Fall is Here

 Burning Brush. Flannel. Crispy Air.

 Fall Flowers.

Simmering Pinto Beans on the Stove & Cornbread in the Oven.

No Gifts Please

Farmer and I have discussed this and thoroughly agree on this one matter with sharing our ceremony with all of ya'll.

We do not want any gifts. Please. Really!!

I'll give you some great pictures that explains why. 

Do you see why we need nothing? and this is just one barn on his property plum full of STUFF! We both understand that most newlyweds do need gifts to give them that boost in creating a home. Us tho? Nope! We do not need the boost..look at all the s#!t we have. We really do not need a thing! That is why instead of gifts, just bring a dish! How fun is that anyways?! I would much rather cook up a dish than go to the mall and find that "special" something.

 oh boy....these pictures were taken several years ago before I got to dive into this barn. It had not been touched in over 30 years. Sadly tho, after cleaning it out and even sweeping it out..it looks about the same as Farmer is related to the ones that stuffed it to the brim! :)

It is a very rare thing to inherit many generations of 'stuff' so do not feel guilty in giving zero of a gift. 5 irons, 2 blenders, 4 sofas, 8 end tables and 12 bed frames...we beg of you not to go out and buy us a thing! Your presence and a dish is the best thing to ever ask of you!

Save the Date

 

Farmer & I are getting more details nailed down for our wedding. We have decided to get married either under an Oak Grove or under  a Pecan Tree that his great grandfather grafted when it was a young buck. He named it Eleanor's Tree or Nurse Tree. *am I right farmer?*

There are Pros and Cons with these two spots. 

In April, will the Pecan have its leaves yet? We can count on the Live Oaks to have them. 

Eleanor's Tree is on level ground compared to the Oak Grove..it is a bit rocky and is on a slope. If people sit, it will be a bit awkward and views may be blocked. It will probably be an all standing ceremony with maybe a couple of chairs for the elderly.

Decisions Decisions!

This winter we are going to work on both sites and I guess decide later on.

If you don't know, then I bet you are bit confused on why there is an airplane on our save the date! There is a big significance of the J-3 Piper Cub. 

It is a WWII airplane that Sam's dad, Buck, learned to fly in when he was a young man. He then decided to buy it from the Stephenville Municipal Airport. So he built himself a hanger on the farm and flew it for fun. Many years later, he decided to get into the crop dusting business and converted the cub to have a sprayer and painted it silver. Ever since Farmer was a kid, his dad would take him up flying. He eventually learned to fly and helped his dad spray crops (and impress the ladies!)

When I was a little girl I heard about there being an old plane in a barn somewhere around Bluff Dale. I would always look for that barn when I would drive around with my mother. I decided on a particular barn in Bluff Dale that housed it. And always thought that must be it when we drove by. 

Many years passed and I kind of forgot about that "legend" of the plane in the barn.

After college, when Farmer and I started dating, he showed me his airplane...in a barn.  

The memory came back. 

No way! You are the guy I heard about so long ago?

The barn was actually just up the road from the barn I always thought was the one that held the airplane. I was about 1/2 a mile off :) 

So as you can see with this long post, there is a bit of significance with this plane.

I am getting a quote right now on how much it will cost to print these save the dates. 

We are getting pretty excited about it all!

Anything is Possible

While doing a much deeper clean than I usually do to the ol' farmhouse. I found something that quickly reminded me that anything is possible with persistence and perseverance! 

Nature is always there to remind us!

 

While taking a bit of an evening stroll yesterday, I came upon these little guys!! At first I thought they were bones...and then when I came closer I realized these bones were antlers! Only five feet a part from one another, I scooped them up and called Farmer (interrupting his movie) and told him about my rare find!

Pretty neat to find an actual pair! 

If you are even lucky to just find one, then you are having a good day.

This will be my 3rd antler to find at the ol' Gaddy farm. 

Okra-Palooza

Last year Farmer and I sowed a long row of okra seeds. I had never had grown okra before (i think I tried one year but the seeds never germinated). So we planted lots!

If you remember, and how can you forget, how awful the drought was last year and nothing really fruited. My tomatoes finally started putting off fruit in the fall and everything else followed. But the okra...oh the okra prevailed through the hottest year on record. And I was up to my eye balls in Okra.

I learned a pretty good lesson...do not plant so much next year!

So that's what I did.. I sowed about 4 or 5 okra seeds and waited. They had a slow start but I can guarantee they are making up for lost time.

Now it will not be the year of the okra this year (thank goodness) but I am still overwhelmed with it! They grow so fast and before I know it they are too hard and woody to eat.

I just found this out the other day while looking through one of Farmer's Grandmother's gardening books that Okra is called Gumbo (or Gombo) in Africa.. and last year I learned that Okra is a big part of the Cajun's dish, Gumbo (don't judge me for my ignorance!). 

Never knew the background of the word! Pretty neat!!

So this year I will be making a lot of Gumbo :)  And probably some pickling too!  

Elope?

 

This is me several years ago hugging THE tree...

 

The Wedding Oak outside of San Saba, Texas. 

Farmer and I daydream about eloping...it would be so much easier than the big hubbub that goes with getting married. Our dear friend that is going to marry us, Carlton, and his wife, Becca, have a ranch not to far from the infamous tree. Last time we all got together we joked about just getting it over with and making it official at the Wedding Oak...if only we had the papers handy we probably would have done it!!

....and here is a picture of Farmer a bit scared of the whole scenario.. but not anymore!!

Is this the Same Person?

 

Do you think this is the same person?? 

The first picture came from the green locked box and the 2nd picture came from Ancestry.com