Thursday, July 30

Thursday Dose of Cute: Sacked Out in the Sun


Daphne's New Baby Boy in the Middle of Some Serious Napping

© Copyright 2009 FarmgirlFare.com, the black bellied (how cute is that?) foodie farm blog where this fast growing little guy needs plenty of rest, and if he ever has trouble getting to sleep, all he has to do is look around and count some sheep.

Wednesday, July 29

Wednesday Farm Photos:
Surprise! There Are Naked Ladies in My Front Yard


Easy to Grow Surprise Lilies (Lycoris squamigera) Are Also Known as Naked Ladies












It's hard to imagine a more beautiful flower that requires so little care. Interested in having some of your own? You can read all about them (including some of their other nicknames) in Growing and Loving Surprise Lilies over on my kitchen garden blog.

Previously posted surprise lily photos:
8/4/05: Surprise Lilies Are Also Known as Naked Ladies
7/31/06: Surprise Lilies Attacked!
8/2/06: Surprise! Cary Didn't Eat All the Lilies

© Copyright 2009 FarmgirlFare.com, the pretty in pink foodie farm blog where I have to admit that sometimes I daydream of having big swaths of blooming bulbs throughout the yard and garden (you know, like Martha Stewart's 10,000 daffodils all flowering at once), but over the years I've found that there is often nearly as much enjoyment to be had from just a couple of fiery flowers or a single clump of color—not to mention the almost zero amount of effort (and cost) required to care for them.

Monday, July 27

Monday Dose of Cute: Mama Love


Daphne and Her New Baby Boy

Need more cute for a Monday? We've been capturing it for a while:
The First Daily Doses of Cute
Daily Doses of Cute Part 2
Daily Doses of Cute Part 3
Daily Doses of Cute Part 4
Daily Doses of Cute Part 5
Daily Doses of Cute Part 6
Daily Doses of Cute Part 7
Daily Doses of Cute Part 8
Daily Doses of Cute Part 9
Daily Doses of Cute Part 10

© Copyright 2009 FarmgirlFare.com, the happy we're in babyland foodie farm blog where this curious little guy finally (three days felt like an eternity!) allowed me to pet the top of his sweet head this morning. It is so incredibly soft.

Sunday, July 26

Sunday Farm Photo: Going Vintage Green


Form and function—a few of my new favorite old things

Before I moved from California to Missouri in 1994, I was, among other things, a part time antiques and collectibles dealer. This side business began—as it so often does—as a way to fund my own slightly-out-of-control collecting habit. I specialized in selling things from the 1920s through the 1950s because that's what I bought for myself.

For years I spent countless hours (and countless dollars) prowling around flea markets, yard sales, junk stores, and antiques collectives in search of cool and saleable stuff.

These days I'm more into hunting for heart rocks and bird nests than Bauer Pottery and bakelite jewelry (though I do still cherish my prized collection of it), but I've recently gone on a couple of local buying binges (thanks for the birthday money, mom!).

Except for a few really nice pieces of 'Made in Japan' pottery that fit perfectly with the ones I already own, I've mostly been bringing home things that not only make me happy when I see them but can also be put to good use—like a beautiful antique garden shovel and those two vintage quilts that now adorn the bed.

I've always been partial to kitchenware—everything from homemade aprons (I have a couple dozen and used to wear a different one to work each day when I had my little bakery), printed tablecloths, and bakelite handled gadgets to Pyrex refrigerator dishes, formica dinette sets and early waffle irons. Yet for some reason I never found myself drawn to old rolling pins or enamelware. This was probably a good thing. I am loving this gorgeous shade of what I call forties green—and that red stripe. I fear my collecting bug may be back.

I've also recently discovered the wonderful world of design & decorating blogs (where have I been?), many of which feature vintage finds. Decor8 is fabulous, though slightly dangerous (as in, Um, where did the last two hours just go?). I've been totally inspired to declutter The Shack, better display and make use of my treasures, and share more of them with you.

So what do you like to collect? Any favorite vintage/decorating sites?

© FarmgirlFare.com, the timeworn foodie farm blog where we love the fact that not only are old things often better made and better priced than their brand new counterparts (I paid $16 total for all three items in this photo), but buying something used is the ultimate form of reducing, reusing, and recycling.

