Category Archives: everyday stuff

Four Leaf Clovers

17 Friday Mar 2023

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Believe it or not…I’m pretty sure that I have never found a four leaf clover. Bizarre after these 45 years, huh? That being said, I have found a lot of other things in my life that bring me the same kind of simplistic joy. Let’s call those our four leaf clovers today, how about that?

Just this week and last I have enjoyed the beauty of the daffodil so much. They pop up everywhere in the Ozarks. A close family friend and I were talking about the abundance of them surrounding old home places. A tiny bit of days gone by, bloomed out in a cheery shade of yellow. I think those qualify as a four leaf clover in life.

Sunsets are another. Beautiful Ozarkian sunsets give me pause in the evenings when I walk by the window. They remind me to take a deep breath and appreciate the depth of the Creator. The fact that He would paint the sky for the enjoyment of mankind is a type of love that I can’t quite comprehend. Then I think of our own children and know the joy it brings me to see them delighted by something. I think sunsets are definitely on the four leaf clover scale.

Dogs. They have to be on this list. There is no other animal on the planet that delights in a human’s existence quite like a dog. No one is as excited to see you. No one will acclimate to your mood the same way. No one is your ride or die quite like a dog. I think that dogs are maybe right up there with sunsets. I think that God knew that we needed them. I read recently that households with dogs are 30% happier. (I’m not forgetting the other pets out there. I think any kind of pet helps with mental and emotional health.) Let’s just say that maybe we should have named our dog Clover.

All in all there are so many four leaf clover type delights in life. I try to look for them and enjoy them as I go about my day. They are generally free. Not things to be purchased but things to be admired.

I hope that your St. Patrick’s Day is full of clover and not so much blarney. lol!

Love from the Farmhouse,

Kelli

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New Beginnings

09 Monday Jan 2023

Posted by in Country Life, everyday stuff, Farmhouse Style, heart and soul

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Here we are again. A new year. New goals. New beginnings.

I haven’t posted since the beginning of 2021. Those of you that hang out with me on Instagram know that my little brother has been missing since the end of 2020. Life just became different for us and it was harder to try to inspire others. You shouldn’t make your life there though. It isn’t healthy. So I am trying new beginnings. He would have wanted that. ❤️ (Whew…some sentences are just harder to type.)

Life is full of possibilities. It’s full of fresh starts and growth. It’s full of things to look forward to and also long moments of contentment in the here and now. Each day to be celebrated for the gift that it is.

I hope that 2023 truly is your year. I hope that you find that one junkin’ find that has been elusive until now! I hope that you paint your dining room the color of an antique crock. (I plan to!) I hope that your sheep have babies! (Ours too!) I hope that whatever your hopes and dreams are…that you give them to God and He covers them with glitter, as only He can. Here’s to new beginnings, my friends!

Love from the farmhouse,

Kelli 🧶

Here We Are!

01 Saturday Jan 2022

Posted by in Country Life, crochet, everyday stuff, heart and soul

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Three Hundred and Sixty Five. Sometimes that seems like a lot and sometimes not. Yet…here we are.

Opportunities to love others through actions.

Opportunities to listen. (My word for the year.)

Opportunities to be positive.

Opportunities to laugh.

Most of all three hundred and sixty five opportunities to lift our hearts in praise to Jesus and enjoy life with Him.

Here we are, Friends. May you enjoy all three hundred and sixty five opportunities.

Love from the farmhouse,

As the World Turns

04 Friday Sep 2020

Posted by in Country Life, crochet, everyday stuff, Farmhouse Style

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How are you guys!? We are trying to roll with things…you know. (Insert emoji with eyes bugged out.) It’s been a minute since I have been here so I thought that I would stop by. We aren’t talking Soaps today…lol…just showing you a little of what is going on at the Farmhouse…as the world turns.

So quite awhile back I got the urge to paint our hutch. We have had this piece since around 2001ish maybe. I have always loved the white…and still do, but I have been loving all of the black farmhouse things for awhile now. Plus we have lots of white in our home so I went for it. I love Tricorn by Sherwin Williams, so that is what I used . It’s a true black with a finish that seems very early American to me.

She’s not done. Needs another coat…but so far I am pleased. I left the inside white, since that helps with it not absorbing decor. I’m excited to finish it today.

