Homesick

Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.
James 4:14

But the word of the Lord endures for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached to you.
I Peter 1:25

So much time, money, and effort is invested into what is of little worth.
I get caught up into it also.
And then I'm reminded by my Lord...reminded that this is not my home.
Praise God, this is not my home!

A Crafty Post!

Wow, it's been over a month since I've posted here!
The kids are outside playing in the freshly fallen leaves and this seems as good a time as any to do a little catching up.
The girls and I have been crafting. Several months ago a friend told us of an opportunity to sell crafts at a local craft fair. She manages her girls business, Sewing Kits 4 Kids and they sell their products online and at craft fairs. If you have the time please click here . I really am proud of these girls!  
And here is a little more information about their business:

We thought it sounded like fun, a lot of work, but fun. My two girls had sold decorated flip-flops at a state-wide 4H event during the summer, so they had a little bit of experience. We had even gone so far as to call their little entrepreneural effort "Frou Frou 4 U."

 The girls selling their decorated flip-flops during a state-wide 4H event last summer. There were several other young entrepreneurs selling their hand-made products there also.

The craft fair was in October and the girls sold decoupaged glass vases and homemade Christmas ornaments. Although they didn't sell a lot, they learned a great deal. We're doing another craft fair in December. This time I'm going to be selling some of my own creations. The girls and I are excited and busy, busy, busy crafting!

And just gotta add that our great big mama cows are having their calves. We've got three thus far and are expecting two more.


This is Pippin.

And just a little more news...we've finally found a new church home! We're delighted and excited about this new opportunity to serve and witness as well as be a part of God's leading!

Have a fantastic week and God bless!
Julie

First Frost!

I woke up this morning and noticed God had dressed the pasture with jewels.
What was just green yesterday, now sparkled and radiated with trillions of fractured light.
I had to get out there!
It was cold but I suited up appropriately, grabbed the camera, and rushed out with a, "Please don't let the cows out until I've come back!"
I'm afraid of them, the big mommas, that is. There are five of them now and they wouldn't blink an eye at mowin' me down. In fact I think it would make them happy, give them some sort of satisfaction in knowing they were able to fight back against the establishment! Their cloven hooves can't hold a protest sign so they'll take whatever victories they can get.
And of course my imagination is getting away with me.



So once I'm out and surrounded by an abundance of frost laden flora, I click away!



It's at times like these that the wonderment of childhood returns.
And where does that go anyway???



Sad. Sad, that as we grow older we desire so much of the unlovely.
Hmmm,...in Heaven, I believe the wonder of childhood and awe in seeing things with new eyes will return.



Until then, I'll be looking for those sweet glimpses of wonder here and know that so much more awaits!

Seeing Him and His loveliness in the simple,
Julie

I Don't Know Nothin' 'Bout Birthin' Calves!

Just right up front I gotta say that I really don't have much to say.
Well other than we're outrageously busy around here with old mother cows
'bout to birth babies, the rest of the critters, 4-H, educatin' kids, choir, scouts, getting ready for a craft show, and numerous and other sundry stuff.
Probably just like your homestead, huh?



And regarding the big old cows birthin' babies...we're excited! We've never experienced this part of the whole cattle scene before. Well, I should probably correct myself there. Tim has.
He's delivered many a calf. I was there for some of them. One of our premarital discussions over money took place while Tim was performing a c-section on a heifer. Imagine if you will, little ole me pouring a bucket of antiseptic solution over a huge gaping incision that Tim had just pulled a calf through and moi asking rather nonchalantly, " Are we going the route of joint checking accounts or seperate?" You got the picture. And that's really the way our lives have rolled ever since!

Have a wonderful week!
Blessings, Julie

Tim Tebow: A Book Recommendation

Yesterday evening I finished a book.

Tim Tebow's "Through My Eyes" was an interesting read, although I must confess that I did resort to skimming through much of the play-by-play paragraphs. The book will never be a huge literary classic and many won't read it as Tebow's vocal Christian beliefs on and off the field of football naturally offend.

Of course I must mention that it isn't just his belief system and fame that caused me to gravitate towards reading his memoirs but that he was homeschooled. I guess that really shouldn't come as any surprise coming from a conservative Christian, homeschooling mom. Honestly, the search for God-honoring role models in a society where too many Christians have given into the lure of the world and it's norms can be a bit tough.

