boo bags

Happy Halloween

It is a tradition of mine to make boo bags every Halloween for my family. I love giving them to my family [ including the dogs ] and friends every year. 

I use a paper lunch bag then decorate it. This year, I spray painted the bag black. And, I used a tan crayon to simply draw on the bag. The open end of the bag was torn off to create a rugged edge. After filling the bag with Halloween treats, I folded over the top of the bag and closed it with a clothes pin. It looks super cute.

have a spooktacular halloween!

corn silage 2020

On October 6, corn was chopped for silage. The silage will be fed to our cows over the winter months.

A sample of silage was collected and sent to Dairyland Laboratories for analysis. The test will provide nutritional value of the feed. It is important to know the quality of the corn silage we are feeding our cows in order to meet their nutritional requirements.  

Two 100' bags were filled with corn silage for 2020. That is 200 tons of feed. Along with the silage, hay and cornstalks will also be fed to our cows.

Our cows will enjoy the corn silage this winter!

farm chick favorite

[  coffee + cows  ] 

 this tumbler! ugh 💜

Me in two words... coffee and cattle.

I absolutely adore this tumbler! It could not be more perfect. This will be filled with iced coffee 💜

farm chick favorite

[ i adore these earrings ]

A great pair of earrings can dress up a basic tee shirt and jeans. And, I love a unique pair of earrings... especially when they are handcrafted. 

I am loving leather earrings. They are a new favorite. And, these! Oh my goodness. My heart is fluttering. I love these earrings from Yondr Made so very much. The teardrop earrings with turquoise are truly beautiful. And, the square earrings with tassels are so much fun!

kitchen shelving: fall style

The sun was starting to set. Walking into my house after a day of working on the farm, I noticed the warm sun soaking into my kitchen. The old wood shelving in my kitchen was glowing. It brightened my styled shelving. 

This past weekend, I rearranged the shelving in my kitchen. Not much changed. But, it looks so different. I am so in love with it! I brought inside the planter with the wire vine and placed it on top of the shelving. And, the antique turquoise canning jar and glass insulator were moved to be used elsewhere. The lightning rod with purple glass brown pottery bowl, ceiling tins, and antique cattle photographs are wonderful with the wire vine. I love the metal, paper, wood, glass, and pottery blended together. It all is perfectly styled together.

apple muffins

Happy National Farmers Day! I baked these apple muffins for two of my favorite farmers to enjoy! 

Fall is a favorite season of mine to bake... especially with apple, pumpkin, or oatmeal. 

3 cups        flour
1 1/2 cups        sugar
1 teaspoon        salt
4 teaspoons        baking powder
4 teaspoons        cinnamon
1 1/3 cups        milk
2        eggs
2/3 cup        unsweetened applesauce
3        apples [ peeled, cored, chopped ]

Mix the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and cinnamon together in a bowl. Mix the milk, eggs, applesauce together in another bowl. Peel, core, and chop the apples. Combine the two bowls together. Fold in the apples. Spray the muffin tin with cooking spray. Spoon in the batter into the muffin tin. Bake at 400 degrees for 25 minutes. Remove the muffins from the oven and let cool. 

antique lockers

At an auction, I bought a set of antique lockers. It was the best $35 ever spent. I am absolutely in love with them! Black rusty metal... it is perfect in my farm home 💜

 

[ The lockers were unsold at the auction when I returned to pick up my purchases. I could not understand why someone would not buy it. I fell in love with the lockers at first sight. There was so much possibility! ] 

This set of antique lockers has been repurposed in my rustic farm home. Once I moved the set of lockers into my house, I realized how big it actually was. WOW! It is stunning in my living room. 

The top of the lockers was uneven. To it, I added a cross member from the old corn crib. I love how it looks! It creates contrast and polish. Such a warm feel! And, I adore the knot in the wood. It has so much character  💜

A rustic elegance is the vibe of the lockers. In styling, I used...
black + white photos
clock
antique turquoise canning jars
wood candlestick holder [ Magnolia Market in Waco, TX ] + black taper candle
table lamp
accent chair + frilly black pillow
palm

I framed three of my favorite black + white prints... two 8x10 and one 11x14 lean against the wall. It is pretty great being a photographer... it makes styling my farm home even more special. The framed photos create more height to the lockers. They are at the center of the lockers as the focus. And, I love the layering of the frames. It creates some texture and dimension. The antique canning jars in turquoise add a pop of color for a nice contrast. The wood candlestick holder [ on clearance at Magnolia Market in Waco, TX ] creates height and balance to my framed farm photos. The black taper candle coordinates with the black frames. A lamp on top of the lockers was perfect for this corner of my living room. 

. wood . glass . metal .

The styled lockers add so much coziness to my farm home! The wood, glass, and metal elements created a lot of warmth in the corner of my living room. In love. A plant and an accent chair really completes it.

I then decided to add the vintage bird cage I bought at an antique store while visiting a friend on a road trip to Texas. I had been trying to find the perfect place for it in my home, and I found it... in this corner.  

This corner! So in love 💜 I absolutely adore how it looks!

[ Since posting, I switched out the lamp. I chose a clear glass baluster lamp. I love it. It is even more perfect. ] 

heath coffee cake

This coffee cake is so delicious! It is perfect for a fall morning!

2 cups        flour
1 cup        brown sugar
1/2 cup        sugar
1/4 cup        butter
1 cup        milk [ soured with a splash of lemon ]
1 teaspoon        baking soda
1 teaspoon        vanilla
1        egg

1 cup        Heath
1/4 cup        walnuts

Combine the flour, brown sugar, sugar, and butter. Reserve a 1/2 cup of the mixture and set aside. Add in the baking soda, milk, vanilla, and egg. Mix well. Coat a 9 x 13 pan with cooking spray. Pour the batter into the pan. Add the Heath and walnuts together with the reserved mixture. Sprinkle over the top of the batter. Bake for 28 minutes at 350 degrees. 

a walk at sunset

The sun set on a fall day. 

The colors were incredible... yellow, blue, and black. Incredible. A walk or run on my country road each evening is my time to relax and enjoy the beautiful moments in life. And, this night was a beautiful moment to enjoy. My sweet dog was at my side to make it even better. 

a fall sunset

After work and cattle chores, I hit the road for an evening walk. The sun was setting on a field of corn. And as I walked, I enjoyed the beauty... the pink, orange, and purple hues. Amazing! It was so peaceful and beautiful. Fall sunsets like that are perfect for long walks.