[Previous Rural Farmgirl, June 2010 – January 2012]
It’s the main summer holiday in our valley – the Fourth of July. Now, we in Utah have Pioneer Day on July 24th, but that’s another story for another day. “The fourth,” as it’s known around here, is full of all things fun and wild, and at our farm it’s no exception. We had a bit of everything – the good, the bad, the ugly, the fun, the hospital, the racetrack… Pour a glass of something cold (green tea with mango is my current fave), have a seat and join my world – who knows? Maybe you’ll find a bit of your world here, too!
It sounds like a lot fun to me…hope the toe is ok and would have loved to be at the races I love horses….I am disabled now and on oxygen so I love to read about others who can go to all te places I miss. Thank you so much for sharing
Great article …what a great and generous weekend!
love the basil, mozzerella and basil idea!
it’s great to hear there are folks who are still in the homes their ancestors built. I hear you on channeling the ladies.
While, unfortunately, our family farm was sold several years ago (upstate NY), I did spend time in the house and yes, the grandmothers, grandfathers and others "spoke" to me. Not to mention every plank, every window, every stone was a reminder of their lives and the contribution they have made to my life.
To sit in furntiutre they crafted, in the house they built, to read their diaries, you know a special meaning of the word HOME.
Blessings
After reading this (and after hearing about all the festivities in "Aunt Jenny’s town!) my family as decided that when I meet with the Chamber of Commerce director this week to talk about some writing I’m todo for them, that we’re going to suggest that NEXT YEAR we MUST have some sort of Fourth of July festivities in our county and town! We have a BIG Veteran’s Day Parade and BIG BIG BIG Chrstmas Parade but we NEED NEED NEED this in the summer, both to show our respect and love of and independence in this land AND to give our folks more of a spirit of community! Thank you for this wonderful blog!!!
Back in Cub Scout Days one of the Mom’s had the boys make
Som’mores with chocolate chip cookies– yummy they worked great.. and you didn’t have to buy candy bars..which in this Hot weather we are having here in Northeastern Ohio would melt.
Libbie, you are a captivating writer! I was hooked after the vision of the kids flying out of the cars, and I tasted the s’mores, winced over the tale of your finger, and felt the rumble of the horses racing past.
You had lots of events during your celebration of this great country, but the most blessed part is your description of "all of us" honoring our flag.
Thanks for allowing us to be a part of your 4th of July.
I so enjoyed reading your aritcle. I am a suburban farm girl, but related to living in your family’s home. I spent so many summers in my gradparents home. They are with me in spirit always. By the way, have you read Cynthia Rylant’s story, The Relatives Are Coming? It is a children’s book about family get togethers. You would like it. Keep on sharing!
Hello Fellow Farmgirls,
Sounds like alot of us had a great "4th" week-end…My family(some of us)met at my yougest son’s new home..we grilled hambergers, hot dogs and chicken…No one was hurt, thank God…he had bought a small atv and all the kids took rides on it around his back field…What a wonderful time making memeories…next time gonna remember those s’more!!!! I forgot until it was too late…gives us something to look forward to share!!!! Take care!!!
What a wonderful description!! I can so relate to the kids exploding out of cars! I have 3 daughters, Ella is 7, Zoe is 5 and baby Merren is 1. It’s like a zoo around here with gut wretching belly laughs, crying, arguing and hugs. I wouldn’t trade it for the world.
Thanks for a fantastic romp through your 4th of July weekend. You made me smile.
Libbie: I loved hearing of your 4th of July weekend. Evellyn is BIG and beautiful. Having a dream cow is a dream come true. I hope you and your hubby are both healing. As for the Mozzarella. Do you have a recipe to share or to suggest. I made a creamy cheese with herbs from Mary Jane’s magazine. It was fun. Have a great summer out there. My dream is to have a small farm someday. Maybe then I too can have a dream cow. Hugs Dianne
Libbie, thanks for sharing your 4th with us. It sounds like a fun weekend well without the emergency part. HOpe your finger and little one’s toe heals fast. I love horse races. I met my hubby at the horse races. WE decided when I picked out the winning horse of the race we were good match for each other. Have a blessed weekend ahead.
hugs
Tammy
Libbie: What a fantastic time you provided for everyone. You must live on a big farm. Your telling makes me wish everyone could have an adventure at least once in their life. Thanks for sharing! Bonnie
We love going camping and are planning a trip down to southern IL to go camping with my sister and I can’t wait for breakfast over a campfire. I know what I’ll be making! Thanks so much for that little tidbit.
