Knolltop Farm Wife (Melissa Hart)

Welcome to my blog! I'm a wife, mother of four and a self-employed freelance writer. In addition to writing, I am involved in producing several dairy magazines and am the editor of Dairy Agenda Today where I have a blog there as well! This is a place where I can get what's in my head, down on paper (the internet). I hope you find encouragement and maybe a giggle or two!
Follow me on instagram @farmwriter

Monday, November 23, 2009

Senior Pictures

JW and I went to David Smith's, Smile Photography for his senior pictures yesterday afternoon. We had a great time! I can't wait to see the proofs.
When we got done with the studio shots, David took JW outside and put him through his paces. Telling him how to stand, how to look, smile, don't smile, look up, tip your chin down, relax the arm...the whole bit. Almost as bad as a cattle photographer. Only David didn't need a crew of five or a noise maker!
JW had to get his clothes just right.
Okay, now he looks like a rock star....yes, I am his mother!
David was very interactive crouching down and showing him how to sit. So much fun!!!!
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Senior Pictures

Good Monday Morning from a sunny Knolltop!

Why didn't someone tell me my headline to the last post was misspelled????? Oh my heavens!

Yesterday JW and I ventured to Reading for his senior picture session. Oh my, I had no idea it was going to take three hours! It was fun though, of course he's so photogeneic! And yes, I am his mother, I know, but you just can't beat his smile.

I'll post a few pics above.

Today is one of the last warmer days so I'm heading out to work in the yard. Coming home last evening we noticed several people with their Christmas lights up....they were the smart ones and used good weather to hang lights.

Sunday, November 15, 2009

God's Awesome Answer

Good Morning from a sunny, cool Knolltop.

I know, I know, it's been over a week since I wrote anything. I actually began writing this post last Sunday and haven't had time to finish it....

Suffice it to say, Bobby and I had a wonderful time in Louisville and the kids handled things well on the farm.


Right now, I've got to write about a God thing. If you don't believe in God or don't like any kind of religion....stop reading right now because I'm going to be considerably transparent about God and how He answered our prayers..


JW found a baseball camp a few weeks ago. World Baseball Acadamey in Ft. Wayne, Indiana was advertising a pitchers and catchers training camp. Looking into it I decided I would bite the bullet and pay for JW to go. He wanted to go so badly so when an unexpected, very small, windfall came our way, we immediately gave part of it to JW for camp. Afterall he had be so faithful in helping with chores all fall when we would rush off to a football or volleyball game. He would gladly stay behind and finish up chores or sometimes do all of the chores, without complaint.


Excited about this opportunity we were counting down the days until his first Thursday night that he would attend camp. One day the phone rang and it was the head of the baseball camp, Caleb. He said all the boys that wanted to attend the camp chose to opt into private instruction and now JW was the only one left in the camp. We had two choices, he could attend camp with middle school age kids or take private instruction....at no extra cost! Of course, I chose the private instruction and scheduled his time for Saturday afternoons.


JW was more than excited and couldn't wait to tell Luke. Luke was excited as well and then they took it one step further and surmised that since the lessons were on Saturday, Luke could attend as well. In their mind it was set in stone, I would call Caleb, get Luke added to the camp and one pitcher and one catcher would attend the camp together every Saturday afternoon. Money never even entered into their minds, but it was consuming mine.


As camp got closer, Luke would talk about it more and more and they kept reminding me to call Caleb to get Luke added. I kept saying I would but in the back of my mind I knew I didn't have the extra money. Thursday night during milking JW came in and asked again, if I had called Caleb. I was not in a good mood after a day of trying to figure out how I was going to make ends meet for another month. I looked at JW and said, "I'm sorry, but I have no money for Luke to attend camp." There, I said it. I admitted what I didn't want to admit, it was now out in the open and part of me was glad, the other part was mad.

Then I heard a voice in my head say, "You don't have the money but God does, why don't you ask Him." Feeling awful about snapping at JW and just ignoring the prayer factor, I caught JW as he was headed out the door. I looked at him and said, "I don't have the money, but God does, let's pray that he provides it for us. And please don't tell Luke I don't have the money, let's just pray, okay?"

He looked at me with a look of disbelief that I would even have to ask him twice and said, "Sure, I'll pray."

It was Friday night in the barn and Luke backed the tractor down to clean the gutters and came bouncing in the barn. I asked why he was so happy and he remarked that he was excited about baseball camp. My heart sank....and I began to pray again, 'God, please don't let him down.' I looked at him trying to appear fearless and said, "Yep, it will be a lot of fun." But deep down inside I was not fearless at all, my heart was breaking.

