Category Archives: heart and soul

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,

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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,

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,

Quiet Time

10 Monday Dec 2018

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I come to the garden alone, while the dew is still on the roses.

And the voice I hear, falling on my ear, the Son of God discloses.

And He walks with me, and He talks with me. He tells me I am His own. And the joy we share as we tarry there, none other has ever known.

He speaks and the sound of His voice, is so sweet that the birds hush their singing. And the melody that He brings to me…within my heart keeps ringing.

May His love bless you today…from your nose to your toes. May you feel Him tell you that you are His own.

Love from the Farmhouse,

In The Garden written by C. Austin Miles

Happy Thanksgiving ‘18

22 Thursday Nov 2018

Posted by in heart and soul, holidays

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You guys! Thanksgiving ’18 is about to begin. What are we gonna do with it? Eat too much? Maybe. Wear stretchy clothes? Maybe. Be spiritually aware of those around us…listening more…and waiting for God’s nudge? Definitely.

My Maw Maw is celebrating in Heaven today. This will be the first Thanksgiving that my momma and her family will have to go through without her. Knowing about grief myself, I understand. Today…amidst being thankful…by God’s grace…I plan to just be available. A shoulder, a hug, a smile, or laughter. I want to be sensitive to their needs. I understand the depth of this. Five years ago during Thanksgiving, we were waiting to bury my sweet daddy. So with that in mind…I want to be very sensitive today. Thankful…and aware. I’m not sure why I feel this so heavy on my heart. Maybe you all need it too.

So…let’s move on a bit. Do you all bake tons of pie? We are actually switching it up and having fajitas with my parents. I made a huge batch of fresh salsa last night. Our girls made custard pie and our famous Granny Ruby’s chocolate chip cookies to take. My sweet husband loves pie. I need to make a New Year’s resolution to make him one a week. That would be fun!

Whatever your traditions…may the be blessed. May you feel Jesus at your holiday table. May you remember to listen today…and step in…wherever the Lord wants you to serve. That is my prayer for our own day.

Love from the Farmhouse,

November Thoughts

02 Friday Nov 2018

Posted by in everyday stuff, heart and soul, holidays

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Hello guys! How is life treating you? We have been busy! This season of life has us meeting ourselves coming and going…but it’s a good busy…I think. Anyway…thoughts on November today.

1. Cozy. Give me allllll the blankets, good books, crochet, and spiced cider. (1 jug of apple juice, one bag of Red Hots and heat on the stove until melted. You will thank me.)

2. Cheer. Halloween is over for another year and the holiday season has begun. TBH sometimes (a lot) I struggle with all of that. I have sincerely prayed for the Lord to help me with it. He has. I am enjoying it already. It can be so overwhelming…but I want Him to give me the right perspective.

3. Cherish. November is a bit solemn for me. My sweet daddy went to be with Jesus, the week of Thanksgiving, 5 years ago. They say that time heals…and I agree somewhat. If I let my mind go there though…my heart aches…just the same. I choose to cherish. I cherish the memories…mostly of him being our kid’s Poppy. He was so proud of them. That is a gift.

There you have it, Dirt Roaders. A few thoughts on November. It’s a month that smells like pumpkin pie spice…mixed with cedar. It’s a month of gratitude to the One who walks with us all through the year. Now that is something to write home about. 🖤

Love from the Farmhouse,

Aww…thanks

29 Wednesday Aug 2018

Posted by in everyday stuff, heart and soul, Simply...living

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You guys! I have been blogging for six years now! Some of you have been there from the very beginning and some are new to Along the Dirt Road. Whatever the case…thank you! Thanks for joining in and enjoying the ride with us!!!

Although this blog is filled with home decor, and actually all things home, my hope has always been that it would feel like a little stopping off place for any who chose to do so. Like driving down a country road and seeing an old country store. You know that you just have to stop.

One time, years ago, we were heading home from Fox, Arkansas, and did that very thing. Now Fox is out in the middle of what some folks would call God’s country. The folks talk a little slower there…drawing out their words a bit more. Families are very tight knit and it makes you proud to belong, in some form, to a place like that. We went “home” to Fox when it was time to lay our Granny Corrie (Cora) to rest…after all…she was the one that connected us all to each other. Anyway…back to the country store.

