BEFORE OUR WEE COTTAGE

WELCOME

Come sit with me in my swing while I tell you about Windsong Ranch--HOME for twelve years before our Wee Cottage!

The swing hung on our front porch, which stayed shady until late afternoon. This same swing now hangs on a stand down by the lake in our wee cove. It holds many tears and prayers. 

Our front door was seldom locked. It opened into both the kitchen and library. And visitors were always welcome to both. 

We weren't really ranchers--nothing like the neighbors around us--but we did have a small cow/calf herd (25 mama cows and MoJo the papa), and hay ground. We hung wind chimes at various places, and there were very few days when they didn't sing to us.  Thus the name--Windsong 

One of the very first things we moved to Windsong was this small church we called Tam-Lor Chapel, after our two daughters, Tammy and Lori.  Bob built it for me after as a memorial to the girls, and a quiet place to 'be still'.  The grandkids played church in it a lot. There was stained glass in the arch of the windows, a small 'stage' and pulpit, and kiddy-sized folding chairs. I can still hear them singing Jesus Loves Me.  Sadly, we weren't able to move it with us here to our wee cove. Not allowed, they said. And the last time we drove by, the steeple was on the ground. Evidently the new owners didn't cherish it like we did. 

Oh, how we loved this big barn. Big enough to hold stacks and stacks of baled hay, pens for loading cows and calves to take to summer pasture, and/or shelter for calving mama's. We 'mothered-up' many a calf in here. It was home to our cats and their kittens, and held a wealth of 'treasures' in the three grain storage rooms on one side. 

Bob's shop, complete with chimney, wood burning stove and vaulted ceilings, and a wee porch!! We could have lived in it!!

   
Bob's welding shop, but my morning porch! I begged for this porch, and he very graciously obliged me. 

The back of our home. Large picture window was on the east wall of our 17x 20 kitchen. There was also one on the west wall. The three windows were the first set of three on the east wall of our family room. You can't really see it well in this picture, but there was also a porch swing under the covered patio roof. The old gate at one time led to a garden which was no longer there when we arrived. 

There was a wonderful wood vine that climbed the old garden gate and turned a beautiful red in the fall. It made a good backdrop for the bench and bird bath. 

A younger me in another swing in our back yard. The stack of wood is what kept us warm in the winter. We had two large fireplaces but only used the second one if it got really, really cold. But it took a lot of wood.  

So why did we ever leave Windsong? 

That's another blog for another time.