Saturday, July 25

Saturday Extreme Dose of Cute: New Baby Donkey Alert!!


Say Hello to Daphne's Brand New Baby Boy

Talk about cute overload. Is this little guy adorable or what? I'll have more photos of him up hopefully soon—I'm headed back out to see them now. In the meantime, baby and mama Daphne are both doing fine, big sister Evie (who just had her first birthday two weeks ago) is demanding lots of extra hugs and pets, a very proud Donkey Doodle Daddy passed out congratulatory organic carrots to everyone, and I tucked a celebratory bottle of champagne in the fridge.

© 2009 FarmgirlFare.com, the squealing with delight foodie farm blog where life is definitely better with donkeys—especially when they have babies.

Friday, July 24

Friday Dose of Cute: We Have a New Farm Cat!


Say Hello to Whiskers

Want to meet the rest of our kitten caboodle?
Topaz
Mr. Midnight
Sarah Kit Kat Kate
Sylvester
Patchy Cat
Smudge
J2
Molly Doodlebug (aka The Doodle Monster)

© Copyright 2009 FarmgirlFare.com, the feline filled foodie farm blog where it took this former indoor city cat a while to get used to his new surroundings (he spent much of his first two months here hiding in a closet), but now he has a cozy covered porch—complete with above-dog-level railing—to (mostly) call his own, a cool corner spot under The Shack where he can keep an eye on everything while still feeling safe, a secret passageway connecting these two places, and a best bud named Mr. Midnight. Whiskers appears to love his new farm cat life almost as much as we love him.

Tuesday, July 21

Tuesday Farm Photo: Caution, Love Underfoot


Watch Where You Walk

Want more love in your life? Links to lots more heart rock photos here.

© Copyright 2009 FarmgirlFare.com, the set in stone foodie farm blog where most of the several hundred heart rocks I've found around the farm are now piled up on a stone ledge along the front wall of The Shack, but once in a while I leave them exactly where they were discovered—like this one that I spotted while walking with Bear along the ridge road above the farm.

Sunday, July 19

Sunday Dose of Cute: Vision Problems


Seeing Spots




And Double!

You Can Clearly See We're Surrounded by Wildlife:
10/17/06: Garden Life
11/6/07: Hayfield Grazing Rights
2/2/08: The Return of Chucky!
4/27/08: Wild Kingdom—A Big Sunday Feast & A Mysterious Little Owl
5/25/08: Bunnies in the Barnyard
6/4/08: Baby Bunny for Breakfast? Not Today, Thank You
8/15/08: Trying to Blend by the Barn
3/17/09: Backyard Beauty

© Copyright 2009 FarmgirlFare.com, the no need for The Nature Channel foodie farm blog where even the extremely frustrated, doesn't like to share her harvest gardener in me (the one who thinks deer look best on a dinner plate) loves to watch these adorable twin fawns running and romping around in the hayfield.

Wednesday, July 15

Wednesday Dose of Cute: Getting Ahead. . .


Maaaaaaaaaaa!











And Staying in Line

I Love the Black Sheep Best! (Except for my baby Cary, of course):
11/18/05: Frosted Snugglebunny
4/8/06: BB and Her Newborn Baby
4/28/06: Snugglebunny's Twin Girls Always Stay Together
6/27/06: Snugglebunny's Twin Girls Heading Out for Breakfast
7/10/06: BB and Her Mother Tana Are Always Together
9/30/06: Seeing Double
2/9/07: I Love Black Sheep! (Sheep Shearing Photos)
3/14/07: Tana and Her Baby Boy, First Morning Outside
3/20/07: All Booked Up at the Bonding Suite Inn!
5/13/07: The Tail of Two Mothers: A Mother's Day Story from the Farm
10/11/07: Living by the Light
12/5/07: Spy Sheep
4/4/08: Anybody Need an Experienced Sheep Dryer?
4/20/08: Raa Raa Black Sheep! Another Black Baby Lamb
10/2/08: Gossip Central
4/3/09: Black Babes for Black Beauty
4/14/09: Too Cute for Words?
6/9/09: Stop, Look, and Listen

© Copyright 2009 FarmgirlFare.com, the finally remembered to switch to the new summer header foodie farm blog where so far these two Suffolk/Katahdin crosses (who also have a little black Border Leicester thrown in from my very first ram 13 years ago) look like they're going to keep their color. As you can see in the top photo, one has a slight brown tint to her coat now, but considering that their mother, BB, is a true black sheep (these days she looks grey but there's jet black wool underneath), and most of the spotted lambs have bleached out already, chances are good these twin girls are going to stay black. Hooray!

