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At The Picket Fence with Vanessa Hunt

Where Ideas for your Home Meet Inspiration for your Heart

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April 8, 2017

Roadside Daffodils

Every Spring it seems like our entire side of town is watching…waiting.

We text each other, “Are they out yet? Have you seen the sign yet?”

We post on Facebook, “Has anyone seen them yet? PLEASE let us know if you see them!”

And then, one day, you’re driving down the road and just up ahead you get a glimpse of something. Could it be? Are they there? Is it just a figment of my imagination?

You get closer and closer and the first thing you see is the sign.

Then…you spot them. They’re bending in the breeze as if they are waving hello and you can’t help but smile because…well…daffodils have to be perhaps one of the most cheerful flowers ever.

You may or may not be in your car clapping your hands and squealing, “They’re here! They’re here!”

You park your car and walk up (or drive up if it’s pouring rain because, well, this is Oregon after all!) the long driveway to the little table where the rusty coffee can sits and drop your bills in, making sure to use the rock that is provided to keep them from blowing away since the lid doesn’t fit properly anymore. Plastic bags have been graciously provided for you to use for your flowers so you don’t drip water all over in the inside of your car.

And then, it’s time to make your selections. Really, you can’t go wrong because they are all so perfect but you just kind of want to stand there for a bit relishing the moment. You hop back in your car and wonder what it is about this annual tradition that gives your spirit a boost and puts a smile on your face.

 

And you realize that, perhaps, it’s because even though you live in a fairly large city, a roadside daffodil stand makes you feel like you live in a small town.

Or maybe, it’s because it seems like the perfect representation of Spring.

Maybe, it’s because you feel bonded together with people (some of whom you don’t even know!) who appreciate the same things that you do.

Or maybe, it’s because for this brief moment in time, you are reminded of just how much joy is found in the simplest of things.

“I am beginning to learn that it is the sweet, simple things of life which are the real ones after all.” (Laura Ingalls Wilder)

May your weekend have a moment or two of sweet, simple things dear friends!

 

15 Comments Filed Under: Good Thoughts

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Comments

  1. Gail says

    April 8, 2017 at 3:51 AM

    NICE. Have a great one.

    Reply
  2. Karen says

    April 8, 2017 at 4:05 AM

    LOVE THEM.

    Reply
  3. Julie Cole says

    April 8, 2017 at 5:53 AM

    I went to the store this week and they had daffodils on sale. Every time I walk by them in my kitchen my heart smiles! It really is the simple things that are real in life. What great memories that family has passed on to others in your town!

    Reply
  4. Vickie Macfarlane says

    April 8, 2017 at 6:12 AM

    A reminder of days gone by, when we loved seeing these flowers. As children we called them “Easter Lillies.” It seemed as though they grew wild in many areas. Such beauty after the cold and dreary days of winter. They were a true sign of Spring in Oklahoma where I grew up.
    Thank you for sharing.

    Reply
  5. Karen says

    April 8, 2017 at 8:08 AM

    Sweet and simple, jut like Laura said.

    Blessing you with a sweet, simple and beautiful Saturday morning

    Reply
  6. Gigi says

    April 8, 2017 at 8:12 AM

    I love them too! I wish I lived in Oregon! Thanks for writing and evoking such great emotions.

    Reply
  7. Michele (Finch Rest) says

    April 8, 2017 at 9:09 AM

    Squeeeeeeeeee!!!!!

    Joy joy joy!

    May your Holy Week be blessed and Jesus be utmost in your hearts this week, and always.

    Hugs. ♥

    Reply
  8. Esther says

    April 8, 2017 at 9:30 AM

    I went and got mine!! Thanks for letting me know she was finally open. I’ve gone by twice before and she wasn’t open yet – so disappointing! (I went on the windy day and was worried that they would all be wind blown gone, but there were plenty!)

    Reply
    • At The Picket Fence says

      April 8, 2017 at 12:11 PM

      So glad you were able to get some Esther!!! Aren’t they just so wonderful? Happy Spring!

      Reply
  9. Rose L. says

    April 8, 2017 at 11:51 AM

    I live in Oregon City and love the small town country feel here! Daffodils, tulips and others are popping up in my gardens and love the color after the long winter.

    Reply
  10. stephanie Ray Brown says

    April 8, 2017 at 4:28 PM

    This story is just precious! Love your style of writing too! Daffodils and dogwoods are my favorite spring blooms in Kentucky! Happy spring!

    Reply
    • At The Picket Fence says

      April 8, 2017 at 6:48 PM

      Thank you so much Stephanie! So glad you stopped by the picket fence! 🙂

      Reply
  11. MARY-ANN (FROM CANADA!) says

    April 8, 2017 at 7:12 PM

    So beautiful! Enjoy! How fun to be able to go to a roadside stand and get your flowers! You live in such a wonderful part of the world!

