A Busy Summer

Schools are opening. . .The weather has cooled. . .Feels like Fall is on it's way. . .For us, it has been a VERY busy Summer. . .and we're not finished, yet. . .Thought you might like to see just a few of our projects. . .Our biggest project was the Little Chapel in the Field. . .The exterior is done. . .and I'll be posting photos of that work soon. . .

We're taking a slightly different direction with our Farmstead for the coming years. . .I will be sharing that with you soon. . .As in all things of Life, if you want to continue growing, changes often happen. . .It's a good thing. . .

Another Person's Trash Adds Color to the Tenant Houses

If you travel some of these back roads and see a white GMC pulled to the side and two people in the fields chasing discarded tires, just honk the horn and drive on by. . .We haven't lost our minds. . .We're not having truck problems. . .We're simply helping the local ecology and carrying on a Delta tradition. . .Old Tires. . .Spray Paint. . .Instant flower beds. . .What fun. . .

Originally, I wanted to make a border with the tires but we didn't find enough discards on our several trips out. . .Then one day I found a name brand spray paint for 1.50 a can and came straight home with it, painted those tires. and stacked them up. . .Still have to fill them with some dirt and flowers. . .That's later. . .I have another project that will bring even more color to the houses. . .Won't be long before I reveal it. . .

I painted more than the tires, though. . .Once I got started, I couldn't quit. . .benches. . .bins. . .rusted buckets. . .The only thing that stopped me was. . .I ran out of paint !!!!!

Certainly not Chic Decor. . .is it? . .but, it's exactly right for the old shotgun houses in the Historic District. . .Brings back some good memories for me. . .of the Turners. . .Cowboy. . .Cora. . .others I knew along the road. . .

So. . .in the future, if you see us on the roadside picking up tires, give us a honk and a wave. . .We'll be 'at it' again. . .

FREE DAY LILY PLANTS!!!!

Yes. . .That's what I said. . .FREE DAY LILIES. . .

As I've stated before, I have no green thumb. . .

but lilies are one flower that seems to multiply every year. . .

We now have more than we can take care of. . .

At one time there were several different types of Heritage Day Lilies. . .
. . .but the only ones we have now are. . .

ORANGE WITH A DOUBLE BLOOM. . .

They are very 'lacey'  and so charming. . .requiring little maintenance at all. . .

Honest. . .

Fall is a good time to plant the day lilies 

so that you'll have them blooming by next Spring/Summer.

If you're local (in the Dell, Arkansas area) and interested in coming to dig your own,

EMAIL US  

with your phone number and we'll give you a call to set up a time.
 

Digging is best after a rain.

You should bring your own buckets or boxes to put the plants in. . .

and of course a shovel. . .

small spades won't work well. . .

Hope to see you soon. . .

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

 

 

 

 

 



Lilies and Rabbits

If there's two things we have an abundance of at the farm, it's lilies and rabbits. . .They're EVERYWHERE. . .I'd love to share some lilies with someone. . .and rabbits. . .literally. . .This Spring and Summer has been a wet one. . .Everything is multiplying. . .the grass. . .the weeds. . .the wild flowers in our open field. . .and the day lilies--an overabundance this year. . .They are the one flower that grows well in the Delta. . .no matter what the weather. . .or who's growing them. . . .green thumb or not.

 

 

Mom had beds of yellow day lilies, orange day lilies, double day lilies, tiger lilies, surprise lilies. . .Well, you know where they wound up. . .Right here at the farm. . .We had enough lilies to put at the corn crib, at the garden house, in the front flower beds and at the barn. . . .After eight years of growing and multiplying--and a rainy year--it's time to thin them out. . . .I don't dare ask John to plant more in another area. . .I think the usually mild-mannered man might turn hostile. . .He likes lilies. . .but 'how many lilies does one farm need?'. . .He has a point.

 

How I wish I could send each one of you a bunch or two. . .along with maybe a few wild rabbits. . .

They're everywhere, too. . .until I grab a camera. . .They play right up to me when I'm sitting on the porch but let me grab my camera and they are nowhere in sight. . . I counted eight outside the kitchen window at dusk last night. . .Every year John swears he's gonna have rabbit stew in the winter but when it comes right down to it,  he's too much of a softie. . .

 

I've been sitting here on the porch. . .rocking away. . .gazing at the lilies and wondering what to do with them. . .thinking about the rabbits and how many we have this year. . .Lilies and Rabbits. . .Is there a connection here? . . .(grin). . .Do you think they're kin somehow? . .(double grin). . .

 

LIFE IS GOOD. . . .

 



From the Porch. . .

 

A couple of months ago, I made my way to the porch's far side. . . .trying to catch John as he went by on the tractor. . . .and surprise. . . .surprise. . . .I fell through the porch floor. . . .That was the day John decided a porch replacement was necessary this year. . . .We had put it off too long.

I confess. . . .It's mostly my fault. . . .(Quit smiling, John). . . .When the wrap-around porch was added to our home seven years ago. . . .(has it really been that long?). . . .nothing would satisfy me but one of those beautiful perfectly painted floors that I was seeing in all the top magazines and books. . . .We found stacks of tongue and  groove pine in the barn previously, so I insisted we use that for the porch floor. . . .reassuring everyone that "we'll just have to keep it painted". . . .Yeah. . . .Right. . . .Little did I know about the harsh weather conditions. . . .When you're house is stuck out in the middle of a cotton fields with no windbreaks or protection, things quickly deteriorate. . . .Poor John. . . .Every year he'd have to scrape and repaint after replacing and repairing that year's rotten wood. . . .I felt badly about it. . . .yet, neither of us could find the time to change it. . . .Last year I told John to not bother with his yearly ritual. . . .We'd replace the floor soon. . . .Me falling through was the last straw. . . .John said it was time. . . .No argument from me. . . .I had lost interest in painted porch floors. . . .Funny how that happens. . . .(grin)

 

 

Two sides down and one to go. . .Treated wood that will weather to a soft gray. . . .No paint. . . .Able to run around barefoot again. . . .so very much better. . . .The eight white rockers will soon come out of the barn. . . .I have a date with one of them when that happens. . . .A whole afternoon with nothing to do but look out over the farm. . . .count my blessings. . . .and rock my cares and troubles away.  . . .LIFE IS GOOD. . . .

 

 

 

Inspired

I found the cutest little garden shed this past weekend on the 100 Mile Yard Sale in Missouri. . . .I've joked with Farmer John that the next building we erect will be a chapel-school. . . .So when I spotted this one, I had to stop and take photos. . . .

A couple of years ago when the Crossroads Baptist Church was being torn down, we were given a wonderful gift of four pews, song books, tables and several other wonderful donations. . . .We also bought the upright piano. . . .John's first question was, 'What are we going to do with them?'. . . My answer?. . .'Build a chapel'. . . .We've been so busy with other projects that a chapel-school is several years off. . . .But, on a slightly larger scale, this little building would be perfect. . . .a dream for the future. . . .Life is Good. . . .