WE ARE BLESSED

Last Sunday we had quite a scare at our old farmhouse ! I went away with my daughter Jodi. I started back our lane and my husband was coming out the lane. We each stopped. He says I smell something in the house , but everything seems okay . I come back the lane and go into the house. First thing I see is smoke in the kitchen and in the living room. I call my husband and tell him something is wrong the house is full of smoke. He says I will be right there.  I go outside and look at our chimney , thinking it is the flu and we have a flue fire . I see flames coming out of a metal grate beside the chimney . Oh my God, I think to myself our house is on fire.  One of my biggest fears ! We live in an old , about 200 years old , farmhouse.  It would go up in no time  ! My husband gets home and I tell him there are flames . He gets his portable radio for Walker Twp. Fire Co. and calls in the fire . He tells them it is a working structure fire at his residence. ( My husband has been a member of the Fire Co for almost 50 years ) . Most of the firemen know our address and as soon as they heard Jim on the radio , they were out their doors , before the tones even went off. My husband had run down to the  basement and saw the flames. He got the garden hose and put out the fire. The fire trucks came and all the firemen . They were wonderful .  We were so touched by all the firemen who showed up to help us  ! They are like a family to my husband and he was near tears , we both were !  I had called our daughters and they both came with some of the grandkids and my brother showed up also. The firemen cut the carpet in the living room to make sure the floor was okay . They were here about an hour . Some of the firemen tried to get Jim to sit down, but he wouldn't . All of us said , if this has been a weekday and Jim and I were at work, we would have lost everything  ! Our home , our belongings and things you could never replace. We are so lucky and so thankful God was watching over us on last Sunday , March  20th  ! We are Blessed !

Wow, I have not been on here for ages !! 2015 ??  I better do better !  It has been beautiful weather here in Central  PA . I even dug out my capris . It could stay like this , but I don't think we will be that lucky !

We are having a Birthday Party for my Dad tomorrow. Of course we have to have lots of food. And cake of course ! He will be 83 years old.  He had a stroke a couple of years ago , but is still doing pretty well.

Dad is the one clear on the left of the picture. This picture is from our 40th and Mom and Dad's  60th Wedding Anniversary Party back  a couple of years ago. 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DAD !!!!!!!! 

Our littlest grandson was here yesterday . He was all excited that Papee was going to bale hay . The hay will only be used for bedding. We have had rain , rain, rain and more rain !!  This hay got rained on way too many times to be fed to our animals.  Papee got the baler and wagon all hooked up to the tractor and away they went. I walked up later to check on him. He was watching Papee bale the hay. I took my Kindle along and took some pictures of them . 

Some of the hay bales didn't make it on to the wagon. So our grandson was helping out. We got the hay baled and had about a load and a half. We took the wagons to the barn and decided to unload the hay then . And of course our grandson had to help . 

Here he is all ready to help unload. He was a big helper to Papee and me. He pushed the bales to the front of the wagons. Papee put them on the elevator and just tumbled them in to the hay mow. For as little as he is , he is a good little worker  !! 

Our oldest grandson  JP  just graduated from Bellefonte High School. We are so proud of him. He had some struggles , but he worked hard and made it  ! He is helping his Dad with his lawn care business right now. But he has plans to enlist in the Marines. We will worry about him , but will be so proud of what he is doing ! CONGRATULATIONS ....JP !! 

Papee's Helper

Our little Grandson loves being on the farm and helping his Papee. He was here  the other day and went to the barn to help. Papee had to feed the steers chop and hay . So Landon got to help and he was so excited. 

There is nothing better for kids than to be on a farm !  Playing outside  and enjoying that fresh country air  ! 

Grandson's Bestest Birthday !

Our little grandson just turned 5 this month and he was so excited to help out his Pap with hay. He got to help drag the hay bales out of the barn. Then he got to help load the hay on the truck. And also got to help deliver it to our Amish customer. Then he got back to the farm and got a tractor ride. He said it was the Bestest Birthday ! LOL ! 

He just loves being here on the farm . He always wants to know where Pap is and what he is doing !  He will look out at the shed and see what piece of equipment is missing . He will say ... I see the baler isn't in the shed ....where is Pap ?  Then we will walk up to the field and see what Pap is doing. And of course get a tractor ride ! 

Hay , Hay and More Hay

Our old barn is filling up with lots of hay , some for us to feed to our steers and some to sell  . We have probably unloaded at least 30  +  loads of hay . My husband and our one neighbor, who is in his 70's usually do the baling . Then they bring the big wagons down to the barn . When they are all done we start unloading. So far just my husband , our neighbor and myself are doing the unloading. We did have some help from the family the week of the big Anniversary Party. We make sure we have plenty of water to drink. Especially on those hot and humid days. I DO NOT like unloading in that kind of weather. But when you have hay ...you unload it whatever the weather  !

