Friends, I invite you to enter into the season of Epiphany with me — with a little bit of reflection, historic tidbits and a tipsy hedgehog! A what? Yes, a tipsy hedgehog. It’s an 18th century recipe that often graced holiday table. All it is is almond flour, sherry, cream, eggs, sugar, molded into the shape of a hedgehog. It was quite delicious. If you are interested in the recipe, leave a comment to let me know! But I chose it to celebrate Epiphany, which was officially Jan. 6. It is the day we remember the arrival of the Magi and the gifts they presented to Jesus. I embrace this time as a season of remembering to look for the Christ light shining on new paths that God is asking us to boldly take. Sadly, the world rushes us into a new year, creating too much stress that is necessary. Epiphany comes during winter, which is a time to listen to the holy hush of the season — a stillness that heals and restores us. So come! Let’s enjoy some tipsy hedgehog together and talk about how we are going to embrace winter’s holy hush and step into the year softly!

I cannot believe how fast these days of Christmastide are going! Here we are now saying good bye to 2025 and welcoming a New Year.

As we do, I invite you join me for a New Year’s party here at the farm. Well, not a party, more like a time of prayer as I share with you with the Swiss tradition of ringing cow bells on Dec. 31 along with the special Swiss tradition known as the Alp Blessing, an ancient custom of prayer in the mountains to ask God’s blessings and to say, “Remember me!”

We all want to be remembered, don’t we? We all want to feel seen and loved? Yet we all at times feel the ache of loneliness or of being empty.

So come and join me at my old Vermont homestead (click below!) where we start the new year together on a positive note — remembering that the Christ light is always shining on our path and that we never journey alone.

I am looking forward to being together with you in 2026. Blessings!

The Old Stone Well Farm Christmas video has arrived! This is my gift to all of you, dear friends, who have made this year an amazing one full of love, joy, many prayers and so much hope found in our community! The Christmas video has become a tradition here at the farm, ending always with lighting the candles on the tree on top of Sofie’s Hill. It was a bit windy this year, so the candles were constantly going out. But it promises to still be a special time! I hope you enjoy it! As always, make sure to go to YouTube and like, share and comment! It’s YouTube’s way of making the video public to more people! Merry Christmas!!!

When I lit the candle of joy on the Advent wreath, I was reminded of how often we struggle to feel that holiday cheer the world says we ought to feel. So many people are hurting and grieving. And, once again, the headlines recently were filled with news of senseless violence and death. But amid life’s sorrows, there are holy whispers of joy to be heard. And that is the message of Christmas, isn’t it?That Christ was born to share our tears. I invite you to step away from the Christmas busyness that is ramping us as we draw closer to the big day. Come, sit and let us share a cup of cheer together. Come and be reminded of the true meaning of this season. And as you join me, I will share with you the beautiful hope that emerges with amazing joy when we do bring our brokenness to God. I also share with you a poignant story behind a very special Christmas poem that became a song. If you enjoy this time together, let me know! Press like, leave a comment and, this holiday, give the gift of Old Stone Well Farm’s YouTube channel with friends. Share today’s episode with them! I can’t wait for you to join me! Blessings!

The Vermont snows have been coming regularly and furiously, turning Old Stone Well Farm into the perfect setting for a Hallmark Christmas show!

During the recent snowstorm, I began to deck the halls of the old homestead with the gifts from Mother Nature — greenery!

And as I did, I remembered an Advent prayer written by fifth century bishop, St. John Chrysostom, about the true decorations that welcome the Christ Child. It gave me an idea!

I would not view holiday decorating as a chore, but rather as a prayerful time, lifting prayers of thanks for each bough hung and each candle lit. It truly brought a sense of peace to my day.

Come and join me! I share with you the Advent wreath made out of apples to hold the candles. And I can’t wait to tell you about the story of St. Nick…no that the one who gave us St. Nicholas Day.

This is the Swiss St. Nicholas that very few have heard of. Yet his story is one of how he brought peace to the a Swiss village in the Christmas of 1481.

Need a little peace today? Then pull up a chair and share some tea with me. It’s always a joy to visit with you, my friends. It is also a joy to read your comments.

So leave a comment, like, and share this time with a friend.

There is plenty of room in the old house!

Blessings!

Advent begins with a little festive foraging and searching for signs of Christmas hope all around. This year, though, I discovered that hope often comes to us in unexpected ways! Join me for the latest episode now streaming on YouTube where I also announce a new Christmas tradition in which I will need your help. Make sure to like, comment and share with friends!

Blessings!

Happy Thanksgiving to all who celebrate!

I can’t believe I was able to get to this episode, which has been on my heart for a long time. I have always wanted to spend the day cooking a Thanksgiving meal the old-fashioned way — outdoors in my primitive stone bake oven. I’ve kept the meal real simple as, like many, I am watching my budget closely. This meal was way under $15! 🙂 And it was so delicious.

So I invite you to come and walk alongside me for a traditional 18th-century (maybe even 17th-century!) Vermont Thanksgiving.

Warning: It is going to be a long day. 😉 But I end with a new Thanksgiving tradition I started this year. It is one I hope blesses you and one in which I hope becomes a treasured way to end Thanksgiving Day with. So pull up a chair and join me…and invite a friend. Share the link with others as a creative way to send Thanksgiving blessings!

Like and comment!

Blessings to you all!

An early holiday treat for you! For many here in the U.S., Thanksgiving preparations are underway and that means the chaos of “doing” Christmas is here. But here at the farm, I embrace an early Advent…my calm before Christmas…and I do so by sharing with you an old Swiss tradition of making turnip lanterns to light up these November days. So come! Join me at the farm!

Blessings! Donna

My friends, we just had our first snow of the season and it came just as I had to say good bye to PotPie, my old hen. It has been a sad time here at the farm, but in my grief I remember how we must always keep taking those steps in faith forward. For there is always hope waiting for us. So come, join me for this special time together. It is good to be with you.

Blessings, Donna

It’s an Old Stone Well Farm tradition to light up the back pasture with an inspirational message carved out of pumpkins. This year, though I wasn’t very inspired to partake in the Halloween festivities. I feel like the world is scary enough these days that we don’t need anything more to frighten us. So I am focusing more on Hallowtide, the three days on the church calendar (Oct. 31-Nov. 2) in which we remember the saints that have shaped and inspired us.

But as I was on my prayer walk, I remembered how 16th century German Reformer, Martin Luther, banished all fear — and evil — by using one little yet powerful word. And so, I found my inspiration for this year’s pumpkin message (revealed at the end of the video!).

So pull up a chair and join me…apologies that I was a bit under the weather while filming this. Blessings!