Coyote Sky Homestead

Hobbies

What are your hobbies?

I love to plant flowers:  perennials and annuals.  One of my favorite places to be is in a flower shop with a little spending cash and hundreds of plants to pick from.  I like to go up to the huge flower shop in Winter, WI, but also go to all the local ones.  I don't buy a lot; it's more for the enjoyment, a time I can take mostly for myself.  Sometimes I'll take the girls, but they want to 'rush' me.

I also like to cook, but will not proclaim to be the best cook.  I just like to read cook books and try things. 

When my dad had his heart attack, I taught myself to crochet.  Just to keep my hands busy.  I learned from a 4H book that the neighbor Leader had given my girls.  When he got better, I sort of left it behind.  I want to learn more about it, but where's the time?

My German Shepherd is sort of a 'hobby.'  He can catch a ball, he goes on walks with me.  He's my best buddy.  I love taking care of him:  feeding him, trimming his nails, bathing him, brushing his teeth, praising him when he gives a 'good sit.'  He's active and runs in big circles around me.  He can be naughty with chasing cars--thinks that's fun; then I scold him and tie him up.  He is much better than he used to be.  The hunters really got him going this past week.  Geesh!

My other hobby is chickens.  I don't have them yet, but I love to read about them, look at the chickens at the country fair and just have lots of chicken aspirations in general.

I don't know if you'd call this a hobby per se, but I love books of all kinds--History, Literature, Science, Children's books, Religion and Philosophy--I'll read just about anything unless it's too technical.

My Job

What do you do all day?

For the most part, I keep busy running the household.  I get the girls off to school in the morning, make the beds, do dishes, wash clothes by hand at least twice a week, vacuum, cook, feed the dog, do the bills, dust, and spend a lot of time putting things away. 

I try to write to my folks at least once every couple weeks and send cards to my Grandmother at every single holiday.  This is harder than it may seem.  I would like to keep in touch with more loved ones than I do.  I have one older woman I write to; she is all alone and has no children.  Lives way in New Mexico.  I should write her more than just at x-mas.  She used to babysit me when I was a baby; her name is Inge.  I love that name; she's German. 

I like to work outdoors when the weather allows.  Recently, we built a trail through our woods.  I started it and dh finished it.  That was work, yet, also fun at the same time. 

I often take the dog for a walk.  I used to go down the road a couple miles with him; but now that we have trails, I usually make a circle around our property.

I do send my girls to school.  My oldest is very strong-willed and I don't think I could teach her that well all on my own.  I do help her with her home work and am active in making sure she understands what she's learning.  It's hard, though.  She has discovered that math is difficult and she gets frustrated when she doesn't get how to do division, fractions, etc.

I taught both my girls how to read.  They both were reading by the age of 5 and they were reading at a very proficient level.  In fact, [brag] their teachers would have them read to other students in other classrooms.

My youngest dd is, so far, very eager to learn.  I can do a 'let's learn how to borrow' session, for instance, with her and she willingly tries and likes to work together as well as on her own. 

The school they attend has about 200 students--total, Elementary through High School.  It's a small school.  Still, I have to sort of 'deprogram' a lot of the liberal agenda that creeps into some of their textbooks.  But a few discussions here and there, and I can head it off at the pass.  My oldest dd says she wants to be a teacher someday.  Of course, that may change as she gets older and more familiar with other professions.

In short, I am free to structure my day as I please.  In the past, I did work at assisted living facilities and nursing homes.  When we lived in a larger city, I worked part time to help pay bills.  But always, I wanted to stay home with the kids.  I think if you have young children, you should do all you can to raise them yourself.

When my girls get old enough to take care of themselves for an eight hour shift, I may work part time again.  I would look forward to having a little job again.  I'm hoping in a couple years, I will be able to find work that I am capable of.  I have not worked outside the home for several years now.  It's daunting to think about returning.

Family?

How many in your family?

Our family includes myself, Daphne, my husband, Joseph and his grown son, Andrew, and our daughters, Emily and Sarah. 

What are your ages?  I am 37; Joe is 43; Andrew is 18; Emily is 9; Sarah is 7.

Where do you live?  We live in northern WI in the country, about seven miles from nearest town.  Andrew lives with his Grandma about 30 miles from us.

Have you always lived in WI?  Yes, I have.  Dh is from Florida; he was raised there til he was 12 and then moved to WI.  He lived very briefly in Oxnard, CA in his late teens.  Our kids have always lived in WI. 

How close do you live to extended family?  We live 30 miles from dh's family and about 65 miles from mine. 

Why do you live up North?  We like living in the country. Dh likes the woods and I like to live in the same spot.  I don't like moving, so this will likely be our last place.  We have quite a bit of time and energy invested in our little homestead with outbuildings and gardens, so it would seem wasteful to just move.  We are living our dream

From Where?

Where are you from?

I'm from West Central WI; born and raised on a dairy farm.  My folks are from Upper Michigan.  Most all my kin are from that area as well.  My folks are older (in their seventies now and retired).  I have lived in WI all my life, visiting only the UP extensively and out West once when I was young.  Have been to Iowa and MN a few times.  That's about it.  Oh, Canada once.

Wisconsin is a four season state.  It is considerably warmer in the very Southern parts and cooler, of course in the Northern half.  My favorite area is in the hilly, 'driftless' section by Prairie du chien.  This is where the last glacier did not flatten everything.  It's very pretty.  Large hills and deep valleys; farms hidden amongst the rolling curves. 

I live in Northern WI now and it is flatter, lots more woods than even down by my parents farm, where the land is more open with farm fields.  I do live near the Blue Hills, but the land surrounding is deceptively flatter; the Blue 'hill' had been a mountain before the many glacier periods made it just the steep ski run it is today.  Still, the elevation is higher, driving through in winter, you can often see ice formed on trees there, where it has yet to form on the lower surrounding fields.

The Great Lakes are also very lovely with their waves; they are actually 'inland seas.'  Superior is cold, even in summer.  It is the largest fresh water lake in the world!   When I have visited its shores in July--I have been chilled.  Lake MI is a warmer lake and I have fond memories of swimming in it when I visited my Aunts and Uncles up in the UP.