These days daughter Susie and her husband Wes work in Johannesburg but offset the stresses of corporate-type jobs by enjoying a small farm in the countryside on nights and weekends. They are accompanied by two dogs, three sheep, numerous guinea fowl and -- at the stables next door -- six horses.
That isn't enough. Here are her latest iPhone photos. Last weekend work began on constructing a coop so they can add some chickens and have their own fresh eggs.
Believe me, this is not how Susie lived back in West Hartford, Connecticut. South Africa is a long ways off, in so many ways.
22 comments:
To be in touch with nature is so precious!Glad that your son lives in such a beautiful place and he can enjoy it, having quality of life!They are doing a great work with the coop! :)
Léia
Err, daughter:) Thanks for the nice post, dad. Will send more photos as the coop progresses. (I think once it's done, everyone's going to be too tired for the chickens...)
How cool! South Africa sounds like a real adventure. :)
They must have someone reliable to take care of the animals during the week. That sounds like a high maintenance operation.
Very cool, Jack! I wouldn't mind a total change in my life if one day I would have the chance to say: "I had a farm in Africa (at the foot of the Ngong Hills)" - Karen Blixen's 'Out Of Africa'.
That does sound like a nice change of pace as well as a grand adventure.
Tell me about it Jack :)
Wow! A total change indeed, but how wonderful for them to be able to make and enjoy those changes! That's making the most of life and changes wherever they are!!
Despite the many stresses they are probably experiencing, they know how to deal with it for their own lives together. I think that they are being very wise. Jo'berg can be frustrating. South Africa is a wonderful country despite its myriad problems. I've been there twice and loved it and its people.
I'd love to have a few chickens pecking around the place. It must be so relaxing for them when they get home at night, Jack.
Sounds like they have figured out how to mix business with pleasure and down time. Good for them. I can't wait to see the coop when finished!
V
That would become one of the nicest chicken coops around. We need to see it when it is finished!
What a change of life, nice.
A friend of me made the same in Tuscany...
Gotta give her credit. Our youngest daughter in Ft. Lauderdale has a farm, too, with horse, pigs, goats, chickens, sheep, donkeys, etc. She's a teacher and never lived on a farm. I don't get it. But she loves it.
Oh,and she just built a chicken coop.
That looks like it will be a 5-star chicken residence.
Do I take it you aren't going to build one in Hartford or in Naples?
I'd love to see South Africa for myself some day.
I'm sure it's a beautiful spot and a dream come true. But I can't see having six horses plus the sheep, guinea fowl, dogs. . .and chickens as a stress offset. Unless there's a couple of extra hands to help.
She is a brave young woman. I have a friend in central Seattle who keeps chickens in her back yard (not uncommon there, I'm told). I don't get it. Where I come from, chickens ans eggs come from Safeway and there is no question which came first.
Well DD in far off Alberta received 18 chickens this last week...BEFORE they got the coop built. The chaos has been a challenge! They don't have the sheep or horses, but they have the 2 dogs and the 4 children. This may turn into a blog post of mine later on, once I see the humor in it all.
That is one big coop.
She and her husband must have tons of energy!
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