Reflections on 2019
We’re back after a long blogging break! If you’re a regular reader and have missed the monthly Reflections blog, thanks for coming back! If you’re new to the
The Road to Here: Blog Posts Archive
2018 - Present
Reflections on Jan, Feb, and Mar 2019
Welcome back, my dear readers who have missed my monthly updates. Aunt Debra, ye shall worry no longer! We are all alive and well, even the last remaining
Reflections on December, 2018
As promised, here is our Winter Solstice tree, with borrowed lights and decorations thanks to Nana. Standard Christmas tree lights use a lot of power by the way,
Reflections on November, 2018
Friday, November 2nd I wake in the night for some unknown reason and can’t get back to sleep. I get up to use the restroom and get a
Reflections on October, 2018
I love October for the cooler temperatures, and the diminished flies. The leaves change color (not like the brilliant Illinois colors) but pretty in their own Oklahoma way. I
Reflections on September, 2018
Fall is fast approaching. This September, we’ve had several rains lately of 2 or more inches and much cooler nights. The air seems so clean and clear, with
Reflections on August, 2018: Black Iron
Black iron! Last month I left you wondering what we’d use as a material for light fixtures. Black iron pipe is quickly becoming a theme around here. I
Reflections on July, 2018
What to do With a Perfect Day: Own It. July, 2018 I am standing on a ladder, one that my husband made from scrap wood. The spacing between
Reflections on June, 2018
It’s warming up on the homestead. We spend some afternoons inside on the cool soil-cement floor to escape the heat. When it’s 95 outside, it’s only 88 inside.
Reflections on May, 2018: That’s a WRAP
I used to stand outside the semi-trailer each evening while brushing my teeth, and look at our unfinished house with its partial walls and flapping tarps. I would
Reflections on April, 2018
The absence of April showers equals a lack of flowers, unfortunately. We finally had some wintry mix on the morning of the 7th this month. The kids’ excitement
Reflections on March, 2018
March: Motivation, Baby! What a fantastic month we’ve had here on the farm and off! The weather has been steadily getting warmer and so has our interior home
Reflections on February, 2018
Hello folks! Welcome to Home Farm, where our children are always dirty, our blogs are always clean, and our projects are always unorthodox. This month, as a monthly
Reflections on January, 2018
Welcome 2018! This year is going to be uber-progressive, I can just feel it. Each day and week are going to bring us that much closer to “done-ness,”
2017 Blog Posts
Reflections on December, 2017
Solar power is in the pipeline! The ground mount frame for the solar array is now secured in the ground. Each of the 12 posts are stabilized 6
Reflections on November, 2017
We’re now moving into the 5th year of building our home. At the beginning, I assumed it would take 2-3 years. However, my mother’s death, the birth of
Reflections on September and October, 2017
Ah, the power of music! I’m going to let you in on a little October secret: if you are facing a tumultuous task, turn on some music. You
Reflections on August, 2017
Welcome back to the homestead, readers. The grass is not always greener on the other side. Our pastures are as green as my birthstone, the emerald, and it’s
Reflections on July, 2017
What a contrast this July has been compared to last year! Saul, my name for the wind, has taken a hiatus for some reason. I usually complain about
Reflections on June, 2017
It is the 30th day of June and I type this next to a window that frames a glorious rain which broke the pattern of heavy and hot
Reflections on May, 2017
Happy Mother’s Day to all the moms out there! I am serious; mothering is hard work. We have 3 children, 2 dogs, a cat, 9 chickens, 1 remaining
Reflections on April, 2017
April showers are no match for our homestead endeavors! We made some real progress this month. First and most importantly, we are totally and entirely waterproof! No more
Reflections on March, 2017
So maybe you’re not into reading about uterine contractions and placental encapsulation, but there is one thing you must know about the birth of Earthbag Build Oklahoma’s 3rd
Reflections on February, 2017
Wow, talk about a short winter. I think we’ve had over 5 days of t-shirt weather and fewer than that number of freezing nights. I’ve noticed that my
Reflections on January, 2017
Consisting of a mixture of pseudo-spring days and bitter cold snowy ones, January has been quite an exciting month. In the beginning, the kids watched out the window
2016 Blog Posts
Reflections on December, 2016
Once upon a time there was a small family. A strong man, a long-haired woman, and two young and rambunctious boys. They lived in Oklahoma, where the wind
Reflections on November, 2016
I need chocolate. I mean, really need chocolate. “The struggle is real,” they say, or “First world problems,” they say. Well “they” actually live in this “first world.”
