Category: Farmhouse Living

love your garden
Farmhouse Living, Garden Talk

How to Love Your Garden

Frost alerts, bug infestations, pest invasions, blight devastation, black rot destruction – with all this drama, can you ever learn how to love your garden? Here’s what we do at Serendipity Farmhouse to avoid the recurring yearly dread of impending doom.

Love your garden

Several days ago, I came in from working in the vegetable gardens. It was a cold day, and I had hesitated to go out. But the tomatoes and peppers were begging to be planted.

I wish I could hear everything my plants have to say to me. It seemed that my dad could hear them, and he gave them anything they wanted. – He was a garden whisperer.

Reasons to Love Your Garden

There can be little doubt that we here at Serendipity Farmhouse love our vegetable and herb gardens. We write about them often.

The Joy of Faithful Stewardship

As the SFH Chief Gardener, I am obligated to make an accounting of our successes and failures, our improvements and our setbacks in the garden. It is my job to make a twice-yearly report to our patron, St. Isidore. We know that all that we have and every breath we breathe is a gift. That means that our humble gardens are treasures entrusted to our care. That is why I said in my post Feast Day Garden Talk this time last year:

We’ve tried to be good stewards of what God has bestowed on Serendipity. The fruits of these labors constantly bring us joy.

The Fruits of Our Labor

And that brings us to the question of what to expect from the time and labor invested in vegetable gardening. I think expectations should be based on purpose and scale. For example, if you are a commercial farmer, you need to grow enough to make a profit in the marketplace. But, if you are a homesteader, you seek to produce enough to meet your personal needs.

Hubby and I are neither farmers nor homesteaders. We merely want to supplement our other food sources with vegetables we like that are either hard to find or otherwise too expensive. The feature picture of me reaching for okra pods from a 10.5-foot okra plant is the perfect example. We are still eating frozen and pickled okra from last year’s harvest, even though it is virtually impossible to find okra in the grocery store now. – Certainly, that is a reason to love my garden.

Personal Accomplishment

I started out by listing several of the many disasters that strike fear and dread in the hearts of gardeners. Hubby and I have experienced them all. And that is where perseverance comes into play. Just as we have overcome adversity in our years of marriage, so too have we worked to overcome adversity in our gardens. There is a great deal of satisfaction to be found when you work through your problems. Eventually, you can say as I did in my post Report to St. Isidore – 2022:

The harvest for 2022 will go down in history as the best year yet for the vegetable and herb gardens proudly cultivated here on the vast 1.203 acres of the Serendipity Farmhouse estate.

One More Reason to Love Your Garden

I’m sure, if you think about what really makes you happy in your life, you will be able to find any number of reasons to love your garden. When there’s a frost warning, or the bugs invade, keep those reasons in mind.

Perhaps you will even find a reason that overcomes every fear of failure. I know I have.

When I write about my gardens, I can’t help but thinking about Dad. This is especially true in May, because that is planting season. That’s when Dad’s expectations were high, and when he worked so hard to make everything just right. – Dad passed away some years ago on May 24th. I like to think that, on that day, his thoughts were about going home to a Garden made just for him.

Dad, I know how much you loved working with your tomatoes and other plants. You were the one who taught me how to love my garden. Thank you for that wonderful gift!

2023 Plantings (So far)

Farmhouse nightmare
Farmhouse Living, Pray, Prepare, Preserve, Rappahannock Neighbors

No Need for A Farmhouse Nightmare

Wednesday morning, fire destroyed a Sperryville auto shop and nearby utility lines; it could have caused a Serendipity Farmhouse nightmare. But, due to practical planning and a small measure of serendipity, it didn’t.

According to the Rappahannock News story Explosions, fire destroy Sperryville auto shop:

A local auto shop in Sperryville was razed early Wednesday morning after catching fire and exploding, downing power lines and leaving more than 300 homes in the area without electricity.

