The storybook tree, the coop and Lilly and Dexter, kissing

The farm animals: Daisy, Banjo, Lucky & Sunny, and a bat

Morning light

Morning at the farm is delightful. I love going out, feeding everyone, and then sitting with my coffee in the goat pen, just taking in the sounds and sights around me. The early sun streams through the old tree that shades half of the goat run and most of the pig pen. It backs up to the side of the 100 plus year old barn. It's a storybook tree. Like the ones in fairy tales; old, rugged, outstretched, twisty arms and very, very majical. The starlings are busy feeding their babies that are hidden between the cracks in the barn siding. And the Wrens, and Jays and Bluebirds are all busy mating, nest building and feeding. The Barn Swallows gracefully swoop over the goats and pigs, who are oblivious to their acrobatics. It's so peaceful. I sit on the bench that we put in the goat run for them to climb on. Goats love to climb! I also dragged a large Maple branch that fell in a storm, and propped it up on the bench. Now Daisy and Banjo nibble the bark and leaves from the branch and jump on and off the bench. Eventually we will build a bigger, more elaborate play structure for them, but for now, they are happily entertained. I am getting two more goats in July. They are Miniature Silky Fainting goats. They are similar to my Nigerian Dwarfs in size, but have long silky hair and they faint when startled. Well, they don't actually faint, but they have a condition where their muscles tense up and they fall over. It's actually pretty funny to see. But I love them for their coloring and the fact that they are dog-like in personality. Sweet, affectionate and playful. Daisy, my female Nigerian is the sweetest goat ever! She loves to be petted, and brushed. And she loves to smell my breath. She has stolen my heart. Banjo is still so young, and developing his personality. I would say he is more playful and aloof. He is still being bottle fed, and going to get neutered next week. But he is a doll and the kids adore him. Lilly and Dexter are the Mini pigs. They love each other and sleep together in their pig hut. Dexter is neutered, but we may breed Lilly one day. For now though, they are just sweet, happy and very spoiled pigs. We also have two Pekin ducks, which we raised from day old ducklings. They free range around the yard and have a dog house that they sleep in at night. I think they are both females. And they are inseperable. The chickens are all almost full grown. We also raised all of them from day old chicks. We have eight total. One Coocoo Maran, one Silverlaced Wyandotte, one Goldenlaced Wyandotte, one Arucana, one Delaware, one Salmon Faverolle, and two Polish Cresteds. I would like to get a few Silkies soon and put them in a separate coop. Silkies are much more delicate, they are flightless and have fluff, not feathers. But they are so cute and sweet that they are hard to resist! We plan to build a 4 foot fence around the coops so that they can free-range without my dogs attacking them. It's a work in progress, but it's so much fun to be doing all of the outdoor projects first. We moved in right when Spring started so it has been all about the outside of the house. The painting on the inside can wait. Luckily the previous owners chose nice colors, so it still looks good. We also planted the front flower beds and did some tree trimming. And we opened the pool and got that ready for summer too. We need to stain the deck around the pool though, it looks like it hasn't been done in a few years. And we got the trampline up for the kids. The yard is beautiful! We have one huge old Willow tree that hangs over our gazebo and another smaller one in the yard that we hung our daughters horse tire swing on. We almost named the farm after the Willows, but we stuck with "Daisy Hill" since it has so much meaning for us. And of course I named my first goat Daisy, so she can be our unofficial mascot! With six acres, that are uneven, and hilly and rough in some areas, we needed to upgrade our riding mower. So Roger bit the bullet and bought an ExMark zero turn mower. It was worth every penny! For this kind of acreage, you need a durable, fast, powerful mower. Otherwise he would be mowing all day long once a week. Now it takes about 2 hours! So far I have learned a few things about farm living: 1. The floors are always dirty. I sweep at least once or twice a day. 2. We wake much earlier and are way more tired in the evening. 3. When a pig escapes it's pen, don't chase it, just let it come back to the door on it's own. You will NEVER catch a pig! 4. Bats, snakes, turtles, pheasants, wild turkeys, deer, and various wildlife also share our farm. Sometimes it's good, sometimes bad. 5. I am at my happiest when sitting with my animals, surrounded by nature. 6. My dog Lulu LOVES to eat duck, goat and chicken poop! So,the move was the best decision we ever made. We love Clarkston, and Ortonville. And we love the house and the property. I will post pics of the animals and the house.

