Author: veronica

I am a small town gal who loves her family and her farm!
Life, Random

Into the Blue

veronica

 

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The blue sky and my boy

The sky is the palest sort of blue this morning.  It’s the kind that I imagine fades seamlessly into the heavens.  I wonder at its infinite vastness and think of how it would be to fly away.  I’m sure the Wright brothers spent a lot of time looking into the blueness above.

Today I just want to be out under that great blue air.  One of the things that made me fall in love with this town was the sky.  I really hadn’t spent much time in a place that didn’t have overcast for about 75% of the time.  Coastal living is fine in the summer but the fall, spring and winter can get pretty dreary.  When we moved from the coast I left everything  behind.  I had a two-year old boy and my belongings.  My husband dropped me off and unloaded the U-haul then left for 2 weeks.  I had a phone but no washer, dryer or  hot water.  I had no friends or acquaintances. I had no money.  I had no car.

I remember riding my bike to the grocery store with my baby in the buggy- praying that I didn’t lose any food on my way up the hill.  I remember swinging with my baby in a deserted playground, nobody was out in the August heat.  I remember washing my comforter in the bath tub and hanging it outside on a rope in the car port.

It was a lonely time but I also remember calling my mom.  She was worried as any mother would be.  I told her “It’s ok mom, the sky is blue here.”  I love this sky.  It can be the hottest day of summer or the coldest day of winter and that sky gets me every time.  It’s beautiful!

Being Mama, Life, Love

The Mama Tribe

veronica
Photo on 2013-10-03 at 16.32 #2
Me and the crazies

One of the writing prompts was ‘parenting’.  Loaded topic if you ask me. No expert advice here but all my kids can cook and they have all appendages still attached.  I think that deserves a little bonus point right there.

If there is one thing I have learned it is that no kid is exactly like another.  Parenting needs to reflect that.  Of course standard safety rules apply.  Don’t run with knives, don’t talk to strangers, etc.  All safety aside, what I do with my kids may be polar opposite to your parenting style and vice versa.  You have to figure that parenting is much like a toddler’s appetite.  As long as you get the 5 major food groups into that kid over the course of a week it is not so imperative that they ingest them all in one meal. Same thing with parenting. When you are doing your best to raise a happy, healthy functioning adult that contributes to society you will have days when you do all the good things. You will have days when you mess up royally.  Over the course of a week’s time if  you get more good than not- you’re probably going in the right direction.

My kids do chores.  I love chores.  I really do.  I love working together and getting stuff done! My kids, not so much.  They will thank me later.  If you don’t have chores at your house you might have a cleaner house than mine because you have someone who is more detail oriented doing the cleaning.  My house is cleaned by kids.  You are welcome to visit anytime but please keep that thought in mind if you do.

We have animals and the kids feed them.  I feed the kids.  That’s the current system.  Once in a while they feed me.  It’s a pretty sweet deal. See, if you teach them to cook your house may be a disaster but they will want to practice and then you get a meal and they get life skills.  Then they can clean up during chore time.  It’s great. We are all winners!

Anyway, each to his own on this parenting gig.  I have seen kids who stay up with mom and dad until 12 every night.  They stagger into school and try to stay awake. I think “What is wrong with these parents!”… BUT, the kid is fed, well dressed and most importantly, LOVED.  I don’t dictate their bedtime. (although I wish I could on test day)

One of the things that kind of hurts my hear is to see kids that miss their parents.  Not because they are away but because they never see them.  When both mom and dad are working it’s tough to squeeze in time for those kids.  If I could I would change that too.

I am not perfect and neither are you.  Let’s just move forward from there. What works for one will not work for all so let’s  accept our differences. Being a mom is tough work.  It’s messy and thankless.  It has no glory or trophy.  Why do we have to make it harder on one another?  I vow to help a mom in need and to love my fellow mama.  We cannot walk in one another’s shoes but we can be more understanding.

Keep up the good work!

 

Life

My Beautiful America

veronica

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We have witnessed the beauty of Mt. Rushmore at dusk.  We have toured Yellowstone in the heat of the summer.  We have skied in the Tetons in the chill winter. As we traveled and took in the sights of this lovely land we drew closer to our country somehow.

I will remain proud of this country.  Many of those near and dear to me have served to keep us safe and free.  I will hold my head high for them and honor those that have fought battles that I never could.

Wikipedia had this to say when I looked up the word nation:

Ernest Renan‘s What is a Nation? (1882) declares that “race is confused with nation and a sovereignty analogous to that of really existing peoples is attributed to ethnographic or, rather linguistic groups”, and “The truth is that there is no pure race and that to make politics depend upon ethnographic analysis is to surrender it to a chimera”, echoing a sentiment of civic nationalism. He also claims that a nation is not formed on the basis of dynasty, language, religion, geography, or shared interests. Rather, “A nation is a soul, a spiritual principle. Two things, which in truth are but one, constitute this soul or spiritual principle. One lies in the past, one in the present. One is the possession in common of a rich legacy of memories; the other is present-day consent, the desire to live together, the will to perpetuate the value of the heritage that one has received in an undivided form”, emphasizing the democratic and historical aspects of what constitutes a nation, although, “Forgetting, I would even go so far as to say historical error, is a crucial factor in the creation of a nation”. “A nation is therefore a large-scale solidarity”, which he said is reaffirmed in a “daily plebiscite“.[4]

In these times may we still posess the desire to live together and remain united.

