A Vintage Christmas outside our house

Christmas is all around our home, but this year it was outside that I enjoyed the most.  To welcome our loved ones and visitors.  To give the chickens a smile.  And to stretch the holiday cheer a bit more.  Merry Christmas from our home to yours.  Love, Jennifer

Welcome to our Home.

A cherished find.

Make a wish under our magic arch.  A Christmas wish.

With snow starting in November here and staying it was the NP indeed!

Greeting you with love.



Taking it all in.



Fa la la la la, la la la laaaaa.

The Magic of the season can be found anywhere.

My Pie of Life

The following is my entry in an essay contest "Pieography" by WWC http://wherewomencook.com/pieography/
hope you enjoy! Love, Jennifer


4 Apples

1c blackberries

1 tsp Cinnamon

Pinch of salt

3 TBS Honey

 Crust ( 2 cups flour, 1  cup butter, ½ cup water)

I spent my youth in the branches of an old apple tree.  Apples will be first.  They deliver the essence, the foundation of what the following years are based on.  They are the first thing you will taste, like childhood itself…nostalgic…familiar…pure. 

We stood in his mother’s kitchen while Cinnamon rolls baked for Christmas morning.   The spice lingered in the air.  Cinnamon is still alluring and comforting, never dull, just as magical as that first kiss many years ago.

She was 92 on the winter morning she passed away, 92 years of flavors and stories…gone.  For her I will add a pinch of salt, like the taste of tears that still come to me every time I tie on her apron.

We took over the farm after his accident.  He could no longer drive but he could be in the berries, here he found refuge.  The Blackberries are for him.  Blackberries have to be cut down to become stronger, they have to go through a frost to grow better, they have to wait patiently on the vine to ripen from the sun and grow from the rain, becoming the strongest flavor of all.

My belly grew and so did the life inside me.  He was born on a Saturday, as the bell rang for the Farmer’s Market.   All I could breath was his sweet smell, like fresh honey.  Honey that had been grown and tended to by the bees, kept warm and safe until it was ready to be shared.  Just as my sweet baby boy.

Lay in a crust. Cover.   Bake at a low temp until bubbling over.  Serve to all you love.  And enjoy.

5 year old me in my apple tree.

Office Cottage : This old Roof

This past week we put up the roof on the office cottage. I had shown Tim a picture of Robyn Brown's (Magnolia Pearl) guest house.  Mentioning how much I like the old roof and siding.  He told Ken Babin about it and Ken said he had a "whole pile of that stuff" by his greenhouse.  He was nice enough to give me the old roofing from a shed they had torn down years ago!  He was happy I could use it.   And a bit surprised I was interested in it!

I for one was thrilled!  I Love the worn look of the old used galvanized metal roofing.  The guys were nice enough to pick the most aged pieces to be seen from the house!  The goal is to make a building that looks as if it has been here for years and has a story!

My job was to caulk the old nail holes, this was simple.  I used brown silicone caulk to match the rust.

Tim was concerned that a shiny new white ridge cap would take away from the feel, he suggested we fabricate one out of the left over roofing.  So the guys shaped one in minutes just using a 2x6 board!  It turned out perfect.

Goose makes a good on site journeyman!

At the end of the day I passed around the beer and toasted what I call "the most beautiful roof I have ever seen!".
Ken said "It;s all in the eye of the beholder Jennifer, but if you are happy with it then it is the most fantastic roof ever built!"  I love these guys!
Next up is windows and door...and yes, those too have a story!  Love, Jennifer

A walk, a worry and a tree.

I was in a blue mood yesterday.  Not entirely, just enough to put me in the back 40.  You see I go for walks to think.  A.A. Milne wrote about such things as "thinking spots" to ponder and to work out problems in one's brain...out in the woods.  So I walked.  I took in the fall colors, I reminisced the days I went for picnics as a kid this time of year.  Still, the ache that was pushing me into the woods still lingered and I could not shake it.  I thought about how we all have those worries...maybe a few at a time, or maybe one big one, that keeps us from focusing on anything else.  I had one such worry.  I tried to think about other things...no such luck.  I was stuck. 

Then it happened, in a split second everything changed.  As if I had been brought back to reality... I turned the corner and  I saw it...this years Christmas tree...A perfect Christmas tree!  Standing in all it's glory amid the yellow Aspens and wise old Cedars.  I know I know, a bit early to be thinking of a Christmas tree, but as my Father, Mother, Husband, sisters and dog will tell you it usually takes me a very long time to find the perfect tree.  It always has to feel right, I will inspect a tree from every angle, imagine it with my ornaments, check for any dead needles, and quite simply I have to LOVE it.  And trekking through 40 acres inspecting every hopeful prospect, imagining it in my living room.  Usually this is all taking place in over 2 feet of snow right at the first of December.

But here it was today.  When I needed it the most, not for the fact that I can take this off my to do list.  But it was a 7 foot Grand Fir that gave me hope, hope out of this worry that brought me here in the first place.  Nothing else seemed to matter as I began the wheels turning in my head.  I will come back with the family after thanksgiving dinner and cut it down, which got me thinking how wonderful it is that I am hosting Thanksgiving dinner!  Which got me thinking of all the wonderful things I need to do before then, And little things like the excitement of using my grandmother's "friendly village china" and how the little cousins will play like the old ones years past.  Then I was giddy, truly giddy about winter, family, home...and My Christmas tree. 


So, I gathered a branch softly in my hand, I took in the smell of the bough and I thanked my tree for this gift today.  I told it to hold on another month and I will be back to get it and make it the Grandest of Grand Fir Christmas trees.  Then I walked back up to the house...with a smile.

