The House Update is Finished!

The painting took longer than usual, but It was worth the wait!

Here is a reminder of what it looked like before.

BEFORE of the Front {Colonial}

AFTER of the Front {Southern Cottage}

Unfortunately, the weather wasn't cooperating for better pictures.

We even painted the swing!

BEFORE of the Back

 

AFTER of the Back

It's SO Relaxing! Funny how a color change, can change the whole mood.

We were hoping for a Southern Cottage feel to the house. I think we got it! It feels fresh, clean, and cozy. Now the house blends in with the rest of the property.

We were also really happy with the side effects of painting it a light color...the brick is cooler and so is the house. The back patio/deck is cooler too.

Now on to the next project...getting the new house built!

Have a Great Week!

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Thistle Hill Ranch Improvements Coming Soon!

The House Update is Almost DONE!

I can't wait to share the new look of the Thistle Hill Ranch's house!

We wanted it to look like a southern country home. It's not technically small enough to be called a cottage, but we wanted a "cottage" look. This is the first home/ building you see, when you enter our ranch. We wanted continuity with all the buildings, that way when we build the new home, it will all flow as if everything was built about the same time.

Check Back on Monday. The renovation should be complete Sunday. I'm really excited!

See You Soon!

HINT...

Have a Great Weekend!

*Checkout the Instagram Account @goosebumpfactor and #thistlehillranch for pictures of our daily life here at Thistle Hill Ranch.

 

 

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Summer Projects at Thistle Hill Ranch

Our first year at the Thistle Hill Ranch has just passed. It's been an amazing year here. There's so much we've accomplished, and so many projects we've finished. I'm so happy we made the desicion to move here, even though we've had so much to learn, in a short amount of time. My Grandpa used to say, "If you Love the Place, It Doesn't Feel Like Work"!

The before and after of the property is shocking!

Here are a few before and after photos...

The House~

I love this little '80's ranch home, but being on "the ranch", it doesn't quite fit in with the overall plan we have for Thistle Hill.

The plan is to have this home, and the new home blend. Not to mention, all of the out buildings too.

Let's Start With the House...

The brick, and black shutters, (shutters on the large window also, not being quite to scale), give a colonial feel to the home.

Here are some before pictures of the house.

{Side Note:My Father-in-law helped us with tree trimming, fan installations and shutter removal and building new ones! Poor guy came for a visit and we put him to work!}

I couldn't get over all the mud robber nests behind the shutters...YUK!

We capped the black turned posts with cedar. We will clear coat them to protect them from the elements, but keep the color.

You can see a glimpse of the new shutters.

You will also notice in the before picture the large bushes in the right front corner, are . It really made the house seem larger.

Our new umbrella on the back patio, to cut out the intense sun and heat. The patio deck will be getting a paint makeover too.

The painting of the brick, shutters, door, and deck start tomorrow...if it doesn't rain. It's like Christmas! I'm so excited!

The Pond~

This was the pond last year. Overgrown plants draining the water, an old dock, and a several year drought, took its toll on this 1/4 acre pond.

What a difference a year makes!

Look at the fence line in comparison. The water is almost to the top!

We have plans for a small dock, and fishing shack for fishing tack, and a little more shade. Maybe in a year...

The Barn & Corral~

It was full of snakes, and bunnies!

Recently, as of a week ago, barn fans installed!

Don't judge the mess, HA! This is also part of our storage until the house is built.

The end result...Sandy & Baby Koa enjoying the breeze!

I sure loved seeing the new barn sign in the winter too...Goose Bumps!

Next was Tree Trimmming...

We now understand, that this ranch chore is never really finished.

The picture below is showing the overgrown juniper bush, ivy, and other bushes. From what we could see, it had railroad ties on one side. We later discovered, they were all the way around.

Three hours later, all 4 of us, a tractor and a chainsaw later, it was all gone! Glad the boys are old enough to help...it sure went by fast with them.

Inside Our Home~

Not the greatest lighting in the pictures, but it's a peek inside.

If you follow me, you know I'm compelled to change in my decor. So this is the latest change. I moved the shedding plant to my patio. I was tired of cleaning up leaves. You can catch a glimpse of the before, in the above photo.

Entrance~

Dining Room

 

Preston's Bedroom

Landen's Bedroom

Not a fan of ceiling fans, but it's staying. Notice the printer in the corner, that's on my desk/ side table. We were really pleased at the size of this master bedroom. It's very comfortable and has an ensuite bathroom.

So what's next?

There is just so much on the list! New house, arena, and barn to build. Not necessarily in that order, but that is on the top 5 of the triage list. We just keep plugging away!

The Summer includes homeschooling a bit this summer with Math, and workbooks to keep their minds going. Horseback riding lessons continued, and fishing, fishing, fishing.

This was during Grandpa Ralph's visit...can you say "Boy Heaven"?

My Favorite!

Hope you had a great 4th of July! Last year we celebrated at The Whitesboro Rodeo. This year at home, at Thistle Hill Ranch.

Check back soon for the pictures of the AFTER on the house!

Have a Great Week!

 

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Unique Passion or is it a DNA Memory?

Have you ever gone antique shopping, collected certain items, or wanted to learn a language and wondered why you really like these things, when it really has nothing to do with anything, except that you like it?

