Have you ever been told you are too sensitive? I have, and boy did it used to hurt. But I have come to realize how “wearing our hearts on our sleeves” is a beautiful gift. And if you ever wondered where that saying comes from, I share it with you in our time together. I also share with you my finally finished 18th-century mitts!
I discovered recently that the saints of old always viewed sensitivity as a strength, not a weakness, as being vulnerable and feeling too much helps us connect with the needs of others.
As winter marches on I find ways to nurture my sensitive soul, doing things in the spirit of love — for its the only way to keep our hearts soft in a world that can so easily harden it. Are you a sensitive soul? Well then, you are not alone. Click below and let’s visit together!
Category Archives: Uncategorized
Spring Is In My Heart, Although My Toes Are Frozen!
The start of February is a favorite time for me as I begin seeing signs of spring…yes, there are signs even in this arctic blast we are having! The new month also begins with the forgotten ancient celebration of Candlemas! So come! Learn more, celebrate with me and let’s ponder how we can all carry more spring in our hearts and abide always in the light of Christ! Blessings!
Click below to visit with me!
Winter’s Longing: Finding Courage to Start Anew
The winter blahs have hit me…big time! So when I am feeling out of sorts — and very defeated as everything I try to do seems to flop! — I delve into the archives of history, brushing the dust off of 17th-century poetry from Anne Bradstreet, taking joy in winter walks with the new muff to keep my hands warm, and trying my hand at making a medieval German winter bread. (Disclosure: This was my second attempt and so far both attempts at bread making failed!)
But in my winter longing for better days, I embrace the truth that often courage doesn’t roar. It whispers to us to try again tomorrow. For my friends, God is always calling us to come out of our tombs of winter blahs and live once again! So come! Live with me.
Pull up a chair and let’s have a wonderful visit together! And share with me the times in your life when failures turned out to be preludes to beautiful praise for the new thing God was doing!
Watch episode on YouTube and press the like button and drop me a comment and share with others. When YouTube sees this, more people get invited to drop by and sit at my old farm table!
Blessings to you!
Winter’s Holy Hush
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!
Ring Out the Old, Ring in the New!
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 Gift of a Quiet, Little Christmas
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!!!
Joy Does Mingle With Sorrow — It’s OK Not to Feel Jolly
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!
Deck the Halls with Evergreen and Prayer
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!
Finding Christmas Hope
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!
A Frugal Thanksgiving Feast at the Farm
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!