It has been years since I had a s’mores and I can barely remember how to make them a little refresher course would be lovely as we have a big fire pit out in our back forty and we often set up one or two of the tents and have some good old campfire fun with the kids. They’ve been begging for s’mores so help this old farm girl out and refresh my memory as I don’t want to disappoint my grandkids.
Love your blog, by the by.
Talking about smores……my daughter-in-law made them this 4th with Reeses peanut butter cups instead of Hershey bars…..yummo
Good morning Libbie,
I really enjoyed reading about your fourth of July weekend. It sounds like you had a wonderful get together stock full of love, family and friends. Thank you for sharing Emilie’s quote, I am inspired to post it at my desk…"I dwell in possibility." Gotta love it!
Your campfire recipies sound yummy, especially, you called it bread sticks but my mind developed it into cinnamon buns on a stick, mmmmmm yummy. Just have a mixture of powder sugar and water stired in to a creamy paste to dip it in hot off the fire to give it a nice glaze and I would be in seventh heaven…till I looked at the scale again of course but hey, once a year right?
I love reading all of the farm girl posts (and miss Rene, hope she is enjoying her new job) but at the same time feel like I’ve made a new friend reading your posts. You coined it just right when you said "I feel sort of like we’re all sitting down together chatting, and I love it." For some reason I feel the same.
I love reading the responses you get as well. This is a wonderful virtual community that comes together through MaryJane’s farmgirls and their blogs. It is so refreshing to have a place to come and read something that always makes you feel good everytime your read it.
Hugs
Tammie
Hey Libbie!
What a 4th of July celebration you had on the farm! Sounds as if you had a wonderful time… The kind that you’re ready to be over, but happy you crammed in everything you did! Great memories for the youngters too!
Thanks for taking us along for the ride!
Deb
I found you through the magazine Mary Jane Farms which someone else introduced me to. (funny how these things…connections…happen)
Anyway, I am kinda "into" reading ranching, farming, country type ladies now as I have recently been transplanted to a quarter section with a new hubby in alberta, canada. We have 4 horses, a dog….are retired and I am learning to become a "country girl"
I moved here by the way from West Jordan Utah…..I miss the hot Utah days
fun to read your blogs
What a great 4th celebration! Glad your finger is better…kinda scary. And hay no less!
We make smores with a layer of peanut butter on the cracker which is similar to the peanut butter cup. I’m trying the peanut butter cup next time…less to haul to the campfire!
I love to blog also – never did journal much so thinking about what might be interesting to share, taking a picture and then spending some time writing…its easy to see that you like to blog also.
I’m so so happy that I found your blog! What a great way to hear about what’s going on at your farm, Lib! I love that picture of you and Evelynn. I can’t wait to get back and pet her some more (it was my first time petting a cow, and believe me, Jack had to hear about it for almost the entire drive back home!). He thought that the next time we’re there you might even let me help milk her?! I would love to try sometime. Anyway, it looks like you always host a wonderful time, and you always have in my experience. Sunday was so much fun – a beautiful place and wonderful people. Thank you for everything. I’m looking forward to continuing to read about the goings-on at the farm – happy blogging!
It was so fun to hear about your 4th of July..sounds like so so so much fun!!! Rural Utah is awesome in the summer time isn’t it?? I can’t beleive how close we are and yet we can’t manage to get together more often.
Evelyn is just so grown up and beautiful like her mother!! I am so so happy that you have my "grandcow"..haha.
Take care..you are doing an awesome job with the blog..I LOVE reading it and feeling like I catch up with you each time. Have a great week!!
Every 4th of July our small town holds the "biggest small town parade." Several hours before the parade the streets are lined with families from miles around and further. We boast 500 friendly people on the town sign but there are probably several thousand on parade day. Of course, this year the parade was on July 5th since the fourth fell on a Sunday. We are located in the largest Amish settlement in the world and rarely hold public events on Sundays as the Amish would not attend. The parade is always opened in silence as the color guard leads out with the flags. Everyone stands as the flags and veterans go by. Following the flags are the fire trucks from all of the volunteer stations in two counties. Supporting the fire department is taken very seriously in all of the small communities aound here. No matter who is in the parade, everyone throws lots of candy and the children are ready with their bags. Its a better haul than Halloween. The parade route comes right past our house so our yard is always full of friends and family. After the parade everyone stays to eat. Its all great fun.