Midwest Storyteller

2022’s Final Freebie Winner!

~ Midwest Storyteller

I’m playing just a bit of catch-up here because, though we say we’re the ones who never get sick, it happened.  The crud hit the house and Pookie’s house as well and the First Friday Freebie isn’t the only thing suffering delay.  Christmas got bumped as well.  But we’re going strong once again and I hope that you are also and that you are having a Happy New Year!

Let’s meet the latest winner  –

December 2022 Freebie Winner

Francine from Boonville, Missouri. 

Congratulations, Francine!  I’m glad the delivery of the freebie was not delayed, so these lovely, festive kitchen towels made to you in plenty of time to spruce up your kitchen ahead of any Christmas festivities. 

Francine commented as directed on my post on the first Friday of the month.  That is all any subscriber needs to do to enter to win.  If you’d like to see other past winners and their gifts check it out here on my Freebies! page.

You can see the most recent First Friday Freebie offer here. 

Not yet a subscriber to Midwest Storyteller?  Hopefully, my Freebies, not to mention the stories, recipes and other great content, will entice you to become one – freebies are for email subscribers only.

NOTE:  Subscribe with an email you intend to keep and check the week after the drawings.  This is my only means of notifying winners.  If it isn’t up to date, you may not get your gift!

Computers, tablets, smartphones – they each give this blog a different appearance, but you can easily find the subscription area in the menu under “CONTACT”.  Confirm your subscription when the email arrives.  If you’ve don’t receive a confirmation email, please email me at barb@midweststoryteller.com – it seems that from time to time, a subscription will get “stuck”. 

Subscribers get an email reminder each time there’s something new – like when there’s a FREEBIE on the First Friday of every month.

Comment as directed on the post that offers the Freebie and you’ll be entered to win. 

Freebies help me reach more people.  I need you to help me share all the fun with your friends and family.  When you share on MeWe, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, you’ll give them the opportunity to subscribe and win also.  Subscribing is free.  Freebies are free.  What can be better in today’s economy?

Coming up on January 6th, you’ll see the new Freebie.  Enter to win that day.  A winner is chosen at random from those subscribers who enter before midnight.  Then, check your email in the days following. 

Smartphone reminders help.

Take a moment make yourself familiar with the complete Freebie Rules by clicking HERE.

Subscribers, be ready to enter to win on Friday, January 6th, 2023.

As I mentioned in November, I had asked God to help me see the beauty in winter.  I smile that He has made it easy on me so far by giving the blessing of mild temperatures.  Although it turned cold again today, we eased out of the old year and into the new with warmth and time outside.  Smuffy has been doing the things Smuffy does in the back yard and yesterday I took Lil’ Snookie out for a romp and we ran around and kicked the ball like spring lambs. (Actually, I ‘ve never seen spring lambs kick balls, but you get the idea.)  The Midwest has got to show its true colors sooner or later, but I’ll cross that icy bridge when I come to it.

A Christmas Freebie for You!

~ Midwest Storyteller ~ 13 Comments

Welcome to December!  (As if I am in charge of December.  If I were, we’d have some changes in the usual temps and precips.)

The fabulous upside to this month, of course, is the celebration of Christmas!  Another thing I’m celebrating is being married to Smuffy (today is our anniversary).  To top it all off, it’s the first Friday of the month so today you can enter to win the First Friday Freebie.  Let’s take a peek at it –

Christmas Kitchen Towels www.midweststoryteller.com

There are always a few more people around during the holiday season and things need to be freshened up.  A few new linens help brighten up the kitchen and these towels from Robert Stanley Home Collection will do just that.  Each of the four towels measures 16”X26”.  One has a Christmas tree farm theme which coordinates with the green and white checked towel and two are solid and embroidered with white snowflakes.  Once again, these were Hobby Lobby finds that I hope you enjoy. 

To enter to win the holiday towel sets, all you need to do is “Leave a Comment” on this post, saying, “Make my kitchen Christmasy!”  You’ll need to leave your comment before midnight TONIGHT, December 2nd, 2022.

NOTE:  An occasional problem occurs with subscribers not receiving confirmation emails.  Should this happen, email me at barb@midweststoryteller.com so that I can report it and have the issue resolved.