My sister collected lighthouses, in the form of miniatures, art, etc., She never knew why she liked them so much...she just did!

We both have always LOVED the East Coast, and fell in love with Massachusetts. The history, the lush green countryside, the historic homes, on and on. I have always loved the coastal style of home, decor, etc.

Three or four years ago, {I've lost track now}, we started our Family History Journey. I know I'm probably being redundant, as I have shared a lot of this already; but, I still feel the need to share and put an all important question out there..

Could it be possible, that your DNA has a memory?

We all have passions, likes/dislikes, hobbies, or even extreme fascinations with certain cultures. But have you ever wondered if it's something deeper than, "it just interests me"?

The reason I ask this, is because through this journey of researching our family history, many "isn't that weird?" moments kept happening. At some point you start to think maybe this is more than coincidence.

Let me explain...

I'm 41 now, and when I was 24 and living in Honolulu, Hawaii for a short time, to be near my Dad and his family, I was working in the Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center. One of my coworkers suggested that while on my lunch break, I stop by the psychic fair and get a "reading". I was single, and wanted to find out why, at that point in my life, I was still having trouble finding "The One"!

What else does a 20'something single girl ask a "psychic", Ha!

So...why not!

She was a young late 20-something "psychic", and I asked her the above question.

Her response was this...

"This is interesting...I see a very large ship, with large sails, like from a long long time ago. I see you. You have 3 children. Something happened and your husband died, and left you with the 3 children. Until you get over the loss of him, you won't be able to move on and find your true love."

I walked away thinking that was the most random and bizarre "reading" and made absolutely no sense!

Fast forward 14 or so years later, and Heather and I discover in our research that our Great Grandmothers Grandfather was a whaling captain in Honolulu. That was shocking enough, then I found this...

Notice the last obituary...

 

At this point, we find out it took over 6 months for our 3rd Great Grandmother to find out her husband died. We just felt sad. Then, later that evening, I kept rereading the obituary in my head.

Then, it HIT ME!

"Leaves a wife and three children to mourn his loss."

All of a sudden I remembered that "random" psychic reading, that didn't seem so random anymore!

Then, we find out he was from Lowell Massachusetts, his best friend married our 3rd Great Grandmother, and he was also a whaling captain, and in his retirement he was a lighthouse keeper in Honolulu.

Are you kidding me!

So now, the lighthouses, affinity for anything Nantucket, nautical, etc, all of a sudden makes scary sense to both my sister and me!

I bought this print below,10 years ago. I found it in a thrift store, and had to have it!

Turns out it's the Charles W. Morgan in Mystic, Connecticut, which was an American whaling ship.

Another, "Holy WOW", moment when I looked at this print with new eyes, after our research.

I put my questions about the elusive Dennis (Denis) Kelly on a whaling online forum. And in a twist of fate, a friend of a relative, saw the post and recognized the story. She told our cousin, who lives in Californina, and she got in touch with me! In another twist of fate her son was living in Texas too! The next thing I know, she comes for a visit!

This is all of us together last week, here at Thistle Hill Ranch!

Her boyfriend, her in the middle next to me, her daughter in-law and son Kelly...notice the name Kelly? Yes, it's from Dennis Kelly.

I somehow know our relatives that have passed on made this happen! It was the most amazing 3 hours. I felt like I had known them my whole life. So comfortable and so much fun!

I know people casually say they believe in fate, or that their loved ones are still with them, and you casually agree.

But, if you really think about it, do you ever wonder about those "loved ones" you've never met? What if they love us, and know us; yet we've never met? What if they want us to know them so badly, they latch on to our passions, and push us in directions to find them, know them, and love them too?

I think so often when we research our family tree, it's just a bunch of names and dates. Never any stories, never any pictures, never a "real" person. So how could you possibly get a real picture of who they were?

Watch any show like "Who do you think you are?", or "Genealogy Roadshow", and see their individual journeys. It all seems to start out the same way...looking for a name, date, and some more information. Then, you hear, stories like Brook Shields, finding out she had history in France, as in royalty. She mentioned she wanted to learn French, had traveled to France, loved everything French, and never knew she had a genealogical history in France!

There are many stories like this!

I have loved our journey immensely. NOTHING is a coincidence anymore, I look at everything differently now.

My sister Heather brought this question to mind... {and forgive me Heather if I've chopped up your idea, but I think this is pretty close!}

~What if we don't just pass down eye color, hair color, and health. What if we pass down memories? What if we pass down passions or fears?

For example, when were afraid of certain things, for no reason at all! No previous experiences with that fear, we are just afraid!

I know... It really makes you think!

Ironically, several years after she proposed this idea, a study came out about this exact thing a year ago.

Here is the link:

http://themindunleashed.org/2014/01/scientists-found-memories-may-passed-generations-dna.html

So the next time someone asks you why you started a certain hobby, collection, or career choice, stop and think. It could be genetic! Your 4th Great Grandfather may have been an architect, whaler, scientist, lighthouse captain, artist etc.

It may not be as random a career choice or passion as you think.

Don't you just LOVE science?

Have a Great Weekend!

And when your out gardening, sailing, antiquing, etc. this weekend, stop and think... like one of my Pinterest Boards Titles

"Family History~I wonder if ?..."

 

 

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