Farmgirl Follies

We’re decking the halls

Posted by Farmgirl on October 29, 2009  |  No Comments

Farmgirl Finds will be closed Oct. 30-31.

We’re getting ready for Christmas!

Come see what’s in store for the holidays Nov. 6-7. And don’t forget the

Tour of Homes

Saturday, Nov. 14, 10-4. Get tickets and maps at the shop the day of the event.
Cost: $3 per person. You’ll visit three primitive homes, decorated for Christmas. Travel back in time to an 1800s farmhouse; a new, historically accurate home; and an 1890s farmhouse. All feature fabulous primitive antiques and rustic accents. Bring a friend!

Say cheese for a winning smile

Posted by Farmgirl on October 28, 2009  |  8 Comments

Round II. Oh, how good it was! Tonight was the second Family Iron Chef Competition. This little girl was the winner. Her cheesecake with blueberry topping took the cake, so to speak.

Iron Chef is a family-friendly game of cookery that always prompts smiles, laughter and of course, fabulous food. The rules are quite simple: prepare and bring a dish that includes the secret ingredient … this time it was cheese.

Mm, mm, good! As it turns out, cheese is quite versatile. From savory to sweet, comfort food to gourmet construction — we had it all.

Rich, sweet and tantalizing fudge entered by a Georgia cousin …

… muffins from a cousin in Texas … pumpkin rolls … cheesy potato soup … pasta. There were also little salads with feta cheese, blueberries and pistachios — inside parmesan cheese bowls. They were delicious and beautiful!

We sampled baked mac-n-cheese, asiago-pear-pecan quesadillas, barbecue chicken quesadillas, cheese roll-ups and pizza — made by our youngest entrant, age 5.

First we stuffed ourselves, then we voted. Then we crowned the new Iron Chef princess.

And then I started snapping photos of the happy people in the room.

I do it mostly because I enjoy taking photos of those I care about … but also because it’s fun to annoy my brother-in-law. If you stare deeply into his eyes you will see tiny daggers aimed for my forehead. See ‘em?

Hey … if he doesn’t want his photo taken he shouldn’t sit beside the most adorable folks in the room, right?

Our hosts were happy to say cheese!

As were the giggle club girls …

And after all of those friendly smiles, the competitors pulled out the maps and began to strategize for the next battle. Tonight’s winner chose November’s secret ingredient:

Noodles.

I need to let that ruminate for awhile. Then I’ll use my noodle (hehe!) and come up with something fabulous.

I hope!

Parting is sweet sorrow

Posted by Farmgirl on October 25, 2009  |  4 Comments

Oh what a beautiful day … concluding in a beautiful sunset.

Oh what a beautiful day … filled with the laughter of cousins.

Oh what a beautiful day … enveloped in the sweet memories of childhood comforts, laughter, lots of love, and lessons learned.

Oh what a beautiful day … to celebrate a beautiful life.

I thought of all the yesterdays, the good ones and the bad.
I thought of all the love we shared, and all the fun we had …

When tomorrow starts without me, don’t think we’re far apart,
For every time you think of me, I’m right here, in your heart.

~ excerpted from, “If Tomorrow Starts Without Me” by David Romano

Pretty in pink

Posted by Farmgirl on October 24, 2009  |  3 Comments

Patience is a virtue.

And these little farm girls have been waiting and waiting … and waiting.

Finally the floors are painted and the baseboards back on the wall.

And because they were begging and pleading …

I made the beds so they could see the final result.

I still need to upholster two pieces of plywood for headboards, but the girls don’t care.
They get to sleep in their pink princess room tonight. I’ll be painting a dresser and desk.

I may move a third bed into the room.

It’s sweet and girlie, and I want to stare at the chandelier, too!

It’s amazing how a couple of coats of paint, one new light fixture and
some elbow grease can transform an entire room … and state of mind!

Claim your cozy corner

Posted by Farmgirl on October 24, 2009  |  No Comments

After you’ve cleaned the house, raked the leaves, filled the crockpot with a savory roast for supper, finished the barn chores if you have ‘em, and folded that last load of laundry …

How about curling up with a good book?

Do you have a reading nook in your home? A comfortable old chair … a cozy corner … someplace that offers warmth and relaxation? Sometimes a book is even better if you feel cuddled, and maybe coddled, while reading.

These photos from Country Living make me want to search my shelves for the perfect novel, pull on my fuzzy socks and sink in for a few hours of quiet bliss. I hope you find a few moments to cuddle into a corner this weekend!

Happy weekend!

When all else fails, look up

Posted by Farmgirl on October 22, 2009  |  6 Comments

Actually … it’s a lot easier if you’re looking up before all else fails. Things tend to NOT fail when you’re already looking up. But sometimes you forget … and you know what happens then, don’t you?

You turn into something that resembles this …

A prickly, jagged, moss-covered and good-for-nothin’ useless old stump that poses a danger to others. And that’s when you need to look up the most … though it can be difficult to see up if you feel like things are closing in around you.

Follow your whim. You know when it’s time to widen your view … to get away from it all. Even if that means over the river and through the woods …

Make your getaway to wherever it is that you go to get away. A place that stirs your soul, clears away the clutter and allows you to take in huge calming breaths of sweet, refreshing air.

