Ruth McKeaney: Hungry for Home

"My husband and I own a charming historic home, Hillside Farm, just outside Philadelphia. It's a lovely property with giant trees and rolling hills, an enormous barn, a chicken coup, and a constant stream of friends and family. groups, her passion is in small-group settings."

Really? Write about my life at Hillside? I chuckled and put the idea in my back pocket, never expecting to take it out again. But, like a persistent seed, the idea refused to stay buried. Instead, it took root and sprouted straight up. And before I knew it, one page after another, a book was born. It took all of us working together. My daughters did the calligraphy and illustrations, and Bob cheered me on.

Like Hillside, the book is a representation of Bob and me. We have flipped many homes, but Hillside is the apex of our rehab adventures.

For one year, we documented our life at the farm through words and photographs. In spring, we planted bulbs and threw garden parties. We gathered eggs and baked quiches. We celebrated new life and growth and all the color that comes with it. In summer,  the fun and games went on from morning till night. Family and friends flowed in and out, and the BBQ never stopped. In autumn, we picked bushels of apples, baked crisps and pies, shut our garden down, and remembered why we are thankful for one another. In winter, as the snow covered the fields, we stayed warm inside with soups and stews and favorite books read by the fire. The monotony of the cold was broken by holiday parties and the promise of a new year. From our favorite traditions and time-earned wisdom, to family recipes, gardening ideas, and hosting tips, for one year, we captured what "home" means to us. It is our hope that you will feel at home in its pages and be encouraged to make your house a home for others as well.

Welcome to Hillside Farm.

GUEST LINKS:

• WEBSITE: RUTH MCKEANEY
• BOOK: Hungry For Home