Memorial Day

Memorial Day always makes me extra weepy...

I feel sooo grateful to the men and women who serve to protect and defend our country. And to their families.

I've known some amazing soldiers...

My Grandfather, James Hadlow Myers was a General in the Reserves. He served in WWII . He was Army thru n thru. He was loved and admired by many. He created an amazing family. He lived a wonderful life and died surrounded by love when he was almost 93. I wish he'd met his grandkids, but I was blessed with them too late... He was buried with full honors at Arlington. It was very, very moving.

I was fortunate to have known another very special soldier. Cpl. Kirk Bosselmann was a favorite student of mine. He seemed a lot like Prince Harry - a fun loving, red haired, freckle faced kid with a great grin. But I think Kirk was a better man. Kirk came from a wonderful family. He loved the country life and hunting. My first memory of him was seeing him on a leadline pony, alongside his father out with Potomac Hunt. He was always one to kick on and never look back - all that I could ask for in a rider. He studied to become a fire jumper out in CA. He was an expert marksman and became a sniper in the Marines. He was killed in Iraq. It makes me so very sad as our country lost an exceptional young man too soon.

One of the Farmer's closest friends, Paul, serves in the Army. He has two young daughters and a lovely wife. He just returned safely to them after his fifth tour, this time in Afganistan.  Wow!

Today we visited my Grandparents graves at Arlington National Cemetery. Then we walked over to Memorial Bridge to watch Rolling Thunder. If you've never been, I hope one day you get the chance... It is an awesome experience! So many good people and the motorcycles w/veterans and flags and reminders of soldiers lost, POW or MIA just keep coming n coming n coming n coming...

Almost like the rows n rows n rows of stones we'd just seen...

Thank you to all who serve
Thank you to all who've shared your loved ones
May GOD BLESS you all!

**** I'm about DONE blogging. I don't think it's the computer this time, but I can't hardly even GET to Blogger to edit, let alone load all my fun pics! 

Does Blogger hate Macs?!
What am I doing wrong?

arrrrggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh  glug  glug  glug

Lucketts! (& HELP needed)

* Must start this post by saying  I AM officially crazy now. ;-0
Having the worst time getting tons of FUN pics to load!!!
They go up to Picassa w/much trouble but are stuck there...
Drafted this post quickly yesterday but have wasted way too much time trying to figure out if I have a problem ?virus w/Google.
Maybe it's also the weak connection on our air card?
May hit Best Buy for a new laptop today.   sigh
Anyone w/any ideas, please feel free to leave a comment. They are truly needed and appreciated! I've been blogging for just over a month and clearly haven't learned a thing!
Sorry for the distraction from the real story... Lucketts!!!

Whoeeeeee, we went, we shopped, we ate!

Lucketts was CRAZY busy. Were you there?

We parked at the cool iron n art place and bought a crazy chicken, metal flower and mini red etager of sorts...

Then we walked accross the street to Lucketts Store and the Bee Keeper's Cottage...
It was soo packed we couldn't even get in the door!

Between all the shops n vendors, there was anything you could want;

Censational shelters n sheds!

Chic, but not cheap...

Nice n neutral... Beautiful burlap covered chair!

Crazy colorful crowns & chandelier!

We MET Miss Mustard Seed!!! She's sooooo awesome and REAL! She even has an adorable n charming Dad! Her gorgeous creations were being snapped up as I watched, everyone LOVED her stuff!

My little buddy was on her best behavior... So long as she got her time in the play area, she was a happy monkey. She didn't get anything, but she did lose something - a TOOTH!

Here's a bit of my loot. I bought a large vintage floral , even tho I have too many already, because it's colors and wooden frame might match my leather sofa better - and it was cheap! I set the red etager on my counter for pens n notes n assorted clutter to pile up... The metal picnic basket will go to the barn for my tackroom. It'll match my monogrammed horse blankets and store medicines.

* what the heck happened to this sorry quality pic?!

You'll have to wait to see my crazy metal chicken n flower 'til I reveal my coop - which still needs a bit of tweaking to be "blog-worthy!"  ;-)

Cheery flowers on a rainy day

I always say "be careful what you wish for!"
I love misty rain and wet spring weather...
Usually I want more, as Maryland springs tend to be short n hot. And I don't do hot well.
My Dad was British, I was born in Europe, and spent much time over there as a youth...
But still, enough already!
I have lots of plans; shopping at Lucketts n meeting the Famous Miss Mustard Seed, unfinished spray painting, garden rearranging (constantly) and a foal (please Lord) on the way any moment.
All this cool wet weather has me more restless and melancholy (hormonal?) than usual.
I want sunshine!
Maybe that's my Scandinavian side coming out?  ;-)
To cheer myself I decided to look at some of my flower pics so far this spring...

Love the Carefree Wonder roses by my front door!

I don't usually like the big bomb peonies as much as single, but these, yes!

My favorite periwinkle iris came from a dear friends mother, Renee Spates.

The purple iris were the ONLY flowers on this farm when we moved in.

