Pear tree lane Farmhouse

~Welcome home~

This blog is dedicated to my dear family who live many miles away, and to you dear ladies , who have a heart for keeping the home fires burning. You, who love and cherish your family, and have a desire to create a home that says "Welcome, you are loved and cared for."

My desire is that when you leave that you will be encouraged and know that you too are loved.

Sue~

"Happy New Year"

Written by Sue, Sunday nightDecember 31, 2017     Brrr!temps. in the teens.
Wishing you much peace, joy, happiness,and health, in this coming new year. May all your plans, hopes and dreams come true.
Our New Year's Eve celebrations are usually pretty low key, we have an early dinner, sit by the fire, this is one of our favorite things, we reminisce over the past year, each tells of their goals, hopes, and dreams of the new year. We don't make resolutions, but set goals, I love to set goals! Goals don't seem to pressure me like resolutions do. ~smile~ If we can stay awake, (wink )we bring in the new year with prayer, if we go to bed early, prayers are still the last thing for us. I love to bring in the new year praying.

I  enjoy the week between Christmas and New Years, it is like we get to stop, and just breath, everything slows down, except the ewes are now lambing, we have 22 new babies.  I do a lot of thinking during this week, get my new planner and notebooks together and by New Year's Eve, I have them organized and ready to go for January1st.


So how is your New Year's Eve? 
r
Blessings from our home to yours

Sue


~Traditions~

Written by Sue, Friday, December 15, 2017            Brrr! still cold sunny, temps. 40's

Between now and Christmas I thought I might share a few of our traditions. I love traditions, don't you.
am so enjoying this Christmas season, getting the decorations up early has made things so much easier. I don't think I could have done all that baking if I had not cleaned and decorated early.

One of our traditions is sending Christmas cards to family and friends. We have had this tradition since our first year of marriage, it is something we do together. We get in our pjs, coffee and cookies near by,..I write the message, (his idea)he addresses the envelopes, ~smile~.They will be mailed today. Do you send Christmas cards? 
 love to shop for Christmas cards, it takes me a long time to choose just the right ones.
A little story...
In October, when the cards first came out, I thought I had bought two boxes, last week when I started thinking about getting them ready , I could not find them anywhere, ~sigh~ it seems I had hid them from myself, I even questioned if I had even bought them. I bet you have never done anything as silly as this, have you?
went and bought two more boxes, while placing them in a cabinet in the foyer I found the first ones I had bought. I must not have searched as throughly, as I thought,  ~wink~I kept them all.~smile~
Aren't they pretty?

Enjoy this day,
love,
Sue
P.S. I almost forgot , I also love to receive Christmas cards!~wink~

Gift Giving is always a joy!

Written by Sue, Wednesday evening, December 13, 2017   Brrr, cold very cold temps. 30's

Tis a busy season around the farmhouse, my kitchen has been humming a happy tune!

Mr P and I decided instead of buying gifts, for family and friends, I would make and bake goodies for them. His contribution was go getter, helping to pack and mail, he had the hard job, mine was all fun~wink.

I lost count at 75 dozen cookies, (8 different kinds) I was so busy baking that I forgot to take photos of all the different kinds of cookies, so you will have to take my word for it.
~chocolate mint marvels~
Chocolate chip cookies with pecans.

Or maybe you can count the cookies in the jars.~wink~


Do you remember the Blessings/Thankful jar I made for us, the one where you place a thankful note or a blessing in the jar each day, and periodically take time to read them and realize the many blessings God has bestowed on us.
Ezekiel 34:26~"I will make them and the places all around My hill a blessing: and I will cause showers to come down in their season; there shall be showers of blessings.
To make them I found something specific about that person, i.e.; a hobby, a character trait, just anything that reminds me of them. I wrapped the center with burlap ribbon, glued stickers I found at Hobby Lobby. Filled them with goodies, wrote a note explaining and asking them to refill their jar with a thankful note each day....

Granddaughter Maddie is expecting her first child.Grandson Gabe is at MIT,getting his doctorate,

                 Granddaughter Lauren is always happy,  Grandson Will is in the Navy

Jack has been warming himself under the Christmas tree lights and dreaming of a steak bone.

Yesterday, we mailed 8 boxes, they are going to so many different places in the USA. Both DH and I were thrilled to be able to bless them with homemade goodies,...cookies, candy, jams.This week I will be baking more goodies for the last three gift boxes.



