Taking Shape

Come by Chance is taking shape. I cant wait to look over my pictures from last year. Everything has changed so much, the orchard, the barn, the fence. Even the chicken coop looks different.

Last weekend I worked on weeding out the raised beds. They were awful. Every time I walked by them the weeds loomed over my head, like force of doom.

Do I dare post a picture of our shameful raised beds?
Before:

FYI- Putting horse manure in raised beds defeats the simplicity of raised bed.

After:


I have succsessfully defeated the dark forces with my hoe. Aw, that feels so much better!

It was such a relief that last weekend was so gorgeous. I really wished the nice weather would have stuck around.

Instead, this weekend we having been working on finishing the fence in gloomy 35 degree weather with riping winds. I painted while my brother and husband ran the fence. We finally gave up yesterday evening around 4pm. We came in ate supper, got the kids ready for bed. We were all dreaming by 7:30pm. Still with all that sleep my coffee couldn't get me moving this morning.

I think we are all ready for the "construction" part of Come by Chance to be over. We are in need of rest and relaxation. But before we know it we are going to be putting in the garden and running back and fourth to soccer practices. And then we will be looking at the dreaded task of putting in the driveway. I am now trying to "figure in" a weekend for just rest. I am exhausted. My husband is exhausted. My kids are ready to have a weekend of entertainment. Frankly, I am ready for just fun myself.

I have always enjoyed hard work. I am a task manager by nature so I always have a great sense of satisfaction when something has been marked off the list. There is a draw back to that. Sometimes we get so involved in completing a task that we forget to have fun too.

I am ready to enjoy our animals instead of preparing for their arrival. I miss the days of just sitting in the grass and watching the chickens. I see those days just with in reach. I cant wait.

When I am dead exhausted like this, I am reminded that it is just as important to smell the roses as it is to plant them.



(last weekend)

*Song- Ray LaMontagne, Water from the Well

Thought filled Friday

Many people do not get my fascination with old tattered and torn houses but there is just something about them that intrigues me.

Every time I see an old fallen down house, I wonder how it got that way. How did a once filled home turn to shambles? Its sad and lonely looking but some how there is beauty in it... the beauty of nostalgia.

There are many of these types of homes in our area. Most are seen only in the winter months when the foliage is no longer there to hide them. That alone mystifies me. They are mysterious places hidden among the trees and under brush. On the other side of the door, there are these still dark quiet rooms with walls that will forever hold the houses secrets.

The mystery calls to me.




*Song; Cat Stevens- Trouble

Spring Dreamin'

I take back anything I ever said about wanting a real winter with real snow. Winter is for the birds! I am over it.

I'm dreaming of the days of animals grazing on green grasses,


Days of beautiful sprawling vegetable gardens,


filled with fresh veggies to eat


and gorgeous trellising flowers


I am dreaming of days of playing outside in the warm summer sun.


and soaking in the cool creek.


I am thinking of the lazy days for fishing


and warm afternoons sipping on chilled glasses of wine with good friends.


I am definitely looking forward to warmer days!




*Song- Otis Redding; Sitting by Dock of the Bay.

Happy Valentines!

My brother and his family came up this weekend to help us finish up some work on the barn. I absolutely love having my family around. We all had a really great time together. What a better way to spend Valentines than with the people I love!?

To top off the end of a really great weekend, we were able to witness the miracle of a life being brought into this world. It really is amazing to watch a life being born. Whether it be a child, a foal, a kid, a pup or a chick. All life is uniquely beautiful. Being there to witness the first moments is simply amazing!

The children really enjoyed watching our first chick peck its way out of the shell. The miracle of life never dulls. If it weren't for these specific genes to come together by mere chance this unique beautiful thing would not have been here. Its all by chance.

The miracle of life... of living is what Come By Chance is all about. Its about being born or born again, finding a path, and reaching for a future, embracing the good and rolling through the bad. Simply put, its about living off your love.











*Song- Love Actually Sound Track- All You Need is Love

Smelling the Roses

Peaking through the clouds, the sun paints a picture just for me....

When the sparkling ice melts away, I will remember the glimmer of its shine and the mystery in its sparkle.

Watching closely as this world wraps its beauty around me...

I will remain grateful for its miracle's.





*Song; Amos Lee- Colors

BOO WHOO, CRY BABY!

Ugh, yuck... I'm guess I'm going to try to see a doctor tomorrow. Blood sugar issues, maybe?

I hate going to the doctors. I really don't want to go. I will probably catch a cold, a stomach virus, H1N1 or something worse.... I have major doctors office anxiety, which is obviously one of those "bugs" ya contract from doctors office waiting rooms!

They will take my blood and I hate needles. Needles and blood make me pukish. Maybe I should rephrase that... Needles and MY blood make me pukish.

