checkerboard

Valentine's Day would not be complete at our home

without checkerboard.

Adore this French coffee pot!

Checkerboard, Borden's milk & little heart princess.

Checkerboard tablecloth & kitchen floor.

Vintage checkerboard quilt in the dining room.

Happy Valentine's Day!  

May your day be checkered with love!

sweet littles for heart day

red & white, blue & black.....

charming little vignettes say,

Happy Valentine's Day!

Do you decorate for this sweet little day?

never quite the same

I made a pact with myself to let this blog be a 

Cancer-free zone this year.  After 2013, I wanted 

to just move on to normal. I don't need sympathy,

don't want folks uncomfortable, just want normal.

Wanted to close that year, be done with it.

But the fact is, as much as my life will never again be kitty-free

or antique-free or farm-life-free, it also will not be cancer-free...

because that is just my new normal.

  

There are things I hide each day--- 

I am rocking the Martha Stewart button shirt with long 

scarves look that hides my missing body parts.

I try to not work less or give less, hiding the tired that 

awaits at 8 p.m. each night.  Attempting to itch my back

with arm muscles that are still healing even makes me

chuckle... 

It was just recently that I realized that I should embrace this new normal.

I pulled out the pin my big sis sent me...a pink ribbon encrusted in sparkle.

Way more bling than I am used to, but that was the old Kari. This new gal

can rock that look too!

Today is World Cancer Day.

Today with a world wide voice we ask for a cure.

tears of gratitude

At the end of a long day, kindness is a gift.

Such was today --- worked hard, came home to play with the animals...

6:30 p.m. -- time to finally rest, bone tired.

Walked out to the road -- 

hadn't unloaded the mailbox since Saturday....and it was full.

And there in the midst of an electric bill that is far too high,
the new insurance rates on our cars,
and other stuff that will just have to wait on my desk....
was a white package.

Inside were three felted hearts and a note from my Jani....

the bright red heart has lace, buttons & pearls from

her wedding dress.  Tears of gratitude!  Special indeed!

Let us never take for granted how much a kind word or gracious gift can mean.

Today such kindness brought me tears, tears of gratitude.  

Nestled in a white package was kindness.  

And for that I am ever so grateful.

kitty kitchen

Please allow me one more kitty picture.

As I just reminded my Dave to not go "all kitty" on FB...

should heed my own advice.  But I love this picture!

In a little corner between the original skirted farmhouse sink

and the original summer kitchen cupboard is cat central.

I just adore the checkerboard, floral fabric & woven rug.

Add my Rosie......and this epitomizes our 1857 farmhouse.

I like to call it Fresh Vintage or Farmhouse Style!

Now cross my heart, next post will be kitty free...I think!

I have succumbed...

O.K. - it is official......I am indeed a "Crazy Cat Lady"!

When I reach for a book on a snowy winter day, 

hands down a kitty is always the best choice.

L O N G winter

S T O P seems to be the appropriate 

thing we would all like to say to this winter!

Have seen a similar picture on Pinterest...

This one was a real stop on my way home!

on a winter morning

lace at the windows, kittens to snuggle with...

on a cold winter morning, I feel content.

Queen of Hearts

All around, every where....hearts galore.

Valentine's Day is coming!

I do adore touches of red, here & there.

With a pop of white and anchored in brown...

Valentine's Day becomes a transition to March.

Then my beloved green will take center stage, 

calling out to spring to hurry on up!

Here's my Heart Sale

Offering a 25% off sale in my booth at

the Hixton Schoolhouse Antique Mall

through Valentine's Day!

All the details about Hixton to the right!

Oh Nan!

 

I love it that so many of my friends are artistic & creative!

Nan is no exception! 
This week I received this hand lettered postcard from her!
Yes -- you read that right -- H A N D  Lettered!

This is part of Nan's quest to create and mail out a postcard or two each month.
I feel ever so lucky to be a recipient this month!
I love it!  I wish I could see all of the wonderful cards she ends up mailing.

Oh Nan!  You are too cool!

 

brave little one

Two journeys came together this past year, with lessons not lost on myself.

My sweet August Rose was hit by a car in May...

she dragged herself to the safety of the old outhouse in our apple orchard

- a shattered pelvis, an open leg wound.  All we could do

according to the Vet., was keep her contained in a cat carrier

for almost two months and let her heal herself.  

She did, miraculously, she did.

In so doing, this dear little one showed me such courage.

She officially became a house cat in July.

That July, I was diagnosed with breast cancer.  

I felt that my very being had been shattered, 

and I wanted to crawl away, into retreat.  

But each day I was greeted by this little one, 

this little girl kitten that never gave up.  

Her presence often guided me.  

Her recovery provided inspiration.  

If such a little one could do this without complaint, so could I.  

