This Week on Homestead

I'm not sure exactly what is taking shape on Homestead this week, but something is in the works and progress is what we like to see.

Snapshots of our Weekend Friendship Fest

Castle Crags as seen from the Vista Point


Fellow bloggers from A Circle of Quiet, The Autumn Rain, A Learning Life, and Lavender and Old Lace.


The parents responsible for all of the following.....


The Barefoot Dancers.

Basking in the Afterglow of a Beautiful Weekend

Yesterday, as I aired sleeping bags, returned unused food to the cupboards, and sorted filthy laundry--all the aftermath of a glorious weekend in the wilds-- a hymn kept knocking on the door of my heart..."For the Beauty of the Earth". Usually it's the first verse of a song that comes to my mind, but what was running through my mind while cleaning up was instead the third verse.

"For the joy of human love,
Brother, sister, parent, child,
Friends on earth, and friends above,
For all gentle thoughts and mild:
Lord of all, to Thee we raise
This our hymn of grateful praise."

Today I'm grateful for....

...my friend who calls my young daughter "sister",

...young men of three families uniting in friendship,

..."best friendships" that survive the distance and months between play days,

...and the joy of a shared moment while watching our young daughters explore God's creation.

The scenery was beautiful, the campfire cozy, but nothing compares to the beauty of friendships renewed and continuing to grow and enrich our lives.

Racoon Rolls for a Friendship Fest

Hungry campers, here they are! Ready for Sunday breakfast at Castle Crags.

Breaking Ground

May 24, 2006
The building process has begun! Here's what's taking shape out on our "Bit of Earth".

What We Need Each Day

Here is Charlotte Mason's philosphy adapted for our family by my 15 year old son.

1. Something to love
2. Something to do
3. Something to learn
4. Something CHOCOLATE

He has learned well from his mother!

Bob, the Builder, and Company

Regardless of whether the property is accessible and buildable, my husband is ready to move forward with the project. He would love to be building the actual house, but for this time he will have to be satisfied with building our shed/playhouse. The wall frames and trusses are ready and awaiting transport from our current home to the building site.

Counting The Days

It is with eager delight that this family is counting down the days to a Memorial Weekend camping trip. As a mom who doesn't generally relish the thought of camping and all the work (not to mention discomfort) that this will entail, you might well wonder why I would be joining in the count down. But this trip will be one worth the effort.

This trip will carry us south to the loving arms of our home group family (though unfortunately not all the members will be present). Together we will celebrate a birthday and sing 'round the campfire, break bread together and build a few s'mores, dance and tell tales under the starry sky...we will fill the cups of friendship to overflowing once again. What a joy it will be to share our lives without the internet separating us!

Thank you, dear friends, for making all the arrangements and giving this family something to look forward to. See you in 10 days!!!!!

Naming Susu

It has been my great pleasure over the years to be asked to name a few calves born over at Celebration Farm, where our dear Wisconsin kin live and learn.

First there was Lori's Betsy. Next came Moki...my #5's word for milk. And now Moki has her own sweet baby. The message arrived last week, "Aunt Lori, it's time for another name...Moki has a heifer."

Oh dear, I'm running out of ideas. We need something original, but it has to fit this little one. Something international? Let's continue with the milk theme. I looked up the Latin word for milk and discarded that idea. How about Spanish...Leche? That's not it either. So now I looked back in my past, to my days in New Guinea....Pidgin English for milk....Susu. Ah, just right. And here she is, looking as sweet as her name.

Golden Play Day

Please, may I pick some flowers?



Keeping Cool



Who's king of this mountain?

Making The Heart At Home

Hanging at the head of my bed is a beautiful heart ornament I received from a precious friend this past winter. As I look at it each day a simple refrain from a Madeleine video keeps flitting through my mind, "Home is where the heart is, the heart is...if the heart is home." Herein lies a problem...where is my heart at home?

I've lived a lifetime of moving. Pieces of my heart are scattered around the US with my brothers and sisters, scattered around the world with my parents and the friends we've made in our traveling. One would think my heart would be fractured to bits. But it must be made something like a starfish- able to regenerate the loss. The wonderful truth is this, there is no loss. Whenever I've given a piece of my heart away a piece has been knit back into it's place, to fill in that gap. It's the beauty of friendship in our lives.

Now as each week passes we are busy making our hearts at home in this new setting. Earlier this month we chose a church home and are working at getting to know the people God has for us here. My older children are attending a Youth Group full of wholesome young people sharing their lives with one another. We are resuming music lessons. Bit by bit the pieces of our lives are coming back together. Our hearts are making this home.