RECENT TRAVELS

Oak Hammock Marsh Interpretive Centre north of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

This past year has been, perhaps, the busiest year of our 37 years together as we continued working our regular jobs while moving full-steam ahead with St Francis Cottage.  Although life is jam-packed with work, commitments and responsibilities and at times is stressful, taking time to catch up with family and friends is invaluable and the core of our life.

Nancy's extended-family reunion

Almost ready!!

Driveway about to be started. Backfill almost complete. Landscaping started (azalea garden on right out side of the Azalea Room).  Privacy fence (at right back) We're getting there.

We’re down to the final stretch of the three+ year trek since we decided to construct St Francis Cottage, and our excitement builds with each new day.  Although there are final interior details to be dealt with and the driveway and final landscaping are not yet installed, there has been good progress these past weeks.  

The Passing of A GOOD DOG

Named for his speckled feet, Mr. Speckles was a wonderful dog, great companion, and is very missed.

Mr. Speckles, our beloved Borgi (Border Collie-Corgi mix) passed away on September 15, 2016, and we miss him every day.  Our son Michael brought him to the farm fully-grown in March, 2006, just before our daughter was married and moved to Canada.

We immensely enjoyed his presence for 10.5 years.  Michael nicknamed him “Specials” and he was definitely that.  What an intelligent, laid-back yet vigilant companion he was!  Specials is buried in our flower garden just outside the window where he regularly lounged on the window seat waiting for Nancy to arrive home from work.

2017 New Year's Brunch

Emily Fieser, Tucker McLelland, Christine Anderson, Sharon Shier, Sue Roman, and Colleen Fieser
finishing up first course of Blackened Shrimp & Grits with asparagus at our New Year's Brunch.
Not pictured Micah Hausler, Laura Hausler, and Reg McLelland.

A drizzling rainy January 2^nd in Chattanooga ended up as a perfect New Year’s gathering with eleven wonderful friends who braved The Weather Channel’s forecast and ventured out to celebrate 2017 with us.  Amidst lots of laughs and good conversation, our friends graciously sampled some of the dishes we plan to serve at St Francis Cottage.  With helping hands that pitched in to cut vegetables, fruit and bread, we served a first course of blackened shrimp-and-grits with Creole sauce and asparagus along with homemade bread and Amish butter, and a tropical fruit salad of fresh pineapple, kiwi, oranges and organic mango and bananas, seasoned with citrus ginger and honey sauce.