I love Dennison’s strawberries!!!!!!!! We live close to them too!!!
I really enjoy your post in the Farmgirl blog and can’t wait to visit your little wagon for Fresh Flowers this summer. I planted Zinnia’s this year too in our garden!!

Hi Dori,
I finally have the time to read your blog again. I have finally moved in to the rental. I worked for 15 years in the office of NORPAC FOODS in Stayton Oregon. Right about now they are getting ready for our strawberries season also. I do not know if you ever saw it in the market but their frozen foods are under the Flavor-Foods label and the canned foods are under the Santiam label. When I buy Strawberries I go to the little stands like you. For a lot of years I made freezer jam with them. Even in winter you would get a taste of the strawberries out in the fields. You are making my mouth water. For the past 2 1/2 weeks it has been raining or cold. Not good strawberry growing or picking weather.
Hugs Kay

I have been communicating with Wayve Dennison by email for several years now, starting when she inquired about real estate in my western North Carolina area. Her beautiful daughter, Nettie Grace, spends as much time as she can at our local John C. Campbell Folk School, and Wayve would dearly love to purchase a getaway cabin nearby–not that she has much spare time, as you found out! Last year I finally got to meet her in person, and she brought me some of her fresh strawberries. With a doubt, they are the best that I have ever tasted, and Wayve is just an amazing person!

I don’t have any vintage pyrex but I have been slowly replacing all plastic containers after I realize plastic containers hold not only smells but mold. Pyrex is all I use on a regular basis.
I wish I kept my mothers as she had quite a few pyrex. I loved the contemporary variety and sizes. I just love the custard dishes for puddings. I wish we had a pyrex outlet store near me. The only place I can find pyrex is at Walmart. They had a black friday sale at Christmas time and I bought quite a few
sets. Gave them as gifts too, as I want my kids to be healthier and not use plastic. I love pyrex! I been sold on it fir sometime. If only people would realize the danger f using plastic, they’d stop using it.

I learned that mold and mildew grow in plastic and it also gets ingrained into the plastic so its never really clean. The fungus and mold survives in minuscule amounts. I first notice it in a water container. It appeared as a crack at first’ then it grew. You could literarily see the verbs of the fungus on the container. It was then I vowed I would get rid of all plastic cobtainers as they are unhealthy vessels for microbes to grow as it eats into the plastic. No more plastic for me! Only pyrex!

i had the colored nesting bowls-unfortunately my red one broke….do you know of a good source for replacements?!

Thank you,
Raymie

Congratulations!!!! What a great encouragement you are to me!

My husband and I finished right behind you all!
I was just happy to finish. I didn’t train as well as I should have for this race but hoping to run another one in October in Winchester!

Congratulations! That’s quite an accomplishment. My latest is teaching a semi-monthly chair yoga class to the folks in my senior apartment building. On Saturday the 25th, I will be the keynote speaker at the Relay for Life (my 8th) and leading the Survivors Lap before staffing the survivors tent. The Relay begins at 2 on Saturday and ends at 2 on Sunday. Teams take turns on the track for the 24-hour event to raise funds for the American Cancer Society. And this year, I will be a two-time cancer survivor (liposarcoma and breast cancer). It will be such fun and I’m so very happy to help.

Dori, that’s incredible! Such an achievement! Good for you!

Tomorrow is my very first 5K, Dori! Thank you so much for your blog and encouragement- I am 48 years old and this is the first athletic activity I have trained for other than riding ( dressage horses)- fingers crossed I don’t get trampled! LOL!

My husband and myself were near the 6 mile Mark standing beside the road cheering ya’ll on. I had a sign made for a family friend, Janice. Our Chickens were cheering yo on as our chicken house is near the Lois Ridge Rd. We cheer the runners and walkers on every year. Congrqts on your finish time.

