Vol.45

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The weather outside is //

As I look outside my window // Our busiest season on the farm is over and this lull is very much appreciated! No rest for the weary, though: I just wrote out a lengthy “winter prep” task list and want to get most of it accomplished before cold weather hits. Counting down the days until I can hibernate inside for months.

As I look around the house // The kitchen counter is bursting with fresh produce and I need to decide what to do with it all. Use it for dinner? Freeze it? Can it? Give some of it to pigs and chickens? A good problem to have!

Prioritizing my health // The humbling part about keeping a blog is knowing that I’ve written a version of this sentence countless times over the years: I’ve fallen off the horse and have to get back up. Having a new puppy who wakes up obscenely early (and wants everyone in the house to know it) has really taken a toll on me. Add that to my already full farming schedule – and soon to be school schedule! – and I’ve been burning the candle at both ends. Early in July, I told my husband that I felt like I was exhibiting signs of depression, but without being depressed: I felt almost numb, going through the motions but feeling little. That admission scared both of us and I immediately started to make some changes. Some of my physical symptoms seemed to match thyroid issues, so I had bloodwork done to check. All came back normal, praise God! With further research, it appears that poor sleep, high cortisol levels and stress can also mimic thyroid issues. Well, check check check. I’ve put myself on a relatively strict diet, am allowing myself naps/going to bed early as needed, and am trying to reduce stress triggers. I’m starting to feel a little better, but Rome wasn’t built in a day. One step at a time.

Thinking // about this post from Michelle, especially this part: “When I’m feeling good, I focus on all the good things I’ve done. When I’m feeling down, I focus on everything I’ve done wrong. Social media, of course, only shows what we want it to show. How many times has a friend posted something, and I’ve thought man, that is nowhere near what they were telling me yesterday. How many times have I done that?”

On this week’s to-do list //
– consider jumping into a “low buy August”, like last year – finalize preparations for Week 1 of school (we start next week!) – move wood chips to piglets’ permanent paddock – pick elderberries and freeze – can pizza sauce – mop the kitchen floor – mail a birthday card & a thank you

– list a few things on ebay/Poshmark/Pango