Thankful Be

We are most thankful.

RoAsT TuRKeY, sTUfFinG, SwEEt pOTatoes, gREen BeANs, mAShed PoTatOeS, pUMpKiN PiE, aPPle pIE

Cornucopia of Gratitude.....

There is so much in my life  to be THANKFUL for....the love of my family, our health, support when I need it, a roof over our heads, a husband who works hard at his job, loves and supports his FAMILY; a wonderful job with great coworkers, customers who purchase my work, living in a country where people are free and many choose to protect us, THANKFUL for all of those families out there that make sacrafices to make that possible.  Food on the table.  Blessed with a family of my own and Watching my children grow.  THANKFUL for the many friendships I have been blessed with. 

Our home has been dressed up in it's Fall Finery for sometime now....but after this weekend it will all be coming down to make way for Christmas!  One last peek?

I remind my FAMILY that with each HARVEST we will reap what we have sown.  In order to harvest a bounty of love and peacefulness we must first plant that all the year through.

A little pumpkin and apple pie candle.  Who knew something so very small and cute could tickle me? 

I love little things and decorating my childs stove is always fun for me!

Pumpkin or apple?  What's your favorite?

This time of the year I would choose pumpkin but all the rest of the year through it's apple all the way!

The hoosier sideboard.....once a dark green is now a distressed country white....I love reinventing my pieces, keeps me from getting too bored!  This is all ready to serve some seasonal goodies from.

I call this piece....."Dishes in waiting".....he,he....

Over the River and Through The Woods.......to Grandmother's House we Go......

It is the first time in 20 years that I will be spending Thanksgiving with my parents and brothers at my childhood home. My father requested that we all come home this year and we all happily abided.  Since I've met my husband we have celebrated the holiday with my inlaws. Because both of our familes are so extensive we divide up the holidays and spend it with each side. For the past 13 of those years we've held it at our house and we've cooked.

I am excited to go home and spend time with my family this year, seeing everyone together at the same time will be a real treat.  My father will be starting his chemo soon and this will be one last hoorah for all of us before he is too sick....I'm especially thankful we are all able to gather together around him.

 

On Friday or Saturday after a little holiday shopping, we will have another turkey dinner at home since that is what my children are used to.  We will have all the dishes they are used to but on a much smaller scale than I usually cook.

So how many of you are black Friday Shoppers out there?  I will be doing a little less of it this year but may venture out for a little while here and there.  I will also be offering a discount on a special sign in my etsy shop on Saturday so be sure to check back in if you are a customer. 

There is a giveaway going on....a mystery holiday giveaway.

I'm doing it a little differently this time around.

Be sure to check back in every now and again....you just might be the winner of the mystery sign without even knowing it!

That's right...you don't know the rules, don't know the date, don't know the giveaway!

But I think you might be pleaseed when you see just what it is.

 

Have a Wonderful Thanksgiving Friends.

Take Good Care,

xo

Dee

Dusting off and Autumn Beauty

I want to thank all of you Sweet Friends. For understanding and being thoughtful, encouraging, and nurturing.  There is something reassuring about going through a tough time and knowing there's friends out there to share in your worry and offer up prayers, even if you haven't met them face to face.  If there's a way to feel a little better you have made me feel that, my family is awfully grateful for your thoughts and prayers more than I can express....Thank you.

 I have decided to dust off for the time being.....to hand the whole worry of the situation over and look forward.  I'm focusing only on a recovery for my father...positive thinking.  I will keep you all posted on the situation. 

So I am back to share a few good things that I have experienced this past season.  On a more positive note....

We decorated up the Farmhouse for Autumn in fall's festive colors.

I turned another year wiser and younger.  My sweet SIL made me the prettiest (and tastiest) chocoloate cake evah...

my favorite!

  We enjoyed a tasty fall Pumpkin Pancake Breakfast....

We also attended the annual Pinelands Jamboree that we love.

Local farmers brought their beautiful bounty.

Local BlueGrass bands entertained us with great music.

The sweet local family we purchase our produce from is there each year and we LOVE their truck that they deliver in. 

Personally I'm a Chevy girl, but this old Dodge was just
too pretty!

Our area has alot of Cranberry Farms.  Here is how we purchase them....by the pound from an old cranberry crate straight from the farmer.  Love that color!

Some of the old timers brought their laundry...hehe.  They had alot of working antique machinery on display.  Thought provoking for us homemakers!

My mother and I are going to try our hand at the craft shows, my father will be helping to make some new things between feeling well (we are hopeful).  We are excited and I think it might be a positive distraction for all of us.  It's something that we've talked about for a while now and it seems like a good time to try, the income will help.

  So we did some research when we headed out to some annual Craft Fairs this year.

We attended another favorite Country Craft Show...our local

Country Living Fair. 

Here's one of the beautiful handmade quilts that was hung on display to be auctioned off.  I wanted so badly to win this one....

I've posted about this location in the past.  It is one of my favorite historical places to visit and serves as a pretty backdrop for the fair with all of the barns and out buildings. 

This beauty was way out of my Budget but if I could have I certainly would have...

I love the colors and the history of this old sign!

There's also an antique car show we love to stroll through.  I loved the color of this one.

This reminds me of an old picture.  It could have fooled me in sepia.

Okay, I seriously want one of these for my front yard....
for decorative purposes! 

Corn shucking demonstrations...looked like fun!

Another Old Timey Entertainer from the front porch of the big house.

I loved this sellers items and their display.

Ahh love at first sight.....I would so drive this truck!  It reminded me of one of my dad's trucks when I was a young girl.

This country band played some great tunes as we were heading walking around.

