~Summer is here.... ahead of schedule~

Written by Sue, Monday, June 3, 2019     sunny, warm, 80's
Summer weather(hot, humid) has certainly come to Pear Tree Lane, our weekend was spent keeping our gardens and flowers watered. The garlic is ready and will be gathered this week and hung to dry.

When it is hot, with no rain, plants need lots of watering. As does our farm animals and keeping them with fresh water keeps us busy too! They drink twice as much in this type of weather, I do too! ~wink~
 Last Friday we picked our first squash,

and canned them in mason jars, these certainly come in handy during winter. I make squash casseroles, saute them with onions, and make squash pies!

Today, was a little cooler with less humidity, so I took advantage of this, by weeding the garden and flower beds. With no rain the sprinklers were turned on. If I could I would stay outside all day, but hot/humid weather says otherwise.

We picked a half bushel of yellow squash this morning, called mother to see if she wanted them, she did. She also canned hers. She is not only my mother, but my friend, confident, teacher of all things that matter in life.

 this left me with more time to work in my garden. I will can more later this week.

I am making another attempt at growing lavender, it is one of my favorite plants,

 I snipped a few stems, they are drying in a closet.

Finally, this is what you do when you are hot, tired and just needing a break.🌞 This is our son and dil while visiting few weeks ago, and working on the farm,.... in my defense,... They volunteered,(pinky promise)!😉

Tomorrow both Mr P and I have Dr.'s appt. for lab work, as usual this takes time we will run errands when finished.So what is on your to-do list for this week.

💖 from to you,

Sue

~I'm still around in blogland, I hope you are too!

Written by Sue, January 14, 2018....     Brrr. cold, partly sunny, temps. low 30
Wow! What a slow start I am having in this new year, the month is half over and I haven't posted once about the farmhouse, not even a howdy-do! This was certainly not the way I had planned it, though I have posted a few times on Instagram.

We have been having prolonged and unusual cold temps. in our area, so much so that a lot of our pipes at the barn froze, and  burst! A lot of our days were spent unthawing troughs, hauling water to the animals, and keeping feed to them.

In extreme cold it takes extra feed to keep them going.

 Every farm needs a few of donkeys, how about seven and still counting.

We were happy to get the pipes fixed and water flowing this weekend. Try hauling water to over 150 animals twice a day for about ten days. Your arms do get a work out. Ha ha

Once we got through this ordeal, I started working on my goals for 2018, with first things first; the decorations needed to come down!

I am happy to report that all of the Christmas decorations are taken down, packed and put away in the garage. Yes! Dh and I did this all by ourselves, we were so proud and tired too!

I have been cleaning, trying  to put the house back in order. I like to start with the kitchen,

The appliances and countertops have been cleaned and polished, windows washed, with the cabinets to be cleaned and organized. I especially love a clean kitchen.

but for some reason I just want to sit by the fire and stay warm. ~smile~

Did I mention eating comfort food too, I guess it takes more food for us in winter also!

Do you have a word or phrase for the new year, I will share mine in my next post.

Wishing you continued joy and  happiness in this new year,

Sue

"Farmhouse news front porch views"

Written by Sue, Tuesday,January 5th, 2016                       windy,sunny, cold, temps. 30's

Our Christmas celebration was very quiet and relaxing

Christmas Day started with Quiche Lorraine for breakfast , one of my favorite egg dishes,

There were five of us for dinner on Christmas Day, our traditional menu was simple and easy,

garden salad, baked potato, creamed corn, beans, steak, and homemade biscuits!

I decided on a simple table setting, using white ironstone dishes, with a table cloth that belonged to my dear MIL,  the lighting was an old oil lamp! I absolutely loved it!

I made the most delicious coconut cake, let's just say it was the talk of the evening!

~Stately Coconut Cake~

It has an orange, lemon  sauce between the layers, seven minute icing sprinkled with coconut!

Maybe a little extra work but well worth it!

**********

We have been very busy with our lambing season, this is always such a treat for me, sheep are so docile, and the little ones are way to cuddly! We have 55 new lambs and still counting!

One of my favorite photos,  

Just look at that face

I don't know if I have ever mentioned this, but my plans were to never, ever marry a farmer! What's that you ask, why? My parents were raised on a farm, but my Dad joined the military at a very young age, as with military families, we moved quite a few times.

But one thing for sure, the week school was out my parents took us three girls to my maternal grandparents farm, to work all summer! We worked in the fields, with tobacco,(YUCK), hoed cotton, worked the vegetable gardens, and helped preserve the food!

It was right then and there we girls vowed that we would run from farmers as fast as we could go!

Fast forward.......

In high school, I met this handsome young farm boy, who had decided he was not going to farm his Dad's farm when he graduated! And.... he didn't, at least for a while, by that time I was already in love and married, with several children to said ex-farm boy!

One day his father asked my Dh if he would like to give farming a chance, by this time I was really secretly missing farming! I absolutely have no answer as to why! I guess maybe it was in our blood! And as they say "the rest is history". Both of us have never looked back nor regretted that decision!

(I am the only one who backed out , I married the farmer!~wink~) 

Farm life is not perfect by no means, and can be very challenging, with many ups and downs, and lots of hard work, but....

 I love sitting on the front porch as the sun is setting, listening to the animals begin to settle in for the evening, their voices are so soft! There is a quietness that I cannot seem to find the words to explain! It is at that  moment that all seems to be right with the world!

We love  farming, and country living! That's my story, and I am sticking to it!!!!

Wishing you, dear Friends much joy, peace, and happiness as you journey into this New Year!

love from the farmhouse,
Sue