God Bless America

Uncategorized

Bloggin’

veronica
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Us in our natural habitat

My mind is a perpetual brainstorm.  So many great (and not so great) ideas flying around so fast that I can’t think straight.  I tried journaling but I may have misplaced one (or a dozen??) notebooks and they never seem to be where I am when I want to write.  I have a planner with a “brain dump” page where I can throw ideas down on a page as fast as they fly at me.  That helps with the initial weeding out process.  I look back and find that there are some pretty awesome things that I have come up with and some pretty unrealistic projects that will never happen.

Blogging was something I turned to as a daily outlet for my mind.  I need to get so many words out a day – probably more than the average person.  I was falling behind on my daily quota, WAY behind.  My husband is not much of a talker and will panic if I get going on projects that I would like to do or things that require planning.  He gets testy…. We can’t have that.

I have to say I love that I can chronologically organize my thoughts and ideas.  I can add pictures to whatever is on my mind that day.  It’s been great.  I hope somebody out there enjoys reading this stuff and if I can help anybody along the way then two people have benefitted from it!

Happy bloggin’!

Farm, Kids, Life

What I learned from keeping critters

veronica

I write a lot about animals but the truth is there is a lot to be said.  I like most critters that are feathered or furred.  I’ll admit it can be stinky business at times.  It just kinda happens so you have to expect it. Animals are messy. Also expect the unexpected.  They will do the craziest things and get into the strangest predicaments.

I love keeping animals.  There are some obvious bonuses to the business.  Our sweet bunnies are cute, furry, cuddly, etc.  Our chickens give us eggs and have interesting personalities. Beyond that they are calming.  They are dependent on you and that is both humbling and encouraging all at once. They don’t talk back so you can say whatever is on your mind and they just go about their day.  They are always happy to see you- because you feed them.  Aside from providing our daily meat (or at least a portion of our meat) our animals teach us so much more.

Responsibility.  It’s a good word.  It gets you up in the morning and gives you a daily opportunity to look past your own needs.

Work. Positively occupying our bodies is a must.  What would we do otherwise? Answer: probably squander time on things that we shouldn’t.

Nurturing.  It’s pretty amazing to see my drama queen daughter dutifully care for her bunnies as tenderly as a loving mother.

Science and Health.  I love watching my teen son learn how to nurse a sick goat back to health and try to figure out how we should alter its diet for optimal growth.  They just don’t teach this stuff in school.

I really can’t say enough good things about farm life.  Have I convinced you yet?henneke farm SUNSETPhoto credits on this pic go to my friend Carolyn.  She captured the farm at sunset one evening when it was looking its rosy best.  Love!

 

 

Farm, Life

Gardening

veronica

I love my garden.  It is quite taken over by thistles at the edges and if you aren’t careful they might even goose you as you harvest those down low squash.  I love the magnitude of it. It is far larger than any I have ever grown before.  The size is roughly 1/4 of an acre.  I was wanting double that but simply ran out of gas in my tank when planting time rolled around.  I am thankful I did!  It was a lot of work to manage what I did plant.

Previous gardens I had needed heavy amending to the soil and I was strapped for time this year.  I had my son plow it up and furrow some rows and I planted my little heart out.  There were no soil tests and no guarantees.  It was hit or miss.  That is what I love about gardening.  There is a certain element of chance.  You can til, plant, water and weed but ultimately the Creator wakes that seed up and sends notice that it is time to grow.

Everyone around me had gardens putting out produce before I did and I wondered if my reckless gardening style had bitten me in the backside again.  And then…something wonderful happened.  The plants decided they were simply late bloomers and started to produce at their leisure.  I harvest about every third day and get new surprises every time.  The marigolds have got to be a giant breed.  They are taller than my first grade class!  No kidding guys, they are amazing.

henneke farm MARIGOLDS

I have yet to get the whole canning/preserving thing down.  (SO.MUCH.WORK.) I would have to put everything on hold for a month just to get it all done.  Since this is my first year I’m gonna give myself some leeway.  Next year, I’ll get to canning like nobody’s business!

As I get ready to put the garden to bed I can’t help but tie it into my life. (what can I say, I find double meanings in everything)

Hard work. Check.

Late bloomer. Check.

A little uncertain. Check.

In the hands of the Creator. Check.

Ok God, You made the garden bloom- what can You do with me?

 

Uncategorized

Reaching

veronica

IMG_0340Life has given me highs and lows. Times for celebrating and times I wished could be erased. Through it all I have to say it’s been mostly good.

I recently saw a clip about and Auschwitz survivor forgiving the Nazi doctor who experimented on her and her twin.  She was explaining the ordeal that she endured.  The heartache, physical pain and tragedy.  She spoke clearly and calmly about the most horrific of experiences.  Through all my ups and downs I have never encountered such hardship.  I consider myself blessed.

