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« April 2011 | Main | June 2011 »
The lilac bushes at the old cabbage farm next door have been calling out to me. I'm pretty sure heaven smells like this.
There's something tremendously special about lilacs on the farm, where they grow so big and tall you can hardly see the house.
Where the bushes buzz with life that hints of the summer ahead.
And encircle the front porch like a secret garden of my dreams.
Hip Hip HOORAY! I present the 2011 Farm Chicks Antiques Show MAP! Simply click on the map to enlarge.
For some reason, I have a real hang-up with the word "antique". I know what you're thinking.... She's the promoter of an antiques show. I know...
Let me explain.
I love old things. I find comfort in bringing them into my home. And I've always lived surrounded by them. For some reason, the word just seems so stodgy to me.
When thinking about what I wanted to name my show, I struggled with calling it an antiques show. But that's what it is. And antiques aren't stodgy. In fact, they're cool.
Antiques are actually the best way to add your own unique, one-of-a-kind style to your home. And they can be used in cool and unexpected ways.
I think when many people hear the word antiques, they think of treadle sewing machines, high-laced women's boots, and old dolls. (Don't get me wrong, I learned to sew on a treadle sewing machine). But to me, those are my grandma's antiques.
These are mine:
And at my show, The Farm Chicks Antiques Show, these are not your grandma's antiques. They're yours. Because it's all about what you love and what you do with it. Antiques are cool like that.
Don't miss out! The Farm Chicks Antiques Show runs June 4th & 5th at the Spokane County Fairgrounds, in Spokane, Washington.
Inspiration abounds. And you don't want to miss out. I promise.
The first six images are by my friend, John Granen, from my first book, The Farm Chicks in The Kitchen.
The ice-cream image is by Ray Kachatorian, from one of my stories for Country Living Magazine.
Each year, in the weeks leading up to The Farm Chicks Antiques Show, my emails increase ten-fold. I hear from a lot of women wanting business advice. And I wish that I could just say *poof* it's this easy! But really, business is a lot of hard work, passion, and time. Everything takes time. Years ago, I wrote this advice for Country Living Magazine, to try and help women going into business. You might find it helpful.
If you're just getting started in business, or are looking for some business inspiration, this new Country Living Book: The Mom's Guide to Running a Business, may be helpful as well.
(You'll find my business story here:)
Being a mom and having a business can really be a challenge, but if you can find a balance, it can be really rewarding. Stay focused, be true to what you love, and work hard. You can do it.
I wish you all the success in the world!
I love to greet guests who are coming to our home. To make them feel welcome. What could be better than a pitchfork banner?
Here's what you'll need: 2 pitchforks or shovels or large dowels, fabric, iron-on papers, self-adhesive velcro tabs or a glue gun.
Step 1: Select fabric for banner and cut to desired size. Hem all edges, if desired.
Step 2: Print greeting of your choice onto iron-on paper, using a large font. (I like to use the Arial Black font as the thickness of the letters are suitable for this project). Carefully cut out letters and iron onto the fabric, following iron-on manufacturer's instructions. Tip: if you set your printer to landscape (rather than portrait), you will generally get at least two letters per page.
Step 3: Place pitchforks in the ground and attach the banner using the velcro tabs or hot glue. (If you don't mind marks on the pitchforks once you're done, the hot glue is a quick and easy option, as it will peel away from the fabric and handles of the pitchfork with a little pressure.)
And just like that, you're set to welcome your guests to your next party or gathering.
It's a beautiful day here at home! The cherry blossoms are bursting, the birds are chirping, and the sun is pouring through the windows. It made me think of a song my mom used to sing to us sometimes, first thing in the morning:
Good morning to you!
Good morning to you!
We're all in our places, with sunshining faces!
Good morning to you!
Good morning to you!
One of my favorite spring flavor combinations is strawberry and rhubarb and every year, I love experimenting with recipes that include them. My Strawberry Cake is sweet and aromatic while the Rhubarb Topping is a bit tart, really buttery, and delicious. Desserts really don't get any homier than this.
Rhubarb Topping:
3/4 cups butter (1 1/2 cubes)
1 1/2 cups light brown sugar (not packed)
3 cups fresh rhubarb, cut into 1/2" - 3/4" chunks
Add butter and brown sugar to a saucepan and cook over medium high heat until butter is melted and sugar has dissolved. Pour into a 13"x9" baking pan. Top with the rhubarb chunks and set aside while you prepare the Strawberry Cake batter.
Strawberry Cake:
2 heaping cups fresh strawberries, blended to produce 1 1/2 cups
2 1/2 cups flour
2 cups granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup milk
2 eggs
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Wash and hull strawberries and quarter. Blend strawberries and measure out 1 1/2 cups of the mixture. Set aside.
Add flour, sugar, salt, and baking soda to a mixing bowl and stir together. Add butter, milk, and the strawberry mixture and beat at medium speed, scraping bowl as needed, for one minute. Add eggs and beat on high for two minutes, scraping bowl as needed. Pour batter atop the Rhubarb Topping in the baking pan. Bake for 45-50 minutes until the cake is set in the center, and a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Remove from oven and cool for five minutes. After five minutes, loosen cake from edges of the pan with a spatula and invert onto a cooling rack or platter.
