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

Hi......miss you all!

Hello sweet ladies,

I used pumpkins on our SONday table........they are the cutest pumpkins!!!!!!!

We bought a bushel of peaches..... so I made peach cobbler.......so nummy, plus we are eating them plain and with cream poured over the top.......that is my favorite way to eat them. Do you can or freeze yours? I just did a half a bushel and put them in the freezer on yesterday afternoon. They will be great for smoothies this winter.

OH MY......school is now in session!!!!!!! There are over 200 freshmen and I am right in front when they walk in the door! PIZZA! They are eating me out in about 1 minute and I am trying to be prepared with more after they clean out my station....not! It is a little on the impossible side. Today I will be making some in the regular oven. Then I will be ready to put them out immediately after they come!!!!!!! I hope it works. Glad we have all the kids that we do have.....it makes a difference on our hours! 

Here is a recipe like the one we use at the college but smaller proportions. If you would like to try it. It really is a good one! 

Olive Oil Dough
From Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day

Makes 4-1lb loaves.

2-3/4 cups lukewarm water
1-1/2 tablespoon granulated yeast
3/4 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
6-1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

Mix the yeast, salt, sugar, and olive oil with the water in a 5-quart bowl, or a lidded (not airtight) food container.

Mix in the flour without kneading. I used my stand mixer with dough hook, but you canuse a spoon.

Cover (not airtight), and allow to rest at room temperature until dough rises and colapses (or flattens on top), approximately 2 hours.

The dough can be used immediately after the initial rise, though it is easier to handle when cold. Refrigerate in a lidded (not airtight) container and use over the next 12 days.

To bake my pizza (I made a personal size pizza) I took a handful of dough and had to use some extra flour (it was a bit on the sticky side for me) and spread it out. I topped with my toppings and then slid the pizza in the oven that had been pre-heated with the pizza stone in it - to 500 degrees. I baked it for about 15 minutes. While I like this crust, I will be trying my friend Mike's recipe next. The one thing that makes this a good one - is that I was able to have it in my fridge and just pulled it out to make when I needed it. Convenience food at it's best!

Hope all is well with you......miss blogging.....with the wedding preparations........I am coming and going! I hope to get back on a more regular schedule! Miss you and your comments. 

Hugs to your day and God bless, 

Linda

The Sanctuary......in the making!

Hello sweet ladies.......

this is what we have been busy working on..........

getting ready for the wedding has been fun......but makes us all so very busy!!!!! This will give you an idea of what we are building......we are now almost ready to get the floor put on. We have some old dead cedar trees that we are going to have cut into lumber for the floor. We are excited about using some of the trees here on the farm. The Lord has been giving us some dry weather for the last few days......helping us as we try to build the unit. It will be beautiful when it is all finished.......I will keep you posted a few more times......I will save the best for last.....when we have the wedding! We can hardly wait to really start decorating.

I have been working on roses like this for the last few days.......I made them using rolls of burlap that I bought at Hobby Lobby! I have seen some flower done up, but not like the way I did them.....I like the way they turned out. I will do a tutorial on how I made them.....soon! 

It is looking like a wedding is happening in our home! It is going to be pretty!

My running October beans are looking so pretty! A blogger friend gave me seeds so I could try them.......they are so different and very beautiful! 

Hugs to your day.........and may the Lord bless,

Linda

It is Raining.......again!!!!!!

Hello sweet ladies,

Here on the farm we are getting more rain this afternoon (Tue). We had all weekend without, but here we are today and it is raining..... again! We are soooo grateful, don't get me wrong......having the last 3 years of drought... we will not complain, but we could use some dry and warm days to help with the soybeans. Today my sweet man prayed.....asking the Lord to hold back the rain if we didn't need it.......it rained......He knows best! 

SONday morning before church I went out and picked a whole basket full of green beans. Today after work before the rain came my sweet girl and I went out to pic some more. 

They are beautiful. They will be so nice during the winter months. I love picking produce......doesn't matter what kind......it always relaxes me. It is a wonderful feeling to be outside. Then the rain came.......I put on my rain coat and out I went again to keep on picking. I can't always go out in the rain here in Kansas because there is usually thunder and lightning with it. The rain was beating down on my coat.....it sounded so nice! 

The girls came out to the garden later to help me pick the rest of the beans when the rain stopped.......we will have a lot to can! There are tons more that are little that still need to grow. We ended up getting 1 more inch of rain. Thanking Jesus!

Had to take a pic of my chicky girl! Thought she was adorable against the mint. The wheat is growing in my straw.....that doesn't bother me, I pull it for my chickens. They love it! 

Also wanted to show you my sweet potato flower. Have you ever seen one before? They are so so pretty. I love seeing when they start blooming. Means the potatoes are ready.....we have had so much rain the dirt is muddy. I will have to wait to dig them.

This last Monday our family started back to work in the kitchen at the college. It is going well. The athletic kids are here the first week and then everyone else plus the new freshmen come the second week. We are going to be real busy when that happens! 

They have a new verse for the year. I love it! I am praying it for the college and for my family during the new year. You may join me in praying for the college if you would like. They would so appreciate it. I put this up on my fb and I have ladies that are joining me! So excited to see what the Lord will do!

Hope you are doing well, just wanted to say hello!

Hugs and God bless YOU!!!!!!!!

Linda