Ooo, free Helleborus (genus of the species Lenten Rose)! They are so beautiful but be careful, many species are poisonous. As always I loved your post and can’t wait to hear about the menagerie you will acquire at the pond, it will be wonderful!

How awesome you have been very busy and the rewards are paying off. The pond is going to be so beautiful when it gets all filled in. I have a pond on my property as well. It was all dried up but we did a bit of work to it and it is filling back up too. Like you I worry about snakes (they are my nightmare) but the pond is going to be so beautiful. I need to find some farming classes in my area too thanks again for allowing us to live vicariously through you and your farm girl life come true.

I too have recently left a city and moved to a 5 acre farm. So much to learn! but I’m digging it! I’ve been introducted to a farming ethic entitled “Permaculture”. It embrasses good land stewartship and in my opinion a very healthy dose of common sense. I’m so glad that the conclusion of your drainage problems was to work with it and not against it. Such serrendipity has left you with a beautiful oasis for you and wildlife in the very near future. Enjoy!

Ooo, free Helleborus (genus of the species Lenten Rose)! They are so beautiful but be careful, many species are poisonous. As always I loved your post and can’t wait to hear about the menagerie you will acquire at the pond, it will be wonderful!

How awesome you have been very busy and the rewards are paying off. The pond is going to be so beautiful when it gets all filled in. I have a pond on my property as well. It was all dried up but we did a bit of work to it and it is filling back up too. Like you I worry about snakes (they are my nightmare) but the pond is going to be so beautiful. I need to find some farming classes in my area too thanks again for allowing us to live vicariously through you and your farm girl life come true.

I too have recently left a city and moved to a 5 acre farm. So much to learn! but I’m digging it! I’ve been introducted to a farming ethic entitled “Permaculture”. It embrasses good land stewartship and in my opinion a very healthy dose of common sense. I’m so glad that the conclusion of your drainage problems was to work with it and not against it. Such serrendipity has left you with a beautiful oasis for you and wildlife in the very near future. Enjoy!

Oh how fun to see your wonderful soul-horse up close and personal, yes his look is like ‘really did you have too?’ Ahhhh love both of your last kitchens, there are parts of both I’d have — off white cabinets, some with wavy glass – maybe not all the way but at the top, a pantry big enough to walk into, with everything having a place, a large island in red or green, nothing on it except some pretties that are useful, I have a small island now with the rolling pins, small utensils in a quaint jar, makes it so handy to not be opening drawers, I have used and AGA, loved it but it does put off heat all the time and summer makes for steam, just my opinion, so gas it would be – counter top with storage of pans below, no hanging, I’m too short to reach them when they are high enough that others don’t hit their heads – at least a double oven, one a convection and also a small micro wave – the baking center would have a low/marble top, the mixer would be on a pop up shelf coming out from under the cupboard next to the marble top, along with all the baking needs stored under the low marble top, oh WINDOWS there must be a bank, if not a bay at the kitchen sink, which is large/long with a drain board at each end – had this on the farm growing up – loved it, the eating area a fun banquet is nice but I’d probably go with a round farm table and chairs that can expand, with a Tiffany style light above – oh the POP of color would be yellow, actually that is the pop that I am going to paint in my kitchen this summer – have the red n green and am looking at painting the cupboards and warm white too. Oh my Rebekah you have done it this time, my mind is a whirl and I love it!! The winter, of which we are to get more snow tonight, has been a long one and now I am ready to MOVE. Good luck with your project. Thanks for the fun.

Wow Rebekah your dream kitchen is described so perfectly; I can see the horses playing out the windows, smell the cookies baking in the oven, feel the warmth of the fire, and mostly feel the love of friends and family as they gather there. I am sure this will all come true some time soon. I hope your dreams come true.

