Monday, December 6, 2010

First Snow-First Giveaway

Hello farm friends, we had our first snow of the season this weekend and it was beautiful. Big, white, cottony flakes peppered down all day Saturday. It didn’t cover the roads, but provided a thin layer of snow over everything else making it ideal for Christmas decorating and shopping.


This past week, I shared my appreciation for the wonderful blog friends I have, and in this spirit I decided it was time to do a giveaway for our Verde Farm buddies. The rules are simple: If you are a follower you get one entry. For a second entry, comment on this post and include the most memorable Christmas gift you ever received, and why. For a third, if you share the giveaway on your blog or in one of your posts, that will enter you another time. Just be sure to tell me that you shared it. If you are not a follower and you become one, you get entered automatically and have the above options for extra entries. If you don't want to follow and just enjoy stopping by, that is perfectly fine too. You don't have to be a follower to win, just share a comment so I can add your name to the bowl.


The prize is a wonderful gift basket from a beautiful place called Yellow Goat Farm.  They make wonderful soaps, herbal lotions and sachets as well as unusual jams, and all from organic herbs. I think you will love the goodies in this basket. The giveaway starts now and will close Friday Dec. 10, at midnight. I will announce the winner the following day and get it in the mail to you by Christmas. Good luck to all our wonderful friends.


We are linking up with Mary at Little Red House for Mosaic Monday.  If you’ve never seen Mary’s site or the Mosaic Monday entries, you are missing out.  Beautiful entries every week. Enjoy!

Merry Christmas,

62 comments:

Judy said...

Hi Amy,
I'm a follower...and the most memorable memory I have is when I received a pair of knitted wool mittens from my Grandmother who lived in Upper Michigan. I really loved those warm mittens and wish I had them today. Maybe that is when my love of knitting and love of yarn started. But the idea of having something handmade by her wonderful caring hands I think was what made it so memorable to me.
Beautiful giveaway.
Judy

Deb said...

nice giveaway...love your photos...really puts you in the Christmas spirit...the most memorable gift I received was my schnauzer Nolan...my hubby and daughter surprised me with him...I got him right before thanksgiving that year...I was out doing errands...and hubby called said I needed to get back to the office ASAP he had a bid I had to get out right away...so I headed back...when I walked in a little fuzzy ball ran out at me...I almost thought it was a mouse...and I looked down...it was the cutest little schnauzer...and we feel in love instantly....he is now 7 years old...the next Christmas...Nolan got a gift..our white schnauzer Jake...the next Christmas I told everyone...we were good on Schnauzers...2 is my limit...LOL

Melodie said...

What a wonderful giveaway! I am a follower....hopefully a lucky follower!

Americana Lady said...

What a beautiful place you live and a dusting of snow makes everything even more lovelier! Joan

Country Whispers said...

What a wonderful giveaway!
My most memorable Christmas gift was from my (at the time)boyfriend. It was his proposal and an engagement ring on Christmas Eve.
I was totally surprised.
Seventeen years later and with three kids we are still happily married.
That Christmas Eve memory will never be forgotten.

Sharon said...

Good Monday Morning, Amy!
Love the pictures! That's the kind of snow I like, a nice blanket surround and clear roads! LOL!
You know, you did say the most memorable gift - not the best gift - When I was 7 or 8, my parents were broke and all I got for Christmas was this squarish, dead red colored purse. I took it along to Grandma's for the family gathering and all the cousins were jabbering about what wonderful things they had gotten. Yep, most memorable, and ugly.
I have had some great gifts, but seems people need guidance when it comes to what I would be happy with. :-)
Have a great day! (I feel slightly better today)

Cindy said...

Amy..good morning..and what gorgeous pictures of the farm. I love places that have seasons.
It always looks like a different place.

I am a new follower.

One of the most memory lasting gifts I received and is still talked about to this day.Well it was a harmless white fluffy hand muffler

You know those things you put your hands into to keep them warm..but it was real churchy looking..not practical. Simple..nope...I was a chubby child..chubby wrist..and I had been eating carmel apple..and they yelled from the other room..come on girls (all of us girls got one of these) grab your mufflers and lets take a group picture..so I did..chubby hand and carmel apple in the hole. And I stood there..smiling..and twitching..because I could feel the carmel melting on my hands..then I couldn't get my hands out..and I went into a crying frenzy..finally hands removed..carmel everywhere..muffler ruined..yep that was a memory making gift ruined. One that my mother who is 83 still has to tell.

