friday farmhouse { 6 }

Okay this one is a real oldie…

But such a goodie. Oh I wish I could have seen it back in the day!

the zoo

 

It seems it is that time of the year for visiting the zoo.  I’d like to say it’s the sunshine that beckons us, but in the Northwest, it’s just that it’s time.  Grandma offered to meet us there so we packed lunches and dressed with high hopes that the clouds would burn off and we’d get some rays, but no such luck. 

We did get to see some neat creatures though!

Even without the sunshine, we had a blast.  Thanks Grandma Sue!

summer days

 

I wrote that title and then had to stop and think if it was really technically summer.  Our weather could’ve fooled me lately.  Bleh.  But I did get away with the kids last week to my mom’s place over the mountains where we were able to catch up on some vitamin D.

She recently got them a play set off Craigslist which has been a huge hit.

They swung and climbed till the sun went down and all day the next day too.

She was telling me how she was ‘too tiny to pump’ and she needs someone to push her.

Yeah, keep workin’ it, girl.

Apparently Grandma buys into that “tiny” business easier than mother does; she got her push.

He goes from spazzing her out one minute (above) to sweetly helping get that shoe back on that little princess foot the next minute (below)…

Oh, and I need to introduce you to our newest family member…

This is Huck.

He is a beast.

     

Okay, a sleepy beast.

He was the beloved pet of a man at our church who had been rescuing dogs for some time and had many dogs in his own home.  When his health took a turn and put him in the hospital for a spell, he had to make the hard decision to rehome his beloved companions.  We were honored to take this special guy home, and blessed that he fit right in, and immediately considered our home to be his home, sticking around close and having a protective  nature, which we were hoping for.  He’s super laid back, but he is getting more and more accustomed to trekking all over the property with the kids, and just having him outside while they are, I know he will sound the alarm if anyone comes near our place. 

And, it just so happens, we are a pretty laid back bunch, too. 

Is it just me, or is anyone else just getting around to summer activities?

friday farmhouse { 5 }

 

This edition, my friends, is an all-time favorite.

This is a farmhouse out in the wilds near my parents’ place.  I would guess that it actually was a farm house back in the day, before the valley was broken up into smaller vacation properties.  It has been lovingly taken care of over the years and hubby and I have always admired it and said we would buy it some day.  Though it’s current owners obviously have a deep affection for it, so that should prove difficult to impossible!  I love the porch (complete with tulip chairs) and it actually has a sweet little matching garage, as well.

We are thinking about re-siding our house this year, and this will be my style guide for siding, window trim and corbels.  Love it.  But, of course, mine will be white-on-white! 

belated before + after

I am beginning to feel like this blog should be renamed “the Friday Farmhouse blog” since it seems those super quick posts are the only ones I am getting around to lately!  With a legit post here or there in between.  Well this one is a hybrid – quick and legit. 

It’s pretty simple.  See way back when I had my little getaway to visit a friend in Cali, we had planned on me sprucing up her sad little back patio with tons of potential for little greatness while I was there.  Not that she doesn’t have great taste – she does – she just hadn’t gotten around to it yet.    But instead we fixed up a little corner of her kitchen. 

Here is said corner in its time of need…

Leah’s little old house is pretty tiny and as things change over the years, houses like that end up having some awkward spaces in them.  This one has no dishwasher, so it has the variety which you roll across the kitchen floor and hook up to the sink.  Right next to a stove, standing alone on a wall.  Right next to an awkward empty corner.  And then the fridge.  It’s like our American need for appliances for everything just expanded this kitchen right in to mayhem, with crowded countertops and cabinets on one side and an empty wall of appliances, an unused door and no counter space on the other side. 

Leah thought bringing in any other furniture items would just make it more cluttered.  I insisted it was not so and pulled out my Type-A on her hiney.  We went to Ikea. 

And the after…

     

…that little corner is FUNCTIONAL!  See, awkward spaces, if left empty will be seen as “darn, that’s an awkward little corner”, while if finished off would be seen as, “that’s a good use of that space” – all mention of awkwardness GONE!

The little Ikea fix brought in some color and style and brought her cooking utensils closer to the stove instead of their previous location across the kitchen.  Totally completed that little corner.  Win-win.  That schoolhouse chalkboard kills me – so adorable.  And I think Leah was happy in the end.  So maybe my Type-A isn’t completely horrible.  Just maybe.  I still have a complex about this discovery regarding myself.

This cloudy nasty rainy week has made me remember that I need some more of this…

And maybe a little more retail therapy – Cali style. 

 

Blessings!