Since I hate needles so much, I am sure that I am doomed to get a newbie who will poke me fifteen times. Then my arms will look like someone shut them in the car door...again. My luck they are going to tell me I have full blown diabetes and I will have to take a poking 3 times a day... Ya' know, all because I hate needles n stuff.

I know I am being a big baby but I don't care because that's what babies do, they don't care about being a big ol' baby!

It took every single bit of courage for me to just get my flu shot. I wasn't going to get one but it was one of those moments when I said without thinking, "Sissy, mommy will do it if you do it. Be big girl and let the doctor poke you with a (big) needle" Dang it!I knew as soon as I said it I was doomed... I had to get one then! Wouldn't you know it... the little stink pot made me get mine first! Now, I didn't cry mind you but I complained about it for at least three days. I'm a big ol' baby!

I will probably have nightmares tonight about becoming a human pin cushion...

Sneak Peak, Come By Chance's Newest Members!!!

Last night I had big plans for today but then I woke up to this.....



But after hearing that our doeling is finally taking a bottle, I decided the weather wasn't going to be an obstacle. So down the road and over the hill to Honeysuckle Hollow we went. There, Jasmine and Jessica was waiting for us.

Jessica is a registered American Nubian. She was the only doe born out of six kids this past Saturday. She wasn't nursing from her mom nor would she take a bottle. The breeder was tube feeding her. Finally last night she took her first bottle! I was super excited to hear the news. Soon Jessica will be finding her forever home here at Come By Chance acres.



Jasmine is a pure breed African Nubian. She was born in November and is now ready to come home. I will be so happy to have her here as soon as our fence is completed.



Being able to cuddle with our new friends was the best way to spend a snowy winter afternoon.

I realized what kind of child Sissy was going to be after finding her nose to nose with a garter snake when she was only two years old. I knew then she was definitely going to be an animal lover.


The greatest moments I've had as a mother has been to watch my children share their love and compassion.


When I look at these photos, the chaos of the world is light years from my mind.


Its amazing to watch her passion grow.


When I see the curiosity, I become curious too.


Her excitement is contagious...

...and so is her love.


As the creatures around her grow and change into something beautiful, she watches in amazement and wonder...all the while... I am watching her...







*song- Where do the Children Play- Cat Stevens

Thank You Mr. Weaver

It took thirty minutes of driving on snow covered roads before Dad and I found ourselves deep in the midst of Amish country. The entire trip I kept thinking about how I hoped "Plan B" would work when this falls through. Apparently my optimism is limited to dealings that don't involve people.

Three weeks prior my husband and I ordered six hundred board feet of rough cut oak from an Amish saw mill. We had bought from Mr.Weaver before but the lumber was precut and ready to load. Doing business with the Amish is quite a bit different than doing business with an "Englishmen".

He never asked for a security deposit. We never received an order invoice. He didn't take down our name. Its not like we could call to make sure our lumber was indeed ready. We never even sealed the deal with a hand shake. This all seemed like such a gamble.

The entire journey into Amish country I worried that our lumber wouldn't be cut. We were already pressing our barn completion dead line. Despite my own insecurities, why would he take the chance with out the security of a deposit or even jotting down any of our information? He never had any documentation stating that we would ever even return besides our word. Without that documentation I had very little faith that he as well would uphold his end of the bargain.

As we grew nearer to Amish country my anxieties also grew. I kept trying to prepare myself for disappointment. I began playing around with the possibility of pushing deadlines back and what it could cost us if we had to keep our doelings at the breeders until everything was completed. I even started trying to think of another saw mill that could complete our order on such a short notice but would remain competitive with Amish prices.

Finally we met a young Amish man at the top of the saw mills long gravel drive. Dad rolled down the window to explain to the young man why we were there. He informed us that yes my husbands order was ready and waiting for us down at the house. My dad thanked him and off we went to load our lumber.

I cant explain how awe struck I was. I just could not believe it. How was it possible that he didn't need the security of knowing we would return? Why would a business man gamble on just someones word. How could it be that my disappointment let me down!?

I never realized how (un)trusting our (English) society has become, myself as the example. We have become slaves to the securities/ insurances of documentation. When did it become okay to put more faith in a piece of paper rather than in a mans word. And after all but what is a piece of paper?

Today I learned that someones word still means something. From the trust of an Amish man I learned that its okay to take a gamble on the faith that someone has enough character to do what they say they will do. I learned that I should exercise my faith and trust in people a little more often but also not to be jaded by those who let me down.

So when I thanked Mr. Weaver today, not only was I thanking him for the lumber, but also for a little bit more...


*Song- Van Morrison- Have a little faith in me.