Good morning, Reader.

I pray this note finds you and your home warm and well. My nose is still cold from morning chores!

Have you ever noticed how life sometimes folds in on itself — moments from long ago suddenly reappearing, like a favorite song you haven’t heard in years?

Recently, that happened here.

Two young women and their little girls came to visit — the daughters and granddaughters of dear friends who once opened their home in the country to Benjamin and I when we still lived in town. Back then, we longed for land and animals, but God gave us something different: a friendship with a family already living that life. Together we shared chores and animals, fencing projects and meals with garden goodies — but what we really shared was a beautiful Christian friendship in a season of growth for us as new parents.

Those girls — I’ll always remember them as young with sweet giggles and wispy long hair — used to joyfully help when we came out for chores, brushing our pony, Thunder, who became their equine friend in those formative years. They grew up, of course, and Thunder did too. He’s well into his 20s now, gray around the muzzle, gentle and slow. But when they came to see him, he still nuzzled their hands and calmly carried their babies, just like he carried them once.

As we bundled up to head in from the chill, Grace — one of the daughters — turned to me and brought up a memory.
She remembered visiting us years ago, right after one of my babies was born.

She told me, “I asked you if giving birth was scary.”
And I had cheerfully responded, “It’s exciting!" God made our bodies strong, and they know what to do.

I have no memory of that moment. But she said that when she went into labor with her own first child, those words came back — a happy, confident voice reminding her that she was made for this.

How amazing it is that we can nourish others without even knowing it — with the words, the presence, and the love that sustain us through every stage of life.

And with the cold snap now upon us, I’ve been thinking again about nourishment — this time, the kind that comes from a warm kitchen. For me, the first thing that comes to mind is bone broth.

Whenever someone here needs strength — after sickness or a hard season — I reach for the stockpot. Bones, vegetables, and herbs slowly releasing their nutrients into water, steadily making my house smell incredible as it builds it magic.

In the same way that a few words spoken years ago could feed a young woman’s courage, a bowl of bone broth can feed the body — building resilience, warmth, and calm from within.

If you’d like to bring that kind of gentle nourishment into your home, I’ve written up my favorite process and some thoughts on how to make it your own:

​Click here for my Bone Broth Guide & Recipes.​

From one kitchen to another,
Leah
​Great Heritage Farm

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