Love Slave

First of all I want to thank so many of you that left me the sweetest comments and sent me the most amazing emails!!

As women it is so easy for us to relate to one another.

We don't have to be going through it to feel so deeply for another that is!

********************************************************

I grew up in rural Illinois.

My parents and brother still live there.

My parent's farm has to be my children's most special place on earth.

It is not hard to imagine why....land, tractors, a dog named Lizzy, trees to climb and places to explore.

As much as I love Colorado...Illinois will always be home.

I love the green, rolling hills, trees and the stunning fall.

I also love all the cornfields, cows and old barns.

I always dream of moving back near my parents and buying our own farmhouse.

I have to admit that there is one specific house that has my heart.

I can imagine my children running all over the land, planting a huge garden, having chickens and probably a few other animals and then holding a yearly sale in one of my barns.

Can't you picture it???

I have also been blessed enough to get to know the owner a little.

She loves this farm and she has so many animals on the land that she rescued and loves dearly.

The owner and I are hoping that my husband gets an amazing job offer and we get to buy her land.

If we are supposed to move I know...I KNOW...that it will work out.

But until I get to have my farmhouse in Illinois I may have to settle for my own chicken coop in the backyard.

If any of my neighbors are reading this...I PROMISE I will give you free eggs:-)

Within minutes of reading Heather's post the other day  I was not only quickly writing Heather asking to borrow her photos...I was emailing my sister (because we are both obsessed with wanting chickens) and then emailed my husband in DC and told him I would be his love slave if he built me one!

Have you lost all respect for me???

I don't even care...I need me a chicken coop and chickens.

Preferably a chicken coop that looks as amazing as the one Heather's handy husband built!

Come on...there HAS to be another woman out there that would make the same deal.

Anyone?

Anyone?

Now I am just embarrassed........

Comments

[Courtney Walsh]

Buy that house! be my neighbor! My mom drove by it the other day. :)

Oh, I have a friend who has a chicken. Just one. She keeps the yard clear of weeds and keeps bugs off the vegetable garden. I think I might want a chicken of my own someday. Or maybe two. :)

what are the odds I'd get one that lays golden eggs? Then I could buy you that house myself!

[Dore Callaway]

Jeanna, Oh yes I would be a love slave for a coop anyday!!
I have a friend here in town with a coop fit for Martha Stewarts Chickens, in fact she has 4 of hers and you can mail order from Martha and they will be delivered to you.

Her coop is made with simple posts in the ground with fencing also a pomegranate tree growing in the coop, the best part of all is her rustic China hutch top that she restyled for its laying coop, it is so wonderfully chic and shabby.

I painted a sign for her to hang outside there gate that simply says "French Hens" they love it (chickens) and she loves it as well,(my Friend Judy)

Yep I am getting Chickens as well, Some day.

Dore

[Delyne]

Jeanne .. I am praying that it all works out and that wonderful house and land are yours. It is beautiful!!

I too want chickens .. what is it about chickens? :) That coup is adorable and any chick would be honored to call it home. :)

May all your dreams come true my friend!!

Love and Hugs xoxoxo
Delyne

[Julie M.]

I love that you said, "...one of my barns," rather than "the barns." I like to use the phrase, "In the dreamy future..." in regard to projects I plan for "someday." The house and the coop are stunning. When I saw Heather's post the other day I instantly sent the link onto my best friend who was recently blessed with some chicks of her own...and a handy husband (of almost 16yrs).

Miracles do happen!

: )

Julie M.

[Flower Patch Farmgirl]

I saved the link to that dreamy coop the nanosecond I spotted it. As for you and your IL revelation...let's just say I'm crossing my toes. IL and IN are best friends, you know...

[Lori]

Jeanne, you are SO cute...i have so many things that need done around my house...i never thought of using the love slave angle to get hubby motivated...LOL...thanks for the tip...hee hee
your illinois farmhouse is gorgeous...i hope it is yours one day...

[amy]

sounds like a great bargain on k's part!!!=) and you're both happy!=) that coop is lovely...a LOVELY chicken coop!??? i never thought i would put those words together.=) your illinois dream is a good one! i wish i could see the insides of those barns; they look so awesome!

[Beachy]

My husband and I were JUST discussing this morning having chickens again! And a wonderful large chicken coop in the backyard... if not just for the eggs, but for the children to enjoy!

And I know what you mean about Illinois... despite being a native New Englander and now living on Cape Cod, I lived for three years in southern rural Illinois and fell in love with it! It still holds a special place in my heart.