If you are new to Midwest Storyteller and haven’t subscribed, you’ll need to do that before entering to win.  Head to the right sidebar or use the menu to navigate to the “Contact” page where you can fill in your email address and then watch for your confirmation email.

No one will get to enjoy all the great things here on the blog unless you share it with your friends and family through all your social media, so if you like an idea, recipe or story you see here, be sure to share and if you save things on Pinterest like I do, hover over the photo and “pin it”.  Help me get the word out!

On the “Freebies” page, you can see what readers have been winning every month.

A winner will be chosen at random from those subscribers who enter before midnight tonight, December 2nd, by leaving a comment which says, “Make my kitchen Christmasy!” 

For the complete First Friday Freebie rules, click here.

Make a promise to yourself to slow down, simplify the days ahead, celebrate the real meaning of Christmas and savor the love of those around you and the love that came down to that stable in Bethlehem so that you could have joy and peace! 

I’m working on a couple of Smuffy stories for you and his tale of Christmas past is a real doozy so stay tuned!  In case you’ve fallen behind, take a trip to my “Life With Smuffy” page and catch up on the laughter and thrills.

Meet November’s Freebie Winner!

~ Midwest Storyteller

It’s cold.  I always try to do my part by warming your heart with a gift every month with my First Friday Freebie.  This month my freebie didn’t have to work too much because it traveled to a much warmer home.

Let’s meet the winner  –

Sally from Chino Valley, Arizona. 

Congratulations, Sally!  I hope that, as the freebie says, you are “happy and blessed” by it.  The embossed metal sign expressing gratitude was a great find at Hobby Lobby.

Sally commented as directed on my post on the first Friday of the month.  That is all any subscriber needs to do to enter to win.  If you’d like to see other past winners and their gifts check it out here on my Freebies! page.

You can see what Sally won here. 

Not yet a subscriber to Midwest Storyteller?  Hopefully, my Freebies, not to mention the stories, recipes and other great content, will entice you to become one – freebies are for email subscribers only.

NOTE:  Subscribe with an email you intend to keep and check the week after the drawings.  This is my only means of notifying winners.  If it isn’t up to date, you may not get your gift!

Computers, tablets, smartphones – they each give this blog a different appearance, but you can easily find the subscription area in the menu under “CONTACT”.  Confirm your subscription when the email arrives.  If you’ve don’t receive a confirmation email, please email me at barb@midweststoryteller.com – it seems that from time to time, a subscription will get “stuck”. 

Subscribers get an email reminder each time there’s something new – like when there’s a FREEBIE on the First Friday of every month.

Comment as directed on the post that offers the Freebie and you’ll be entered to win. 

Freebies help me reach more people.  I need you to help me share all the fun with your friends and family.  When you share on MeWe, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, you’ll give them the opportunity to subscribe and win also.  Subscribing is free.  Freebies are free.  Let’s be clear – Smuffy is spoken for, but his stories are free.  Does it get any better than this?

Coming up on December 2nd, you’ll see the new Freebie.  Enter to win that day.  A winner is chosen at random from those subscribers who enter before midnight.  Then, check your email in the days following. 

Smartphone reminders help.

Take a moment make yourself familiar with the complete Freebie Rules by clicking HERE.

Subscribers, be ready to enter to win on Friday, December 2nd, 2022.

As I mentioned last month, I have taken a bold step.  I have asked God to help me see the beauty in winter.  Aside from thinking that falling snow is pretty, I’ve pretty much failed at this for a very long time.  There will be the same amount of frozen precipitation whichever mood I’m in and no amount of silent disgust on my part will move the thermometer, so I’m trying to make friends with it.  However, my past failures have shown me that I’ll be needing help of a Divine nature.  Either that, or I’m going to have to go visit Sally and stay for four months!

Lil’ Snookie’s Favorite Autumn Soup  (a simple THM “E” recipe)

Lil' Snookie's Favorite Autumn Soup www.midweststoryteller.com
~ Midwest Storyteller

I fully disclose that as a Certified Lifestyle Coach I do, at times, receive monetary compensation as such. See The Fine Print on the “About Me” page of this blog.

We eat soup year-round at our house.  We’re just soup lovers.  This one has always been a favorite, but it has made it BIG with the toddler at the table!  Originally, I started with a recipe from an old Betty Crocker cookbook, but I can’t find it in the newer cookbooks, nor can I find the recipe online anymore. I’ll just give credit to “Betty” for its origins though I have done my own tweaks over the years and so have had to do very little to make it Trim Healthy Mama plan-friendly.