The article explains that the incident occurred just before 5 AM. That was about when I had just finished my prayer time and was eating breakfast. I had heard some strange sounds outside and noticed the lights flickering. Then the Internet went dead and my telephone flashed, saying that I should check the line.

Something was going on. Soon the sound of sirens confirmed that a serious event had happened near Serendipity Farmhouse. It was only hours later that I would have the opportunity to assess the nature of this critical infrastructure event.

Critical Infrastructure Security

I suspect that very few of you have read A Guide to Critical Infrastructure Security and Resilience by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). – – Why would you?

That publication lists the 16 Current U.S. Critical Infrastructure Sectors. It also notes that there are four designated lifeline functions – transportation, water, energy, and
communications. The crucial assertion by this CISA publication is:

These connections and interdependencies between infrastructure elements and sectors mean that the loss of one or more lifeline function(s) typically has an immediate impact on the operation or mission in multiple sectors. [My emphasis added.]

Preliminary Lifeline Functions Assessment

Here is the event scene as it looked at 3 PM. The auto repair shop was totally destroyed. Most of the fire crews had departed. Apparently, Rappahannock Electric Company had already completed their on-site work. Power had been restored.

Multiple Verizon trucks had arrived, and workers were repairing telephone lines.

Xfinity technicians were performing repairs on Internet, TV cable, and digital phone lines.

Transportation

Did the fire have an impact on transportation?

At 5:12 AM, The Rappahannock County Fire & Rescue Department reported: “Crews are working to extinguish a commercial structure fire in Sperryville. Please avoid the immediate town of Sperryville due to multiple exposures and dangerous conditions.”

Additionally, Son’s Road and Water Street were closed to through traffic. – This had some impact on Serendipity Farmhouse.

Energy

Did the fire have an impact on energy?

According to the Rappahannock News, over 300 homes in the area lost electric power. Owing to a bit of serendipity, electric power is fed to Serendipity Farmhouse via a different distribution circuit than feeds the central portion of Sperryville. But for those 300+ families, there was great concern and inconvenience.

Water

Did the fire have an impact on water?

For the 300+ families without power, this was most certainly a big problem. Almost everyone in Sperryville gets their water from wells using electric pumps. No electricity means no water. No water for drinking, cooking, washing, or flushing.

Communications

Did the fire have an impact on communications?

As I noted earlier, Serendipity Farmhouse lost Xfinity/Comcast Internet access, cable, and telephone just before 5 AM. But Xfinity/Comcast users were not the only ones impacted. Verizon telephone lines are on the same utility poles as the electric and cable lines. This meant that, with the exception of mobile cell service, Sperryville was without communications.

Consider the implications of this 11:47 AM report from Rappahannock County Sheriff’s Office: “Rappahannock County Public Safety Communication Center 911 lines are back up and operating. For non-emergency calls please dial 540-522-7355. Administrative lines remain down.“

Lifeline Functions Resilience Plan

What do we do at Serendipity Farmhouse when the lights go out? – In the words of my most wonderful wife Blondie – “Panic!!”

But she and I know that after we allow ourselves a brief moment of panic and dread, we immediately set about implementing our Lifeline Functions Resilience Plan.

At Serendipity Farmhouse, we don’t live off-grid. And, as you can see by Wednesday’s fire, we are dependent on critical infrastructure. But because of thoughtful planning, there is no need for this type of event to become a farmhouse nightmare. Although we’re not homesteaders, preppers, or survivalists, we live a practical life. And we adhere to a commonsense motto that allows us to enjoy a good night’s sleep. That motto, of course, is Pray, Prepare, Preserve. That motto motivates us to prepare for events like this.

We know what the four lifeline functions are. We understand what loss of those functions means. So, we have developed a plan to build resilience into the way we run Serendipity Farmhouse. CISA defines resilience as:

Resilience may be defined as the ability to prepare for and adapt to changing conditions. This means being able to withstand and recover rapidly from disruptions, deliberate attacks, accidents, or naturally-occurring threats or incidents.

