New Life For An Old Mantle

 
I can't believe that it has been two months since my last blog post... Life has  been busy here on the farm and with work, so with whatever time has been left has gone to my husband and kids.  We have added 2 heritage breed pigs to the list of animals on the farm, bred the goats and are waiting for babies around mid June, and lost one of our beloved dogs. When I don't have a paint brush in my hand, more than likely it's a feed bucket, and when I'm not cover in paint I'm probably covered in dirt from outside.  I am happy beyond words with my life right now, and am afraid to blink as it might go away.

Ok, so you know I've been busy, which also means that I have not had much time to work on my own house.  I'm pretty happy with the main floor, so my foucus has shifted to the upstairs, specifically the master bedroom. I always see the finished look in my head before I start a room, and until I get all of the key pieces on hand I tend to hold off on decorating a space until I find the piec that is my jumping offf point, then I am able to pull it all together pretty quickly.

When we first looked at our house before we bought it, I knew that the master bedroom would be a bit of a challenge to decorate.  Since the house was built in 1895, at a time when people used armoires not closets, we lucked out because the porch off the bedroom had already been converted to a generous walk in closet and master bath.  Since we have the closet, we only really need one dresser in the room,  and ours fit nicely in to the bay window.  There is an awkward wall, not long enough for the dressser, and since it leads to the bathroom, can only accomidate a shallow piece.  Of course, the romantic in me wanted a mantle on the wall, not only because it provides an area for display, but would also add some old charm to the now new bedroom.

I hunted for months while out buying for the shop, and finally found me that was not too long and not too tall.  Finally, last week I saw her in an antique store in my town, and loaded her up and brought her home.  One of the nicest things about this mantle is that the back trim  pieces were cut to accomidate the moulding in the room.  Hanging the mantel was easy.  It could be propped up, and I've done that before in a room, but with animals and being that it's on what I wam our cnsider to be a  well traveled path in the room, I wanted it to be secured.  I purchased 2, 100 pound picture hooks, as well as 2, 100 pound D rings.  The mantle only weighs about 50 pounds so I am pretty sure it will be ok.

After attaching the 2 D rings to the back side of the mantle, I measured up the wall and attached the two picture hooks to the wall.  After all of the hardware was on, I simply moved the mantle back, slipped the ring on the hook, and callled it done! Now, if my mantle had not had the notch cut out to accomidate the moulding, it still would have been okay using the hardware I did, it just would have protruded from the wall a bit more.  Once I had the mantle in place, the headboard was next on my radar.  That went up the next day, and will be in my next blog post.

I hope you have an inspiring day, and don't forget to stop and smell the roses once in a while!

Cheers!
Joanne

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Healthy New Year!

Everyone always says "Happy New Year", but I think I want to say "Healthy New Year" instead.  I know this is the time of year that everyone is resolving to eat healthier, lose 10 pounds, and exercise more. I have not made a resolution , per se, but a commitment to myself to listen to my body, slow down when I need to, speed up when I should, and get back to healthy , cleaner eating.

A few years ago I felt meisrable.  I was bloated, lethargic,  and had gained about 10 pounds.  Several doctors visits later, it was revealed that I had something called EOE, which basically is an allergic reaction in the esophagus.  After allergy testing we further discovered that I was allergic to basically every thing in the environment, as well as several  foods.  This was really great to find out because then I could eliminate those foods from my diet.  The problem was that there are so many that I basically had to pick and choose what was eliminated based upon how they made me feel.

At the very top of the list, scoring higher than anything else was yeast.  Eliminating yeast is really, really hard! We know it's in bread, so that's easy, even though I was a sour dough bread addict, but it's in just about everything you don't expect! Salad dressing, crackers, ketchup, and the list goes on.  Also right  up there for me  are: avocados, bananas, strawberries, cherries, peaches, tomatoes and  green peppers. The bananas, avocados, strawberries, and peaches I avoid like the plague because they cause an anaphylactic reaction that lands me in the hospital.

