Some things...

just fill




your heart



without trying.



♥

Well hello there, Mr. Douglass...

President Lincoln and I have been waiting for you!



Now if you don't know who Frederick Douglass is, shame on you for not knowing your American history. (Did I type that out loud?) ((giggle))
I know, a little too harsh. Sorry. Even though we were taught social studies and history in school it was never in great detail.
But now with the internet there is no excuse for not learning no matter what your age. Just please don't get your "facts" from Wikipedia.

Back in 1865, Mr. Douglass spoke not too far from us here in the Central New York countryside.



I can guarantee you too have a lot of ( good and bad) history (hey, no country is perfect) right outside your door. If you have a local historical society, contact them and start from there. Remember to teach your younguns and wee ones, also.

♥


Happy Saturday, all.

:> )

Betsy got some new bling...

I like to plug other businesses, artists and people who create.

I was looking for a new stick shift knob. But wanted something to go along with Betsy's patriotic theme.

Well, I found The Brick Shift House on eBay. Love the name by the way. ((hee-hee))

The copper bald eagle is perfect!!



So if you drive a stick (manual transmission) and are looking to add a little personality, check him out.

Okay. It's back to work for me.
I've got little Founding Fathers heads on my kitchen table that need to be tended to! (Ummm, that doesn't sound very good. But you know what I mean.)

Happy Friday, all!!

Enjoy your weekend!!

:> )

Holy Smokes! Where does the time go?!

Wow! It's been over a week since I posted last!

Well, I've been swinging my ax, working on creating new Americana Firewood Folks. Man, it's been quite some time and I forgot how much goes into making those sweet, lil' buggers! I also forgot how much I love making them!
Thank goodness I haven't lost a finger... yet. So all is well at the ol' Countryfolk homestead. ((giggle))

Also, Betsy and I have been enjoying some time together. We have a lot in common. We're old-ish and not very fast. But we give 110% in all that we do.





Finally, I've been enjoying the wonderful, sunny weather we've been having. Even sat outside to get a little color. Lord knows my milk toast self could use some. Although at my age I have to be careful. I don't want to end up looking like "Magda." If you know your movies, you should get that one. ((hee hee))

That's it for now. I've got so much to do and not enough hours in the day.
My next big project is to tackle refinishing these old pine floorboards again. It's been at least 13 years since I did them. They are overdue.

Happy Sunday, all!!



Remember to get outside and enjoy the beauty around you.
Wherever you are, there's always beauty around you.
♥

Decoration Day...

Or Memorial Day is one of the lesser-known legacies of the Civil War.



No matter what the war, please pay your respects and remember our fallen this weekend.

♥

Be Still My Beating Heart...

I know. I know... People either love or loathe ceiling fans.

But when you live in an 1800's farmhouse with no central air, trust me when I tell you...
You will love ceiling fans and I love, love, love this first one!
I can picture it twirling around in our living room. Oooooh... Ahhhhh....



It screams "I NEED TO BE IN THE COUNTRYFOLK HOMESTEAD!!"
You heard that, right??!!
Ummm... Now I just need to convince my sweet hubs he can hear it, too. Something tells me he's not going to hear it.((giggle))

They are sold online here.







Happy Tuesday, all!!!

Remember to get outside and enjoy the day.

:> )

First they're in a magazine...

and now THIS!!



If we're not careful, their furry noggins won't fit through the doorway! ((giggle))





Gee, I wonder which cap I'll be wearing and which one my sweet hubs will be wearing??

Happy Monday, all!!

:> )

Cuteness Alert!

Last year when I first saw this adorable hummingbird swing, I knew we had to have one for our wee feathered friends who come to visit.



Man, I can't wait to see one perched on it! ♥

Also, I have a question I hope someone out there in blogland can help me with. I have a few dear blogger friends who are now unable to comment on my blog. I haven't done or changed a thing, yet they can no longer post a comment.
I have noticed when I type a post, Blogger mentions something about http and https. Is this the problem??

Remember I said I have a love/hate relationship with technology?? Here's a perfect example. This is so frustrating!

I'd appreciate any help someone can offer.
Thanks!!!

Happy Saturday, all!!

:> )

Well it's official...

Stella and Gracie are forever immortalized in Country Sampler magazine! YaY!





