luke turned 24 yesterday! happy birthday, luke!
it was a wonderful day filled with wishes for the new year, a special breakfast, sweet treats, homemade cake, gifts & family. when i asked my sweet farmer husband what we wanted in this new year, he shared that he just wants to keep doing what we’re doin’. i couldn’t agree more, babe.
we have a special tradition of preparing a special breakfast for the other on their birthday & baking a cake. this year, i made luke a dutch baby, inspired by my dear friend amy & made from a martha recipe. it was divine. i also made our special smitten kitchen inspired chocolate cake, but we always add a thick coat of jam in between the cake layers. smothered in our favorite fudge icing with little burlap flags for whimsy.
i really cannot believe luke & i have shared life & birthdays for six years now. i met luke as a freshman in college when he was 18. he wore polyester pants with large metal-rimmed glasses & carried around a film camera. throughout those years, he traded in his well-loved camera (& thankfully passed on the passion to me!) for a pitchfork & a love for the soil.
with each year, i love how luke grows into his role as husband, farmer, community builder & friend. he’s a wonderful, sensitive, cheerful, loving, & hardworking man. i love you, luke! let’s keep doing what we’re doin’.
love,
natalie
today’s post is going to be a mix of some recent thoughts, feelings & overall life happenings. forgive the randomness of it all.
—-
this weekend was such a gift of so many good things. we finally slowed down enough to enjoy the last bit of summer & this amazing place we now call home.
we added a new girl to our herd. her name is calamity & she is a nubian mix. she is as sweet & precious as they come. our good friend needed a place for her to stay so we are caring for her until her owner finds some land of her own.
we absolutely love the goats. they keep the land well trimmed while we save for a tractor & their sweet presence really adds to the farm’s charm. they run up to us when we open the gate to the pastures, nudging for hugs & snacks of corn kernels.
we have owned this place for a tad bit over a month & it already feels like ours. it has been such an exciting & challenging transition as we feel pulled in many different directions. there’s always a project to be done & the work is never finished.
i spent a good part of the day last week crying from the overwhelming amount of to do’s on my list & things undone. i choked back the tears as i ran- mind you, the only time i really ever allow myself to really process what’s in front of me. when i got into the car & drove home, i felt myself release a whole lot of junk i’ve been holding onto. i’m not necessarily sure how to share this part of our adventure with you, but it’s all so good. the tears, the busyness, the quiet, this place. it’s rewarding & it’s ours.
here’s a little piece of our place that feels like heaven among the boxes & busy pace. i come out to our porch most mornings to drink my coffee. in the evenings, we chat among the twinkle lights. the weather has been perfect so we hope to have dinners here. that is, when i begin cooking regularly again…
and of course, i must share with you my sweet nephew, oliver, who came into town with my mom & brother. he is a sweet, chunky, sunshiny baby & full of absolute joy. we love him so!
have a wonderful start to your week, friends!
love,
natalie
happy friday, friends!
above are some recent photos from my canning adventures in my brand spankin’ new kitchen. i am in love with the natural light that floods this space all day long. the kitchen window has me swooning. so naturally, craving time in that space with it’s delicious light only means one thing – preserving the harvest.
i have started contributing once a month to hello luvvy, a little e-magazine started by some fabulous ladies in northwest arkansas. i am passionate about supporting this creative & inspiring community of crafty individuals where i live so when they asked me to come on board & chat food, i of course said yes! there’s a wealth of diy projects, foodie recipes & fashion tips (i need to head on over to that tab… this lady needs some help!) so stop by hello luvvy & get your fix of cuteness.
while you’re there, check out my three favorite ways to preserve the summer harvest!
love,
natalie