I have never done an official marathon, but have run-walk many K5`s, but have walked many a mikes and many times further. As a teenage I have walked from Niagara Falls, Ontario to St Catherine’s , Ontario..,.quite a walk and then swam at a Prudhomes swimming resort.I miss those days…had MORE energy in my younger years.
Haven’t run in a while as my running mate is no longer able to walk let alone run.hate doing anything alone.
As long as you can do the walking-running, do it! But don’t wear brand new sneakers the day of the/race.
Your sneakers look neat. What brand are they? They look comfortable. Congratulations on your time! Its about my time for a 13.5 walk….. I did that the last time I walked to Walmart. Now I just have to drive, they moved the store….its further away and I’m not walking another hour just to go to Walmart! But IRS a good incentive…. to walk. Keep up the good work….and I know what you mean about rolling hills. They give you a work out.,..used to go…cross country skiing, now that’s a great leg workout! If people walked more, we wouldn’t have so many obese people in America.

Woot! Woot! Great job, Dori! I’m so proud of you and your husband. We ( my hubs and I ) are not runners but we love walking. Our weather is finally cooperating for more outside time… I need to grab my handsome Yankee and get going! Thanks for the inspiration! Deb ( Beach Farmgirl )

Thanks so much for this! I haven’t had decent biscuits since my grandmother went to the nursing home.

Biscuits not just for breakfast, they go so well in a saddle bag/back pack/shoulder bag – all for taking care of the range, going for a slow n easy ride, taking a hike, a short walk down a new path – ahhh just good to have. I love them any way I can get them. Thanks for the reminder – haven’t done them in a while – will this week. God bless.

OH MY! I have made biscuits for years sometimes tweaking the ingredients, but now I must try your method of rolling and folding the dough! Thanks for the tips! Always love your postings!

Thank you so much for the tip of the frozen butter and the folding four times. I have the same recipe, but I am sure they will be much better now!!!

Yes to homemade Biscuits! They are the ultimate comfort food… My Dad’s side of the family are Texans.. I was raised on biscuits and gravy and while I don’t indulge in it too often I do enjoy biscuits and butter and jelly with fresh eggs, home fries and bacon… We love that breakfast! I’m trying your recipe.. better yet, move over and make room for me at your farm kitchen counter! I’m drooling over here! Thanks for the memories, Dori! Hugs and Happy Easter! Deb the Beach Farmgirl

I always enjoy your posts, and your biscuits look so, so good. I have to eat gluten free and have found great alternate flours for most things, but have not found anything that can compare with a good homemade biscuit. I can almost taste that biscuit and ham. If anyone has a good gluten free biscuit recipe, please share.

Hi Dori,
It’s the middle of the afternoon but biscuits sound good! Biscuits are one of the “go-to” foods to add to any meal for us. I often think of the times clear back when I was learning to cook and biscuits were always a staple growing up. There were many batches that were utter failures before I got the hang of it. (pie crust was another one) My brother and I would take the biscuits down to the duck pond in our little town, and even the ducks/geese had to dunk them under the water several times before they could consume them! I’m thankful my mom let me keep trying and my dad and brother kept eating. Because now cooking/baking is one of my favorite things to do. As my girls take turns in the kitchen off and on it’s fun to see them finally mastering certain things…each one has a “type” of cooking they like better, so that makes it even more “interesting” for the rest of us. 🙂 I’m so glad your writing and its fun keeping in touch this way. Have a great weekend!

Genius!! Thank you for sharing.
My favorite comfort food is Earl Grey tea with hot cream, sugar and a splash of vanilla, and warm, buttered, wheat toast. 🙂

I will definitely give this recipe a try they are Ray’s favorite with gravy for breakfast. I cook mine close together so will have to try it with these!

Ya making he hungry! Love biscuits or my mothers freshly bake bread…..they were my comfort foods growing up, but I guess smelling and testing fresh baked goods draws me backward and I get depressed more than comforted., so I graduated to consuming ice cream or popsicles.,..I feel the Need for some thing cool to comfort my tense belly. I get belly aches from too much sweet stuff so sugar free popsicles is my downfall.I eat two a night, double/studied popsicles. Or Hello cups or whoppers if I’m drawn yo having something that doesn’t melt….the only sweets I can get away with because they have ..,..lecithin in it and don’t bother my stomach as much..,.I ave a thing about chocolate…. if I can eat it, I drink it…..Nestles in almond milk with a slice if fresh Italian bread with apricot jam on it….only one slice mind you, as I can’t tolerate too much sweetness….my husband says I’m sweet enough for both of
us…

Must try your Mom’s biscuits, they look and sound delicious, Hope they freeze well. I’m often out of buttermilk, wonder how the vinegar buttermilk works with your recipe. Thanks for good eating.

