Happy Easter From the Farm,Love and Kindness the Homestead

Looking Back and Still Going
Forward
Recently. I took a look through some old photos from our farm.
I had only reached back a couple of years but the difference
was clear. Looking back adds perspective. In the pictures,
Raven and Quincey were enjoying some kale, Yellow Chicken was
constantly on the wrong side of the fence, and Ike was just a
baby. Ike is still small, being a babydoll Southdown, but the
farm has grown so much. The cows are all gone, more rabbits,
and chickens have joined the fun. Many favorites have gone on
to peaceful eternity and I now have my bantam chickens in
addition to the full size layers. Just because. The pigs
provide farminess and amusement, and the sheep flock doubled
in size. The most recent farm product, the launch of our yarn
label, Free Range Yarn, is something that was a dream of mine
since we brought home the first 5 Pygora goats, ten years ago.
Only Gary Goat remains of those first five that started the
dream. But beautiful yarn lives on. When I think even further
back to 20 some years ago, when we thought it would be a good
way for our kids to grow up, and we started cleaning up a much
abused corner of the family tree farm property to bring the
horses home, I am amazed at how far we have come. Horses,
donkeys, goats, ducks, chickens, rabbits, cows, pigs, and
sheep. The journey has been both bittersweet and amazing. I
really do like this life. As I reminisce for a little while
about how today’s historical events impacted our way of life,
enjoy some photos I took that represent America to me. Even
though the attacks were intended to stop us in our tracks, and
steal our dreams, we continued to dream. Futures are still
being sought and enjoyed, friendships are formed, couples
married, children born, and homes established.
A lot has happened to the world in the last 20 years while we
were building our farm. Twenty years ago, we never thought
about our country being attacked by terrorists using our own
planes. We moved our horses to the farm from where they were
boarded and began learning about our piece of earth, teaching
our children to respect Creation and care for the animals. The
work was hard. The rewards were varied. As time went on, we
farmed for different reasons. Keeping horses for our daughter,
and boarding horses for friends shifted gradually to my own
dream of raising wool animals. Farming as a way to teach our
children responsibility and hard work, turned to raising food
and learning to eat what the farm provided. Self sustainable
living became more of a goal and less of a pretty thought.
Having a safe place became more real, in a world that had
seemed to change too much and too quickly.
I can still stand in the same place I stood in 2001 while
watching a crystal clear blue sky become silent as all planes
were ordered to the ground. I clearly remember finishing the
animal care that morning, wondering if I needed to change and
go to the kids schools to get them. It was surreal. And yet it
became our reality. I never realized how much background
noise airplanes made over our farm, until they didn’t make any
noise at all.
A lot changed in our lives after 9/11/01. Security became
commonplace. And more security. We grew used to long lines to
enter public buildings, and long lines to access air travel.
The children in grade school at that time, most likely don’t
remember any other way. I recently heard someone say that this
year’s high school freshmen will learn about 9/11/01 as an
event that happened before they were born. Seniors graduating
from high school likely don’t remember the events of the day.
They were too little and they were most likely shielded from
the horror and tragedy and rightly so. We put up with things
we never imagined in the name of public security. And this is
just the tip of the iceberg of changes that occurred after
9/11/01.
A new consumer was born from the event too. Preparedness
became a buzz word in our lives. Thinking about if canned food
should be stored, and water. We heard story after story about
being prepared in case of emergency, another attack, or act
of terrorism taking out the power grid. Books, videos and kits
were prepared to help us navigate this new ocean of
information on being prepared. More and more people saw the
value and need to live simpler lives. Leaning back to our
ancestors ways, being self sufficient, in case we need to be.
Learning to plant, nurture, grow, harvest and cook what we can
produce. Remembering that in an instant, it can all change and
we may, in fact, need to depend solely on ourselves and our
neighbors.