Footloose farm

So it's been two weeks in the new house in Clarkston and we are so happy. I know it may sound predictable, or even boring that I am so happy, but it's true. Truer than anything I have ever said or thought. It is wonderful here. This house has a warm and inviting presence. And all of the new residents seem happy. The kids seem happy. The pets seem happy. I guess it's not what I expected. No resistance. No real adjustment period. No tears or moodswings. Just open mindedness. We all just moved in and took possesion, mentally and physically. It's like all of us and the house were meant to find each other. Today is Friday, and I let each of my kids invite a friend to sleep over. So I picked them all up from school and now the six of them are all exploring and playing and all I hear is happy, silly kids. It's raining, so rather than being outside on dirtbikes and dunebuggy's and scooters, or chasing the animals around, they are on the WII, dancing to "MC Hammer", and gaming upstairs on the X-box. And Lilly, the mini pig, is snorting around the parlor with the dogs, thrilled to be out of her crate. Our baby ducks are on the porch in a crate, resting from their first swim today. And 5 baby chicks are in my kitchen in a make-shift brooder, cardboard box. And a wide selection of junk food is scattered on the kitchen island, which is a rare treat for anyone in this family. But in the midst of it all, I am filled with joy and gratitude. I have never been happier! This life that we have created for our family is all I ever wanted. It's full of pets, kids, friends, noise and messes and craziness. There is always something to do or get done. Always chores, and work, and laundry, and some smelly, dirty, mess to clean up. I can't even count the wide variety of poop I have cleaned up in my day! But nothing phases me anymore. I take it all in stride. Some days are more stressfull of course. But days like this, when I can just be in the moment, enjoying the chaos, these are the times to cherish. Life is short. Too short to be too busy, or too distracted to enjoy all of it's beauty. Kids are amazing the way that they have no inhibitions. They just live life. Care-free and full force! They don't worry about the future or think about the past. They are present. As adults we lose that. We forget how to be present. It's such a shame. Take time to enjoy life/ Be footloose and fancy free! Here's a good quote for the day- "Forever is composed of nows."-Emily Dickinson

Heaven sent

I need to write about something very special that happened with our move. When we decided to try to sell both of our houses and make the permanent move to a farm, I talked a lot to my deceased father and asked for his guidance. In his time he was a genious at making great real estate deals. He also played a big role in my love of nature and animals. He took me fishing as early as I could walk, taught us to ski as toddlers, took us hiking in the woods and beaches of Northern Michigan, and he always loved a great adventure! So, naturally, with him as our guardian angel, I asked him for help. I knew that if I could make it all happen that he would be really proud of me. And I also knew what a challenge it would be in the poor real estate market that is plaguing our country. But I tried it anyway. I talked to him many times a day. I begged him for help. And within a couple of weeks we had offers on both houses! It was real estate miracle!
And when we found our new house in Clarkston, an area that we weren't even looking in, it was perfect! It was all we had been dreaming of for the last 11 years. It was a Centennial home, historic, lots of acreage, outbuildings, tons of charm and original details, etc...We jumped on it right away. So, when we closed on all three deals, we went into town to celebrate. We ate lunch at the Clarkston Union, the place where Roger took me on our first date 15 years ago! We had never been back since that date!
And we sat in the booth next to the one we first sat in. Then, a week later, I took my mom to see the house. She couldn't stop talking about how she felt my dad's presence out here. He used to sell lots right down the road from our street. And my grandfather, his dad, lived out here on a horse farm. I agreed, I felt him more than usual at the new house. And I knew that he helped us to get the deals closed! So, I took my mom to the Union for lunch too. We sat at the end of the bar and when she looked around, she saw stained glass windows right behind us. She told me to look. They say, "Here's to Ivan." then next piece, "Gone to Glory."
I couldn't believe it! Talk about signs! If you look for signs, they are there, right in front of you. Amazing! He is here, and he is our angel. I believe he looks after us all the time. My children talk about him constantly and we keep him alive in our hearts. When things are meant to be, they happen. I believe that moving here, to this place, this house, this town, was meant to be. Call it fate, call it destiny, whatever. Either way, we are home, and my dad played a role in it. Cheers to Ivan!

