burlap roses. They are really pretty. 

Hope you enjoyed the tutorial. They are fun and very easy to make! 

Hugs and God bless you!!!!!!!

Linda