Over the next few months, Blondie and I will show you what we do to ensure lifeline functions resilience. You will learn why, here at the vast 1.203-acre estate known as Serendipity Farmhouse, there is no need to have a farmhouse nightmare.

Sperryville is our community, the place where we live. Wednesday’s fire was destructive and tragic. Our prayers go out to Andrew Manuel, the owner of Wrextorations. You can donate to Wrextorations here.

Unique Serendipity Farmhouse Flavor
Farmhouse Living, Test Kitchen

That Unique Serendipity Farmhouse Flavor

Saturday, we had our first springtime dinner on the deck. We seasoned our dinner with that unique Serendipity Farmhouse flavor. And just what might that unique farmhouse flavor be? Well, let’s find out.

Serendipity Farmhouse Springtime Opera

Don’t be fooled by the word Opera. For us, it has nothing to do with singing. Rather, it has to do with numerous labors and works. Often, these opera combine in a way that give us a taste of that Serendipity Farmhouse Flavor.

It’s Spring! There’s so much to do here on our vast 1.203-acre estate. This is not a time to sit back and rest. We’re in the midst of planting vegetables in our three gardens. The grass is growing, and the lawns must be mowed. The deck needs to be stained. The outdoor chores are multiplying and consume our day.

Meanwhile, the highly trained staff of the soon-to-be-world-famous SFH Test Kitchen is working overtime. They are laboring feverishly to complete a huge list of important recipe test-and-evaluations. Our new stove “Mr. Clyde” hasn’t had a moment’s rest.

Farmhouse Hospitality

Just about the time we had thrown up our hands and said we can’t handle one more thing, a new email appeared on my screen. The title says it all. – “So hungry” –

Yikes! In less than two days, an important guest will arrive at SFH and share dinner with us. – I quickly, but carefully (surprises of this sort are not always welcomed) informed my beautiful Spouse Blondie of this sudden change in plans. Together, we consulted our usually, highly comprehensive menu to see what we had planned for Saturday.

Oops! We soon found that our usually, highly comprehensive menu entry was not as comprehensive as it should have been. – We have found two important truths in menu making:

  • 1st: When in doubt, adding TBD (to be determined) to a blank meal space is an easy way to cop out when you entirely lack any culinary inspiration.
  • 2nd: TBD doesn’t taste very good, and you shouldn’t serve it to special guests. This is a most serious breach of farmhouse hospitality.

Benedictine Hospitality

I immediately rounded up the entire SFH Test Kitchen staff. We all gathered together and listened as Chef Blondie explained the reason for this emergency session. As is usual in a situation like this, we opened up the absolute best reference manual ever written to restore peace and purpose to our Test Kitchen.

As you may or may not remember, we are Benedictine Oblates. (See: Dedication to Our Patrons – St. Scholastica & St. Benedict.) Consequently, the Rule of St. Benedict is our standard reference manual and guide. So, when we have a Test Kitchen or hospitality crisis, we immediately refer to Chapter 53: The Reception of Guests.

We zeroed in on two points from Chapter 53 that would solve the problem at hand.

  • 1 – All guests who present themselves are to be welcomed as Christ, for he himself will say: I was a stranger and you welcomed me (Matt 25:35). 
  • 18 – Additional help should be available when needed, so that they can perform this service without grumbling.

That was it! We had a plan! We would welcome the guest with the best of whatever we could offer. Blondie, Pierre LeChat, Mr. Monte, and I assumed our battle stations. We did this without grumbling. This was a task of Benedictine Pax (peace) and joy.

Menu with That Unique Serendipity Farmhouse Flavor

Under Chef Blondie’s watchful eye, the Test Kitchen staff planned the venue and menu for the evening of Saturday, April 29th. It reflects the spirit of Chapter 53 and the Benedictine spirit of hospitality.

Venue

We would hold our dinner outdoors on the deck. It would be informal.