At last

It's official, we own our new farm and we couldn't be happier!
When we got the key to the front door and went inside, Roger and I just walked around trying to absorb that it was finally real! We stood in the empty living room, sun streaming through the windows, and he turned to me and hugged me, he said, "congratulations baby, it's ours," and I just cried tears of joy. It seems so surreal. But it's ours now and we can't wait to put our stamp on it!
So, now we can clean and paint and do all the things we want to it before we actually move in. It's so nice to have time to do that since we don't have to be out of our Franklin house yet. And with the weather the way that it is, it just makes me yearn for spring and new flowers to pop up, and everything to turn lush and green. The horses across the street even neighed when we pulled in, as if to say, "Welcome, welcome to our neck of the woods." It was music to my ears.
Our realtor Brad was so wonderful to work with. He was easy, and helpful and we really enjoyed getting to know him. Plus he gave us great tips about the area and fun places to go, shop, eat, etc...Clarkston is a lot like Franklin actually. It has that small town feel. Concerts in the park, a hometown parade, a farmer's market, etc...And we are only five minutes from the Village and close to all the convieniences. It will be a wonderful place to call home, and I hope to grow old in our new, very old, historical farmhouse.

A toast

The closing is getting closer! We are starting to pack the house. And I have reserved some chicks and two pekin ducklings at the feed store in Ortonville! I also found the mini Silky Fainting goat breeder in Michigan and as soon as the kids are born we can go pick out the two that we want.
They are so cool to look at, long silky hair like a dog, pretty colors and some even have blue eyes. Plus if you startle them, they freeze and fall over! Thus the name, Fainting goat! But they are very small, ony about 35 lbs full grown, so they are easy to take care of. I also looked at some mini pigs and we have a runt that we like. He's all black and the parents are small, around 35 lbs. He should be ready to go in mid March.
So, the menagerie is forming quite nicely. I am looking forward to settling in, and decorating. We have work to do, but it's mostly fun work. Painting, new carpeting, cleaning....The outbuildings will need work and the yard, gardens, etc...but that is nothing that has to be done right away. Right now we are just focused on getting organized here, sorting our "sell" piles, "give away" piles and "trash" piles. It's been 9 years since we have moved, so we have a ton of things to sort. But luckily we are getting a bit of an early start on it. So we should be fine.
The stress is slowly transforming into excitement. But still reserved excitement. No celebrations yet. Two more weeks til closings, then we can make a toast!
To a fun and long awaited new chapter in our life! Cheers!

Pinot and a Papillion

We moved most of our things out of Hentennial today, and eventhough I felt a pang of sadness to be leaving there, I also felt happy for the memories that it gave us. We found ourselves there. As a couple and as a family. It was the doorway to our new adventure, and if we never bought that place, we may have never bought our new farmhouse. So for that I am grateful. The new owners will love her even more than we did. They will finish the house, and put their horses in the barn and pasture, and the house will be lived in the way it should be. Loved.
So, we filled the Uhaul trailer to the brim and got almost everything out today. We just have a few large items to move and the toys in the barn. But Roger and his brother will do that on the next trip out. Now we just have to find places to store it all until we move out of the Franklin house. I haven't really begun packing anything here yet, just some clutter. But I am going to have a huge estate sale and get rid of all the furniture and items that I know we don't need in the new house. A lot of our pieces here don't really go with a Centennial farmhouse decor, so I'm better off selling them. I already have much of the new house decorated in my head, and on paper, and I can't wait to really dig in and fill my days treasure hunting and plotting. I'm so ready for a new look. New colors, new styling, just different. I love change. I love developing my taste over time. And I have realized lately that it took me until the age of 40 to really find my style. Not my personal, clothing style, but my house style. My taste has definately evolved over time and through many houses. I know what I like and what I don't like now. I know what colors I like. What style of furniture, what kind of antiques, what kind of bedding. So hopefully in this new house I can put it all together in one, perfectly imperfect collaboration. Vintage, comfortable, traditional, timeless, romantic, nature inspired, and very, very me. I will post pics of the before, and during the whole make over process of the new farm as soon as we close on it in a few weeks. We don't have to do any major work on the interior, just some cosmetic changes, paint, carpet, etc...And we want to take out a wall between two rooms upstairs to make a master suite, and knock out a wall in a room that they had made into one very large room from two original smaller bedrooms. Also we want to bump out part of the kitchen to make an eat-in area and sitting/t.v. area with lots of windows and french doors leading to the pool area. So there will be work, but not nearly as much as we did on the first farm. Well, just different work. Fun projects that will just make it better. And it's pretty great just the way it is right now.
And when I'm not busy daydreaming about the decor, I'm busy searching for my new furry friends to add to the farm. I found a woman who breeds Mini Silky Fainting goats and she is going to call me as soon as the kids are born so we can go pick a couple out. They are so funny and adorable. They have long sily hair like a Yorki Terrior, and they are super small, only 25-30 lbs as adults, and some even have blue eyes! Plus, they faint when startled! I'm obsessed with them and want to get two as soon as we can. I also have my baby chicks ordered for a March delivery and will be reserving more from the feed store in Ortonville. They get different breeds all month long from March thru May. So you can just pick what you want and they will hold them for you. But for now, it's all just planning, moving our things, trying to organize and plan where to put what, what to keep, what to sell, what to trash. And on top of it all, just living, and hoping that all of the closings go smoothly!