You see, Luke loves baseball, he is an outstanding catcher and both he and JW have enjoyed playing together since they were six and 8 year olds playing in the yard with Bobby. Every evening after chores they would con Bobby into playing a game of ball. We would all gather in the yard and begin to play until Sarah would get upset about something and then she and I would go sit on the porch together and watch the boys.

It was Saturday morning and Bobby, JW and Luke got ready to go. The boys gathered their equipment while Bobby took me aside and said he would ask Caleb how much it would be to add Luke to the camp. I replied, "I'll pray."

That afternoon my mom called and asked about the camp. I told her about the situation and she immediately said, "Why didn't you say something, I can help out." I told her we were praying and were waiting to see what God would do. Strangely, she was happy with that answer, normally she would fix the situation by volunteering to pay for it, but this time, she just reassured her offer to help was there if we wanted it and backed off.

They were gone most of the day and when they got home they told me all about it. They really liked the instructor and were looking forward to going back. After dinner, Bobby and I were having our coffee when he said, "I asked Caleb how much it would be to add Luke to the camp and he said nothing!"

I couldn't believe it. God answered our prayer in such a powerful way! Later that evening I celebrated with JW, we both just giggled at how generous God was and is.

When I called my mom to tell her the good news, she said, "You know, I just knew that was going to happen. I just had a feeling."

Never underestimate the power of prayer! Or God's deep and wonderous grace.

Saturday, November 7, 2009

Football Season


Since I haven't posted any pictures of football season, I thought I had better keep the grandparents happy and put up some of Luke's football pictures. Now I know the rest of the readers may not give two hoots about the kid in the Number 16 jersey, but there are a few of you who will thoroughly enjoy.
Luke was the quarterback of the team. This was good and bad. It was good because I always knew where he was and if he was doing a good job.
It was bad because other parents felt the need to tell Luke if he was doing something wrong and they would yell at him. Well, this Mama bear didn't like that. It was all I could do to sit through a game and not plough through the fans to knock those hecklers right off the stands! Trying to figure out what to do, the next game, I decided to get close to them. So, I sat in their section, as close as I could and you know what? They didn't say a word! Not a peep! The next game I didn't sit quite so close and they were still well behaved. It was a good thing, I just knew it was gonna get ugly if they yelled at my baby one more time.
Basketball season starts soon.....???




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Friday, November 6, 2009

Heading South!

Good morning from a very chilly knolltop. It was 29 when we went across the road to milk!


Yesterday JW was honored as student of the month. That event took place before school, so then while we were out in our town clothes we ran some errands and then home for more chores. This morning JW is on his way to Louisville for the dairy judging contest at the North American.

Today I'm getting ready to head south as well, for the NAILE in Louisville. I am covering it for Dairy Agenda Today, otherwise, no, there is no way I could afford this trip if I weren't working while I was there!

Mom will come down and take care of the kids and I am actually getting Bobby off the farm! He will be able to visit with all of his buddies and enjoy some down time! We are looking forward to the trip and are thankful for a mom who will come watch our kids and for kids who will take over the farm for a few days!

Okay, by now I"m sure you know, prayer is needed for the Hart family! And I thank you in advance!

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Frosting rules

Good Morning from a sunny 30 something Knolltop!

Now that I just finished a fresh hot sweetroll with cream cheese frosting and a hot cup of coffee, I think I'm ready for the day. I was snooping around the Pioneer Woman website the other day, I very rarely go there because it's so addictive, but I found a recipe for pumpkin muffins with cream cheese frosting.

I made the muffins, in the name of nutritional goodness because of the pumpkin, but I refrained from the frosting....it just didn't seem right for breakfast. But somehow that frosting rule doesn't apply to sweetrolls, cause I just made a creamy batch of cream cheese frosting, slathered it on the hot sweetrolls and enjoyed every last bite!

Now I've got to go work it off in the barn!

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Bright and Sunny Tuesday!

Good Sunny morning from the knolltop! What a beautiful sunrise and now a shining morning!



Everyone is back to healthy in the house now. Sarah went back to school! It's amazing what a little rest will do for a body.



I lost a calf this morning! When I went out to feed the calves their milk, she was gone! Because she is mostly black, I didn't see her standing outside in the springer pen in the dark. When she heard the clank of the buckets she realized she had better get back home for breakfast! I was able to feed here in that pen, but I will have to wrangle her back home this morning when we bed the barn and clean gutters.



I received a "Save the date" magnet in the mail the other day...it seems TWO of my nephews have decided to make my sister crazy by both getting married within 3 months! John will get married in March and Tim is getting married in June! My poor, poor, poor sister. It's a good thing she had all boys....can you imagine if she had two daughters getting married????



It makes my head spin.....