Sunday, July 12

Sunday Dose of Cute: Happy Birthday Evie!

It's the Big One for Her, Too! (And Only Two Days Late)


Evie by the Fourth of July Front Yard 'Fireworks'



And Baby Evie on 7/26/08, age 16 Days, with Mother Daphne

Want to see more of Evie?
7/10/08: It's Another Birthday Girl!
7/11/08: Up and Running (and Trying to Air Dry?)
7/13/08: All Dried Off and Raring to Go
8/27/08: You Just Roll With It, Baby
9/13/08: Here a Nibble, There a Nibble

9/26/08: Are Those Donkey Treats in that Bucket?
10/10/08: Getting to Know You
10/17/08: Baby Love
11/2/08: Fashion Statement
11/29/08: Thirsty Girls
1/10/09: Let's Get Together, Yeah Yeah Yeah
2/2/09: Icy Looks
2/7/09: Being Watched
2/11/09: Are You Ready for the Great Backyard Bird Count?
2/27/09: A Baby Donkey Look Back
3/5/09: Last Snow Photo of the Season
4/23/09: Creek's Up!
5/4/09: What Donkey Girls Do During Lambing Season

© Copyright 2009 FarmgirlFare.com, the birthday week foodie farm blog where little Evie is getting big and her mother Daphne is even bigger—at least around the middle. If all goes well, Evie will have an adorable new sibling soon! (Please be a girl. Please be a girl.)

Tuesday, July 7

Tuesday Dose of Cute: Happy Birthday Esmeralda!

It's the Big One! (And Only One Day Late)


Dolores and Baby Esmeralda Then. . .




And Now. That Baby Has Sure Grown Up—and into Her Ears!

Feel like taking a look back at Esmeralda's first year?
7/9/08: It's a Birthday Girl!
8/13/08: Meet the Dog Day
8/26/08: Nap Time for Esmeralda
8/27/08: You Just Roll With It, Baby
9/22/08: Bonding with Her Baby
9/26/08: Are Those Donkey Treats in that Bucket?
10/4/08: Cleanup Crew
10/10/08: Getting to Know You
11/29/08: Thirsty Girls
1/10/09: Let's Get Together, Yeah Yeah Yeah
2/2/09: Icy Looks
2/7/09: Being Watched
2/11/09: Are You Ready for the Great Backyard Bird Count?
3/5/09: Last Snow Photo of the Season
4/23/09: Creek's Up!
5/4/09: What Donkey Girls Do During Lambing Season

Love looking at longears? You'll find more donkey photos here and here, plus lots of links to Donkey Doodle Daddy photos here (all taken before his daddy days, back when he was the only donkey on the farm).

© Copyright 2009 FarmgirlFare.com, the hee hawing (they really do say that) foodie farm blog where before that fateful phone call from the donkey peddling cowboy several years ago, the idea of owning a donkey had never even crossed my mind, and yet now I can't imagine life without them. If you need more laughs in your life, I highly recommend acquiring a donkey—or a whole herd of them!

Saturday, July 4

Saturday Dose of Cute: The Dog Days of Haying Season


Our hay stacking supervisors: it's a rough job, but thankfully they were up to the challenge.


Wishing you an enjoyable and relaxing 4th of July!

© FarmgirlFare.com, the planning for winter mealtimes during summer foodie farm blog where this year's big hot haying adventure is finally over (hooray! more photos soon), and at one point we had 7 four-footed critters supervising our stacking abilities—not to mention Rooster Daddy crowing his opinions from the sidelines. You're never alone on the farm—though you're often the only one actually working.

Wednesday, July 1

Farm Photos 7/1/09: A Day in the Hay


After two very long days, the first cutting of hay has finally been mowed, teddered (aka fluffed up), raked into windrows, and is ready to be baled.

Lots more photos below. . .