This week Matt and I are taking a little holiday. While we’re relaxing, I have some great guest posts lined up for the blog.

Often it’s the little things that make a home. You all know how happy Matt and I are to finally have a flag pole at the farm. There was the satisfaction when we finally installed the pole. Then there was the history lesson on Flag Day. And of course the maple leaf on Canada Day.

Well, Diane at West Lake Musings shares our appreciation for flags. In fact, she and her husband Warren recently made a new addition to their country property, and she generously agreed to share it here today with all of you.

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Happiness is infectious. When you love someone and you see them grinning and having fun, you catch the feeling too. Those good vibes just fly across the room and seep into your heart.   That’s what has been happening around here this month.  My husband feels good and consequently I do too.  The reason for all of this good cheer was Warren’s current project.   He has been on a quest and totally absorbed in getting a flag made up for the property.

Our new flag is not just any old flag.  Oh, you don’t know Warren well do you?  No, Warren’s new flag is a custom designed unique-only-to us flag.  It will fly high and mark his territory.

It is exactly one year since Warren had a personal design created and 30 custom baseball caps manufactured with that logo on the brow.

Ordering a personal flag using that same design was just the natural progression.

I personally find Warren really endearing when he is caught up in the excitement of a project.  God love him.  He is cute. He has been running around all month. First he had to go back to the hat manufacturer and ask them to email the flag people a copy of his design. Then there were colour swatches to select and proofs to approve. There was a choice of fabrics to select. Did we want the flag in satin, nylon, polyester, duraknit or duramax?  Do we want the grommets on the right or the left side? We decided on a 3′ x 5′ size flag and an 18 foot tall aluminum flagpole. For Warren it was all very important stuff.

The flag manufacturer has been great and very patient. Flags Unlimited are located several hundred miles away yet they were able to manufacture and deliver our new flag within a day and a half from placing our final order. Oh, and the flag pole was delivered too. It came in five sections, each four feet long, neatly packed in a cardboard box.  How cool is that?

Armed with a neon spray can and measuring tape we then went looking for the perfect location for our new flag pole. It couldn’t be too close to the trees and we had some over head wires to contend with. Some areas of our property are rather sheltered and don’t get much wind. The last deciding factor was that we wanted to see the flag from the house and whenever we walked out the back door.

The final stage in the project was the installation of the flag pole. It was a real team effort. Out came the wheelbarrow, the shovels, a tarp, gravel and concrete. The instructions called for a 16 inches x 48 inches hole. Two inches of gravel was placed into the bottom of the hole and then the whole thing was filled with concrete. “Quick get the level!” We don’t want a crooked pole.

Today the project was completed. Not since the marines raised the flag during the battle for Iwo Jima has there been this much anticipation. The pole is firmly in place and the beautiful new flag is snapping in the wind. Magnificent. We love it. For the man who has everything it makes a truly unique stand-out symbol of his territory.

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Isn’t that a great commemoration of their new life in the country? I love the idea of a custom made flag for the farm. Diane’s and Warren’s love of their new home is obvious. Thanks, Diane for sharing your story today.

One of my favourite parts of blogging is finding kindred spirits. In the case of Diane–who was actually the one that found me–our transformation into country living has followed a very similar path (almost to the month)!

Breeze over to West Lake Musings to check out more of her and Warren’s adventures.