Serve cake at room temperature as the cake and rhubarb are most flavorful after they've cooled.
Spring has finally sprung and the sunshine has been dreamy. It's rained so much that our fields grew thick with weeds and couldn't be tilled until now because of the moisture in the soil.
The sun was calling out to us like an old pal, so after dinner we went for a walk.
I can't wait to see those apple crates brimming with freshly picked apples. Actually, I'm looking forward to seeing leaves on the trees again.
And when the lilacs begin to bloom at the farmhouse next door? It will be like heaven.
In fact, all of Spokane will be heavenly. Our city is known as the Lilac City and you can see them everywhere.
We stayed out until the clouds began to gather and the sun was going down.
The wind began to howl and the rain came to visit. Again. But I'm okay with evening rain. The pitter pat outside makes it feel cozy inside our house.
In the morning, the clouds will roll out and the sun will reappear, just like clockwork. Because the fruit here needs to grow.
Welcome spring! You're dreamy.
Dear Sis,
I thought of you today. Happy Mother's Day. And not just because you're a mom. But because of what a mom you were to me. You know, for all those early years.
My brother, sister, and me. Early 1970's.
Remember the year you made me a birthday cake, with jam for the frosting, because that was the best thing we had.
How you protected me when that girl at school made fun of me for looking poor. You made me feel like a million bucks.
You introduced me to Richie Rich, Uncle Scrooge, Archie, Casper, and Emily Post. And to a world beyond our life in the woods - at the library, where books became my everything and magazines like Vogue, Bazaar, and Seventeen became my inspiration. Because you showed them all to me.
Remember the hover craft that you saved up for? The one we thought you'd drive? That turned out to be as big as the palm of your hand and that eventually got so tangled up in your hair that it had to be cut out? And the sea monkey family? Remember them?
You were like my giving tree.
And then one day, you grew up and moved away.
And I was sad.
"Come and play with me!", I'd write. But you were too far away.
So I'd go to the spring and think about you. About the day you and Ky ran into the bear there and how you and the bear both turned and ran away in fear. I'd think about the old days when we were all together. You, me and Ky.
And I was happy.
I thought about you today, Sis. About what an impact your mothering had on me. I'm not sure where I'd be, had you not been there for me.
My giving tree.
One of my newest fixations is wooden kitchen objects. I love the warmth that the wood adds and although most of my kitchen objects are white, it all works together beautifully. Wood is lovely with anything.
Salt cellars
Miniature Wooden Spoons
Cheese Board
Next on my wish list? A wooden cakestand.
When I was thinking about the layout of my kitchen, I wanted to try and incorporate as many features as I could that would make the most out of my space. (I like everything to be tucked away).
Magazines and kitchen design books were a really great way to get good ideas. I especially liked the idea of having a chopping block that sits over the garbage, so I can just scrape the unwanted scraps right in.
Colin even took part in the planning by making sure I could just press on the front of the drawer and it will pop right out, which is really handy if my hands are full. Then, when I'm done, I can just push the chopping block and garbage right back in, and out of the way.
The chopping block is great for chopping that involves skins or trimmings that need to be thrown out. And when I'm chopping things like nuts, I usually just do that right on the counters.
I'm really pleased with my counters, which are quartz (by Zodiaq). They truly seem to be bomb proof. They don't stain, scratch, etch, or scorch and that's such a relief for me because I don't want to be the mom who's constantly freaking out about that sort of thing.
Post Edits: Yes, I compost. There are two bins in that drawer. One for garbage and one for compost.
You can read more about the drawer here.
You can read more about my kitchen here: Part 1 , Part 2 , Part 3 , Part 4 , Part 5.
You can read all the details about our farmhouse building process here.
I'd like for you to meet my old friends, Peanut Butter and Chocolate. They sure go well together. This recipe, given to me by a good friend, is a favorite after school treat for the boys.
Peanut Butter & Chocolate Bars
1 cup butter (2 cubes), at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1 cup chunky peanut butter
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups flour
1 cup oats
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Add butter, sugars, and peanut butter into a large mixing bowl and beat until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla and beat until fluffy. Add in flour, oats, baking soda, and salt and beat until just combined. Stir in chocolate chips. Spread dough evenly into a large rimmed baking sheet (also known as a jelly roll pan). Bake for 20-25 minutes or until lightly brown and puffed all over. Remove from oven and cool until warm.
Slice into bars and serve warm or at room temperature, with an ice-cold glass of milk.
Tip: For a delicious dessert treat, top warm bars with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and drizzle with warm chocolate sauce.
Sources:
Napkins: Target
Straw: Bake it Pretty
Milk Bottle: Value Village Thrift Store (Spokane)
I'm Serena, mom of 4, author, entrepreneur, & Country Living Magazine contributing editor. I consider myself the luckiest girl in the world and I write about it all here, on my blog.