I'm proud of Tebow and even prouder of his parents. They didn't give in to convenience, an easier road, and their own selfish desires but sought the Lord's plan for their family.

I highly recommend this book for boys and young men. Tim Tebow's top-notch work ethic and gut-level honesty shine through brilliantly!

Oh,...and I just wanted to add that in the past I too was a bit put-off by Tebow's crying on the field and sidelines, but after reading the book, I've found that I understand that it's more about a healthy release of emotions.

This article was an interesting read regarding Tebow's crying in public:

Researchers Use Tim Tebow in Study Defending Crying in Football

The last chapter of the book had a quote that pretty much summed up why I think I like this book so much:

"There have always been people saying that I couldn't do something, starting with that Mindanao doctor who said that I couldn't be born, but through it all, there's only been one voice that mattered. And I could hear Him loud and clear."
~ Tim Tebow: Through My Eyes ~ (page 256)

I know, I know,...an unusual post for me. But I have a son that is quickly growing more aware of the world around him. He became a Believer just this past August, PTL! And so I feel it is my duty to search out those that can be positive role models in the field of sports as my little guy is becoming more knowledgeable and interested.

Blessings, Julie

A Beach Vacation

The LORD on high is mightier than the noise of many waters, yea, than the mighty waves of the sea.
~Psalm 93:4~

     Our family just returned from a week-long vacation at the beach in Dauphin Island, Alabama.
This is our third time to vacation at the beach as a family. But this particular trip was a bit different as another family shared the beach house that we resided in. Our family of five was joined up with a family of seven bringing the total residents in our house to twelve. And may I just add that I now have a better feel to the dynamics of a large family. The other mom and I rotated kitchen duty so that we both had days off to completely enjoy the beach, kiddos, and fish with our husbands.
     Walking along the beach while the surf pounds on the sand and the salty water foams up and around my feet and toes and then receeds quickly back to its source causes me to think upon the greatness of our Lord. How Great Thou Art is a song that comes easily to my lips as I stand and watch the mighty waters rise and fall with a mighty crash!
     A week wasn't long enough...I'm already dreaming about the next time.

Blessings to you and yours as we embark upon a new week, Julie

Perseverance

Even though we were really dry this past spring and summer, and much of my flower beds were utterly destroyed by dogs and chickens seeking damp, cool earth for a respite,...our faithful Four O'Clocks survived.

 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.   ~Romans 8:28~

Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:   ~Philippians 1:6 ~

Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.    ~1 Corinthians 15:58~

And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.    ~Galatians 6:9 ~

Blessings, Julie

Honesty, It's Such a Lonely Word

Honesty, It's Such a Lonely Word   ~Billy Joel~

The second Republican Presidential Nominees Debate was aired last night.
We were at Boy Scouts and 4H.
And besides we don't subscribe to cable television so we couldn't have watched it even if we had been at home. What about online? Fuhgeddaboudit!!! Our internet provider just doesn't provide that much band width, power, umph...whatever. I try to only talk about what I know. And I know not the inner workings of internet provider service and lingo. Suffice it to say, we can rarely watch a youtube video unless it's midnight or four in the morning. I may have exaggerated a bit there and so sorry as this post is about honesty after all.

Anyway, getting back to my original point, there was a debate last night. And from what I've read thus far it was all about, "Let's dog-pile the top dog and throw out lots of innuendo so that the American public will be distracted and he'll spend all of his debate time defending himself!"
I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm so disgusted with this status quo, politics as usual behavior. While there were some that didn't join in with the rest and I'm sure their particular views weren't questioned as they don't make for good "TV." The majority of the debate seemed to be (from what I've read) discrediting and bashing the understood frontrunner. How are we supposed to trust these people if they keep resorting to sound bites and scare tactics? Please give me the truth. I can handle it.
Do you remember Joe Wilson? You know, the South Carolina congressman that had stomached enough propaganda during a speech given by Obama early on in his presidency and shouted, "You lie!" Congressman Wilson merely did what so many of us feel compelled to do when we've had enough.
While I know there are no perfect debates in politics, I desire that these guys/gals would voice their stances on social and fiscal issues without being maliciously maligned by their peers. A civil dialogue if you will where these social servants could defend their past decisions albeit bad ones without a fellow politician manipulatively throwing out remarks that aren't true.

