Scenes from the 4th

Hoping you all had a Happy Independence Day! 

Occasionally I like to cook and get creative in the process. I found this recipe for a Patriotic Pie on Pinterest and decided to give it a try and it turned out great! You might have seen my picture before it went in the oven on Instagram or Facebook.

The recipe called for fresh blueberries, strawberries, and raspberries. I couldn't find fresh raspberries at the grocery store in town (that's a whole other story in itself) and I refused to use frozen ones, so I just added more strawberries. It still turned out great - yummy, juicy, tart, not too sweet, pretty, and patriotic!

Oh, and I didn't make my crust, but Jeff said it best "but you did roll that crust right out of the box and made the stars and stripes at home", so it was Home Made! That boys a keeper! I would definitely make this pie again - if it wasn't for the 4th, I'd probably mix all the fruit together and use a lattice top. It served up kind of messy, but I was able to dish out the blueberries and strawberries on each plate. Our family has decided that messy desserts taste the best anyways!  

Jeff and his brother replace their mom's flag for her. 

It was suppose to be supper and someone said "we will be home by dark." Ha! We had no idea that they were planning to pop some fireworks. If I had known, you can bet I would have taken my better camera and tripod, but I didn't, so here's a few pictures taken from my phone.

I love that I was able to get the new flag in a few of the firework pictures! 

We had a good time and glad we got to spend some time with family on the fourth.

4th of July

Wishing you all a Happy and Safe 4th of July! 

 As our nation celebrates its independence, I realized the date holds another significance in my life. It was 25 years ago today, I received my first paycheck.

That morning in 1992, my dad woke me up and ask if I wanted to learn how to drive a tractor that day. A few lessons driving out beside the house and I was in the hay field that afternoon. My Granddaddy stood on the draw bar of his Farmall tractor, giving me instructions on where to go and made me so nervous. I raked hay for an hour and a half and received a paycheck for $7.50! I was paid in the field, that very afternoon.

My family had a commercial hay baling operation and that day they needed two crews running and I became the new hay raker, at 11 years old! The first summer or two, I just raked for the square baler, but before long, I was in the out there everyday. I proudly sported a "farmer's tan" every summer and learned a strong work ethic from my family. I drove my Granddaddy's Farmall 140 when we baled square hay or "Little John," my favorite John Deere tractor when we baled round hay.

I've earned a paycheck ever year since and by junior high I had a checking account and buying most of my own clothes and remember writing a check at the book fare and paid cash for half of my first truck, before I turned 16.

I wish I had pictures of those tractors and events, but back then, the camera didn't get taken out very often, so this is a picture from the hay field a couple years ago.

Now, if you think that was the day I became a farm girl, you are wrong... I actually started driving a truck when I was 4 and you can read about that farm adventure here! 

Rustic Summer Garden Tour

 I'm a fan of golden hour, sun setting through the trees, and enjoying the fiddling around in the yard in the evenings. Come on over and take a walk around the yard with me! 

The gazebo has several rusty buckets hanging from springs. 

 You may remember that these two hanging baskets are "bottomless buckets". Plastic pots are liners inside the galvanized buckets and serve as a focal point when walking up to the gazebo. The herbs are going crazy in these two baskets!

 Hens and Chicks are overflowing the wheelbarrow.

My garden is full of Roots and Wings! Many of the roots in my yard have been shared by friends and family and tells a story and of course I love watching my feathers friends.

I haven't planted anything in these buckets...yet! I'm telling myself these buckets are water troughs for the little critters in the yard.

 A rusty chicken feeder of rose moss sits on the front steps.

 Moss rose in a vintage chicken feeder on the front steps.

The yuccas are blooming along the front fence and they have really multiplied in the past few years, nearly taking over the brick patio, so I must divide them up soon and find more place to plant them.

 Pale pink crepe myrtle blooms along the path to the gazebo.

 Mexican heather finds a home in a turquoise tool box.

I love taking close ups (macros) of the flowers, particularly the small little blooms.  

 A little succulent in a old tea tin - I mean, the tea tin even has the word planter on it!

 Dianthus

 Periwinkle

 Million Bells (mini petunia like flowers.)

 Sun flares on the plants... ♥♥♥

Thanks for stopping by the rustic garden tour, this evening. Tell me, what was your favorite part?