I would like you to meet my husband and my co-author of our book, TALES FROM HERITAGE FARM.  Randall G. Grabau was raised on Heritage Farm.  He made his living on this farm. Since Heritage Farm was homesteaded by his ancestors in 1856, this historic piece of real estate has achieved a special place in our hearts. 

In Randy’s early years, he learned about life and farming from his dedicated parents.  Work was necessary and done with pride.  Besides that, church was a regular part of their lives.

Later Randy left the farm and went on to college.  It was there that he had the opportunity to commit his life to Jesus.  He learned to memorize and study God’s Word with other college men.  Being convinced that Jesus was the Son of God and that the Holy Bible was God’s message to men, Randy commenced his practice of studying the Bible and learning about God’s plan for mankind.  

Randy became a math teacher in the Chicago area.  We met and married.  After four years of teaching, Randy and I made the transition from city-living to country-living.  Randy made dairy farming his livelihood for about forty years. We raised our four children on the farm. Our kids were the fifth generation of young folks to grow up here.

I found much of the ways of farming to be interesting.  I did not know when we first started farming that my husband would be so acquainted with his cows, that he could recognize them from across the field, just by the cow’s pattern of coloring.  He would know each animal by its appearance and its personality.

Randy has made it his practice to teach others about the Lord and His Word.  Not only is God’s Word his priority, but people hold a special place in his heart.  With Randy’s penchant for farming, history and mathematics, he uncovers truths in the Bible that others might miss as they casually read it.

Randy has published several of his Bible studies which are available for sale on Amazon.  One that may of interest is Characteristics of a Good Cow.  Take a look at it and see for yourself what one might learn about the Christian life from the Characteristics of a Good Cow.

Photo Credit: Jenny Loew Photography

One day, I trekked to our property fence line to pick currants.  Every bush showed off its bobbles.  Strung like colored beads on a Christmas tree, the shiny orange orbs dangled delicately from dainty stems attached to a fruiting stem.  I snatched up the berries I could see easily.  Then I sat on the ground, peering deeply into each bush to uncover the hidden berries.  As I did, I heard the low drone of hummingbirds as they visited our hedge of trumpet vines nearby.  Presently, I felt the warmth of something next to me.  Our farm dog snuggled up by me under the shade of the currant bushes.  Although I was the only one picking berries at the time, I was definitely not alone.

Later, I made two batches of currant jelly and currant buns.  I also froze some currants for future use.  The berries that the Lord has supplied have certainly shown us His generosity. 

By this time, the raspberries began to ripen.  My daughter picked our luscious golden raspberries.  Coupled with my harvest of tart currants, the honey-sweet of the raspberries made a delightful, refreshing juice. 

Berries show us the Lord’s creativity.  Different colors, flavors, and shapes and even the different harvest times all demonstrate for us the variety of His creative nature.   So you can see, the Lord gave us a Berry Good Day.

Be sure to check out the cards available through our store.  You might use the cards to send good wishes and cheer to a friend in need of a personal greeting just from you.

photo credit:Wenda Grabau
photo credit: quinn.anya via photopin cc

Where did all the hype come from?  Families have celebrated our Lord’s birth for thousands of years.  Is it all true? Where can we go to learn about the real facts of His birth? 

You might consider going to the historical record, The Holy Bible.  The time, the events, the participants in the story are all there.  Have you ever in all of your experience taken time to not only read the story, but study and ponder it?

For anyone with an interest in uncovering the truth of this holiday, you may need a helper to guide you in your study.  Let me tell you that there is such assistance available.  It will help you dig out the truths that you will find in the Bible story. 

My husband, Randall G. Grabau, has written a Bible Study to help you consider the facts as recorded in God’s Word.  It is called Christmas Comes to Nazareth.  It is available for sale on Amazon.  Included with the study is a narrative story derived from the facts set forth in the Bible.  Although the story could be called historical fiction, it will stimulate you personally to consider how best to celebrate this holy day, Christmas.

While the hubbub of the season is still in its twilight, take a look at this little volume.  We hope it will encourage you in your understanding of Christmas and in your personal faith journey.  There is spiritual food for you in the pages of the Holy Bible.  Take a taste and see that it is good. 

