I don’t know why, but this year I forgot about sun tea until about halfway through the summer. It makes no sense, since the simple joy of sun tea is on my top-10 summer favs list.
The wait for it to chill after it’s done adds to the sweet anticipation. It feels like such a well-earned cold beverage in the heat of it all.
So here’s your friendly reminder to set out your sun tea tomorrow morning. Just in case I’m not the only farmgirl forgetting this particular summer joy. Cheers!
What I love about summer is the absence of schedules. And long days outside doing whatever you want to do. Obviously, so do my kids. How about waking up in the morning and deciding to put on a Halloween monkey costume three sizes too small? Here’s my Mia in full bed head with dirty feet, playing for hours with her dolls and ponies …
Summer is in full swing!
I have one of those beautifully sturdy dining table and chairs from another era. One with multiple leaves that extend the reach of the table to seat 20+ people for holidays. But by beautiful, I’m referring to its quality. Not its appearance.
In fact, I’ve been saying since I got it that I couldn’t wait to paint it. Well, I’m finally about to be less talk and more action. Any day now I’ll be painting my dining table, leaves, and all the chairs.
I was so excited to come home to a pile of paint and wax samples on my front stoop. Of course, they actually came in a box via UPS, but they were waiting next to my trusty milk cooler and dirty red cowboy boots. The cooler is for the days when I’m not at the farm to pick up my milk in person. And, randomly, my boots are sitting out for a friend to stop by and borrow for a country singing gig (she has a stunning voice). The randomness of it all just makes me smile. And the notion that I’m finally going to tackle this paint project has me almost giddy.
I will, of course, keep you posted. 🙂
Most days we get outside, now that school is out. Our days are full of picnics, long bike rides, day hikes on the ridge behind the farm, farm visits to help Nanny Jane milk the cows, and trips to the local swimming pool.
Yesterday, it poured rain. We, of course, welcomed the rain (we were behind on moisture), but for a 7-year-old and 5-year-old, this sounds like a good day to pick a fight with your sister. Ha, I had other plans!!
I had the girls draw their favorite pictures with a water-erasable marker on a tea towel, reminding them to keep the designs simple. Then, using an embroidery hoop and a yarn needle threaded with embroidery floss, the three of us got busy. The yarn needle isn’t sharp—perfect for beginner hands. The tea towel works perfect because the cotton weave is loose and easy to stick the yarn needle through. It’s so fun to watch them concentrate and see the look of accomplishment on their faces after they’ve embroidered their entire scene.
Next up, they want to embroider their handprints and something written in their sweet little handwriting. These make great gifts too, a tea towel to treasure forever.
It’s always pie season, right? Maybe it’s a tad early for fresh-from-the-garden pie, but the rhubarb and a few starter strawberries are coming on in my neck of the woods. I’m thinking it’s time for pie.
Of course, there is the age-old issue of making a proper crust. I was lucky enough to learn how to make a crust before I learned that a pie crust involves a fair amount of confidence. A child rarely lacks confidence. For as long as I can remember, I’ve been making the exact same crust as featured in my mom’s Ideabook, Cookbook, Lifebook. Her cherry filling is also a regular at my house.
But if you aren’t confident about your confidence when it comes to making a crust, I know a secret and so does our very own Susan Dahlem (Sister #15). In her Not Quite June Cleaver Bakes a Pie book, she shares the beauties of getting it right with … gasp, shortening.
I’m not a proponent of shortening, so as soon as you get more comfortable with your pie crust skills, I would absolutely replace the shortening with butter … better for you and much tastier! But to get started, try it. Spectrum does make an organic version for the better-for-you part. The difference between butter and shortening is that shortening doesn’t get too soft about the time you’re ready to roll your crust out, so you don’t have the same time crunch—less stress for the beginner.
To help with the worries of getting the crust right, Susan has some delicious recipes for fillings, too. And once you get past the beginner stage, she also has a variety of crusts to try. I’m looking forward to trying my hand at an entirely new crust and filling.
During my childhood, we pitched a tent in the backyard many times. As soon as summer hit, we were out the door.
Just last weekend, our girls got their sleeping bags out and we enjoyed a wonderful backyard campfire. Backyard camping is sometimes the best-case scenario with little kids.
But share your backyard and gardens with other folks looking for a place to pitch their tent? Well, only if they’re willing to reciprocate!
That’s exactly the concept behind CampInMyGarden.com
In order to participate, you must become an active member with an online profile, since it often calls for sharing your facilities with those camping in your backyard. But there are options—some yards are simple “bamping” (basic camping), while others are definitely “glamping” (glamour+camping) by its finest definition.