((Sigh)) I'll stop there. I just needed to vent a bit.

Blessings, Julie

Reflecting on Critters Past & Present

This is Annie our foul-tempered, back-porch cat. Don't let her mild mannered sweet and cuddly looks fool you, she's scheming on how to get her claws in you!

Living out here in the middle of nowhere and seldom getting to town has been made a bit easier by the companionship of our animals. And the number has gone up dramatically since moving to the country a short five-and-a-half years ago.


                                               My all-time favorite three-legged dog.

And I must add here that I believe that when moving to the country there is that whole nature abhors a vacuum thing goin' on. Before you know it, you're running a full-blown menagerie! People know you've moved to wide open spaces and they want to unload FREE animals on you. And then there are the dog dumpers, don't even get me started on that vile class of people!

We moved in with a hermit crab. Katy was it's name. And I must confess that when the odorous thing died a couple of weeks after moving in, I was a bit relieved that I would no longer have to clean out the bowl where it resided. Have you ever seen one of those things come out of it's shell...cringe-factor BIG time!
But it wasn't long, maybe a month, and we had acquired a couple of puppies for the girls. They were birthday gifts.
The dogs couldn't have been more different. The black lab/pit bull mix was born an old man. He didn't play much and just wanted to be petted constantly and nap.


      This is our lab/pit bull mix. He's large and intimidating...and smells of dead armadillo.
The other, a lab/shepherd mix felt it her duty to chase every piece of hoofstock in a mile radius. Her exiting the premise was due to the very large, roughened rancher that leased the land across the road appearing on our doorstep one evening and announcing that he would shoot her if she was spotted chasing his goats and cows again.
"Adios, Shelby!"

It was also during this time that an acquaintance of ours was moving and gave us a cat (our foul-tempered, back porch cat) and a couple of goats.
The goats didn't stay long due to their escape artist ways, but the cat has become a permanent back porch fixture. She's not nice. We warn people not to pet her. The dogs are even frightened of her.


   Strawberry is one of our Welsh ponies. She's a bit of a diva, definitely not a wallflower!

Before the first year was up, there were calves and a horse added to the mix.
And then later cats were needed as the foul-tempered cat decided to quit her mouse exterminating job.


The veterinarian on the premisis didn't spay our little female cat, Ashes. So she in return graciously presented us with a litter of kittens. It was her last.

Over the next few years we would see many calves come and go, some favorites, and some nearly drove us over the brink. If you've ever dealt with onery livestock you have empathy and can relate regarding that last statement.


                                    His name was Peanut, it should have been Trouble.

Presently the critter count stands at eleven hens, four horses, four calves, three dogs, and two cats.
I'd say that's enough...wouldn't you.

Have a fantastic & blessed week!
Julie

Chickens were on the list from the beginning but didn't become a reality until a year and a half ago. And then the real drama began!



                                                     Homestead Revival: Barn Hop #27

The Trailer

I took this photo one evening while the sun was setting.
The side of the trailer you see was facing the setting sun on the western horizon and the sky was aglow with brilliant color.
We had just had a thunderstorm and my husband and I were back at the edge of the property discussing a multitude of things.
I couldn't resist the photographic opportunity and ran back to the house for my camera. I'm glad I did.

Blessings, Julie

The County Fair 2011

Our local county fair took place last week starting with Tuesday and running through Saturday.
While we didn't have as many fair entries for the Exhibit Hall, there were shows that we had been preparing for all summer.
The first being the 4H Junior Horse Show.





Both girls were in the same age class and also competed against each other in all their events.


She's in her "happy place." This child is a true horse lover!
I was very proud of both of them!
At different times the ponies acted up or stubbornly refused to do what the girls were asking of them, but both girls disciplined them with a firm hand and without losing their composure.
The girls placed in nearly all their events with my oldest daughter getting top scorer in her age class.
Tim did a fantastic job coaching them and so much credit goes to him also.
I was just the cheerleader. Actually, some very good friends showed up to help support the girls and I got to visit with them while we all watched the horse show. Believe-you-me, living way out in the country and rarely getting to visit with friends for an extended period of time leaves this homeschoolin' mama seriously unsocialized!