    Blessings!

    Reply
  12. Pam says

    April 9, 2017 at 7:46 PM

    Hello, I have been looking for an “old” looking kitchen scale like the one you pictured in your post. Any suggestions where I could purchase one online for a reasonable price? I have looked at antique (junk) stores with no luck. Thanks! Pam

    Reply
  13. julie says

    April 10, 2017 at 2:49 AM

    Wow! 10 for a dollar . . . Beautiful treat.

    Reply

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I’m never.going.back to stressful, time-consumin I’m never.going.back to stressful, time-consuming seasonal decorating. When I think back on the years where I would feel all of the pressure to come up with something fresh and creative I’m seriously embarrassed. Truly. Because it was such a waste. A waste of my time, my energy, my resources. Something clicked with me a few years ago. I was just done. I needed to simplify. I needed to not spend an obscene amount of time looking at fireplace mantels on Pinterest and trying to figure out how to make mine look amazing. I needed to put it all in the proper place in my heart and my mind. Which meant, it had to go waaaaayyyy down on the priority list. So far down it almost wasn’t on it. And I needed to confess to the Lord that I had allowed it to become an idol. 

Yes, I want to have a home that I enjoy. Yes, I love pretty things. But something really amazing happened when I finally released it all. When I decided to not give into the pressure and panic I would feel when I would scroll through my Instagram feed. When I just laid it all down and said…enough. There was this incredible irony in it. Because, the less time I took to decorate my home for each season, the more I found myself loving the results. I think that all along I had just been getting in my own way. It’s really taken a lot of time and prayer for me to finally be at a place where even though I still struggle with insecurities and I still have doubts from time to time, I’m becoming increasingly more confident in who God created me to be. And, just like my home, I’m finding that as I relax into myself, letting go of the comparisons and the pressure, the more I can actually lean into the calling He has placed on my life. 🍂

Leave a comment if you can relate! 

#wearethehomemakers #homemaking
“As the alluring song of September begins to whi “As the alluring song of September begins to whisper in my ear, my passionate spirit yearns for the splendor of its promise.” (Peggy Toney Horton)

Happy September dear friends! While I’m not quite ready to let go of summer and I plan to make the most out of the lingering, warm days, I’ll admit to starting to think about my fall decor this year. And one way to get inspired is to take a look back at previous years. Here’s just a glimpse at some of the ways I’ve welcomed Autumn to my home! 🍂

#september #falldecorating #falldecor #falldecoratingideas #wearethehomemakers
Labor Day weekend might mean that we’re turning Labor Day weekend might mean that we’re turning the corner and getting closer to fall but I’m not quite ready to let summer go. So I’ll just be over here continuing to whip up some super simple summer meals for my family that frankly can be enjoyed in any season. These shrimp rolls I made the other night were definitely a hit and would be great for any of your upcoming holiday weekend gatherings!

Shrimp Rolls 🍤

Ingredients
1-2 lbs of shrimp that is peeled, deveined and tail off (If using frozen make sure it’s thawed completely)
1/3 cup mayonnaise 
1/2 of a lemon
2 Tbsps chopped scallions
1 Tbsp chopped dill
1 Tbsp chopped Italian parsley
1 Tsp of Old Bay seasoning (more if you like!)
pinch of sea salt and pinch of black pepper
Hoagie Rolls
Softened butter

Directions: Gently pat the shrimp with a paper towel to remove any excess moisture. Roughly chop the shrimp and place in a bowl. Add mayonnaise, squeeze half of lemon and stir to combine before adding in the scallions, dill and parsley. Stir to combine and then add the additional seasonings. Spread butter on hoagie rolls and toast in the oven until lightly browned. Pile on the shrimp mixture and enjoy! 

#shrimproll #foodie #weeknightdinner #easydinner #seafoodlover
Today has been a very Monday-ish kind of Monday. W Today has been a very Monday-ish kind of Monday. We woke up to the sound of chainsaws and rushed downstairs to find that our backyard neighbors were having two of the huge trees that line our shared fence removed. These trees have been here longer than the neighborhood and no, they weren't dead or causing damage to roofs, foundations, etc. They were beautiful and gave us wonderful privacy. We had no notice of this happening so this came as quite a shock. Because we were given no notice, we didn't have the chance to cover our outdoor furniture or plants and everything is now coated in a thick layer of sawdust including the fresh bark we recently put in the garden beds. And now our lovely privacy is gone, replaced by a direct view of an above ground pool and RV. I know, I know, it's totally a first world, privileged kind of problem to have. But, now we have to spend thousands of dollars on plants to try and recapture some semblance of privacy. Now we have days worth of clean up to do after we had JUST done a massive freshening up of our backyard. My overarching feeling has just been weariness at the way our world is today.

