November weather has been wonderful so far.  We had the MOST ENORMOUS lettuce you have EVER seen.  Sold it at the Co-op.  People can’t get it in the refrig!  We can’t grow a decent carrot, but lettuce –
incredible!

 This is Collection Week for Operation Christmas Child,
so our Upstate Team is really busy.  What a blessing this ministry is to us – we are praying for 100,000  shoeboxes.  Hope you are packing your OCC shoeboxes!  What a wonderful way to impact a hurting child and an entire  family!

I was thrilled to receive a children’s book award this month for my first book, The Legend of Painted Pony and the Western Wind.   It is a gold Moonbeam Children’s Book Award – SO exciting!

On top of everything else, we are remodeling the ranch-style house that is here on the farm property.   It was built in 1967.  We’ve been without any kitchen since July – arghhhhh. TODAY, the 15th, we finally have a kitchen sink again!!!!!!  Tomorrow the cooktop should be installed.  One little step at a time.

Just so you know, Peanut has been doing well.  All the horses got their teeth floated.  Sure am glad I don’t have to get my teeth FILED DOWN!  Tucker also had a “wolf tooth” pulled – no novacaine – just “elevated” out.


Well – I’m going to the Operation Christmas Child
processing center in Charlotte at the end of the month. 
Hubby is going and also our oldest grandchild, who is now 13 and old enough to go.  We’re all looking forward to a fun, blessed, and exciting couple of days – oh, yes, exhausting  too!

Be strong, work hard, live in joy …..

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Br-r-r-r-r!  February, cold and grey.  Trying to keep a smile going. 

We had some fun and spent money at the farm auction Saturday.  When I worked at The Cloister on Sea Island, I never imagined walking around a muddy field looking at tractors and dump trucks!  After all, we used to be into ballroom dancing!  Well -- times DO change.

I'm a little worried about Peanut, my 30+ year old pony.  He just doesn't seem right.  He has Cushings, but that is controlled with medication.  We'll be keeping a close eye on him -- he' such a sweetheart.  You can see a picture of him in his stall on the FARMS DAYS page, and below with Sophie.

This month I'll be going to Honduras with Operation Christmas.  What a blessing to be invited to go on this distribution trip.  We will hand out shoeboxes to children in the poorest areas and orphanages.  This is my first mission trip opportunity, and I'm so excited to be going with OCC.  I've volunteered both in Georgia and South Carolina over the past 14-15 years, so this will be a chance to be part of the final step in the process.

I'm still searching for the pages from my old blog, but it's not looking good.  Just hate to lose stuff, don't you?

DECEMBER 2009

Welcome to Jewell Farms!  Let’s talk about dropping out of corporate America and reinventing life on the farm, in the vineyard, from the saddle.  What is it like to trade wingtips for muck boots?  Instead of X-box, are your kids and grandkids now cleaning stalls and hiding in hay lofts?  Is it worth the time – the money – the LEARNING CURVE!?

Sitting at a computer used to be my life – not anymore.  As a matter of fact, some days I don’t even turn it on.  Other days I have to laugh at my cat, Pinot, who likes to walk across the keyboard when I’m trying to type.  Right now he’s sleeping on my paperwork.  Oh, well.  The paperwork will have to wait!  How lucky we are who have lived more than one life. 

Now it’s 10 p.m. on a cold, windy, December night.  The critters are fed and in bed (so to speak).  While it wasn’t a great night to be outside, I don’t mind.  I know harder days are coming -- 15 degree lows, ice, maybe snow.  Brrrrrr.  How do you hold up in Montana or Maine?  I heard the high was -1 somewhere in North Dakota the other day.  Might have to pass on the horse farm at that temp!  

The produce patch is not winter-ready yet – how did I get so far behind?  Plenty of manure but I missed my chance to sow rye on it.  Lost some blueberry plants this fall, and not sure why.  Guess I’ll have to start over with that.  Will I be ready for the farmer’s markets in the spring???

By the way, I need to keep the grass from taking over in my planting areas.  I’d like to claim victory without herbicides.  Any and all ideas are welcome.  My walking paths were just overrun this past summer.

The weatherman says more rain tomorrow.  That means more mud.  I have to find a way to make sacrifice areas (a nice name for mud pit with horses in it) LESS MUDDY.  Maybe manufactured dust is the answer.  I’m checking – let you know what I come up with. 

Answering the call of Christmas today – into the world of people with clean fingernails – better work on mine a little before I leave – until next time, stay warm and enjoy the stars (you can’t see them in the city).