Dreaming
The Bluff is like a dream right now - where the fog rolls in, draping our world in a crystal frost.
These are the Christmas drives I soak in, where this beautiful world just speaks for itself.
And it says, I am home.
I am home.
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The Bluff is like a dream right now - where the fog rolls in, draping our world in a crystal frost.
These are the Christmas drives I soak in, where this beautiful world just speaks for itself.
And it says, I am home.
I am home.
Growing up with very little was a blessing because I was able to see the beauty in the everyday objects that are often overlooked. That's what you do when you don't have much.
When you take the time to look around at what you have, you can make anything special. Take this collection of syrup dispensers for example:
It's really simple:
1.) Gather together clear, like objects that can be used as vessels.
2.) Fill with Christmasey items such as little trees, ornaments, and fake snow or objects in a color to fit your Christmas theme such as old game pieces and glitter. (This can be done with anything you love, any time of the year!)
3.) Display as a grouping.
You can find this Christmas inspiration, as well as decorating ideas, recipes, and Christmas cheer in my book, The Farm Chicks Christmas.
Special thanks to my friend, Nancy, for letting us into her home to play and display with her collections. You can find more wonderful objects such as these at Nancy (and friends) shop, Forget-Me-Not, in Coeur d' Alene, Idaho.
Image by John Granen.
Sometimes it's the littlest things in my day that make me smile.
Like pink sparkly polish.
One of my favorite "great finds stories" of all time was from Elaine Tolson. One day, while out thrifting, she stumbled upon a box of old barbed wire, which for me, is a beautiful piece of our Western American history, and one that speaks volumes about the hard work that went into shaping our countryside - dating back to Abraham Lincoln and the Homestead Act.
So naturally, when I heard about her find, I had to see it for myself.
A meticulously labeled collection, identifying each piece, including the year, like this one from 1899.
Farmcollector.com describes the history of barbed wire as the original tool used by farmers in the west to protect their crops from roaming buffalo and cattle.
And its rustic beauty is not lost on me. I can't help but get lost in the miles and miles of barbed wire that twists and turns its way across the back roads of the west. Our home.
It's also a reminder that sometimes, we forget about what we see. The things we pass day after day. And it makes me wonder what am I missing? What have I overlooked?
And it makes me want to take the long-cut home. Because I don't want to miss a thing.
Welcome 2011 and welcome Pantone 18-2120, aka Honeysuckle - the official color of 2011!
I've dug through my images to find Honeysuckle and how it's colored my world over the years.
Flowers, St. Martin (2004):
Me, Jennifer Wood, Penny Simonson, The Farm Chicks Show (2005)
Bongo, Whitewater (2006):
Seafood Shack, Anguilla (2007):
Annie Mae, Whitepass, (2008):
Colin's fishing trip, Alaska (2009):
Chairs, New York (2010)
How will Honeysuckle swirl through my life in 2011? I can't wait to find out!
Chairs image by Tiffany, from our trip to NYC.
Today was a day when fewer words were better than more. When the sky rolled and cast a light on the patchwork quilt that covers our countryside. And defined why we call this God's country.
I love that simple things can be beautiful. That food can add beauty to a room. Pears are lovely, aren't they?
I wake up every morning and run through a mental checklist. Colin, kids, responsibilities, the day's events. And it's usually pretty great. I have so much to be thankful for and I'm genuinely happy. But it hasn't always been that way.
Many years ago while living in Alaska, I was involved in an accident that nearly took my life. It's something that I've never spoken about publicly before but I keep it with me every day. Two women lost their lives and it was horrific. It altered my life, much for the worse, for a very long time. For several weeks after the accident I was unable to make basic decisions, like what to drink or what to wear. I truly thought I was dead and that somehow I was dreaming I was alive. And for many years after, I was plagued with guilt for having lived, but was afraid of everything. Too scared to fly, to cross a bridge, to walk at night. Everything was hard for me.
And it was no way to live.
As a little girl, I learned how I wanted to live. I wanted to be a wife, have beautiful children and have a happy life. I dreamt about it and when times were tough, it got me through. I always knew there was something wonderful waiting for me someday.
And at some point, I remembered those childhood dreams and stopped living out of fear and slowly began to be happy.