That's all for tonight, thank you for visiting.
blessings,
Sue



Sunday thoughts... words do matter

Written by Sue, Sunday, December 10, 2017           sunny, cold, temps. 40's

This season finds me feeling a bit nostalgic, even in my seasonal decorating, to me that is a good thing.
This church holds such a feeling for me, especially one summer long ago


When I was a child, I spent my summers with my widowed, paternal grandmother and her bachelor  brother who lived with her and helped her farm the land. They were a funny twosome, I was the apple of both of their eyes, One would say they spoiled me, but I say "I was just loved a lot."~wink~

Getting back to this church, which was not the one we regularly attended,


Each summer I would attend a week long Bible school at this church, at the end of the week we would have a commencement service in which the children would have a program of songs and memory verse reciting. I remember one particular time in which my fellow students were a little bashful, not me, I had memorized all the bible verses by heart and I led them all.


The next day, one of the fathers of the children , who was a friend of my uncle,  stopped by the farm, to visit. In those days visitors were a rarity, and as children would do, we listened to the adults talk.

I remember Mr Mclamb looking at me and telling my uncle of how proud he was of my leading the group in the program. He went on to say he didn't know what would have happened if I had not. You can only imagine how wonderful I felt.

Proverbs 25:11~ A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver.

Words can either bless people or discourage them. The encouragement this man gave me as a young child, has gone with me all through my life. We never know the impact we have on others, through words and deeds. His words did indeed impact me, in a good way. I never forgot this man, and when I would see him from time to time I would remember the kindness he showed. He probably forgot, but I never did.

I have tried to teach my children , and grandchildren to think before they speak, words are so powerful!

May your day be filled and overflow with many blessings.
Love, 
Sue








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Wednesday Hodgepodge.. Thankfulness.

Written by Sue, Wednesday, November 22, 2017      beautiful fall day, temps. 60's


1. Tradition... how tightly do you cling to tradition when it comes to holiday gatherings and celebrations? For instance do you always do the cooking, never eat at home, always go to grandma's, never miss the parade, always watch football, never change the menu. always eat at 2.p.m.,etc.? Have you ever celebrated Christmas or Thanksgiving away from hearth, home, and family? How did that feel?

When our children were living at home we followed the tradition of celebrating Thanksgiving at home, as they grew up, married, moved away, and started their own family and traditions things were rearranged. 

As I am writing this I am thinking this is the way it was with me as I was growing up. The more things stay the same the more they change.


We never missed Macy's Thanksgiving parade, even after the children moved away, I would watch. 

Holidays are always celebrated at home, Mr P. and I have thought of taking a trip to the mountains, but it never came to fruition.

2 Help.. is it easy for you to ask for help or are you a do-it-yourselfer? How is that a good/bad thing? 

I am a do-it-yourselfer, but don't mind asking for help,but find that all our family and guests always ask to help, it is just the way we were brought up. 

It is good to ask for help  especially when running behind schedule. It is  a bad thing for me when others are in the kitchen , I have the tendency to talk to much and forget about what's on the stove. ~smile~ However, I have no problem asking for help with cleanup!~wink~Though  I have found that when it comes to clean-up I never have to ask, my family and guest are aways so eager to help.

3.Abundance.. what is there an abundance of in your kitchen.
Corn, actually it is in my pantry, I canned 64 pts. this summer. We had such an abundance. I find myself looking for corn recipes. 

4.Name... the smallest thing you're thankful for? the biggest?

My wedding band is the smallest, it is a reminder of my love, commitment to the most wonderful, loving, and giving man I know.


The biggest thankful is the day I gave my life to Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior. He has given me hope, for eternal life. Joy no matter what circumstance is surrounding me.

5...Key.. What do you think is the key to living a more grateful life?

Hmmm. Stop whining and complaining, purposely find things to be thankful for.  I have this thankful/blessings jar that I write one thing a day I am thankful for. When the new year is in, I always enjoy reading  my thankful/ blessings for the past year.


6.. State your own random thoughts here.

To elaborate on traditions, our traditions have changed over the years, our children live many miles away from the farm, we celebrate Thanksgiving at my Mother's home the Sunday before Thanksgiving with my siblings, as we did this past Sunday.

Notice the house is decorated for Christmas, my Mother always has her decorations up before Thanksgiving, my Dad once asked her why she put her Christmas decorations up before Thanksgiving, her reply was, " Because I am thankful for Christmas."

