Category Archives: parenting

Mothering Myself

Posted on November 13, 2012 by Bettina Colonna Essert

It’s funny how almost everyone thinks that I had this fantastic childhood because my father has a lot of money. Listen up, folks. I have a critical PSA: Money does not equal happiness. Get over that thought right now. My … Continue reading →

Posted in health and well-being, parenting, personal | 1 Comment

Food and passion and renewal and the desire to heal

Posted on October 17, 2012 by Bettina Colonna Essert

Last weekend I went to a conference. This one. It was fabulous. Spending those days with like-minded sisters is a fabulous way to re-center, feed my beliefs and learn awesome new things from amazing women who are passionate and who … Continue reading →

Posted in activism, family, food, health and well-being, herb/herbalism, opinion, parenting, personal | Leave a comment

Good Things

Posted on March 18, 2012 by Bettina Colonna Essert

Life throws pies. Some are filled with shit and some whipped cream but the truth is, no matter what the pie’s filled with, getting hit in the face with one is no fun. Today life hit me with a pie. … Continue reading →

Posted in bees, cats, chickens, children, decency, family, health and well-being, honey bees, horses, Mark, parenting, personal | 2 Comments

I’m Filing a Grievance

Posted on February 13, 2012 by Bettina Colonna Essert

Most large companies have a Grievance Committee. It’s a grand idea, this group of people who are supposed to be impartial and who feel confident to judge the interpersonal dramas and slights that crop up whenever people interact. I want … Continue reading →

Posted in children, decency, family, health and well-being, opinion, parenting, personal | 1 Comment

The Dollhouse

Posted on June 14, 2011 by Bettina Colonna Essert

Most people would call this a playhouse and I tend to try to use that term because dollhouse means something entirely different to most people than it does to me. But when I was a kid I had a Dollhouse … Continue reading →

Posted in children, Martina, parenting, personal | 2 Comments

The Ten Commandments of Tina’s House

Posted on August 10, 2010 by Bettina Colonna Essert

1. He who takes the trash bag out of the can shall replace the bag with a clean and empty one. Immediately. 2. He who changes the toilet paper roll shall replace said roll with paper coming over the top. … Continue reading →

Posted in children, family, health and well-being, parenting, personal | 2 Comments

Sundays at Five

Posted on June 1, 2010 by Bettina Colonna Essert

Sunday supper, Our kids are growing up. One lives on his own, another with her mother. Both are within a short drive though and so I decided to try and institute an every Sunday family meal so that we all … Continue reading →

Posted in children, decency, Elizabeth, family, food, Four Oaks, health and well-being, Mark, Martina, parenting, personal, Randall | Leave a comment

This picture is so weird

Posted on May 13, 2010 by Bettina Colonna Essert

I keep looking at it and looking at it. No, I wasn’t about to elbow Martina in the face and somehow I actually avoided doing that, but really? Looking at it, I can’t figure out what really was going on … Continue reading →

Posted in Martina, parenting, photo post | Leave a comment

Cutting Away the Dead Wood

Posted on March 12, 2010 by Bettina Colonna Essert

This is what our kitchen dooryard looked like when we moved in.  Step 1 was to move the garbage out from under our bathroom window. WTF?  This picture was taken quite a bit earlier in the day than the next … Continue reading →

Posted in children, environment, family, gardening-organic biodynamic natural, health and well-being, Mark, parenting, personal, renovation/retrofitting | Leave a comment

Synopsis or 3 Days in the Life

Posted on January 26, 2010 by Bettina Colonna Essert

Camo Kitty Bridey, sitting by the old, capped off pump. Would ya look what the dawgs dragged in?  We turned the little guy loose on the far side of the covered bridge. When life hands you lemons… It has rained … Continue reading →

Posted in cats, children, family, health and well-being, Mark, Martina, parenting, personal, photo post | Leave a comment