About a year and a half ago the editor of the magazine contacted me stating a staff member saw my blog online and they were interested in featuring the patriotic, ol' Countryfolk homestead in their July 2016 issue.

I must admit I was completely shocked! Our little, humble farmhouse in a national magazine?! Seriously??!!
I was so shocked that after she emailed me I checked to make sure she was legit.
I've lost count of how many emails I've received telling me I've won a foreign "lottery." Heck, I should be rolling in dough by now! ((giggle))

When I spoke with her on the telephone I told her what I did. We both had a good laugh.

So last July, architectural photographers (a sweet husband and wife team) came to photograph our farmhouse. They spent the whole day here.

Truthfully, I didn't want to mention it on my blog or to anyone for that matter, until I saw it in print. Today was the special day it arrived.

So if you're out and about and see this July issue of Country Sampler, thumb through it. There are many more photos along with the fun article.



What's even more special to me is although both my parents are no longer with me, today would have been their 59th wedding anniversary. What perfect timing. My mom loved to decorate.

I have a feeling they're both looking down from Heaven, smiling proudly with my mom saying (quite loudly,) "She gets it from me!!!" ((hee-hee))

Happy Wednesday, all. For the second time.


P.S.
Since they photographed our home I completely changed our kitchen, dining room, keeping room and master bedroom. Oh well...
Thanks for that crazy gene, Mom!!

:> )

Ta-dah!

Well, it took me longer than expected to stitch these new curtains up. The buffalo check print wasn't square. Ack!
Since I'm not an expert sewer, I basically flew by the seat of my pants to make them look as straight as I could.

What a difference in the beautiful, natural light that streams in now!! YaY!!! The kitchen looks so much bigger, too. Double YaY!!



My only concern is the length at the sink window. They are level with the faucet handles. I should shorten them seeing mine and my hubs occasional dirty mitts will eventually get those clean, crisp curtains all cr*pped up. Maybe at the sill would be wise.
I'll pin them up to see if I like how they look.

I even have enough fabric leftover to make a valance for the powder room window off the the kitchen.

Overall, I'm extremely pleased with how they came out.
Buffalo check makes me smile!!

Happy Wednesday, all!

:> )

Happy Mothers Day...

to all moms!





:> )

Looking for a new front door mat...

I found myself giggling at many of them.
I would consider the last one since it is a rule in our home.



















Happy Saturday, all!!

:> )

My sincere apologies...

to our Founding Fathers for thinking I could tea stain a printed copy of the United States Constitution on parchment paper.



Especially to you, President Madison.



I will leave this new one as it is.

Lesson learned.

:> )

Can't decide on a length...

Ack!!



I finally had some time to get a visual on how the French Gray Buffalo Check will look. Ooooh me likey!! But I'm still not sure of the length.





Sorry about all the weird lighting. It's been overcast and gloomy. An icky-poo-poo kind of day.


Do I want them to the bottom wood trim like most standard curtains? Or will they look too squatty because the windows are wide but not tall. OR do I want them longer?? Making the windows look taller since the ceiling is vaulted.
Heck, I don't know!!

So what do YOU think?? I'm pretty sure I bought enough fabric to make them as long as the ones I made previously.

About 8" past the wood trim.



Here I pinned them up to the wood trim....



Maybe a happy medium would be 4" longer than the wood trim.

:> )


Happy Tuesday, all!

I only have one word to sum up today...

YAY!!!!!



My fabric arrived!
Time to make the curtains...

Wish me luck! Lord knows I'm gonna need it.

Happy Monday, all.

:> )

I ♥ My Nerd...

I like the idea of having my computer at my make-do desk but hate how the monitor takes up so much space! Have I mentioned I have a love/hate relationship with technology??

So when I asked my sweet hubs if he can turn a small, flat screen TV into a computer monitor and hang it on the wall, his face lit up like a Christmas tree!!

I'm pretty sure I saw smoke from his heels as he ran to get the brackets and cables he'd be needing.

Ten minutes later...

Ta-dah!



He's so awesome!!

All I need to do is camouflage those really annoying hanging wires and I'm good to go.

Now... How do I keep Tommy and George from logging on when we're asleep????

Happy Sunday, all.

:> )