FREE mini chalkboards . . .

Etsy sellers and bloggers . . .

Here's the post for the FREE mini chalkboard set.

All you need to do is leave a comment on this posting and you will be entered to win a FREE set of eight mini chalkboard signs, or a set of eight mini chalkboard place settings.  At the end of this week, (Saturday at midnight) I will have one of my children choose the lucky winner.

I will contact the winner for their shipping address and the package will be sent out in the mail on Monday Priority Mail!

Happy posting . . . 

garth (gfout.etsy.com)

oh, the ideas . . .

Here's the finished outhouse where it's going to stay.  It's up close to the rode so that in case a passerby needs to use the restroom, they have a place to stop!  It also serves the people that come to buy eggs from us.  The Star (men) and the Moon (women) are the symbols used that denotes that it is a unisex bathroom.  

I propped the door open to take this picture of the inside.  A natural toilet paper roll holder made from a small log, a small table to hold some wipes and sanitizer, and a painting made by Macy adorns the inside.  There is also a solar light (with remote) located on the ceiling.

And this is my proposed site for my Wall Tent Bed and Breakfast spot.  I am hoping to build a deck, and have a 12 x 14 wall tent on top of it.  I also want to include a bathroom (outhouse of course) equipped with a outdoor tub.  The site would also have a fire ring for night fires and a hammock for daytime relaxing.  An outdoor library, an old propane stove, ohhhh the ideas!

seeing the sides at night . . .

yearbookyourself.com is a funny little site that Jostens Yearbook Publishing company has come up with to play around with vintage images. Here I am, back in 1968 playing basketball with a school mate friend. I am number 32 . . . and that was back before my beard.


Even from a half mile away you can see the barn illuminated as you drive down the route toward our farm. Two weeks ago, I dug out some of my spotlight yard lights and hooked them up to the barn to highlight the Ohio Bicentennial logo. Currently I just have them in with extension cords so drivers could see the sides of the barn as they traveled down the route at night. I am planning to make them a permanent part of the exterior decor. I have had several comments from local farm neighbors saying that they "LOVE" the lights and are happy that we are taking such care of a once neglected farm. In fact, this farm, back in the day (1907-1930) was the most recognized farm in the county. And everyone that I talk to around here has some historical connection to this place. For example, their aunt married one of the brothers, their grandparents bought meat from the family, or their dad mowed the fields for the family. It seems that our Big Barn is the center of this farm community and that there is a buzz about what we are doing here on our place with it.

hay ring . . .

Last year, when we bought this place, it was full of weeds . . . mostly teasel, an invasive, eye sore of a plant that grows to almost 6' tall. Hidden in the barn pasture teasel was a worn looking, ill repaired hay ring. I didn't even find it until after spring came! This weekend I decided to give it an update with some cinnamon color that blends in nicely with the fall backdrop that is slowly creeping up on us from the woods.

I am extremely influenced by color, and love making the farm and farm items display the beauty of subtle color. The hues are fun to work. (Corrie . . . you would appreciate this color in a blouse or sweater)

the one-seater . . .

My Etsy business has taken OFF this past year and I find that I am out in the wood shop most nights cutting chalkboards. However, I am finding some time each evening to do a "little" work on the outhouse and have gotten about half way done with it. Here's some updated photos of my progress thus far.

Inside seat (it's a one-seater)

Sliding Plexiglas windows with screen

View from the front

I have it close to the garage now while I am working on it, but when I am finished, it will go out next to the Big Barn. I am painting it the same color as the rest of the outbuildings and trimming it to match the barns.


I suppose if I keep at it a little at a time, I'll be able to finish it in a week or so. Good thing, I have an after-school program of 60 children coming to visit the farm the latter part of the month. And it has to be ready for then!

small town fun . . . and big time charm

Oakwood, a small village of 607 people (last census) had it's annual Homecoming Labor Day Weekend Parade today. Homecoming meaning those that have moved away come home for the weekend, not the football homecoming game being played. For such a small village, there was a HUGE turnout with a whopping 45 minute parade train!

These were some of the people that participated in the parade this year. Since it was our first visit to this small place (only fifteen minutes down the country road from us) it was a real treat to see this place full of small town pride . . . and small town charm.


And for us, the real WOW of this event was the children were participants in the parade, riding horseback! Here the children are riding with Cathy (the lady that is training the children on riding and training horses) along the 1/2 mile course. This is the first parade the children have ever been in, and was definitely exciting because they were able to ride horses along the parade route.

raising and growing . . .

There's starting to be a welcomed hint of Fall in the air the past few days. And milking time in the morning feels slightly chilly, the kind of weather that makes you want to curl up with a blanket outside with a hot cup of your favorite morning drink.

Speaking of hot, morning drinks, I have converted to drinking Tea in the morning instead of coffee. About a month ago I decided that the levels of coffee I was drinking was a little too high. And it seemed like after I had already had a couple of cups, I still wanted more coffee to drink. Over the years it has really bothered me to be "addicted" to something and feeling like I needed it in order to function. I sort-of felt that way with coffee. So, I decided to stop drinking it for some time to remind myself that it (the coffee) was not in control of me, instead, I was in control of whether I drank it or not. I had a small, annoying headache for a day or two, and then a week or two of not having the energy I have after having a few ounces of caffeine, but now I am back to feeling normal, without the need to have "another" cup. And the Tea in the morning has been nice.


Our home business of providing eggs for folks has picked up, and we have gained a couple of steady customers. It is interesting to have people come to the farm for food and be a store of sorts for their shopping. And a couple of weeks ago I sold some chickens we raised, and word has been getting out that we have poultry for sale. One couple, who has made it over now a few times to buy eggs, are now wanting to get eggs, chicken, and some other raw unprocessed items that we are raising and growing here. It gets me motivated thinking about possibly having a healthy, grocery type of store here on the farm!

These are our new, two week old chicks already outside in the movable chicken house. These birds will be on that grocery store shelf in six weeks.


Another big change has happened around here with the animals that live with us. We have recently found homes for all nine of the coon puppies our hound had, and have acquired three more horses to the place. It is beautiful to see horses on the pastures running together and it has been a great time for the children to each have a horse to ride. Two of them are on a semi permanent loan and one of them is a visiting horse being weened from her foal.

And our garden continues to grow . . .

jumping . . .

Lady (and Nolan) jumping again. Both the horse and the rider are getting better at it!

back to school . . .

Well . . . summer break is coming to a close. That means school/work starts again!

For years now people have asked me if I like going back to school after the summer break. As well, they have said things like "Aren't you going to miss staying home . . . " and "Are you READY for school to start?" It it really interesting how throughout the years my attitude has changed about work at home and away.

For the most part I keep quite a simple attitude about going back to school after the summer break. I am here when I am here, and when school starts, I am there. No emotion, no attitude, no wishing something different. It is what it is. When school starts I am happy to go and teach and enjoy the friendships I am making professionally. I spend time training students to become productive citizens. And I make lots of artwork!

I never spend time "counting down" the days until time off is over. That is a waste of energy and can be quite depressing. I don't "wish" it was Friday so I could get home for the weekend. I don't HURRY UP to relax! I just take each day as it comes . . . enjoy it, and be as productive in it as possible (minus the days that I am purposely lazy!)

So, am I ready to go back to work . . . well, not today, but Monday I will be! :)

learning to jump . . .

Nolan in his first few attempts to jump lady. He made a jumping pole out of PVC pipe and built a couple of stands for it. For this, he has the pole set at two feet high. She's made it over it a couple of times. This is one of her misses.