Food Freedom with Coach Barb www.midweststoryteller.com

The name?  Well, when my Lil’ Snookie, who is here for lunch almost every day, graduated to solid foods and could manage it, I was sure to chop the veggies small in this soup so I could feed it to him.  He was one to talk early and often and as soon as he figured out how, he was calling out “Soup!” and we all knew exactly which soup he meant.  Even on his way home at night, when Pookie would tell him they were going home to have some supper, he would shout from the carseat, “Make soup!” and this was the one he wanted.

So, as these autumn days march on and prepare to turn into winter ones, I thought I’d share the soup with you. 

Personally, I feel that my “Creamy Leek Soup with Chicken and Sweet Potatoes”, found here, is the best soup ever invented by me or anyone else (and it’s a repeat contest winner), but I’m not going to start an argument with Lil’ Snookie over it.

I’m offering you a free printable recipe so that you can jump right in and make the soup and beside it, you’ll find some encouraging thoughts you may also want to include as a page in your recipe binder to lift you up on “those days” when you are blessed to be cooking for your family.  Just click on the banner below and both will print on one sheet.

Lil' Snookie's Favorite Autumn Soup www.midweststoryteller.com

Lil’ Snookie’s Favorite Autumn Soup       “E”

1 pound 96% lean ground beef or venison  (see notes)

1 cup chopped onion

4 cups water

1 cup chopped carrots

1 cup chopped celery (make these small)

1 cup cubed to 1/2″ Yukon Gold or purple potatoes

2-3 teaspoons applewood smoked sea salt or mineral salt and add a dash of liquid smoke  (see notes)

1 teaspoon bottled brown bouquet sauce

1 bay leaf

1/4 teaspoon dried basil

6 tomatoes (peeled fresh and chopped, frozen from your garden or two 14 ounce cans diced tomatoes)

Instructions

  1. In a large saucepan or Dutch oven, cook and stir meat until brown.  Drain off any fat and if you did not use the super lean meat, place in a strainer and pour hot water over it.
  2. Add onions.  Cook and stir with meat until they’re  tender, about 5 minutes.  Add remaining ingredients except for the tomatoes.  Heat to boiling and reduce heat.  Cover and simmer for 20 minutes.  
  3. Add tomatoes.  Cover and simmer 5-10 minutes longer.  Remove the bay leaf and serve.  

NOTES:  You could also try using lean ground turkey.  Salt the soup to taste, remembering that canned tomatoes already have salt and your garden ones will need more seasoning.  Don’t be tempted to use more veggies in this soup.  I tried and this not only raises the carbs too much but also just doesn’t taste right.  If you prep meat by browning ahead of time, this recipe goes fast.  Double or triple to have in the freezer or pressure can it!

YIELD:  6 servings.

Don’t forget to round out your meal with a nice green salad with a “FP” or “E” dressing and then maybe even sip on a nice collagen trimmy. Enjoy!

If you need support in your journey to better health and weight loss, head to the Contact page and let me know.  I’ll give you all the info on group sessions which I conduct locally in person on a weekly basis.  Private coaching can be done in person or by phone.  Share with friends and let’s see how many are ready to get Trim & Healthy!

The Trim Healthy Mama Plan is a great way to boost your immune system and we all need that right now, don’t we?  Leave a comment and let me know how you like the soup and tell me what your “go to” soup is for the fall and winter months.

It’s a joyous season ahead, and we can all enjoy it in a healthier way if we are willing to learn and try new and better things. 

Be Blessed with a First Friday Freebie!

~ Midwest Storyteller ~ 7 Comments

Oh, that November could hold on just as it is, I say as I sit here at the computer at night with the windows open.  That’s right – and I’m not even wearing a sweater.  This is my idea of fall.

