Sugar Snow ( a winter give away)

"In the morning the house was warm from the stove,

but when Laura looked out of the window she saw

that the ground was covered with soft thick snow. All

along the branches of the trees the snow was piled like

feathers, and it lay in mounds all along the top of the rail

fence, and stood up in great, white balls on top of the gate

posts.   Pa came in, shaking the soft snow from his shoulders 

and stamping it from his boots,  'It's a sugar snow', he said."  
LITTLE HOUSE IN THE BIG WOODS   Laura Ingalls Wilder

 

The family farm has long been a vital image in the heritage of rural Kentucky.  As the most noted structures of farms, barns evoke a sense of tradition, security, and of closeness to the land and the community of people who built them.  Throughout American history, farmers have built barns to shelter their livestock and to store their harvest.  

  Just off any of the major roads in my area, you will find smaller, more rural roads, some of them dirt roads, leading to what we call "hollers".  Along these roads and dotted all along the landscape of the farms, are these amazing barns, many of them barely shells of the once proud structures that stood so tall and were the symbol of a way of life that today - is no more.

 Last winter, the Gardener and I took an entire afternoon on a blustery snowy day, to drive around the community so that we could capture these images.  We drove down roads that we did not even know existed - stopping along the way so that I could climb the hills, cross the fences, and wade through the snow - in order to take these pictures.  (at this particular stop - I truly took a tumble OVER the hill! I will do most anything to get a picture that I want!)

 

Old barns are one of my passions.  I am intrigued by their style and the history that they have survived. In my mind, every barn exists to tell a story.  I find them to be beautiful even in their state of decay and demise.   If only these sagging, once proud architectural wonders could talk~~

 

I fell over this hill too!

This old church stands all alone beside the highway - a symbol of what was once a fine and active part of the soul of the community. In time, this church and many of the barns pictured here will no longer be able to bear the weight of the winter snows.  One last snow, even that of a "sugar snow" will bring them to their final demise~~

Welcome to my first give away of the Year!

This stunningly beautiful cookbook has wonderful recipes that will warm your soul this winter. 

In addition to the recipes, the cook book is filled with gorgeous photography.

The contest is open to any of my faithful readers or followers.

To enter simply leave a comment - making sure that you have an email address where I can reach you.  

Does it matter where you live?  Absolutely not- the contest is open to my friends from all over the world. 

(Remember - I shipped a nest to a lucky winner in Russia one time!)

For a second chance to win - please post about this contest on your own blog.  Then leave me another comment telling me that you have done so. 

Are you one of my followers (who mean the world to me!!)  If so - then leave me a third comment  telling me so.  That will be your third opportunity to enter.  

I have shared with you but a few of the beautiful

photographs and recipes inside this

cookbook.

There are many, many more! 

 And there is more to come! ~~

Here is Maddy girl wearing a pretty Vera Bradley apron.

 One of my lucky followers will win this Mocha Rouge design.

If you are one of my devoted followers - and have left me a comment telling me that you are a follower - then you will be entered in a separate contest to win this Vera apron. 

 Maddy girl will draw the winner for the cookbook and for the Vera apron on February 18.  I will post the names right here - so be sure to check back!
~~~~~
Winners update~ the winner of the Vera Bradley apron is Shirley from the blog Shirley Stitches.

The winner of the cookbook is Arleen from the blog Starting Over, Accepting Changes.  

Ladies - please send me your mailing address so that I can send your gifts to  you!  Thank you to everyone who entered - this has been a great contest!  There will be several more contests coming up this spring - (it's my favorite thing to do!!)

~~~~

Coming up next - a little chance for you to get to know me better.  Over the past year - I  have met so many wonderful people through this incredible blogging experience.  I have dutifully kept a diary of all the questions that folks have asked me.  So now - I am going to answer them.  (If you have a burning question - send it to me now - I will try to work it in to this post also) ~~~

Love,

Vicki

ps-
One More Thing~~

 You welcomed my friends into your hearts and left them the most precious comments here on my blog. For all of you that said,  "those guys need to get their own blog ---- they LOVED that idea so much that they did just that!! You can find them HERE. 
Please give them a visit and show them some blogging LOVE!! Don't we all remember what it is like to be a newbie blogger!!

My friends Bob and Eric are welcoming you to their new blog with a giveaway of their very own!  So give them a visit - enter their contest - and maybe join me on their follower page!  (right now I am there all by myself.  Don't leave me there all alone!) 

You just know that these guys are going to have some serious fun with this blog~~!!
xoxo,
V.