“Oh taste and see that the Lord is good. Blessed is the man that trusts in Him” Psalm 34:8 (NKJV).

The above Christmas card is available in our store.

After several days of this scenario, we had our travelers checked for the virus. We were taken aback when the diagnosis came.  Since I presented no symptoms, I was not tested.  But when my temperature started to rise it was certain that I, too, had been invaded by the virus.

It became evident that we could not continue the usual routine without help.  Our capable friend took on the chores for morning and evening for many days.  My daughter, my husband and I continued to fight the ups and downs of temperature fluctuations.  Acetaminophen was a regular help at controlling our body temperatures.  Yet strength waned. 

I had the lightest case in our household.  I could still ride my exercise bike.  I could wash dishes and do laundry.  I set up meals for the family.  I cannot take credit for the menus, however. 

Friends and neighbors rallied to bring us soups, fruits, bagels, beverages, yogurt, fresh maple syrup, honey, cookies and even disinfectant cleaning supplies.  The good wishes and concern coming from all directions were overwhelming.  Neighbors down the road, relatives from nearby towns and out of the country called us, emailed us and sent us cards to lift our spirits.

One discipline I maintained was spending time reviewing promises set forth in the Holy Bible.  One such promise is Psalm 50:15 which says, “And call upon Me in the day of trouble, and I will deliver you and you shall glorify Me.” 

Another says, “Just as a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him.  For He Himself knows our frame and is mindful that we are but dust.” Psalm 103:13, 14.  This was certainly a time to call on the One who loves us so.  And we did.

So many of our friends expressed their thoughts about us and prayers they were presenting to the Lord on our behalf.  How wonderful to hear that others acknowledged the need for God’s mighty, healing hand to work in our lives.

At length, my husband’s symptoms became a concern.  He was exhausted.  We transported him to the hospital for help and he was admitted.  Since my daughter and I were still in quarantine, we could not see him for seven days.  That week went by slowly.  We were never quite sure when we would be welcoming him home again. 

But finally, the big day arrived.  We picked him up from the hospital and made the drive home.  His strength has slowly returned.  We all look forward till we hear the words, “Your quarantine is ended.” 

photo credit: adafruit Basic Digital Body Thermometer in Celsius via photopin (license)
photo credit: steevithak 2020-04-11_12-44-20 via photopin (license)

I just did that over the weekend and again this morning.

Due to the frequent rains of springtime, our planting work has been held at bay. Finally, we were able to get the vegetable garden in just 2 days ago.  While outdoors with the garden work I got to observe some new growth in the windbreak. Sometimes it can be a delight or it can prompt a task.

Today. I went to pick some fresh asparagus.  Before I got the job done I made my way out to our newly cleared windbreak area. Since my husband removed dead trees and brush last summer, the sun has now been able to blaze its rays on some very old currant bushes.  From them I have high hopes for a fruitful harvest.

Yet as I admired them I became distracted when I spied some nettles lurking amongst the berry bushes. I just happened to have plastic shopping bag in my pocket. I used the bag like a glove and began pulling up the fiery weeds. Just as I finished one group of nettles, I noticed another and then another. On and on I went to search for them and pull them up with as much root as possible.

While on my way looking for the unwanted greenery in my windbreak, I noticed the curling tendrils of another unwanted plant…the wild cucumber.

My admiration of the currants led to a long task of disarming these enemies of the new space my husband had made for our much more desirable plants.  

Early June happens to be a great time to get these pesky wild cucumber weeds because:  

1. They are still small.

2. Many primary leaves are turning yellow so they can be seen easily amongst the other greenery growing nearby.

3.  It is much easier to get the roots out while the plants are still young.

Get them out now!!  Otherwise they will travel to tree tops and cover many plants.  The wild cucumber can kill trees and overpower plants.  Don’t let them get the best of your yard, garden or trees.  Seek them out, before they multiply.

