Little Home, Big Heart

 

Back in February, when I decided to move to Wolfe City, my emotions were on full display — part thrilling, part terrifying, and all kinds of what in the world am I doing? But here I am, settled in nicely and happier than ever. My house is wonderful… and also a tad too big for one person (unless you count the animals, and honestly, they don’t help with the cleaning).

So, I started dreaming smaller — literally. I began working with a Mennonite family business that builds small homes, made-to-order. My vision: a one-bedroom, one-bath home with a real kitchen, laundry room, and space that feels “just right.”

Enter Josiah — the wizard behind the hammer. He and his family have built my little home by hand, and it’s pure magic. Now, I could call it a “tiny house,” but technically, that’s anything under 399 square feet. Mine’s a whopping 800 square feet — basically a penthouse in the world of tiny homes. It’s the perfect size for the things (and creatures) I love, and the rest? Donated, recycled, or joyfully tossed.

Let’s just say I’ve done “The Home Edit” on steroids. Less is more… especially when “less” means less to clean.

The Great Delivery Day

Me

When the big day came to deliver my new home, my neighbor Sherry came to the rescue. She graciously allowed the truck to cross her pasture to get to my land — because, apparently, “wide load” really means WIDE load.

Here it comes, down my county road!

As fate (and small-town life) would have it, Sherry already knew Josiah and his family! They had a grand ol’ reunion right there at the fence while my new home waited patiently for its grand entrance. A few trimmed tree limbs later — courtesy of Josiah, of course — and we were in business.

There seems to be nothing that Josiah
can't do, along with his sons

Meanwhile, Dutch and Penny (the self-appointed Welcome Committee) supervised the whole operation like they were on payroll.

Don't know what I'd do without these
two goofballs 😍

Down my 'new' gravel road to my new place

And the placement beside the huge awning begins

Settling the Dust and Hooking Up the Dreams

Now that the dust has settled, the water, septic, and electricity are all hooked up. Just a few finishing touches left before move-in day! Josiah has truly thought of everything — outlets galore, non-freezing outdoor faucets, window ledges that double as shelves, soft-close handmade cabinets, and even outlets high on the wall just in case I want to mount a TV, which I thought was funny. It's normal for normal people, right? But I don't even have a TV for me. It's something to think about though.

I'm loving the awning beside my little home. This is
technically the front door.

This, the side door, that opens to my vehicles
under the (existing) awning.

This is all very raw at this point. The placement, the finishing of it. Yet, it's all a matter of time before it becomes a real home. 

In progress

As I await the finishing touches, I'll deliver inside photos (next time) that may be more telling of the size. My phone takes photos like it's in a capsule. Or on a subway train. But to give some reference, it reminds me of the size of an apartment. Very simple.

There have been many ups and downs along this journey. I’ve learned a big lesson through this process of building a small home: sometimes, the best results come when I don’t try to control every detail. When I step back, the blessings multiply. God is good — every day.

The Master Plan (and the Master Plan Jr.)

Now here’s the fun part: when I move into my little home, the “big house” becomes Lauren and Ryan’s. Which means — cue the trumpets — Brooks and Olive will be just next door!

My grand plan of having the grandkids close by? Complete success. Sleepovers at Nana’s, adventures on the land, and daily doses of hugs and chaos — all within shouting distance.

Lauren and Ryan will move here next year and Lauren hopes to start nursing school in the upcoming future, and Brooks begins kindergarten right here in Wolfe City. The population of Peace and Love Acres will increase by four humans and two cats. And I’m completely here for it.

He's A She

Speaking of cats — let’s talk about my latest emotional rollercoaster. 

This sweet sweet thing

My “little boy” foster kitten turned out to be… a girl. Oops. How did this happen? Somewhere between the eye ointments, eye drops and the warm compresses for her poor eyes, everyone just went with “he.” But surprise! Lady Bug (formerly known as Buddah Bear) is thriving — tiny, blind, and full of personality.

Her eyes are so improved that it brings
tears to my eyes. She will remain blind,
but she's transformed 100 times over.

She’s now roommates with Cricket, a mama cat I also failed to foster “properly” (meaning, I adopted her). Lady Bug will be go for her spay surgery soon, and they will likely take her "bad" right eye, and leave her left eye. Wonder if she'll get a kitty eye patch? 

