The Traveling Farmer (and his wife)

Ok, so it's been a while.  We have been super busy.  Just like the rest of ya'll. 
The Farmer and I celebrated our 7th wedding anniversary this weekend. Wow! Time flies when you are having fun!  We have made it a habit to celebrate our anniversary with an annual "honeymoon". Each year we try to find an interesting location with lots of beautiful scenic roads to travel and lots of good food.  (We really like to eat!)
Mode of transportation:

Yep, you guessed it! That is the shadow of the farmer and his wife (me) on the motorcycle!  Just thought that that would be a fun picture.  It is rather challenging to take a picture of oneself while going down the road at 65mph! But you would be surprised at what can be accomplished while on the back of a motorcycle.  Take napping for instance....

Our travels took us South this year.  First stop: Jasper, Arkansas.  What is there? A beautiful campground run by a very sweet couple by the names of Jacob and Rebekah Ketchens.  The name of the campground is Dogwood Springs Campground resort.  They have places for R.V. s, tents (which we were toting) and sweet little cabins.  And I found out that they are also, friends with one of my friends.  You know who you are.
Ok so night number one. We are camping in a tent on an air mattress,  which we blew up using motorcycle battery power. Outdoor temperature- 37 degrees.  We didn't do much sleeping but did a lot of shivering.  Well, me anyway. And all night long a poor little whipporwill sat above my head and  after about 20 minutes of listening to "whippor will" it began to sound like she was saying "If Leonard will"  I then lay there and worried all night ' What if Leonard won't, then what?'  and 'What if Leonard does?' Then I got tickled and tried not to wake my dear farmer with my giggles.  In the morning, I told him and we both had a good laugh.  About that time we heard in the distance another whipporwill and she said 'Leonard did'.  So whatever was happening in bird land we don't know, but I will never hear a whipporwill the same again!
Well, when we went to start ol' Blue (the motorcycle), the battery was dead. Hhmm... wonder how that happened?? So my farmer rolled it down the hill and got it started and off we went.

Day two:
We rode all day through beautiful country.  Ah! The perfume of God's world.  All the way to Southern Arkansas we were surrounded by the perfume of honeysuckle! Then the fragrance changed to that of the pines as we were riding right through the middle of the pine woods. 

When we arrived in Monroe, Louisiana, we sought out a fabulous little place to eat called the Mohawk.  Not our regular type eating place but REALLY good food!  Now, I tried real hard to take pictures of our plates before we started eating, but I will just say that they didn't turn out.  Instead, the pictures made the food not only unappetizing but just downright nasty lookin'. So, just imagine a plate of really, really yummy crawfish etouffee. Mmmmmm! Good! And a plate of really, really yummy stuffed crabs.  Mmmm!
Then we went to find a campground.  We finally did in Delhi, LA.  Beautiful campground, just right for the mosquito population!! We settled in between the interstate and the railroad tracks. Lovely little campsite... until time to sleep! I lay awake most of the night swatting mosquitos and listening to the semis on the interstate and the trains with their abominably long whistle blowing! Oh yeah, and I sweated!  It is hot in Louisiana! And humid! 

Day 3:
Well, guess what?!? The next morning, the battery was dead on  the motorcycle. So, we drove in to the Monroe, LA Harley Davidson dealership, and they didn't even have a battery in stock.  They said it would be 2 weeks before they could even look at the motorcycle! Dandy! So we went on into town to follow our next interest.
The Beidenharn Museum and Gardens.  Oh, my goodness! That was really cool! And  beautiful, too! You really should go.  The Beidenharn family was the first to bottle Coca-Cola.  I will leave it at that and just say, it is worthwhile to visit if you are anywhere near there.

