Joy found in July

Summer has arrived in and around our home.  Together we have been taking in every daylight hour possible, enjoying the warmth, beauty and sunshine that surrounds our days.  The work weeks have been hard to get through,

oh but these two glorious days that we have at home every week...we take them in.....

Making Strawberry jam

Just like my mama taught me <3

Enjoying the small things about a hot summer's day that brings so much joy

& the simple beauty of barefeet on little ones

hanging up our farm animals :)

and memory shelves, that are sure to be re-arranged for years to come with different items that are meaningful to us 

taking quick snapshots of this wonderful pup (who always poses for his mama)

Our front porch oasis has become the focal point of our days this summer....not having a lawn yet to lay upon, we have certainly made this quiet, peaceful porch our favoite outdoor space

(so far!)

Filled with tomato plants,

which Jason waters and watches morning and night, studying them to figure out where the next tomato will pop out, or if we need to turn the plant 30 degrees a day to get the most sun....it is really quite cute and fills my heart with such joy and love watching that man of mine....

And flowers, lots & lots of beautiful wedding flowers that we are continuing to enjoy day in and day out

Planning & Moving and getting ready for the long winter ahead.  Although it is hard for me to think about that already (with all the warmth and sun), My hubby has been scheming for weeks about where the best place on our property would be to move our wood, split it and stack it for the winter....yes this is pile of wood should last us most of the winter, and that i love.

Topsoil spreading like wildfire around our front lawn...

And looking quite marvolous and making me happy beyond belief :)

Thinking and scheming and brainstorming and reading about all the posibilities for our gardens next growing season.  Dreaming about growing enough potatoes, carrots and onions...harvesting enough tomoatoes to make tomoato sauce, ketchup (yes!) and stewed tomatoes to get us through the winter....while also trying to realize that this will be a big undertaking on my first garden, but wanting oh so badly to do it all! 

(yes, i think i will...)

Feeling the freshly strewn topsoil under my clogs and feeling more at home with myself than i have felt since i was a young child...simply happy.

Remembering back two winters ago when we were cutting and hauling burning and clearing our land for this beautiful house...not knowing yet what it would look like or become, but just that it would be our home, and this would be our land.

The beauty of possibility....yes lots of possibility i tell you.

once again....my dog poses for me...

Growing beauty

Our front lawn looks like a minefield...charlie loves running around each pile,

jason loves seeing it all come together

&

i love the posiblity that comes from a few inches of topsoil

And enjoying a sweet treat, like this fresh raspberry pie, after a long and wonderful day of work around our home.

Yes, summer has arrived, along with spur of the moment sewing projects, four wheeler rides out to hidden lakes, a cold beer and good book on our front porch, raspberry picking, pond swimming, and our family full of bliss.