I Will Never Forget

August 8,2011, is a day that I will never forget. For on that day, twelve years ago, I and my siblings first came to live with our new family on their farm, Providence Prairie. What a sudden shifting and adjusting occurred in everyone’s lives, what a wonderful, amazing, unexpected future lay ahead of us. What an eventful and memorable date that I will never forget.

My first remembrances of that long-ago day are of riding in our Case-worker’s red minivan on our way to our new home. I remember how we flooded her with questions and how she patiently answered each one. I will never forget thinking about it all as we traveled along, I couldn’t wait to get there!

I will never forget pulling down the gravel driveway. Gazing out in wonder at the outbuildings and farmyard. Then, seeing for the first time our home. I remember quickly climbing out of the car and running and jumping into Dad’s arms. 

It’s amazing, thinking back on it, how in some way, we all had a feeling this was forever. Though our adoption day wouldn’t roll around until three and a half years later, in our family’s books, we were here to stay.

I remember the trip through the house and around the barnyard. How comfortable and inviting everything looked inside, and how strange and exciting all the animals were to us. I will never forget looking at and holding the rabbits, cute and cuddly balls of furry softness. I remember how one young one scratched me on the underside of my forearm, I still have a very faint scar from it that I treasure. 

I will never forget riding on Rusty the donkey. How I sat upon him timid and nervous, Samuel sitting behind me holding onto my waist. We would have plenty of animal adventures from then on until now.

How blessed were the five of us that day when Dad and Mama decided to take us in. How sure am I that God was watching over us even before then, and how positively I know He continues to guide and direct us each day. How true are the verses,” The unfortunate commits himself to you, you have been a helper of the orphan” and “A Father to the fatherless…. God makes a home for the lonely.” Also, “In You, the orphan finds mercy” How marvelous and gracious is the God we serve!

What a lot has occurred and transpired since that life-changing day. Time moves constantly on, and we are swept along with it. I am excited to see what lies ahead for our family. Like Mama always says, life is never stagnant but like a river it winds and flows along, every step of the way bringing new and shifting changes. No matter what is in store for me in the future though, the day I became a McDaniel is a day I will never forget.

~Halayah

That's the Way To Have Fun!

Most people in this world like having fun. My brothers and I love having fun! We sometimes do crazy things to have fun- things like battling wasps with only sticks, tennis rackets, and basketballs! One of my favorite things we do is the trampoline free-for-all fights!

The rules of a trampoline free-for-all are simple, no biting, no pulling hair, spitting, pinching, but most of all, there is absolutely NO TICKLING! In order to become the king of the trampoline, you must receive the words from every person that you fight, “I surrender!” You don’t have to surrender, but if and when you do, your attacker must stop whatever he’s doing to you instantly.

I was once pinned by Jonah and Isaac, but I wouldn’t surrender! They twisted my arms behind my back and asked surrender, but I would simply answer, “Never!” They would be frogging my arms and legs constantly, but I still wouldn’t surrender! Frogging your arm is a cool thing!

In order to frog yourself, you must extend your arm with the palm facing up, then with your other hand, you will make a fist and hit the bicep of the extended arm quick and hard! If hit just right, the spot where you hit, will quickly rise up into an odd-looking lump! After about five seconds, the lump will disappear! If you continue frogging yourself in the same spot, the area might get a little bruised.

I would oftentimes break loose from the holds of my bother, and then once loose, I would attack one or both boys at a time! I would pen one of the boys down, while blocking the blows from the other! While I am busy blocking blows my prisoner would often escape! 

The boys would have me pinned shortly after that, trying to make me surrender. The only words they would get from my mouth, was “Never!” That fight lasted until dinner, which was about 2 hours from when it started!

We don’t often have a trampoline free-for-all, but once one has started, it can last for hours! Dad always says, “We work hard, and play hard- in that order.” After we have worked hard, we still like to play hard on the trampoline. Now that’s the way to have fun!

~Samuel

The Pet Rock

Mark 1975

The year 1975 brought a strange new pet to the scene, a rock. While listening to his friends complain about the cumbersome care of their domesticated animals, advertising executive Gary Dahl came up with the idea of the Pet Rock. The hand sized stones procured from Rosarita Beach in Baja, Mexico came packaged in a cardboard container that resembled a pet carrier, complete with air holes and straw bedding. The accompanying care and training booklet gave tips such as, “How to make your pet rock roll over and play dead,” and “How to house train your pet rock,” along with “sit, stay, and even attack (with a little extra help).” Over a million rocks were sold at $3.95 each, making Mr. Dahl a millionaire in the six months the scheme lasted.

