As a birthday gift for this author’s notable birthday, the resident woodsman saw a beautiful pattern for a gazebo–a lovely outbuilding with eight sides and infinite possibilities–and started the project well in advance of the celebration in July with all … Continue reading →

After about ten years, the outside doors, of which there are four, and the rocking chairs on the porch have lost their once lovely luster and sheen.  Since the doors are protected by storm doors, they aren’t as needy as … Continue reading →

Ah, Utopia, where holes are dug and filled; where a patch of berries and grapes expands; and where a writer’s course is changed. Having a weekly column to chronicle both the adventures and misadventures of the homesteading duo, as well … Continue reading →

What this bona fide, dyed-in the-wool city dweller learned after moving to the rolling hills of Southeastern Iowa in rural Van Buren County could fill volumes. With a population of around 7,500 people, there are no stoplights, and nary a fast food restaurant in the county. What is lacking in … Continue reading →