A glass of Pinot and a Papillon on my lap is good therapy! Calm before and during the storm comes in all forms, especially furry with four feet! And for that I am also grateful!

Here's to it all running smoothly....ahhhhh!

It's all in a name

So, we need a new name for our new farm and my blog. I don't think we should keep the Hentennial name, since that was a completely different place, different adventure. We are open to any suggestions. I have a few ideas that we have been throwing around. And one of them is Daisy Hill. The meaning behind it has nothing to do with the flower. About 12 years ago, when Roger took me on my first country drive out in Oakland Township, we came across a beautiful, old, white, stowic, farmhouse that sat up on a hill. The little weather worn sign in the front said, "Daisy Hill", and from that day forward, that was what I wanted. It was picturesque. Quaint, lived in, cared for, and had a lovely old barn and a few little outbuildings. I never forgot about it, and I feel like we have been searching for our own "Daisy Hill" ever since. So, I like the idea of borrowing the name for our new place strictly for sentimental purposes. But we are also open to new ideas. Something original. They say the basis of the name should be either your family name, what animals you raise, or the setting, ie: Valley Oak, Frog Holler, Maple Knoll. Or, Milk and Honey, Ponies and Jam, etc....You get the idea. So, I happen to have a few that may work: Fat Dog Farm (solely based on our bagel loving, 94 pound Goldendoodle), Forever Young Farm, Firefly Farm, Happyhen Farm, Amy's Acres. The house is a Centennial farm, it will have chickens, goats, mini horses, ducks and a mini pig. Plus our 3 dogs, 2 cats, and a tortoise. The house is white, and does sit up on a hill with a river rock wall along the front of the property. If that helps at all with name ideas.
I will post some pics as soon as our closing dates are set in the next few days. Too superstitious to post before that.
All suggestions are welcome!

One step closer

"The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams."~ Elenor Roosevelt
I love this quote, and it resinates with me so deeply right now. We have some family and some friends who are not especially happy that we are moving, but luckily, mother is my best cheerleader. She recently told me that she is proud of me for going after my dream, and for not giving up, even in the midst of madness. It is just what I needed to hear to keep a positive attitude. People will always have opinions about your choices. They will always judge and you can either let it bother you, or just hold firm in your decisions. It's life. And I have certainly learned in my 42 years, that I can't worry about what people think. Life is short, and I want to make the best of it.
We are so excited because our offer on the new house was accepted! We are now one step closer to closing. We are just waiting to set a closing date on our Franklin house and then set a date on the new house. We will also be moving our things out of Hentennial in the next 2 weeks. The new owners are wonderful and love the house as much as we do. They have horses so the barn will now have two new residents. It will be lovely to see people living there and enjoying it's beauty.
So, with emotions running high, I am trying my best to keep a level head. To not let the stress get to me, and to keep our homelife as normal as possible. It's not easy. I want to celebrate, but I can't until we actually close. I am very superstitious that way. The popping of the cork will have to wait a few more weeks. But until then, the planning, the decorating, the ideas for the outbuildings, are all consuming. It will be a the beginning of our new adventure, one that is long overdue...

