Adventures On a Rural Homestead

Mundane Moments

In a time when the world seems to be in such turmoil, and I wake with stiff shoulders and a tense belly, I am finding peace in the seemingly mundane moments of my day. Our routine of starting the day with a dawn pasture walk is so healing. I feel such joy and calm walking this land and reveling in the sunrise. 

I am glad our roots are here, and that my boys can experience the wildness of starting their days outside. 

Levi keeps me company while I do my morning yoga, he is a pretty good audience. 

Our days are not always peaceful, so I remind myself to cherish moments of calm. The boys do such a good job of helping each other, like when they work together to fill Alex's nine bird feeders. They both enjoy bird watching, Eli especially likes to call Alex over to see a rare or unusual bird, like the Evening Grosbeaks we got to see on Christmas day!

The boys have been doing some cooking, so I can enjoy moments to myself to read by the fire. I do love woodstove season, and the time to drawn in and gather warmth. I am remembering to breathe deeply, hug my boys close and cherish every moment. 

 

Who Knows

"Who knows how this

ends

or

when it ends

that said,

What do we know?

We know that

I have you

and you have me

we know that 

Love is real

It holds us.

It carries us.

It reminds us

That we are strong

And soft

And we can

make it

through

this."

~Cleo Wade

I love these words from Cleo Wade, an inspirational author and speaker. I hope as we experience a normally joyful holiday season we acknowledge the grief and anxiety also present at the table. Hold your people close. Love them. Love yourself. Unconditionally. Love is always the answer. 

Pet Love

Now that the weather has turned cooler Sir Petey cat likes to spend much of the day lounging inside. We love his company, and he gets lots of pets and love. 

Levi is glad that it is woodstove season again, we were very amused to see him toasting his paws by our first fire. We are so thankful for the entertainment and joy that our sweet pets bring us! 

Sanity During Coronavirus Quarantine

We've been doing a lot to try to keep joy in our lives as we've been home for two weeks, and facing many more weeks alone here. We've watched funny movies with the kids, played games, planned good meals, made our own smoothie and coffee shop, and yesterday we went out for a drive. Nick told the kids that we could take Levi and go for a drive in the country, for a sense of getting out. We explored country gravel roads nearby, and ended up at Natural Chimneys. Since no one else was there we got out for a wonderful hike along the North River. 

The kids loved throwing rocks in the water, racing down the trails, and finding spring wildflowers like Blood Root, Spring Beauty and Bluebells.

It felt so good to be out, to hear leaves crunch under my feet, and the sound of clear water running. I know if there is a "shelter at home" rule we won't be able to do things like this, so we soaked up every minute. I've been planning fun things we can do outside at home, like a spring scavenger hunt, color scavenger hunt, starting our Sit Spots again, and doing a wildlife count. (We were excited to see a wild turkey in our field this week!) There is so much we can enjoy right here at home, and I am so thankful for this wonderful property. 

 

 

Life During Coronavirus

We've been self-isolating at home for two weeks now. In this time of uncertainty and fear, we have much to be thankful for. We have good food, our chickens are laying 23-29 eggs daily now. I had most of my garden seeds already, and got seeds for the things I usually buy as plants at the nursery: bell and jalapeno peppers, dill, chamomile and basil. My little greenhouse containers of tomatoes and peppers are doing well: 

Since we already homeschool our daily lives haven't changed as much as some. But we are missing our homeschool group field trips, hiking with our friends and my parents, and eating out. Alex especially struggled this week, saying he feels "trapped." We've been reminding him we are so fortunate to have 7 acres to roam, and we've enjoyed family walks around our back field, and time exploring fossils and frogs at the pond. 

Nick has been working from home for the college since last Monday. We've also had our neighbor friend contractor here doing the finish work on the wall demo, so it's been a bit interesting to try to keep the kids quiet, while doing lesson and work with a construction zone in the middle of the house. Work on the beams along the top and side where the wall was is going well: 

Our pets have been a good source of comfort and distraction. Levi's love of using things for pillows, like a basket of wooden blocks, really cracks us up.

We like when Petey comes in to drink Levi's water, and rest on our bed.

Nick put the chicken's warm-weather waterer back up this week, and they were so excited. It's funny to see how they like different styles of waterers. Our 13 baby chicks will arrive this coming week, we are so thankful to have that to look forward to. We spent time yesterday building a brooder box and washing our chick heaters, waterers and feeders. 

