This week started out much like normal. Tim has his photography and devotional walks every while I get the kids up and start on breakfast.
Then, the scramble to get breakfast cleaned up, dishes done, and kids sat down to school.
This year we have four in school. Micah and Alayna are in fifth grade and Kaitlynn and Harold have started first grade. They’re enjoying learning how to read. Soon they won’t have to ask anyone else to read to them. 🙂
In the course of the day, the garden gets checked. Cucumbers and peppers are still growing, okra has started, and tomatoes are ripening.
There’s laundry to do, floors to sweep, weeds to pull, and naps to take.
Judah is growing as fast as he can and loves smiling and kicking for his siblings. And sleeping. He definitely enjoys sleeping.
Even with trying to get the homestead side of things going better, we can’t ignore the business that pays the bills. We try to list to eBay every week day and there’s usually shipping to keep up with. These are a few of the molds we’ve listed recently.
A frog on a garden trowel. A large rose and cross candleholder. These “people watchers” are always comical.
And as you can see, we still have a ways to go.
This is just a portion of what’s left to list.
But, this is where God has lead us and we are extremely grateful for all He’s done. We know He’s going to continue to guide and there’s no place we’d rather be than right in His Will.
Some of y’all might disagree, but nothing tastes quite like fried bluegill that you caught yourself. Especially when it’s pan fried so nicely and combined with foraged Train Wrecker mushrooms and sautéed green beans.
Tim brought in most of the fish, but Micah managed to land one too.
I cleaned them the night we caught them while Tim made the marinade for them.
Once all 10 were ready to go, Tim placed them in the marinade and we put them in the fridge overnight.
Then, the next afternoon I went looking for mushrooms. We had seen a cluster of them, so I knew where to go.
Train Wreckers, or Neolentinus lepideus, earned the name by their ability to grow on highly treated railroad ties. If they’re ignored, the tie would eventually disintegrate and could cause a train wreck. Thankfully for us, these mushrooms were growing on a pine root which meant they were safe to eat.
They do have some look-alikes, some of which are poisonous, so a positive ID is essential before they go in the skillet.
Fresh green beans were in the fridge just waiting to be used. And so the meal came together.
The results were delicious and filling. We’re already planning our next fish meal. 😊
Taking up just under half an acre in Southwest Indiana, Tim and I are still in the early stages of building our homestead. If you’re like me, you might see a homesteading family on YouTube or read a blog post and assume they must have grown up as country kids. But that’s not always the case! Tim spent his childhood in various cities across the United States, and I grew up in a closely packed neighborhood in Japan—so neither of us had a traditional country upbringing. However, at heart, where it truly matters, we both feel a deep connection to nature and the homesteading lifestyle.
Over our ten years of marriage, Tim and I have developed a deep longing to return to a simpler, more self-sufficient way of living—one that echoes the past. Progress has often been slow and measured, but we hold tightly to our vision of creating a thriving homestead.
Today, we share our property with Tim’s elderly father and disabled sister, making this homestead not just a place of growth but also a home filled with family. While there is some existing infrastructure, much of what we envision will be built from the ground up.
The property itself is shaped like a triangle, bordered on one side by train tracks and on the other by a quiet dirt road, frequented by turkey and deer. A small stand of white pines adds a touch of charm to the landscape. Originally, Tim’s parents and younger sister bought the land, settling into the doublewide trailer that came with it. As our own family grew, my mother-in-law encouraged us to build a home here, hoping to keep us all close. We had plans in motion, but heartbreakingly, she passed away before we could even break ground.
Now, we are living in the house we built—a home filled with love, determination, and a story of faith and miracles that I’ll have to share another time. There is still much work to be done before it’s truly finished, but moving in last October before the cold hit was a huge milestone for us.
We were recently given some used rabbit hutches, and after a bit of repair work, we’re gearing up to welcome our first small flock of meat rabbits. Raising rabbits will be a new experience for us, but we’re excited about the possibilities—both for sustainable meat production and for their rich compost contributions to our garden. We’re researching the best feeding practices, housing setups, and breeding cycles to ensure we provide them with a healthy, well-maintained space.
Meanwhile, progress is coming along on our duck and chicken enclosure, though we still have a lot to do—especially building the coop itself. The area we’ve designated for the birds has a small creek running through it, which will provide a natural water source, particularly for the ducks. We’re planning to dig out part of the creekbed a bit deeper, creating a more reliable water source year-round. To keep our feathered friends contained and safe from predators, we’re considering anchoring chicken wire into the streambed, ensuring that they can enjoy the water without wandering too far.
Tim’s dad planted a few small fruit trees, and we’re now taking over their care, hoping that with time and attention, we’ll see some fruits from our labors. Literally. It’s a simple but meaningful part of our homestead—one that connects us to the past while nourishing our future.
A large garage on the property currently serves as a storage space, filled with Tim’s dad’s tools, extra supplies, and shelves stocked with Tim’s eBay inventory. Nearby, a small cinder block foundation sits waiting for its purpose—originally intended to house goats, though every time we revisit the idea, we find ourselves considering something different. Perhaps it will become a feed storage area, a workshop, or even a small greenhouse. Plans evolve as our needs change, and for now, it remains a blank slate waiting for inspiration.
Another small shed is set aside for garden storage, a space that will soon be filled with shovels, seed trays, and bags of compost as we prepare for the growing season.
Overseeing it all is our ever-vigilant German Shepherd, Willow. With sharp eyes and a keen sense of duty, she takes her job as protector seriously—alerting us to every visitor, whether it’s a squirrel scurrying by or a delivery driver pulling up. She’s not just our guard dog; she’s a beloved part of our homestead, always eager to be a part of everything we do.
Each step forward comes with its share of challenges—learning what works, what doesn’t, and how to adapt. Homesteading requires patience, creativity, and perseverance, but the rewards are worth it. With time, effort, and a fair bit of trial and error, we’re slowly shaping a thriving setup that will provide eggs, meat, and natural fertilizer for our growing homestead. We dream of expanding even further—adding goats, bees, and more fruit trees—gradually creating a space that not only sustains our family but enriches our lives. The road ahead is long, but every small step brings us closer to the dream we’re building together. Stay tuned for more updates as we continue this journey!
Homestead Hilarity
Trying to casually hint that he wanted some, 2-year-old Micah did his best to read the yogurt container. “It says, ‘All good kids should get yogurt.’”
Bringing Life 