Gosh, love your horse, did see the lippy mark 🙂
Love love love your pic kitchen.
I’m renting, but I like a white kitchen, timber bench tops, a walk in pantry and loads of bench space. I love to cook, bake and have an open kitchen with an open plan dining living area so I’m not cut off from others when I’m cooking. I love cooking with gas, since it’s quicker to heat elements and cheaper too here. I like a splash of colour like a blue or red and stained bench tops. I’d love two ovens with nice wide shelves and I’d like my bench tops to be quite wide with plenty of power points. Most kitchens I’ve been in never seemed to have enough. I have a big heavy mixer too, so it lives on my kitchen bench too. I like to have room so my family and friends can gather in my kitchen to chat, cook with me, love and laugh. No matter what type of kitchen I’ve had over the years it’s always been the center of my home.

Anne Lamott has dreads?? Wow. Who knew.

Thank you for this, I feel that old dream of mine start to flicker! I have always wanted to run the business of a farm. I want to grow more food than my family can eat, so I can share it with my neighbors, and I want to do more than just be self sufficient in respects to food. (I grew up on a farm in Utah, where we truly ate only what we grew) That was my education, but I left too early! Please keep us up to date with yourself, you are such a good writer, I look forward to your posts!

Rebekah, A farm conference will do that….put a strong foundation on a farm dream, which will take you to making it a reality. I recently attended the NAFDMA conference, a national farm conference with an agri-tourism angle. The farmers I met were amazing, down to earth and inspiring. It was a huge conference and I would like to find one that was more along the lines of the one you attended. As one “farmgirl” ( I work on a small family organic you-pick berry and veggie farm)to another “let the farming begin!”

This sounds like such a wonderful idea! I know you will have tons of fun!

Rebekah: Getting a e-mail from you is one of my greatest joys. I was thinking about a Farm near us that is organic and sells to restaurants, holds classes and tries to enlist the school children about growing one’s own food and eating it. You could sell at a farm market or advertise for other food enthusiasts (cheese makers, goat soap makers, etc) to sell a your farm market. This farm market also sells memberships an annual fee to purchase their own vegetables from the market. Whatever you decide for your farm will be right for you and your family. I am sure of that. Thank you for always looking at the sunny side. Hugs

As always entertaining and very in-lightning. WOW what a great college to attend, no not going back to ‘school’ but learning from ones like yourself is a good thing.
God Bless and thanks for the joy.

I have felt like I was the only one going through this! I’m taking the NCAT Getting Started in Farming online class and have been panicking over the Risk Management section! Your confidence inspires me to wade through my fears!

“…over-rated…over-boring…over-priced…too arm-wave-y” Hahaha!

That college and conference sound amazing! You’ll get the hang of farming! You’re living a dream!

I an a farmer’s daughter and have spent the last 25 years growing organic vegetables for Farmer’s Markets and a successful CSA. I found success in starting each day of morning chores with my head against the warm side of my favorite milk goat, listening to the clucking of the hens as I fed them greens picked fresh from the greenhouse, and the soft bleat of the sheep as I throw hay down from the barn. Growing vegetables to feed families has been my greatest joy. No amount of income can compensate for the dirt under my nails and my sunburned nose. Success is being truly happy in your efforts. Here’s hoping you find the path that leads you to your dreams.

Anne Lamott has dreads?? Wow. Who knew.

Thank you for this, I feel that old dream of mine start to flicker! I have always wanted to run the business of a farm. I want to grow more food than my family can eat, so I can share it with my neighbors, and I want to do more than just be self sufficient in respects to food. (I grew up on a farm in Utah, where we truly ate only what we grew) That was my education, but I left too early! Please keep us up to date with yourself, you are such a good writer, I look forward to your posts!

Rebekah, A farm conference will do that….put a strong foundation on a farm dream, which will take you to making it a reality. I recently attended the NAFDMA conference, a national farm conference with an agri-tourism angle. The farmers I met were amazing, down to earth and inspiring. It was a huge conference and I would like to find one that was more along the lines of the one you attended. As one “farmgirl” ( I work on a small family organic you-pick berry and veggie farm)to another “let the farming begin!”