Serendipity Farmhouse Flavor

I stained the Serendipity Farmhouse deck on Wednesday. Blondie cleaned and positioned the deck furniture in the most elegant and attractive manner. Then, she prepared the porch to be the main serving center. We tirelessly cleaned and re-cleaned the entire area several times. There was not a single stray maple seed to be seen. – It was ready!

Menu

We decided to prepare dinner primarily from ingredients we had on hand. Most importantly, we elected to serve items we had made from scratch or obtained locally.

Appetizer: Small Charcuterie Board

  • Gruyère Cheese, Extra-Sharp White Cheddar Cheese, SFH Homemade Chèvre
  • Mozzarella wrapped in Prosciutto.
  • Marcona Almonds
  • Assorted Crackers

Salad: Simple tossed salad, highlighted with Red and Green Romaine picked from SFH Vegetable Garden #1

Entrée: Lasagna with Meat Sauce – We used locally raised, grass-fed grass-finished beef from Reality Farm. The Parsley was picked from SFH Herb Garden #1.

Bread: Freshly baked SFH Sourdough Artisan Bread. Although the SFH Test Kitchen is still testing this recipe, the Staff felt confident that we were ready for our most recent recipe to make its debut. We would serve the bread with our special homemade butter.

Beverages: Assorted – The featured wine was a 2020 Vin de Miason from our favorite local Quièvremont Vineyard & Winery.

Dessert: Chocolate and Walnut Covered Brownies

Serendipity Farmhouse Flavor is for Every Day

And there you have it. Farmhouse living the Serendipity way has its own unique farmhouse flavor. The Serendipity way prompts us to grow our own food. It guides us in how we prepare our food. We season that farmhouse flavor with locally grown meat and dairy items. And when there is need for a toast, we make that toast with an excellent local wine.

But the most important ingredient we add to that unique Serendipity Farmhouse flavor is our Benedictine Farmhouse Hospitality. That is the secret ingredient we share with every guest who visits Serendipity Farmhouse.

Faith, Family, & Country, Traditions

Hallow ✠ this New Fire

“Hallow ✠ this New Fire” is a phrase the priest prays as part of the blessing of the new fire at the Easter Vigil Mass. In this prayer, we make use of the fire or light as a symbol of Christ. The cross (✠) inserted in the prayer marks the moment when the priest makes the sign of the cross. By this sign he asks Christ to sanctify the fire.

In the eyes of the world, that cross is an instrument of physical death. Now, the sign of the cross, through Christ, sanctifies the New Fire and inflames the hearts of those who believe with heavenly desires. Therefore, we pray that we may join in this feast of perpetual light.

Here at Serendipity Farmhouse, we take Holy Week very seriously. With the exception of Holy Saturday, we made our way to St. Peter’s every day. There, we spent time in reflection on the mysteries of this singular week in human history.

We usually don’t attend the Vigil Mass. Instead, we attend the Easter Morning Mass. But, at about the same time the Vigil Mass begins at St. Peter’s, we light our own New Fire here at SFH. We use this time to consider what we have done during Lent and Holy Week. The bright flames of the fire fill our hearts with “heavenly desires” and we look forward to the great feast of Easter.

Last year, the weather was mild and the full moon rose over our river. It was the perfect night for a fire.

This year, it was cold when we lit our New Fire. It was also the perfect night. That was because, with the cold, we were reminded in a very real way, that this fire not only brings light. It also provides warmth and consolation.

How great is our God! He has bestowed on the faithful the fire of His brightness by His Son!

Resurrexit Sicut Dixit, Alleluia!

Anniversary and farmhouse life
Farmhouse Living, Traditions

Onward with Our Farmhouse Life

This is our Anniversary Week. It is our tradition to keep anniversaries low profile. We make this our time to be together here in the home God chose for us. We were made for each other and this old farmhouse was made for us. So, it is only right that the central focus of our anniversary week is the twofold desire to recommit ourselves to each other and to move onward with our farmhouse life.

And what does it mean to move onward?

