My lot in life has been carefully drawn
From my experiences both past and present
Everything I possess is mine you see
For it is the life that I have chosen
The good, the bad, the happy and sad
I cherish with all my heart
To give one up I may lose the rest
And be left with a heart that's hard or frozen
Many think the choice I've made
Is a waste of my God given talent
I work night and day without pay
There's not a minute I truly can call my own
But I wouldn't trade one moment
No matter what the prize
To be a millionaire, a movie star
Or a queen sitting on a throne
For I am a stay-at-home mother
A vocation that has lost some respect
A life most people view as to hard
Constantly full of giving and no take
It's because I have found the secret
Handed down through generations long past
True happiness can be found when you
Sing a lullaby, play a game or bake a cake
But don't take my word for it
Take a moment out of your busy life
Let your eyes and ears be truly open
Go on your own spiritual quest
You will find the world is full of people
Each with their own secret dreams
Which they will often abandon
For a life that others think is best
At first when you look at these people
You may think that they have it all
Oh what you wouldn't give
To have all that material treasure
But do their eyes light up and shine
When they are telling you their story
Did you laugh and giggle
Was hearing it a pleasure
Then there are the full-time caregivers
One of which is known as the
Lowly stay-at-home mother
She has nothing to show for her trouble
Why you may ask isn't she out there
Getting a life and crunching the numbers
Instead of trying to teach her child
How to blow a bubble
It is because she possess the wisdom
To invest in something unique
With a payoff most people find
A little hard to comprehend
The unconditional love of a child
The joy of a life that's complete
And the contented slumber that comes
When her day finally comes to an end
They say the choice is your
As long as you agree with them and decide
To always take care of number one
Get out there, grab life, have fun
Well I have chosen to live life differently
I happily gave when others took
But instead of coming up empty
I found that my cup doth over run
I don't know if you consider my
Words to be full of wisdom
Or just some rambling from
Someone with out a clue
But when I find a quiet moment
When I'm truly alone with myself
Thoughts of family fill me with laughter
I was wondering... is it the same for you?
Harmony Hill and the wonderful people who live there are fictional.
Some of the stories they tell have been inspired by real people in my life.
I hope you enjoy my work. Most of the credit should go to my three sons
for the inspiration and spark of insanity I needed to write this entertaining blog.
Translate
Welcome to Harmony Hill
Hello
I’m Isabella Endicotti, but everyone just calls me Bella Nonna.
Let me tell you about Harmony Hill. It’s a little piece of Heaven tucked away from the rest of world. My great grandfather, Lorenzo Auditore, purchased it over one hundred years ago.
He and his two brothers had left Italy and traveled the United States looking for a better life. His two older brothers stay in America for five years before deciding to go back to Italy, but my great grandfather stayed and traveled all over the United States. He would take odd jobs where ever he could get them. One day while working for Northland Orchards he found a slice of Heaven, as he always referred to it. He knew that this was where he was destined to spend the rest of his life. My great grandfather worked night and day until he had earned enough money to purchase it.
While working out in the mid-west he met, fell in love and married my great grandmother, Harmony Lacroix.
My great grandfather took his new bride and her brother and sister-in-law home to live in Harmony Hill. They built a cozy little house and got to work planting fruit trees, nut trees and a huge garden. Soon they had earned enough money to open a general store in the center of town.
Times were tough in the early 1900’s, so my great grandfather came up a great plan. He would contact some of the people he had worked with while trying to earn the money to buy Harmony Hill.
He had worked on a dairy farm in Wisconsin and became great friends with Ingvar Gustafsson, the nephew of the owner. He knew Mr. Gustafsson would not be inheriting any part of the dairy farm, so my great grandfather offer him a piece of land at the bottom of Harmony Hill near the large lake my great grandfather named Serenity Spring. Mr. Gustafsson’s uncle had given him two dairy cows as a wedding present which helped him start his new life in Harmony Hill. In return for the land, Mr. Gustafsson supplied my great grandparents with milk and other dairy products.
While working at a construction site my great grandfather met two master carpenters, Mr. Cleavon Johnson and Mr. James Washington. He offered them the same deal as Mr. Gustafsson.
Mr. and Mrs. Schneider were about to lose their farm and all of their livestock when my great grandfather got in contact with them. They were more than happy to accept the deal.
With a bit of luck, a lot of love and hard work my grandparents were able to buy Northland Orchards. The Gustafsson family was able to buy the land that Gustafsson’s Family Dairy now sits on. Mr. Johnson and Mr. Washington started their own construction company. Most of the homes here were built by Johnson & Washington Construction. Schneider Meat products are sold in most of the grocery store around here.