Back to the fair, Thursday the children and I spent most of our day out at the fair enjoying the Exhibit Hall and seeing how our entries did. Both girls placed with some of their photos as I did with mine.


This picture of a Robber Fly placed first in the Animals and Insects Category.

My little guy had fun with some friends and learned the art of shooting a clothes-pin with a rubberband.
We ate fair food (Yum!) with some other friends and had great conversation.

On Friday, all three children were to show their calves in the Bucket Calf Competition.


The barn was full of calves and youngsters getting ready for the show! We had a total of 32 kids participating.

This was our youngest's first year and our oldest's last year. All three kiddos were in seperate age divisions.
The participants of this program must buy a calf in May, journal it's progress once a week, turn in their journals and worksheets regarding all financial information concerning the calf in early August, and then go through an interview process with a judge prior to their showing the calf on the day of the competition.


My Little Guy...after his interview with the judge. He looks glad to have that behind him!


Showtime! Little Guy leading his calf to the arena.

There are several awards given out to participants that excel in the interview, showmanship, and herdsman. Our oldest won the interview award and our middle child tied for second. The middle-child also came in second in her age division for showmanship. All three kiddos did great and our youngest had no problem as he had seen it all done for the past several years.


All three kiddos with their calves after the show.

Later, when the bucket calf competition was all said and done, the girls went to the Exhibit Hall to compete in a couple of 4H activities. They both particpated in Consumer and Horticulture Judging.





This was rather interesting to watch as the girls scrutinized different objects ranging from table runners to jars of preserved jelly and then judged which to be the best and why.
We were pleased with the results and wonderfully a bit surprised.
Exhausted, tired, and hot we were ready to go home.
But we had to wait around as the local paper was taking pictures of all the entrants that had entered and received a grand champion placing.
I had received Grand Champion on one of my photos. It was in the Digitally Enhanced category.


My Grand Champion photo.

After getting my picture taken, the girls and I loaded up and headed home. We had a great time but were so happy it was all behind us for another year!
Here are some of my blog posts from past years regarding our county fair:

Cowboy Kids - Sept. 9, 2010
A Whole Lotta Bull - Sept. 1, 2009
What's On My Plate - Aug. 24, 2009

Now to get ready for a beach vacation!
Have a great rest-of-week, Julie

Sharing a Few Photos

My favorite time to take pictures is either early morning or in the evening.



The three pictures that I've posted here were all taken just a little after sunrise when the sunlight is still soft and the backlighting seems to cause a bit of a glow around the subject.



Our county fair is this week. Last night the girls rode their ponies in the 4H Junior Horse Show. They both did very well.

All three children will be showing their calves on Friday. It will be the first time that they've all shown in the same event. And it will be the first time our youngest will show.

I entered several photos.
But the competition is stiff.
We shall see.



This last photo was taken after a thunderstorm we had recently. Did you notice the lightning in the background? That was neat to capture.

I didn't enter any of these and will find out how I did tomorrow regarding the entered photos.

As a family we all look forward to this week but are so glad when it's behind us!

Blessings, Julie

A Quote

Why do bad things happen to good people? That only happened once and He volunteered for it.
~RC Sproul~

  

The Skinny

A Little Catch-up on the Chickens, the Children, and Church.

1. The Chickens

This past spring, I put twenty fertilized eggs into an incubator that our local extension office had let us borrow. Twelve chicks hatched out and stayed in the schoolroom for almost five weeks. I then kicked them out to the coop. They did great for four days and then on the fifth day, that morning, I went out to feed them and every last one of them were GONE. There was evidence from the coop door that an animal had pushed the chicken wire up and had gotten in. We think the dogs took part in this little soiree as there were little piles of feathers amongst their large cow bones out by the cellar.
I'm still not speaking to them.

After the baby chick massacre we had two hens go broody, a Wyandotte and a Buff Orpington. The Wyandotte hatched out two chicks and the BO hatched out one chick. Just two days after the Wyandotte had hatched out her two, I discovered that one of them had been killed and eaten by a very large and still digesting his chicken nugget, rat snake. The husband and I pounded on him with two hoes and he is no more.