This sounds like such a wonderful idea! I know you will have tons of fun!

Rebekah: Getting a e-mail from you is one of my greatest joys. I was thinking about a Farm near us that is organic and sells to restaurants, holds classes and tries to enlist the school children about growing one’s own food and eating it. You could sell at a farm market or advertise for other food enthusiasts (cheese makers, goat soap makers, etc) to sell a your farm market. This farm market also sells memberships an annual fee to purchase their own vegetables from the market. Whatever you decide for your farm will be right for you and your family. I am sure of that. Thank you for always looking at the sunny side. Hugs

As always entertaining and very in-lightning. WOW what a great college to attend, no not going back to ‘school’ but learning from ones like yourself is a good thing.
God Bless and thanks for the joy.

I have felt like I was the only one going through this! I’m taking the NCAT Getting Started in Farming online class and have been panicking over the Risk Management section! Your confidence inspires me to wade through my fears!

“…over-rated…over-boring…over-priced…too arm-wave-y” Hahaha!

That college and conference sound amazing! You’ll get the hang of farming! You’re living a dream!

I an a farmer’s daughter and have spent the last 25 years growing organic vegetables for Farmer’s Markets and a successful CSA. I found success in starting each day of morning chores with my head against the warm side of my favorite milk goat, listening to the clucking of the hens as I fed them greens picked fresh from the greenhouse, and the soft bleat of the sheep as I throw hay down from the barn. Growing vegetables to feed families has been my greatest joy. No amount of income can compensate for the dirt under my nails and my sunburned nose. Success is being truly happy in your efforts. Here’s hoping you find the path that leads you to your dreams.

I’m so sorry. It is so very hard to lose a beloved pet. Insulate your heart, but don’t shut down for good. You will learn to “move on” –not in a cold, callous way, but in a way that when the next animal comes along, you will remember the good times you had with the one that has past, and it will help you to love the new one even better. I know what you’re thinking. What happens when you love even more and then that one goes?! You heal. You learn to love more. Better.
When I was a little girl, my parents wanted us to get a taste of hobby-farming, so they ordered us 30 chicks and two bunnies. My bunny was beautiful. Really. She was a smokey, sable gray. Smokey became her moniker. I played in the yard with her every day. I walked her on a leash like a puppy. We sat on the grass inside a little chicken-wire fence to snuggle. We decided to breed her. We were going to learn how to sell the babies and run a small business. I was excited about the babies; not about selling them. However, that was the least of my worries. Easter morning came in with a rolling thunderstorm. Smokey went into labor. I woke up to two blubbering parents standing over me–not the best way to wake up your child, by the way. They had come to tell me that Smokey had gone into labor from the stress of the storm. She gave birth to 9 babies, but died with two very large, breech babies inside. I cried and cried and cried, but while I cried we ran outside to recover the babies because now we had to find a nursing doe for them. We drove through the country. I cried at the doorstep of all the local farmers–not a one had a nursing doe. We nursed the 9 babies every two hours, every day for two weeks until slowly, each one passed. And each time, I cried. I was devastated. It took me a very long time to get over her, but in the mean time, I was given another bunny, and we successfully raised up to 18 rabbits at one time. I never loved another bunny liked I loved Smokey, but I didn’t take the other bunnies for granted either. In reality, it was the loss of life that I encountered that year that helped me to learn to deal with death as a young woman. It may not seem like it’s a good thing, but there is beauty to be found in the ashes.

I wish I had great words of wisdom for you. I don’t have a lot of experience with animals. I can only wish you healing and peace. I think you will… adapt… to losing your animal friends. You will remember that the days/months/years/ of joy they bring you are worth the pain, and you’ll find the courage to bring more animals home. But it will probably always feel like a sock in the gut at first, when one of them dies.