I don’t even remember where this place was. What I do remember is how I felt when I stepped inside. The high ceilings were something from years gone by. The creaking wood floor, the displays, just the whole thing felt like I had stepped back in time. My dad was delighted because this trip, going to Fox, was a part of his boyhood. He loved his family deeply…and he was proud to share that with us. It warms my heart to think back on this little stop off. It also makes me miss my dad…more than I can explain to you. But…back to my point…

My dear, sweet, Dirt Roaders…when you stop by here…I want you to feel that. I want the peace of Jesus Christ to radiate through these posts. I want you to be able to take a deep breath with me and maybe even a step back into yesteryear a bit. I want you to feel like you have stepped into a cool, shady, place on a hot summer day. Or…a warm and toasty place…when the world outside is chilly.

My love of antiques stems from that longing. Just to be in touch with a more simple time. An admiration and deep respect for generations before. I am glad that you all are on this journey with me. After all…the more the merrier.

So today…I say…”Aww thanks.” You all are the absolute best and I thank the Lord for you, my readers. May He bless you from your nose to your toes!!!

Love from the Farmhouse,

Late Summer Bittersweetness

13 Monday Aug 2018

Posted by in Country Life, Farmhouse Style, heart and soul, Simply...living

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Well late summer is here, or so we think. When August rolls around it feels that way doesn’t it? Letting go of the carefree days of summer and looking toward the more scheduled way of life.

I enjoy both. I love having the kids home but they thrive on a schedule. It’s always bittersweet. We can relax more in the evenings during summer break but then the weekends become more special through the school year.

I enjoy late summer. It makes me feel nostalgic for some reason. I’m not really sure why. Maybe it’s because it starts a new season. When I was little it was because of my birthday. Yes…I tend to get a little older during late summer.

On a different note…ol’ Fibro just wont quit lately. I have an appointment tomorrow to try to get some relief. Any of you Dirt Roaders deal with this? I am an avid reader so I try to find all of the tools that I can to cope. Can you believe that you can be tired of resting? Well…you can. Scouts honor!

Tonight is a very busy one. Calves going to the sale barn, an open house, and I have laundry galore. (Don’t get down in your get along…or your laundry breeds!) Plus our garden is still going strong…which is wonderful, but busy. Our area is also having camp meeting this week and some of us are going to that. Whew!!!

Whatever you all have going on during these late summer days…I hope that it’s enjoyable. I hope that the love of Jesus breaks through it all and fills your hearts with joy. His love is all sweet, nothing bitter.

Love from the Farmhouse,

Farmhouse Hygge

03 Thursday May 2018

Posted by in Farmhouse Style, fluffin' the nest, heart and soul, Simply...living

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It’s Thursday, Dirt Roaders!  It’s almost the weekend! You have made it! Fist bumps all around!  Today I thought that we would visit a little bit about Farmhouse Hygge.  Have you been hearing the word hygge tossed around?  If not, I will elaborate a bit.

Hygge (Pronounced HOO-GA) is a Norwegian and Danish word for a mood of coziness and comfortable friendliness with feelings of wellness and contentment. It has become a very popular vibe for home decor, especially the more casual and relaxed farmhouse, cottage, and log home styles. I love the whole concept. Surround yourself with things that feel like home to you.  I tend to use that hashtag when I post something that feels very hygge to me.

If you have followed here very long I’m sure that you can sense the love for things that mean home to us.  Most of the things that I keep have some sort of meaning behind them.  I tend to shop second hand for older things.  I enjoy things that are gently loved and look like they have a story to tell.  Lots of the things that we have are passed on from family members or friends.  My mom, my mother-in-law, and I, tend to pass things back and forth between our homes.  “Here…I’m tired of this for a while.  You wanna use it?  Just don’t get rid of it when you are bored with it.” lol!  My mother-in-law is using a Victrola cabinet that my mom let me use in our first home over 20 years ago. I’m telling ya…we are no stranger to the junk swap. My mom has a wooden cabinet above their toilet that was my mother-in-law’s. My mom also has a barn wood corner cabinet that my father-in-law made for us. The longer I work on this post…the more things I can come up with.  I’ll not keep listing stuff. You’re welcome. 😉

Whatever your idea of hygge is, I hope that you have it.  I hope that you surround yourself with things, colors, textures, scents, and photos that you love.  If Farmhouse Hygge is your thing…I hope that you go for it.  If simplicity floats your boat…may you enjoy that to the highest power.  This ol’ world can be kinda (a lot) crazy.  I hope that whatever your idea of home is…you step into that at the end of the day.  Whether it’s in a New York City apartment or at the end of a dirt road, may your heart breathe a little sigh of contentment when you get there.

Love from the Farmhouse,

Sigturquoise