Remember that one time....?

No, I am not referring to any music based summer camp. I do, however, feel the need to update a little, well a lot. Actually we should update everything here.

You see when we started this little website we had a jumble of visions dancing through our minds. Over the last couple of years the jumble has gotten a little more clear and we are continuing to hone that vision. Where there was once a simple garden and four rows of baby grapevines there are now, 200 (real count) grapevines, an ever growing garden, a small orchard, an overgrown berry patch, a lavender field and the latest endeavor; Christmas tree hill.

When Dale and I first got married, we knew we loved our little slice of heaven out here on the Palouse and it seems that whenever our friends and family come to visit, they share that love. It is simple and yet so rich. So peaceful and so alive. Crickets and frogs sing along with the birds, chickens find the one and only break in the netting to make an escape and nibble on mom's flowers and the worries of the world sort of disappear.

We have wanted from the beginning to share this with others. One question; How on earth do we do that? While we may not always have an exact answer to that, we do keep that question in mind as we add to our humble little ranch. That is why each piece of our little ranch ties in to others. Maybe people will come to pick their own fruit, help bring in the grape harvest or participate in stomping those grapes. In a few years when the Christmas trees are grown, perhaps we can have a weekend when we invite people to come enjoy some hot cocoa and hike up to pick out a tree to take home. The barn that once housed the Hilby Family will be renovated over the next couple of years and will become a rustic dining hall to host our family dinners and maybe small gatherings for others. While we haven't specifically landed on the word "Community" it seems to be an ever present theme in what we do out here at the Funky D.

Dale and I have chosen a simple life. One day a year or two ago we came across this quote from Leo Tolstoy; " A quiet secluded life in the country, with the possibility of being useful to people to whom it is easy to do good, and who are not accustomed to have it done to them; then work which one hopes may be of some use; then rest, nature, books, music, love for one's neighbor -- such is my idea of happiness. " We just looked at each other as if someone put into words what we were feeling.

While we may not know exactly how we will "be useful to people to whom it is easy to do good" but we know were on the road toward that. We listen for the nudges God gives us and we choose to love the people in front of us. So far, so good.