I've been keeping a journal of what we eat during the coronavirus pandemic. We've been doing a good job of eating leftovers and not wasting food, and planning meals around what food needs used first. I'm trying to find the light during these scary times. 

Slow Start

After a day away yesterday we enjoyed a slow start to our Sunday. I read more of "My Side of the Mountain" to the boys by the fire. Even the pets joined us for a cozy morning together. 

We got lots accomplished today~ cleaned the bathrooms, did laundry, painted the kitchen and butchered three roosters. I am so thankful that we took the time for a slow start. Woodstove Season is one of my favorites~ I look forward to many more mornings reading aloud by the fire. 

Hot Spell

It's been hot here, I can't say I enjoy weather in the 90s in May. But we've been keeping our spirits up, and taking lots of breaks in our work for cold lemon balm and mint tea. Here are a few snapshots from the last couple of days:

It's been so fun to see Big Brown Eyes teaching her chicks how to scratch for food. I love this moment Nick captured of her and two chicks looking in the little hole where she had scratched. 

And this picture was right before the chick pecked at her mom's eye. The chicks are pretty fascinated with her eye. Alex remarked that in just a few weeks the chicks will be climbing on their mom's back and flying down. That always amuses us! 

Levi likes to go outside with us, and we find shady spots to tie him on his long leash. 

We've enjoyed the flowers here, they were done blooming by the time we moved last July. Alex enjoys bringing in bouquets for the kitchen windowsill. 

Eli's enjoyed wearing my childhood fanny pack, it is sweet to see him so pleased with it. 

I just got 3 flats of 24 quarts of strawberries, time to get busy freezing and making jam! 

Celebrating~ 38 Years Young

I celebrated my 38th birthday yesterday~ with family, good food, and time outside on a beautiful day. I got the burning sore throat that the boys had last week, but was able to still enjoy the day. 

My parents came to visit for the weekend, and we had fun eating and chatting together. Mom helped me plant 4 trees that they gave me~ 2 Sugar Maples, a Virginia Pine and a Sycamore tree. Yesterday afternoon I mulched around the trees, and worked on mulching between our raised bed garden boxes. I also planted 2 yarrow plants and 2 comfrey. I read recently that comfrey is a good source of minerals and protein for chickens. 

Nick worked hard this weekend digging a 70' long 20" deep trench from our woodshop to the barn, and about 20' trench from the barn to the green building behind in. Our electrician is coming Thursday to do some upgrades: replacing the panel box in the woodshop, running exterior grade wire to the barn, replacing circuits in the barn, and running electric to the building behind the barn. (Where we plan to have meat chickens.) 

Even though we were hard at work we all enjoyed the beautiful day, and each other's company. I'm so thankful for this place in the world, and for those on the journey with me. 

 

Celebrating~ Easter

The boys and I have passed around a stomach/digestive bug for over a week now. We've been sick before/during every holiday at our new home so far. But we were still able to celebrate and have a good time. Nick's mom came to visit, and we've enjoyed good food and games together. 

We hid coin-filled eggs for the boys in the backyard this morning, and they had fun searching for them. Petey supervised from the wooden swing, and we were pleased with how well Petey and Levi did being relatively close to each other. 

While the ham baked Nick and I got to go for a quick walk in town together, which was so nice. We took Levi too, and he did a great job on his first walk, although he did raise his hackles at tulips blowing in the breeze and bark at another dog we passed.

We enjoyed a delicious lunch followed by orange strawberry cake. The boys had fun decorating the top with fresh berries. 

Nick spent lots of time working on garden fencing while I cooked lunch. The boys have been outside playing soccer, and I'm off to pull out leftovers for dinner. I hope we all recover quickly to enjoy another fun week together. 

 

Evening Play Time

Now that the days are warmer the boys, especially Alex, have been very interested in playing sports. He likes to shoot basketball hoops, play soccer and football. Sometimes we play as a family, often Nick and the boys play soccer while I'm preparing & cleaning up from dinner. And best of all~ the boys spend afternoons outside playing together. 

Levi and I like to sit outside and watch them, and search for signs of spring. (See the little blue flowers in front of Levi pup?) I'm thankful for the smells, sights and sounds of spring, including sweet little boys playing vigorously together!