This morning I went out to feed and discovered the other chick belonging to Ms. Wyandotte had gone the way of the first and yes, the culprit being a very large rat snake was still present digesting a much larger chicken nugget meal (and just gotta mention here that the whole scene was worthy of a nature documentary on snakes). Needless to say the husband and I were most helpful in seeing that another Mr. Snake would be enjoying no more meals via the coop.

So now we have the Buff Orpington raising her lone chick that I'm just sure is a pullet (yay me). This afternoon I went out to check on the whole lot and found yet another snake (very large garter snake) skulking about the coop and snuffed him out with my trusty hoe.

We are now at ten hens and one pullet. Which isn't really that bad as we've dealt with record breaking heat this summer and I was sure we would lose more. Mr. Incredible (the very large and very mean rooster) died, but he doesn't count, sorry, if that sounds callous but I didn't like him, you wouldn't have either...trust me on this one.

2. The Children

The children have dived headfirst into school. Actually we're doing some serious review work right now while I wait for our stuff from Rainbow to make it here.
They're also gearing up and preparing for the county fair that is at the end of this month.



Both girls will be participating in the 4H Horse Show and all three cherubs will be showing their calves at the Bucket Calf Show.



 Honestly it's been a long summer and I think we were ready to have a full-time school schedule again.
We did keep up with math throughout the summer and some language arts though.

3. Church

Recently a friend of mine emailed me and very sensitively and tactfully inquired about how we're going about searching for a church. Her email touched my heart as it was evident that she in no way wanted to offend but was curious as to how we were going about making this very important decision.
We do have somewhat of a checklist if you will, but first and most importantly we're bathing this with prayer and I'm talking a serious soaking of prayer.
But getting back to the checklist, there must be truth in the pulpit with sound biblical teaching. Tim and I both are in agreement that we won't settle for mediocrity or the dumbing down of the gospel that is becoming widespread in too many pulpits today. I'll stop there regarding the deception of flock leaders.
We also desire to be a part of a fellowship where those in leadership are loving, transparent, and not arrogant. For us the leaders must be above reproach, not perfect mind you, but quick to repent and ask forgiveness if confronted with sin.
The churches we've visited have primarily been Southern Baptist Churches as that is where we believe we're to be. We're not the Seeker Sensitive types, so when we see these practices being implemented we steer clear. 

Of course, there are other factors such as distance. We want to be active in whatever church the Lord leads us to. We were at our former church. We enjoy serving. And we live so far out in the country that we are limited as to how many churches are that close. Tim commutes an hour round trip Monday through Friday, so distance is definitely a factor.

Anyway, that's the skinny of what's up here and I do desire your prayers regarding our Lord's direction. A part of me believes we're still going through a great deal of forgiving and healing spiritually and won't be free to enter another fellowship until we've dealt with the baggage that we keep finding ourselves dragging around.

We haven't been popular regarding some, but we know we're on the right road and really that's all that matters.

Blessings, Julie

Oh and by the way, we've been getting rain and the temperatures have come down to the upper 90's in the daytime. Thanks for your prayers regarding the drought in Oklahoma. We're still experiencing drought but the recent rains have been so encouraging!

Life @ Forty Acre Farm

The rooster died this morning.
That would be Mr. Incredible.
We ran him ragged yesterday evening in temperatures that were well above 100. No, we were'nt trying to run some pounds off of him but catch him to put him in the chicken tractor that Tim had built. Tim also wanted to show him at our county fair at the end of August...won't happen now. And yes one of my more recent posts had detailed his demise. Well, the evening before the "killin'" we wisely surmised the pot was too small. That was when Tim decided to keep him and show him at the county fair...won't happen now.

