How can I raise the level of gratitude in my life? Let me count the ways.
Winnie Nielsen says: The flowers in your garden are so beautiful. Love the details that good cameras capture these days.
Susan Musgrave says: Zinnias are my favorite flowers. Beautiful!!! I love all of your pictures.
Nancy Coughlin says: Another fantastic and beautiful photo. Thanks!
Winnie Nielsen says: Grapes?? I love that little hand painted marker.
MaryJane says: Yes, grapes. The yummiest on the planet. My mother always put one grape leaf in the bottom of every quart jar of her dill pickles to keep the cucumbers firm and I still do likewise.
and dont forget stuffed grape leaves. I am still on the search for more skuppernong ( sp?) wild grapes. I had them as a child and I have some homemade jam made still, that was made by a dearly departed southern friend. It is truly the grape-iest and most wonderful of all grapes.
Winnie Nielsen says: Are these baby apples? You know how I am completely obsessed about all things apple come August! If I could own an orchard, it would be heirloom apples. Apples hanging from trees ready for harvest are a beautiful site . And there are so many ways to eat them. Then again, maybe these are something else and I am just seeing what I want to see?
MaryJane says: When I grow up, can I be a big apple?
Winnie Nielsen says: I like to believe in the legendary John Chapman, aka Johnny Appleseed, who was responsible for spreading apple seeds from his home state of Pennslyvania( I think that is correct) all the way to the Ohio Valley area. According to my Bees in America book, the early settlers brought apples with them to plant orchards in the New World. It was not uncommon in New England, for every homestead to have a few apple trees on the property for food. The family bees would pollinate and cross pollinate and apples were preserved in all sorts of ways.
Of course , the saying an Apple a Day keeps the doctor away is all the more reason to have apple trees for a constant source of wellness each day.
When I grow up, I want to be one of those apples that is crisp, juicy, and variegated in reds and pink colors for a skin. What about you?
MaryJane says: Maybe a Pink Lady or a Granny Smith:)
Winnie Nielsen says: I love this view!
connie-Killarney says: Iris always make me think of my Dear Granny. She love to Garden and since that is Our Tennessee State Flower we had them by the 1000’s! She would share them with family and neighbors. I have some of hers that are as old as me! When she moved from Arkansas in 1957 she dug some of them up and took them to her new home in Memphis, then she moved them with her in 1972 to Friendship, Tn. where to this day they are blooming all over the 5 acres there. My Uncle Jimmy lives there now, since my Granny went to Heaven in 2005 and he says when they bloom it is like mom is saying hello! When I married in 1973 I dug some of them and brought them to my house and then in 1986 I brought them with me here to the woods! Every year when they bloom, I think of my granny in her housedress and apron and her little shovel working in the Iris beds! Thanks for your beautiful picture today that brought back a flood of Happy memories for me!
Terry Steinmetz says: Oh, a peony in bloom! Mine are just in the bud stage. I can’t wait for them to bloom!
Winnie Nielsen says: Summer perfect in it’s brilliant color!
Nothing so beautiful as a freshly opened and fragrant peony. They just bloomed ( somewhat late due to our cold spring) here in Lancaster County PA. All the Amish and Mennonite farms here are swathed in them usually around the foundations of the homes.
Nancy Coughlin says: Fascinating! Unfortunately, I have yet to see a honeybee in my yard. Have seen hornets and wasps, but no honeybees. Sigh.
Winnie Nielsen says: You know, since I started learning about honey bees, I notice them more, look for them, and feel a new respect for what they do to make food possible for our tables. I do believe bee mania is setting in and that is a good thing!
Terry Steinmetz says: This beautiful, but please name this flower. It is not one that I’m familiar with in the upper Great Lakes region. Thanks.
MaryJane says: Just a farm flower. Will have to figure out what it is. It’s a “beautiful” flower:)
Winnie Nielsen says: It is a beautiful and unique flower! Just got home from the Preakness Weekend to find my Cowpanion book and my new Crown Bees were waiting for me! This next week is going to be fun reading and setting up by new bees.
Kelly says: Beautiful! Of course my favorite color is purple.
Still no ID on this pretty in purple blossom? MJ , we are waiting with baited breath…like you aren’t busy with a hundred other things right now .
MaryJane says: Maybe larkspur? I’m going to ask Karina to point it out to me so I can see the whole plant.
Winnie Nielsen says: The little darlin!
Is this little Beaumont getting bigger every day? Can’t see his forehead to be sure.
MaryJane says: Yes, Beaumont with his heart all a’flutter on his forehead.
Karlyne says: Never mind Mr. Darcy; Beaumont is a heart-stopper!
Brenda Willcox says: Id have to name her Bessy. Nothing like a classic name. And id have to make fresh butter with the first bucket. Nothing better than fresh turned butter.
Darcy Jorgensen says: I am so inspired by your magazine!!! The more I read the more I NEED to be outside in my garden, yard and creative space!!!!! 🙂 Thank you for pushing me to be a better me!
calle says: Beauty!
Nancy Coughlin says: What beautiful eyes!!!!
Winnie Nielsen says: This would be my dream kitchen! By the way, I read in our latest magazine where it was mentioned by Meg that you have the Elmira Kitchen appliances. Oh my, I have looked at the RED stove a million times at our local store trying to figure out way to make it happen in my current kitchen. However, when I got a contractor in, he figured it would take another 5K to undo the current set up just to be able to set the stove up to our existing gas line. Phooey!! How do you like the way the brand works? Looks aside, do you think the performance is worth the investment?
Mary Jane, Happy Mother’s Day to you and Meg from sunny Florida!
MaryJane says: Yes, I love my Elmira oven/stove top. It’s convection with spot-on temps. I have the old-fashioned version along with matching fridge and wall oven, not the red one … yet. We’re working on our downstairs commercial kitchen in the coming year but Elmira doesn’t make a commercial stove or I’d buy it.
Winnie Nielsen says: This is good to know about Elmira. I am determined to get a stove somehow or another. We keep talking about downsizing to a smaller house which might just be the perfect opportunity to get a new stove. It is good that you consider the product a high performer too. I like to have real testimonials when purchasing a product. Especially considering the cost.
MaryJane says: And the fridge is quiet, a big plus for me. Not a fan of white noise.
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.
Isn’t it incredible what happens when the day light decreases , the temperatures cool down and the chlorophyll breaks down? Oh the secret colors lurking in those regular green leaves!!