Update from the Homestead

 

{These are treasures we have found while digging up our garden plot. Those are hand-forged square nails we found in the soil, along with old barbed-wire. I am imagining that the plot we chose for our garden used to be the pasture land for the farm house next to us or an even older homestead that previously sat on our land. Wherever they have come from, they are now treasured items for our family.}

 It’s been nearly impossible to sit down and actually write a blog post. The last one was done in a hurry while standing at my mother-in laws kitchen counter. We do not have internet access out where we live. It’s available and might be something we consider in the future, but it is $400 for the dish we have to purchase, and then installation fees, taxes, surcharges, etc. I can think of about a dozen things that that $400 would be better suited for right now. I grab my computer when we go to town and there, while sitting in the parking lot of The Home Depot, I quickly scan emails that have built up over a week or more, and I quickly scan one blog that is dear to my heart and all I have time for. Frankly, I have questioned whether or not this blogging thing is really possible while being out here in the boonies. But, even if no one ever reads it, I am glad to have a diary of sorts to document this amazing journey we are on. What I would really love is to give people a glimpse of our Heavenly Father’s Providence and to show others what can be done with next to nothing and hard work.

Over the last two months we have moved 1400 miles back to our home state of Michigan. We spent 4 weeks living with my in laws, waiting for the previous owner of this home to remove all her belongings. We spent 2 very long weeks cleaning, remodeling, and beautifying this old broke down single-wide trailer we call home. We have officially been living here for 26 days. (Which, by the way, is how long a 20 gallon propane tank lasts when you are using it for a fuel source for cooking…they run out at about dinner time)

This place is beautiful. It’s untamed and reminds us of our second home, Wyoming. We are in the highest part of the lower peninsula of Michigan. Nothing close to the elevation of Wyoming, but still, the growing season is similar, the wind is VERY similar, and we have the largest Black Bear and Cougar (Mountain Lions to all my Wyoming people) populations in the mitten. (The mitten refers to the lower part of Michigan…we have the upper peninsula and there be wild creatures that ABOUND up there.) We are in the heart of the Manistee National Forest area, and while the trees encroach like protective giants all around this area, we happen to be able to walk out in our front yard and look over a great open area of farm land. The sky is still big, and this brings me much comfort when I pine for the openness of Wyoming. Much like how the Wyoming mountain trees brought me comfort when I was homesick for forests. I feel, somehow, that this place is the resting place between my two earthly homes, the lake shores and forests of Michigan and the wild places of Wyoming. My heart is peaceful. Shalom is here.

So much work has been done and so much more awaits. Over the next few weeks I hope to show you what we are up to on our little homestead.

The bees have taken to their hive, by the way. And they are busy building comb and establishing themselves!