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Volunteer Sunflowers in the Garden

In Cut Flowers, Flower Garden by Laura CrossleyLeave a Comment

Our sunflowers have returned! No thanks to us. When Elin arrived in March, we really put the kabash on anything to do with the garden this year. I refused to stretch things too thin by trying to juggle a new baby, renovation, all of our usual work, our toddler, our animals, our many projects and a garden. What do you …

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Surprising Sprouts and Beautiful Blooms

In Cut Flowers, Flower Garden by Laura CrossleyLeave a Comment

The time of year is here once again! Lois’s stunning Irises are taking over the landscaping around the backyard and we couldn’t be happier to welcome them. The thick greenery in the flower beds more than reminds me that I should have divided these babies last Summer. But that’s not going to keep me from enjoying the abundance of blooms …

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More Blooms in the Flower Garden

In Cut Flowers, Flower Garden by Laura CrossleyLeave a Comment

Just when I thought the cut flower blooms were dwindling, the Dahlias go and throw in a few more surprises. After harvesting a pretty bouquet a couple of weeks ago, I figured we were creeping toward time to mow and till what’s left of this year’s crazy garden experiment. A few surprise blooms are keeping the magic alive though. I’m …

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Another Kitchen Bouquet

In Cut Flowers, Flower Garden, Harvest by Laura CrossleyLeave a Comment

One of my bigger ambitions for the farm when we purchased it was to really dive deep into creating a massive cut flower garden. Despite the chaos that is now the garden, I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the handful of blooms that continue to pop up. This week, I took a bit of a mental break from another day of …

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New Blooms

In Cut Flowers, Flower Garden by Laura CrossleyLeave a Comment

Pay no attention to the massive amounts of grass in the garden. It’s…still out of hand. If you can manage to do that, you’ll see some seriously stunning blooms creeping in. The pretty colors are amazing. The appearance of these happy little flowers is just awesome. When I had all but given up on the cut flower side of the …

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Peonies in Bloom

In Cut Flowers, Flower Garden by Laura CrossleyLeave a Comment

The farm has been exploding with blooms left behind by the previous owners. Lois’ Irises are everywhere. We saw their hearty green leaves pop out of the ground early on and eagerly awaited their beautiful colors. The peonies, on the other hand, were completely unexpected. When they listed the farm in the Fall, Lois and David did a spectacular job …

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The Irises

In Farm Life, Flower Garden by Laura CrossleyLeave a Comment

I often find myself thanking Lois for the small bits of magic all around the farm. Often, I run into something cute or quirky and immediately imagine that it must have been her idea instead of David’s. I have no idea if any of it is true – but I hope she’d be tickled to know she’s getting all the credit. …

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A Snowball Story

In Farm Life, Flower Garden by Laura CrossleyLeave a Comment

Years ago, I owned a small Ranch house in Roeland Park, Kansas. It was the first house I’d every purchased and, while tiny, it packed a punch for insane stories. Next door, my 96-year-old neighbor Annebelle would swing on her front porch stoop. She’d wait for me to take Ogi on a walk or come bounding into the front yard …