Every now and then a mystery presents itself.  Our solution always involves the same process.  The game camera!!  Lately, cat food has been disappearing from one of our two feeding stations in the barn at an alarming rate.  Either we are feeding the neighborhood, or there are other critters taking liberties in the barn.  We try to discourage other critters by keeping our barn door closed.  But still... some may be resourceful. The game camera revealed the usual suspects - our barn kitties.  Pete... Moll... The Bea's, One and Two (one photo because they are ..read more

As leaves emerge on the hillside, a wash of fuchsia appears in the forefront.  The Eastern redbud trees bloom as the sun rises higher in the sky each day... lengthening the hours of light.   We've arrived at the point in spring when winter becomes a memory.  Our days are energized by the unstoppable unfolding of life.  When chores are finished, these warm spring afternoons are perfect for communing with nature. On our way through the farm, we drop off some treats for the chickens.  They all come running - conditioned to the daily delivery of afternoon treats ..read more

You may have guessed by now that I love to garden.  If I had a platform large enough and broad enough, I would encourage every young person who owns even the smallest amount of land to plant a garden.  To me... taking a tiny seed and placing it in the ground and then watching it become something so complex and perfect is nothing short of a miracle. In the garden, I get to watch miracles every single day.  Gardening fills me with hope at the very least.  Right now, the greenhouse is burgeoning with all sorts of vegetables and flowers.  With frost still looming, it will ..read more

It's mid-morning.  Chores are finished.  I've just returned from a quick trip to the greenhouse.  it's time for the horses to come back to the barn for their chow.  I call out, "Let's go!" and Red and Moonie come running back to the dry lot, followed by the donkeys at a much slower pace.  I close the gates behind them as they head towards their food and sit down on the ground of the dry lot.  A few feet away from me, these two are having a moment. As soon as my bottom settles onto the ground, they are beside me. Then Pete crawls up into my lap. The horses an ..read more

This is the time of year when the fun really starts around here.  Adventures are had.  Memories are made.  And most of our hours can be spent outside in nature.  Combine kids, a farm, nature, and a few pups and you have the recipe for a fun-filled weekend!   Saturday, our littles spent the day on the farm with us.  It was a perfect sunny day - still a little cool... a perfect sweatshirt day!  Above is our littlest, perched on a bracket fungi. We visited the animals, did chores,   and had some make-believe time on the pirate ship, We t ..read more

This is pretty much how every morning unfolds... We stop by the pond to feed the ducks and the fish.  Now that warmer weather has arrived, the fish are once again active.  We have had these 5 koi for as long as I can remember - a friend had put them in our pond over 20 years ago.  I wonder if they are the original koi (originally much smaller than they are now) or if they are another generation.  Regardless... they are a welcome sight each morning. During the colder months they remain in the depths of our pond - in a type of hibernation known as torpor.  In this state ..read more

You have probably guessed by now that our Forrest has an extraordinary personality.  He's very independent and spends many hours outside.  If we are inside the house during the daytime, he chooses to remain outside adventuring around the farm.  He never wanders far from the house - but he always finds some way to amuse himself.  When we are outside, he follows us around - making up games, always playing.   He spends a lot of time with all of the animals... running with the horses, and snuggling with Pete. These two have such a special relationship.  Forrest tru ..read more

 After a night of fierce thunderstorms, heavy rainfall, and damaging winds, we rose yesterday to the sun's rays peeking through a transitional, purple, cottonball-cloudy sky.  Abundant birdsong filled the scrubbed-clean air above a soggy earth begging for the sun to work some drying magic. We opened the gate to the front pasture and let the horses and donkeys wander and graze for a couple hours.   Moonie and Red were quiet yesterday - no obvious signs that they were searching for Ollie.  They seem to sense he is gone.   I honestly believe that animals have the ..read more

 Love and loss are two sides of the same coin, I believe.  Love brings a richness to our life.  It's what gives meaning to the path that we walk, from our arrival on this earthly plane to our eventual departure.  It's love that proves to us just how precious this human experience is.  Each one of us walks a separate path in this continuum; and it's the intersection of these paths with family, friends, pets, and yes, sometimes, strangers that gives our life meaning.  And while it's love that fills us up, loss needn't leave us empty.   Loss is an inescapa ..read more

Unless it's pouring outside, all of the animals have grazing time in the mornings.   The donkeys go out into the front pasture, while the horses are walked to the upper pastures.  Before leaving the barn, Moonie has his fly mask put on to help block the sun's rays from his one remaining eye. Because she has 24/7 access to the front pasture, Ginger is always there by the gate to the dry lot requesting her breakfast (lunch and dinner, as well!)  She eats her bowl of chow and then wanders over to see what Forrest is doing.  He's enjoying his morning cat food can.  Annie ..read more