Oh well..I had a child just like me..and now 2 grandaughters like me..aren't we precious!!!!!And I laugh at their antics..and I know how they feel.God created us..how we are..so I am proud of my chubby wrist..and my sticky memories..I was just a little kid.

Thanks for doing this. Hugs Cindy from Rick-Rack and Gingham

Beverly@Beverly's Back Porch said...

Great pictures, and what a lovely basket. We had our first "real" snow fall this weekend also. Today is a great day to stay in and knit or make a big pot of soup.

I'm heading over to the Little Red House to see what's going on.

Kim said...

Oh, the snow is so pretty!

My most memorable Chirstmas gift was the first year I worked for a dentist and he scheduled fake patients for the day. He then passed out envelopes with $$. More money than I had ever been given! It had to be spent immediately and all on ourselves down to the last penny or we had to bring him back the change. All the girls that worked for him ran to the mall for a 4 hour shopping spree. So fun! Then we met for lunch at a fancy country club and showed what we bought. It was very memorable!

Unknown said...

Your collages are so pretty. I want to come visit!lol The gift basket looks amazing too.

Mary said...

What a beautiful collage of Christmas wonderland photos you have today! I miss the snow... So, enjoy it for me.

Ok, so most memorable Christmas gift I received - a teddy bear my grandfather bought for me one Christmas Eve. I must have been about six or seven years old. We were out shopping at a toy store, and he caught me looking at a teddy bear sitting on a shelf. He knew I loved it, I never asked for it. The next day, it was wrapped under the tree. He was that way. He was a great photo and film amateur. When he died, I inherited some money, and some of it went to buy my nice Canon digital camera - most of the pictures on my blog are taken with it. It reminds me of him. :)

-Mary

Farm Girl said...

Well okay, I know I am a follower. I will put you in for Tuesday's post, and I am leaving a comment. :) I like soap. Have a wonderful week.
Be safe.

~Kim at Golden Pines~ said...

I've enjoyed reading the comments on this post. There really is something special about the very first snowfall...

My most memorable Christmas gift was receiving my Great Grandmother's handmade quilt...My Mom gave it to me about 20 years ago when money was tight. I never thought my Mom would part with it. But I'd loved it since I was a kid, and I still do. It's truly a treasure and my most favorite of any gift I've ever gotten.

Tonia said...

I am a follower!! I will post it on the top of my side line above my profile on my blog. Will that work?

Lori Skoog said...

I'm a follower! Sign me up. For the past 10 years or so I have been getting my favorite present on Christmas Eve...we invite all of our friends who have no family in town, to come for a Smorgasbord. It has been a very warm and sweet experience every year...anywhere from 25-40 people!

Dog Trot Farm said...

Amy, your surroundings are just magical, especially with a dusting of snow. The most special gift I have ever received is my dear sweet kitty Emma Lou. DH brought Emma home from the shelter after I had spied her on our local TV station. She had been battered and abused which made me love her even more. She is now a senior lady in her eighteenth year and I am grateful for eveyday I have with her.

jp@A Green Ridge said...

Amy, I, too, was "warmed" by our first snow fall over the weekend! The best present I ever received for Christmas...I think it would have to be when my son, as a little boy, told me he loved me more that there are stars in the sky!...:)JP

Tete said...

Hi Amy- been trying to come up with something to put on here but I have decided to do a post about it later!
Love it when you come to visit me and leave comments. Just makes my day!
Hugs- Tete

Michelle said...

I like the name, Yellow Goat Farm. I am also a follower.

Lisa Sall - Sall's Country Life said...

Amy, what a great gift basket! Count me in, would love it! You know I'm a huge follower and will be telling everybody that visits my blog about your great give-away too. Now let's see, most memorable gift, I think I was about 11 years old and what made it memorable was the way it was wrapped. I wanted my very own record player in the worst way! The present that showed up on Christmas night was the shape of a doll house!! Good Lord, I don't play with dolls, what are they thinking, I specifically asked for a record player! My genius older brother set it up in the box so the flaps came together like the peak of a house, Lo and Behold...I pulled off the wrap and there was my record player. I think I cried in relief. Unfortunately, I sold that player on a rummage sale, but still have all of my 45's!!

Terry said...

Your pictures are just beautiful. It looks like the best of Christmas.

Ashley said...