I can't even begin to put all of the neat pictures on here. But the above is one I took in the Museum.  Then you go over to the gardens.  Ahhh... If only I could have a garden half as pretty! They have folks just working full time in the garden! It really is beautiful!
We left Monroe, (after having someone jump the battery) and headed to Natchitoches, LA.  Never been there? Ya oughta go!  We got a room that night cause all of the campgrounds were full, full, full.
I slept like a baby!
Day 4:
There were hoodlums in the parking lot hanging out, polishing the wheels on their car and listening to rap. All this while my dear farmer went to get a battery for the motorcycle.   I called my aunt and she came and got me and we met Hubby on the other side of town. Then we all went for 'brunch' at one of the best restaurants in town.  Lasyone's Meat Pie kitchen.  Mmmm! Yeah!  If you have never had a meat pie from Natchitoches, then you have missed out!
Just down the street on the corner is a live oak tree where my grandfather used to park his truck and preach.
The tree is still there!

As is the radio station where he did his Sunday morning broadcast. And the river where he baptized converts.
And the church that he built and put a Bible inside one of the posts when he built it.  Just wish I knew which post!

Somewhere we have a picture of the original group  in this church.  My dad is on the front row and my grandfather is standing in the middle aisle. When I walked in, I knew it , not for any other reason than that it looked like the picture. Neat, huh?
That day we drove on to Shreveport, LA. When we got to town, the Farmer said, " Let's pull into this Wal-Mart parking lot and figure out where to eat and where a campground is."
We parked and looked up and there was Vince's restaurant.  So we decided to eat there. Yum! More crawfish ettoufee.  I was determined to get all the good stuff that I could while I was south! We asked our waitress about a campground and she drew us a map.  This led us to the Tall Pines Campground.  The owners there are very nice people. Tom and Tracy Landis.  They own another campground in Lamar, Colorado, but that is another trip.
They don't allow tent camping there, but had very neat little cabins at a very affordable price. So we stayed in a cabin.  Good thing! It stormed like crazy that night! But we slept very well!

Day 5;
We got up and packed our things away and started for home. This time we rode in high winds and right between crops of cotton, rice, corn, wheat and oil. Oil crops?? Well, whatever you wanna call 'em.  They were harvesting the stuff all over the place. Then we got close to some paper mills. Stinky!!
Came on in through Ft Smith and the through the Bobby Hopper tunnel.  That is fun in a car, but thrilling on a motorcycle.  Fabulously thrilling!

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So, yeah, we had a good time! But it is good to be back on the farm.  There is no place like home! And that, my dear friends, is the reason that it has taken a while for me to write. We are home and God was gracious to keep us safe... Oh that is another story!  Now it is time for me to get busy making Ol' Farmhouse Recipe #1, for there are people who need it and I better have it when they call.
Oh yes! It can now be purchased at 4 locations! Berryville, Japton, Green Forest and Harrison!  If you have a favorite local store that you would like to carry this, have them contact me. www.olfarmhouseproducts.com
Have a happy day, my friends!

Livin' the busy life

Ok, so you all are wondering what my other exciting news is.  Well, things have happened so fast that my little fingers cannot keep up.   I thought that I could type pretty fast, but I guess I was not quite fast enough!
Last week, they did a very nice write up about OL' FARMHOUSE in the Carroll County newspaper.  What that resulted in was lots of sales. The article came out on Friday.  By Monday afternoon, both of my local stores were sold out!  Wow!!
This weekend, I got news that a regional distribution company was interested in distributing and selling our products!! Double wow!
This is so exciting!  God has opened so many doors so fast that my mind is boggled. He is so awesome.

Well, the rock wall around our garden is coming along nicely! I tried to turn the corner with it, but that definantly needs more work, as it is rather wobbly. But see, I have the rest of my life to finish it, so that is ok.

We went camping  this weekend at Cricket Creek over by Omaha. It was very beautiful and peacful. There was still some flooding but the waters were receding noticably by the hour.

When Hubby and the children came back from gathering firewood, they brought me a beautiful wildflower bouquet for Mother's Day.  How special! Anyone can go to the florist (nothing against florists here) and buy flowers, but how many men will take the time to gather them himself?  Pretty wonderful if you ask me!  (Can you tell that I am still very much in love with my farmer?)

Sweet, sweet, sweet!!

Well, dishes to wash, clothes to hang out on the line, children to tend and always, a rock wall to build.

I had better get busy!