I lingered outdoors with Phoebe June, but finally had to come in and finish this post so you could have a First Friday Freebie!  Don’t take it personally, but she hissed when I nudged her out of her dusky spying lair under the backyard swing. I don’t think she thought giving you a freebie was half as important as exercising her pouncabilities. Let’s take a look –

Gather, Rest, be happy & BLESSED www.midweststoryteller.com

This embossed metal sign carries the message that our hearts long for.  Smuffy has so often said, “This year, I’m going to take a long winter’s nap.”  (Then, he has a million indoor projects and never really gets one.)  We feel things beginning to slow a bit around here even though there is still much to be done to this old house.  To “gather, rest, be happy and blessed” is, I believe, what God wants for us in winter.  I couldn’t resist giving you this freebie as a wish that you’d experience a time of enjoying your loved ones, resting and relaxing and counting your blessings, realizing that they are truly new every morning.

The sign measures 8” square and its neutral gray color fades at the edges to look just a bit worn.  It also features a rope hanger should you want to hang it on a wall rather than prop it on a shelf or easel (or on a tree as I did). This was a Hobby Lobby find that I hope you enjoy.  The words remind me of the Scripture in Hebrews 4: 10-11, where we are told,  “For whoever enters God’s rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from His. Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter His rest.”  Throughout Scripture, we are told to fear not, fret not, and worry not.  There seems to be just this one area in which God tells us to strive and make effort and that is to rest.  You have His permission!

To enter to win the “Gather, Rest…” metal sign, all you need to do is “Leave a Comment” on this post, saying, “I’m ready to be blessed with rest.”  You’ll need to leave your comment before midnight TONIGHT, November 4th, 2022.

NOTE:  An occasional problem occurs with subscribers not receiving confirmation emails.  Should this happen, email me at barb@midweststoryteller.com so that I can report it and have the issue resolved.

If you are new to Midwest Storyteller and haven’t subscribed, you’ll need to do that before entering to win.  Head to the right sidebar or use the menu to navigate to the “Contact” page where you can fill in your email address and then watch for your confirmation email.

No one will get to enjoy all the great things here on the blog unless you share it with your friends and family through all your social media, so if you like an idea, recipe or story you see here, be sure to share and if you save things on Pinterest like I do, hover over the photo and “pin it”.  Help me get the word out!

On the “Freebies” page, you can see what readers have been winning every month.

A winner will be chosen at random from those subscribers who enter before midnight tonight, November 4th, by leaving a comment which says, “I’m ready to be blessed with rest!” 

For the complete First Friday Freebie rules, click here.

Enjoy enjoy every minute of these fleeting beautiful days.

Be sure to take a look at my latest soup recipe – it’s Lil’ Snookie’s favorite!

October’s Freebie Winner!

~ Midwest Storyteller ~ 1 Comment

I’ve spent most of my days lately taking Lil’ Snookie to the park as we try to relish every bit of warmth and sunshine before it’s all over.  I’ve checked both versions of the almanac and they both assure me that come the end of this month, it’s all over.  I did take time to get my First Friday Freebie to its new home, though.

Let’s take a look at the winner  –

October's Freebie Winner www.midweststoryteller.com

Ruby from Boonville, Missouri. 

Congratulations, Ruby!  I know you love to decorate and you also have fun kiddos around, so it won’t be long before you have some fun décor or a great photo to slip into the holder at the top of this wood block.  It was a great find at Hobby Lobby.

Ruby won by commenting as directed on my post on the first Friday of the month.  If you’d like to see other past winners and their gifts check it out here on my Freebies! page.

You can see the original freebie offer here. 

Not yet a subscriber to Midwest Storyteller?  Hopefully, my Freebies, not to mention the stories, recipes and other great content, will entice you to become one – freebies are for email subscribers only.

NOTE:  Subscribe with an email you intend to keep and check the week after the drawings.  This is my only means of notifying winners.  If it isn’t up to date, you may not get your gift!

Computers, tablets, smartphones – they each give this blog a different appearance, but you can easily find the subscription area in the menu under “CONTACT”.  Confirm your subscription when the email arrives.  If you’ve don’t receive a confirmation email, please email me at barb@midweststoryteller.com – it seems that from time to time, a subscription will get “stuck”. 

Subscribers get an email reminder each time there’s something new – like when there’s a FREEBIE on the First Friday of every month.

Comment as directed on the post that offers the Freebie and you’ll be entered to win. 

Freebies help me reach more people.  I need you to help me share all the fun with your friends and family.  When you share on MeWe, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, you’ll give them the opportunity to subscribe and win also.  Subscribing is free.  Freebies are free.  Let’s be clear – Smuffy is spoken for, but his stories are free.  Does it get any better than this?