Where’s your place?

This is the road that leads to mine …

And this is the point where I usually stop, get out and breathe it in.

And then I smile. Because suddenly, it’s a lot easier to look up. And looking down isn’t so bad, either.

But I’m here for a reason. So I begin by looking ahead … and it’s indescribably beautiful.

I look even higher and see that though the way is rocky and strewn with boulders, the journey offers breathtaking beauty with each twist and turn.

And when my eyes finally look up …

Words escape me. This is where I should have been gazing all along.

After looking up for awhile, the so-called ”big things” don’t seem so astounding.

And the little things seem much more important.

I start to notice the tiniest details …

… and tread lightly so I don’t miss the vibrant beauty all around.

I discover hidden treasure in unlikely places.

And after careful consideration …

I discover maybe I’m not nuts … just a little a-corny.

After I’ve been looking up and breathing deep for awhile, it’s easy to bundle my troubles and send them on their way.

One after the other.

So long … farewell …

And then I go with the flow … wherever life’s currents take me.

Sometimes there are rocky paths and whitewater rapids to navigate. That’s when we must keep on keeping on … and remember to look up. Because there’s always a place to rest and rejuvenate beside the still waters.

Especially and most definitely when looking up.

And when I’m looking up … it’s easy to see blue skies through the tangled branches.

Into the woods. At 10:37 a.m. on a Tuesday I decided to head for my place. We packed the car and kids, school books, food and camera, and headed northeast for a couple of days. There’s no place to clear your heart and head like that special place. Especially when it’s a spur-of-the-moment, off-on-a-whim trip.

Where is your special place?
I’d love to read all about it … leave me a comment!

Hens and emergency rooms don’t mix

Posted by Farmgirl on October 19, 2009  |  3 Comments

Wow. You won’t believe the stories I have to tell you! First of all, I came across this darling curtain rod while searching online for … curtain rods. It’s perfect for you primitive addicts. If you can’t find enough cruddy old and charming shutters to cover your windows, how about some hand-hewn brackets, a limb rod (not a nimrod) … and perhaps some tea-stained cheesecloth? Give it a try. Send me a photo if it works out. I’d love to see!

I also came across this photo. I save it as a reminder to myself that I need some shadow boxes. I’m not sure where to buy them … maybe I could make them. My grandpa’s old Mount Union College basketball uniform is crying out for a shadow box of its own. So are some of the darling garments from my Great-Great-Grandmother’s treasure box.

But that’s a project for another day …

First I have to finish the mess project I started in my girls’ bedroom. I spent the weekend painting the floor chocolate brown, supervising the hanging of the cute little chandelier that had 10,000 stupid little glass hangy-downy-things that took me forever to attach, and transforming two very large curtain panels purchased on ebay for $12 into four, slightly smaller curtain panels.

Oh, I also supervised the hanging of two curtain rods. Did you know it’s difficult to get curtain rods level when the ceiling is not level, and neither are the windows? Using a level does not help because when the curtains are perfectly precise, the ceiling looks perfectly ridiculous.

But we made it work.

I love old houses.

I still need to paint the closet doors a creamy antique white and reattach the baseboard. Did I mention how nice the chocolate floors look with the princess pink walls?

I want to move in and be eight years-old again.

Really. I do. Because being thirty … something … is very  hard. And it’s exhausting.

And speaking of living without sleep for days, I have to explain why I have not posted photos of the mess project in my girls’ room. This weekend … before I painted the floor and made curtains and attached 10,000 hangy-downy-things to a small chandelier, I spent all night in the emergency room.

Wait. Stop. Don’t panic. Everyone is fine. After running 25,000 tests that all came back negative, they determined that FarmGuy is as fit as a slightly out-of-tune fiddle. Here’s what I learned …

•  
  • If you go to the ER with chest pains and irregular heartbeats you can bypass sitting in the waiting room for four hours like the poor people with flu-like symptoms. Hard to believe, but it’s true.
    
  • After they determine you ARE NOT having another heart attack, they will run as many other ridiculous tests as your insurance company can handle. Shocker, I know.
     
  • If you answer affirmatively that you’ve been on an airplane within the last month they will run a test to see if there’s a blood clot in your lung … even if you’re NOT having difficulty breathing.

And finally …

•  
  • When the kindly nurse asks if you’ve been on or near a poultry farm recently, DO NOT, I repeat DO NOT! utter without thinking first due to lack of sleep … “Well we have our own hens.” First of all, the poor woman will stare at you in disbelief and exclaim, “Really?!” And then she’ll get all concerned about avian flu. And you’ll roll your eyes and assure her that they are completely FREE of avian flu. And you will swear to it on the lives of all 286 of your closest friends and family.

SIGH.

Here’s what I’ve decided. Apparently, there is just so much dog-goned love in this family that we’ve broken FarmGuy’s heart. It’s just too much to handle. Too many hugs, kisses and laughs. So I’ve determined that every Tuesday and Thursday at 6:02 p.m. we’re all going to stand around and scream at one another, hurl insults and pout for 30 minutes. That should do the trick. Don’t you think?

