The hood ornament on your car is for telling you where you’re going. The rearview mirror is for showing you how good you look while you’re getting there. – David Lee Roth, American rock singer (1954-)
Look for something and find something else, and realize that what you’ve found is more suited to your needs than what you thought you were looking for. – Lawrence Block, American crime/mystery writer (1938)
Finishing school, leaving home, getting a job and anxious about my future. Half of me wanted to live in the big city and work in the fashion industry. The other half wanted to live in a rural area where I could enjoy nature, have pets, grow things, enjoy neighbors, read books. Over time I would end up doing both. When Columbus’ Friendly City Bookstore opened, I found a book by Jake Keiser. The book “Daffodil Hill.” The description: “A City Girl seeking self-reliance and a fabulous farm life in small town Mississippi.” It had me at “farm life” and “Mississippi.” Later Friendly City Bookstore owner Emily Liner hosted a meet and greet dinner for Jake, promoting her book at J. Broussard’s restaurant. Unfortunately, at the time I was still terrified with pandemic fears and opted not to attend.
Last week a bit of serendipity appeared on my Instagram where Jake and Daffodil Hill will be at the Book Mart & Café in Starkville on Saturday, December 9th. Sometimes you really do get a second chance.
Jake Keiser’s life has so exceeded my wildest dreams and capability for having a mini-farm God bless her. She has exotic chickens and raises goslings with names like Ellie, Tina Belle, and Cavalli like Roberto. Then there’s the goats. I tried to count them in a photo on Facebook and found somewhere between six and eight. She’s also the midwife for birthing baby goats, a kid or a “Billy.” She raises geese though not geese like our Canada geese on the lake that come and go as they see fit. She raises turkeys. We did see a wild turkey last week. Jake has a couple of dogs, one named Ruger. He was once bit by a snake and cared for by Jake. Luca is Jake’s 11-year-old Great Pyrenees.
To see Luca brings tears to my eyes. I’ve had two Great Pyrenees and the name suits them being “Great.” Their life expectancy due to their size is about 11 years. They are also called the “gentle giants.” That they are. Extremely brave, protective and loving.
So, the above is an account of what I know and have seen through Jake’s post on Facebook through her book, reviews, and articles. Public health researchers Stamatakis and Mitchell say exposure to nature contributes to your physical wellbeing, reducing blood pressure, tension and stress. Jake’s book, “Daffodill Hill” will tell how she got away from a high-powered public relations business in a big city amid the noise, anxiety, betrayals, and entered the best time of her life. I heartily agree.
Shannon Bardwell is a writer living quietly in the Prairie. Email reaches her at [email protected].
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