Find strength in the life you gave her. It was pretty much “Club Med” for chickens, and that’s a wonderful thing. Probably wouldn’t have been as great if that little chick had ended up somewhere else. How wonderful that she touched your heart and passed in such a peaceful way. Remember and accentuate the positive, it softens the blow.

Dear Rebekah,
I send a hug. From someone who has lived on a farm her entire life….loved and lost. Try to think of the GIFT of knowing your little ones at all…..the blessing of having them in your life, even for a short time. How much love and happiness that they gave….and what a blessing they were. Place a photo in your home and talk about the “good things” with your daughter each day. Scrapbooks help also. Better days are coming…..with more wonderful pets! <3

Glad you shared your post and am sorry and understand about your sadness and shut down for not wanting other animals right now. I did the same thing when my beloved dog died. I didn’t want that pain again. And then I rescued an old, emaciated dog off the highway and 4 months later I am so in love with him and he is so happy to have us. The joy we bring each other is worth the sadness that will one day come. You only have today to do good things for other animals and people. As a fellow animal lover I ask you to reconsider fostering an older horse or saving a donkey and giving it a good home. They need you and will bring you more joy and love. They need companionship and love and safety. Just like your chicken whom you gave a good and happy life to that passed through no fault of your own.

I am so sorry to hear of TyGee’s passing. I, too, lost my most dear and precious yellow Lab, Reilly, last October, and I still find myself looking for him to be sitting at the storm door looking out waiting for me when I pull into the driveway. All I can say is that it definitely takes time…although, for me, I’m not so sure I will ever be at peace knowing he is gone. Our pets become part of us, and when they have to leave us for the Rainbow Bridge, it’s as though we lose a part of ourselves. My thoughts and prayers are with you and I hope you can find some peace in knowing that you gave TyGee a wonderful life while she was here on Earth.
Sincerely,
Donna

So, so sorry for you & your daughter’s grief!!!
There is an aspect to this that I wanted to share that helped me through losing a sparrow I found on the ground outside my bedroom window at the very tender age of 13! I had never had a pet until I found Billy Bird, and I was determined to be the very best mommy to this pink, featherless, newly hatched baby! And I was, and Billy Bird was fully grown when she was killed – it about killed me…I grieved so hard for that bird! The only thing that could comfort me was the thought (my mother told me this) that Billy Bird’s life had been the best it could be because I had been the best in caring for her (13 year olds do not naturally get up round the clock to feed a baby chirping bird)…so while TyGee brought you all so much pleasure, you also gave TyGee a wonderful life as well.
I have had quite a few pets since that 13th year but the intensity of loving a pet was the purest with Billy Bird, it did change me. We love our pets because they love us back and noone can tell me that Billy Bird, a common sparrow, didn’t know me and prefer to perch on me over anything else! I had my mom to help me grieve…heck, she cried with me! So help each other, it is a bond you will cherish in years to come. I don’t know if it is possible to compartmentalize love – I do know that love like this is not lessened with time, but the sharp acute pain of loss will. Hugs!!!

I’m so sorry to read about TyGee! I would give you a hug if I lived closer! How fortunate TyGee was to be part of your farm family! Even though she lived a short life she couldn’t help but know that she was sooooo loved and cherished. Not all farm critters have such a grand life as that. If I had a goat, a miniature donkey, an aging horse or a guinea-fowl to find a home for you would be the person I would approach because you care so much.

