I love September! As a student and then an educator, this month has always meant new beginnings loaded with possibilities. Every August, my mother bought me new shoes and a new start-of-school outfit. I proudly carried a new box of crayons and a handful of brand-new...
We teach children at a very early age to dial 9-1-1 to get help in an emergency. And emergencies come when least expected throughout our lives. So, the question is: Who do we turn to for help? What—or who—is your first line of defense for the demands you face? I...
Spring never fails to bring me surprises: every year, a random flower blooms in an unexpected spot. My daddy always said the squirrels and chipmunks were his landscape designer. They’re mine, too. I can always count on four-footed helpers to dig up and replant bulbs....
I’m a fixer. I take care of people, places, and things. Just give me a list of what needs to be done, and it’s DONE. Ask me to organize a woman’s tea reception, coordinate and facilitate a training program for a crowd, serve as room mother, bake dozens of cookies for...
A Bountiful Harvest Here on the farm, the maple trees are ablaze with glorious red leaves. Hay season has ended, but the harvest is still underway, with soybeans and corn ready for gathering. Harvest generally begins in mid-September and can run as late as...
I am a woman who plans and then works on a plan. My family knows not to stand in my way when I have my checklist - unless they’re willing to help. So, to say the recent power outage disrupted my plans is an understatement. This time, the cause of the outage wasn’t a...
This year, my March On The Farm post discussed my wild, unruly grapevines that I had neglected for so long. But this year would be different, I decided. Through the spring and early summer, my sons and I worked tirelessly to prune, replace posts, and wire the vines to...
These days more than any in recent memory, I see an overabundance of rudeness, anger, impatience, and disdain towards one another. There is a shortage of the Fruit of the Spirit.
Grandparents can be the sugar and spice and everything nice in a child’s life. Mine certainly were. A grandparent’s presence-or absence-is crucial, especially these days, when we see more and more grandparents raising grandchildren. How would you describe your...
Do you remember playing hide & seek as a child? I could find some of the most amazing spots to hide because who wants to be IT? Not I!