On November 4th, you’ll see the new Freebie.  Enter to win that day.  A winner is chosen at random from those subscribers who enter before midnight.  Then, check your email in the days following. 

Smartphone reminders help.

Take a moment make yourself familiar with the complete Freebie Rules by clicking HERE.

Subscribers, be ready to enter to win on Friday, November 4th, 2022.

November has managed to stay on my good side so far.  Warm days with temperatures in the 60’s and 70’s and glorious color all around draw me outside and away from indoor chores (and from writing to you dear readers if I’m honest).  I may have to take a firm line with this month if it suddenly decides to disappoint me, but I may be wasting my energies there.  Today I did ask the Lord to perform a miracle in my life by requesting that He help me see the beauty in winter.  Perhaps being open to that notion is the first baby-step for a person like me.

There’s a Nip and a Freebie in the Air!

~ Midwest Storyteller ~ 6 Comments

Hello Dear Readers and Hello October!  A person can’t get too many days like the ones we’ve been having.  I’ve been spending as much time with Lil’ Snookie out in the open spaces as I possibly can.  Now his first question when he arrives at my door is, “Going to the park today?”  And so, off we go!  The only one who is unhappy is Phoebe June, who would much rather we stay home and play in the back yard because she can then go out with us.  She’s a little disgruntled and insulted about the harness because it inhibits her ability to consider herself fully free and “on the hunt”, but she can’t have her way all the time.  She has plenty to say on her own page here.

Speaking of free – Today’s the day!  Welcome to October’s First Friday Freebie.

You know how I love to bless you with a spot of cute décor –

Give Thanks Hobby Lobby Decor www.midweststoryteller

At this time of year especially, it does the soul good to stop and take stock of all the ways you’ve been blessed throughout the year and offer up thanks to the Giver of all good things.  This painted wooden tabletop décor measures approximately 3” X 6” and encourages us to “in all things give thanks”.  It’s about an inch thick so it won’t easily topple and at the top you can insert something as a nod to any season (as I did with the leaves in the photo) or just insert that great photo of the people you’re most thankful for.  If you happen to be a lover of Scripture, this will also serve to remind you of I Thessalonians 5:18.  This was a great find at Hobby Lobby and I hope you enjoy it. 

To enter to win the Give Thanks décor, all you need to do is “Leave a Comment” on this post, saying, “I have much to be grateful for!”  Somehow, we can all say that, even if we have been having our share of troubles lately.  You’ll need to leave your comment before midnight TONIGHT, October 7th, 2022.

NOTE:  An occasional problem occurs with subscribers not receiving confirmation emails.  Should this happen, email me at barb@midweststoryteller.com so that I can report it and have the issue resolved.

First Friday Freebies are for email SUBSCRIBERS ONLY, so you’ll want to subscribe over on the right sidebar or use the menu to navigate to the “Contact” page where you can subscribe to Midwest Storyteller if you haven’t done so.

I hope you enjoy freebies and share them and my blog stories with your friends and family through all your social media. If you like an idea, recipe or story you see here, be sure to hover over the photo and “pin it”.  Help me get the word out!

On the “Freebies” page, you can see what readers have been winning every month.

A winner will be chosen at random from those subscribers who enter before midnight tonight, October 7th, by leaving a comment which says, “I have much to be grateful for!” 

For the complete First Friday Freebie rules, click here.

Oh that we could spend each and every glorious day ahead just taking walks and enjoying lower temperatures and humidity.  Smuffy is building a porch and I have many irons in the fire as well but we plan to snatch every pleasant moment ahead before winter sets in.  I hope you can, too.

Meet the Freebie Winners!

~ Midwest Storyteller ~ 1 Comment

This post is where you get to see me playing catch-up.  Life has happened and it’s been a struggle to keep up here on the blog this summer, but the First Friday Freebies have not stopped – I’ve just had an issue with making the announcements.  Let’s take a look at who’s been winning  –

Summer Freebie Winners www.midweststoryteller.com

Now for my list of lame excuses. 

In June, Lee Ann entered to win and received the pretty “beachy” necklace you can see here.  In her defense, she did send me a photo.  However, it has vanished so I’m assuming I somehow deleted it by accident.