Cricket was living in the barn with June Bug 
and Kitty, but she makes a wonderful
roommate for lil Lady Bug - for now

These two occupy The Cat Room and seem to love it there together. They snuggle together, eat together and both extremely lovey and sweet. I'm so glad they have each other. And although I don't know how the living arrangements will work in my little home yet, I can't wait to see! I've been acclimating the Littles with them, in preparation.

Char thinks Lady Bug is hers

Nonstop play on her low-to-the-ground 
 play structure. 
Her lack of sight doesn't damper her 
desire to live life on the edge

Lady Bug may bump into walls, but she’s unstoppable. She’s a fighter, a lover, and quite possibly the bravest little thing I’ve ever met.

And Finally… the Heart of It All

Brooks and Olive — my human “Littles” — hold a sacred spot in my heart. 

These two 💕

Their love for discovery?
Infinity and beyond.

The best moments....

Watching them grow up close by is a dream come true. Half of my 20 acres will be theirs, half mine, and a whole lot of love in between.

Mia is the definition of resilience  💖

My journey to Wolfe City has been full of surprises, laughter, lessons, and more love than I could’ve imagined. My little home may be small, but the life it holds? Big.

Less stuff. Less stress. Less cleaning.
More love. More laughter. More peace. 💗

So much love,

Cyndi

Almost….

As I finish putting some things together for my next blog post, here’s some fun and exciting things cooking around Peace and Love Acres ☮️💜

Here it comes!

Me, while watching it all

More to come…..❤️

Grand-babies and Fosters = Love X infinity

 

Hello Friends! 

The time hath come (yes, I said hath, because emotions deserve drama) to return my latest (5) little foster kittens to HSNT (Humane Society of North Texas) in Fort Worth.

I think about each one of them. Their personalities, their wants and desires - and their future. They have met the magical milestone of > 2 lbs and 8 weeks old so that they can be neutered or spayed and then placed up for adoption. I'm so proud.....and so wrecked. 

On a peaceful, gorgeous-weathered Sunday, my heart cracked open once again. Cue the tears. Letting these little fluffballs go never gets easier, even though I know it's the whole point. My job is to keep them out of a cage in a noisy shelter, and give them space to frolic in my Cat Room, and let them fully embrace their chaotic kitten authenticity. And let me tell you, they fully embraced it. My house has never been the same - or cleaner, because sweeping has become a daily spiritual practice as kitty litter flies with 5 small wild-things running about.

Me: Just trying to keep up

Once the criteria is met, though - BOOM, time is up. Just like that, they're gone. As quickly as they came....only now they're a little bigger and way more mischievous. 

Excellent eaters

Oddly, it's a like a recipe.....a pinch of self torture with a blend of heart-wrench, along with equal parts reward and love. Mix them together and you get something unexpectedly wonderful. That's fostering. A blend of hard and soft that somehow makes magic.

Indeed, it was a brutiful (brutal and beautiful) day as I returned them. Only to be able to receive again.

Yet, surprise though! Turns out I had a kitty overlap. I’d already received my next foster. Yes, I double-booked myself emotionally. Again. 

Meet this tiny nugget of a soul:

How could I say 'no' to this lil guy?
Spoiler: I didn't

I would have run to Fort Worth to get him, but I drove like a responsible adult. (You're welcome, Texas Highways).

Because of his blindness, I set up a tiny bachelor pad with all the essentials: food, water, litter box and a soft blanket with a heating pad underneath - aka his personal spa. 

I do have to keep him separate due to his eye infections and stashed him safely in the grandkids room, while the other 5 held domination over the Cat Room.

Every little things gonna be alright

He has a rough history, this tiny guy they named Kylin. I call him Buddah though - you'll understand why in a sec. 

Buddah came from the wild - literally. He and his siblings were found trying to survive outside, all with severe eye infections. Not all made it. But this tiny warrior did. Blind, but here. Still standing (well, wobbling).

Poor thing

His eyes were swollen and filled with pus, and I'll be honest - I was terrified. My first medical foster. What if I couldn't handle it? What if he didn't make it? 

Me

But Buddah slowly showed improvement. And sometimes, setbacks. One eye would look better, then the other eye would betray us. Then back to square one. 

The visual impairment is real

I became a tiny eye nurse, mastering warm compresses (which he strongly opposes) applying ointment, and trying to win his trust in the process. Pro tip: kittens don't enjoy warm compresses to their face. Weird, right?