Gardening cards are available in our store: Corn Crib and Garden,  and Seed Packets

photo credit: Bretta Grabau
photo credit: Wenda Grabau

Today, I went outdoors and got my “garden-fix”. I picked fresh asparagus and a few juicy stems of rhubarb. I got to pick up some brand new blooming stems of white and purple irises that opened during the night. I also picked a lone stem of a beautiful pink peony that burst open this morning.

Yesterday, my break from my homebound duties included a visit to the what we call, the Teddy Shed. There in the manger lay 5 one-week-old kittens and their loudly purring mother. What a delight to hear the kittens purring along with their mother. The stillness in the shed made it easy to gaze on them without interruption. The break I had to enjoy the new lives brought me joy and a sense of satisfaction.

The sights and sounds that our Creator has produced with his skillful hands bring a sense of awe and peace to the busy, weary soul.

Today, I took time to spend reviewing some special Bible verses.  The one that was particularly freeing to me is Romans 6:14.  It says, “For sin shall not have dominion over you for you not under law but under grace.” 

How wonderful to know the Creator who makes all things, has taken us imperfect, human beings who are under the bondage of sin and He has set us free!  We are no longer under the thumb of sin, since Christ paid the penalty for it.  Because he did, I, as a believer in Christ, do not owe anything to sin…I am free to live under righteousness.

I hope that you, too, can say that you are trusting Christ’s sacrifice as the payment for your sin.  You can then rejoice in the fact that sin shall not have dominion over you.  You can be living as a new creature made by the Creator Himself, who makes all things new and beautiful. Enjoy His new creation today in your heart and also in what he has put outside your door. 

See our spring selection of cards. Daffodils and tulips , Daffodils, Shamrocks

Photo credits: Wenda Grabau

Life changed in a hurry. My plans to use my oven for baking were foiled. My husband’s power tools were useless. The computer went black. The furnace-fan became silent. The radio with its daily update of news was mute. Even some clocks went dead. The land-line telephone still worked, but soon that ended.

So, I dug out the candles. I fueled up some oil lamps to illuminate the darkness once the sun went down.

Since my husband, Randy, used a generator to power up the farm, we had 2 hours of power twice per day. With that energy, Randy milked the cow. That also allowed power in the house to provide two hot meals and to keep the refrigerator, freezers and the furnace-fan working.

Thinking that we were going to visit friends that evening for Bible Study, in the powerless house, I went to set my hair. But alas, the curling iron which was electric was out of use. So, I curled my hair the old way . . . with pin curls.

The sun got low and the shadows crept in. Candles and oil lamps flickered to give light that was needed.

With television, videos, internet and radio all down, my family saw the opportunity to visit and play Pinochle by candle and lantern light.

I searched the house and found alarm clocks that worked by battery or main springs. Their tick-tock, tick-tock rhythms continued on through the night.

With the absence of light after dark, I was reminded of a couple of Bible verses, “The Lord is my light and salvation, whom shall I fear, The Lord is the strength of my life, of whom shall I be afraid.” Psalm 27:1. And “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” Psalm 119:105.

The next day, April 12, before the clock’s alarm went off, the shrill, piercing call of a cardinal served as the wake-up call for my husband and me. By 6 A.M., the light of dawn started its trek into the farmhouse.

While Randy milked the cow, I saw my chance to make a pound of butter and boil a dozen eggs to set aside for an upcoming meal. We stored water for washing and cooking to use while the water pump was unusable. With the absence of power for active work, the our family set about to use the time for quiet things like reading, studying, writing, needlework, and drawing. My husband began to read a novel to the family.

A hopeful sign came when the house phone-line came back into service. The telephone company had placed a generator near the service pole not far from our home to aid reception.

On the third day, an electric coop truck drove by our home. That served as a welcome premonition that the neighborhood would be getting its power restored. By lunchtime that day, power flooded our home.

The folks we had prayed for, the linemen and others who served to restore the power, had labored hard and served us well.

photo credit: Can Pac Swire Who needs to buy plastic fake icicles when you get the real thing? via photopin (license)
photo credit: bunnygoth Oil Lamps via photopin (license)
photo credit: www.miriam-blaylock.com Bargello_sampler_study_detail_5 via photopin (license)

Dusty started out to look like a furry, football.  But today, he is a long-legged bundle of energy.  He jumps and runs and barks and nips at my pant legs.