When I got the EOE diagnosis I immediately changed the way I ate, and immediately felt better.  I read every label, avoided everything with yeast, and ate super healthy.  I lost the 10 pounds, and over all felt 100% better. I kept this going for a good year or so, and then fell off the wagon so to speak, by working a few of the things that make me feel so horrible back in.  It was kind of like a bad co dependent relationship.  I could live without them, but wanted to try to make it work.


So what led me back to the occasional slice of pizza , the regular twice weekly serving of a tomato based meal? Laziness. I have no excuse other than laziness.  I could say it was because of work , being to busy, not having enough time, but that would just be an excuse.  Not only have I gained the 10 pounds back, but I feel horrible again.  I don't need to search for answers about how to feel better, because I already know what they are.  If I eat a cheeseburger with the bun and feel horrible 30 minutes later, I only have one person to blame, ME!

I have made a commitment to myself for 2017  to be more accountable to myself for what I eat.  Not because I want to lose 10 pounds (even though I hope to in the process) but I want to get back to feeling good again.  I want to remove those things from my diet that are bringing me down and replace them with the things that make me feel good, and no better time to start than today.  The holidays are behind us, the extra sweets and holiday food are gone from the house, and I've got a delivery of organic meat arriving tomorrow to fill my freezer.  So, today I go back to the way I ate two years ago, and the way I should eat every day of my life.

I am not a nutritionist.  I am a middle aged woman who has done a lot of cooking in my life, and has always tried to feed her family well and in a budget.  When I set out to start a blog I wanted to incorporate some simple, healthy, budget conscious meals with you, so today I'll share with you my favorite morning smoothie.  I had the first "getting back up on the horse" smoothie today and I'm wondering why I ever gave them up.

 Smoothies are a great way to pack a lot of vitamins, minerals, and probiotics in to one POW to get your day going. They are great to make and take with you, or sit and sip while enjoying a good book.  I tend to keep a lot of fruits and veggies on hand So use what I feel like  to make my smoothies. Keep in mind, I have to avoid two big smoothie staples, so you could of course add a banana, and strawberries. My basic recipe for a powerful smoothie is:

1 cup green veggie, either kale or spinach
1 scoop bone meal protein powder
1 cup yogurt
1/2 C almond milk, low fat milk, or water
1/2 C ice
1/2 C fresh fruit like pineapple, berries, banana

Throw all ingredients in blender and enjoy!
Healthy New Year!
Joanne xoxo

It's Beginning To Look A Lot (Little) Like Christmas

The month of December has really snuck up on me this year, and I'm really struggling with the fact that this year is coming to what I feel to be, an abrupt end! That being said, I'm really struggling with how to decorate for our first Christmas in our beloved farmhouse. Usually when I move I know EXACTLY where the tree will go, what the theme will be, and can see it in my mind the day the contract is signed.  For many reasons I have not really thought about all of this until now which is 6 months later...So. Not. Like. Me. 

When we decided to start a farm, I don't think we had any idea how things would change our daily routine and how much time we would have to allow each day to do our chores.   Now, leaving for the day is not as easy and quick as it used to be.  Cows, chickens, and goats have to be fed and watered in addition to all of the other things that have to be done before we leave for the work.  Believe me, I am NOT complaining at all! I LOVE this life and would not change a thing! What I am saying is that the added animals have taken over some of the "free" time I used to have to devote to planning and decorating the house this time of year.  I would not change it, but if I could just please have one extra hour per day to get my decorating started that would be great. Thank you.🎄

When we moved 6 months ago, I went through all of my holiday decor and edited out anything I didn't LOVE, and anything that I could not remember where I got or who gave to me so what was left was truly cherished.  I went from about 10 tubs to 4, and you know what? I don't miss any of it! Sometimes we put things out out of habit and guilt, so I decided to not let my holiday decor guilt me any more! I have had much of my decor passed down to me by my parents, much was created by my children, and a lot was acquired in thrift shops. I didn't donate anything that was sentimental, just the stuff that was, well, stuff. This time of year, by the way, is an excellent time to snag Christmas decor in thrift shops because people are doing what I did last year and cleaning out. You know what they say about another mans trash...

