Green Hill Farm: A Retrospective #3 — Faith

This is the third and last of the Retrospectives on restoring my family’s home.  Have a wonderful weekend! 🙂 Looking back on the experience of saving my family’s homeplace, I’ve realized that not only was it a gesture of love, but more importantly, it was an act of faith. Faith, or wearing my rose-colored glasses as I like to say, sustained us through difficult times and propelled us forward. I don’t know where we would have been without it. At the beginning of this journey, shortly after my parents offered us the homeplace, my mom and I took a walk through the house. I remember walking through the dark, dimly lit downstairs hallway, the musty smell of rooms left undisturbed for too long, and cobwebs carefully covering yesterday’s treasures. I remember slowly climbing the stairs, counting each one as I went up. It made me think of Granddaddy. He once shared a story of the time his Grandmother Rieley visited when he was just a boy; she asked, “John, how many steps are there?” He quickly replied, “16!” He told me that he knew the answer because of the many, many times he had carried firewood up these very same stairs. So, after climbing all 16 steps and arriving at the top, I began to look around. Metal and plastic buckets, and maybe even a pot or two, sat strategically placed to catch any drips of water. I glanced around […]

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Friday Farm Favorites: The Beginning of a Journey

Green Hill Farm: A Retrospective #2 — Perseverance   “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” ~Lao Tzu (c 604 bc–c 531 bc) Tao Te Ching, Chapter 64 There’s a sign that hangs in our vestibule or small covered porch that reads “PERSEVERANCE,” and it’s been our mantra since moving to Green Hill Farm.  Farmguy and I were in our early 30s when we decided to take on this project. Sometimes when we look back at pictures we say, “WHAT in the world were we thinking? Were we INSANE?!!” Whatever the answer, it was the path taken. This path has lead us on a journey that has been difficult and challenging at times but rewarding and enriching, too. Anyway, we all know that anything worthwhile isn’t easy. Which brings me to the next piece of our story.  The first day we visited the house after construction started was surreal. It was a hot, humid day in June, and the grass was starting to need cutting. I could smell the fragrance of something blooming that I didn’t recognize, and the wrens were singing away–weedeater, weedeater, weedeater, tweet! As I walked toward the house and started to process what I was seeing, I felt sick to my stomach. The large, white columns that had stoically stood sentinel in front of the house had been removed from the front porch; and where they’d majestically once stood, skinny, dark, wooden […]

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Portrait of a Cat Named Winston

Of course, he wasn’t always called Winston.  When this black and white feral kitten first appeared on Green Hill Farm in the early 1990s, he was just another no-name, country kitty looking for food and shelter.  You see, in the country, we don’t buy or go get a cat; it just shows up.  First, it takes up residence in one […]

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To Every Thing There Is A Season

I hadn’t planned to write a post today as I’m feeling sad and a little mopey about Maud.  While I’m happy she’s not suffering anymore, I miss her. I keep thinking I need to take her for a little walk, give her medicine, or look in on her.  I miss Maud’s presence. I’ve spent a lot of time with Dash over the course of the day, figuring he may be somewhat confused by Maud’s absence.  Plus, I needed to be around him more as well.  It’s been a sunny, beautiful day on Green Hill Farm, and Dash and I have taken full advantage of it by going on two, long walks.  On our jaunt around the pastures, I noticed both the sheep and chickens basking in the warmth, enjoying the spring weather.  A sight that offered solace. This afternoon, I was running a tiny bit late feeding the barn cats and collecting eggs–just feeling a little off, I guess.  Anyway, I walked into the barn, and “Turn! Turn! Turn! (To Everything There Is A Season)” by The Byrds was playing on the radio.  I don’t know if you’re familiar with the song, but the lyrics, except for the title which is repeated throughout the song, and the final verse of the song, are adapted almost word-for-word from Chapter 3 of the Book of Ecclesiastes, set to music and recorded in 1962.   “To everything (turn, turn, turn) There is a […]

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Somewhere….Free

Maud Beloved Friend August 2005–April 8, 2016     “Maud” Our howling, rollicking, wide-open girl, your gentle, sweet nature enriched our world. Your hound dog antics and wagging tail created feelings of love and much laughter without fail. Memories of your soulful eyes and slow-lick kiss remind us of what we will surely miss. It’s hard to let go of […]

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Friday Farm Favorites

I’m truly grateful for this place…Green Hill Farm.  And, what I’ve come to realize is that no matter the challenges of living here, my love for this farm is constant and irreplaceable.  I love it for its enduring ability to lift my spirits, fill my heart, and give my life direction.  The very thought of it…is joyful.   I hope […]

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“The Weekly Bleat: Growing, Growing!”

Originally posted on fourth generation farmgirl:
Our newest additions to Green Hill Farm are getting BIG!  It’s amazing how quickly these chicks are growing.  I think they’ve doubled in size in two short weeks.  They’ve already started developing wings as well as demonstrating various chicken behaviors–like scratching for food.  I just love these darling, fluff balls and thought I’d share…

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