Oh my! Dori, You have been one of my life’s greatest blessings. This is beautifully written, a lovely tribute to a amazing friendship. I laughed reading it..thankful again for all the laughter we’ve shared! I choked up too,.. remembering. Thanks a million thanks..big tight hugs to girlfriends everywhere. I love you

Thanks for posting. Looks like to had a fun visit. My three closest friends live in Pittsburg PA, St. Louis MO and Paris France. At one time they all lived close by. I miss that but you are right you don’t have to live close to stay close. I think I’ll go give one a call now. 🙂

I love how you have put down in words the feelings of my heart! You’ve described our incredible friendship perfectly! I count my self blessed to have 2 best friends!

What a wonderful story! Thanks for sharing.

Great blog, Dori! Truer words were never spoken. My mama has always told me how having true, deep friendships with girlfriends is very important in life. I am lucky to say I have some really, really amazing friends, and am blessed to say there are a close few that I know I could call for anything, day or night. They are the ones that laughs come easy with, tears aren’t afraid to be shed in front of, and who know me so well it’s sometimes scary!

Love the pictures…looks like y’all are some beautiful ladies, inside and out.

Farmgirl Hugs,
Nicole (Suburban Farmgirl)

Dori,

First of all, I want to say I have followed you and your daughter for some time now and I just truly love both of your posts. Such serenity and peace with each post!! I keep wanting to start a blog, but just haven’t done it yet. 🙂

What a beautiful post!!! Nearly brought me to tears. Good friends are truly priceless. I am a 22+ year cancer survivor (Hodgkin’s Lymphoma) and I lost my best friend to cancer about 10 years ago. She was the friend that we finished each other’s sentences and could tell what the other was thinking just by a look. 🙂 We had numerous occassions where people would ask if we were sisters. After several times of explaining we were really good friends, Linda looked at me one day after receiving the “sister” question, smiled and said “yes, we are sisters”. From that moment on, when asked if we were sisters, we just smiled, gave each other that look and one of us would respond “yes, we are sisters”. To this day I can hear her voice and cry talking about her. I miss her tremendously but know she is with me every day! The beautiful thing is that I keep in touch with her sons periodically. She made me promise to keep an eye on them as they were not out of high school when she passed. God truly is amazing!!

Dori,
I absolutely love your post!! I love feed sacks, too. A lot of my dresses were made from feed sacks, I have one on in my fifth grade school picture. I sold most of mine a few years ago as sewing/quilting has become too painful. Enjoy those grandgirls they grow up so fast. You have blessed my day with your talents!

Loved your post! I love the vintage fabric also. I have being working everyday on a school house quilt with pine trees and deer in the border. Cold weather forced us inside and that is where I wanted to stay, close to my fabric and sewing machine!

Ok wow! Loved the screaming laugher in the video. Yes I too adore feed sack cloth and I am fortunate to have received a large supply of it upon my mother’s recent passing. I just may sew one of those adorable buntings with it, now that you inspired me. I’m so over the snow and this would be a great project. Best, Kim

Dear Dori,
As you know I love, love, love your posts and blog. You are the kindest, sweetest person I have come across. Thank you for sharing the fabric and pattern for the bunting. I really love it and plan to do it in my kitchen when I get my forever home. The prices are a little steep for this old gal but I plan n purchasing a little at a time. I like making aprons and stuffed animals. I also got 2 patterns off line for a pillow case and a baby receiving blanket. I plan on making. I did pick up some material at Goodwill that will work for both. I will also watch for sales on the material I will need. I have a picture “black and white” of me in a dress my older sister made for me. She was quite a seamstress. She could make anything without a pattern. I was the youngest of 5 so things were tight for my parents. I was born 17 years after her. We all have memories of our wonderful, amazing families. I realize some don’t and I feel for them.
Hugs from this old Farm/Ranch gal.
Kay

I love the photos of the feedsack quilts! I can remember visiting at my grandparent’s farm and being there when the feed delivery truck came. Grandpa called my Grandma to come outside and pick out the prints she wanted. Seems like it took 2 or 3 sacks to make a dress. I had lots of feedsack dresses when I was a little girl.