Do I think it is a bad thing to remember? No, in fact, I think
we should remember the facts of the day. September 11, 2001,
changed my way of thinking about life. At the very least it
should give us pause. No matter how far from the date we get,
the truth is, our lives changed that day.
Farming a small place, 15 years post 9/11 gives me a sense of
the peace. When caring for the farm I don’t have much time to
dwell on the news, corruption, and ugliness of the days we
live in. Animals demand our attention. Just as I had to tend
the animals when I wanted to park my shocked mind in front of
the television on 9/11/01, the daily rhythm demands my first
attention. Other things must wait. And maybe that’s not such
a bad way to start the day.
When I started this blog, I made a decision to write about
September 11, 2001, every year. I feel it is important that
the story tellers keep the events of that day fresh. Thank you
to the first responders who selflessly answered the
overwhelming calls for help that day and the days after. God
Bless America
Happy Easter From the Farm
Happy Easter greetings to you and
your family
Spring and Easter are often welcomed together. Easter photos
are posted here as we wish you a happy Easter. Today’s post
is mostly pictorial.
Holy Week is winding down.
Lenten
season has ended,and spring allergies have started. Soon all
of us homesteaders will be busy with do it yourself projects,
garden planting, and many spring babies on the farms.
Holy week is a time that Christians set aside to honor and
remember the sacrifice made for us. Jesus died on the cross,
to save us and sacrificed his body so we could live an eternal
life with God. It all began as Jesus tried to prepare his
disciples for the end of his earthly life. He offered them
the cup, saying that it was his blood. He offered the broken
bread as a symbol of his body, sacrificed for us. Jesus
invited them to continue the tradition of breaking the bread
and drinking the wine in remembrance of Him.
Our Savior Died for Us
Jesus was killed using a technique called crucifixion. It was
not unique to Jesus’s death. This was a common way to kill
criminals at that time.
Gory, painful and lengthy, Jesus
suffered many hours on the cross.
“45Now from the sixth hour darkness fell upon all the land
until the ninth hour. 46About the ninth hour Jesus cried out
with a loud voice, saying, “ELI, ELI, LAMA SABACHTHANI?” that
is, “MY GOD, MY GOD, WHY HAVE YOU FORSAKEN ME?” 47And some of
those who were standing there, when they heard it, began
saying, “This man is calling for Elijah.”… Matthew 27:45 – 47
NIV Bible Translation.
Jesus’s body was placed in a tomb to wait out the sanctioned
three days. A guard was posted at the tomb. But, three days
later when the tomb was opened on Easter Morning, only the
shrouds that had covered Jesus’s body remained in the tomb.
Chocolate and Fuzzy Bunnies?
Today’s Easter celebrations often include secular and nonreligious symbols and traditions. The well loved Easter Bunny
is one traditional symbol.
The history tells of a German
tradition involving a rabbit that laid colored eggs in nests
prepared by children. It is believed that the tradition was
brought to this country in the 1700’s by immigrants.
While I can’t completely argue with the addition of good
chocolate to any celebration, I still am awed by the original
story of Jesus’s Resurrection.
Easter egg hunts and Easter Egg Roll events are thought to be
derived from the egg symbolizing the tomb where Jesus’s body
lay. Eggs also symbolize birth, new beginnings, and new life,
all of which we celebrate when we believe in Jesus as our
Savior and confess this belief.
For a more complete retelling of the Resurrection of Jesus,
refer to the Holy Bible, Matthew Chapter 26 to 28
and this link for a retelling of the Resurrection story.
Happy Easter
Love
and
Kindness
Homestead Way
the
Happy Valentines Day with Love and
Kindness Theme
Love and Kindness seem
to be attached in my mind.
I don’t think one can exist
without the other. Sharing what we have as homesteaders is an
act of love and kindness. Whether we are sharing knowledge or
sharing our farm products, it is done from a heart filled with
love. Homesteaders and Do it Yourself style farmers are some
of the kindest people I have met in my life. The spirit of
giving is alive and true in a homesteader’s heart. Here are
some random thoughts and quotes on Love and Kindness from the
internet, along with how they might pertain to homesteading
and farming.