July’s winner, Vikki, has not sent me a photo.  She won the sparkly patriotic earrings you can see here.  I know her well enough to guess that she probably hoped I’d forget about the photo as she’s not fond of “making appearances”.  I can, however, get around this because of her status as a previous winner.  Here she is with the comfy-cozy scarf she won on another first Friday.

August was a bust.  We had router problems which held hands with server problems and during the days I should have been preparing and posting the August First Friday Freebie we had cyber chaos.  I started to get all frantic about it and finally just took a deep breath and made peace with the fact that stuff happens and if there was no August freebie, the world would keep on turning.

In September, the First Friday Freebie went to Debby (pictured above) and I did get a photo.  Congratulations, Debby!  I hope you enjoy this fun bit of harvest décor and find a place in your home to display it.  It was a fun find at Hobby Lobby.

Well now!  I’m starting to feel like I’m getting back on track!  Let’s hope it stays that way because the busy season is upon us.  I enjoy blessing my readers with free gifts and also the gift of good laughs and good food, so look for some great recipes and a couple of tales from the most popular page on my blog, Life With Smuffy coming up soon.

Lee Ann, Vikki and Debby won by commenting as directed on my post on the first Friday of the month.  If you’d like to see other past winners and their gifts check it out here on my Freebies! page.

You can see the original freebie offer here. 

Not yet a subscriber to Midwest Storyteller?  Hopefully, my Freebies, not to mention the stories, recipes and other great content, will entice you to become one – freebies are for email subscribers only.

NOTE:  Subscribe with an email you intend to keep and check the week after the drawings.  This is my only means of notifying winners.  If it isn’t up to date, you may not get your gift!

Computers, tablets, smartphones – they each give this blog a different appearance, but you can easily find the subscription area in the menu under “CONTACT”.  Confirm your subscription when the email arrives.  If you’ve don’t receive a confirmation email, please email me at barb@midweststoryteller.com – it seems that from time to time, a subscription will get “stuck”. 

Subscribers get an email reminder each time there’s something new – like when there’s a FREEBIE on the First Friday of every month.

Comment as directed on the post that offers the Freebie and you’ll be entered to win. 

Freebies help me reach more people.  I need you to help me share all the fun with your friends and family.  When you share on MeWe, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, you’ll give them the opportunity to subscribe and win also.  Subscribing is free.  Freebies are free.  Let’s be clear – Smuffy is spoken for, but his stories are free.  Does it get any better than this?

On October 7th, you’ll see the new Freebie.  Enter to win that day.  A winner is chosen at random from those subscribers who enter before midnight.  Then, check your email in the days following. 

Smartphone reminders help.

Take a moment make yourself familiar with the complete Freebie Rules by clicking HERE.

Subscribers, be ready to enter to win on Friday, October 7th, 2022.

October is a month of autumn splendor.  If you live in the Midwest, October makes you feel a bit sorry for the folks who live where the seasons don’t change – those people who just enjoy day after day in the same old tropical paradise.  That sympathetic feeling leaves us usually around January 2nd.

Freebies Return for Fall!

~ Midwest Storyteller ~ 6 Comments

Just the little flip of the calendar from August to September makes you want to sniff the air for the scent of pumpkin “something”.  We’re actually trying not to sniff too hard right now around our house because our great outdoors is not so great.  “Something” is out there.  We don’t know what it is or where it is, but we do know it’s dead.  I have been informed by Lil’ Snookie that he “smell sumping.  I don’t like it.”  We may have to diffuse pumpkin spice scent all over our back yard pretty soon. 

Now that I’ve gone unpleasantly off-topic, let’s get back to Freebies.  Last month’s first Friday fell victim to circumstances.  The internet went off, the router suffered the same fate as that mysterious carcass (blessedly without the stench) and Lil’ Snookie didn’t allow me the hours I needed to sort the whole thing out in time to post the First Friday Freebie.  Again – my apologies.

I’m here to help you get back in the mood with this bit of cute décor –

Autumn Acres Sign www.midweststoryteller.com

This Autumn Acres sign will direct people straight to your pumpkin patch.  It measures 6” X 4” so it’s small enough to tuck into a shelf or prop on an easel on your desk or counter.  It does have an attached twine to hang it on the wall as well.  Does it matter that you may not be offering apple cider, hay rides and hot cocoa to your guests?  Of course not – we can all pretend. 