Well, it most certainly doesn’t mean what Mr. Monte implied in his recent post – Serendipity Farmhouse Blog Upgrade – What You Need to Know. His mistaken perception is that his “two big cats are running around like their hair is on fire.”

What Mr. Monte thought he saw and what was actually taking place were two entirely different things. He thought he saw a frenzy of activity and panic. What actually was happening was our methodical preparation for the coming warm weather season.

Whatever my dear Wife and I do, we do together. When Spring arrives, together we plan for the seasonal changes brought about by warm temperatures and longer days. This is a serious business. Necessarily, our work pace accelerates and our planning sessions intensify. There is no time to dilly. Nor is there any time to dally.

Of course, from the vantage point of a grumpy, old Maine Coon cat, our heightened level of activity might be viewed as disordered and chaotic. But no, our hair was not on fire. Everything was under control – well, for the most part, everything was under control.

Serendipity Farmhouse Warm Weather Season Plan

While some plans still need to be drawn up, dearest Blondie and I have identified three primary areas of interest for the 2023 warm weather season. We say Warm Weather Season because, in this part of Virginia, warm weather extends from mid-Spring into mid-Autumn.

Many of our future posts will discuss these aspects of our farmhouse life. You will have the opportunity to join us as we try out new strategies and various techniques. Perhaps you might help us out by making some comments and giving us useful pointers based on your own personal experience.

Farmhouse Gardens

We added two raised beds to our farmhouse gardens last year and we experimented with 10 tomato varieties. This year, we will focus on four favored tomato varieties. We will reduce the number of okra plants and increase the number of green beans. Also, we intend to expand our selection of herbs.

New Test Kitchen Adventure – Bread Making

onward with our farmhouse life

The soon-to-be-world-famous Serendipity Farmhouse Test Kitchen is moving into the world of bread making from scratch. Since New Year’s, we’ve been milling our own wheat, experimenting with ancient grains, and bringing our own sourdough starter to life. We will show you how it’s done.

RV Season 2023

On March 21st, I removed the cover from El Camino Del Monte, our Class-C RV, and announced the official start of the 2023 SFH RV season. Our first trip is booked and we have tentatively planned an interstate trip for later on. This year, we will hook up solar panels and increase our boondocking capabilities. Come along for the ride.

Summary

Serendipity Farmhouse is just a little place in Virginia. Our Warm Weather Season is very hot and extremely humid. Some days, we won’t want to work in the Farmhouse Gardens. Likewise, our Test Kitchen will be uncomfortable when we’re making bread. Even El Camino Del Monte, with its air conditioner running, will be less than enjoyable under the hot Summer sun. – This is all part of our farmhouse life.

But none of that really matters too much. Just as we do during our Anniversary Week, we strive to make every day our special time to be together here in the home God chose for us. Work in the Farmhouse Gardens might be hard, but we benefit greatly from our labor. The Test Kitchen might be overly hot when we’re baking or canning, but the brief discomfort provides us nourishing meals all year round. And of course, our RV provides us the means to retreat from everyday cares and worries.

We would be foolish to ask for anything more than He has already given us.

Happy Anniversary, Blondie!!

How to Start a Family Tradition
Mr. Monte, Traditions

How to Start a Family Tradition
How to Start a Family Tradition

I haven’t spoken to you, my 23,417 feline followers, in a long time. As you know, we cats don’t have any family traditions. We have something far superior – instincts. However, humans both need and enjoy traditions. That is why many years ago, I persuaded Ol’ Fuzz Face and Miss Blondie to have a yearly First Robin of Spring Contest. Since then, I’ve learned that all of us cat should know how to start a family tradition.

But, before you try something like this with your humans, you should take these three tips to heart.

3 Tips on How to Start a Family Tradition

The three tips I have listed below have been compiled and developed here at Serendipity Farmhouse over the course of eight years. They are practical and based on feline common sense. If you follow these tips, you and your humans will bask in the warmth and wonder of family tradition.