Here’s one more photo for your viewing pleasure … since the Farmgirl who runs this blog is apparently too busy with mundane matters to post new stuff from her messes projects. (Don’t worry … I’ll get on it ASAP!)

This is about the cutest, cheeriest little dining room I’ve ever seen. And I love dogs … and big checkered prints. I do want to know, though …

How on earth do they keep that glossy white floor so clean?

Decking the halls

Posted by Farmgirl on October 14, 2009  |  1 Comment

I’m working on Christmas stockings today. And oh, how I have the urge to listen to some carols … but I won’t. My children would be confused, since at this very moment they’re working math problems while dressed in Halloween costumes.  They just couldn’t wait …

I can’t wait to show you the wonderful holiday accents and primitive Christmas decor Farmgirl Finds will feature in the next couple of months. “Opening Day” for our holiday season is Saturday, Nov. 14. The store will be decked to the halls and beyond — from charming old Santas and spicy Christmas candles to stocking stuffers for everyone on your Christmas list. And don’t forget about our rustic antiques and primitives. New items arrive weekly!

The Tour of Holiday Homes is Nov. 14. Come browse the shop filled with holiday cheer, then purchase your tickets, grab a map and journey to three primitive-style homes adorned with rustic splendor.

For details, visit Farmgirl Finds. See you soon!

Have your cake (and eat the batter, too!)

Posted by Farmgirl on October 13, 2009  |  No Comments

Tuesday is a good day for baking, don’t you agree? I decided to try a recipe I found on Rhoda’s blog, Southern Hospitality. It’s chocolate chip cake and it’s delicious. Really, really delicious.

I don’t have photos of the cake, because it’s baking as I type this. A little risky to be posting recipes you’ve never tasted, right? Not in this case. The batter was so good the finished cake simply has to be fabulous.

I’ve never wanted to eat cake batter with a spoon before. It’s that good, I kid you not!  Here’s Rhoda’s recipe … hope you enjoy!

Chocolate Chip Cake

1 yellow cake mix
1 box instant vanilla pudding
4 eggs
1/2 cup cooking oil
8 ounces sour cream

Mix until batter is fluffy and smooth, about three minutes. Then add:

1 cup chocolate chips
1 cup coconut flakes
1 cup chopped pecans

Stir by hand. Then spoon batter into a greased tube or Bundt pan. Bake at 350 degrees for one hour. When cake is done, turn off heat and open oven door. Allow cake to cool for one hour before removing to a cake server.

Enjoy!

Thanks for the scrumptious recipe, Rhoda!

Hot tongue and cold potatoes

Posted by Farmgirl on October 12, 2009  |  1 Comment

“What’s for supper?”

I hear that a lot.

On a good day I have a response ready. Other days I reply with “hot tongue and cold potatoes.”

And then my kids moan and groan, roll their big blue eyes and laugh, and say in a pleading, whining voice, “No, really, what are we having? I’m hungry!”

“Hot tongue and cold potatoes” was a common phrase uttered from my grandpa’s lips. I have never heard it anywhere else, though maybe you’re familiar with it, too. Apparently it worked its way into my psyche as the perfect answer for that neverending mid-afternoon question … and I’m doing my darnedest to pass it along to my children.

Because it’s funny. And who eats hot tongue, anyway? Yuck.

I uttered the phrase just the other night … and then I scrambled to come up with something to feed my ravenous offspring. Miraculously, inspiration struck when I opened the pantry door. That doesn’t always happen.

I made this …

I’ll call it Beefy Cannellini Soup … or maybe Beefy Ziti Cannellini Soup or Beefy Pasta Bean Soup. You choose the name. I’ll just tell you how I made it. There’s not a tried and true recipe, because we all have taste buds that are as different as our fingerprints. (At least I think so … it makes sense, anyway.) So just take a gander at what I did, and then come up with your own pot-o-luck.

1. Mince a clove of garlic and a shallot.
2. In a large stock pot, saute garlic and shallot in a tablespoon of olive oil until transluscent.
3. Add 1 pound of ground beef and brown. Drain.
4. Dump in a can of diced tomatoes.
5. Dump a can of cannellini beans into a colander. Rinse and drain.
6. Add the beans to the pot.
7. Add two large cans of beef broth to the pot.
8. Pour in 8 oz. of your favorite pasta — I used ziti, but it was a little large for the kids to keep on their spoons. 
9. Season with Kosher salt and cracked black pepper. Add a tablespoon or two of dried parsley for color.

Simmer for 30-45 minutes, or until pasta is al dente and flavors have blended.

Note: I also added about 2 tablespoons of sugar to cut the acidity of the tomatoes. They seemed especially tomato-y … something my family does not appreciate.

I lucked out. It was tasty. It was just a simple soup, made from the ingredients sitting on my pantry shelves. See what you can come up with. Making soup is fun … throw in whatever you have … stone soup and all that, you know.

Soup is quite healthy, too, if you add lots of veggies. (Though for a superb soup, add lots of sour cream and cheese and bacon and call it Loaded Baked Potato Soup.  Oh. My.)

Enjoy!