Friday, April 4, 2008

Welcome to my World

"For after the object is removed or the eye shut, we still retain an image of the things seen, though more obscure than when we see it....imagination, therefore, is nothing but decaying sense." - Thomas Hobbes, 1588-1679

The farmer has been traveling on business, which in the past, when the children were little was a great difficulty. It's not so much of a hardship without the full-time responsibility of the kids. Back then it was a struggle to maintain some type of adult identity and I can vividly remember the longing for adult companionship and conversation.

My concerns these days revolves around his health and well-being as the farmer doesn't seem to know any other speed than flat-out. He's just one of those people who give 150% every day, not leaving much for himself. Well, there is golf on Sundays but only when the weather cooperates. So today I'm thinking about him as he completes a large project at the herb packaging facility in South Carolina.

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As you can see there's a change here at the Farmer's Wife. I've managed to patch together a new type of heading. I don't know it seems awfully large and imposing to me. I'm just an infant in the Photoshop/design thing and I'm pouring over some Photoshop books to help me out. I'm saving my pennies to have Eight Crazy Designs a complete blog identity for me. I simply love her designs, especially Taffy Talk. Oh that design is so cute!

I don't think I've ever properly introduced you to the land. Illinois is all about land. The banner photo is just one vista and I guess you need to be born on the prairie to fall in love with it's stark and seemingly neverending vistas. We've talked about our "someday" retirement to the Ouchita Mountain top in Arkansas and we both admit that our hearts will be torn from the prairie. We'll miss this view terribly!

Here's a photo I took that I used for my business card. This is just around the corner taken from the Lily Lake Cemetery. Unfortunately this land is slated to be a housing development.

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Here's the leaning silo just down the road a piece. It's better to take the long route because I.C. Trail is not paved in spots and it's a killer on the axles. Just so you understand the schizoid existence we live with development closing in....there's a Coach handbag store only 10 miles from this location.

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Here's the Chick-N-Dip in nearby Hampshire. They make great broasted chicken and you won't be bothered by insects because they've got those great yellow light bulbs.

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Here are two residents of the farm where I go to get my fresh eggs. I always think this photo is just crying out for a caption, so fee free to offer one.

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So, that's a short visit to my world. As soon as the weather changes we're going to get out and really explore. Yes...exciting stuff!!!

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I promise you I am plugging along on the "Goes to Market" site. It should be ready soon with some really cute stuff...stuff you need....stuff you'll want....simply stuff.

That's all for today because I really need to get some housecleaning done. The dust bunnies are rising up and threatening a takeover!

8 comments:

Vee said...

"Are you looking at me?" That's the same thing that I say every afternoon when I see the turkey vultures gathered outside my window.

The land...it can be so stark. Old barns are great subjects for a photo. I want to travel about just taking photos of barns. We lost a number of them this year to snowloads.

I like your banner and I am certain that you are equal to the task of creating anything in Photoshop.

There's an award waiting for you at my blog today. No strings attached!

Melissa @ The Inspired Room said...

What a glorious place you live! I've always been a city/suburb girl but the older I get the more I see such peacefulness on farms and in the country! And the animals! How much fun they would be! The first cow I ever saw was actually in a shopping mall! (must've been 4-H day)

Have fun catching the dust bunnies! If you do any spring fluffing (clearing out dust bunnies definitely counts!), feel free to come by and link up a photo or a post on my blog, we are playing a little spring fluffing game to get us in the mood!

Happy day,
Melissa


Melissa

Sara at Come Away With Me said...

Greetings from Southern California! Just stumbled upon your blog while blog-surfing....it's refreshing, and I do so relate to some things here, like new glasses, and age!

Your new heading is fabulous, though this is my first visit so I've no idea what your old one was. I love the photo and also the size of the header.

I'll be back for more!

Sara

Abbie said...

Oh, it is absloutely gorgeous out there but I think it would be too flat for me. I just love the mountains and forests, it hugs you up here in NH. If I can see too far, I feel very lonely inside.
I think your banner is perfect!
your photos are amazing, an dI think they are much better than the fried oreos!!
xoxo~

Paula B. said...

My hubby grew up near Lily Lake, but moved to Rankin in high school. I wonder if he will recognize that charming farm in the pic? I miss silos...few farms in our part of Idaho (the Palouse region) have silos.

Though the northern MN girl in me would miss the trees, the wide-open vista in IL is always a thing of wonder, 'specially at night when lights from towns 10+ miles away beckoning out over the vastness, like a lighthouse on the ocean. But what really captures me are the myriad of fireflies twinkling at night in the balmy June/July evenings...simply enchanting!

I found you via a link from Vee, who I found via her comment on Abbie's Place! Just a big happy interconnected blogging circle. I see Abbie has been here as I was typing this.

I'll be back to read more about your world.

Edie Marie's Attic said...

Love your blog! I'm a city girl but my husband's dad had a small farm in Ohio when he was a boy. My husband's still trying to teach me all the breed names for cows! Love the photo of the 2 sows, how about;
"I just can't find a bra that fits me right Ethel!" ... or
" Wanna mud wrestle tonight to see who babysits tomorrow?" ... or
" Sows gone wild!" (sorry that was a bit filthy)
Anyway, your photos are great! Please come visit me sometime I'll put the teakettle on if you bring the fried oreos!! Sherry

Suzanne said...

Vee - that's a good one. What I thought of was, "So Betty, how are the kids?" What's all this talk of turkey vultures? I don't know if I've ever seen a turkey vulture. And thanks so much for the award!

Melissa - you must get out into the countryside. I'm pretty sure you might not want to go back.

Sara - If you're gonna visit from Southern California you're going to have to bring some sunshine with you because we're pretty low on it right now.

Abbie - I think midwesterners are the opposite. If we're hugged on all sides by mountains and forests we feel like we can't breathe....all hemmed in.

Gemstatemom - He might recognize it, nothing much has changed around here in many, many years. I love what you wrote about the wide open vista. One of the most fascinating things I ever read was an account written by someone from the west coast who had never seen a "confluence of fireflies". They were traveling cross country and came upon a corn field literally aglow with fireflies. They pulled off the road and watched in amazement. She and her family agreed it was one of the most magical things they'd ever seen in their lives. That will show us not to take it for granted!

Edie Marie - I love your captions for the pigs. By the way, put the kettle on becuase I'm on my way over to your attic right now.

Suzanne said...

SORRY ....SHERRY...you fooled me with the title of your blog. I was simply loving the name Edie Marie and now I've got to start calling you Sherry!