I'm a gfc follower.

hewella1 at gmail dot com

Ashley said...

My favorite christmas gift was my red power wheels jeep I got when I was 6. I rode that thing all the time. It eventually got passed down to my brother.

hewella1 at gmail dot com

From Beyond My Kitchen Window said...

What a great give away Amy. What a nice treat it would be to get that in the mail. As a child my best gift was a Pogo Stick. My mother told me that I would not be getting one for reasons I can't remember right now. But on Christmas morning standing up in the corner was my stick. Loved it! The best gift from my husband was my Kitchen Aid Mixer. I wanted one for along time and about 7 yrs. I received it as my big gift that year.

Jill said...

Your farm looks so beautiful with the snow. My most memorable Christmas gift was a nativity scene that my grandfather made for me. He wrote a special message to me on the gift tag. I still have it and read it every year when I set up my nativity.

Laura @ Our Wee Farm said...

I want to share my most memorable christmas present - but please don't include me in the give away - there is no way I could expect you to post all those goodies to New Zealand!

When my brother and I were about 8 or 9 we opened our present from my nana and grandad. It was a shoe box filled with nuts, and fruit and gold chocolate coins. We phoned them to say thank you cos we loved it. Nana said " was there nothing else?" We said no just lovely nuts and things. She said look in the lid - we ran and got the lids out of the bin (!!) and there taped to the inside were our first ever real watches! I'll always remember them.
x

Chris at Red Gate Farm said...

Amy what a wonderful giveaway!

My best, most memorable gift was when I was 4. I have 2 sisters and 1 brother and our parents didn't have a lot of money when I grew up, in fact my dad was in the Air National Guard and worked 2 evenings and Saturdays as well.... so not a lot of presents under our tree.

My dad always handed out the gifts and when he was finished I remember seeing one lone gift back in the corner... hoping of course with my little 4 year old mind that it was for me. Low and behold, it was. It was an LP record (one of the big ones) of Cinderella... I still have that record with my Christmas decorations, I get it out every year and tuck it in the back of my tree!

Happy Holidays,
Chris

Pondside said...

What a lovely giveaway!
I'm a follower - and my favorite Christmas gift was the doll house I received when I was eight years old. It probably inspired my lifelong love of decorating.

Kathy said...

Those pictures of your farm are absolutely beautiful!

I am a follower through GFC! My most memorable christmas gift would have to be when my parents took me home to my native country. I had never been there before and the fact that I got to spend Christmas there with family members that I have never gotten a chance to meet before was amazing.

bunnythreads said...

I am follower,love your blog, raised in the midwest,had to move for husbands work to the carolinas :( love to follow the midwest farms & weather, you make my heart sing.
You are like a wee spot of home.

bea said...

Your farm is beautiful,adorable mini mules. I am a follower and am totally charmed with you.
First st snow basket is the Best You Rock!
sewingthreads@yahoo.com

Gkathgoldin@yahoo.com said...

My sister found you in the middle of the night & sent me here, I live in the NC. I love your Ireland photos,Oh my how lovely and your darling little Mini's. I am enjoying going thru your pages. I will be back with my son to show him you wonderful animals. Congratulations on your 1st Snow Yipee-we rarely get any down here so it is nice to see.

Vintage Country Girl said...

I am a follower of yours! My most memorable Christmas gift would be from when I was in the 4th grade. I snuck into my mom and dad's room before Christmas and dug through the closet until I found my gift (terrible....I know) and it was just what I wanted. A blue care bears suitcase all of my very own. My mom found out about it and was mad. I was still excited, though, on Christmas day. I used that suitcase forever!

Jen said...

Beautiful Snow Pics.

My most memorable Christmas Gifts...
Are from when my 3 teenagers (16, 14, 12) were little and would do their Christmas shoppin at school at the Secret Santa Shop. I would send them in with alittle money to buy us little gifts, they would come home and wrap them and put under the tree, it was so cute. They were so excited to buy us their little gifts. It was cute watchin them as we opened their gifts on Christmas mornin... memories I will cherish forever!

Missouri Gal said...

Hi Amy, I love the snow pictures! We might get some snow this coming Sunday, it would be great to have a white Christmas! That's a very nice gift, I'm sure someone will really appreciate it!
Thank you for the kind words, I really appreciate them! And the advice on son! He's as stubborn as his mama! :)

Ocean Breezes and Country Sneezes said...