Our one old wagon partly unloaded. I much prefer this wooden wagon to the HUGE , metal red one we have . That red wagon hold way too may bales  ! LOL  !

Tomorrow we have hay to bale and unload again. There could be 3 or 4 loads. We only have 3 wagons. So they will bale the 3 loads and we will unload one . They will take the wagon back to the field and bale the last load. We may not get it all unloaded tomorrow. 

The hay mow filling up . I just realized I also got a picture of my husband's cup of soda . It is amazing how fast the hay mow fills up . I will take more pictures with each load we do. 

Double Wedding Anniversary Celebration

Last night we had a Wonderful night with family and friends ! We had a party for my Mom and Dad's 60th Anniversary and my husband's and my 40th Anniversary . It was such a special evening. There was loads of food . We had ham platters, meatballs sandwiches , pasta salad, tossed salad, macaroni salad , relish tray and dip, fruit tray and dip, wine, soda, beer and cakes. There were  some of the family up from Florida. They stayed at my Mom and Dad's house and camper.  We have been having lots of picnics and had a campfire here on the farm the other night.

For years my husband always teased my parents promised them $10,000 to take me off their hands. He told them he was still waiting to get paid. So my parents had a huge check made up for him in that amount.  LOL !  They presented it to him at the party.

                                                       Me and my husband

My Mom and Dad 

We both danced to Alan Jackson's REMEMBER WHEN ~~ Such a Beautiful Song  ! It was a night we all will remember for years  . Thank you to all our family and friends who came to join in the Celebration !

Planting the Fields

My husband has been busy planting in the fields. He has all the oats planted. He got it all in before we got this rain. Today was so nice. Sunny and breezy . I hung clothes on the line. I can't wait every year til it is nice enough to hang my clothes on the line outside. There is nothing like the smell of clothes dried on the clothesline! Especially the sheets !

Our 4 year old grandson is all excited it is finally getting nice enough for him to play outside. He had his tractor , fire engine  and wagon all in a line on the sidewalk , ready to go .

Took some pictures the other day of my husband working  in the fields.

NEW WEBSITE

I  have a New Website up and running. Hope you will check it out  !!

www.TheFarmladysCupboard.com

Heaven Is For Real - Official Trailer - In Theaters Easter 2014

This movie looks absolutely Wonderful !  I know I will cry and cry !

Alan Jackson - Don't Close Your Eyes

Love this song  !

40 YEARS AGO!

It is so hard to believe that tomorrow will be our 40th Wedding Anniversary ! We have had 40 years of living on our farm , raising two daughters  and enjoying our five grand kids. We are so very lucky to live on this beautiful farm , in the old farmhouse my husband grew up in. For years we have walked up the lane towards our mountain ground and the view is incredible !

 

We have worked our farm , growing crops , baling and unloading hay and straw  . We have probably unloaded at least a million bales in 40 years!

We have had thousands of family picnics over those 40 years. We had loads of great food and fun. We always had a fire and we all sat around and talked and enjoyed our time together . Sometimes my brother brought his guitar and played music for us.

We had a very small wedding . My dress was made by a  relative. It was a blue flower print long dress. I can still remember my flowers. They were white carnations with a  tinted blue edge with baby's breath  .

We had our reception a couple of weeks later . It was held at our Fire Hall. We all made the food and

decorated the Hall. The Hall was filled with lots of family and good friends to share our life . We ended up having to stop the reception early....the power went out !

I can't believe how young and skinny we were  ! LOL ! Where did the years go ? We have raised two wonderful daughters who we are very proud of ! 

When I look back on our 40 years there have been many happy, wonderful times ! Years of taking the girls to the barn . First as babies in a stroller  . Then as they got older they had chores to do at the barn. They would help feed calves, clean out the troughs, sweep floors  and other chores. A farm is a wonderful place to raise kids. So many fun things to do and so many places to explore ! I know they have very special memories of growing up here . 

Our five grandkids have all spent hours with us over the years on the farm. It was always one of their favorite places to be when they were growing up ! Getting tractor rides with Papee, playing in the barn, petting the cows and calves . A lot of our cows were names by the grandkids , using the names of their favorite cartoon characters.

 

 

 

 

We have had so many wonderful memories over these 40 years . Some of them also sad . The year milk prices were so low was a terrible year. We thought for sure we would lose our farm and our home . There were so many nights I would sit outside in the yard  and cry , worried sick we were finished! One  night as I was sitting outside , Jim came out and saw me crying. He came over , put his arm around me and I cry and cry. He hugs me and tells me it will be ok. We will make it through this . And we did , with help from family and friends  . We were blessed ! We have had so many blessings over these 40 years together  . I feel so very lucky to have this wonderful man !  Of course there are plenty of days I could bop him over the head or throw him out a window too !