Tip 1: Make the Family Tradition Guidelines Clear

First, you should institute a family tradition that has a set of clear and well-defined guidelines. If you fail to do this, the result will be needless squabbles. Here are a three sample guidelines from our contest:

  • There must be a picture of the alleged robin;
  • The bird in the photo must be a real robin; and
  • The picture must be dated on or after March 1st.
How to make a family tradition

This year, Daughter-in-law #1 submitted the winning entry. As you can see, this is an American Robin. The metadata on the photo confirmed the picture was taken on March 2nd.

Congratulations, Daughter-in-law #1

Tip 2: Ensure that Everyone Gets the Message

If your adoptive human family is large, extended, and includes close friends, you should expect some communications problems. Your guidelines should provide an explanation of how to inform all concerned about critical events, like the confirmed sighting of a robin. If some extended family member doesn’t get the message, you can be sure there will be a moment or two of anxiety.

This year, dear friend Miss Nancy got the word late and registered a minor complaint. The communications oversight caused some rather unfortunate use of terminology to be brandished. Apparently, all is well now and there are no more ruffled robin feathers.

How to start a family tradition
Poor Communications and the Robin Grinch

Tip 3: Be Prepared to Start a New Family Tradition

The panel of judges might encounter seemingly insurmountable problems at times. No, I don’t mean problems like the submitted photo is blurred or difficult to view. I mean problems of the type that might disrupt tranquility throughout the entier galaxy. One of those problems occurred on February 25 this year.

It was on that date, that the panel of judges (Ol’ Fuzz Face, Persnickety Pierre, and myself) received a contest submission photo from Miss Blondie. Obviously, the photo should be automatically disqualified because it was submitted days before the start of meteorological Spring. As you will see below, there was another problem with the photo.

How to Start a Family Tradition
Miss Blondie’s Submission

According to the article Vultures in Virginia (All You Need To Know) the photograph that Miss Blondie submitted was not an American Robin. In reality, it was a Black Vulture (Coragyps atratus). – This forced the judges to go into an extended huddle.

Miss Blondie is Never Wrong!

Under normal circumstances, the panel of judges would have just laughed at the submission. These were not normal circumstances. By definition, here at Serendipity Farmhouse, Miss Blondie is NEVER WRONG. – This was when the huddle began. We were two desperate men and a Maine Coon cat. Heads would roll if we couldn’t find a solution.

Huddle Results – A New Family Tradition

It took several hours. Fuzzy lost more hair than usual. Pierre said things in French that probably shouldn’t be translated. And I felt my skin crawl as if I had been attacked by a thousand fleas.

Then the answer came. We were trying to solve the wrong problem. The problem wasn’t that Miss Blondie was wrong – because Miss Blondie is NEVER WRONG. Rather, the problem was that the family tradition was wrong.

In a flash, the panel of judges instituted a brand new family tradition – The Last Vulture of Winter Contest. We immediately wrote clear set of guidelines; set up communications protocols; and complimented ourselves on our ability to be prepared to start a new family tradition.

From 2023 forward, Serendipity Farmhouse has two wonderful family traditions;

  • The First Robin of Spring Contest, and
  • The Last Vulture of Winter Contest.

So you see, my dear feline followers, if you follow these three tips, your adoptive human families can also bask in the warmth and wonder of a new family tradition.

farmhouse antiques
Farmhouse History, Farmhouse Living

Ole Timers – Ole Friends

Last Saturday, Miss Blondie visited an antique store in Front Royal. She’s made that same trip so many times since 2003. For her, “Ole Timers” has been the place to find the perfect piece of furniture, China, or whatever to capture the essence of farmhouse living.

Saturday’s trip was just a bit different though. Miss Blondie went to honor Barbara, the owner of Ole Timers. She went there to give Barbara a loving birthday hug – because that is what good friends do.

