3/18/2021

Things have been a little busy around the homestead lately. I always can't wait for winter to end so spring will arrive but it never fails to arrive and like a storm, it seems like a surprise. Well, finally it will be arriving this Saturday, and I feel pretty good so far about our progress here on the homestead.

Some of the biggest news around here is that we have a couple of new hens that arrived Tuesday. One of the reasons I haven't posted anything recently is that we were building a new chicken tractor. It feels good to know we built that little hen house on wheels from mostly salvaged materials we already had here on the homestead. We only had to buy a few things like some screws and the metal wire. The new hens are so beautiful, they are called Easter Eggers, and here is the most surprising part, they lay green eggs! I purchased the one year old hens at a large discount from a co-worker that raises his own chickens. It feels good when I go out to the yard and see my flock and collect their beautiful colorful eggs, potentially a half dozen daily. It feels good knowing that I don't need to buy eggs from the store and I have plenty to share thanks to my happy hens.

I've been spending a lot of time being grateful and trying to recognize things that maybe we sometimes start to take for granted and I'd like to share those things as I rediscover them with the changing of the seasons. Lately I've noticed how it feels good to stand outside and soak up the the sun as it kisses your skin, especially after it has been raining and the sun comes out from behind those clouds. It feels good when you notice your grass start looking so lush and green like a nice thick carpet you almost want to walk barefoot on it. Of course my grass gets fertilized by the hens and rabbit so I don't go barefoot but it does help the grass. I was amazed how much better it looked after a quick rake too. It feels good when you have done the work to grow plants from seeds and then you are able to preserve it then, later pull it off the shelf and serve it to your family and friends. I love the feeling it gives me to slather homemade jams on my home baked bread. I have been serving fresh broccoli to the family from the garden lately, and it feels good to say I finally figured out how to grow it. I've tried before but failed because it would flower before we could eat it. It feels good to say that I am eating more from the garden in early spring than ever before. I am able to harvest kale, green onions, collards, and a few herbs, lettuces and spinach too.

My hubby and I recently went over to a co-worker/friend of ours for a dinner. It felt good to get together and eat, drink wine and have good conversation with others. It feels good when you bring fresh baked bread and a pie and everyone raves about the homemade goodness. It gives me the warm and fuzzy's to be among the people we care about, and it's very hard to call it a night and head home. I remind myself that these are the moments that we need more of, the moments that we spend with people, when we stay up way past our bedtime and we just can't wait to get back together again. I have a small circle of a few more people I miss hanging out with and I've been thinking that we need to get back together ASAP.

Just a couple more things before I end this post. I have been working on some "spring cleaning" as they say. Doesn't it feel good when you get your house all tidied up and maybe put out some seasonal decor? I just love that feeling I get when my house is freshly cleaned. When I see those little vacuum carpet tracks all over and shining glass and tabletops it feels like a ton of bricks has been lifted off my shoulders and I can be at peace again, at least until the next meal time. Speaking of meals, sometimes I think we can all understand, I just don't feel like making dinner. My goal is to cook 6 nights of the week for my family. So, when I don't feel like doing it, but I manage to get it done anyway from food I already have in the freezer/fridge or on the shelf, and generally before I could have decided on and ordered any takeout or delivery...it feels really good to know I didn't let food and money go to waste in the fridge.

Powering through those obstacles in our life makes us confident that we can accomplish anything if we just put our minds to it, and take the next step. Turning my thoughts around into a more positive mindset has helped us achieve so much more than I ever thought possible. Until next time, I suggest you try to notice the things around you that make you feel good, and soak them up, be grateful and keep a positive mindset to the best of your ability.