Over the years my great grandparent had many traveling workers. Most stayed for a short spell, but a few had such a great love for the land that my great grandparents gave them small portions of their land with the understanding that they would share their goods and services with the other residence.
As the families grew, so did Harmony Hill. Nowhere, to my knowledge, will you find a more eclectic loving group of people. Each family has its own unique family customs and traditions, but we all share the same family value.
Hard to believe, well get comfortable and I’ll tell you a little about the goings on around here.
I’m Isabella Endicotti, but everyone just calls me Bella Nonna.
Let me tell you about Harmony Hill. It’s a little piece of Heaven tucked away from the rest of world. My great grandfather, Lorenzo Auditore, purchased it over one hundred years ago.
He and his two brothers had left Italy and traveled the United States looking for a better life. His two older brothers stay in America for five years before deciding to go back to Italy, but my great grandfather stayed and traveled all over the United States. He would take odd jobs where ever he could get them. One day while working for Northland Orchards he found a slice of Heaven, as he always referred to it. He knew that this was where he was destined to spend the rest of his life. My great grandfather worked night and day until he had earned enough money to purchase it.
While working out in the mid-west he met, fell in love and married my great grandmother, Harmony Lacroix.
My great grandfather took his new bride and her brother and sister-in-law home to live in Harmony Hill. They built a cozy little house and got to work planting fruit trees, nut trees and a huge garden. Soon they had earned enough money to open a general store in the center of town.
Times were tough in the early 1900’s, so my great grandfather came up a great plan. He would contact some of the people he had worked with while trying to earn the money to buy Harmony Hill.
He had worked on a dairy farm in Wisconsin and became great friends with Ingvar Gustafsson, the nephew of the owner. He knew Mr. Gustafsson would not be inheriting any part of the dairy farm, so my great grandfather offer him a piece of land at the bottom of Harmony Hill near the large lake my great grandfather named Serenity Spring. Mr. Gustafsson’s uncle had given him two dairy cows as a wedding present which helped him start his new life in Harmony Hill. In return for the land, Mr. Gustafsson supplied my great grandparents with milk and other dairy products.
While working at a construction site my great grandfather met two master carpenters, Mr. Cleavon Johnson and Mr. James Washington. He offered them the same deal as Mr. Gustafsson.
Mr. and Mrs. Schneider were about to lose their farm and all of their livestock when my great grandfather got in contact with them. They were more than happy to accept the deal.
With a bit of luck, a lot of love and hard work my grandparents were able to buy Northland Orchards. The Gustafsson family was able to buy the land that Gustafsson’s Family Dairy now sits on. Mr. Johnson and Mr. Washington started their own construction company. Most of the homes here were built by Johnson & Washington Construction. Schneider Meat products are sold in most of the grocery store around here.
Over the years my great grandparent had many traveling workers. Most stayed for a short spell, but a few had such a great love for the land that my great grandparents gave them small portions of their land with the understanding that they would share their goods and services with the other residence.
As the families grew, so did Harmony Hill. Nowhere, to my knowledge, will you find a more eclectic loving group of people. Each family has its own unique family customs and traditions, but we all share the same family value.
Hard to believe, well get comfortable and I’ll tell you a little about the goings on around here.
Blog Archive
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2010
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January
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- Poetry contest
- The Path Of Life
- Let Me Sow Love
- Why Am I Thankful To Be A Teenager In Y2K?
- Ode To The Granny Panty
- WHAT IS A MOTHER?
- Popsicle Lady and Mr. Neighbor Man
- Please Help Me Understand
- I’m Sorry
- A Child Shall Lead Them
- Is Someone Listening
- Why Am I So Happy?
- I Thought It Was Forever.
- Never Say Diet
- The Strength of Thousands
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January
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Tell Me What You Think
Harmony Hill is a work in progress. I would like to hear your comments and constructive criticism. Please e-mail all your comments to:
alicek303@Yahoo.com
I appreciate all helpful advice. Thank you.
Also follow me on Facebook: www.facebook.com/pages/Alice-Ciprani-Kline
About Me
- Alice
- For years I have written things down… memories too precious to forget, feeling too deep to express and "my two cents" that I was too insecure to voice. I kept them in a folder marked "Ramblings of a Stay-At-Home Mom". My dream was to find the courage to be able to share them with other full time caregivers who felt lost and alone like me. For many years when I was confronted by one of life's big hurtles, I wished I had someone to talk to, laugh with or just reassure me "this too shall pass" because they've been there, done that. I hope this blog will help you or at least give you a giggle or two. If you would like to publish any of my stories please e-mail me at: alicek303@Yahoo.com Follow me on Facebook: www.facebook.com/pages/Alice-Ciprani-Kline
