"My Girl"...Katie Rose of Rose Hill Farm

Kathleen Rose is the baby of Rose Hill Farm. The last of our children and an unexpected gift from God. I treasure every moment with her. In a way Rose Hill Farm is my gift to her. A childhood with open spaces to explore, teaming with life and adventures. She recently turned eight-years-old this February, and I wish I could freeze time because it seems to be going by too fast. She thinks of herself as a true-blue farm girl. There is a rock in the small pasture at the top of the hill where we stand together and spread our arms and ask "Who's the queen of this fair farm?" and Katie Rose replys, "It's me! It's me! I'm the Queen of the Farm" This tradition we have, just between us, makes me so happy. These photographs are just a few of the moments that I've captured of her on Rose Hill Farm. I know I'll be able to share many more with you.

Country Living Magazine British Edition

Many things inspire me and no magazine does the job like Country Living Magazine UK edition. I first stumbled across the magazine in Borders. I fell in love instantly! Because a subscription from the UK is pricey $$ (last check $70.00 from Amazon) I make the pilgrimage once a month to Borders bookstore to feed my UK addiction. There is something so special about this magazine. It touches my SOUL! The British so love their gardens, small farms, and horses. I feel a close kinship with them. I highly recommend this magazine to everyone who aspires to live in the country. If you have to make that special trip to Borders ...well would that be so hard? lol Books stores themselves are a source of inspiration to the farm girl in all of us.

People let me tell you about my Best Friend: Jane Austen and Crackerjack.

The first animals that came to live on Rose Hill Farm were donkeys. We knew that we wanted to have sheep and that donkeys were the perfect guardians. On the drive to work I would pass a small farm that had at least 15 different donkeys grazing in the pasture every day. They were adorable; all sizes and colors. I knew that when the time came I would want to get my donkeys from these people. Their driveway sign-post read "Donkey Acres." I couldn't help but think, "Now these people are serious donkey lovers!"

Several times at random I would drive up to their house to introduce myself. My family (in the car with me) thought this was MORTIFYING! "Mom, you can't just drive up there and knock on the door!"...I replied, "Why not?"

The first two times that I tried no one was home but on the 3rd time I met Mr. Johnson. He was very friendly. The donkeys were his wife's domain, he informed me. She had been thinking about reducing their donkey herd and he took my name and number.

Just one week later I received the phone call. We could come at any time and take a look. We would be welcome to any two from the herd.

How fun it was on the drive there. I was smugly satisfied and had to tell my family, "See, if you take a chance you can WIN two wonderful donkeys!"

Jane Austen and Crackerjack stood out from all the rest. Mostly because they moved almost in unison. They were the "best of buddies" Mrs. Johnson told me. They were "inseparable". They were also extremely personable and loved attention. We shook hands and paid in full that day.

They were such a wise choice for our first animals. Donkeys are extremely low maintenance. They just want water, pasture and love. When we come home they "bray" a welcome every time. They love to be scratched and groomed. Their personalities are "silly" and they are quite the comedians in the pasture.

Before they came home I had read many books on Donkeys and one quote really stuck with me..."Donkeys, Love that money can buy!"

So true! Meet Jane Austen and Crackerjack: best friends and first four-legged residents of Rose Hill Farm.

Dead Things and Pot Roast

The Guilty Party

Tonight is my only night at home this week. March is geared up to be a busy month for all of us. I wanted to make a nice dinner for my family and if I'm honest...for me too. I had everything for a wonderful pot-roast. I had dreams of a cool winter night and that great feeling of warm food inside.Yeah right! Mother Nature decided to mess with my karma, and it's almost 60 degrees outside. Whatever Mother Nature! Then come to find out....everyone is busy tonight...and no one will be home. (*&#%@) Michael is at the high-school selling tickets to a sporting event. (A teacher thing) I have a meeting at St. George with Katie Rose at 7 P.M. for First Holy Communion (also mandatory) which I had forgotten about. Goody is busy working on a paper for school....Nice dinner...and NO ONE will be here to eat it. Arrghhhhh! I'm just going to list it asap on Craig's List....LOOK!!!.............lol...maybe make some quick cash..$$$

"HOME AND GARDEN"

Loving Wife and Mother makes HOME COOKED MEAL FOR UNGRATEFUL FAMILY....their loss could be your GAIN! $50.00/obo Will deliver within 1 hour radius. Make offer $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

I just let all the dogs in from their gay-evening romp around the farm. I wanted to be sure they were all in the house since everyone was leaving for their evening activities. As I run around trying to find acceptable outfits for everyone, the stress level begins to rise. Fun times on the farm! (Not this farm!) At least the kitchen "smells" good I thought.....until Goody said, "Uhmm mom what's that smell?" I reply, "What smell?".....And then it hits me....IT'S AWFUL! And I notice that Gracie's paws are bloody. No, not from injury, but from some BIRD mauling event that must have recently taken place outside and very recently. She looked proud. And she had bits of feathers on her....and the odor. omg! Katie Rose walked in, "Mom......our house stinks..."...."Oh really?" (my voice dripping with scarcasm and frustration....) "Stinks like what?".....Katie pauses as if to consider...."Mom... it's like DEAD THINGS AND POT ROAST".....Goody and I had to fall out laughing. Next time........I'll just make peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and call it a night...!!!!!

