Don’t you love a good book? We do. My family members mark the pages and take notes in the books we love. We read them over and over again. Sometimes, we have lively discussions over the contents at meals. My daughter, Jael, loves Shakespeare and my husband, Bryce, will often lean towards Wendell Berry. The rest of the table moans at the very idea of loving a Shakespearean play or reading poetry from a farmer. With or without Shakespeare or Wendell Berry, there is always a good book. The one our family agrees on is the Bible.
Read MoreHere at the farm, we live a life full of hand-me-downs.
Used clothing - We love vintage fashion.
Large furniture - Early attic is a way of life for us.
Old tools - From generations of men who did physical labor.
Right now, even the temporary kitchen sink is a hand-me-down.
Kids are great at pretend play! They can be anything they want anytime. One moment we’re saved by Batman and another moment we are being chased by a tyrannosaurus. Ten minutes later, we find ourselves talking to Matilda, the intellectual spider that apparently resides in the family’s hall closet.
Read MoreYou should meet George. He is incredible. I just met him but I won’t easily forget his story.
Circumstances within his first 25 years of life should have devastated him. He lost his father at a young age and had a childhood with little resources. In 1951, barely into his 20’s, he joined the army and lost his entire family as he knew it - his grandfather, his grandmother, and his mother - all people who supported him, loved him, and encouraged him.
Read MoreThe flood of ‘72 hit Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 4 months after I was born. That year was a crazy year for my parents with several life changing events: my birth, my grandmother’s house being flooded, my father changing jobs, my parents building a house in Pennsylvania while living in New Jersey, and then later that same year, moving to the new house.
Read MoreIt’s been an exhausting couple of weeks for us on the farm with all the changes and emotions that come when someone passes away. I don’t know about you but I could use a little levity, so I’d like to tell you one of our family’s favorite stories.
I never met my great grandma, but several years ago my uncle was in an antique shop and found her photograph.
Read MoreAs children & grandchildren, we personally have experienced many variations of how our parents and grandparents have grown old. I’m sure you have a similar list.
Grandparents who died before we knew them.
Grandparents who had an influence on us when we were kids, but then passed away.
I could have been Valentino! My birth missed Valentine’s Day by less than two hours. My parents made a deal. If I was born on Valentine’s Day my dad would get to name me. He picked out Valentino for a boy and Valerie for a girl. Instead, my mom held out until the 15th. She won and named me Jody.
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