This was a great find at Hobby Lobby and I hope you enjoy it. 

To enter to win the Autumn Acres sign, all you need to do is “Leave a Comment” on this post, saying, “Bring on the autumn days!”  We’re ready for them here in the Midwest – it’s been a long, hot summer.  You’ll need to leave your comment before midnight TONIGHT, September 2nd, 2022.

NOTE:  An occasional problem occurs with subscribers not receiving confirmation emails.  Should this happen, email me at barb@midweststoryteller.com so that I can report it and have the issue resolved.

First Friday Freebies are for email SUBSCRIBERS ONLY, so you’ll want to subscribe over on the right sidebar or use the menu to navigate to the “Contact” page where you can subscribe to Midwest Storyteller if you haven’t done so.

I hope you enjoy freebies and share them and my blog stories with your friends and family through all your social media. If you like an idea, recipe or story you see here, be sure to hover over the photo and “pin it”.  Help me get the word out!

On the “Freebies” page, you can see what readers have been winning every month.

A winner will be chosen at random from those subscribers who enter before midnight tonight, September 2nd, by leaving a comment which says, “Bring on the autumn days!” 

For the complete First Friday Freebie rules, click here.

Oh that we could spend each and every glorious day ahead just taking walks and enjoying lower temperatures and humidity.  Smuffy is building a porch and I have many irons in the fire as well but we plan to snatch every pleasant moment ahead before winter sets in.  I hope you can, too.

Celebrate Freedom with July’s Freebie!

~ Midwest Storyteller ~ 7 Comments

Here we are at the First Friday and that means a Freebie, but timing puts this extremely close to Independence Day.  Therefore, I pledge to get this special First Friday Freebie out to you lickety-split so you can hopefully have it in time for the 4th.  However, there’s no shame in sporting this patriotic freebie any old time!

Take a look  – 

Metal Flag Earrings www.midweststoryteller.com

Things won’t be perfect anywhere this side of Heaven, but down here on earth there is no finer place to find oneself than the USA.  These American flag motif earrings show your patriotism and add some sparkle and shine as well.  They’re a great find from Factory Connection.

These dangles measure 1 7/8” long and 2 1/2” wide.  I know – I know – the photo makes them look like they’re constructed of some sort of textured fabric or something, but in reality, the earrings are metal and the texture is shimmer and shine!  After all, you have to compete with the sparklers and fireworks, right?

To enter to win the flag earrings, all you need to do is “Leave a Comment” on this post, saying, “I’m proud to be an American!”  You’ll need to leave your comment before midnight TONIGHT, July 1st, 2022.

NOTE:  An occasional problem occurs with subscribers not receiving confirmation emails.  Should this happen, email me at barb@midweststoryteller.com so that I can report it and have the issue resolved.

First Friday Freebies are for email SUBSCRIBERS ONLY, so you’ll want to subscribe over on the right sidebar or use the menu to navigate to the “Contact” page where you can subscribe to Midwest Storyteller if you haven’t done so.

I hope you enjoy freebies and share them and my blog stories with your friends and family through all your social media. If you like an idea, recipe or story you see here, be sure to hover over the photo and “pin it”.  Help me get the word out!

On the “Freebies” page, you can see what readers have been winning every month.

A winner will be chosen at random from those subscribers who enter before midnight tonight, July 1st, by leaving a comment which says, “I’m proud to be an American!” 

For the complete First Friday Freebie rules, click here.

We’re always in double celebration mode this time of the year, for Smuffy is a real live nephew of his Uncle Sam and born on the 4th of July.  I still say he was probably twelve years old before he figured out the whole thing wasn’t entirely for him.  In addition to the hair-raising things Smuffy has done to enhance my prayer life through the years which I post on my Life with Smuffy page, I might add that he is also a huge fan of fireworks as long as they are powerful enough to register substantially on the Richter scale.  And yet, by God’s grace, we’re all still here. 

For my readers who live outside the USA (I see you out there!) don’t assume that this country is jam-packed with nothing but Smuffy-types.  He’s unique and it is safe to come here.  Just be sure to use the appropriate channels.

Enjoy a safe and happy Independence Day with your family and friends and pray for our nation.