"Love at first sight.............Rose Hill Farm"

In the search for Rose Hill Farm....(named in our hearts years before we actually found her) we as a family looked at many farms for sale. Our kids would plead, "We can't LOOK at any more cows!" But we took them with us always. We believed that no decision THIS big could be made by just us. It was a family decision. No farm that we "walked through" was ever quite right for us. And we spent years looking. Too expensive. Too big. Too small. No heating. I could go on forever about what "didn't" work. But this is a story of the Blue Farm House that finally DID work.........
My husband found this one on the internet. He took the kids on a preview "scout" of the location while I was out of town working for a four-day stretch. They peeked in windows and walked the property. There was an apple tree in full bloom. Both kids asked their Dad..."Can we live here?" My husband, in his heart just knew that this was the one and made the appointment as they were driving away. He had to wait four anxiety filled days before I would return home and be able to view the property with the realtor.
I arrived home on a Monday morning after working a four day stretch of 12 hour nights as an RN with an hour and 1/2 drive home. That is some SERIOUS exhaustion! My body was tired but my heart was NOT! I was so ready to see the farm. The kids couldn't say enough good things about it. My husband handed me a cup of coffee and we were in the car and on our way. "Did they really like it?" I asked. "Well, they were able to throw apples at each other for quite a long time so I think they're in!" he replied.
My First Impression......
She was blue! Two story farm house on 10 acres, circular drive, I've always wanted one, pasture for a horse, chicken house with storage, large barn, original wood floors and beautiful wood trim. And my favorite........."Ideal for Restoration."
The house looks much bigger from the outside than it actually is. I remember standing in the kitchen and thinking..."No way"...Our eyes "locked" and I said, "If you promise me we will do an addition I am so in."...We shook hands and closed the deal between us. I promised myself to adjust to living without a dishwasher. There was "none!"
15 minutes later we were in the realtors office signing the papers to purchase our dream. The same day it was SOLD and all those years of waiting were over. Just like that; we were giddy!

I love her. She is 100+ years old. She is blue and that suits her. We all love her. "Rose Hill Farm." Our two-story wood blue farmhouse on 10 acres that took more than 10 years to find, more than 20 actually all together.
We are home..........and our country living has just begun!

The First Year in the Garden (continued....)...

I would like to introduce to you "Lass" our Border Collie. She was a bit "put out" that her photograph was not featured in the above article. That said, "Lass" is usually the first to arrive on the scene when I select a site for a planting. This photograph captures her "ever willing" attitude to all my garden endeavours. She looks at me always as if to say..."We're digging here right?"

The First Year in the Garden

Our first year here on Rose Hill was filled up with many hours of exhausting clean up. We used a total of 3 dumpsters to remove unwanted old furniture, farm machinery parts and other miscellaneous items left on the farm by previous owners. Although hard work it had it's rewards because we were laying claim to our territory and making the farm our own.

Old fence lines and rotted posts were cleared away to make room for trees, shrubs and perennial flowers which we planted in gay abandon.


No outdoor project is completed by oneself. Where ever I am with garden tools in hand you will also find all farm dogs and cats more than willing to help. lol. The above photo captures my frustration and amusement. I no sooner have a hole dug than "someone" wants to test it's size.


I had planned to keep a diary of my progress with meticulous documentation of all varieties of "green-things" planted. What I ended up with was a black garbage full of good items with all those little tags that came with my tree/shrub or flower purchase. I lost track!

We have planted several varieties of apple trees and one pear. At least 4 Kwansan flowering cherry trees. One weeping cherry tree. One yoshino cherry tree. Several dogwoods. Redbuds at least 6 I have planted TWICE because I found to my dismay that deer like them too. My favorites are flowering magnolia trees and I have 3 different varieties that are doing well.

My hats off to Lowes which started my season of spring off in 2008. They were selling azalea bushes for $1.89. I almost "fainted" in the store. There was a huge color and type of azalea to choose from and at last count I planted 36 of them.

I was also fortunate to be able to plant 4 Rhododendrons and 4 Lilac bushes.

I don't know when in our lives we have EVER anticipated a "spring" more than SPRING OF 2009.....I can not WAIT to see how all the trees/shrubs and perennials have wintered and to witness the beauty of their first bloom on Rose Hill Farm.

I forgot to mention that I also tried SEVERAL Cleveland Pear trees thanks to Lowes again and their amazing sales of 2008. I was lucky to find that towards the back of the store they keep several "sale tree" sections that are not well advertised but once I found them I quickly cleaned out the "flowering tree for sale" isle.

When the first blooms appear I will be blogging away to share with you the bounty of Rose Hill Farm and the joy that we experience as we see our dreams come true!