Just a Quick Check in

Hi,

I just wanted to make sure I put something up this week.  It has to be short ~ I have prayers to go say.  It has been an interesting week.  I have much time to read and learn more about my faith this week.  I keep asking God to help us either get closer to tradition or to bring tradition closer to us.
So far no move...but I am thankful for the time that he is taking to prepare me for such a move.  I have learned over the years that when I come across something three times, I need to pay attention.

What have I recently come across three times?  You need to pack up your stuff and move to a traditional community where you can receive the support of like minded people and be close to daily reception of the Sacraments.

Okay ~ so we are pondering how to do that.  We are just in the pondering stages at the moment.  We will ponder and pray and see what happens.

In other news...MK turned 18 this week!  She was pretty excited for her birthday but not because of the number.  She was excited because it was a day to celebrate.  We have another celebration for her next week...Graduation party!  Looking at how little time there is between now and then I am a little intimidated with the amount of work that needs to get done.

The garden ~ the garden is coming along nicely.  The dh is doing a fine job this year of maintaining a truly beautiful garden.  He went out and bought some really nasty smelling spray to get rid of the raiding rabbits.  It seems to be working.  He also is employing the help of our two teenage boys in mowing the yard...or acreage. :)  The boys are adjusting to doing such fine manly work.

House work ~ My dh agreed that painting another room right now is not a good idea.  So the craft room will remain white till fall.  Then he went out to LOwe's and bought a 5 gallon pale of a pretty blue semi-gloss because it was only $50.  This is how we have painted before ...so now we need to decide where this might best fit.  A nice problem to have really.

That should be good for now to have brought mostly up to speed in my rather ordinary life.

Enjoy your weekend and make sure to keep Sunday holy ~ rest, read, pray.

Kate

{pretty, happy, funny, real}

{Pretty}

This is horseradish blooming along with comfrey.  We renovated this front garden a few years ago and now it is full of perennials that have taken over.  I just realized this year how pretty the horseradish blossoms are. And yes, you can definitely identify the plant by the smell.

{Happy}

This fuzzy picture is a jar of kumbucha.  My daughter finally learned how to make this on her own.  She is currently the only one drinking it.  I plan to soon once she gets her method down.  This is a  great drink for summer.  I like to do a second ferment with fruit and then it is almost like soda only not so sweet.  She is learning that she can do it her way and not the way is was done before by a person (her father or myself) who was distracted by other things and left it a little too long.

{Real}

This is the family favorite.  She is getting up there in age, but still can make us laugh.  She is a miniature sheltie who thinks she is a MUCH bigger dog...until she gets around toddlers...then she hides.  

Lots of funny this week, I am glad to say that we laugh a lot in our house.  None of that usually gets recorded in pictures though.  Sometimes you just have to enjoy the moment.  

Thanks for stopping by!

Head on over to the link-up at Like Mother, Like Daughter to share in each other’s everyday joys and struggles!

God Bless,

Kate

Busy, busy, busy

Springtime on a farm means working yourself into exhaustion every day. Not a day goes by that jobs are left because we ran out of time or energy. My dh is getting better at reading his energy level. I am working at not being the last one in bed since I am the first one up every morning. I have to be as it is my job to milk the cow. We mostly finished the milk shed. It still needs a roof which my dh is reminded of when it rains.

The garden is coming along. I spent the day weeding yesterday. I really enjoy the opportunity to be outside. I didn't use to have that need. I am fortunate because I have children that are willing (mostly) to pitch in and help. This frees me up to do work in the garden or with the animals. The younger ones try to help they just don't have the stamina yet. We're working on that. :)

I have so many things I would like to be doing in a given day that I try to make a list of what I would like to do. Then there are days when I just want an assignment. Those are the days I go to my dh and ask what needs to be done. I chose one or two of the five or six things he can list and work on those. It gives me a sense of accomplishment for the day. This is something both my dh and I need because we don't work outside the home and somedays the need to prove that we are working is great.

In our down moments we read. I went on a field trip this past week with my daughter and two of her friends. We went to Greenfield Village and visited the working farms and craft shops. One of her friends at one point asked me how I knew so much about processing wool. I told her that I have been reading about it a lot. I felt proud that I could share my knowledge.

My break is over. Back to work - which most days I find to be more and more enjoyable. It is empowering to be able to feed your family from the work of your hands.

Unity on the Homefront

My husband and I have been telling people - Plant a garden. I realized that is not easy especially if a couple don't agree that that is what needs to be done. I know that I was on that boat for a long time. Gardening was my husband's thing. i had other things that I wanted to do. I didn't wish to join in the effort. I am sorry that I put so much of that on him.
I still don't have a burning desire to garden but I know that we must create our own food as much as possible. I am a willing worker these days. That means I do what he tells me needs to be done. He is the planner and designer and he will be there in the execution. Now I will be there too. I will be in the garden planting, weeding, watering, harvesting, and preserving. The children will also be working along side of us as well. These are skills that they need.
After you have committed to gardening, then you have to recruit your help and support. Don't get discouraged - it has taken my husband five years to get me on the bandwagon. Of course, it;s helped that I am not good at executing my own dreams. I write just about every day but i am not good at pursuing publication. I have many works in progress that tend to get little attention. I have moments but I don't use them very constructively.
So I am happy to be a worker bee. Point me in the right direction and I will do the assigned task. I enjoy seeing the excitement on my husband's face when we discuss the garden layout. He complains sometimes about how hard it was to pull us along. Our oldest daughter will probably continue to resist, but we continue to hope that eventually she'll get it.

So plan,recruit, direct and then plant, nurture, grow, and harvest.

Good luck to you all!