My Mother used bleached white feedsacks sewed together to make tablecloths which she embroidered. I admire these great ladies who did so much with what they had!

I always enjoy your posts!

Such a lovely idea for the bathroom, the bunting and the framed pieces. The fabric is so sweet.

I love your projects & the quilts! My favorite is vintage fabrics too, and I have collected some of those same prints. LOVE Moda fabrics too! 🙂

Hi Dori, I loved your tutorial on the feed sacks and the bunting pieces. I am definately going to make one for my sewing room. Also thanks for your sledding video. It made me smile.

Spring just starting to arrive over here in Lincolnshire UK we have a lone goose who honks to the wild geese who fly over but won’t allow any to land on his pond, we have had to give him a mirror to look at himself in as he used to look at himself in our workers hub caps and not let them get to their cars!!
Love to read all the blogs and agree about the solitude, not just a time to be alone but a time for reflection and realisation of what we have around us.

Beautiful pictures! Those calves look so happy with their mothers.

Oh Dori, you made me cry. I love cows too. They say so much with their eyes! Isn’t it wonderful how much you can learn, just by observation alone? Now you’ll know the technical stuff too, but I think you’re doing just fine without it. Congratulations!

Thank you Dori, your post was very well timed! Our power went off last night and by morning all our cows had no water. With the help of several generators we are back in business but all morning I’ve been thinking……why do we do this?! We run about 125 Herefords and you have reminded me why. Thank you!

Dori, that is such a good post and Yes they are special. I don’t have one (wish I did) I have seen pictures such as yours and they make me smile. I lived on a farm when growing up, My father worked there and I got to know a lot about farming. Not an expert mine you learn to love it. Keep the post coming and Hugs to you and the herd. farm sister #1020 Juanita

Hi Dori,
Every time I read your posts I giggle, because we have much in common. I’d be right there knitting and crocheting along with ya! I don’t have cows, but I LOVE them. Growing up in Texas, my dad’s ranch was a weekend getaway for us, so we didn’t have cows, but the ranch next door did and many of the other ranch owners near us did as well. I love their sweet eyes and big noses, love to watch them graze, and when we go to county fairs, guess where you will find me first? Yep, the cattle shows. I crossed a line off my bucket list when my farmgirl sisterhood chapter and I took a class at a farm and we all learned (among other things) how to milk a cow by hand. I started collecting cow memorabilia in high school. I had to stop and tell people I didn’t collect it anymore because some it got to be crazy! I kept some of my most favorite cow themed pieces. Lucky you, with your beautiful herd! Enjoy! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole (Suburban Farmgirl)

Love the pictures!

I have to tell you a funny story. My cousin raises beef cattle and has never raised a calf. He and his grown son do the farm together. One time they bought several cattle and 3 of them turned out to be cows. They gave birth and his son had to look on the internet to see how to get the calf to drink. I thought I would die laughing. Just goes to show he who farms does not know everything.

Look forward to my Mary Jane magazine coming in the mail. Always something to share with all the sisters!

Such beautiful pictures, and your feelings about your cows echo my own feelings. We raise little Irish Dexter cattle here in Central Illinois and I look forward to calving season every year. Thank you for sharing your precious cows with all of us.

Beautiful! Hubby and I moved from CA to Tennessee almost 10 years ago and still love it. We aren’t on a farm but our little half acre feels like it compared to what we had back home!

I love your story. Thanks for sharing it

Loved the story. Thanks for sharing.

Beautiful, inspirational story! Congratulations on all accounts!

What a wonder story and beautiful place!