I’ve also been doing a tiny bit of junking lately. I ran across that rustic shelf at the thrift and I knew that as much as I love the cozy things…it needed to come on home with me. (It probably sounds like I’m avoiding the elephant in the room…also known as Corona. I am. Not because we aren’t aware, our son is quarantined due to being exposed, now, but I figure you guys hear enough about that part of the world turning. We need a break from it now and then.) Junking is a beautiful distraction.

So another fun thing happened this week! A friend of mine found this beautiful Philodendron for me! I loooove it. This particular species is…get this…Hope. Everyone needs a little hope in their lives. She found this one at Home Depot. She’s a pretty good old gal…that Brenda G.

One more sweet thing from our little farm and I will sign off for today. You. Guys. Tomato jam! Whyyyyy didn’t someone tell me? I have been canning for years and never knew. It’s so, so, good. You lay down your cracker…add a smidge of cream cheese, and then a little dollop of tomato jam. Soooooo good! Let me know if you need the link…or I can do a blog post and tell you how I made ours.

(This is a side note. Those of you that order dishrags for the holidays…shop is open. Those popcorn rectangles from the ADR Farmhouse Dishrags collection are my favorite!)

Okay…so I hope that as your world turns on this Friday and holiday weekend…things are good. I’m going to leave you with a little something that I found today:

“Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee;” Jeremiah 1:5

It’s not everywhere in this life that we find comfort and assurance like that. God is in control even if people don’t want to admit it. But to know that there was a time when it was only God and us…and no one else knew about us…that is heartwarming and fills me with awe. It’s a beautiful and loving thing to be alone with God.

Love from the Farmhouse,

How Are You?

18 Saturday Apr 2020

Posted by in everyday stuff, Farmhouse Style, heart and soul

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Hello there, Dirt Roaders! It’s been a minute.  I’m just stopping in to see how everyone is faring during this time. I hope and pray that you are hanging in there.

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I feel like that we have been using this time to be more intentional.  We have had a schedule for most days.  All of the kids have homework so we have tried to stay focused with that. More than the homework though I feel like we have grown as a family.  We have utilized our home and farming skills more.

Each day at three we have what we call Driver’s Ed.  We go for dirt road rides and explore.  Most of the roads are well known to us after years of teaching our kids to drive.  After the spring rains though we have discovered so many beautiful creeks.  It’s balm to weary souls during quarantine. We also have lots of Ag class here. There are always farm chores to do and now mowing.  We have Home Economics which consists of house cleaning and cooking.  The kids tell me that having a set schedule helps the days to pass better.  I’m thankful to be able to help them through this.  I feel like God has given us tools to cope and peace through it all.

Are you guys eating take out much?  We have tried to limit that.  I get an ALDI delivery about every two weeks.  We leave them on the porch and wipe them all down with Thieves cleaner before bringing them in.  It’s a whole process…but we just want to keep everyone healthy. We have had drive thru things a time or two.  Mexican take out once and Domino’s once. I cannot lie.  It tasted amazing. lol!

It’s my sincere prayer that this post will encourage you.  I hope that in your time of quarantine that you have grown as a person or a family.  We haven’t taken this lightly. There are so many people hurting and grieving and we are not strangers to that.  At the first of the year we lost my uncle in a tragic accident and were still reeling from that when this hit.  I know that part doesn’t sound very encouraging…but hang on a sec.  The Lord gave us enormous peace and so many miracles through all of that.  That is just the way that He works.

I hope that your are thriving, my friends.  I hope that you are finding a new appreciation for all of the things that you were too rushed to enjoy, before. I hope that each new day inspires you to learn something new or to just pause and breathe in deep.  Maybe you found a new love for your lawn chair or porch swing.  Maybe you have a new ritual of evening tea and a cozy book.  (Dr. Pepper and a cozy book for me. lol!) Whatever you are learning through this…I feel that it will make us better people whenever it’s time to be with people again. I don’t feel that we will take a smile or a handshake for granted.

Let me leave you with this today,

In the book of Jeremiah, chapter 32 verse 27, God says this:

“Behold, I am the Lord God of all flesh: is there anything to hard for me?”

Stay well, Dirt Roaders,

Kelli

 

 

Poor ol’ Blog

12 Monday Aug 2019

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This poor ol’ blog takes a back seat a lot of the time.

Amongst a busy summer and other stuff up to my eyeballs…I don’t always keep up with it. Shamey, shamey, I know my namey.

