“I wanna grow something wild and unruly.”

That line from The Chicks echoes around here more than you’d think — especially when you’re raising kids in the middle of farm country.

Tom and I didn’t just bring our family to the country to live off the land. We came here to learn from it. And like all good teachers, this place gives pop quizzes.

Some days, it’s the bees. Alli and Abbi learned the hard way not to swat at things flying around their faces. One sting each was all it took—and now they walk a little slower near the hive. They pay attention to the hum of summer. They’re growing cautious, aware, and just a little braver.

But the country doesn’t stop with bees.

There are angry red wasps in the rafters. Hissing opossums in the barn. The copperhead snake sunning near the steps (no bites, thank goodness). Every close call becomes a memory; and a lesson.

And still, the girls keep going. They stack firewood, help check cattle, and know exactly how to spot when something’s off. They’ve learned to watch the sky, feel the fence tension, and sense when the dogs are tracking something they can’t yet see.

They’re growing up the way we hoped they would: curious, kind, and tougher than they look.

The animals and the land are doing their part. So are the frogs and fences and garden weeds. And so are we.

Because growing something wild and unruly? That takes more than just hope. It takes a life lived outside, with your hands in the dirt and your heart wide open. And somehow, through all the stings and surprises, it’s working.

🐝 Around the Ranch

👂 Your Turn
What’s a lesson you learned the hard way from the land, the animals, or the elements? Or what did your kids learn first-hand that no book could’ve taught them?