But love has power ❤️‍🩹 And patience. And a microwavable towel. I'm sure he wishes he could see me coming. 

He begin to show more
consistent improvement 🙌

And with time, his “good” eye (left) is mostly infection-free now. And his “bad eye” (right one) that is not really even an eye, is seemingly improving. HSNT has told me when Buddah grows a bit more, is eating well, infection-free and stable, that they will likely remove his left “bad" eye. They have told me he will be blind, and likely there’s no fixing that - in their opinion. And also, I was informed that with him having his bad eye removed should be helpful to decrease infection risks and allow for more comfort. We still have a ways to go.

With time and patience, he's improved.
And even gained a little weight.

His favorite thing is to actually be in the egg basket, walking around on the eggs like a mountain climber. All while periodically looking up at the under-cabinet bright light with fascination. It's very stimulating for him and he really perks up for it. Maybe he sees some actual light in one of his eyes? Not sure, but he does seem mesmerized by it. I like to think it's a little hope glowing just for him. 

And as he gets stronger and more confident, he's beginning to show his personality. Cautious but curious. Playful yet unsure. It's hard being 5-6 weeks old, tiny and blind. Life is very different for him and he doesn't even know it. I do notice him perking his ears up with noise, and using his little bewitched nose to sense his surroundings. It's fascinating to watch his unique little life unfold and a privilege to witness.

Sight or no sight, this lil guy has vision.
He's alive. He's loved. And he's thriving.

I have reached out to HSNT to let them know Buddah's most recent progress and update, and in return, the Vet there has asked I bring him in for an evaluation of next-steps for his eye(s). So we'll see what is to come for this lil guy. I don't know how I'll truly be able to let him go. I say that every time, right? 

Oh wait, why Buddah, you ask?

Exhibit A : The belly

His little body is trying to keep up with his ravenous food intake. He eats like he has a food bucket list to finish before nap time. Let's just say he's a fighter, a surviver and an inspiration. I can't wait to see what the future holds for you, my sweets - and I can only pray and hope you get to see as well. A girl can dream, right?

🎉 Brooks turned FIVE 🎉

How!?  I swear he was just born.

And wouldn't you know, the very same day I dropped my fosters off was the same day I headed out to celebrate a certain someone's birthday. 

Bestest boy

Brooks can have a good time anywhere, and on this day, it was at Gigi's house (Ryan's mom aka Lauren's mother-in-law). 

We partied at Gigi's house, we laughed through voice changers, played outside with monster trucks, and communed like civilized humans hopped up on cake and party chaos.  

It was simple. It was perfect. It was love in action. That's what life's really about, isn't it? And this bestest boy deserves it, 100 times over. It's pure joy watching him enjoy it all 💝 and to be there for it. I don't take it for granted, as being celebrated is one of the best feelings in the world, and watching someone celebrated.....a close second, if not a tie. 

And if you've read the book, The Berenstain Bears and Too Much Birthday then you know how it goes.....yet, Brooks - you stood firm in it all 💕

This book is a staple in my own library
- and life

Also - Olive, now age 2 and wise beyond her years, told Brooks she was 5 too. Brooks did NOT appreciate that. 

Let's just say.....she lit a fire in him. And when she saw it worked, she kept doing it. Sisters, man. Olive may be young, but she's scrappy - and possibly training for roller derby. Code name: Lady Bug.

Brooks better stay taller, because right now, she's winning the war of words and fists. That girl don't play. She's got a quick jab cross that even surprised me.

Lauren in her Roller Derby Era.
Maybe not 😉

For now, innocent Olive is a practicing lady bug (side note: just like her mama was)

Don't let her fool you

Also, her current bedtime outfit. And daytime outfit. And....identity. She even sleeps in it. Lady Bug never clocks out.

Ah, the joy of siblings. And these two are pure joy in my book. 

What a fun weekend celebrating Brooks! Bonus: He received Player Of The Week at his soccer game on Saturday. And a fun birthday celebration on Sunday. It's hard to get too much of this guy. After all, he's a Master Lego-ist, which by the way, may actually be a major in college by the time he goes. I mean, if Gaming can be, why can't Legology be a major? Brooks would likely have a double major, if that was the case. 

Lego El Toro Loco, for those who don't 
speak monster-truck dialect. 

Happy Birthday, Brooks!! 5 years old and already cooler than all of us.

Nothing says monster like this boy at a 
monster truck jam

I love you more than you'll ever know. Forever my bestest boy. 