My heart is breaking for your and your daughters loss. Our family has been in the same place. Many times. We have been there with chickens, with goats, with horses and cows as well as our dogs and cats. When I lost my first horse it was sudden like your loss. I was blindsided and like you, my heart shut down. I felt my heart collapsing. Suzy died in the fall and the following January a neighbor asked us to make a home for a 20 year old horse whose owner had been killed suddenly in a car accident. Just like you I said no. The neighbor must have mentioned it to my grandmother because she called my right away. She asked why I had declined to take the mare, we had the room and we had the time. I told her I just couldn’t take on another horse knowing sooner or later it would die as well. My grandmother gave me some advice that I will pass on to you. She told me the greatest way I could honor the great impact that Suzy had on my life was to open my heart and dare to love again. She said the greatest gift our animals give us is teaching us how to love and the best way we can honor them and the impact they have had on our lives is to take those loving lessons and shower them upon another animal. She said if I didn’t have animals any more it would be to show dishonor to Suzy and how she had taught me to love. I thought about that for a few days, mulling her words over and over. After a week I called the neighbor and told her I would take the mare. For weeks I had to literally force myself to interact with the horse but slowly over time I felt my heart begin to thaw. Finally, slowly, I fell in love with the new mare. 8 years later when she died I cried and was heartbroken again but my grandmother had been right. The greatest gift that Suzy had given me was the gift of opening my heart to an animal and daring to love completely. I felt that I honored her memory by “paying it forward” so to speak and passing that love on to another. Each time one of our animals die it breaks our hearts. We mourn and grieve and cry. But for me, continuing to love, continuing to provide a loving place for another creature has been the healing balm.You aren’t replacing your lost loved one by loving other animals, you are taking the love they nurtured in your heart and spreading it around, making a loving life for another. This is what has helped us. Maybe it will help your family too. Bless your heart. May you feel whole again soon.

I am so sorry for your loss of Tygee. Been there, done that, and it makes the heart ache for so long. Here’s a farmgirl hug!
On a lighter note, the recipes look great. I will be trying them out!

I don’t know if this is any consolation, but I hope it is. I learned, when I had parrots, that birds will not show how ill they are until they are near the end. It’s a survival skill they developed because sick birds can make the whole flock vulnerable. Because of that, they are run out of the flock when they show signs of illness. I’m sorry you lost your sweetie, but know that you were definitely fighting the good fight in an uphill battle.

I’m so sorry. It is so very hard to lose a beloved pet. Insulate your heart, but don’t shut down for good. You will learn to “move on” –not in a cold, callous way, but in a way that when the next animal comes along, you will remember the good times you had with the one that has past, and it will help you to love the new one even better. I know what you’re thinking. What happens when you love even more and then that one goes?! You heal. You learn to love more. Better.
When I was a little girl, my parents wanted us to get a taste of hobby-farming, so they ordered us 30 chicks and two bunnies. My bunny was beautiful. Really. She was a smokey, sable gray. Smokey became her moniker. I played in the yard with her every day. I walked her on a leash like a puppy. We sat on the grass inside a little chicken-wire fence to snuggle. We decided to breed her. We were going to learn how to sell the babies and run a small business. I was excited about the babies; not about selling them. However, that was the least of my worries. Easter morning came in with a rolling thunderstorm. Smokey went into labor. I woke up to two blubbering parents standing over me–not the best way to wake up your child, by the way. They had come to tell me that Smokey had gone into labor from the stress of the storm. She gave birth to 9 babies, but died with two very large, breech babies inside. I cried and cried and cried, but while I cried we ran outside to recover the babies because now we had to find a nursing doe for them. We drove through the country. I cried at the doorstep of all the local farmers–not a one had a nursing doe. We nursed the 9 babies every two hours, every day for two weeks until slowly, each one passed. And each time, I cried. I was devastated. It took me a very long time to get over her, but in the mean time, I was given another bunny, and we successfully raised up to 18 rabbits at one time. I never loved another bunny liked I loved Smokey, but I didn’t take the other bunnies for granted either. In reality, it was the loss of life that I encountered that year that helped me to learn to deal with death as a young woman. It may not seem like it’s a good thing, but there is beauty to be found in the ashes.

I wish I had great words of wisdom for you. I don’t have a lot of experience with animals. I can only wish you healing and peace. I think you will… adapt… to losing your animal friends. You will remember that the days/months/years/ of joy they bring you are worth the pain, and you’ll find the courage to bring more animals home. But it will probably always feel like a sock in the gut at first, when one of them dies.

