Head For The Country With Me

I headed for the country last week one day. I was invited to the home of one of my friends. It was the last of our yearly Bible Study meetings and one of our leaders invited us to her home for lunch. Now I do admit I live in an area of the world that would be considered mostly farmland, although I do not personally live on a farm. My friend's home is a thirty minute drive from where I live, although because the drive is mostly rural it feels like it is a day trip, with many winding back roads. Driving over this bridge is fascinating to me and the scenery below is beautiful!

When I finally arrive at her home I feel like I am stepping back into history. It is a lovely old farmhouse that her husband's family lived on when he was a boy. It is surrounded by acres of gorgeous farmland for as far as one can see.

This old "welcome" sign and bell were just one of the indications that our friend's warm and cordial personality. This friend is one that could write a book on creative, thrifty living. Her and her family have transformed this old farmhouse. Each room has been torn apart and redone to look like it should belong in a Country Living magazine page.
Our hostess greets each of us with a hot cup of coffee or tea all on a specially designed coffee station. It is the perfect place to have ready for whenever, and whoever stops for coffee.

I like how she lined the shelf below the mirror with any choice one could want for a hot beverage. Simply pick up a mug, add the hot water and grab a chair...


Speaking of chairs...our friend's husband is a "jack of all trades", although his official title is master wood worker. He creates, builds, buys, tears apart and rebuilds wood everything. He built this island for his wife out of old wooden shutters and old doors, then painted them a soft gray, added the laminate(which looks like one of those expensive counter tops) , added a few chairs and she has the island she dreamed of.

He enclosed her porch, creating a lovely eating area. She bought fabric and made the tablecoverings, added glass vases and flowers from her garden. This porch area looked like it was one of the old southern porches of yesterday. But, the best part of the porch is the view...the exquisitely gorgeous view!




If you look in one direction from the porch you will see acres and acres of pine trees...4,000 was the count quoted. Yes, this is the Christmas tree farm where our family has been choosing, cutting and bagging our tree for many years. I was told it takes seven years from the time a tree is planted until it is big enough to be cut for a Christmas tree. So you see this family knows the meaning of hard work.

If you look in another direction from the porch this is the scene you will see...acres and acres of farmland. It is a peaceful, quiet, beautiful privilege to take in this scenery.


Back to lunch on the porch. These delicious hot from the oven, ham and cheese sandwiches were served to us. And yes, true to who she is she made the yeast rolls too. I can remember the taste as I am writing this.

One of our dear friends enjoying her lunch.


Our hostess grows and cans many foods. I thought it looked so nice how she had her canned goods lined so attractively on wooden shelves. Maybe I was so intriqued by this because I do not can food myself, although I have been the lucky recipient of some jars of her canning expertice.

The property of this farm was surrounded by numerous huge old trees creating lots of shade from the warm afternoon sun. And flowers were starting to grow everywhere I looked. Our friend's love of flowers, growing and arranging were evident in her many gardens. I found myself wondering how she does it all. For not growing up as a farm girl, she has certainly learned her trade well. No wonder she teaches classes to young women from all walks of life, on how to cook, bake, preserve food through canning and freezing, grow flowers, clean, sew clothing, shop garage sales and flea markets...basically how to live without spending much money. She has mastered it...I know that for a fact.


As I drove down the road from her house on my way home, I thought about how needed her wisdom will be now and in the future, with the economic conditions as we are seeing them and experiencing now. How helpful advice like hers will be to everyone learning to survive in a totally different economic climate, than the one we have been used to in this country. Her informative classes may have waiting lists.



On my return trip over the bridge and back home, I was thankful once again for the many lessons I continually learn from friends in all walks of life, and how a visit in the country was just the refreshing break I needed in my busy schedule.