Please stop aging,

Cyndi

HBD Brooks!

 

While I finish up my blog post, I wanted to share that our sweet boy Brooks is turning five tomorrow, and the celebrations have been plentiful! 🎂

And as a special treat, he also got Player of the Week in soccer. Apparently, turning 5 is magical.

And a goal, to boot!

What's more fitting than a 5 year old boy going to a monster jam for a birthday treat?

This 💛

More soon, my loves,

Cyndi

Fence Me In, Baby

 

I can't begin to tell you the number of times I've thought: with all the fences in the world, it seems I should be able to build one, too. I mean, I drive by them all the time. Somebody's out there pounding in T-posts like it's a full-time gig. 

Logically, that somebody could be me, right? 

Well, the reality hit when my donkeys and horses decided my well-intended portable fencing was merely a suggestion. The goal was to rotate them through the pasture to control their sweet grass intake - because, fun fact: overfeeding mini horses and donkeys is the gateway to chaos. I'm talking colic, founder and a whole lotta veterinary bills. 

The portable panels? Great in theory, but my donkeys?  For real, bulldozers in disguise. They'd lean, nudge, push - and the panels would politely fall over. 

Answer? I'll just place a few T-posts every 30 feet or so, and strap those panels down so there will be no further shenanigans. 

Fast forward. 20 T-posts and a T-post Pusher later. 

And BOOM. Turns out I can pound those T-posts in myself. 💪  And believe you me, I did. 

Maybe I should change occupations

Every other panel-connection now
has a T-post in place

See this here?! This is a horrible and great example of what my donkeys can and will do. So one time, they pushed a whole section over and completely ripped the connectors off. So now this section is labeled as janky and held together with a heavy-duty chain that I randomly found out in the pasture. This above example 😤 now has a much-needed T-post that will be their new nemesis. Your welcome.

Me: Knowing I don't have to spend all that 
time chasing down escapees anymore

And sure enough, T-posts have solved all my problems. Well, not all my problems. The only downfall is that it's harder to move this portable fencing around for my horses and donkeys - and requires more thinking about how I want to move it in relation to the T-post. Yet, overall, it's a W.I.N. I do have a T-post Puller, too, because all real fencers do.

No more rouge donkeys at the front gate waiting to greet me like long-lost lovers. 

Luckily you don't know the front gate code to
actually leave

Nor any more equine mayhem in the barn, eating up all the goat and chicken feed, knocking over feed bins and making more work for me. Nope. Believe you me, I create enough work for myself, but thank you for trying.

 

Fencing Round Two - The Goatening

With all this new fence building confidence, I turned my attention to Pearl and CoCo. For months, I've wanted to build them a bigger pen.

So I went back and purchased 25 more T-posts and luckily I have the fencing panels I'll need because I saved some from a fence I took down here, awhile back. Genius. For less than $100, I'll have a new fenced area for my goats - and ready to go in no time. Well, a day.

I got to work again setting the T-posts in the ground every 8 feet, knowing damn well that it wasn't straight. Details. My fence panels are 16 foot long, so I'll have 2 T-post per section and that should be secure enough for my goats who are also professionally-trained escape artists. I'm not sure who trained who. But I'm going to take care of it, don't you worry.

And luckily it didn't have to be straight because I made it a circle area, on accidental purpose. 

It took me a whole day and 4 large brownies with extra frosting to build my sweet goats a fence that gives them a larger area to graze and live.

Side note: Funfetti vanilla mixed with a little Nutella = Happiness 14/10 

It makes my heart happy that they have a larger space

With their same barn access, same playground, 
and same goat houses.....yet more area to nibble

I'm so happy for them and my budget. They eat more from the ground now and less from my feed bill. Every little bits helps, so it's a win-win for sure.

Me: Contemplating quitting my nursing job to
be a fencer. 

Who wouldn't build a fence for this face?

Tractor Tales

Meanwhile, in the back pasture, there's about 12-14 acres that needed a good mowing. 

This beauty detracts from the reality of
the need for a tractor

Not to worry, Kevin lives just down the way and drove his new "$71,000" tractor (with bush hog attached) casually down the road and across the street to my place. 

And just like that, he cleaned it all up real nice.