My side of the family has been farming for over 160 years in Illinois. For four years my immediate family lived on a 160 acre farm owned by myself and other family members. Unfortunately, we had to move when my husband and I lost our jobs. We moved to Nebraska where we hope to begin hobby farming again. We miss having geese, ducks, and goats –which we had to sell when we moved– but we know that when we buy our next place it will be *ours* and hopefully our last move as well.
In the meantime we keep looking for property and dreaming of our future home.

my dear Dori: I loved hearing your farm story and truly I cannot “picture” you two anywhere but there. So thankful our paths have crossed. So thankful for your way with words, my friend

Isn’t it funny how you just know when things are right? And it sounds like you didn’t have to look at lots of properties. Was it really the first? Amazing, too, how “good things come to those who wait”. I’m so happy that you and your family are realizing your dreams. You surely deserve it. Continued blessings and happiness to you and yours.

Dori;
What a wonderful post. Thank you for sharing. I am happy you are cancer free and so happy that you got your farm.
I always thought one day I would live on a farm. Not so sure anymore, but I won’t give up on hoping and praying for it.
Stay well and blessed
Mary

Loved hearing your happy ending story. Thank you for sharing your lovely family and personal bits.

Oh Dori,

What an inspiring journey. Your home and farm must be all the sweeter, just knowing what you have gone through to be where you are today. Your story gives me hope to keep dreaming of my “someday” farm!! In the meantime, there is no reason why I can’t “farmgirl it up” on the little plot of land I have right now. Thank you for sharing your story. And THANK YOU for the MILK COW KITCHEN book!!!!! I will be watching for the mailman everyday now!!

Congratulations and God Bless on being Cancer Free! Your farm is beautiful! Love the views from your house as I’m sure you do too. I have lived on a farm for over 30 years and there nothing like it that you can compare it to. Keep up the wonderful blogging! Hugs Melinda!

Oh Dori…I was so moved by your beautiful post. At times I become discouraged because I want to retire to the country but I don’t think I’ll be able to so. Then I read your beautiful post… your courage and faith during your medical struggles and how you never lost faith that your dreams would come true and it gives me such hope. Bless you and your family always

Thank you for sharing your story I know it inspires others. Have you tried to make the farm a profitable industry, at least paying taxes ?
We bought forty acres nine years ago on the southern Mendocino coast of Ca. My husband and I both thought it was wonderful for it had a lot of flat land . We had just married a few years before and this was us creating our own space. After we made the offer I realized I was pregnant, I thought at first it was just menopause…We still moved forward and blessings came from everywhere to allow it all to be built into a permaculture farm. My husband cut the trees we milled into our wood to build our buildings. It’s a little much for us now, we are very tired and more needs to be done. But it’s slowed to a more comfortable pace. We have 110 fruit trees, 25 olives, two acres of vegetable and flower gardens. We market flowers, eggs, vegetables and bread to supplement our income. We have to still work outside to support further development of the property.

Love it! love color…hate winter with a passion…. makes me doubly depress (deal with seasonal depression-becase I can’t get enough if the D vitamin, sunshine) so color for me in the winter is stimulating too! Seeing your beautiful photographs ooze my mind to look for ways to get thru the dreary winter bles. Just love the scenery….. those rolling hills ….I miss from Pennsylvania…so here where I live I look for birds and critters in the winter. Books also get me thru the middle of winter…all that color in the book stimulate me to be creative…its probably what draws me to Mary James magazine….and Pinterest….. wish Mary Jane Farms could have a magazine issue come- out every month! I need stimulation in the winter more because of my depression! I don’t know how I would get the winter without magazines and those with color do help me! Recently I
took an interest in making some thing new once a month and reorganizing my house because of the stimulation I get from magazines.

The book is beautiful. I would love to read it and share it with a couple friends.

This looks like a great book. I’m a former librarian and have a great appreciation for books. I love the pictures and the feel of the pages as I turn them. Not a Kindle fan.

I LOVE Mary Jane’s magazine and your blog!! It is so refreshing to step inside your world and see what it happening on the farm! Love those sweet baby calves!!

Dori, I love your black and white cow photos…I could imagine them in print, framed in a black frame, hanging on a wall or over a fireplace. Great shots! I’d want to sit and watch those cows all day!