While the Pet Rock was just a fad, rocks play an important part in our American culture and landscape. While on vacation, we have visited Plymouth Rock, the Rocky Mountains, Devil’s Tower, 

Mt. Rushmore, The Grand Canyon, El Capitan, Natural Bridge, The Petrified Forest, and here in our own neighborhood, Garden of the Gods. Each creation has its own unique history, significance, and beauty.

Rocks are also vital to our homestead, being utilized in numerous applications. 

 

Building are supported with strong foundational stones, while others form walkways and steps. 

Flower beds are lined with small stones enhancing the borders, 

with large rocks providing seating near the pond. 

 

 

Even inside the home, rocks from our creek form a decorative protective firewall behind our wood stove. No matter the size, each performs an important function and duty.

 

For children rocks are always fascinating objects, establishing many youngsters’ first collection. I still have a unique rock that I collected as a youth from the hills of eastern Kentucky, that serves as a reminder of my mom’s heritage, prompting memories of ancestors, providing me with my very own Pet Rock. 

 

A hewn stone from a porch step of Rhonda’s great grandmother near Rarden, Ohio in Adams County now serves as a steppingstone on our own property where we can walk on the same path as those who have marched before us. 

 

A rock painted into a cat by my grandmother sits under our wood stove, yet another reminder of those who’ve gone on beforehand, 

while petrified wood from our creek sits on our porch as indications of even earlier times.

Rocks serve an amazing place in our culture and even in the life to come, as Jesus is referred to as The Rock of our salvation. For us, whether travelling and observing rock formations, utilizing rocks around our home, or simply collecting them for fun and special memories, they are always intriguing. Psalm 18:2 says, “The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.” Above all other rocks, He is the Rock I want to see and have in my life, and in the end, the only One really worth collecting.

~Mark

Doily Delight

Fire in the woodstove. A mug of hot tea on the counter. Blankets in the basket. When the cold winter season comes about and more time is spent inside the house, that is when I craft the most. I love many types of crafts, but crocheting doilies is my favorite. Great Mamaw Skaggs made many beautiful doilies, and I still love to admire her work when we go to Mamaw’s house. Doilies are so elegant and lovely.

There is a doily that sat on the stack of suitcases beside the couch for the longest time. It was one of the prettiest pieces of art I’d ever seen. Mama made it, and looking at it made me think making a doily would be about the hardest thing in the world. Hooking tiny thread into a million knots making different patterns sounded impossible. Three or so dozen doilies later, I find it to be one of my favorite leisure pursuits.

Mama has taught all five of her girls to knit and crochet (and everything else) and I favored crocheting. I found a doily book among Mama’s craft books and took one glance and that was all it took to confirm my belief in the impossibility of the subject. I was probably seventeen years old when I asked Mama if she thought I could really make a doily. I opened the book right back up again with much more confidence than I did the first time and decided to look at the very first step. The prettiest one in the book happened to look the simplest. It was twenty inches in diameter, but oh, wasn’t it a lovely work of art? First step: chain four. That is easy enough. Now for the next step.

Round 1: 11 dc in 4th ch from hook (3 skipped chs count as a dc); join in 3rd ch of beg ch-4: 12 dc. Translation: WHAT!!!? Cry until 4th tear falls (counts as despair, frustration); join hands, wring in despair. Mama, please help me!

Making a doily works the same way as any other seemingly impossible task. Take it one step at a time. If that is too big, break down the first step into smaller steps. There may have been a few tears in that doily, but with a loving Mama who helped me through it, that doily sits proudly in the living room. That doily opened the door to the making of many other pieces. They make nice house-warming, or bridal/wedding shower gifts, and I keep a few on hand for that reason. Mother’s Day or Mama’s birthday, or a gift just because it’s “I Love You Day,” Mama has a lot of doilies now.

Most doilies take a few months to finish, just by picking it up here and there when I feel like it. Sometimes I crochet while listening to music, if someone is reading aloud, during a movie, or whenever my mind is occupied, and my hands are not. One doily I made for my sister-in-law-to-be Natasha’s bridal shower gift. I worked non-stop and got it started, finished, starched, pinned, dried, and wrapped in five days’ time. I listened to a lot of bluegrass music to keep me energetic and working fast.

“Little by little makes it grow,” couldn’t be truer for the making of a doily. It also takes a lot of patience but, in the end, it is all worth it. The old-fashioned beauties adorn the house so cozily. Shining brightly in all their simplicity, doilies not only add a touch of elegance to the home but are a delight to make.

~Jayla

A Lip-smacking Tasty Treat!

“Ouch! That hurt!” I said as a thorny blackberry plant poked my arm while reaching for a big juicy berry. The blackberries were ready to pick again, so I was gathering them. Our berry plants are behind the grapes, in the orchard, and are growing very well. We already have picked six gallons of blackberries so far, and there are still lots of berries that are not ripe yet. My goal is to pick up to ten gallons of berries. I am more than halfway!

