The past two Christmas seasons have been the hardest I’ve lived through. Yet they’ve been the ones most saturated with hope, peace, and joy. Probably not the hope, peace, and joy we all think of first when we hear those nouns that, if a word could be a commercial, would be full of perfect smiles […]
Surviving the holidays when you’re burdened with grief or depression Read More »
Steadfast. Unchanging, no matter what. Not too many things are that way today. And we don’t often WANT things to be dutifully firm. We want better, fancier, higher pixels and lower carbs. Upgraded, boosted, and improved. “Modern” tends to be what folks desire, and “old-fashioned” has a bad rap. But I see it the opposite
Simple Doesn’t Mean Easy Read More »
This week the friend I’ve called “best” since middle school turns 29. Again. For the 20th time. And, no, our hair isn’t quite so big now-a-days as it was in the nineties… In high school, Gina drove a used, red Pulsar that smelled of cigars and cherry car freshener–the first being remnants of the previous owner’s
The single most important thing to do, as a friend Read More »
I needed perfect party favors and an amazing commemorative gift for an extra special celebration we were planning. Since the party fell right in the middle of sugar season, on our little sugar farm, the giveaway gifts and homemade present had to be ultra easy too. I was blown away by how perfect these succulents
The perfect party favor for our farmhouse celebration Read More »
A Mother’s Day message for my mother-in-law? I sat down to write one; and I had to wonder why I hadn’t done so years sooner. This Mother’s Day? I’m writing an open letter to my mother-in-law… If you’d rather listen in than read, I just recorded the audio version of this post in the Simple
A few things you forgot to tell your mother-in-law on Mother’s Day Read More »
My favorite holiday on the calendar bursts into the year just when we need it most. But this year it holds extra special meaning for me. And it arrived before I was ready for it.
Why I’m feeling very “qualified” this Easter, even though I’m not prepared Read More »
Yep, I’m an expert at homesteading mistakes. Turns out it’s my mistakes that seem to interest my readers the most. I just looked back at my old posts, and these 12 are the ones you all have been reading and finding the most helpful recently. But first, I gotta tell you a big excitement around
A dozen homestead mistakes (and how you can avoid them) Read More »
What’s wrong with the nativity scene? My first Christmas as a homesteader I noticed quite a few problems with our nativity scene… That was a few years ago, but think of it again every Christmas… A Cherished Childhood Tradition We released the ceramic animals from their blocks of styrofoam and arranged them under a rustic wooden stable. She had
Nativity scenes need muddy cows and red dragons Read More »
So I’ve never tried to hide the fact that I’m still pretty much a failure at this homesteading thing, in some way, every day. But this week I made it very obvious to tens of thousands of readers that I don’t know basic things that every cow owner should know…
She finally arrived, and her name is music to my ears Read More »
{{ A Father’s Day message to my father-in-law }}
Some Things You May Want to Tell Your Father-in-Law on Father’s Day Read More »
