I Love Flags!!

These pictures are from magazine clippings that I have in a scrapbook for inspiration. I Love Flags.. It just makes everything look better!!

Beautiful Iowa Sunsets

Our acreage sits on a high point so we can view sunrises and sunset with unobstructed views. Once someone was in my store from New York City. They told me that in New York city just to have an apartment with a view of either the sunrise or sunset as one million dollars to the value of the apartment. So I say our acreage has a 2 MILLION Dollar View!!!

Lighthouse Upper Michigan

Whitefish Point Lighthouse in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.

We took this vacation back in 2007.

Hawkeye Snowman 2007

Nathan is our Christmas decorator. He loves to put up this Santa train in our front yard during Christmas. We got it for 75% off the previous year.

Christmas 2005

Ran across old pictures from 2005. This was my place setting for Christmas dinner.

Flowers from the Past

I don't consider my self a gardener, even though I love flowers!!! When we first moved to our acreage I was working at the lab and didn't have children yet. I was really into stopping by the garden centers on my way home from work and bring home wonderful new perennials to plant. Over the years since I started the Rug Cottage my flower beds have been sooo neglected. The flowers and bushes that have survived my neglect were not the fancy ones from the garden centers, but the ones that I transferred from our farm in western Iowa.

Summer Sweet Corn Supper

We had some of the first sweet corn tonight for supper. We ate out in our Gazebo and the weather was just beautiful.
We had all fresh garden produce and our meal was entirely vegetarian.... which really pleases Jessica who has been a vegetarian since she was 3.

The Cast of Annie

This smiling group was the cast of Annie that performed to 4 sold out crowds at the Washington Community Theater back in June. Pictured from left to Right... Nicole M "Annie", Jessica F, "Grace", Ryan F " Daddy Warbucks" and Gwedolyn F, "Molly". They attended the "Annie" production in Fairfield, Iowa at the new Sondheim Theater.

Jessica visiting with the performers from Fairfield who played Grace and Daddy Warbucks.

The Washington "Annie" cast poises with the cast from Fairfield.

A Good Old Iowa Farm Auction

It was a perfect summer day in Iowa for this old farm auction. It was a true classic with old farm machinery and farm artifacts from decades of farming. Jessica my daughter and I went and had soooo much fun.

Iowa State Fair 2004

Every Summer our Family attends the Iowa State Fair... these are some old pictures from 2004. Nathan and Nolan in the garden maize.
We have to get a smoked turkey leg!

We have to ride the sky lift.

The Great American Family Reunion

This is a picture of my father enjoying himself at the reunion. It was held at our home farm in western Iowa. My grandfather purchased this original farm during the depression. I grew up there.... until I left for college.

Family Reunion

Wonderful Family Reunion at our home Farm!!

John & I at the reunion!!

Hilton Towers Chicago

Last summer Jessica and I splurged and stayed at the Hilton Towers in Chicago. Its so amazing!!