Yesterday was a big day for Dusty.  First off, the vet came and gave him two immunization shots.  That quieted him for a bit.  He was not happy with that.

Second, later that day after he got over the pain of the shots, he made acquaintance with the electric fence.  Now he knows not to brush with that zinging boundary.  

Last but not least, after dark, Dusty was still outdoors.  My husband went out to do a few chores with the cows.  He also planned to take time to put Dusty in his “kennel”, the barn. 

Dusty sensed something was different on the farm.  He was right!  Ambling around the farm yard was a black and white beauty that had just woken up from hibernation...A SKUNK! 

Dusty likes to nip at strangers and he snuck up on the skunk.  You can imagine the rest of the story.   Dusty learned not to mess with skunks.  He rolled his snout in the grass trying to clean himself off.  

The incident must have happened very close to the house.  While I worked with some food in the kitchen, I noticed the smell.  At first I expected it was the sour smell of the fresh yogurt I had made.  But the faint odor grew stronger and stronger.  I recognized the musky smell of a skunk.  I called upstairs to ask my daughter if she smelled skunk.  “Yes,” she answered back. 

Needless to say, she and I both had to do some odor-control.  It hung around and inside the house for a long part of the night.  I slept fine, but I wonder how well Dusty did.

photo credit: summit2 stumps_med2 via photopin (license)
photo credit: peterned Looking forward to spring via photopin (license)
photo credit: MTSOfan Let’s Try on a Wig via photopin (license)

It occurred to me that supplying food for my family might have a parallel message in it for me to learn.  Here are my observations.   It may be that they will benefit you, too.

I hope these few tidbits quicken helpful thoughts in for mind that will help you live your life to please our wonderful Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

  Supplying Food                   Parallel Lesson for Life                           

To make pudding:                To live a life pleasing to God:

1. 1. Get the idea                 1. Pray, ask the Lord for His idea for your life.
   2. Find a recipe                2. Go to the Book, the Holy Bible, for directions.
   3. Read directions            3. Read His Word. (A recipe is a tried & true way to do it).
   4. Note adj., adv.             4.  Adjectives, adverbs describe.  Be attentive, comply to them.
   5. Do things in order        5.  Go step by step.  Out of order will not yield best results.

The main ingredient of pudding, milk, is represented on our designed card called “Milk by the Pint”.

photo credit: bochalla Sweet simplicity via photopin (license)

A weasel did damage in the chicken house. Possums attacked a farm kitten. Raccoons have delighted in our ear corn. Critters have been moving in to badger us and our belongings.

Enough is enough!

Our farm dog aggressively controlled the assaults from the wildlife for many years. Since he died, we have been made all to aware of the need to look to the future. How can we combat the onslaught of unwanted animals helping themselves to our food and our space on the farm?  It became clear, that we needed a new farm dog.

We watched the newspaper want ads, checked Craig’s list, and spread the word by mouth in order to find a new dog.  We finally made contact with a family on a farm not far from our own.  They had a litter of four blue heeler/border collie pups for sale.  (The Blue Heeler is also known as Australian Shepherd.)  We went to see them two days ago.  

The pups were basically white with black markings.  One male had one large black spot surrounding each eye and a clear white spot on the top of his head.  We chose him.  The coat on his back was not pure white, but had a lot of black hair mixed with the white. 

It took a few of days for us to settle on a name for him. His four white feet covered with black “freckle-type” spots coupled with the dusty blanket-look on his back, prompted us to call him, “Dusty”.

Dusty is full of puppy-energy.  So now comes the task of training him. My husband works with him the most.  On the farm, we need a work dog.  He will learn to shepherd the cattle with my husband.  We expect Dusty to be an asset to our farm.  We hope his energy gets channeled in the right places around here.

For the dog-lover, we have a card in our store.  It is titled, “Faithful Farm Dog.”  This card captures the image of the dear dog we lost.  His name was Samson.

If you have interest in an Australian Shepherds you might check out one interesting place that raises them.  

photo credit: Tambako the Jaguar Silva playing with a carpet via photopin (license)