Finding Home

Last night the wind finally died down enough that I was able to plant 2 rows of yukon gold seed potatoes, 3 rows of red pontiac seed potatoes, and umpteen onions - red, yellow and white. First things in the garden - and the official full start of gardening season. From now on, I will spend my evenings and weekends in the garden and in the yard - weeding, mulching, watering, and eventually - harvesting.

Some might look at that as drudgery. For me - it's necessary. I need that time every day to work outside in my garden and yard. From cutting asparagus each evening to pulling weeds to watering my peas - it's how I find my peace and balance each day. I do my best thinking and pondering while working in the garden, and I love seeing perennials come back each year, and the progress my yards and my garden makes from year to year. Seeing the fruit of my labor so to speak - it helps with that feeling so many of us have. The one where we feel like we're doing the same thing over and over and not accomplishing anything.

I see what I've accomplished. What my family has accomplished. I see it in the landscaping, in the spread of the oregano and thyme, the blooms of the strawberries ....

(The monstrous size of the little 6 inch rosemary plant that is now 4 feet tall - and at least as wide. After just 3 years. Sometimes nature surprises us.)

When we bought this property, it was a field. We've added a house, a barn, a garage, a wellhouse, a chicken coop, trees for shade, trees for windbreaks, trees for fruit, and berry bushes. We gave ourselves the means to feed ourselves for a good part of the year - with healthier, fresher food. I haven't bought eggs in over a year. I don't buy hot sauce anymore (because mine is SO much better y'all - you have no idea.) Thanks to the aforementioned monster rosemary bush, I'll never have to buy that again either. My hope is to not have to buy oregano, thyme or sage again, and to raise enough veggies to not have to buy canned goods over the winter. It's an ambitious goal - but one we're hoping to accomplish.

Even if we only raise enough for half of winter - that's less gas we'll use driving to town to buy that stuff. And I guarantee it will taste better than anything store bought.

We started with a field. Now we have a home. And even if life in Hicksville isn't the idyllic community we hoped for when we moved out here - I wouldn't trade it for anything.

(Oh! I almost forgot. One of the banty's is setting - we should have baby chicks in a few weeks. There is nothing as cute as baby chicks. Will try to get pictures when they arrive.)