Office Cottage part 3 - Update



This week the dream became a reality when construction started on the new building!  Here are a few shots to show the progress.  Surprisingly the cost is about half of what I thought it would be with building supplies way down! And October has had some glorious days for being outside! It is coming along very nicely!

1st things 1st...the supplies, my new friends from Home Depot Todd and Robby!  Glenn is happy to help too!



The foundation.  The building is on skids in case we want to move it around someday.  This is Tim Kelly, he is the awesome saving grace who has put this all together for us!  He is an amazing builder and wonderful friend!

I am telling Tim I already love it just like this!   We can have it as a dance floor!

The walls go up! 

Everyone gets involved, this is our friend Sandy getting a lesson from Tim on using a nail gun. 

Our friend Ken who is helping too.  I am a very blessed girl to have such amazing friends.  The guys are even going along with all my crazy ideas on re-using old material after the frame is made!  Ken is providing me with old galvanized roofing with the perfect amount of rust!  Love it!

Well, here is the frame.  Next is the wrap, windows, roof and siding. 

I am excited to move on to the next steps and show you the finished project!  See you then, thanks for visiting!  Love, Jennifer 

Office Cottage part 2: The sad news and the great news!

The Sad news: Well, the crew went down to Bayview on Thursday to move my shed...by mid-morning I received a phone call telling me that when they went to lift it, the entire bottom was rotted out from water damage.  It was not going to be able to move from the spot it sits.  So, there goes that. Luckily, The man I bought it from gave me a full refund.

The GREAT news! When the guys got back they said they are putting together a work party and in a couple weeks we will spend a weekend putting together a building that will be even better, and with a bit more room too!  The best part is that we can use recycled materials such as old barn wood and boards from the once loved buildings of this very farm that have fallen over the past hundred years.  I love giving new life to such cherished things.  I love that the next building will be put up with that kind of heart, so it will have a better story and a lot more love!  I will keep you posted.  Until then here is a view from the location for the new building...stay tuned.  Love Jennifer


Office Cottage part 1 (The Before shots)

"All I want is a room to spare, far away from the cold night air...oh wouldn't it be lovely?"

A window to start plants in.

A new dutch door with a window will be perfect!

I found a small cottage today for my office and work area.  If all goes as planned it will be moved from Bayview to my garden before the end of the month!  I have been looking for one for over a year that will fit next to the garden and be big enough for bookshelves, a desk, storage and a comfy chair to sip coffee in.  When I found an ad for this little guy in Bayview ID,  I jumped at it!  He measures 10x14 and is ready to be loaded and moved!  The best part is I have something new to decorate!  Like a painter with a fresh piece of canvas I am imagining up all sorts of things!  I plan to put cedar shingles up on the outside so it will match the house when we are finished.  Followed by a porch light, an old European type to shine across the yard.  I don't know what I will do inside yet but I will post later when I have it finished.  By then I should be sitting in that comfy chair surrounded by my books and papers!  stay tuned... Love, Jennifer

How to host a Junk Show: By Glenn Kelly Wood

First, Create the dream.  Then set forth on your journey with an open heart!

 Next, Find a location "ok, now make  sure we have enough room inside for music!"


Make sure there is plenty of room outside too for all the wonderful vendors!



Pack early to make sure you are ready for vendors, and pack lots of stuff for all the shoppers!


Spend time making things look good.  un-pack carefully.



Decorate your show, it is a treat for all those attending! PS  remember to pack tools!

Always lend a helping hand, even if it is just to hold a ladder.



  Keep a tidy show room and clear isles for all the shoppers!

Give LOTS of love to your vendors!  -My friend Charlie from Junebug 

Keep engaged on what is going on.



Practice good customer service skills.  Show the customer how an item can work in their own home!

Clean up afterwards!



All worth it in the end.  If your vendors are happy, and your customers are happy, and you are happy...then you have had a successful show and you can rest easy.  Happy Junking!  Love, Glenn Kelly

Vendor Profile, a tour of Marianne Duarte's yard

I would like you to meet my friend Marianne Duarte, She is also a fellow Antique dealer and vendor at this years Funky Junk labor day weekend Show. 

Marianne (you may know her by her show name Kootenai Cabin Antiques)  is one of the hardest working and most down to earth gals I know.  She puts heart into everything she does and it shows.  She has been on the Junking trail for years and has many a story and a treasure to show for it!  I went to drop off posters at her home in Bonners Ferry Idaho and I was blown away by her outdoor living spaces!  Talk about talent and inspiration!  See for yourself!

An entry fit for a cowgirl!

I LOVE this outdoor pavilion made of twigs!

Such inspiration!

A great collection of vintage seating and a table from a trough!

The arbor from her Son's Wedding fits perfect here!

These Bird houses on old pillars are such a wonderful idea!

The waterfall,

A beach perfect for a summer float!

My favorite was this greenhouse made of old windows, I will re-visit this when it is finished and write more.

The entry to the Duarte home, love it.

This makes me happy!

Marianne and Husband David.

I am excited to have Marianne's energy at this years show!  She brings with her a mix of rustic, primitive, western cowboy and more!  And I have to add, she is responsible for the pink toy camper I have.  She picked it up for me in Bonners because she said "it was meant to be yours Jennifer".  The junking world, like any other business, can be tough sometimes and Marianne is always willing to lend an ear, give encouragement and remind me that it is all going to be fine, and I love her for it!  Please come meet Marianne at Funky Junk this weekend, chances are she will greet you with open arms!