See these little guys? These are my new Zen, my “high,” I love them… almost too much! Everyone in the office can attest! Margaret brought in a 2 pound bag a few weeks ago, and it was bad. I think I ate atleast ⅔ of them myself! Gosh, get a grip Kate! Don’t get rid of your membership at the Y! It’s the chewy with the crunch, in a…
… The early blackbirds fly guilty from a dawn haul of fallen fruit. We too breakfast on sweetnesses … – Gillian Clarke
Kate ZiehmWhen I read this line I can’t help but wonder, do the crows really feel guilty? Probably not. Then why do we when we indulge in sweetness? Why not change our way of thinking, and embrace sweetness, and salt, full and empty, with the ebb and flow of life. Balance.…
I love the smell of manure. I don’t get to smell it every day like I used to. Friday, when I was walking to the post office, I was caught off guard a bit by the familiar smell that wafted into my nasal cavity. It was like an old friend. But where was it coming from? It is not a typical smell in the village of Greenwich. It…
Ever seen one of these? I would be shocked if you hadn’t. They are a staple on our farm– a calling card. The yellow Genex Breeding Card. Never throw one out. It might have a valuable piece of information on it, scrawled in hen scratch, smeared with grease and oil–even an occasional splat of manure. On my home farm, my uncle was famous for using brown paper towels as…
There used to be three little faces in this picture. Like clockwork every year. All decked out in their new sneakers, shirts, and backpacks. But this year, there was only one. Just one, on the first day of school. As I sit back and think about the past summer and the launch of child number two out into the world, I am also thinking about the launch of…
And he’s off! It has been a week of saying goodbye… and hello. Tears and smiles, hugs…and packing. The ground has been unsteady all summer, but it’s finally firming up again. And it feels GOOD. Every time a child heads out into the great blue yonder, a piece of a mom’s heart gets torn off and goes with her child. All summer, this piece of my heart has…
It’s time for the fair! And getting Jacob George to Michigan State! Once this hits your inbox, cows will be moving to the fairgrounds, the haylage will be judged, and the final load of laundry will be drying. There will have been some tearful goodbyes, registration papers will have been checked, and the car will be packed and ready to head to East Lansing, Michigan. Is it possible…
How rich our life can be… …if only we remember to focus on what is positive. “Rich is way more than what will ever be in the bank…it’s what is in your heart.” Here’s to August, getting ready to send baby #2 to Michigan State and embracing the only thing that remains constant… change. With love,Kate…
The kids say I take more pictures of the dog than I do them. It’s true. I talk to her, and I find myself staring at her. I hug her, I kiss her, I make over her constantly. She absolutely is the object of my affection. My dog. Trixie. Do you know we have a joke in the office about the dog having seasonal depression?? I swear, whenever…
Finally, at the age of 48, I need to wear glasses for reading… and for looking at my phone and everything else I hold within my arm’s length. And it stinks! When did this happen? It’s BEEN happening. Just ask the kids. The little stinkers laugh and look at each other every time I navigate on my phone, and I have to hold it away from my body. …