This, my friends, is the magic of a tractor

The bonus was that Kevin gave me a ride in his tractor all while providing a tutorial on the features (in case I'm gonna get one?) and with the A/C going and the smell of a new car tractor, it just seemed like there were so many knobs and gadgets you'd think he was flying an airplane. It was like riding shotgun in a Boeing. 

Luckily, I don't think I need a new tractor when I have a Kevin.

It is nice though

Thank you, Kevin for driving that tractor like a champ and making my place look gorg! I appreciate you annoying traffic to drive on over. Y'all, he made it look easy, but I'm not so sure it really is. The best part? He didn't run over any horses. Low bar but still important to note.

The only downside? It scared Pearl. That sweet and sensitive soul of hers was not impressed. You do know she's a fainting goat, so it was too much overwhelm and too much falling down.

The tractor was loud. It was scary each and every time it came near her goat pen. So she took refuge in her little goat house until the roaring monster was gone. I mean, it went right by her new goat area and how's a girl to graze with all that noise and commotion? 

CoCo stood guard like a loyal friend

Probably whispering, "He's still out there...Wait, now he's gone. You can come out now."

Is he really gone? 

Foster Fluffballs

In brighter and flufflier news......I'm so happy to report that all foster kittens and mama cat have been adopted! 

This girl 💖

Cricket was a great mama to all her kittens, and now she's been spayed and is healed up and living her best barn life with June Bug and Kitty. She's officially part of the barn crew - and both June Bug and Cricket are bob-tails which makes them extra cute. Love all my barn kitties and Cricket makes a wonderful addition! Welcome, so glad your here 💝

But wait, there's more......

The Fab Five

I've been blessed with my next fosters of 5 wild n crazy kittens who will 'chill' at the farm for a few weeks. At which time, I'll return them to HSNT for their spay/neuter and then they go up for adoption there. I love that my first batch of foster kitties all ended up finding homes, and look forward to following the journey of these as well. Side note: these kittens are a little more spicy that the last litter. Just saying. 

My heart is learning what the job of a foster really is. My brain knows, as I went through the training and it all made sense, but my heart was a slow learner. My job is to love them, keep them safe, and provide them room to roam and grow in my home while they await their "altering" (as it's so fondly called at HSNT). As this hard and fast rule: no animal can be adopted until they are 'fixed' is real - and good for the realm.

There's rules and guidelines with HSNT, and they do a bang-up job in all the good they do for these deserving animals. So for now, these 5 cuties have taken up residence in my Cat Room and turned it into a jungle gym. 

The Fab Five are adorable lil gremlins who do not have one shy bone in their little furry bodies, who are chaotically running laps and plotting world domination (or just the dog's bed).

The blessings keep coming, as fostering continues to stretch my heart in ways I didn't expect. 

Speaking of running.....

This guy is doing his fair share of running. Maybe more running than kicking a ball right now, but it's his first season and all the 4-5 year olds run in a pack similar to how bees swarm. In circles, all together, not always knowing exactly where they will go next. Trying hard to follow the ball.

So many new things to see and learn

As many of you have experienced in your own lives, this is a fun and exciting time in the life of a 5 year old. Almost like a ritual of sorts. 

There's nothing else I'd rather be doing on a
Saturday morning than watching this guy ⚽

For those of you who know my dad, Glen Hindman, he's the one yelling from the sidelines louder than anyone else. It takes everything I have to contain myself on the sidelines, as he's apparently passed this cheering-gene onto me. Clapping, cheering, yelling, telling everyone they are doing a good job. It's pure joy. Thanks, Dad for showing me how to do it. I think of you every time I'm out there clapping and cheering for all the kiddos. So fun. 

As Brooks plays his game and Olive attempts to be on the team too, it takes a village of people to make all this magic happen. Being a grandparent at the game? Low responsibility, high ice cream acquisition. Another 14/10 recommend.

Every little things gonna be alright

Penny and Dutch are crushing security detail

Peace on the farm ☮

Nothing better than a almost-potty
trained Princess

Triple Trouble rebellion? Shut down.
Finally contained, for now.

Senior Dog Spotting
She requires gentle life checks now and again
Her bed is her safe (and favorite) place

And me? I'm just over here living my 12 year-old dream life, one T-post at time. 

I've not only learned that I can build a fence, but that I can show up for myself. No one will love you or show up for you, quite like you will. No one will care for you, like you will. I'm learning that reparenting my inner child to know that it's safe to be there for herself is where true peace and love begins. 

Hugs, fences and Funfetti frosting,

Cyndi