Beautiful photos! My most memorable Christmas gift would be getting "go-go" boots in the 5th grade! LOL!!!

Beth said...

What a neato gift basket!

The best gift? Hmm that's hard. The best gift is Jesus, but two years ago, my husband and i bought each other a house for Christmas/Birthday/Valentines. And it is still giving me presents every day. =)

judithelenore said...

i follow you on GFC!
judithelenore@gmail.com

judithelenore said...

my most memorable christmas present was my 2 pet peacocks!
judithelenore@gmail.com

Patrice said...

I'm a follower. My follower picture is our team of Percheron Draft Horses.

patrice@everydayruralty.com

Patrice said...

Most memorable Christmas gift was from God. It was my hubby. I met him the day after Christmas!

patrice@everydayruralty.com


Visit my blog if you can. I would love to interview you. Read my Tuesday post and you'll know what I'm talking about. Thanks.
www.everydayruralty.com

Chris at Red Gate Farm said...

Hi Amy, I "shared"! :)

Chris

Julie said...

Your pictures are lovely as are your giveaway prizes-thank u-I follow your blog as jelaws5
aunteegem@yahoo.com

Unknown said...

Amy, What a sweet giveaway! My most memorable gift, was the year my brother bought everyone Smart Wool socks. He tossed them around the room to everyone, we all put them on and took photos of our feet. We laughed and laughed and had so much fun and now I wear them every weekend during the winter because they are just the warmest socks I've ever owned!

Thanks for holding this sweet giveaway. It's fun to read everyone's favourite memories!

~Andrea~

barb said...

YES! Sign me up...Sall's Country Life blog made me do it. Got my fingers crossed. barb

Mom L said...

I love giveaways, but I would come here even if I never won anything just to read about your farm! I especially like seeing Pansy and her pint-sized boyfriend!!

Nancy in Iowa

Janet, said...

Thanks for the give away. I am a follower and I got engaged on Christmas Eve 1977. My future husband gave me a beautiful engagement ring that night!

Janice Grinyer said...

You have a snow setting there at Verde Farm in what we call 'Christmas card perfect" :) Although I bet the critters wish they all had little mittens and jackets, and the cooped up chickens have already started rumors, saying "psst, did you know the sky is falling?!!" :D

My favorite memory of Christmas is somewhat similar to yours in that involved my mom, who passed away 5 years ago..The same year she was diagnosed with Ovarian cancer, she turned things around on us kids that Christmas and said - im giving you each some $$$ and I want you to spend it anyway you want, but on one condition - you have to spend it now while Im still here" We took a trip, to the virgin isles with our daughters who were 16 and 18 at the time, knowing this would be probably the last family vacation that we would take with them for awhile also, as they were on their way to becoming young adults all too soon with college and jobs...fast forward 6 months later, I spent 26 days with my mom as her caretaker in her home before she passed away. And in the middle of the night when the world was sleeping and she couldn't - she'd ask me again and again about the girls and how they enjoyed the trip, the warm sun, the blue ocean...I got to relive a wonderful happy Christmas over and over with her, in the summer month of June. That is and will always be the best everlasting Christmas memory I ever will have, thanks to my mom's giving and loving nature. What a gift...!

And now I got to relive it again :) - thanks Amy for your "sharing" of your lovely farm, and most important of all, your ability to bring out good things in everyone!

psst redgate - i have that album too ;) teehee!

Bee Lady said...

It's funny I've been thinking a lot about gifts lately, as I have three nieces to shop for. So I've been thinking about gifts and memories and such. I decided that, although I do remember some gifts more than others, my favorite 'gift' are the traditions that my parents gave us. We still do some of the traditions today. And now I'm starting some traditions with my nieces that I hope will be their special gift when they get older. (and yes, I am a follower - Love your blog)

Cindy

Razzberry Corner said...

Hi Amy! My most memorable Christmas gift received was my first bicycle given to me by my father! I was so excited! Thanks for entering me in the drawing! Happy Holidays!

Junk Loving Girl said...

The most memorable gift is actually the gift my mom bought me this year. She has given me return tickets back home so I can be with Family this holiday season!
I also follow.

thepricklypinecone(at)gmail.com

pippirose said...

I follow your blog via GFC.
My most memorable Christmas present was a blue portable Smith-Corona typewriter I got when I was 11. I loved that thing!
:o)

foxfiredmk said...