Bittersweet symphony

Well we have two deals on the table, one PA on the Franklin house and one offer on the Metamora house! I feel very lucky that we are able to do this "by owner" and not pay any Realtor fees, and that it only took a couple of weeks to get offers on both homes! So now we just have to hope that the first deal closes, and then the second, and that we can maneuver moving out of both simutaneously, and have a new place to go! We think we have a good plan, just hoping nothing gets screwed up. As it turns out, that little farm in Metamora was a wonderful investment! Not only did we get to enjoy it, many, many times over, but the work we did to restore it will certainly pay off! I learned all of my real estate skills from my parents. My dad was an amazing deal maker and made lots of his money by investing in real estate. And my mother, brother and myself all had our licenses in the field. We even have an in-house attorney with my mom. So, that comes in super handy!
It will be bittersweet to say goodbye to both homes. The Franklin house is where I raised my babies. It's where we grew as a family and where we have called home for the last 9 years. We have formed lots of friendships here and love our neighbors. It is a small, tightly knit community and we will miss that. And the farm, well, it was a labor of love, and a door to a new beginning. But I know the new owners will love her even more than we did. So, there will probably be some tears, but there will also be lots of excitement about a new start. I think we found the perfect place for us, it's just what we have been looking for. Very old and stately, lots of room, lots of property, big old barns, a great area, and mostly, tons of character. It will be a great place to continue our journey on our quest for a life less ordinary.
So right now things are quite hectic, two deals negotiations, managing the kids schedules, work in full force for both me, and Roger, and just trying to keep all the balls in the air! It's a circus, but I couldn't be any happier. I feel like my father is looking down on us and he is very proud of our ambition. It was just the 11 year anniversay of his death and I feel him closer to me than ever. Thank you daddy, for all you taught me. Especially for teaching me to live my life to the fullest! You continue to inspire me on a regular basis. xo

Greener pastures

When you find yourself in the midst of trying to make a dream, (a really BIG dream) a reality, it can be quite stressful. S-T-R-E-S-S-F-U-L!
Things are certainly stressful around here lately. We had a what seemed like a forever long break from school. So, with all of the holiday madness, and no real schedule, I did not have much time to blog, or do much of anything productive. And I don't do well with too much downtime. I like being busy. I like having projects. I like it when the days seem to just fly by. But now we are back on a schedule, and we have taken on a whole lot of productivity. We started with a major house cleaning, purging, organizing mission. All the closets, all the rooms, etc...It was a huge job, but I felt great gratification afterwards. Then we took on some long overdue painting projects. We painted the boys room, the living room, and the front hall in two nights. Now we are prepping the kitchen and great room and back hall. Then we will finally tackle the master bedroom.
I have also done some major decluttering, and I must say, it looks great! We are hoping to sell the house soon and move to a big, old, character-filled farmhouse on some acreage with a barn. We already started our search and have found a couple that we really like. This weekend we will go see some of them. I am so excited! I LOVE house hunting! In the meantime, our house has gotten some interest and we may even close a deal soon! Thus, the source of the stress, especially for my husband who just isn't quite mentally prepared for such a major ordeal. He's ready in theory, but I think it's happening sooner than he expected, than we both did, and it's a lot to take on. We also have our fixxer farm for sale and have had a few people look at it. We may have a buyer for that soon too!
For me it's all "good" stress. I have waited for this for 10 years. I have dreamed of our life on a farm many times over. I have even made two different vision boards. One was destroyed in a moment of frustration and despair, but I eventually made a new one at the urging of my husband. He knows how important this is to me, and he wants the same things for us. He just doesn't feel the urgency that I do. But I think part of it is because I am so decisive. When I decide I want something, I want it. I go after it. And I don't quit until I get it. I am very determined, and I don't give up easily. And this dream has been holding strong for over ten years and it hasn't waivered for one moment. Also, I think that the time is right. Our kids are older, they are on board, and we are at a good point in our lives.
So, I imagine the next couple of months there will be lots of stresses. Lots of frustration, heartache, headaches, and hopefully some joy thrown in. In the end it will all be worth it.
I will keep my positve attitude and be patient.
We are closer to achieving our dream than ever before, so for that I am grateful.
Here's to greener pastures...literally.