Find strength in the life you gave her. It was pretty much “Club Med” for chickens, and that’s a wonderful thing. Probably wouldn’t have been as great if that little chick had ended up somewhere else. How wonderful that she touched your heart and passed in such a peaceful way. Remember and accentuate the positive, it softens the blow.

Dear Rebekah,
I send a hug. From someone who has lived on a farm her entire life….loved and lost. Try to think of the GIFT of knowing your little ones at all…..the blessing of having them in your life, even for a short time. How much love and happiness that they gave….and what a blessing they were. Place a photo in your home and talk about the “good things” with your daughter each day. Scrapbooks help also. Better days are coming…..with more wonderful pets! <3

Glad you shared your post and am sorry and understand about your sadness and shut down for not wanting other animals right now. I did the same thing when my beloved dog died. I didn’t want that pain again. And then I rescued an old, emaciated dog off the highway and 4 months later I am so in love with him and he is so happy to have us. The joy we bring each other is worth the sadness that will one day come. You only have today to do good things for other animals and people. As a fellow animal lover I ask you to reconsider fostering an older horse or saving a donkey and giving it a good home. They need you and will bring you more joy and love. They need companionship and love and safety. Just like your chicken whom you gave a good and happy life to that passed through no fault of your own.

I am so sorry to hear of TyGee’s passing. I, too, lost my most dear and precious yellow Lab, Reilly, last October, and I still find myself looking for him to be sitting at the storm door looking out waiting for me when I pull into the driveway. All I can say is that it definitely takes time…although, for me, I’m not so sure I will ever be at peace knowing he is gone. Our pets become part of us, and when they have to leave us for the Rainbow Bridge, it’s as though we lose a part of ourselves. My thoughts and prayers are with you and I hope you can find some peace in knowing that you gave TyGee a wonderful life while she was here on Earth.
Sincerely,
Donna

So, so sorry for you & your daughter’s grief!!!
There is an aspect to this that I wanted to share that helped me through losing a sparrow I found on the ground outside my bedroom window at the very tender age of 13! I had never had a pet until I found Billy Bird, and I was determined to be the very best mommy to this pink, featherless, newly hatched baby! And I was, and Billy Bird was fully grown when she was killed – it about killed me…I grieved so hard for that bird! The only thing that could comfort me was the thought (my mother told me this) that Billy Bird’s life had been the best it could be because I had been the best in caring for her (13 year olds do not naturally get up round the clock to feed a baby chirping bird)…so while TyGee brought you all so much pleasure, you also gave TyGee a wonderful life as well.
I have had quite a few pets since that 13th year but the intensity of loving a pet was the purest with Billy Bird, it did change me. We love our pets because they love us back and noone can tell me that Billy Bird, a common sparrow, didn’t know me and prefer to perch on me over anything else! I had my mom to help me grieve…heck, she cried with me! So help each other, it is a bond you will cherish in years to come. I don’t know if it is possible to compartmentalize love – I do know that love like this is not lessened with time, but the sharp acute pain of loss will. Hugs!!!

I’m so sorry to read about TyGee! I would give you a hug if I lived closer! How fortunate TyGee was to be part of your farm family! Even though she lived a short life she couldn’t help but know that she was sooooo loved and cherished. Not all farm critters have such a grand life as that. If I had a goat, a miniature donkey, an aging horse or a guinea-fowl to find a home for you would be the person I would approach because you care so much.

