if you give a goat a cookie

Let me introduce you to Little Moo, one of our fainting goats.

He came to live at our farm about 5 years ago, and is our 

most timid goat.  Of course he is also the one that now needs 

a daily dose of penicillin for a week ~~ administered with a needle

that, honest to goodness, is the size of a large nail.  And, besides

the first injection, given by our vet.....I am the resident shot giver.

I have fretted over the proper way to administer a shot IM (that is Vet

lingo for intramuscular) vs. subcutaneous (under the skin).  I can now

talk shots and locations to administer said shot on said goat with the best.

Yes, thanks to Google & Youtube, I am an amateur veterinarian!

Besides the fact that the first shot went into my very own finger, I am doing

pretty well.  The past two days, moo didn't even run from me.....could it be the

sugar cookie hidden in my pocket that he gets once the deed is done?

Not that this was ever on my bucket list, 

but all the same, crossing it off!

North I say!

Heading north today to check on our wee cabin.

Can feel spring in the air!

Signs wait for the return of boaters & hikers.

The west fork of the upper 

Chippewa River begins to thaw.

Getting thru the existing snow, back to the cabin was an 

experience.....now we understand the concept of snowshoes.

With each step, we found ourselves hip deep in snow.  We 

had to take turns taking the lead, creating a walkway.  Several

times I found myself stuck, fallen on a knee...trying to climb up

& out in fits of laughter.  I surely do not know how the deer have

survived this tricky winter....although we did come upon four,

running down the road, white tails up & bobbing.

We figure next time we are back in Winter (yes, that is the 

Wisconsin town our property is in), the trillium will be in bloom.

Killarney

Even though white is all I see out the window, the snow is beginning to recede.

Our snow measurer shows that we are now under a foot at the drift line...and the long gravel

driveway back to the barn is again visible.  A "lake" appears in the orchard as 

do a small flock of returning robins.  The remaining apples in the tree tops are their 

treat.  It feels warm in the sun, mittens are cast off.  The animals are beginning to

feel ready to come out of the barn, and cat sightings under the bird feeder begin anew.

This has been a tough winter to get through, especially hard on outside animals.

We have a call into the Vet, as one of our goats appears to have an abscessed tooth.

He handles it without complaint.  We all feel ready for green pasture & warmth.

With St. Patty's day just around the corner, feels like we are heading toward

spring inside too.  Cannot wait to open the green trunk in the living room and

again take out the vintage goodies that will reside in the house thru August!

But for now, an abundance of Irish green will keep us focused!  A golden swan 

holds a vintage postcard from days when greetings were sent with haste for 

even this celebration.  The wind again feels at our back as we cross the finish line to spring.

evolution of a collection

It starts with two...

And becomes many...

I adore tin.  I also adore vintage seasonal.

Combine the two in old tin cookie cutters, 

and a collection begins.  

I keep Rubbermade bins in the basement labeled by season, holiday.

Each time I find something, it is added.  I often am surprised when I

open a bin to change out decorations and find a small village of one item.

Such was the case with tin shamrock cookie cutters.  One became many.

They just come out in March!

However, I do keep out a bowl of hearts & stars all year.

What are you currently on the hunt for...what is becoming a collection?

sweet

In the early morning sun, I enjoy having

little surprises await around each corner.
I miss these sweet details when I am away.

Vintage pottery, a jar with just one feather

& a sweet quilted doily.

Waiting for me each morning in our bathroom.

It is good to be home again!

Home, always sweet home!

P.S. My 25% off sale in my booth & case at the Hixton Schoolhouse Antique Mall ends at 5:00 on Saturday, March 8!  Stop by and find something sweet!

reprieve

I am heading off to training in Wausau for work for

several days this week.....spending several days away

from home makes me just say, "Yuk!".  

So today, I will fill up on home...build up my immune system

toward hotel rooms & Power Point presentations.

I will retreat and find reprieve & solace at the farm.  My

Country Living & Midwest Living arrived yesterday.  My 

new obsession, True Detective (a complex, thinking show), 

is on tonight. 

This will be a quiet day to rest & relax before busy days arrive.

Green, green, green!  Wallpaper in

our Den/T.V. Room makes for a cozy room.

From our Living Room into our Den...

always feels inviting to me.  One vintage 

rug to the next underfoot.

Our Den with a couch to curl up on.  

We can watch the birds feed outside our window.

Do you find time to just put your feet up and hold the world at bay?

Adding Happy Happy Birthday (one day early) to my sister, Lori! xxoo

like a lamb?

Today we finally greet March!

Hard to figure out how this month arrived...today feels quiet.

But, in looking outside at glacier banks of snow, whiplashed 

trees from too long a winter, and animals that venture out only

moments away from their barn...think we have already had too much "lion".

I am longing, as we all are, for dog days of anything, but winter.

So, as always, I entertain this month with sweet vintage finds - 

this month with a St. Patty's Day theme.

Green, brown & gold fill the house as we await spring.

Friday was a day off for me as I had filled my 40 hour work week at

Thursday's end.  Dave & I headed east to 4 antique shops in the 

Stevens Point area.  Such fun....until the snow arrived.  Fairly 

treacherous drive home.  Today our back room is filled with the

goodies from our travels, waiting to be unpacked...pieces of 

spring - flower frogs, wire plant stands, Audubon bird prints & more.

No matter if it arrives with a baa, bark or growl....spring will be cause for celebration!

Rosie

Cold day.....stir crazy.....get a kitty!

My August Rose looks for any ball to play with!

This one is more her size!

Every day Rosie makes me smile.....

thank goodness for this little sweetie on cold winter days!

coming home

I am a home body....nothing replenishes me more than time at our farm.

When I travel off to my office, or on an antique adventure, or to run errands.....upon return, when I put my blinker on to turn into our long driveway - my heart is always most happy.  I used to commute a 6 hour round trip to my office in Madison once a week, staying for three full days of power work.  And each week I had this homecoming, this moment when, with anticipation, I would turn down our county road and see our farm lights waiting for me.  Last night I got home before the snow storm, but Dave was not so lucky.  His typical 35 minute commute from Eau Claire became a several hour journey.  I imagine he heaved a welcome sigh when he saw our farm.

I guess home is my special place, my haven when the world gets crazy....my cathedral, my slice of heaven.  For the rest of my life, I suspect that my blinker will always be on, and home is always where I will want to be the most.

How about you....is your home where your heart is?

when I was little

Every season was truly fun...

Snow forts dug in the snow piles at the driveway end.

Swinging for what seemed like hours.

Traveling by bike thru Monona, knowing each street.

Bare feet for the first time each spring.

Swimming like little fish at Devil's Lake.

Being with my two sisters.

Every day was delightful.

Today is my big sister's birthday.

Happy Birthday my Randi...

Sending so much love.

I have this bowl of vintage children's books

on our table.  A sweet reminder of sweet days...

with my sisters.

Kari

xxoo

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!