Miss Blondie, Barbara & Farmhouse Living

Over the years, Miss Blondie has worked with Barbara in selecting furniture and decor for virtually every room in our house. Among the first items we purchased was a beautiful farm table with matching bench. That table has been the main table for dining in our homes in Front Royal, Idaho Falls, and now in Serendipity Farmhouse. Though we use it every day as a simple farm table, it has been the silent host for many romantic dinners. And, as our girls well know, it been there to serve them with an elegant setting for a High Tea.

Farm Table
Romantic Farmhouse Dinner
High Tea Table Setting

A piece from Ole Timers has become literally the center of the Serendipity Farmhouse Test Kitchen. We have featured our kitchen island in many pictures. It combines salvaged antique items including an old door and a retired church pew. We use it as a convenient workspace and as a serving area for all our festive gatherings.

Kitchen Workspace
Every Day Display
Setting for High Tea

Why it will all continue on

Large items or small, functional or decorative, Ole Timers has supplied them all. Yet, for Miss Blondie, that’s not the most important thing. What is most important is that, for over twenty years, Barbara has been there. She’s been there with her smile, with her hugs, and with her great faith – there is so much to share.

Our farmhouse is a little place tucked well out of sight. It’s nestled up along a quiet river and guarded by the Blue Ridge Mountains. It has become the place where we can “Pray, Prepare, and Preserve”. – – It’s just a little place where “ole timers” can enjoy life with “ole friends.”

Happy Birthday, Barbara!

Farmhouse History, What were we thinking?

About Page Update

After five full years of blogging, it’s time to return to the beginning and consider what was our original intent for starting the Serendipity Farmhouse Blog. So, today we went back in time and took a look at our About page – About Serendipity Farmhouse. It’s clear from reading that page that our original motivation was to tell a story, a story about a family, an old farmhouse, and the many events and happenings that make Serendipity Farmhouse such a wonderful place.

The final paragraph on our About page reads: “We are just the caretakers. We will be here for a while and then it will be passed on to others in our family. So, for you, and mostly for our family, here is the story of Serendipity Farmhouse.”

Unlike many blogs, our goal has never been about making money. Rather, it has always been about providing our recollections and perspective about life here in our little old farmhouse. These stories and insights are intended primarily for our family, especially for those who someday will reside here. Of course, we are happy that extended family and friends occasionally peek at our site to see what’s new. They have been very supportive and their words of encouragement provide great incentive to keep the site active.

If you were to look at our bottom line, you would see that we have invested well over $1,500.00 in this site and have earned exactly $0.00 in return on investment. By the standards and norms used for evaluating the success of other blogs, you would have to conclude SFH blog is an abysmal failure. For example, discounting Mr. Monte’s alleged 23,417 feline followers, we have a grand total of 31 followers and 16 email subscribers. And don’t think that I delude myself concerning my abilities as an author. After all, the statistics speak for themselves. Even Mr. Monte scores consistently higher view counts than I do.

However, statistics can be deceiving. Despite the numbers, Blondie and I know that this blog is not a failure. How can it be a failure, if our children and grandchildren have a living record of what we have done together as a family? How can it be a failure, if our Faith and values are shared with our family and friends? How can it be a failure, if Blondie and I have so much fun writing these stories?

There it is. After five full years of blogging, my beautiful Spouse and I are having fun, we are living a fulfilling life together, and our family remains close. And all of that is the answer to a prayer we should have prayed – a prayer that was answered here at Serendipity Farmhouse.