Two lives became intertwined.

We never know how courage will find us.  

Sometimes it arrives in unexpected ways.

in the country

There are many things that make country life interesting:

• cold winds that have no wind break, only open fields to swirl through
• wells that you are responsible to and for - your only source of water
• security farm lights that may be the only light beyond the night stars
• many animals that count on you for care - often waiting in a big red barn

Winter tests the best of us in all of these areas. 
                                                                             How cold is too cold it asks....well let's just see!

 

And, often to the rescue in the country are the unsung heroes -- our contractors.  They have a relationship with each farm, as they are usually neighbors.  They know us when we call.  They are less concerned about generating money on a service call, then getting a farm up and working again.

Several years ago, a wind storm took down a giant of a Cottonwood tree adjacent to our driveway.  One mighty branch slashed the electrical box right off our brick wall.  When I called our Electrician, Dale, (after 5 p.m. I might add) he came immediately over, dropping everything.  He worked until after dark.  When we found that the electrical company would not attach the street power line until they passed their co-zillion pages of rules....Dale was on the phone with them, defending that farms need to have power (no well, no security light).  When they still said that we would have to wait for at least three days....it was Dale that brought us a generator to provide a source of power.  And -- when the Electrical folks finally showed up at 10:00 p.m. that night (two locals that worked for the power company and went against work orders to wait  - stating "that's not how we do things in the country") -- Dale returned to work by their side until our power was restored in the wee hours.  That is our Electrician.

When we first bought our home, we toiled on it until early spring, making the move prior to having a new well dug.  When the local plumbing company we had been working with and had contracted with to dig a new well heard we were moving in, they moved us to the top of their list -- digging in the early spring through a rain storm.  They were knee deep in mud, but shared with us, "you will have water before you move in".  That is our plumber.

And, yesterday, in the frigid -50 below wind chill, when our furnace had difficulty staying on with the winds slamming the intake vent....a call to our Heating & Air Conditioning company was met with a "What's the problem Dave?" and a "Here's what you can do".  They talked us through cutting the intake pipe with a hack saw and diverting it to taking in basement air.  No bill, no service call....just help.  Jeff ended with a "call me in the spring if you need help reattaching that pipe for outdoor air."  That is our furnace guy.

Yes, there are many things that make country life interesting, none the least are these unsung heroes.

Keep warm!

on to the next celebration...

And my very favorite celebration?

Why Valentine's Day, of course!

I adore everything about this special little day ~ ~

sweet, charming, simple.

So today I put away Christmas, and unpack all my hearts!

Cold, cold, cold - perfect day to stay inside & fluff my home.

Bring on the charm!

some decisions are difficult

 update...2016

Over & over each year we have debated hosting a Barn Sale again

With mixed emotion, we have made the decision to take some time off.

There will not be a Meadowview Farm Barn Sale at this time.

We began these sales in 2010, and have been absolutely amazed by the response.  Each sale has gotten better & better, bigger & bigger.  Many of you may still remember the one try at a November sale and the cold, cold, cold (but warm spirits) in the hayloft!  This last Barn Sale in October, 2013 exceeded all expectations -- actually adding a new dilemma - how to thoughtfully "manage" the volume of shoppers on the first morning and eliminate long waits to check out for future sales!  Such wonderful "problems" to have.

But, in all honesty, my health in 2013 and recovery in the years following put a wrench in it all.  Dealing with breast cancer ~ surgeries and recovery ~ has meant that my energy has been near depleted.  Working my full time day job, keeping up with our farm, loading my booth & case at the Hixton Schoolhouse Antique Mall is all I can manage.  I needed to make the decision that right now I have needed to breathe in every day of every season.  I know you understand.

And -- I do want to say how much I honor & adore every single one of you that supported our sale through notes on this blog or through your attendance.  You have touched my heart!

Finally, my thanks with an exclamation mark to my Dave & Ian for being there!  And to Jani, Nan & Sarah -- (and at the 2013 sale, Jani's husband, Norm) --- aka "The Barn Cats".  If you attended the first morning of any Barn Sale -- these are the hard working folks that helped, checked you out...."woo hooed" their way through this philanthropic adventure called friendship...driving 6 hours round trip to be here.  My love for these peeps of mine is deep!

So, you might ask -- will there be another Barn Sale?

 I honestly am just not sure, but my blog is certainly where I will announce it if we do!

And, please "like" the Meadowview Farm Business Facebook Page for even more updates.

This is where I will post potential "pop-up sales" at the farm, vintage furniture for sale and other stuff that just might interest you.  This is also a place you can be in touch with me.

You can find us here: Meadowview Farm on Facebook

You can still find me at the Hixton Schoolhouse Antique Mall! 

For now, dear friends, my thanks....

Kari  xxoo