Small piece of land...big on dreams

I would like to tell you how we wound up here on our "little slice of heaven" in a valley that most do not like to call home. When My husband and I bought our first home we had slight of an idea of just what we needed, it was small...or as the ad said "quaint". We and our daughter Lindsey, being a small young one at the time fairing in life with Cerebral Palsy, thought the world of our small little home on a small little piece of land in the midst of a city. That is until Lindsey got older and wanted to go play outside. Our little 50 x 75 foot piece of property did not hold enough land to play on and the alley way, it seemed, was the track of the Indy 500. People sped through the alley at mach 5 leaving little room for a child in a wheel chair to go. There was no room for a "real" garden, and no shop to speak of for my husband to have his manly cave time wrenching sessions. The house itself began to shrink upon us and we thought we were going to be swallowed whole by the quaintness.

Then one day while driving around I had seen a sign that said "For Sale" so I swung in to see what the place had to offer. The home was nice and roomy looking from the outside, a secondary small house/building and a BARN! The property seemed to go one forever (or so I thought from living in a quaint home on a quaint piece of property. In reality it was 2 1/2 acres of blissful looking land with no alley going through it, lots and lots of land. OH MY! I said and raced home to tell dear Hubby. The price was high, at least to us, and Hubby was the only income so it thwarted our enthusiasm towards a big investment like this.

I did not give up! OH NO! I fell in love with the land and the house that resided on the property and mused with my Hubby about all the things that could happen on a parcel such as that. I went to the agent and found out just exactly what all came with the place, the how much for sure and what could we do to purchase, all the while hearing skepticism from my dear husbands lips. In no time at all an paperwork filling, we were in our new home with a buyer for our old home in less than a week of it being on the market. And so we made the transition from quaint to a large piece of land, because you know that 2 1/2 acres is far bigger than a parcel of 50 x 75 for sure. Dear Husband had a shop built from the equity built from the old home and he was a happy camper. I began right away plotting and planning for a "REAL' garden, and the lovely Lindsey roamed around with such freedom  other than getting high centered in sandy areas. We lost her several times before she would resurface from the shade of a tree out back somewhere.  After awhile we sold off an acre because 2 1/2 was far too much for Hubby and I to handle on our own. In the leavings was 1 1/2 acres of our own heavenly bliss, not missing the acre we sold.

Among the greatness of the place was Lindsey and the need to fit into some cliche of some sort, of which she tried many things but never felt like she fit in. That is until we had found 4-H and the barn surfaced a new and improved child! It was that barn and two goats that brought our Lindsey to a world of acceptance, the people in 4-H allowed her the niche. She of course fell in love with her caprine friends and since has never been happier. Her herd, as well as mine, has grown substantially compared to its modest beginnings. Although still small we maintain a herd comprised of Nubians and Alpines. We both work hard with them and we both show them.

In all of this goat rearing came an opportunity for me as dairy goats do make a wonderful commodity...MILK. I was soon on my way to making Goat Milk Soaps and added lotions and body butters as well. The birth of Caprine Beings Goat Milk Soaps and Lotions has been an adventure in itself trying to learn the needs and wants of the consumers.  Playing with new ideas and requests is always a treat for me and I do this business as I wish...I am the boss!

I still garden although I took a respite for two years to allow my Dad to let his hand work in the dirt. However I have the urge to get back out there and so have taken it back allowing that he may "Help" if he so chooses. A lot has changed since last fall, four raised beds made for Lindsey are popping up with wheelchair accessibility for her to garden. Many of the plans have been made to accommodate her in her want to garden and help produce food to supply our cupboards. This land after all will go to her after we pass, as this is the only place on earth I am happiest ( so long as we can garden and have goats).

We have a new addition this year to the barnyard, growing our own beef, his name is Cowboy Stew A.K.A. Mooman

We have plenty of pets, two dogs and four cats with a pot belly pig named Annabelle joining us sometime in March. She is a rehoming animal, such a softy that I am could not let her go by. I would if I could have many more pets but dear Hubby can only tolerate so many pets and so with the ones I do have I will be just as happy as a lark. I have had fish, a turtle, frogs, toads, parrots and such but none are sufficient as our dogs and cats. I am looking forward to adding Annabelle to the mix and am going to figure away to make sure her transition is a nice one. I hope she likes us and our little slice of heaven.

We plan on continuing on with our lifestyle for as long as possible, which makes us all happy. If you want to find Hubby go look in his big man cave under some vehicle he may be fixing. And if you stop on by be sure to come around back if there is no answer at the front door...we are usually out at the barn, Linds and I. I wouldn't fret too much about the dogs, Bandit is an old man now at 12yrs of doggie age...however our youngen', Miss Meira may scare the begeezes outta you at the gate. Make sure we are around before you come in...her purpose is plain as day "This is my place and these are my charges, intruders beware" she will say. She does a good job with her charges and is still learning her roll here in our heaven.

So theres the story behind the dreams on our little piece of land that is much bigger than the other. Right now our home is under addition construction to give our young woman more space of her own and a much better room it is going to be!
Come back by now ya hear!