So this is what I'm willing to show you thus far.  Yes, my trees are up, but not dressed.  Yes, my outdoor wreaths are up, but the lights are not. I usually spend a couple of days getting things just perfect. This year I'm not going to sweat it.  I have a cow. My own REAL cow who needs to have her picture taken with a wreath around her neck. Once I get that picture done then I will get the tree done and the lights up. I'm taking a little more ME time this season and doing the things that really matter to me, and taking the pressure off myself to have the best decorated house on the street.   In the grand scheme of life, it's not that important to me anymore.  I don't want to be known as the woman who always had a beautifully decorated home for the holidays.  I'd much rather be remembered as that woman who made other people's homes gorgeous, had calluses on her hands and paint in her hair from painting beautiful furniture for others, and took a great Christmas photo of her cow with a wreath around her neck. 

Cheers! Joanne

My collection of holiday memories

Every Farm Needs Animals

Our Goats, Penny and Star

Our cows, Ruby and Nellie

Our  farmhouse was once part of a much bigger farm, but the land has not been used as farmland for quite some time. That being said, aside from the three outbuildings we have, we have had to start from scratch with fencing, housing, etc for our small but growing farm. We have kept chickens for about 6 years now so we were well versed when we moved all 16 of them from our suburban home here to the farm last June.  Our coop, which is quite large, was loaded up on to a flatbed truck and delivered to the new place without a hitch, chickens inside! We had the coop fenced in so as to give them a secure place to range when the dogs are out. In addition to the chicken area we also fenced in a small area for future goats. The two areas are further enclosed in what we call the back pasture, which was previously open. Needles to say, getting ready for the animals was a bit of a financial hit because we had to install a lot of fencing.

We wanted to raise goats, and had started the research last winter before we found this place.  We drink goats milk for the health benefits, but didn't even know where to start when it came to which breeds are the best milk producers, which ones produce the amount we need, and which would fit our overall  needs the best.  We visited as many different goat farms as we could, read as much as we could put our hands on, and also asked anyone who was willing to share their experience with us.  For the record, most goat owners are very willing to brag about their pets, and are more than excited to share their experience with you:).  After months of research we decided that the Nigerian Dwarf was the breed for us.  We decided that the size was good, and that the amount of milk produced daily would be perfect for our needs.  Deciding on the right breed was not too hard, but finding the perfect pair proved to be a challenge! One of the first breeders I spoke to was able to help us and hook us up with a friend who had two 12 week old does, so we visited them fell in love and brought them home about a week later in mid July.  We are currently looking for a buck for them and hope to breed them in the late winter, early spring.

As if goats were not enough, we decided to add two Minature Hereford Heifers to our menagerie! Ruby and Nellie are a little over 6 months old and are like giant dogs!  They moo when we get out of our trucks, they moo when they see us come outside, and they follow us everywhere.  These girls will take a little longer to mature, so won't be bred for another 2-3 years.  These two will serve as our breeders, and from them we will be able to produce more cows to sell and for meat.

All of the dogs, cows, and goats are getting along famously.  There is an order out there in the pasture, and it's quite interesting to watch!  I can say one of the sweetest sights I have seen out ere was my husband on the ground trying to get a halter and rope off one of the cows a few days after they were delivered.  He was on the ground, in the woods, with a cow at 12 o'clock, another cow at 2 o'clock, a cat at 4, and a dog at 6. It was literally one of the moments of this adventure I will, never forget. I can see the back pasture from my bedroom window when I wake each morning, and I love being able to sit up,  look out, and see all of our animals before I head downstairs.   I usually take the dogs out for the last time around 9 pm, say good night to all of the girls outside, and am excited as a kid on Christmas Eve to wake up and see them in the morning!

Building a farm, both literally and figuratively is quite a process.  Getting the right animals, the right feed, the right fencing, and then hurry up and wait.  It had taken us almost 6 months to get this far, and now we are preparing for our first winter with this many outside animals.  Filling the barn with hay, figuring out how to keep water from freezing, and so many other new problems to solve, but we would not have it any other way!

Cheers!
Joanne

Welcome Fall!