If you’re inclined to offer up your yard and gardens to fellow campers, the site has fun alternatives to traditional accommodations around the world.
Maybe you’ve heard of the phenomenon geocaching—it’s traveled far and wide. It’s been mentioned in many publications (Mom devotes an entire page to it in her Glamping book). We went geocaching as a family for the first time last weekend. Who wouldn’t love a real-life treasure hunt for folks of all ages that’s based entirely on the honor system?
It starts with a map of your current location from the official Geocaching website.
Some best friends to help navigate are always handy. And hiking shoes for a cache in the woods are a good thing. Spiderman goulashes are also helpful.
Off we went! Geocaching will give you actual coordinates for using a compass, and we’ll do that when we’re a bit older. We chose the GPS route this time and …
On a wild goose chase we ventured!
We searched high and low …
while we worked together to find the treasure …
And when we did, the kids could barely lift their bounty …
But the score was definitely worth the three-mile trek. The master rule of Geocaching is that if you want a treasure, you must leave a treasure for the next person and ALWAYS sign the guest log! We hope someone likes the mini John Deere tractor my daughter traded for paddles and a ball.
Geocaching is a wonderful adventure for family and friends. Thank you, Geocaching, for encouraging our kids to head outdoors. We’re hooked and can’t wait for our next adventure!
While visiting one of my favorite haunts last week, I got to thinking. Do other farmgirls have a “building recycler” where they live?
A quick Google search told me, yes, they’re popping up all over the country.
Ours has been around ever since I was a toddler.
Mia and I love to go there for treasure hunts. You know those fun, funky projects you’ve had your sights on forever? Well, look no further than your local building recycler.
I found a few treasures on our last foray there (Mia found a good walking stick). I can’t wait to share some of the projects I’m working on once I get them finished—everything from salvaged barn wood, to windows, piles of springs in all sizes, toilets, marble slabs, fabulous old doors, and claw-foot bathtubs (sssshhh, don’t tell Mom I’m sharing that info—I do believe she’s purchased a total of ELEVEN!!!! claw foot bathtubs over the years from our local building recycler).
Hubby and I scored the door below (that we turned into corner shelves), painted, and distressed. We actually built two of them. Check out their website!
I’m obsessed with words, letters, quotes, etc. You know, inspiration here, inspiration over there. Eventually, my walls will be covered in big letters, little letters, important words, and inspiring quotes. But I’ve never thought to do so in my own handwriting. Until now. Until I found the book, The Art of Whimsical Lettering by Joanne Sharpe. With my love for all things letters and words, the words “whimsical” and “lettering” were combined, and well, let’s just say I was intrigued.
Sharpe’s work is presented beautifully in illustrated color throughout, and within its pages, I found encouragement to take the time to practice and explore ways of using handwriting as my own personal expression, to develop my own “inner font.” Sharpe says, “My artful lettering theory revolves around the concept of designing handmade, stylized writing and expressions that extend from an individual’s knowledge of basic print and cursive writing.”
The first section of the book gives a run-down of Joanne’s favorite tools, including pens, paints, mediums, and paper. The next section shares techniques that Joanne uses in her own art practice and the fundamentals of whimsical lettering. Fifteen “Artistic Alphabets” are included in the third section, with lots of encouragement and instruction from the artist detailing how to practice with them to expand your own personal style. In the last section, Joanne gives insight into how she creates different styles on her pages and discusses how one might go about integrating their lettering into art. An artist gallery and a collection of favorite phrases and quotes are also included to inspire you on your lettering journey. I’m smitten with the idea of creating an alphabet of my very own!
We made hanging baskets a few weeks ago (featured in the online Sister Issue of MaryJanesFarm) and have been patiently (some of us a little impatiently) waiting for the first day of May to arrive.
We woke up early Thursday and carefully cut our bouquets.
It was a beautiful day and the girls were so excited!
Off we went to ring seven doorbells and run as fast as we could (the best-est fun-est part)…
Buy props used in MaryJane’s books and magazine!
5% of profits will benefit www.firstbook.org, a non-profit that provides new books to children from low-income families throughout the U.S. and Canada.
Here’s how:
MaryJane will post a photo and a description of a prop and its cost along with a few details as to its condition here: https://shop.maryjanesfarm.org/MaryJanesCurations. It’s a playful way to be the new owner of a little bit of farm herstory.
