Despite 2015 being a challenging year… God is good, all the time. All the time, God is Good.
At the end of 2014, Man was faced with unplanned
heart surgery. He came through with
flying colors, but it was a slow road getting strength and stamina back. We had
to stop working our Buckeye Bunkbeds when he became ill last year, and it would
seem that our time as Buckeye Bunkbeds has come to an end. In the meantime, as Man was recovering, we
have had some new adventures to fill in the gaps!
In February, we took an epic trip out west and
missed some of the coldest temperatures in Ohio. It was so fun to show Boy all the things we
love in Colorado and Arizona. We made a “bucket list” of all the things we
wanted to see and do, and almost every one was completed!! In addition, we were able to spend time with
“Aunt Micki” and “Grandma Arizona”.
We returned to the farm and the work of keeping
warm. Man and Boy spent much time honing
the craft of turning wood pens. Man even
worked on casting his own blanks and resin casting other softer woods to harden
them into a good turning medium. He discovered
that some of the wood on our firewood pile was actually some of the ‘coveted’
Spalted Ambrosia Maple and many pieces of firewood became pens and actually
were one of our best sellers when we started doing craft fairs this
summer/fall.
My winter was occupied with my growing herd of
cows. We have Hershey, our dairy
cow. Then she gave birth last summer to
twin girl calves. They are going to be
future milkers. (Frances and Miracle).
So then, in February, I bought a bottle steer. He, unfortunately, became ill and after round-the-
clock nursing for 10 days, he did not make it.
When we returned from Arizona, I had the opportunity to get another calf
to grow for beef. He has settled in very
well, and is growing nicely! His name is
Moo-steer T-Bone. My winter-keeping cows.
It is more time consuming than you would think!
Spring finally came (as it always does - God is
Good!) and our thoughts turned to outside work.
We prepared the garden but did not do our CSA this year. Boy started getting serious about bike riding
and actually rode in his first race. He
also started working on his 4H fair rabbit projects. He also started wearing glasses. He has wanted glasses his whole life-always
wanting to be like Daddy-and now he has them.
Summer came and things were in full swing around
here. My mom had surgery on her shoulder
L, so I was able to go down and help at their house
some. I love being able to be with my parents and try to shower them with love
and care as they have always done for me! Boy went to the same camp that he has gone to
for 5 years (only one year at a different camp) and was delighted to find that
the same kids he sees almost every year at camp were there again. He’s already
looking forward to camp next year. We
acquired a new tractor to help with farm chores and worked on putting up hay
for the winter. Man perfected Smokin
Meat!! Every week he would try a new
technique or meat, and boy, we ate well.
We invited some family friends out for BBQs and had some nice fellowship.
As summer drew to a close, our thoughts turned to
our, now, annual “Fall Farm Festival”. I
started making my jams and jellies in earnest. 212 jars (and 22 unique flavors)
later… We also had the guys’ pens, a
produce table, and a bake sale table (with bread and over 400 cookies-7
kinds). We had 14 vendors (Including my
cousin that drove 400 miles to participate!) and a great selection of
items. It was during a football game so
didn’t get as much traffic as I hoped, but we all had a good time. Plus, Man made BBQ! Any day with BBQ ribs is a good day!
After being in 4H for a few years, Boy was able to
finally take his rabbits to fair. (Each
year something has happened that kept us from fair). It was a new (and nerve wracking) experience.
He got a good score on his project
book. Judging was definitely a new
experience, and he now knows what to expect next year. After the animal auction, he was so excited
to take his project again next year (and do even better) and maybe even branch
out into the dairy arena.
Then we started our first day of high school-gasp!!
Where did the time go??? We had a monarch cocoon that we found in the field and
the butterfly emerged on the same morning that we were starting Boy’s high
school career. (God is so good!) Just a few weeks ago, he started violin
lessons. He has wanted to play for a
while now, and he is very sure that the violin is what he is best suited for.
Speaking of music, that has become the newest thing
in our house. Man has been singing for
some time, but as the weather turned and it is not as fun to get outside to
cook, he has started seriously working on his singing. It is a joy to hear him
lifting his voice and Praising God! He has been working with a large barbershop
society called the Singing Buckeyes and may join them in the New Year. Also, he has been meeting and singing with a
great ministry called Paradigm Shift that does a weekly internet. Boy is also helping out
with the broadcasts.
And through all this-I keep cows! That sounds a bit simplistic, however it
isn’t. I feel it is truly a gift that I
have gotten from my Heavenly Father.
Many others that have my same disease are not able to even leave their
house. I feel my Trigeminal Neuralgia
progressing, but I am blessed to still be able to go and “work my farm”. And I know that it is not by MY power. It is by His strength by which I am able. I don’t forget it for a day, so when I say “I
keep cows” it is my phrase of Praise!
(it’s also so much fun that my Daddy here is also totally enamored by
the cows and offers to get them sweaters in the winter and currently cow bells
for Christmas J )
We are praying you have a truly blessed Christmas
and feel the love of Jesus throughout the New Year!
Merry Christmas,
Love, Rea, Man and Boy
(and
all the critters!)