My heart is breaking for your and your daughters loss. Our family has been in the same place. Many times. We have been there with chickens, with goats, with horses and cows as well as our dogs and cats. When I lost my first horse it was sudden like your loss. I was blindsided and like you, my heart shut down. I felt my heart collapsing. Suzy died in the fall and the following January a neighbor asked us to make a home for a 20 year old horse whose owner had been killed suddenly in a car accident. Just like you I said no. The neighbor must have mentioned it to my grandmother because she called my right away. She asked why I had declined to take the mare, we had the room and we had the time. I told her I just couldn’t take on another horse knowing sooner or later it would die as well. My grandmother gave me some advice that I will pass on to you. She told me the greatest way I could honor the great impact that Suzy had on my life was to open my heart and dare to love again. She said the greatest gift our animals give us is teaching us how to love and the best way we can honor them and the impact they have had on our lives is to take those loving lessons and shower them upon another animal. She said if I didn’t have animals any more it would be to show dishonor to Suzy and how she had taught me to love. I thought about that for a few days, mulling her words over and over. After a week I called the neighbor and told her I would take the mare. For weeks I had to literally force myself to interact with the horse but slowly over time I felt my heart begin to thaw. Finally, slowly, I fell in love with the new mare. 8 years later when she died I cried and was heartbroken again but my grandmother had been right. The greatest gift that Suzy had given me was the gift of opening my heart to an animal and daring to love completely. I felt that I honored her memory by “paying it forward” so to speak and passing that love on to another. Each time one of our animals die it breaks our hearts. We mourn and grieve and cry. But for me, continuing to love, continuing to provide a loving place for another creature has been the healing balm.You aren’t replacing your lost loved one by loving other animals, you are taking the love they nurtured in your heart and spreading it around, making a loving life for another. This is what has helped us. Maybe it will help your family too. Bless your heart. May you feel whole again soon.

I am so sorry for your loss of Tygee. Been there, done that, and it makes the heart ache for so long. Here’s a farmgirl hug!
On a lighter note, the recipes look great. I will be trying them out!

I don’t know if this is any consolation, but I hope it is. I learned, when I had parrots, that birds will not show how ill they are until they are near the end. It’s a survival skill they developed because sick birds can make the whole flock vulnerable. Because of that, they are run out of the flock when they show signs of illness. I’m sorry you lost your sweetie, but know that you were definitely fighting the good fight in an uphill battle.

I can see a summer task coming on for you and hubby: wrapping well all pipes above ground and making sure all pipes below ground are deep enough. I’m sure you must know that if you have electricity to the barn, you can get a heater to put in the water trough to keep it from freezing. Just be sure to secure the cord so the ponies can’t chew it.

Blizzards are wonderful, just be prepared, I’m learning that day by day in these Ozarks.
I’ve learned to buy double all year long to stock up for these Ozark winters.
Just got thru some below zero nights here, sometimes temps only in the teens in the day time, but my sewing machine buzzes along on my kitchen table while making
baby size pillow cases for my newest grandsons.
Now the forecast says a “huge winter storm with snow and ice” is headed our way next week…..YAY
There’s nothing like a true blue winter, the cold snowy days, frosty mornings,
and then the little corner of your heart where hope waits for spring!
Happy Wishes, Diana, Noel, Mo

Thank you for sharing. Looks like you are doing pretty well for a newbie. Here is one thing I do with the twine. I braid my horses tail , bend it in half below the bone . Then lay a few long strands of twine in the loop and secure with vet wrap. Keeps a tail nice and clean for a while and the knots in the ends help with swating. I hope that makes sense . Keep up the good work ! Love your place. GW

Rebekah, I just purchased a poultry water heater from Tractor Supply and it works great. WHen the temp was 6 outside, there wasn’t an ice crystal anywhere on their water. I saw they had heated buckets for horses as well. They range about $50. But so worth not having to haul water everyday. Also I live in NC and I just found this place called Shopnational.com they are based in Lexington NC and I saw they have cuddly duds. They always have specials, check them out. I am glad you are fitting right into your farm life. oh and we woke up this morning to frozen pipes. I must’ve accidentally turned the water off, we always leave it dripping? Hubby is out now thawing out. Be BLessed. Neta

You are so cool! I do not believe I’ve read through something like this before.
So good to discover somebody with a few original thoughts on this subject.
Seriously.. thank you for starting this up. This website
is one thing that is needed on the internet, someone with a little originality!