 Fall is my favorite season of all.  I love all of the seasons, and am grateful that I live in an area where we experience all of them, but fall wins every time.  The first time I walk outside and smell a fire burning, the first time I have to put on my slippers in the morning before venturing down the stairs, and the first time I have to slip on a sweater before I head outdoors are all welcome signs to me that fall has arrived! The weather is not feeling very fall like here yet, but that has not stopped me from getting the house looking cozy and ready for cooler weather. Since this is the first fall in the farmhouse I am still playing with where things go, adding and editing as I do, but I think the porch is done.

I love a very layered look in the colder months, so the minimalist look that has been the theme of the house this past summer has been added to by bringing in the fall accents that will carry our home through Thanksgiving.  I have been adding in blankets, pillows, candles, and all kinds of coziness throughout the house the past week or so.

Phase one of the fall transformation was our porch.  Now, trying to find mums when it is 100 degrees out is tough.  Keeping them alive when it's 100 degrees out is even tougher, but I have been watering like crazy and so far so good.  One thing I am NOT known for is a green thumb, so I usually add in some artificial flowers here and there if I am really on a roll of forgetting to water.  I was able to collect a few different sizes and colors from my local HomeDepot and Tractor Supply, and was able to fill the porch for under $50, and nothing has died, so that's a victory for me!

The rockers are an eclectic mix, but unified by the black Rustolium spray paint that was used to give them a quick facelift.  I love using spray paint on chairs because it's faster and easier than rolling paint on, and since they are exposed to the elements, I can freshen them up easily when needed by just taking them out  to the grass and giving them a quick once over. I wanted to add some texture and color to the rockers for fall and happened to score the Woolrich buffalo plaid throws for $29 ea! This was truly my find if the week because I had been eying this blanket for years, I mean YEARS, but could never pull the trigger since they sell for $98 on the Woolrich site.  When I came across these in Gabes, a discount store, I snatched them up. They are seconds, but who cares? They look perfect, and will be nice on the cool fall evenings when we want to sit out front.

In addition to the rockers and mums, I have added in some wonderful vintage apple baskets, a vintage  bench, an antique English pine desk, and some other accents for a layered, cozy, and welcoming entry.  I also added several artificial pumpkins, and will add some real ones as they become available.   To get a layered look, start with your tallest items, then work forward ending with your smallest in front.  Different textures, and colors give interest to a fall porch display, so don't be afraid to add something vintage or unexpected for a truly layered look.  Vintage lanterns, old galvanized buckets, and even mason jars with cut flowers in them are a wonderful addition to your fall porch, and don't break the bank.

I will be adding some more as time goes on, and hopefully I have inspired you to "get your fall on!"

Cheers!
Joanne

Sunday Morning Rituals

I am such a creature of habit, and you can pretty much find me doing almost the same thing every week.  Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday are set aside for meeting with design clients and working on painted furniture either for the shop or commissioned pieces for clients.  Thursday, Friday and Saturday are my days in my shop, Shabby Cottage, and Sunday's are reserved for fun and relaxation with my husband.

Our Sunday's start out the same every week and I would not have it any other way.  We sleep in a little bit, then after doing our animal chores we head to the Shepherdstown Farmers Market. we love this particular market for its intimacy,  because it is only about 4 miles from home, and because we like to support local small businesses.    Shepherdstown is the oldest town in West Virginia, and is filled with charming old buildings and packed with an eclectic mix of restaurants , shops, and home to Shepherd University, so it's a cozy place to spend a Sunday morning.

Strolling along the narrow side street where the market is held is a great place to meet new friends, socialize your dog, and hear some great acoustic music, for free!  We all have to eat, and we all have to buy food, and the experience of the farmers market is surely more enjoyable than going to the grocery store.   In this intimate setting full of beautiful magazine worthy fruits and veggies, dogs and children, I feel happy.

The peaches won't be there this week, but there should be a great selection of onions, potatoes, lettuces and tomatoes to feast on. Apples have been added to the selection, so I see some apple pies in my future! As I write this, it is Saturday, which means I'm in the shop,  but we won't be going to market tomorrow due to my husbands work schedule.  This weekend marks the 15th anniversary of the day that changed the world and my husband along with many other first responders will be working to maintain our safety.  Since this is something we do together it feels weird to go without him, so I will stay home and start my fall decorating instead. I guess this means I am breaking the route in. Until next week, farmers...