 

Farmhouse History, Persnickety Pierre, Test Kitchen

SFH TK Renovation – Feature #1

What can happen in a 13.50 x 11.25 foot room in the course of 95 years? Of course, the possibilities are endless. In the case of what is now the Serendipity Farmhouse Test Kitchen, let’s consider what the realities might have been:

  • 1927 (or thereabouts) – The kitchen was a barebones cooking space. There were few cupboards. There was no electricity. The only known water well was in the front yard, so water had to be carried to the kitchen. A probable wood cookstove dominated the southern end of the room which vented to a chimney that remains standing to this day.
  • The hidden period – The Millers owned the house and several relatives and/or apple orchard workers moved in and out. Electricity finally arrived, an electric pump for the well brought water into the kitchen. The woodstove was replaced, likely with an electric range.
  • 1978-1987 – The Millers sold the house to the Settles. During the next nine years, the kitchen was ‘modernized’, cabinets and storage space was increased dramatically.
  • 1987-2000 – The Wyants bought the house and probably added some of their own touches.
  • 2000-2009 – The Crosleys owned the house during this period. They were responsible for a number of innovations and improvements in the kitchen. The refrigerator was moved from its rather awkward position at the northwest corner of the kitchen to the northeast corner of the kitchen. This was a good move for several reasons, but it caused the loss of quite a bit of cabinet and counter space. Big improvements included, using paint to make the room brighter, installing black granite countertops, the introduction of a beautiful farm sink, and adding hardwood floors.
  • 2009-2013 – The Grainers made relatively few changes to the kitchen, but they were responsible for many major projects throughout the house and the addition of two new sheds.
  • 2013- Present – Keeping the best of what had come before and looking forward to the arrival of the next occupants, we, the staff of the soon-to-be-world-famous SFH TK have renovated the kitchen, bringing it into the 21st Century while maintaining a memory or two from 1927.

And my dear Friends, I Pierre LeChat, working under the inspiration and guidance of SFH TK Executive Chef Blondie, have now brought you to a level of historical knowledge that will enable you to understand the importance of each and every feature of the renovation as I presented it to you in my post Oh Yes, it is!. And for the first feature to be discussed, I have chosen the one that is perhaps closest to Chef Blondie’s heart: The Custom Corner Cabinet.

You now know that cabinet storage space and counter space were sacrificed when the refrigerator was moved from its very awkward and inefficient location in the northwest corner. The SFH TK had placed a movable cabinet there with a microwave on top. Storage was minimal to say the least. The picture below will give you an idea of how much storage space has been recovered with the advent of the new cabinet.

The new kitchen storage configuration

Great attention was paid to the design and construction of the new cabinet. Mr. Monte inspected every facet of the cabinet to ensure that it met the highest SFH TK standards. Every step along the way, he consulted with me and with the contractors, pointing out minor imperfections and never allowing work to resume until all discrepancies were corrected.

Then came the day when the paint was dry. All that was left was for Chef Blondie to add the finishing touches. Not a single piece of kitchenware or any item was put in place until she gave her go-ahead.

 

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Serendipity Farmhouse Test Kitchen
Farmhouse History, SFH Journal

SFH TK Grand Reopening – Almost

It took a while. Factually, it took over eight years of planning, saving, and waiting for the soon-to-be-world-famous Serendipity Farmhouse Test Kitchen renovation to be complete. And finally, we are just about there. The unofficial reopening for the SFH TK was on Monday when the final piece of decor, a red utensil cannister arrived. Now, all that remains is a blessing of the kitchen by our pastor. From that point forward, the SFH TK will once again be ready to welcome children, grandchildren, and friends for adventures in the culinary arts and the world of fine cuisine.

At my urging (notice the rolling pin in my hands), Hubby has prepared a few pictures of the newly renovated SFH TK. Also, at my urging (once again, note the rolling pin), Hubby is working on a series of posts to provide a detailed description of the renovation process. I’ve assigned Mr. Monte to oversee that process. He was last seen at his scratching post sharpening his claws in anticipation of any problems that might arise from dearest Hubby.

The first picture below shows a general view of the main working area. It features the new subway tile, new stove (lovingly called ‘Mr. Clyde’), and the all-so-useful under cabinet lighting. Also shown is a new schoolhouse light fixture installed by Hubby.

This final picture illustrates how important it is to us to personalize the SFH TK and ensure that all can see how important family and our shared experiences are to us. It highlights the new yellow paint, which accentuates the beauty of the antique shelf and all the memory-filled items on it.