Monday 30 November 2015

The Front Room

We bought another farm three years ago.  Another farm.  Another farmhouse.  Uuuuggg.

We didn't need another house.  But every time we buy a farm....there is another house with it.

The first time this happened....14 years ago....I turned the second 'farmhouse' into 'Dwyer's Farmhouse' and we've had quite an adventure with it.  We have met beautiful families that have become friends and welcomed guests from all over the world.....it's been very good.

Many of our guests have been to the property with the 'third' house....because this is the farm with the sheep and garden...and more cows and horses.  People suggested that we turn it into another rental style farmhouse for tourists.  But I said NO....I have other ideas.

I think this what happens when a person with a business marketing diploma marries a farmer....maybe?

This 'third' house has become my baking house for the market.  We tore out the old kitchen and put in some stainless steel work tables.  It's my place to escape and bake.

Johanna has been using one of the front rooms for her fiddle and step dancing lessons.  It's a good space for her.

The other front room of this 'third' house is full of possibilities.

I've been painting and creating and decorating.


I don't have a 'before' photo.....the wainscoting was dark....the paint was very old and yellowish.


I was asked if I would be interested in catering a small wedding dinner.  YES.


But I had to get this space ready....and this wedding was just the push I needed.  


The cake, the food, the space....it was all up to me!



I bought this little table at an auction sale....it didn't look like that when I purchased it!  I think it had been in a garage for years.  It was very dirty and ugly.  I love paint!  It was the perfect table for the wedding cake.


She wanted something rustic and country.....

So I used lots of burlap, twine, pinecones and glass in my decorating.


I made them this sign as their wedding gift.


And they arrived!....I was busy in the kitchen but I managed to step out to snap these....


The photographer had some fun with that wagon of hay that had been left in the yard.


And photos at the big red door at the barn were a must....

 
Supper was served...


And then cake....


And when they had all left for the reception and the dishes were all washed....I sat down to have a glass of wine...and then I decorated this cake for the next day....


It was for a sweet girl who was turning one.


But I can't believe that my 'third' house is finally ready....I have my own 'party' house!

For nights of music and food and good company.

For birthdays and bridal showers and FUN!

A space for cake decorating and pie making classes...

I can't wait for this next adventure!

Brenda

Friday 20 November 2015

My Buckhead

I have a farmhouse that I bake in.  It's my 'baking' farmhouse.  I bake all my pies for the market there.

It has two really nice large front rooms.  Johanna uses one to teach fiddle and stepdancing....two nights a week.  It's worked out well for her to have her own space to do this.

The other room is a work in progress.  I've been painting.  It has very old wainscoting all along the bottom half of the walls and it was dark.  I washed it a couple of times but the cloth just kept turning orange.....I decided to paint it.  With 4 coats of white paint.  I think I'm done now.

As I was painting I kept having to move this faux fireplace mantle.  It was placed in this room...in 'storage'...but I was considering taking it to the dump.  It was also dark.

Finally one day I just painted it white too.  I decided that I would use it.

And then I got this idea that I wanted some sort of antlers or horns above this mantle.  Only I didn't have any antlers or horns.

I googled and looked through pinterest but I really just couldn't find what I was looking for....even though I didn't know what I was looking for....until I came upon this picture


It was from Katie's BOWERPOWER blog.  It's here.

This is what I was looking for!  I could see this above the mantle.  Only I would do three different coverings on the three different pieces.  I could see it in burlap and lace or all different fabrics.  But I didn't have that stuff.  I just had scrapbooking paper and I was just too excited that I needed to make it RIGHT THEN.

So I drew it out on some Bristol board.  Just free hand.  It took all evening.  But it was worth it.



And then  I used my tracers and put it onto heavy cardboard.  And cut it out.  It wasn't easy.  Those curly antlers were a real pain.

And then I picked out my paper and I had to try and match it up like wallpaper because my papers weren't actually big enough to cover it.  It was big.

And it was harder than I thought it would be.  And everyone was asking me what I was doing......they shake their heads a lot at me.

I glued it all together and I was amazed.  I think they were all amazed.

And I teased the boys that I had to make my own buckhead because they had never shot me one.

But then Jack got a beauty. 


But I like mine better.


And I begged Terry to build me a barnboard back for it.

And he did!


EEEEKKKK!  I love my buckhead!

Brenda

Monday 16 November 2015

The Hunt

The boys had a good hunt this year.  They were up to the Ruby Hilton for a few nights for the first week and then they stayed at the A&W camp for a few nights in the second week.

There is no worries about what you miss at school during the hunt.

Because pretty much....there is no one at school.

I took supper and pies up to the Ruby Hilton one night....


These guys look forward to this all year.


It's about the friendship.


and the food.


and the stories.  so. many. stories.  hard to believe that they are telling the truth stories.


And when this happens....


everyone gets pretty excited.

I was so happy for Jack.

Brenda

Monday 9 November 2015

Saturday night.

Saturday night.

It's 'chip night' here. 

We sit around and eat chips and play cards or watch a movie.

Every Saturday night.

But on Saturday night when we were sitting around the power went off.

Completely unexpectedly. 

Without notice.

We were in the dark.

Complete dark.

Lydia swings into panic mode.

I tell her that there is a flashlight on the side of the fridge....one of those ones with a magnetic on the back of it.....that you keep on the fridge for times like this.

But she tells me that actually NO...it's not there.  She was playing a game earlier in the day and she needed it.

Oh.  That's bad news.

There is a candle on the windowsill.  But we would need the bbq lighter.  And it's out at the furnace.

Wait a minute!  I get up and head to the kitchen counter.  In the dark.

And I say....

I think there is a little flashlight beside the toaster.  UUUUGGG.  I just put my fingers in the butter.

I stick my fingers in my mouth....because I'm in the dark and I need that flashlight and I love butter.

And as I keep looking my tastebuds are going a little crazy.

And I head to the sink.

And I say.....

I can't find that flashlight.  And that wasn't butter.

And I'm gagging.  In the dark.

The little dish of bacon grease was sitting on the counter....right near the butter....right near the toaster.

I ate a ridiculous amount of chips and downed an awful amount of Pepsi.

And when anyone complained about being in the dark I just said...

All I can taste is bacon grease.

Do these things only happen to me?

I think so.

Brenda

Tuesday 3 November 2015

These Two

I was looking through some old photos today.  Actually, they weren't really very 'old'....they were from about 5 years ago.  But it's amazing how things have changed around here in so little time.

Kids grow up.

I was just looking for some 'farm style' photos to enlarge and frame but I became overwhelmed with looking at all the photos.

There is a ridiculous amount of photos of cows and kittens and hens and sheep....and kids doing some pretty funny stuff.  And then there were videos.  Bless my heart.  Babies sitting in high chairs and crying.

Where did all my babies go?

And my house....it's messy now....but when I look at some of those photos I wonder how I just didn't go completely mental. 

And then I found this series of photos.....











These two. 

They sure have kept things movin' and shakin' in this house.

Brenda

Monday 2 November 2015

Carving Pumpkins





Halloween happened on the weekend.


We did some carving.









And trick or treating....I only had two little spooks to take out this year!


Brenda