A SMILE FOR JOEY

 

For Joey + Rory + Indiana. Here are the pics I wanted you to see. If you choose to read further, that is fine but I do not want to tire you, Joey. I just wanted my readers to know the special people you are. Country Blessings ~ Kelly

The picture above is of the Container Sweet Corn from Burpees I told Rory about in my comment to his Sowing Seeds post.  I considered a straw bale as a container. They only grow approx. 4' tall and produce ears full of sweet, juicy corn - full size ears!

Both of these photos were taken next to a 1/2 gallon mason jar. The single potato weighed over 8 lbs! I baked them, pureed them in the food processor then froze them in muffin tins as serving sizes. Then I froze the little 'muffins' in FoodSaver bags in the freezer. 

While I did grow them in straw - I used composted straw and grew them here:

These are standard GMC Silverado truck tires (17"s I think). Can you imagine the crop Rory could grow with a couple of tractor tires from the farm?! These were only stacked 2 high. You can see the beginning stages HERE. Stage 2 with the plants a little bigger HERE. This year I'm only doing russets and will probably stack at least 3 high. Plant in the first layer with a composted soil base. As the plants get above that first tire, add a second tire and a layer of straw. Repeat as the plants grow. 

If you feel up to it, Joey, there are pictures of the whole garden from last year HERE. check out the tomato plants in the 3rd picture down. Grown in bales and climbing cattle panels. The cucumber pictures are near the end of that post (as well as a close up of the vines on my sidebar).  I had soooo many pickling cucumbers. I canned sweet relish and Bread and Butter pickles repeatedly until I just could not can any more LOL If it were possible, I'd share with you. 

I hope these pictures make you smile. Love, Hugs, Prayers and CountryBlessings. ~Kel 

aka The Country Angel - http://kellyscountry.blogspot.com (music blog)

My post this morning is a gift to three very special people, who while I've never met them personally, I feel as if they have always been friends. 

For those of you who do not know, I am an entertainment writer. My job gives me the opportunity to get to know  a lot of talented people. While some know they are talented, if you catch my drift, the vast majority are just doing what they love and hope that they bring joy to others on their journey.

Joey + Rory are those people. Their songwriting abilities and their vocal blend come together to form an amazing duo. But aside from their music, they are also very down-to-earth folks. They have a farm in Tennessee on which they grow a lot of their own food and raise their daughter, Indiana. The most precious little face you will ever see. Indiana's smile warms my heart.

Not long after Indiana was born, Joey was diagnosed with cancer. I won't go into the long story here. What I can tell you is that after a variety of treatments we all thought were working, we were told there was nothing more they could do. So, last fall the Feak's made the decision to go back to where Joey's life began. Not to die - but to live as much as the Lord grants her surrounded by the people who love her - and whom she loves - the most.

Her husband, Rory, has kept us all updated through his blog, This Life I Live, with the little milestones they are blessed to have on this horrible journey. There is a light at the end of the tunnel, just not one we all hope and pray for.

So why  am I telling you this?

Like so many of us, Joey loves to garden. Spring is her favorite season and she can not wait to see plants growing, knowing she will be able to provide for her family.

Even from her bed at home, you can see in this week's blog post - SOWING SEEDS -   she is not letting this phase of her life keeping her from doing what she loves. 

In my weekly comments on Rory's blog, I told him I would share pictures of my Sweet Potatoes from last year. I know they will give Joey a smile and that will make me smile.