Who We Think We Are

This is the ABOUT US page.

I am Danelle (Mama Podkayne). I am a beekeeper, a poet, a dreamer, and a stargazer. Mamam, Farmer, Writer,  Dreamer, and Adjunct History and English Professor. Apprentice Beekeeper, Kitchen Scientist/Inventor, and Orchardist (I can make up words, see above profession). I'm learning to play fiddle, though slowly and with much difficulty.

Lily (Lil'Bug) is 11. She is a pirate, princess, scientist, Nixie, dreamer. She is a night owl. She thinks she is right most of the time. She is independent and very dedicated to the well being of her siblings.

Holly (Blueberry Girl) is 7 and a ballerina construction worker. She plays trumpet and builds things. She lights up when she puts on a tu tu and beams out pure sunshine when she steps into the dance studio. Sometimes her eyes glow blue like in Dune. I kid you not.

Isaac (Zap) is 5 and a reader, a climber, and a lover of music. He's amazing and funny and still my sweet baby even though he's growing up so fast. He has 22q11 deletions syndrome (DiGeorge) and I sometimes talk about how our family helps him on his journey of health and thriving without intervention.

In 2009 we moved to a 40 acre farm in Southern Iowa with no experience and a BIG dream! This blog was the story of how that happened and how we live our way through it and all the blessings that happened along the way. In 2015, Chad asked for a divorce and for the kids and me to leave his farm. So now this is a blog about how to manage rebuilding a life after 20 years of betrayal, moving on, and finding hope.