[Becky G.]

Yes, I'd do it, too - but only if he threw in a small bunny hutch, too! :o) Sadly though, I'm afraid the HOA here in our neighborhood wouldn't understand! B.

[Janet]

That house is beautiful and so is the chicken coop. Guess I am kind of a city girl at heart because I cannot fathom having chickens -- though I would like the fresh eggs! Hope you have a great day! Hold on to those dreams! :)

[Leah C]

It's good to have dreams...hoping this one of yours comes true:) Who wouldn't love a farmhouse like that?!

[Becky @ Farmgirl Paints]

Now that chicken coop is just darling...as is your dream house. I'll keep my fingers crossed for you sweetie. It's just postcard perfect:)

[Elaine/TinkerVerve]

I can identify with it all, Jeanne! For many years I wanted to move back home. I never dreamed that it would work out like it did but two years ago we moved into my parent's place and are buying it. Last year I was finally able to get my chickens and I LOVE them. Here's a picture of their house when it was new...just a cute little house...
http://tinkerverve.wordpress.com/2009/05/02/getting-ready-for-the-girls/
It's even more fun now that it is a bit 'seasoned'! Never stop dreaming!

[kristin]

oh.my. why can't my farm have barns like that?!? sigh...sending farm blessings your way :0)
i saw heather's post the other day and immediately said to my husband why in the world doesn't our coop look like that?? maybe i better throw the *love slave* thing at him ;0)

[Kara]

It's so funny how parallel our lives are. I, too, have been trying to coax my husband into a chicken coop. I have not resorted to the love slave thing...YET (although, really I think that just benefits us in the long run as well. Men can be very short sighted.) This coop is adorable, much cuter than the ones I've been looking at. Two of my sisters have chickens and they love them! I WANT SOME! I'm hoping by easter, we'll see.

I have never been to Illinois. It's looks beautiful, when it's green. But you know me and snow. I don't ever want to live in it again!

[Sabrina]

I love farm houses!!! When I saw that Chicken Coop on Heather's blog, I said to my boyfriend, I NEED A CHICKEN COOP!!!!!
He said he would build me one this summer! :)

[Suz Reaney]

It makes sense to me, Jeanne. You an an Illinois girl. My two sil's live in Colorado but they are still South Dakota girls, like me. I grew up with roosters waking me in Mitchell, South Dakota...so I don't realy want a coop!!!

[Shannon]

Yes I already tried, as soon as my husband came home monday I showed him Heather's gorgeous chicken coop and he replied "NO WAY!!" I have been asking for awhile and I thought maybe, just maybe seeing how beautiful their chicken coop came out he might change his mind. :(

[Brandie]

Oh my gosh Jeanne!!!! As I started to read this post I immediately thought about Heather's chicken coup and was going to tell you all about it. I should have known you had seen it too:) I was going to do a post about it too!!! I LOVE it! I was thinking about making a similar deal with my hubby for one;)

[Angie]

So glad you are ok, Jeanne. What a scary thing to go through. I turned 39 this year and am now the age my father was when he died from cancer, so your story was very poignant. Take care!

[Julie]

I don't think I'd make that deal for a chicken coop but I'm sure there's something out there... :)

I love the farmhouse. It's beautiful. And all that land? It would be so much fun to raise kids there and for them to grow up in. I love it. Crossing my fingers for you.

[Jen R sanctuary art]

I did the same thing Jeanne! If that is your parents house I can definitely visiting with you one day! That makes my house look like a shed behind a tenement and my garden a patio deck! Yowza! tell your mom I am an only hour away, I am bringing dinner and moving in. She loves kids, right?

[jackie]

I am with you..........As soon as I saw Heather's pictures I thought wouldn't it be awesome to have chickens in the backyard and a coop that looks just like hers........I know I am just dreaming because my neighbors would kick me out of this development. We can't even have garage sales much less a bunch of chickens....but it would be so much fun. Oh well I can just dream about it and look at your pictures when you get one. Thanks for the scoop on the coop

[Andrea - Faded Plains]

Isn't that the most gorgeous coop you've ever seen...ours is much more "farmy"...but love it all the same...and having chickens...is the b.e.s.t.

[Lemonade Makin' Mama]

Well, I have wanted chickens in the past too... but then I had some chicks in my home for a weekend. And now I don't really need to try that out anymore.... I'm good, so you just enjoy them for us. :)