Reflections on October, 2016
October is a second spring in this region. Plants that appeared desiccated to their death have reawakened. Fall rains and cooler temps have granted them new life. So
Reflections on September, 2016
Delicious tomatoes, the juiciest cantaloupe, and a giant bag of okra kicked off this September of 2016. They didn’t come from our soil of course, but the Lawton
Reflections on August, 2016
In case you were wondering, building a house is exhausting. I mean serious, fall-asleep-before-your-head-hits-the-pillow exhausting. We’ve been at this house-building business for 3 years now and I am
Reflections on July, 2016
The fireworks were a blast. The flies are terrible. The heat is miserable. Happy July. The end. Well that’s what I felt like writing during my 102 degree
Reflections on June 2016
Summer is upon us. The heat is on. The grasshoppers are just beginning to annoy our gardens, and all the rain has caused an explosion of mosquitoes. It
Reflections on May, 2016
Ah, the most glorious month in Oklahoma is upon us. May is gorgeous. It is fresh and green and alive and there are perfect days with sunshine and
Reflections on April, 2016
In order to accurately reflect on the month of April of 2016, achievements and milestones would fill a copious list. While I’m surely going to miss a couple
Reflections on March, 2016
I thought March was supposed to be rainy. We’ve only had a little rain this month. I sure love the “spring green up,” with all the new life
Reflections on February, 2016
Note: This blog was posted on the day that only exists every four years, February 29th. Feeling much less like winter than December and January, February has bestowed
Reflections on January, 2016
Welcome to the new year, everyone who keeps up with H.O.M.E Farm shenanigans! Lots of new stuff is taking place so far at the homestead. I feel like
2015 Blog Posts
Reflections on December, 2015
Snow is the only redeeming quality that winter’s barren landscape has to offer. It blankets the naked ground in a magical sort of way. We got some snow
Reflections on November, 2015
November sends chilly breezes across the landscape as the winds shift and begin to blow from the cold north instead of the warm south. I always imagine the
Reflections on October, 2015
Living in an off-grid situation makes one resilient, creative, and open to utilizing resources in a way that most people might never imagine. It makes one more independent
Reflections on September 2015
Reflections on September 2015: A Roof Over our Heads This month marks a very important turning point in H.O.M.E. Farm’s history and development. We have officially moved into
Reflections on June, 2015
Ode to my Mother June of 2015 was bittersweet. The weather was not like last year’s June. It was much milder. Warm days and cool nights and the
Reflections on August, 2015: Reciprocity
Reflections on August: Reciprocity Reciprocal: in mutual relation; concerning, given, or owed by each with regard to the other. A compliment. Reciprocate: give and return mutually; act in
Reflections on July, 2015
Reflections on July, 2015: Wall Completion! As far as Oklahoma summers go, this one has been the nicest yet. It actually rained around the 4th of July, around
Reflections on May, 2015
The Month of Rain… The week of perfect days. Those were the last couple of days of April and the first couple of days of May. The wind
Reflections on April, 2015
The rain falls and breathes new life into the soil, enticing green stuff to reach for the sky. It is during this month that I actually feel
Reflections on March, 2015
March Muscles This month has been an exceptional one for weather, spring cleaning, getting back to work, and my mood, which has been positive and forward-thinking. At the
Reflections on February, 2015
Surviving February Oklahoma February is a roller coaster of weather. Some days are frigid and windy and icey, and others are in the 70’s for 3-4 day stretches.
Reflections on January, 2015
Reflections on January 2015: Thinking Outside the Box-Kitchen A new year. I have never really agreed with the calendar that the middle of winter marks the new year.
2014 Blog Posts
Reflections on November & December 2014
I wondered when this would happen, knowing it was inevitable. We got too busy to keep up on the blog. So, that is why these last two months
Reflections on October, 2014
Welcome, October! How I love the cooler temperatures, the receding of the grasshoppers, and the tranquility of light. When the sun begins to lower its passage across the
Reflections on September, 2014
That we suffered an embarrassing, yet successful harvest this year is grounds for a post about the real dilemma of food. Embarrassing because the grasshoppers ate better than
Reflections on August, 2014
Them’s Grayasshoppers! Ah, hot ol’ August again in Oklahoma, the only month that, despite my hatred for it, I miss the wind. Some days are 100 degrees with
Reflections on July, 2014
Time keeps on tickin’ tickin’ tickin’ into the future. To produce much of one’s own food is the epitome of self and family health. It allows the grower
Reflections on June, 2014
June is my second favorite month in Oklahoma. Our second son was born on the 5th. You can read about our Home Birth Story if you haven’t already.
