Thoughts & Pictures from the Farm-chick

A  favorite view from my back porch - the glorious rolling hills called the Palouse

I awoke to one of my favorite sounds..... rain. My mind was once again urging me to get up and write at 3:37a.m., but I forced myself back to sleep before jotting down a thought for the blog.  So friends as I sit here by the fireplace, cup of coffee next to me and  getting to chat with you, a nice way to start the day.  I've put an Apple Cider Pound cake in the oven and on a whim decided to try to bake a gluten/vegan version of that same cake (for my baby brother Barry) who has allergies galore.  I'll post the recipe soon, but first decided to see if there was a difference in apple cider. The really yummy stuff that looks like "Fall in a Container" and only available during September and October.....or the generic stuff you can buy in a store any day.  So stay tuned I'll post the recipe later today.  Then just to complicate stuff I am also trying another glaze to go with the cake, an Apple Cider glaze... yumm.

Apple Cider Pound cake with Salted Caramel   Glaze

What is on the agenda today?  Well lots.  I want to work on the blog. Perhaps you've noticed some of the simple changes Kristi has been making.  Ideally it would have been better to scrap this site, and start with something new, but I didn't want to as I wanted to keep this URL because I didn't want to lose anymore readers.(which happened when I changed URLs from my old blog name to my new current one). You have been with me as you saw what my life looked like before as a farm-wife, then as I rebuilt my life from the ashes of divorce.  Because you are important to me, I'm hoping you will like the changes on the blog that are coming! (promise)

I'm still toying with what I want the blog  to look like and frankly, I'm having a hard time because I don't just focus on one thing..... nope  that would be way too easy.  My passion is writing about how our food is grown, but the balance is to give just enough information, not be boring and provide a personal glimpse of  what life on the farm looks like (and then try to make it somewhat interesting).... then there is my passion for making huge messes in my kitchen, which normal people call baking. So do I just have one page? Or pages devoted to those topics? hmmmm.  Oh and then there is the other messy passion, refurbishing furniture. So friends, please let me know what you want.(pretty please)

One of my "projects"  the barn is my new shop! And the white cottage
is where I'll put up my bed and breakfast guests.

This building project has been a lesson in patience.... today Randy and I get to finish sanding so the inside of the cottage can be primed, then the really fun stuff, I get to decorate.  I'm so excited to show you...

My shop will allow me to do projects like this over  the winter (below) in my shop and NOT in my bedroom like I've been doing.

A buffet that I redid with homemade chalk paint

Geez!! What is a girl to do? So many things to write about....

Since it rained I'm toying with if this is the right time to re-seed my lawn with the "no water" grass seed to get it started for a no work lawn next summer. Rain is forecast but so is wind, guess I'm make that decision shortly.  The really cool thing about this seed is that it is grown my area farmers and I'm thinking I can do a field trip to the seed company's site to show you.  Yup, by now you realize there is lots going on in this crazy farm chick's brain.

Miss N, Miss M, Miss B for a day on the farm

Of course, one more pic of these cuties.

My yard art all staged for Fall!

Well, more to come!  Gotta go -but come back later as I'll be posting the recipe for the cake and if the vegan free cake turns out, I'll post that one too.

As always, thank you for stopping by. If you want to share any thoughts, ideas or whatever, I'm only a click away at Swheatfarmlife@gmail.com or leave a comment on the blog too.
 All my best, Gayle

Upgrades & Revamping for the Farm-Chick

Well it’s 2:12a.m. and this crazy farm-chick brain of mine wants to write.  I just wish I could reprogram my creative writing moments to a more reasonable time, (big sigh)  but I guess it’s when all the chatter that is rattling around In my brain finally quiets down…….  Fortunately for me this has occurred on a week-end and here I am, propped up in bed happily writing to you.  My new dog, LuLu, who now shares my bed, looked at me with sleepy eyes,  like “are you crazy?” rolled over , let out a big sigh and went back to sleep.

If you follow my S-Wheat Farm FaceBook page, I promised to write more. My passion to be a positive  voice for Ag has never wavered; it’s just been finding time or rather making time to write.  So often, I think I need to tell you this or that…and I’m not at a spot where I can do it. 

I lost so many readers when I moved my URL, but the former title of Idaho-farm-wife was a reminder that my life is different now.   I needed to “rebrand” not only me, but everything around me.  While the view out from front kitchen window is the same…

The kitchen window view

I’m changing up the landscape.  Literally !  It’s been a revamp of my house, my yard, this blog, gosh… my life too.  Plus I’m in the midst of a building project and a new writing project, children’s books.   It finally donned on me that my life now is in  “harvest mode” .  I’m finally producing what I’ve been working to cultivate for a long time.

With that, I hired a computer guru, and friend, Kristi to redo the blog.  Not only that but she will be helping me illustrate the children’s books.  I’ve also tapped the creative mind of daughter, Jen too.  I like it when I have people so much smarter than me to drag along in my projects. (poor souls).

Anyway – I wanted to let  you know the changes are coming and I’ll share all of them with you.  So please have patience as Kristi and I develop a game plan.

As always, feel free to email me at swheatfarmlife@gmail.com or leave a comment on my FB page, the blog or whatever. Hearing from you is like the frosting on the cupcake.

All my best, Gayle

I know I've been missing in action..... so here's a quick peek ..... my focus has been finally getting all the outside "wants" done.  This meant getting "yard art" towed in and installed in my flower bed.  I have a few other surprises to show you too!

... an unexpected "bonus day" yesterday with the grand-angels.

The grand-angels, Miss M, Miss B and Miss N

Toting home my treasure on a smoky summer day.
This treasure  will be converted into a bed

 

 

 

 

As I've been slowly working to change up my farmhouse to truly reflect my style to  "Farm Chic" my sweetheart, Randy completely indulges my whims (yup I know I'm a lucky lucky girl) and here is my indoor want list... a bed made out of an old truck! 

The beginning of the project

Randy and  his son working on it in his shop

All done! Pictures really don't do it justice, it's an amazing piece of work



Then Randy surprised me with a bench out of the doors.  Daughter, Jen painted the sign and decorated up the old time car window trays.

Hey thanks for stopping by,  I love that you take time out of your day to come by and see me! Truly =)  !   I couldn't resist showing a few pictures and I've got a blog in process,  plus some yummy recipes to share. Just like my house, my blog will be getting the much needed re-do and upgrade too! 

As always, feel free to email me at swheatfarmlife@gmail.com.  Enjoy your Sunday, all my best, Gayle