What an amazing year you’ve had and the photos are a visual scrapbook that will last forever. Thank you for sharing!

Love your journey. Love how you share it. Love you. Welcome back.

Great blog I loves the picture journey.

Dear Rebekah,

Thanks so much for sharing all the lovely pictures of your progress; they are so
beautiful! I know it has been a lot of hard work, but then I look at the pic of the
farm in the different seasons, and all the beauty that season brings, and I am so
happy for you! I, too, am looking for some piece of land that has a few hills, water,
and good soil. Maybe this is the year I will find it. 🙂 For now, I will take your advice
and enjoy my home at the present.
Trusting that 2014 will be filled with much joy and progress for you and your family.

Love,
Marilyn

Sounds like your dad is an intelligent man. You also. i love this post. i wanted it to go on and on. Thank you for sharing your first year on the farm with us. It was delightful. i can’t get over the barn. It went from drab and deteriorating to good on the eyes, functional, and full of spirit. My word for the year 2014 is enjoy!

I am so overwhelmed by your pictures. So much has happened in one year. We have 5.5 acres that we plan to move to in a couple of years. Each year we add a little more to what we did the last year. It is so much fund. We have had chickens on our little farm that we go to daily now for almost 3 years and love them. My husband and I are truly looking forward to getting to enjoy our little farm as your family does. The only thing in Savannah GA we do not have snow…. what a bummer.

That was BEAUTIFUL! Thank you, thank you!

Stunning record of your year!!! So happy that your farmgirl dreams are coming true.

Blessings to you and yours,

Dena

Thank-you for sharing your lovely pictures! I have really enjoyed seeing your dream come to life! Thank-you also for being so compassionate to animals and giving good lives to your dog, horses and chickens. Happy 2014 to your and your family!

Blessed with lots of hard work and imagination. Thanks for sharing. God Bless

I cannot imagine all the work that went into your lovely farm…but I can see you are happy, grateful, and loving every minute of it. What a dream come true for you and your family. I love it when other people can live their dreams!! And it must have been a real treat to do old fashioned caroling. It is so frowned on these days in neighborhoods. We used to go around to different houses and offer carols. Some people gave us hot chocolate and some gave us warm smiles but never were we asked not to… What a lovely life, a warm hearted you, a handsome cowboy husband, and a beautiful daughter! Amazing Grace indeed…

What a difference a year makes! Your farm looks like a picture, so worth the hard work. I love what your dad said, which helps me to justify my endlessly long list of projects!

Agree. Support your tree farmers of America–for everything.

Real. It’s gotta be real. I’ve had a couple years of artifical trees in my life (out of necessity) but real is so much better. When I was a little, my dad made a big deal out of finding the perfect tree on our farm. Later I realized that he had already picked it out, but he wanted to prolong the fun. I love the pictures of your family and your trees. And I especially like the one of the tree with the sun as the topper. Beautiful.

Small house + heating with wood = dead trees. We have tried live in pots, cut, super-fresh cut by us, and not one survived. One year the tree became such a fire hazard that we had to get a second one before Christmas! That said, we have our little 4 1/2 ft artificial tree. Same one for about 17 years. As much as we would love a real tree, it isn’t in the cards for us. Who knows though, maybe someday I’ll end up with one of your trees!

The first year we were married we bought a tree at a lot. No needles left by Christmas! That was the last lot tree we ever had. Ever since we have cut trees at tree farms, that is 42 years. Our daughters are 34 now and we all still go together to cut our trees, plus now a 7 year old, a 5 year old, and this year a five month old! We are doing it on Saturday!

Sadly I say we use artificial because of the many allergies in the family – but there is a REAL one right out my back window – what a beauty. Love the pictures of your home and surrounding area – FARM that is what it is for sure. Merry Christmas – Christmas tree farm.