It's That Time of Year Again...

Spilling over the Cabela's catalog,

spending time at The Sportsman,

reloading,

target shooting up on the mountain,

and the tags arriving in the mail.


Must be well prepared for this "season"!

Wishing you the best, "Deer"!

25 of 52: Firewood 2009

Last Saturday we went out in the mountains behind our house to get firewood for the winter. It was a beautiful day and brought back memories of the many firewood outings with my family growing up and now more recently our own family going out together.




The one tree we found on Saturday was quite a ways from the pick-up, so Randy cut it in longer sections and we end-over-ended and then rolled them down the mountain until they got just above the road. One of the sections I was moving down the hill decided to go across the road and down the hill a little ways but fortunately not to far. It was one of the bigger pieces and we had a time hauling it back up onto the road where we could get it in the pick-up.


Then we spent the rest of the afternoon scouting out more trees to get. The bear (below) ran across the road in front of us and then watched us for a while through the trees. He was SO cute and cuddly looking! So fun to see him.


We got home and unloaded the wood to be cut up, chopped and stacked later. We get to go out again this Saturday. I guess if winter has to come, I'm glad we get to look forward to the toasty warm fire... I think it will be sooner than I want to think about...

All for now,

Hosted by Forever in Blue Jeans

52 Weeks is a year long challenge for YOU to be in a picture once a week for 52 weeks. We are always the ones behind the camera, this is YOUR chance to get out in front and be in the pictures with our family. We are glad you are joining this challenge. More importantly your family will really enjoy having you in the picture. Thanks for playing along! Oh, you can just jump in now with 1 of 52, you're not getting off that easy! Now go take a picture!

The Sunny Side

When you read this blog, does it seem like...

the kids are always doing cute things,

the sun is always shining,

the birds are always singing,

the garden is always growing,

and the people are always smiling, and doing fun things, and going to pretty places,

and taking pictures of food and flowers... like ALL the time?



Well, let me tell you, the sun is not always shining, the garden has stopped growing, and the kids are not always doing cute things-trust me!

But I'm sure you don't want to read about all of that OR see pictures of it!

SO.... thought you might enjoy ANOTHER flower picture...



Just keepin' it on the sunny side...

Have a splendid week!


P.S. To listen to Keep On The Sunny Side, please go to my playlist in the sidebar and push play.

24 or 52: Story Time

This picture of me* was taken this summer at a family reunion. Besides my kids, you see my nephew and some of my cousins cute kids. It was Sunday afternoon and we were all "patiently" waiting for lunch. The smell of roast beef and ham was drifting up from the kitchen.

I LOVE the smell of Sunday lunch cooking... and these kids LOVE stories!

Happy tales to you,

Hosted by Forever in Blue Jeans

*52 Weeks is a year long challenge for YOU to be in a picture once a week for 52 weeks. We are always the ones behind the camera, this is YOUR chance to get out in front and be in the pictures with our family. We are glad you are joining this challenge. More importantly your family will really enjoy having you in the picture. Thanks for playing along! Oh, you can just jump in now with 1 of 52, you're not getting off that easy! Now go take a picture!

LOTOJA 2009

Congrats to Sister Melinda and Husband Kieth, Janette and Duane, and Uncle Johnny for completing the LOTOJA Classic 2009!

For more pictures and details on their ride go here!

And how bout that sponsor, Farm to Market Pork, our neighborhood meat shop!

Way To GO!,

Front Porch Reality

It's no secret that I love front porches. It has always been my dream to have a big front porch on my house. Big, covered, wrap around, rocking chairs, table, porch swing, sleeping dog on the welcome mat, stars and stripes, spilling over flower pots....

You get the picture...

When choosing this blog's new name, I couldn't get away from the idea of the "Front Porch Welcome" and the view from the front porch of the family's daily activities inside and outside of the home. The front porch seemed like a perfect place to meet and visit and "get to know each other". Thankfully, you voted and agreed on it and we've been known here as "From This Front Porch" ever since.
So then there is our front porch in reality. We do have flower pots and the stars and stripes. We don't have the rocking chairs, swing, welcome mat, or other things I listed. It would be very difficult to fit all those things in a 4 by 5 foot space.

