Some snaps around the island

With the lovely Lela and Raquel!















History of Strong Island

Two days on the Cape

We are out on John’s Aunt Betsy’s island: Strong Island in the Cape. We are being treated like royalty. To be honest, it’s hard to be treated so wonderfully and to be waited on so completely! 

Gabe and the girls went canoeing today. The girls said they almost died. Gabe said it wasn’t that serious. 

John and Sidge did some birding around the island for a few hours this morning. 

There’s been time in the pool, and Gabe took the girls (and me) around the island on the trails: 

This evening, we were treated to a boat ride around the harbor. I really can’t explain how peaceful and beautiful it is here. 

The Cape

We are getting to visit the island John’s Uncle and Aunt (Betsy) bought many decades ago. John hasn’t been here since he was 15 years old. A conservancy owns it now, but another man is renting it and has built it up. What a beautiful place. I wish Aunt Betsy could be here with us. 

Newark, New Jersey

Needing a break SO bad

Every Almost-September I feel like this ... 

NEED

A

BREAK!

I wish we could slip our Vermont trip into July or August. But we just can't. It has to be now. Sandwiched between meat chickens and a ballet audition that means a lot to both girls.

Leaving a farm is so much harder than just leaving a home. 

There are so many pieces that have to be aligned correctly in order for us to be able to walk away.

Not only do we have the farm, but we have:

• our personal rental property across the street from the Kotysnki's
• The Bonnie Blue AirB&B that we manage for Shane & Linda
• My parents property that we keep an eye on in downtown Greeneville

Gramps will be here (with Grama of course!) and sweet Maryah and big ol' Malachi will be here to help as well. Anni (and maybe the Shraders and the McCoys) will help with paddock. 

I am ready to go. Not physically mind you. But mentally. Emotionally.

Physically ... we are almost there.

Training chickens

Crazy chickens

Life is so crazy right now. Vermont departure is Sunday! Had to relocate 100 chickens to the egg-mobile. Mission accomplished!

Why ….

… thank you Ritter. Just what we always wanted: a woodchuck. He killed it and delivered it. He was so proud. 

Meet John's Doppelgänger

 

My friend Kelsey and I have traveled a LONG road together. We met in 2003 in Rochester, Minnesota and have spent the last 20 years traversing this life together. This is metaphorically but also physically as we have spent time together in many locations all over the world including Nigeria and South Africa. We have worked at the same company together, lived together, and she is the spiritual godmother to my four children. Kelsey was a college basketball player, and she is also over 6' tall!

Kelsey has had some major losses in her life, but one of the very COOL things is that she is now engaged! 

As Kelsey has neared her 40th birthday, we've discussed her not being alone in life, and she became open to the possibility of a partner. We would always say "You need to meet a Catholic John."

So .... meet 6'3" John:

And meet Kelsey's future husband: 6'5" Matt:

Kinda crazy, eh?

They are getting married in Denver on December 23rd of this year! Our whole family is in the wedding. This is so exciting -- especially for my girls who have never been in a wedding before. 

I am so crazy excited for my friend Kelsey. This will be such a wonderful thing for her in life. I truly can cry when I think about what she has been through and the man who is going to stand alongside her for the rest of her life.

Chicken processing 2023