I could give you a list of excuses a mile long…all true…but how about I just do better? You guys keep checking in…and that is the sweetest!!!

I hope that you all had an amazing summer…full of all of the good stuff. I hope that God spoke to your hearts in new ways to inspire your life. He sure is good about that.

Love from the Farmhouse,

The Importance of Cozy

06 Monday May 2019

Posted by in everyday stuff, Farmhouse Style, heart and soul

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When you come home at the end of a busy day…cozy is so important. A place to unwind. A place to exhale. A place to “cozy up” as my babies used to say.

A place where you can eat a warm meal or if you don’t feel like cooking…a sandwich to fill your belly. A place where “jammies” as we call them…are the dress code.

It’s so nice to have a favorite spot to take a good book and a cozy throw. Even in the warmer months when the a/c is blasting. Sometimes that is my favorite time to cover up. I grew up with window air, at my dad’s, that would freeze you out. Talk about some good sleeping. Lol! Maybe it was the hum of the air conditioner. It was absolutely cozy…because I had a…wait for it…waterbed! Lol!

One of the coziest homes that I have ever been in was when my mom and stepdad lived in a tiny blue house. It was the most relaxing little place. My room had a fluffy feather bead and it felt like a cloud after a long day. We had a wood stove to warm up by in the winter. My mom has always been good at creating a cozy atmosphere. She takes that with her no matter where she lives. That is one of the many things that I love about her. She knows the importance of cozy.

Love from the Farmhouse,

Everything is Green

23 Tuesday Apr 2019

Posted by in everyday stuff, heart and soul, RaMbLiNgs

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Hey guys! Is it finally turning spring where you live? Our weather has been a bit temperamental…but it’s beautiful outside. The grass is green and so is the pollen.

I need to put my little bit of Easter decor away today. I didn’t have a lot. A few eggs and bunnies.

That is Whisky, Papaw Jerry’s dog. He got in on the festivities. 😉

Side note: I have still be crocheting right along. I’m sending out an order today. It’s so fun to send little pieces of our home out across the country.

Anyway…I hope that you all had a blessed Easter with your families . I hope that you felt the gift that Jesus gave, all day long. I also hope that all of us enjoy that same gift all throughout the year.

Love from The Farmhouse,

Dirt Road Happenings and Blog Thoughts

02 Saturday Mar 2019

Posted by in everyday stuff, Farmhouse Style, RaMbLiNgs

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So it’s been a little while. I hope that all is well on the home front. We have been crazy busy and I have kept this little blog up on the shelf for a bit. Just a few dirt road happenings…but first a question:

Do people still read blogs?

Seriously. In the world of Instagram, where you get a little shot in the arm, which is like a speedy blog post, do people still read blogs? Just curious. I would love your input!!!

Okay…on to other things.

While I haven’t been blogging, I have been keeping up (trying to) with the Mr. and the kids. AND crocheting up a storm. I have a little Farmhouse Dishrag business that the Lord has just blown the doors off of…so I have been busy…and thankful!!! I love creating…so this is perfect.

It’s so fun to send little bits of our home to the homes of others.

Anyway…I hope that you all are well and joyful. I hope that life is treating you good and that you feel the love of Jesus from your crown to your pinky toes.

Love from the Farmhouse,

A Fresh Start

03 Thursday Jan 2019

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Hey Dirt Roaders! I sure hope that you had a Merry Christmas and I hope that your New Year is off to a great beginning. Fresh starts are nice aren’t they? Motivating and exhilarating. Yes…sometimes we abandon them early in the year…but sometimes not. I give us kudos for our zest for life anyway.

Maybe your goal is to lose a pound or two. Or maybe it’s to be more consistent with your quiet time of prayer and Bible study. Maybe it’s to be a better listener or to stay on budget more. Whatever our goals are…I think we will stick with them if we pace ourselves and give grace when needed. A fresh start…with a steady and doable gait.

Have you ever ran a race and started off too fast? You were at the front of the pack…for a while. Then you got winded and had to sloooooow way down. That happened to me in grade school. I learned very quickly that I needed to pace myself from the start, to finish well. The same goes for our goals. Realistic is sometimes a bit slow…but it’s steady. You know…the ol’ tortoise and hare scenario.

Whatever your goals and ambitions, I am praying now that whoever reads this little piece…may they bloom and flourish in this new year. May it be a year of growth and blessing for us all.

Love from the Farmhouse,