No, "big" does not describe our front porch...
So here is a look at our front porch as of this morning. The girls were playing with their babies last evening and set up these chairs. Hey, maybe they aren't rocking chairs and maybe I can't fit in them but I'm glad they could enjoy sitting there...

This baby even is enjoying a nap on our front porch...
And maybe these flowers aren't exactly "spilling over" with life and beauty but they do brighten up my day to see them there on the front porch. They were picked out by the kids at the nursery this spring and they have been kept alive all summer (with a lot of help from Mom)...
And the stars and stripes wave from our front porch...
And here is a little photo album that Maya keeps her special cards and pictures in that I found laying on her chair...
A most recent post card sent to her from Kentucky by a special friend! It is a very prized possession to her...
So this is our front porch and a glimpse at what goes on here.

It would never make the Better Homes and Gardens magazine. If you came to visit, we would likely find ourselves a lot more comfortable sitting in the living room or out on the back deck where we could sit and visit out of the morning sun.

We do have plans for a larger front porch someday. After the new windows, new siding, etc... But until then, whether you visit our blog or come for a "real" visit, you will always have a "Front Porch Welcome"!

Just keepin' it Real (like PW),


P.S. We have already been freezing here at nights. Much of the garden is black and I have been covering my flower pots.

P.S.S. I posted a new recipe over at www.countrykitchenrecipes.blogspot.com- Refrigerated Dill Pickles. Check it out. Feel like some good Fall comfort food? Look for more recipes to come... White Chili, Berry Coffee Cake, Yorkshire Pudding...

Flashback: September 2008

Of all the pictures I have taken, this is one of my favorites. Maybe it's because it has my three favorite subjects in it, doing what they love to do- just being kids. Maybe it's because it was taken during my favorite time to take pictures- in the setting sun. Maybe it is because it was taken in one of my favorite places to take pictures- in our back yard.

Or maybe it's because a year has gone by and I see so much in this picture... What we've been through in the last year, the good, the bad, the laughter, the tears. The uncertainty and the unpredictable. But more than that, the stability of God, family, friendship, and new lessons learned in life.

In this picture I see how much my kids have grown. But maybe I've grown too. I hope so.

With warm wishes for the upcoming week,

Labor Day Weekend 2009

Ryan, Jeannie and kids came over for labor day weekend. Ryan brought his boat with him so we got some fishing time in...


Ryan caught this nice Lake Trout...

Having so much fun! After the kids had had enough of being cooped up on the boat, we got off and they swam...
A nice relaxing Sunday together...

While the guys took the boat out fishing Monday, Jeannie and I and the kids took stayed home. We took them all on a walk/bike ride to the school to play on the playground...

Thanks for the fun time Ryan and Jeannie. We are so glad you live a little closer now!

And another week has just flown by. Hope all are doing well and enjoying another weekend!

Like Fathers Like Sons

23 of 52-Last Minute

Here is a picture my son Colter took of me after Dinner this last Sunday.

Yes, that is coffee I'm drinking in a Christmas mug. Maya saw that mug at a garage sale and just had to have it...bought it with her very own money! So it ended up in the cupboard and now we have Chrismas in September... uggg... And I do enjoy a cup of coffee every once and awhile. Mostly Sunday afternoons while visiting...

And yes, I am not wearing glasses. I have been putting my contacts in lately to try them out. My eyes are doing pretty well so might wear my contacts more often...

And that is my last minute picture for Thursday's "52 week" challenge.

Hosted by Forever In Blue Jeans

52 Weeks is a year long challenge for YOU to be in a picture once a week for 52 weeks. We are always the ones behind the camera, this is YOUR chance to get out in front and be in the pictures with our family. We are glad you are joining this challenge. More importantly your family will really enjoy having you in the picture. Thanks for playing along! Oh, you can just jump in now with 1 of 52, you're not getting off that easy! Now go take a picture!