There was such an abundance of food, my older sister(whom I haven't seen in almost a year), cooked most of the dinner, She wanted to do this for the family. Needless to say everyone went home with goody boxes of food.

Wishing you and your family a most blessed and "Happy Thanksgiving".


Love, 
Sue

Thank you Joyce for hosting Wednesday Hodgepodge


From this Side of the Pond


Written by Sue, Sunday November 19, 2017              sunny, cool, temps. 50's beautiful crisp day.


Enjoying this wonderful season of Thanksgiving, I am thankful today that I have the privilege to assemble and worship our heavenly Father with other believers.
I am also thankful that after church today Mr P. and I will gather with my Mother and siblings for our annual Thanksgiving dinner at her home. I haven't seen my sister in almost a year. 
May your day be filled with many blessings.
Love, 
Sue

Sunday thoughts and blessings!

Written by Sue, Sunday, October 29, 2017            cloudy with showers, temp. 60's love fall. 

photo taken 2013

May the road you travel today be filled with love, joy, peace, and so many blessings so your container overflows, into the container of the person walking beside you.

 A kind word or smile will lift the broken hearted, many times I have been the recipient of such kindness, when it was most needed!!!

There is a lady, whom we did not know,  who drives by our farm each day on her way to work, many times Mr. P would be out working as she passed, he waves with a smile. One day she stopped and thanked him, saying there were many times when she was feeling sad, and his wave and smile lifted her spirit.

Small gestures are BIG IN THE EYES OF GOD!

Proverbs, 25:11~ A word aptly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver.

Blessings, 
Sue

A little of this, and a little of that.

How often do you have dreams? It seems I have been having dreams more often these days. They have been really sweet dreams, in my dreams I have been having some wonderful meetings with old acquaintances, with actual conversations, so real that I wake smiling, only to wish that they had actually happened. ~smile~This has nothing to do with my post today, I was just wondering. I guess I must be getting old.~wink~



*****************************************************
What an absolutely beautiful fall day we have had today, I worked in the green house, potting more pansies, I'll show later this week where they went, you might be surprised.~wink~

Building this green house for me was one of the nicest things Mr P has done. I love being out here next to the chicken coop,listening to the different sounds the chickens, turkeys, and guineas make.I guess you might say I am a true blue COUNTRY GIRL.


I decided it was time to start my exercise program of walking again, I walked 2 miles today and took some photos.
Tom was out strutting too.



I went by to see the donkeys, they always come running looking for treats.

This is my white, blue eyed baby, our other donkeys are brown with brown eyes.




While I was out walking Mr P. was getting the garden ready to plant strawberries, tomorrow, we, (DH and I) will plant 400 plants. I Just love my  farm boy on a tractor. Notice our trees are still green with a few hints of fall.

I am dreaming of these in a few months.


Thanks for visiting, 
I hope your day was filled with many blessings,
Sue

p.s. Where have the bloggers gone? I read today that another blogger was leaving blogland, please don't leave me here in blogland by myself.~smile~ 

Written by Sue, Sunday, October 22, 2017      beautiful fall day, sunny, temps. 70's

For today, I am thankful for the freedom  to worship publicly, without fear ...
There are those in this world who do not have this privilege, they are not even allowed to worship in their homes, much less in an open assembly without fear of being imprisoned or killed.

Photo courtesy of Steven Dohanus
The religious freedom that we have, gives our children the privilege to  participate in church activities, freely. I adore these little guys, they remind me of our sons when they were young.
photo courtesy of Frances Tipton-Hunter
Psalm 95:1-2-3~ Oh come, let us sing to the Lord! Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving; Let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms. For the Lord is the great God and the great King above all Gods.
Photo courtesy of Dick Sargent

So, whether I choose to worship within my home, in the biggest Cathedral, or in a humble country church I am most thankful for this freedom.... Today, when all the songs have been sung, and when the message has been given, may I remember as I bow my head in prayer to Give Thanks for this privilege., and to ask heavenly Father that I might continue to have this privilege, and to remember to pray for those who don't!!

May your day be filled with many blessings ,
Giving thanks for you today,
Sue

~Just an ordinary day, at the farm~

Written by Sue, Wednesday, October 18, 2017       Sunny, cool, temps. 60,s beautiful fall day.

