day trip

With summer approaching and school coming to a close we were able to start exploring today.  I must say that I've never been to the farm we visited this morning and I have lived in this area my whole life.  What a treat when you can find a bit of magic right out your own backdoor.  Kline Creek Farm is a working farm that has been setup to model how the farm looked and ran in the 1890's.  The summer kitchen was in full swing on the property and women dressed in 1890's attire were busy baking cinnamon rolls.  The beans took in story time under the tree and were able to select books that once belonged to the Kline children.  After helping gather eggs from the chicken coop the beans learned about how all the meals that are made daily on the farm come only from what they grow and raise.  A lesson we've been talking about as my bean boy collected greens from our garden to make a salad for dinner last night. The flower gardens were packed with Irises, Columbines, ferns, Alliums and Corydalises.  In the center of the property they had a large vegetable garden growing where all of the food harvested goes to feed the workers and volunteers who run the farm.

A place to clear the head and take in a slower pace.  Something I have been needing with all of the busy that surrounds daily life.  Hope you find a little bit of magic this week too.  Happy June!

shelter from the storm

Shelter From The Storm...Bob Dylan

The winds have been howling here as our part of the midwest is getting blasted by a winter storm that is bringing snow and temperatures so cold that all of the area schools are closed tomorrow and possibly Tuesday.  I try to look on the bright side of these things.  Yeah, I could complain and whine about the bitter cold or I can look for some positives.  So let's do that!

The cold is great for our trees.  Trees have a chance to "harden off."  So a good cold winter is basically good for our gardens and the eco-system!

And of course I can't forget the beans!  I am a mom who is very passionate about losing the screens.  I see too many little ones plugged into screens at supermarkets, restaurants, shoe stores and parties.  All for what????

To quiet our little ones and remove them from the beauty of the life that surrounds them?   There are many articles out there about this topic.... HERE


No screen can give them this!

And we move inside for hot chocolate and marshmallow games!

Stay warm my friends and have a wonderful week ahead!

a collection

I'm starting a new blog series called collections.   A collection of my photos that have no specific category but mean something to me for one reason or another.  I search for these little bits of beauty everyday.  Even when the house is covered in splattered food and the beans are running circles around me.  They are things that plain and simple make me happy. 

 Here is my collection....

sampling with mom

a cozy cottage

a flat tray garden

 my new pot for the garden

 our street beginning to show its colors

  rusted planters for the garden room

 my last bloom

hens-and-chicks in the kitchen

my practice knitting...it isn't much but I am teaching myself when the beans go to sleep

my hope is to one day participate with Wendy from September Violets in sending squares to LILY to  be made into blankets for Syrian Refugees 

Happy making, baking, and growing friends!

Wishing you all a fantastic weekend!

the little things...a trip to the flea

 A trip to our local flea market....


vintage mason jars

the beans picking out some garden art (they went with a turtle!)

some old spools for my yarn and ribbons

the little man in heaven on a giant tractor

taking in the animals at the farm

linking up here