Thank goodness.
And I've been thinking about my happiness a lot lately. About everything that I love. It's true that clouds make me smile, carrots bring me joy, and that nothing is greater than those I love.
The other day, after blogging about carrots, I heard from "anonymous" who told me my happiness made them sick, which made me think about it all.
Happiness. And how it has come to be. And it just made me more thankful than ever before. But I especially wanted to say...
Are you happy? Do you look for the good in every day?
Don't waste your time on the things that bring you down. Eliminate those things and move on with the good. Because there's so much good in the world.
Are you surrounded by those you love? The ones who bring you joy and you would do anything for?
Surround yourself with those wonderful people.
Do good. And good will come.
Happiness will come.
Bongo and I enjoyed a summer evening on the prairie
admiring toadstools
gazing at the sky
and being silly
I love going for drives on the Palouse. For me, there's beauty around every bend. Like this beautiful old tin shed. I'd love to throw open those doors, surround it with flowers and invite all of the hard-working farmers and their families for a super happy party to celebrate all that they do. Wouldn't you?
I love looking around my house and seeing the colors that feel so happy to me. Like pink and red.
Today I need for the sun to shine
to clean my pantry
bake camp bars
wash the laundry
mop the floor
. . .
scrub the sink
change the sheets
iron the clothes
and just enough time to stop and smell the roses
Every morning I think about how my dreams came true.
About my happy life.
And I smile when I think about the good that is yet to come.
I had clouds in my cocoa this morning.
And it's going to be a beautiful day.
My love of clouds began as a little girl. Since my childhood was so quiet and free of television, electricity, and electronics, I spent a lot of time outdoors. And one of my favorite activities was to watch the clouds roll by and compare each to the shapes of everyday things, like a car, a cat, and so on. And when we got our first dog, I named him what I knew and loved: Cloud.
Our cabin in the woods had an enormous window that looked out onto Mt. Shasta, where the clouds would gather and swirl around the mountain like cotton candy. And my mom was always so fascinated by each one, calling them spaceships, as if Mt. Shasta were a planet they orbited. It was all very fairy tale-like for a little girl. Me.
P.S. It's nearly spring here in the amazing Pacific Northwest, which means the clouds are more beautiful now than any other time of the year. And our puffy magical clouds inspire me. I'll be posting lots of cloud-inspired goodness here and there for a little while. I just can't help it.
Beauty in the everyday.... my favorite shoes
Sometimes it's easy to forget about the beauty in the everyday. And when I stop to think about it, I'm so thankful for the simple things that make me smile. Like morning sunshine through the window.
I went to visit Floyd & Margaret today. When I called, I said, "Hi Floyd!, it's Serena".
"How's business?", he asked.
"It's good", I said, "but that's not why I'm calling. I have a surprise. Are you going to be home for a little while?"
"Maybe we will, maybe we won't", he replied, in his standard matter-of-fact style that we've grown so accustomed to.
"Well, I'll take my chances", I said.
When I pulled up to their house, no-one was around. When I got out of the car, I heard Margaret calling out, "YOOOO-HOOOOO!" WE"RE DOWN HERE."
The wind in the fields was whipping so hard it took my breath away. By the time I reached them, I was shaking like a leaf. But not them. They were hard at work, feeding the cows. Margaret stopped what she was doing and turned to me with a warm smile on her face.
I was really excited to show them the book and the story we included about them. And after seeing their feature in the book, Floyd said with a grin, "I don't look a day older, and I sure don't feel like it either. Did you know the Doctor says I have the blood of a 20 year-old? And look at Margaret! She's never dyed her hair, even once. Still the same beautiful hair she's always had!", he said, pointing to the wisp of hair peeking out of her scarf.
I couldn't help but smile. And shiver. It was really cold.
And after a nice visit, Floyd finally said that it was time to get back to work. Next stop, the neighbor's hundred acre parcel down the road, where there were more cattle to feed. And as he and Margaret jointly lifted another bale of hay onto the four-wheeler, he turned and said, "God is good, Serena. God is good."
And as I drove the long way home, my mind wandered, thinking about my family, my love for Colin and the boys, and hopes and dreams. I can only hope that everyone of us can be as happy and blessed as Floyd and Margaret.
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.