We are finally getting some much needed and wanted fall weather, I woke in the middle of the night slightly chilly, and remarked to Mr P, that I certainly would be adding more covers, today, so I snuggled closer to him, he is like a heater, me, I am an iceberg, cold feet and all!~smile~

Today, I will be picking my green beans, and canning them. It is 11:AM, and I have yet to pick them., as I am busy trying to write this post., and waiting for it to warm.


Other things today at the farm, Dh took some sheep to the market, always bitter sweet, the cash is good, but I know where most will end up, with some going to farmer's home.


I thought I would show you some of the prettiest hostess gifts, I received from friends at our Happy Fall Ya"ll get together.  I have the sweetest and nicest friends, always so thoughtful!

What type of hostess gifts do you give? Some times I dress my jams,and jellies in pretties,


I also give baked goodies, I might give some hand lotion or candle from BBW!Most of the time it is handmade.

My friend Trish, gave me this beautiful mum, with an angel tucked in, Mr Belvedere, the butler, says this is a little much for him. Don't worry Mr B, I just wanted you to hold it for my photo!


My friend, Vicky, gave me the very pretty sugar and creamer set, just love the colors, Mary Jo gave me some Mary Kay hand lotions, the pepper jelly from my friend Julie, the hand soap was from Susan.



UPDATE:
So what is on your counter this fine fall afternoon?

I did get the beans picked, snapped and canned, it took 2hrs from bush to counter!

I'm also dehydrating cayenne peppers! Should e ready tomorrow!
I have a baked herb chicken in the oven, steamed broccoli, green beans, of course, and a salad.

Hope your day was filled with many blessings!

Love from the farmhouse.
Sue

The phrase "There's no place like home," is so true.



Written by Sue, Friday, October 13, 2017          much cooler today, temps. 70's

No matter where I go, I always love turning the key and hearing that clicking sound in the lock of our door . Even if I have only gone shopping, I am so happy to be home.

Foyer decorated for the season


Did you know that every home has its own scent, the first thing I do is sniff the air, and I offer a quiet prayer of thankfulness, and safety.


The scents I am smelling now are fall scents, i.e. pumpkin spice, cinnamon, autumn leaves, sweater weather, (love Bath and Bodyworks.)

My decorating style is my own, I decorate with the colors and treasures that are me. 

If I had to choose my favorite room it would be either my kitchen, or dining room, the dining room would probably edge the kitchen only slightly, It is a place where we nourish our bodies, and spirits as we linger over a meal.

The fall view of the foyer and dining room as I come down the stairs,
One of the things that I have enjoyed about blogging is the difference in how we all view the world, and our homes. Just like our Creator made each of us to be unique, we create our own unique styles and colors in our own homes. I have learned so much from you and enjoyed your homes so much, and have learned so much about you from your homes...

I truly believe that God wants us to have a safe haven to come home too, a place we can claim as our own,... just like us, homes come in all shapes and sizes, if love (family) is there, it is our home, if our things are there, it is our home,


When we add our own personal touches, it "becomes our home"
Even in our bedrooms and bathrooms, (after all we do spend time in there,) whether it's putting my makeup on or brushing my teeth, I enjoy reading scripture verses on plaques, and seasonal touches.
Home is a place we can go to when the storms of life are raging. I often listen to the wind and rain when it is coming down hard and am reminded of the safety of our sheltering home. It is the one place that we control what and who comes in, (well,most of the time. lol)

Sometimes late at night, when I am unable to sleep I will get up and as I am walking across the room, I hear the floor creek beneath my feet, I go, sit, and listen to other sounds that my home makes, a pop here and there in the wall, it is like the wall is talking to me. A home not only has its own scent, but it also has its own sound. I truly believe that a home takes on its own personality, US!!

So why this blog?....
I wanted a place that I could come, talk about, and share of how my day was spent here at the "farmhouse", and about the things that I do to make it a "home". Making a house a home is a lifetime endever,
 and I might add a joy. 

As my life is always changing, my style, which I call "Eclectic" remains the same. When I first started blogging I made the mistake of comparing my style, tried to change, but soon realized that was not me, and not pleasing to the Lord. Again we are all "Unique," and I truly believe this pleases God, after all ,He did create us!

Love from my home to yours,
Sue

 Psalm 139:14~ I will praise You, for I am fearfully 
and wonderfully made;
Marvelous are Your works;
And that, my souls knows very well.