Life Is Good

As I sit here writing I should be getting the house ready for the company I'm having tomorrow. Not that there is much to do, but I do need to tweak things a bit.

We are having some family and friends over tomorrow. It's the first gathering we've had this summer. I'm excited, even if getting ready is stressful. Family and friends are an important part of our lives. I can't imagine my life without them in it.

Sure, I dream of living in North Carolina, or anywhere else for that matter. I want to see new places and really experience what life is like in those places. At the same time, I love where I am because it keeps me closer to family and friends.

A couple years ago, all I could think was that I wanted a change. I wanted just go and leave this place with my family (Rob and the girls--Braden was not born yet). I could not see where I could have the things I wanted right where I am.

It's amazing how things can change in just a couple years time. I don't know what we would have done when Braden was born if we hadn't been as close as we are to our family and friends. I'm so thankful that with all the trauma that the girls were able to stay in their own home and Jade never had to miss school. They got to keep the security of home and routine.

I have my chickens, I'm getting bees and goats. We are talking about other elements that would make the life I long for. I have a husband who loves me and wants to make me happy. What more could a girl ask for? For the first time, my dreams don't hinge on my leaving. It feels go to be happy where I am.

I Want A Farm...NOW

It's so hard to be patient. I want my farm and I want it now. I want big beautiful gardens full of stuff to eat and sell. I want eggs, lots of yummy brown eggs to eat for breakfast. I want fresh, raw honey from my own back yard. I want two or three or ten milking goats. I want to make cheese, ice cream and soap. I want to be able to look out and see it all in reality the way I see it in my imagination.

Oh, and let's not forget bacon. I want bacon....and ham....and pork chops....and sausage. Yes, I've decided I want to raise some pigs. Then there's rabbits. Jade wants rabbits. And I say "why not?". If we have to build a barn for the goats, there's not reason we can't just build in room for rabbits too. And why not a beef cow too? We could really be nearly self sufficient.

Basically, I want it all and I want it now. But I can't have it now. I have something called a husband. I have to let him have a say in some of this too. Even though I am the one taking care of the animals, he has to build the housing and the fencing. He's also the one making the money at this point.

So for today I will content myself with the chickens and keep looking for beekeeping equipment. But one day in the future you will hear me say "I am a farmer!"

You call that a crow?

It's been down right chilly here lately. The house got down to 66 degrees last night. The last week or so of July was in the mid 80's, so I was really dreading the heat of August. It's odd for it to only be getting to the mid 70's at night. A friend's husband says we are going to have an early winter. I wonder if he is right. I hope not. At least I'll have my chickens.

Speaking of chickens, two of the three roosters are trying to crow now. Rocky (ameraucana) was the first. Poor guy sounds like he's choking on a bull frog. Now Cheif (Cochin) is trying. His sounds almost like a cackle and then ends with a canadian goose call. It's kind of pitiful. Anyone know how long it takes for them to sound like real roosters?

The garden is doing good. I've been getting enough beans to have them with dinner about every other day for the last week or so. We eat them up so fast that I'm not sure any are going to get canned. Meg likes to come out and eat them straight from the garden. The carrots should be ready by the end of the month and the lima beans too. I have lots of cherry tomatoes and they are still flowering. Some of them are nearing the size of golf balls. I didn't think they could get that big. At least they will be sauce worthy at that size. If only they would ripen. The corn is coming along good. I was a little worried since we planted late. But it looks like we will have around 30 ears off 12 plants. I don't know if that's good or not, but I'll take it.

I decided to plant some peas as a fall crop since my spring ones didn't make it. I don't know if they will come up or not. Rob found some old seeds (from 2000) when he was going through a box so I planted them all to see what happens. I'm not expecting anything really.

Ten Things I've Learned This Week.

1) Be sure the cute small green pepper your friend gave you from her garden isn't really a huge jalapeno BEFORE you put a chunk in your mouth.

2) My chickens are smart enough to go in out of the rain all on their own.

3) No matter how much I want it to happen, the kitchen will never clean itself.

4) Braden likes goats almost as much as I do.

5) I shouldn't pick black berries or dew berries while wearing shorts and sandals.

6) Leaving my daughter at summer camp for the first time was hardder than I expected.

7) If I water the garden, it will rain the next day.

8) My cat is afraid of my chickens.

9) My chickens aren't afraid of my cat.

10) If you have chickens loose in your backyard, be sure to always wear shoes.