Country Living

 

For 28 years we have called this place our home.  I always wanted to live in the country and have a hobby farm.  We have put much sweat, blood, tears, money, love and living in this old place and these 39 acres.  The original owner's name was Netzinger.  Several years ago, a man stopped and asked if he could look in our barn and told me those hand prints in the cement belonged to him.  Our neighbor told us stories of how this husband and wife, Nick and Anna, each had their own dairy cows - they kept it all separate.  I've heard many stories of different people who remember making hay or working here for them.  I wish I had some old photos from back then.

As you look at this picture, you do not see what I see.  I see the horses in the front of the barn with the girls riding them in the arena area, I see the goats at the other end of the barn, Mickey (our buck) on top of the roof of his shed, I see the multiple fair pigs over by the shade of that big old maple tree, I see Anna's grand champion Suffolk ewe Dotty, peeking her head from under the fence, I see a huge circus tent with dozens of vendors and hundreds of customers in our yard for the 10 years we had Ringle Harvest Day here, I see Skippy, Champ, Minnie, Dori and Dolly our faithful farm dogs, all still buried here in our little pet cemetery, I see our old barn cats and liters of kittens in baskets carried around by the girls and Midnight and Pumpkin hiding them in the bales of hay, I see monthly markets here I hosted, folk art classes I taught, gardens here, gardens there, flower beds here, flower beds there....lots of work for a hobby.  You also don't see the incredible feeling of thanfulness for all that I just mentioned.  

I can't help but think of this passage of scripture from Psalms 37: 3-4

"Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.  Take delight in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart."

Blessings from Ringle, Wisconsin.