The Things We Take For Granted

Wow! Rain!  That has been the story for about a week now.  It is amazing what the force of many rushing waters can do! We have seen the effects of the overflowing creeks and rivers right around here.  Rushing water alone can change the lay of the land.  Hmmm.... wonder what forty days and forty nights worth would do to change the Earth???? 
I have been thinking much these days about the many things that we take for granted.  "Oh," you might say " I know we do take things for granted." But are you thinking the same things as I?  Sure, we all know that we take our American freedoms for granted, but I am thinking of more than that.
I am thinking of some of the little things.
Take the honeybee for example. We go to the store and buy honey.  We pick up some fruit and vegetables while we are in town, maybe a peach, an apple or eggplant for supper. Then we pull OL' Farmhouse Recipe #1 out of our purse or pocket and slather it on chapped lips.
Did you stop to think about all that?
I would say, probably not.
You would have no honey if there weren't some very busy little honey bees working away somewhere.  None at all! Those fruits and veggies... they don't just happen you know.  Those busy little workers, flying from flower to flower, are what got the pollen to the right flower at the right time to make the fruit or vegetable grow.  What of the beeswax in that soothing balm that keeps it in the tin instead of running out into your purse or pocket?
What about all of those raindrops??  Oh, I know, we got a little overwhelmed and maybe even griped a bit about all that water.  But think about it...
Come summer, we will be very hot.  What will be in our mind?  A swim in the river? Filling up the swimming pool?  A drink of cold water?  Maybe watermelon... With what will the river be filled?  Rain.  With what will we fill the swimming pool?  Purified rainwater.  Where will your drink of water come from? Purified rainwater.(Whether bottled, spring water or well water.) Hmmm... makes me thankful for every single raindrop that fell and even is falling now!
And that rocky Arkansas soil? Yep, that too.  Those rocks kept us from being completely washed into the Mississippi River.  How? Well, though many small rocks moved, the biggest ones stayed put.  It just so happens that most houses are built upon foundations.  Those foundations are made of rocks, big or little. Oh my! We just don't think about that when we are tilling our gardens do we?
A bit more personal...  Do you have eyes?  I should hope, since you are reading this. But when did you stop to think about them? They work, right?  They  work very hard in fact!  And your ears?  Oh goodness sakes, Sara! You are making some folks think a bit harder than maybe they wanted to think on a Monday! 
Ah! My next point made! You have a very intelligent brain inside your head. I know, some of us use ours  more than others.  Nah, just kidding! But did you stop and have to tell your eyes what they were seeing?  Did you have to tell them to blink? Nope, that brain of yours took care of that for you!
Did you eat today? Think on that one a minute.
Did anyone smile at you today? Wow! When we really start to think, those special miraculous blessings of God just add up, don't they?
Let me share just one more thing.  There was a royal wedding this weekend.  I stopped and wondered what it would be like to be a common girl and be marrying a future king. What kind of feelings a girl might have of both awe and fear.  Then I thought...hm..
        The King of the Universe has invited me to marry Him! What a privilege! There will soon be a royal wedding.  I will be in the Bride and wear a spotless white gown.  I will live in, not just a palace, but a whole city made of pure gold! Cake? Yeah, probably Angel Food!  A whole marriage supper.  A honeymoon? Yep, for all of eternity! Never ending bliss in the arms of the One that my soul loves.
But I must build on our relationship that we have now.  I can't get sloppy in my day to day life! It isn't befitting the Bride of Christ.  Talk about Royal protocol!  Does it matter how we live, dress, talk?  You better believe it! The King will not marry a harlot! He will marry a virgin, one who has kept herself from the things of the low life.  Yes, the Bride of Christ will be different than everyone else. She will stand out as different in the way she dresses, talks, and behaves herself.  What an awesome responsibility.  Yet, so many times we take this, the invitation to be wed to  the King, for granted. We do get sloppy.  We try to blend in. We forget or maybe some even ignore, this awesome invitation.  Hmmm.... Are you ignoring the invitation? Are you getting sloppy? Are you living the low life?  You are invited to be His Bride.
If you need to talk about this and want to talk with me privately.. email me sarardavis@ymail.com .
What are you taking for granted?