Earlier this month, I went out a few times to pick wild blackberries. I would start at the top of the field, then work my way on the big trail along the wood line of our property. When I got to the end of the trail, my bucket would be half full of the delicious berries. Then to top them off, I went to the plants in the orchard and filled the bucket the rest of the way.

After I pick a gallon of berries, I bring them up to the house and wash them. Then I lay the blackberries out on a cookie sheet and put them in the freezer to flash-freeze. Then the next day when the berries are frozen, I take them off the sheet and put them in a gallon freezer bag. It is fun to watch the bags fill up.

Blackberries are in my list of favorite berries. They are juicy, sweet, and are a lip-smacking tasty treat. The berries are yummy in smoothies, also mixed with other berries, but my favorite way to eat them is in a blackberry cobbler. Blackberries are very healthy for you. They have vitamin K in them and are packed with minerals and fiber. They also help to fight disease.

The blackberry season is almost over. It will be a little sad when the berries are gone, but I know they will come back next year. I love picking blackberries. It is fun to watch the bucket fill up and see how much you can pick. We have six gallons of berries in the freezer, and I hope to get a lot more!

~ Jonah

Our Resolute Sentinel

Nearly twenty-six years ago this month, we needed to install a mailbox at the end of our newly created drive. The thought of the long walk down our winding lane to retrieve the mail made my heart swell with nostalgia. Our love of things old-fashioned draws us to a simpler life. With a fondness for large mailboxes, the fine well-built receptacle that we spotted at the local hardware store was ideal. Just walking into Aydt’s Hardware was an amble into times past. In fact, all of Hamilton County at the time seemed to hint of an era twenty years bygone. We were home!

There on a dusty shelf in the old-fashioned establishment sat our mailbox. It was ideal in all ways but wanting a coat of green paint. After covering it with a shiny forest green color, the box was mounted on a perfectly “y” shaped post from the crotch of a tree. Functional, intriguing, wistful, the post was picture perfect.

Prior to 1902, farmers could use whatever was at hand for a mailbox. Crates, buckets, lard cans, and various items were all used for receptacles. As the United States Post Office determined that Rural Free Delivery was here to stay, the required standard regulation mailbox became the norm. We affixed our repository to its post and marveled as it held even sizeable packages that arrived. Not only was it utilitarian, but it caused us to contemplate a more simple time and fastened our heartstrings to our down to earth lifestyle.

One dire day, the inevitable happened. The great green target that sat at the previously empty roadside became the recipient of some bunch of hooligans looking for some irrational sort of fun. Our young children could not fathom why someone would do something so hurtful. We used the opportunity to explain the disheartening ways of the world and moved forward. Other times, our big green goal was knocked clear off its y shaped mount and smashed beyond recognition. Once again, we faithfully pounded it back into its humble form and mounted it back into its rightful place.

Since its arrival on Providence Prairie, our mailbox has received many coats of its forest green paint and has even received a new post or two, as the old ones gave way to the elements. Resolute, there it prevails, harkening us to pursue an uncomplicated existence. More recently, it has been surrounded by a pleasant plethora of flowers that yield color throughout the spring and summer.

Devoted as ever, our green mailbox continues to hold as much mail as our mail carrier can stash into it. It has been our faithful servant throughout these past few decades. Come rain, shine, sleet, or hail, it’s always there without fail. Resembling one part of a vast row of soldiers, our charming green mailbox stands sentinel to a time reminiscent of handwritten notes and loving packages sent with care.

~Rhonda

They Look Very Tasty

Earlier this year, as we planted the garden with tomatoes, cabbage, and lots of other things, we came to a box where we generally plant vining green beans. This year we wanted to try asparagus beans. These beans are also known as snake beans, yard long beans, and Chinese beans.

It was exciting because it was the first time to plant yard long green beans. The average size of snake beans is around 18 inches. The one that I measured was twenty-eight inches long. It was massive!

After a couple of months of waiting, we started to see long, but skinny looking beans that needed to fatten before we could pick them. A week or so later, a bucket full was ready to harvest, so we began to collect them. They were huge compared to the regular size that we typically gather. Asparagus beans are a warm-season crop and grow best in temperatures ranging between 80°F and 90°F, which made Providence Prairie the perfect spot to grow them.

After we picked the massive beans, we headed to the house to snap them. Mom told us to snap them about six inches long, so we could use them for stir fry vegetables. So, we began to snap.

When we completed the snapping job, we blanched them, and let them cool. Then we brought out some freezer bags and started to fill them, so that we could freeze them for later. So far, we have two gallon bags full of beans. It looks like we might get more.

I am glad that we planted foot long green beans and I wonder if we will plant them next year? I can’t wait to try them. They look very tasty.

~Isaac