On parenting

Posted on Posted in Grateful, Parenting, Personal, Uncategorized3 Comments

Or something like that. To be honest this is a hard topic for me. Being a mom has always been the thing I excelled at… the only thing I was ever really praised for by certain people who I wanted to please. Naturally everything changed last year and the boys and I have yet to find our rhythm.

There’s been a few things over the last few weeks that have given me hope that we’re creating something new together. Something beautiful. For starters, I took them with me to a wedding instead of finding a babysitter. It was one of the best decisions I’ve made in awhile. I got the chance to bond with them that night through silly dancing and fun exchanges across the reception tent. Those boys, they know exactly what it takes to get right to my heart. Like tonight when Tristan came up to me and said “mom I like you” instead of the normal “I love you”. Hearing that was exactly what my heart needed because being loved and being liked are two very different things. Anyway back to the point. Here’s a picture from that night

This week we made bow and arrows and rubber band guns together. Next on the list is sling shots (I might regret that one). I feel like I’m falling in love with being a mom all over, more specifically a mom to boys. Two amazingly energetic and creative little beings.

We visited Bernheim Forest this past week.

Shorter days

Posted on Posted in Grateful, Personal7 Comments

Summer is quickly coming to an end and so are the days at the farm. Taking a moment to reflect on this past season the good and bad of everything we’ve learned loved and experienced. Certainly these times and days haven’t been easy. Today is no exception as I desperately fight to stay positive and moving forward. A better life ahead.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Happy Labor Day Weekend!

Open Fire Cooking

Posted on Posted in Homesteading, recipe5 Comments

Easily one of my favorite things. It’s starting to cool off just enough to light it up and we couldn’t be more happy. Here’s a taste of what’s to come in the months ahead.

Potato + onion + beef brat hash with a few jalapenos thrown in for good measure, sprinkled with Creole and fresh ground salt dabbed with a little butter and thrown over some hot coals. Cooks in a flash. So good.

Toasted perfection

Squished between two homemade ginger snaps #heaven

T and his side kick Denver who we adopted a few weeks ago till we could find him a good home. We’ve all grown quite attached to the sweet miniature blue heeler but lucky for us he’s being adopted by my family and will be going to live on the family farm next week. Something tells me he’ll be an added incentive to go visit Nanna and Pappa.

Chicken Day!

Posted on Posted in FarmingLeave a comment

Spent  today rearranging the coop to accommodate 9 more hatchlings! Bringing the chicken count up to 44 if my calculations are correct… not sure what the end goal is but when a hen goes broody I can’t resist the thought of more little fuzz butts and I mean can you blame me… ?

 

 

 

Rain

Posted on Posted in Farming, Writing1 Comment

This stud is the culprit of sore hands and a bruised ego tonight. Fighting him (Banjo) this afternoon in the sheeting rain to get under shelter, sliding through mud barefoot trying to keep a grip on a slippery chain while thunder crashing loudly  just above. Finally getting in safely, thoroughly soaked I stomped up towards the house fuming mad! then it dawned on me… “this is the best thing thats happened to me all week”. So I stood there raised my hands in surrender and let the showers pour down my face drenching whatever dry was left.

Lesson learned.

Oh, honey!

Posted on Posted in Farming, HomesteadingLeave a comment

Could I possibly have been more unprepared when it comes to bees? doubtful, so no surprise I wasn’t ready for harvesting their work either. I used the most unconventional method but it worked and I’ve happily stored away 14 pints of honey. Next time (soon) I’ll be a little more prepared… extractor anyone?

“I guess I’ll keep going till someone tells me to stop”

Posted on Posted in Farming, Homesteading, WritingLeave a comment

I’ve given this answer more than once this past few weeks when asked about the farm the unknowns and why I’m still doing what I’m doing. Fact is most days I don’t know what keeps me going other than the fact that someone has to care for these animals. The yurt and a farm was my dream but what I have to keep reminding myself is that even if it doesn’t happen now I don’t have to give up on it. So until I’m told to stop I’ll keep working.

We made tremendous progress today getting the roof rafters in and hooking up the waterline! I can’t describe the sheer joy and relief once these projects were complete after a good 8 hours in the 100 degree weather. I’m so blessed to have a family that will take their vacation day to drive 9 hours and come help me.

This week we added 4 new peeps to our flock. Can’t ever get enough of these little guys and I do believe it’s time for me to invest in an incubator of my own.

Collin is learning to use the potty now… can’t believe he’s already big enough to sport mama’s homemade trainer!

Sheer joy over running water. This means no more hauling 5 gallon buckets from the pond for watering the garden and animals! I still use a rain barrel but with as dry as it’s been we depleted that long ago. Doubtful I’ll ever taking running water for granted again.

Try explaining to a 4yo why mumma is too busy to take in a new baby kitten 😦

Little love. Tiny tushy.

Boys will be boys and thank goodness for it! #freedom

Little bigger brother and I building a platform

 

There you have it, all in a days work!