Aesop said:
wasted”
“No act of kindness, no matter how small is
When we treat our animals with kindness, and gentle hands, we
not only build trust, but we show others that these lives are
valued. When we clean the coops, stalls, and paddocks, we do
it because we want our farm animals to have a good quality of
life. When others see this, they understand that all life is
important no matter what the purpose.
“When we feel love and kindness toward others, it not only
makes others feel loved and cared for,But it helps us also to
develop inner happiness and peace.” Dalai Lama
The great acts of love are done by those who are habitually
performing small acts of kindness -Victor Hugo
The eggs dropped on a neighbor’s porch, the sharing of garden
abundance, the teaching of skills like canning and gardening,
all matter quite a lot in the large picture but seem like
small acts at the time.
The little unremembered acts of kindness and love are the best
parts of a person’s life – William Wordsworth
Encourage the young and novice to try a new skill. They may
not get totally into the lifestyle but I can guarantee it will
be a memorable occasion.
But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience,
kindness, goodness and faithfulness and self control
Galations 5:22
“The LORD appeared to us in the past, saying: “I have loved
you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing
kindness”. – Jeremiah 31:3
God designed us to be kind.
integral part of our being.
We were drawn with kindness as an
Isn’t appropriate that this year,
Valentine’s Day falls on Sunday. A great day for sharing the
message of love that starts with our Savior.
Proverbs 3:3 “do not let kindness
and truth leave you”
Looking at Love and Kindness as
building blocks that we already
have in our bodies makes it look
different!
These traits exist in all of us because we were designed with
them included. Nurture these traits and make them an ever
present quality in your dealings with others. Do not confuse
kindness with being a pushover or doing what does not feel
right for you or your family. Be kind in the rejection of
others ideas. No one gains by being put down and humiliated.
Not just on February 14 but on all days, treat others with
love and kindness.
Practice love and kindness in your
dealings with others each and every day.
I hope you enjoyed this small journey into the meaning of Love
and Kindness. If you liked this post please consider sharing
it, pinning it or leave me an encouraging comment.
for being part of our homestead journey.
Thank you
For further reading try another Sunday Thoughts post from last
year.
“Love for Homestead Animals”
Duckyards and Swans Eggs
Duckyards and Swans Eggs
Have you felt that you didn’t belong? The story of The Ugly
Duckling, beloved fairy tale by Hans Christian Anderson, is a
classic story of not belonging where you are born. Is there
hope for us when we feel so different? What is behind this
tale of duckyards and swans eggs?
This quote from Hans Christian Anderson had me quite
perplexed at first. I had,of course, heard the story but now
I wanted to connect the story to what was behind it. I was
intrigued by it because it referenced an egg. I immediately
visualized the graphic I created for the post. But what did
it really mean? The more times I read the quote the more
confused I became. So I did a little research.
Hans Christian Anderson first published this story in 1843 as
part of a collection of short pieces for children.
He
reportedly told some people that it was his life story. You
probably have heard the story. A swan egg accidentally rolls
into the duck’s nest and is hatched by the duck. Even though
the mother duck tries to reassure her rather homely baby that
he will out grow his current appearance, he is teased and
tormented because he is different. He can’t fly off with the
other ducks for the winter and is left behind, lonely and
cold. The winter comes and things go from bad to worse. I am
sure that most people have experienced the feeling of not
feeling comfortable in certain groups of people, not knowing
why we are different. It may be your family or coworkers.
Maybe you learned differently and felt different because of
it.
I began to think about the quote and what it meant so I did
the search thing to see what came up. Here are a few that
were mentioned as Lessons from The Ugly Duckling.
A mother loves all her babies, no matter what they look
like
No matter what other opinions are of you , you are still
beautiful.