 

In August  my parents will also celebrate their 60th Wedding Anniversary . This summer we are having a big party to celebrate both our Anniversary's together . Family is coming up from Florida to celebrate with us. It will be a time of fun  and family   and wonderful memories !

New Site ~~ Zibbet

I am now selling on another site . It is called Zibbet . Here is the link to my shop . www.zibbet.com/Farmelady

Also check out my Facebook page :
www.facebook.com/pages/The-Farmladys-Cupboard/134288573301172

I am nearing 700 LIKES on my Facebook Page  !!! When I reach 700  I will have my 7th GIVEAWAY !!  If you LIKE my page you are entered in the drawing  !!

I am also selling on the  EZ Craft Spring Show :
http://www.ezcraftshow.com/shoppe/?sid=TheFarmladysCupboard


It is from Feb 5th to Feb 19th ...Check it out  !

Snow Aagin !

I can't remember a more snowy winter  !  We got more snow yesterday and some ice in central PA. We probably got another 8 " . We were lucky ....  some places in PA are without power because of heavy ice. My husband plows for the Township and went out about 4 am. Then got home and had to fire up the tractor and plow our lane . Now they are calling for  maybe another storm on Sunday .  But the grandkids are loving it  ! The littlest grandson loves to be out side ! Yesterday he and I walked out the lane and got the mail. Then we shoveled a path to the bird feeders and fed the birds.  He loved it  !

A THOUSAND YEARS - Christina Perri (Taryn Southern) Official Music Video

what a beautiful song  !!

Snow and more Snow !

Got a snowstorm yesterday , and we probably got maybe 6 -8 inches . Jim was out at 3am plowing the Township roads. Got home about 8:30 , ate breakfast and warmed up a bit. Then we went out and started clearing the snow. I shoveled out to the garage and to my birdfeeders and a few other places. Jim started clearing the lane , above the barn  and around the garage . He came back the lane and made the corner by the milkhouse and the one pin for the snow blade came out.  So he had to fix that . Finally got it all done. We came inside and warmed up. I made a pot of beef noodle soup and biscuits for lunch . Tasted pretty good.

As I was shoveling , I thought how I used to have to shovel the walks wide enough for Landon's stroller. When he was a baby , before we sold the cows , I would take him  to the barn in the morning and the walk had to be wider than the  stroller so I could get it through. I sure don't miss dressing in about 5 layers to keep warm out at the barn!

600 LIKES !!

YEA !!!  I have reached my 600 LIKES on my Facebook page !!!
www.facebook.com/pages/The-Farmladys-Cupboard/134288573301172

CONGRATULATIONS to Carolyn Schweizer Wheet from IN  !!! You box of PRIMITIVE GOODIES is on the way !!

CHRISTMAS

I can't believe it is almost the end of the year and Christmas will be here soon!  I am so not ready !!! This year has flown by so fast ! We were blessed again this year.  We sold all of our hay and ear corn, which was great ! We had a good hay crop for this year . Our sweet corn did well. We all got to freeze a bunch for eating this winter. My husband was up for re election for Walker Township Supervisor. We were glad he made it for another 6 year term. This is his third 6 year term. I am glad the people of Walker Township appreciate all he does  and voted him in again!

I have both my trees up and decorated. The 9' tree is in the living room. The 7  1/2 ' tree is in the dining room. The little grandson loves them.

For years , when our two girls were younger , we would go up our lane to the mountain and cut down a tree. Some of those trees had the biggest holes you had to hide  ! LOL !  But we always had such a fun time. Well, it was fun til we got it into the house and my husband and I had to put it up. That part wasn't as much fun! LOL !

This Fall my parents had an auction to get rid of some their things. They plan on selling their home in the next year or so. With their health not as good , they can't keep up with everything that needs done . Both my brothers and a niece and nephew came up from Florida to help . We had a wonderful visit !! And of course had a picnic here at the farm  and had a campfire.

We are blessed with our two daughters and the five grandkids. And blessed to live on this beautiful farm . There are times when things do not go well, but so many times when we need a blessing, it always comes through ! 

Hope you all have a MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR !!!

500 LIKES !!!!!

YEA!!!!!!!!!!!!  I finally reached my 500 LIKES for my Facebook Page  !  So excited !!The lucky Winner is LISA SCHNEIDER-KRUPA  from Wisconsin!! She will receive a box of MY PRIMITIVE GOODIES !!!