My most favorite garden find - always makes me smile!

I hung pots of pansies along the chicken run.

Henny Penny in her clematis covered mini coop.

And when all else fails, a vase of Miss Kim lilacs on the kitchen counter can chase away the grey skies and wet dog smells! ;-)

A Blessed Sunday

Boy are we blessed.
We have more than we deserve or dreamed of...

Today we awoke to a clean house after a fun night of hosting a "bonfire" with some wonderful new friends. They have horses, a large Jersey dairy herd and a gorgeous daughter who's the spittin image of "Fancy Nancy!" We had lots in common and enjoyed talking around the fire while kids made s'mores. Sarah was in heaven. Dear Jack announced it was past his bedtime and passed out midway thru!

I love to have friends over and find it's the only real motivation I have for a good house cleaning. Most days I wonder if anyone can even tell ... I no sooner clean, then the kids track in mud or the dog brings in and eats a stray egg she found in the bushes! I want one of those signs that says "My house was clean yesterday, sorry you missed it." It's so hard to get everything clean at the same time - house, barn, porch n yards... But it's like a mini vacation to see it all lookin good at once!

This morning we all slept late then tried out some new pancake mix. It's a multi-grain, buttermilk with Flax seed and soy - shhh, don't tell the kids. It was awesome and healthy - if you don't count the powdered sugar! It'll be a Sunday fixture from now on.

After breakfast The Farmer went to work with his new (to him) cultivator/seeder. He and Sarah planted acres n acres of soybeans for the first time!

He's a master at buying old equipment and fixing it up. Maybe that came from his Dad, who restored antique cars? I wish his Dad could see him now. How happy he looked up on the tractor today, planting his fields, with Sarah as co-pilot. He welded a carseat on this tractor when Sarah was just a baby.. She'd never nap in her crib - only in our loud Dodge diesel or on the tractor. I'll have to dig out the adorable pics of her n Jack sleeping up there, with squished up cheeks from the hearing protection.

Mid afternoon I decided I really missed my old friends in the Potomac Hunt and the kids and I jumped in the truck to watch the steeplechase races and enjoy the fun tailgate parties.  The Farmer asked us to say hello but had to stay and keep planting. It was so great seeing everyone down there! We were very impressed with our friends' creative Mexican theme this year... Their sign read "The Galloping Gringas" and they had fantastic food, drinks and decor, plus sombreros n stick-on mustaches for all!

Muchas Gracias Liz, John, Kaja n Bubba. You made us feel so welcome and we all had a blast!

What a special day!

My crayon box of farm colors

My color palette changed at some point... I feel as tho my crayon box is now full of bright colors from the farm.

Although my bedroom has remained mostly whites and creams, the rest of the farmhouse is bright with primary colors. The first inspiration came from my beloved Grandma Betty's old cannister set... Grandpa was an exec at Pillsbury after his time as an Army Reserve General... I think that's where the Pillsbury Flour and Domino sugar set originated. When Grandma died, Grandpa moved and had us all come claim what we wanted before taking much to the thrift store. I was quick to drive the eight hours with my old truck, and came back with many treasures.

Years later, I was thrilled when The Farmer and I re-habbed our first cottage together and he gave me a yellow n white checkered kitchen floor - just to match my Grandma's cannisters. Now that's love!!! (And I still miss that floor!)

That same cottage allowed for a whole new farmhouse flavor, and a new chapter in my life... Previously I'd had a fancy, not my style, custom house/small farmette that I'd bought to (successfully) flip. It had cathedral ceilings and slate floors and was more muted and natural... It was lovely, but I was never truly happy there. I think each house tells you how it wants to be decorated. I am for sure a farm cottage girl...

The colors I see outside are reflected inside my home now...

I LOVE blue n white...

And red n green work hard all year here.

Pink n yellow are MY colors - just check my closet, walls and gardens!

My dirt colored leather sofa is farm friendly...

I even have a new appreciation for blaze orange!

It doesn't hurt that all these colors coordinate well with the vintage playskool & modern plastic toys that seem integral to my decor these days...

What about you? Where do you find your inspiration?

Draft and Mule Field Day

B is for Bad Blogger.

Clearly I'm not a real blogger who sticks to one subject they know well and posts focused and relevant words n pics.

Nope, I ramble and skip about.

I'm trying to think more like a real blogger and at least carry my camera around more...

Kicked myself for attending the amazing Sheep and Wool Festival without a camera to record the genuine junk band music and colorful wools (and people).

BUT, I DID bring my camera to our Draft horse association Field Day!

Years past we brought our cute "Bonnie The Clyde." 

Since Jack's been born  we've participated less. We're hoping to finally get active now that the kids are older.

Hope you enjoy these pics of the various working breeds.

Beautiful Belgian mares pulled a sickle bar hay mower.
These four mules pulled the hay baler.
The Percherons pulled discs.
The Painted Drafts (Gypsys?) pulled a plow.

These sweet mules harrowed.
The pretty Creams also plowed.

And the farmers mosied over to get a closer look at the old combine...