At the end she explained her desire forgive. She had met a Nazi doctor and she realized that he also lived with the horror of Auschwitz.  She forgave as a gift to the Nazi soldiers. She forgave for healing for herself. The Nazi doctor was there at Auschwitz during the use of the gas chamber.  Together they revisited the camp and signed a declaration that authenticated the deaths of so many. It was to commemorate the event for future generations.

What strength, what hope. I was in awe of such a human that could reach that far over and across barriers.  In a time when so many are putting up dividers over seemingly trivial things; this is what I want to be.  I want to reach.

Many other survivors denounced her.  Wondering how she could reject the cruelty they had endured.  She admitted it was crazy even to herself.  The results speak for themselves.  Crazy or not, there is a survivor out there who is free. Thank you, Eva, for such a beautiful example of life after tragedy.

Family, Kids

Generations

veronica

I have two girls.  They both look like me – one more than the other.  Every time I see a picture of my mother at a young age or one of my daughter’s most recent ones I think of the proverbial apple falling from the tree.  It’s strange how uncanny it is.

I remember someone holding my daughter as an infant.  She was facing me but across the room.  With the distance the lines of time blurred and I saw not my baby, not myself, but my mother.  Weird. Very deja vu.

I was looking through some of my junior high and high school photos not long ago.  I was surprised to see myself now through an older me’s eyes.  I was cute and funny and active.  I wasn’t the ugly duckling that I remember feeling like.

Now I look to the future and I see my beautiful girl.  I tell her nearly every day that she is beautiful.  I tell her even more often that I love her.

When I see my mom again I will hug her tightly and tell her I love her.  I am so thankful to be given  the blessing of a wonderful mother and the opportunity to mother a lovely daughter.  I just happened to get sandwiched in between! This is one time I don’t mind being caught up in the middle 🙂

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Me and a pretty awesome lady I get to call Mom
DIY, Life

DIY Life

veronica
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My 1950 Chevy pickup getting a little love. This DIY has been handed down to more capable hands…my son’s! I did not inherit the mechanical or woodworking skills that my siblings did :/

Ok, so I am by nature a crafty sort of gal.  I was confused when I would throw together some random art project and people would stare and ask “How did you do that?” To me it was simple.  You just get creative and stuff happens.  It took me a while to see that I actually had a gift.

As it happens this sort of thing is not really in demand for too many basic jobs.  So I have a unique skill set that I have not yet marketed.  I may never market it. That’s not really the point anyway.

I have found that over the years being creative has made my life more enjoyable and exciting.  I have been able to bless others along the way.  I have been able to stretch my small means further than anyone thought they could go.

It’s funny when I google money saving tips and I see things that I have been able to make for less than half of the cheapest purchase price.  I feel good about that.  I don’t want to take it for granted.

I am blessed to have had parents who lived a DIY life out of necessity and taught me how to work with my hands.  My mother painted and arranged flowers and created an inviting home with very little money.  My dad built and welded and was forever knee deep in projects.  Both are extremely creative thinkers.

The things I remember most about my growing years were that we were allowed to be kids and to learn by error.  We climbed trees and built our own tree forts.  We used that dilapidated band saw to make wood projects.  We used the wood lathe to create gifts for friends and family.  We gathered flowers and branches from gardens, woods, fields to make elaborate arrangements for gatherings and holidays.  We planted, we grew, we were given the right of way.

My amazing sister blew everyone away when she built- from the ground up- a tiny house complete with wiring and insulation.  Mind you, this was WAY before tiny houses were cool.  She was sixteen. I did not get that much talent *sigh*.

If DIY isn’t your thing there are so many tutorials online to guide you through.  I encourage you to try it.  You might find yourself with a better product that cost you less to make than it does to buy.  Word of caution *it can be addictive*.

Farm

Winter is a comin’

veronica

We woke up to a beautiful clear sky this morning.  The weather is doing one of it’s famous fooled ya acts. Some seriously cool fall temps have been switched up for a last bit of summer.  I can’t complain about that.

We get just a bit longer before we put the garden to bed and before the world turns crisp then frosty then frozen.  I’ll take it! It does however cause some issues with sniffles and sinuses.  What is it with quick weather changes that our body just can’t handle?

Anyhow, as we were trying to take advantage of the nicer working weather we went great guns last night.  We had a huge brush pile burning – burn ban lifted, yay!  We had the wood splitter running full blast.  I decided that the hens needed a freshening so to the coop I went.

Those girls can make a stink I tell you!  They were happy to get things cleaned up and it will be much easier to go collect eggs now 😉  We save the ash from the indoor fireplace for the coop. When I finish removing the yucky top layer of dust and dirt I sprinkle out the ash and rake it in. I usually top it off with a bit of ground cinnamon for scent and cleansing.  If I have it I’ll sprinkle some diamotaceous earth on the chickens and the ground.

The ladies have been slacking on the job lately and I wanted to know what was keeping those eggs in. A clean coop should help some.  If that doesn’t get them going I’m going to pull out the heat lamp to see if that helps.  Chickens can be so fickle.  Come on girls!  Mama needs eggs!