In early June, I put my mother in a nursing home. She's closer in proximity now. We visit her often.
She's not happy with me.
I'm dealin' with it.
Life is like that.
You've just gotta deal with it and not shirk your responsibilities. One odd thing though, when visiting her, I find myself observing the other residents. There are some that nearly seem unconcious,  they're strapped in wheelchairs or strapped in mobil beds. They're silent, usually looking downward and seemingly oblivious to what's going on around them. Some are in wheelchairs, propelling themselves forward through the halls and nodding their heads at us or giving us sweet smiles when we walk by them. Many times what they say is unintelligible, I smile, pat them, and say, "I'm so glad to see you today!" (meaning every word).
And then there are many using walkers like my mom, that seem a bit confused like my mom, but are delightful to talk to and so so sweet, like my mom (she's just unhappy with me part of the time).
So here's where I'm goin' with this....I'm wondering what I will be like when I hit this stage of life???
Will I be like some I've seen that repeat the same phrases over and over and over. We've seen one woman that does this. She's either yelling, "Help me, help me, help me!" or muttering, "I hate, I hate, I hate."
When I am old and no longer in control of my faculties, will all the fears and grotesqueness of my life bubble forth upon the ears of my loved ones and strangers? And am I foolish to even wonder upon such things? Not a pleasant subject, huh?

And changing the subject, but I just wanted to let some of you know that Google doesn't like me. Yes, before it was Facebook. But now it's Google. I've tried to comment at some of your sites and it won't let me. This is very frustrating as bloggers like Homeschool on the Croft are so wonderful about leaving comments here but I can't comment back and I have tried. It's just so frustrating because just recently at HOTC site she had a post about a vegetable I had never even heard of nor seen before! I think this whole problem has to do with cookies of which the computer kind and I'm completely ignorant of, (sigh). And before I have one of my witty friends comment concerning the "cookies" term, let me just cut him off by saying, "No, I did not lose my cookies!"
But I also lost my "followers" gadget. Strange because when I first noticed it gone, I thought no one liked me anymore but then quickly decided it just couldn't be me. I mean what's not to like?! And by the way, that last statement is an inside joke between my husband and I. Believe me, you'd understand if you knew the full story...again (sigh, really really big SIGH).

There's a lot more "life" going on here. The whole chicken drama has been a bit much and I'll tell more another time and then there's the searching for a new church home which has been a journey in and of itself! But that's a subject I will probably have to tiptoe through. God is so faithful, generous, and loving and He provides what we need when we need it! He definitely won't leave us where we're at (spiritually speaking of course) if we're willing to move forward in Him.

Be a blessing! Julie

  

High Drama on the Farm

Yesterday morning we woke up.
It's been hot, really hot, consistently hot for far too long.
And dry, really dry, consistently dry for far too long.
We're in a drought.
So wisely we try and get all the animals taken care of early before it's unbearably hot.
Walking back from feeding the calves at the barn, I gazed out at the pasture.
It was one of those "what's wrong with this picture" type of gazes.
I looked hard trying to make out why the two full-size horses looked larger than usual and why they were head-to-head?!



Why...that wasn't Bella and Rabbit out there, but two very large and very full-size bulls!
I quickly assessed that the red bull was from the pasture to the south of us and the black one from the pasture to the north of us.



I guess they had gotten a bit bored and decided to meet in the middle and have their own version of UFC Championships. And these guys would definitely fit into the heavyweight class!
And NO, I have never watched UFC fighting (we don't get cable). Everything I know about it I've heard from my sister and her family.


I added the butterfly (borrowed the idea from The Pioneer Woman) to alleviate the cringe- factor in my more
citified friends.

Back to the bulls, the red one seem to have more attitude and strength going for it and ultimately won the championship round and herded the black bull back over to the fence from where he had come from.



A couple of little upstarts (probably the black bulls progeny) ran over to the fence to check things out.



Words were probably said that shouldn't have been said and the red bull sent them packin'.



So what have we learned from all this?
1. Build better fences
2. But then even really great fences will not always keep trouble out.
3. And sometimes livin' on a farm isn't all it's cracked up to be.
You take the good with the bull....er I mean bad.



Speaking of bull and lots of it. And please excuse the cowboy vernacular, but we've sorta seen more than our fair share of "bull" this past year. Too much really. But we know that for whatever reason we've been allowed to travel this wearisome road as of late, it will work towards the Glory of the Lord and bring us closer to the heart of our dear Saviour. The choice was mediocrity, the world's offerings, or move forward with the Lord. Moving forward meant taking a stand and becoming unpopular. Interestingly that seems to be the path we're on, the race we're running if you will. Anyone that has ever run a marathon knows it can be grueling, but the prize is so worth it!
Character building takes fire.
It's good to be back,
Julie

    Homestead Revivals Barn Hop!