It is the beauty within that counts.
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
Hmm. Not sure that any of those explanations are working for
me. I think they are true, but I couldn’t stop thinking that
it reminded me more of how God loves all of us, no matter what
we look like. God has a plan and a high opinion of us at all
times. We are made to reflect God’s image here on Earth so we
must be beautiful! Everyone of us has the ability and option
to be beautiful inside. God’s idea of beauty includes all of
his children.
Choose to be reconciled to God’s vision for
you today.
“If anyone belongs to Christ, there is a new creation.
old things have gone, everything is made new!”
The
2Corinthians 5:17
“I praise you because you made me in an amazing and wonderful
way.
What you have done is wonderful, I know this very
well.”
Psalm 139:14
What ever it is that is making you feel less than perfect at
this point in your life, remember these words. I hope they
will
bring you comfort and hope.
The Ugly Duckling – Wikipedia
The Ugly Duckling – Analysis University of Michigan
Sunday Thoughts are a bit different than my usual weekday
posts about farming and animal care. I hope you enjoyed your
visit today.
Please consider some of the posts from The
Sunday Social too.
Farm
Photos
Thoughts
and
Sunday
Take a look at some of my favorite
farm photos from this past week.
It was full of ups and downs as
usual but we are one step closer to
spring!
Our Barn in Winter
Writing has become my hobby and my job. A large part of this
for me is the photography that helps tell the story. During
the week, I write informative (hopefully!) pieces that will
help you with homesteading and farming questions and potential
problems. I love writing these posts and researching to bring
you the very best references and information. I also like
searching my photo files for just the right photos that help
tell the story. I rarely use stock photos because I want the
story to be mine.
Rouen Hen in Snow
On Sundays I like to share a bit more from the heart and this
week is no different. I was thinking a lot about passions this
week. Those hobbies, skills, past times that fuel our
creativity and renew our spirit. This week, I am sharing my
passion for photography with you. I have no formal training in
taking photos. I may or may not be good at it. But, the point
is, it doesn’t matter! I love taking pictures. Looking at
things through the camera lens and trying to imagine what the
photo will look like after I crop and edit it a bit. Really,
coming from a era where we had to send film out to get it
developed into pictures, and then seeing digital cameras come
on the scene, followed by all the computer editing programs
that are available is just amazing to me.
When I need a break, or a day is just particularly lovely, I
grab the camera and head to the barn yard. Through the lens of
my camera, I see the gentleness of our animals, their
personalities, the way they interact. And sometimes, like this
week, I play around with some interesting light as the snow
and the setting sun set up some interesting photos. I hope you
enjoy this week’s Sunday Thoughts.
This was part of the reason I grabbed the camera. The
light was just beautiful The sky was dark blue.
Everything was working together beautifully.
The week started off
with an ice storm, followed a day later by a snow and ice
storm. Two days later, a bigger system left about 7 inches
of the white stuff. Needless to say, the chickens were not
too happy, but they have decided this year, that if I will
spread out some hay for them to walk on, they will come out of
the coop for a bit of fresh air.
Egg
picking up!
production
is
The
light was golden!
Chief was golden too. Ok really he is a yellow lab
but he was golden in the afternoon light
I think this picture was my favorite from the photo shoot.
love the way the guinea hen is so determined.
I
If you look, you can find a small patch of green to make
your day
The chickens enjoyed a pumpkin from the
cold storage
I hope you enjoyed these farm photos.
What do you do to
restore your soul and refresh your spirit? Tell me in the
comments.
Thanks for stopping by.
Until next time, take some time now
and then to refresh and enjoy life.
Janet
Psalm 121 verses 1 and 2
I lift up my eyes to the mountains, where does my help come
from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of Heaven and
earth.
For more inspirational reading this week I recommend this
post I came across yesterday. Where is Your Confidence by Todd
Sepulveda
And don’t forget to link up to this week’s Sunday Social Blog
Hop!