I think about how often we try to do right by people, to be respectful and courteous. To be thoughtful and considerate. And it’s not reciprocated. How its starting to seem more and more like people have just given up on those seemingly small niceties. And my soul just feels heavy. Because I feel like so much of what used to be common courtesy is not so common anymore. Drivers on the roads are angrier and more reckless than ever before. Red lights being run are an everyday occurrence around town. On our recent family vacation, I heard more people using the F word out in public than ever before even while around children. Where are manners? Where is kindness? I'm finding myself being surprised when someone is thoughtful because it seems like a rarity. And that's just all on a micro, local level. Don't even get me started on the insanity in our world/culture. After I returned from grocery shopping (which can also be soul crushing), I found myself desperate for a reminder of the truth. 

*Part 2 continued in the comments.*
How often is it in our lives that we don’t fully How often is it in our lives that we don’t fully grasp our strengths or our weaknesses until we are put to the test? Little did I know how much I would love my role as a wife, mother and homemaker until I became one. And that in my endeavor to do those roles to the best of my ability, it would bring to the forefront gifts and talents and blessings that I use outside of these walls.

As I water others, I’m watered too because it brings such joy to care for those around me. But it can also make me see more clearly the areas in which I’m lacking and be a very humbling reminder of how much I still need to grow and learn.

Proverbs 11:25 says, “Whoever brings blessing will be enriched and one who waters will himself be watered.”

Have you done any ‘watering’ of others this week? How has it blessed and ‘watered’ you in return?
“Mom, this is one of my favorite meals that you “Mom, this is one of my favorite meals that you make.” Statements like this from my kids fill me with so much joy and such a sense of assurance that my role as the maker of this home is one that makes an impact on them in both big and small ways. It’s not just sheet pan shrimp boil. 

It’s nourishment
It’s time together around the table
It’s laughing as we try to get the butter sauce out of the pan
It’s a memory
It’s an imprint on their lives 

The ordinary act of making a meal becomes EXTRAordinary. And I try to keep that in mind as I do this task day in and day out, year after year. 

***

Ingredients: 
1 pound baby red or yellow potatoes
Green beans or corn (4 ears cut in half) whichever you prefer
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon Old Bay seasoning
1/2 tsp coarse sea salt and pinch of black pepper 
1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 (12.8-ounce) package smoked andouille sausage, thinly sliced
Crusty bread for dipping 

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly oil a baking sheet or coat with nonstick spray. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook potatoes until just tender, about 10 minutes. Put potatoes, shrimp, sausage and green beans or corn on baking sheet. Pour butter over top. Sprinkle with old bay seasoning and salt and pepper. Mix well to combine. Bake for about 12 minutes or until shrimp is pink. 

#shrimpboil #sheetpandinner #sheetpanmeals #homemaking
Temperatures in the 100’s call for fresh and lig Temperatures in the 100’s call for fresh and light cocktails! My husband is my own built in bartender and he put this together the other night. 

2 jiggers of gin (you could also use vodka) 
*you should do a jig when using a jigger 😉*
Crushed ice 
Grapefruit tonic 
Squirt of lime 
Sprig of mint 

Easy and so refreshing!! ☀️

#cocktails #summercocktails
There is something magical about the late summer e There is something magical about the late summer evenings. Maybe it’s because we have a greater sense of the fact that these long days are slowly shortening and we want to savor them as much as we can. I know I intend to do just that. 

I hope you’re having a wonderful August so far dear friends!
Variations of this recipe are on repeat at our hou Variations of this recipe are on repeat at our house all summer long. We’re big on the ‘build your own’ method of making dinner especially on very hot days. Simplicity for the win! 
#recipes #easydinner #easydinnerideas #homemaking
In music, rhythm is a regular repetition or a grou In music, rhythm is a regular repetition or a grouping of beats. No matter what else a piece of music has in terms of its pitch or tone, the rhythm never changes. Its the stabilizing force and brings order to a composition that would be completely chaotic without it.

The same can be said of rhythms in our lives and in our homes. When everything else feels out of control, rhythms and patterns provide us with stability and something that we can rely upon to give us a sense of security in a very insecure world. But, too often, we associate the rhythmic things we do in our lives as merely tasks to be gotten through rather than gifts which provide much-needed balance.

Whether it’s making the coffee every night before we go to bed or doing my devotional in the morning before the rest of the house wakes up or watering my garden, these simple tasks provide a rhythm to my day that is truly grounding. 

What’s something that you do that you would classify as a rhythm or pattern in your week?
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