I'll be posting a few more fall things as soon as I can.  Thanks for stopping by and more importantly for all your support and prayers. 
I am so thankful for all of you.

Take care,

xo

Dee

Kindred Spirits GIVEAWAY

Sorry for the wait, I hope you all are well.

I had a giveaway planned for a week now.  All ready to post, all ready to go.  Until I changed my mind, changed my post and changed my giveaway...read on please.

***

It all started with an ordinary day. I awoke with the sun, made my morning coffee and awaited for my babies to rise.  I sat in the quiet of the morning drinking my coffee and listening to the birds in the backyard. 

***

The children awoke and we set out to getting on with our day.

Mid-way through the morning the door bell rang but I wasn't expecting anyone. 

***

I walked to the door to greet my visitor but no one was there except a box from my postal carrier who was now getting back to carrying on with her route. 

***

Curious, I gave a wave and picked up the box.  I hadn't ordered anything so I wondered just what it could be.  Once inside I opened the box and here is what I found.....

Surprise!  A beaut-i-fully wrapped present, with my name on it! 

Ohhhh, I was so delighted and now very curious as to who sent me such a thing. 

Upon closer inspection, underneath of the bow I spotted this tag and with a familiar name upon it!

Addressed to me by a sweet customer of mine who sends me the most delighful letters along with her orders.  All so beautifully hand written, not your ordinary letter, you could certainly tell that this person takes great care with her writing and intends to send something very special to it's recipent.  I plan on sharing more of them very soon.

Over the past year this sweet friend, Donna, has ordered numerous times from Farmhouse Mercantile and each and every time she has sent me these  pretty letters to accompany her orders. 

It truly is a treat for me each time.

Under the beautiful cherry wrapping paper (which I hated opening because it was so pretty) were two smaller packages each wrapped in this cheery yellow tissue paper adorned with a green paper flower....

Oh, the details!

Inside the first package I found this cookbook.  Where Hearts Gather

by Susan West Cannon.

And just when this gift couldn't get any sweeter, I opened the book to reveal that it has been

signed by the author!

My sweet friend revealed that the author was a relative of hers and put sticky notes inside several of the pages detailing where some of the recipes came from like the one from her mother in the side picture.  Girls, I have to admit that I got a little teary eyed that Donna was so thoughtful and generous to have shared these stories with me and send this very special gift my way.  I was very touched to say the least.

Just when I was getting it together, I realized there was a second package in the box to be opened....

and inside that package I found

When Friends Gather

also signed by Susan.

Inside this book Donna revealed a recipe that was her grandmothers.  She told me all about the flood of memories this pound cake recipe brings back to her when baking it....

Oh, the sweetest things! 

(Donna, I have to tell you that I will always leave these little notes in this book!)

This is just one page of how sweet this cookbook is.  I love reading the heartwarming stories that are with each recipe too.

On the back cover is a picture of her young mother and aunt.....and the author.

.

Inside Donna's beautiful letter to me she told me that the FHCS blog brings her joy and that is the reason for this gift.  I was so touched!!  I am so pleased that this blog of mine can do that for you!  Because of this blog, you certainly are someone I have been blessed to know that I otherwise may never have made a connection to since we live on opposite sides of this big country! 

How fortunate for me!

Not only have you blessed me with your sweet comments but you have also with friendship!

Thank you Donna from the bottom of my heart!  I love this special gift very much, I have already read through the cookbooks and tried one of the recipes...

HOMEMADE MACARONI & CHEESE

My family said that this was the best Mac-n-Cheese recipe I have ever made....I have to agree with them, it was really delicious!

Of course I will be making more of the recipes and I will share with my blogging friends very soon!  Click here to order your copy today!

Now I have a giveaway of my own to share.....

A (large) Kindred Spirit Sign

I have had some friends for many years, I have made new friends too.  Some throughout different stages of my life and some have been there for ever.  Some I speak to daily and some I catch up with several times a year.  But I have to say that the most facinating friendships I have formed have been with those I have never even met before! 

Several sweet ladies have formed a kinship with me through this blog and what a blessing you all have been to me.  Some of you have been customers, some of you have been commentors, some I communicate with through email every now and then, many of you all of those things!  

Alot of you have been inspiring, uplifting, encouraging, supportive and all of you a blessing to me in one way or another.   All the things women need of friends in their lives.  Some of you I have found through your blogs, message boards and some of you have found me. 

Although most of us have never  met personally, I certainly feel a kinship with several readers in one way or another.  Be it through the way we like to mother our children, take care of our homes, issues that are important to one another, projects we share, recipes we make, crafts and simply when we need to lift one another up....all without ever having met one another.  I'm so facinated by the way these relationships are formed without ever having seen the face of the recipent or really sitting at each others kitchen table for a cup of coffee!

This sign reminds me of one of my all time favorite childhood book...

Anne of Green Gables

by L.M. Montgomery

" Miss Barry was a kindred spirit, after all," Anne confided in Marilla. " You wouldn't think so to look at her, but she is. You don't find it right out at first, as in Mathew's case, but after a while you come to see it. Kindred spirits are not so scarce as I used to think. It's splendid to find out there are so many of them in the world."

If you would like to sign up for the Kindred Spirts Sign giveaway, please leave a comment on how your life was touched by someone you have never physically met before.  I would love to hear some of your stories!  If you don't have anything to share yet then be certain to leave a comment anyway! 

As stated in my last post, the recipient will be chosen by random number generator.  Extra entries if you post this giveaway on your blog, have a FHCS button on your blog, and are a customer. You must be a FHCS follower to enter.  The giveaway closes Midnight August 14th winner to be announced Sunday the 16th.

Take Care,

Dee