Reflections on May, 2014
My Favorite Month in Oklahoma Thus Far Being 9 months pregnant on our farm has not been very fun. Bending over is required for nearly every task, I
Reflections on April, 2014
This month, I thought I’d do the blog a little differently. There is a monthly magazine that comes to the in-law’s house called Farm and Ranch Living. It
Reflections on March, 2014
Starting Seeds, Hugelkulturs, and Earthbag Rows! I think maybe its because February is short that we expect for March to be long. However, it always seems to fly
Reflections on February, 2014
Garden Prep: Permaculture Style Ah, February, the month of staying warm in the house, on the verge of becoming totally sick of being inside. Craving the spring, despising
Reflections on January, 2014
Steel Belted Radials in a Windy, Dry Month The labor is strenuous and the air is cold, but the worst part is the wind. It blows so hard
Homeschooling
What is Unschooling?
April 9, 2020
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A lifestyle, philosophy, or framework based on trust and the love of learning.
Homeschool Journal: 6th Grade Review (2017-2018)
October 18, 2018
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This post is lengthy and probably looks best in your e-mail, so hit subscribe in the right hand side-bar. To see the review of our
H.O.M.E.School Journal: 5th Grade Review (2016-2017)
September 22, 2017
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This post contains a lot of pictures, and probably looks best in your e-mail, so subscribe here! We survived our first year of homeschool! In
9 Secular Podcasts for the Homeschooling Mama (2017)
September 8, 2017
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Here’s the second round of homeschool-related podcasts for your listening pleasure! These gems of educational ear-candy are in no particular order. I’ve listed only the
H.O.M.E.School Journal: “Pre” School
October 1, 2016
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An idea came to me while listening to a homeschool podcast the other day. Particularly, Pam Barnhill’s Homeschool Snapshots podcast. She interviews homeschool moms and
Top Secular (Or Nearly Secular) Homeschooling Podcasts
March 8, 2016
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Having recently acquired an addiction to podcasts, I find myself listening to them when I’m doing the mundane chores of life; dishes, making cob
Homebirth
Our Second H.O.M.E. Farm Home-Birth Story
April 8, 2017
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Click here to read the first home birth story from 2014. I was due sometime around the latter half of March, 2017. When I started
Birth Art: Preparing for Birth
April 5, 2017
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Preparing for Childbirth: My Birth Art Experience “The fear and anxiety panged through my mind and made my palms sweat. I felt the contractions radiate
Our H.O.M.E. Farm Home-Birth Story
June 11, 2014
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Disclaimer: This story contains very real human experiences and photos that may be too unconventional for some individuals. Read at your own risk, and remember,
Farm Tours
Farm Tour: Forbidden Fruits Farm & Vineyard
October 5, 2013
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Forbidden Fruits Farm & Vineyard
Farm Tour: Alto Pass Angus and Eggs
June 3, 2013
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~Alto Pass Angus & Eggs~ If I was to choose a Southern Illinois farm to live on/work at, it would be this one. Alice and
Farm Tour: River to River Farm
May 29, 2013
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River to River Farm Surrounded by the gently sloping hills of the Shawnee National Forest, outside of little Tunnel Hill, Illinois, at the divide of
Farm Tour: LCL Farm and B&B
May 7, 2013
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~La Colina Linda Farm and B&B~ In our Farm Beginnings class, we met some really wonderful people who inspired us and whom we wish to
Musings: Stories, Poetry, Ponderings
My Year in Books: 2017
December 25, 2017
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2017 has been an exceptional reading year for me, given the circumstances. Through childbirth and breastfeeding, continuing work on the earthbag home, and all the
Poetry
December 1, 2016
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August, Pre-Eclipse 2017 How can I express this endless gratitude… Long days, hot sun, stings and sweat. Ankles itching with no regret. How can I
The Chickens Came First
September 22, 2013
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Our First Chickens… I have heard from many a beginning farmer that there are two
To Lose (And Then Find) a Dog: A Short Story
July 6, 2013
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Many moons ago, after high school but before college, I left home and traveled around the country. A free spirit some called me, I chose
Saying Goodbye to Southern Illinois
June 19, 2013
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During my last semester at Lincoln Land Community College in Springfield, Illinois, I was faced with a decision that was not really all that difficult
Eco Levels
May 4, 2013
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There are a few names that come to mind when learning about permaculture. Bill Mollison, of course, as “father of permaculture,” Sepp Holzer, being the