I love your kitchen! So colorful and cheerful. I noticed your colorful vintage Pyrex right away, too. 😉 Anyway, we get bleak, grey, wet weather with no sun for long periods of time here in Connecticut. That’s when I hunker down and enjoy “indoor color”, too. I love to spend time in the kitchen, where it’s colorful and bright and cheery. I also love to craft with color, as well. Winter gives us a break from the outdoor chores of summer.

This is another great post, another one where I think, “Gosh, I want to meet this farmgirl!” 🙂

Farmgirl Hugs,
Nicole (Suburban Farmgirl Blogger)

Like you, I prefer summer but relish the winters for the change of scenery. Although I don’t live in the gorgeous countryside like you, I still like being able to see things that aren’t visible when the trees are full. Thanks for sharing your wonderful farm scenery!

I agree the endless days with clouds and haze can get to a person. I live near Lake Michigan and we are in what seems to be endless clouds for days and weeks at a time. But winter has its own beauty. I love the stillness and peacefulness winter brings. I love seeing the dried grasses blow against the background of white. The biggest reason I love winter…because it makes spring so unbelievably special. I have a counter in my office at work that is counting down the days to the first day of spring…we are under 60 days! Get out those seed catalogs and start making your plans. We will be digging in the warmed earth again soon. Until then, why not make a picnic and have it on the floor of your favorite room? No, it won’t be the same without fresh sliced tomatoes, or fresh picked corn on the cob, but who can resist a good potato salad? Hang in there everyone, Spring is coming. Force some spring bulbs to brighten your day or do as my craft club is doing this weekend, make some paper flowers to brighten the corners of your room.

Comment!

I’m one of the odd ones who love winter.
Our Michigan winters can be cold. But God shows His beauty in ways the other seasons can’t.
But I love the fall as well.

Here in Southern California winter is the only time we get green & color. The rest of the year is so dry everything is brown. Being a Minnesota girl this is hard because I am used to just the opposite. So while the rest of the country is freezing which by the way I miss terribly I enjoy three months of green grass & trees because I know the other nine months will be brown and that’s when I will have my “summertime blues”.

So…possibly relocating with a very special man. It’s an exciting proposition…living in God’s Country…rolling hills, Black Angus dotting the landscape…making a home in the country…a cozy, rustic place… “A Little Bit o’ Little House”. I’m excited for the adventure that awaits and yet, terrified of the unknown. Puttin’ on my Big Girl Boots though and packing my canner and Mason jars with love and heading North!

LOVE your calf photos! We have a dairy herd and we start calving in March. (Our winters are a little more white than yours 🙂 so we don’t have any calves in the winter). It’s amazing how much joy and “color” they can bring into our lives isn’t it? MaryJane’s book looks great in your colorful house, but I can’t help admiring the spoons holding it up. Did you make that? Thanks for sharing your farm life with us and for the great giveaway!

I love the way nature makes things look different in different seasons! The pictures of Mama and her calf make me happy as I have such a love for how they know what to do and do it well….especially in the cold weather….being from Ohio originally, we did not see many babies born in the wintertime, but now we are in NC and we live on a dirt road….we see new borns all the time now and each new one we see as we drive past, we make sure to mention to each other how beautiful this season is and how these little ones do so well here…Thanks for your great blog! I read it all the time and I so love you pictures….love the vintage kitchen ware 🙂 we have some of the same!~!

Hi Dori,
Looks like you have a lot of comments already. I was going to buy this book but what with saving for the move out of here to a rental for a while, I have not been able too. Would be nice to have the very book I would love to have and get it without having to wait for a year before purchasing it. Instead I could have something so interesting to read while I am waiting. Love your blog.
Hugs,
Kay

I don’t have calves or cows or even a farm…but I love to read your postings! You have a delightful way with words, my friend

How fun! Love your Brahma calf and the story of his name! We raise Brahma Bucking bulls here, so the naming is even more interesting because the rodeo announcer always tells the crown their names.

I have Awesome Sauce, Broken Heart Bull, Tooth Fairy, Scary Larry and Vice. (Vice was always getting his head stuck somewhere when he was a calf.)

Naming the horses is even more fun and we have so many we are always looking for good bucking horse names! Give me a shout if you think of any good ones!