Stone Hill Homestead

A Return

Published by

Lisl

on

A Return

So much happy has been happening in our lives and on the farm lately that it’s time to start writing it down.

The kids are growing up.

There are more animals on the farm.

The flowers have only stopped blooming for winter. There have always been flowers and always shall be. Yet, even in the flower gardens, the varieties are expanding. I’ve had fun with some new stuff.

And Dru and I are older and wiser—feeling every one of our years.

Mostly, I’m writing it down for myself. A place to rant about all the pieces of my life. Our lives.

Leave a comment

Grace of the Mundane

“Get small with God,” Wendy told us years ago. So we did. Us and a tiny group of friends. It was healing, hopeful, and life giving. But while we love each other and there was no nasty parting of the ways, we needed to move from that season of life, all of us for our…

Lisl's avatar by Lisl

The Garden that Isn’t

It was never about the food. A garden holds its own romance but in the end, the animals won out. Half of my original garden space now belongs Cookie Dough and Oreo for their winter quarters. The other half is presided over by Freckles and Wilma who magnanimously allow Aggie, Sid, Eddie, Smoke Tail, and…

Lisl's avatar by Lisl

Just so you know…

Your three year old will not always draw little whales and birds on his bed sheets. He will graduate to dragons and creatures of the dinosaur age. Then he will begin artwork for his own fantasy novel that he spends his teenage years writing.  Tonight he says, “And I have to go take my shirt…

Lisl's avatar by Lisl

Hello,

I’m Lisl

Herein lie the events, ponderings, people, and animals that make up the cacophony of our life.

Pictures of farm and family

Today it was spring. The rest of the week maybe not so much. Malcolm the turkey is gorgeous in his pristine plumage. The goats are pregnant with 2 weeks to go. Freckles the goose is meaner than second skimmings because his lady is nesting. Bitsy is the oldest chicken in the farm I think and still sporting her rediculous foot feathers. The chicken beside her is the daughter of a beloved chicken I lost in a water trough incident. The amount of chaos involved from me lobbying this morning to get that washer and dryer out of Havilah's room so she could have more space was worth it. Still have a few steps in the basement to do before I can wash laundry but we will be fine. Thanks to my mom and dad and Gideon (who I don't even have a picture of) for all the help. Havilah was Bible quizzing in Iowa today and yesterday. It was a perfect surprise. I've been collecting bits and bobs of dishes for the last 10 years. I like pretty china and have enjoyed the mixing and matching. But practicality has come calling and it's time to sort and divide. I have a new set moving in replacing our everyday cracked hodgepodge. Everything in the kitchen and china hutch needs shifted and rearranged. The china I don't actually love is moving out. The other night it was 9:30 and Dru needed to go to Walmart. So we put the kids to bed and left. I had to get both bouquets. I was excited about finding the Canterbury bells because I have seed sown for them but had never actually seen them in real life. Also the purple thistle flower thing gives me joy. So, obviously, I needed both bunches. It's been a week of the sick here on StoneHill. Even Dru lost a day of school out of the deal. I'm so done! Today, my goal is to pretend that life is better now and just do! February funk on top of it does not help me at all. Lists and real life now, here we go. I blogged. A few times. Maybe I'll keep it up. Link in bio. Just happy things. First pic is Rennie helping his dad with opening an old floppy desk using Rennie's raspberry pi computer. The next one was last night while Dru took the rest of the kids skating Rian and I watched Ruthanne Zimmerman make egg noodles while we ate soup in mugs. It's been a very full and happy Christmas season. I didn't take pictures consistently. I miss doing that and want to try harder. I don't have any pictures of my own family's gatherings. But here is a smattering of photos from our busy holiday. My favorite is of Ray sneaking ham to the cat in the kitchen at my Mother in law's house. No, actually it's my boys playing together. The giraffe at the mall, wondering why he is sharing this little bench with a grown man, also cracks me up. I feel like I've learned how to burn coal in my cookstove. There was the day I was rather discouraged about it and put the project on hold for a weekend--it was a warm weekend anyway. It's a different animal than burning wood and I'm still figuring it out.