Faster than the “Slow Lane”

Hi. I write the “Slow Lane” column in each monthly issue of Country Home magazine. And now I’m writing a blog that will appear every other week on www.countryhome.com.

So, let me introduce myself. I live on an acreage in Iowa with my husband, Doug, and sons, Tristan and Graham. (Actually, Tristan left for college in August, but most of his laundry—clean and dirty—is still littering the floor of his bedroom, so it’s sort of like he’s still living here).

We live in a farmhouse that was built in 1903—with only one closet. (What were they thinking?) The lack of closets, the one bathroom, and the tiny bedrooms all led to 23 years of remodeling projects both inside and out. I think the house is done now because there’s nowhere else to add on…or is there?

We share our lives with lots of pets. Three horses. Three donkeys. Eighteen sheep. Five dogs. Thirteen cats, including Claire, a dainty little tiger-striped cat who gave birth to 5 kittens, so make that 18 cats. We have doves in our garden aviary and a chicken house populated with laying hens. Our two tortoises (Maximus and Minimus, pets that Graham got when he was 8) will each eventually grow as large as a wheelbarrow—but not for 50 years…or so my son promised. And two canaries—one that sings like Pavarotti and one that makes awkward chirping sounds.

And we have four large gardens, a small orchard, and a huge koi pond (and the koi definitely have to be counted as pets because they are as personable and friendly as puppies).

You’ll meet them all, plus find out what else is happening at the farm and surrounding countryside throughout the seasons—every other week. I’ll hope you’ll tune in.

Claire’s kittens just opened their eyes and have started to wander about.

Snap, a Jack Russell terrier, is one of our five dogs.