I am a daily follower, love your blog especially about the Muscovies. I have had them over the years, and still have 3 very old hens, Lacy, Megan and Grace. Have a wonderful and Merry Christmas.

connie said...

Hi Amy ..MY most memorable moment was when I was a small child.We lived in Doddridge county WV..My dad worked away a lot in those days so it was my mom my brother and me..We didn't have a tree so we all walked up the road and up a hill to pick out our tree..My mom had a hatchet and when we found the right tree she chopped it down and drug it home..I can still remember the snow falling and it was a picture out of a Norman Rockwell painting..I so wish that things were so simple now as they were in those days..

Nezzy (Cow Patty Surprise) said...

I had to be the year this Ozark Farm Chick wanted a Thumblina doll and my very little sister wanted a Penny the Poodle by Markx. I had a big old box of straw with my name on it under the tree that year. On Christmas mornin' my sis runs into the room sayin'ohhhh, my Penny the Poodle by Markx in Glee. I sat a watched everyone open their present when I hastily grabbed the box and drug it the the porch where I began emptying the straw. There at the bottom of the box laid a wrapped package which contained my Thumblina doll. My Dad was quite the prankster!!!

God bless ya'll and have a marvelous weekend!!!

OmaLindasOldeBaggsandStuftShirts said...

My most memorable gift at Christmas was a Hop-along Cassidy full regalia outfit with shiney silver buttons, chaps, hat the whole nine yards and a 42" bride doll. The pictures of that Christmas were a scream. My big brother convinced my Mom to buy me those gifts and he even pitched in some money from his job at the picture show. He was 15, I was 4.
This giveaway if very generous of you and I would love to be entered. Thanks so much, The Olde Bagg herself, Linda

Gkathgoldin@yahoo.com said...

My favorite Christmas gift would be, when I woke up and found our back yard turned into a beautiful ice skating rink by my dad. He was a police/fireman & man the ice skating rink for the village sometimes we would get to watch. He was one of the best around. He made the best ice to skate on smooth not rocky...he had the edges built up nice. Every year we got ice skates & he would take care to keep them sharp at home in his work shop. Well, He must have stayed up all night to make a ice rink in our big yard... and then he kept it up all winter.
Dad died suddenly a few months ago-he is someone none of can seem to live without...the Best!

Angela said...

The snow looked just beautiful at your farm Amy!

Please enter me in your giveaway! I am just now catching up with reading the blog posts I missed because my internet service just up and quit for no reason at all!

I'd have to say that my favorite Christmas memory would be one from almost 19 years ago when I was a newly wed living in another state. We bought one of those little house trees and decorated it. My husband bought me my birthstone ring as that was all he could afford at the time. It was by far the sweetest Christmas I've ever had!

Have a Great Weekend!
Angela

Sharon said...

Oh my gosh! I found your blog today by way of West Virginia Treasures and I love your farm.
Later tonight I plan to come back and look at everything!

My most precious Christmas memory is about giving my brother a beagle puppy for Christmas.
He is an avid hunter. When I was a teen, we put the puppy in a box, wrapped it and put a big bow on it. The puppy was very quiet and still and when my brother opened it, he jumped
right on him. We named the puppy "Charlie Brown". That has been a long, long time ago!

Sharon said...

Forgot to tell you, I have listed you on your link on my blog.

Lori Lynn said...

I just realized that I haven't entered your giveaway yet! LOL!
My most memorable Christmas gift was last year...new wedding rings. And they are vintage to boot!
(And of course I'm a follower)

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bunnythreads said...

The most memorable would be when my grandmother got her 1 & only watch from grandpa. It may sound odd but this paticular year he also got the `biggest tree' he could find, it filled the room I have a picture of it to this day-it was decoraterd with the old single strands of silver tinse, it really needed nothing nothing more with all he put on it. The watch he put in a bid box then in many more boxes `ALL' wrapped inside each other... this was over 55 some years ago, the last was a campbel tomato soup can, then the gold watch... she would re tell that story years after grandpa died. Of all the photos left not many people know why there is 1 of just a big old Christmas tree with a mess of silver tinsel....all these years later as both grandma & granpa are in heaven as my is there son my dad..reading your stories has been fun, I think maybe we should have a contest where we have a way t preserve our little stories. I think some of us have just remembered our stories & we need to preserve in our home, I think I have to get out my picture & write the story to go with it. fond rememberences