We've whiled away a few hours doing just that. Sitting, chatting, daydreaming and enjoying this beautiful gift of a morning. The solo stove is awesome, a few little bits of wood provides the perfect amount of heat to take the chill away, without marring the beauty of a cool late spring morning. Looking at the weather it looks like this is our last chilly morning for a long while, we had to make the best of it.
In a few hours we will head over to the girls house to have lunch. Hubs made a batch of his pork steaks. We decided on the girl's house, because she has a full house of kids and honestly, our house is simply not kid friendly. The eldest will join us and we will spend the afternoon chatting, munching and enjoying time with the family.
I'm currently trying to decide if I want to head out to the grocery first or if I want to get the canning done that is on my agenda for today. My friends delivered the meat they smoked last night, don't want to leave it waiting too long. I also need to get some jellies done for another friend. He's trading me jars for some low sugar jellies. I sure do love horsetrading.
For now, I'm sitting here watching the birds fly in for breakfast. The fire is down to embers and my pups are sitting beside me resting after their morning romp. I love this life.
I spent a bit of time weeding and puttering with my garden this morning. Exploring how to make my own vinegar, I hate to waste any bit of the harvest and it appears that I will be able to make this happen relatively easily. I was checking my jalapeno plants this morning and it sure looks I will be able to can up a few more jars and still have enough to make my youngest grand some of the jalapeno jelly that she loves.
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| craziest tomato flower I've ever seen... |
I can't bring myself to tear out the peas just yet, they are still producing small pods. I'm gonna give them a few more days before I plant the other seeds. Beans grow super fast, so it won't be a problem getting them grown before the end of the growing season.
Hubs and I were thinking about putting in some more raised beds in the back yard. He is still dreaming about building me a green house. I'm not sure how I feel about that. I would love one, I have wanted one forever. But honestly, I'm cheap. It kills me to spend money on things I want. Unless we are talking fabric and yarn and then I just might be deranged.
I cherish my "little house" lifestyle. I thrive on the work of doing things the old way. I cherish the feeling of putting on a pair of homemade socks, snuggling under a blanket made with love or popping open a jar of fresh veggies to serve with dinner.
Do I know if that will serve me in the future, nope. Do I care? That would be an even bigger NOPE. It serves the life that Hubs and I love. That is what matters most. Last night watching the smile on Hubs face as he dug into a bowl of homemade sugar free ice cream, was one of the reasons I love doing the things. A friend reached out the other day to tell me he was enjoying a can of the most delicious stewed tomatoes for lunch (I had made them, he'd never had them before I served them to him). The neighbor returned all of my canning jars that I'd given his family just a week ago. Evidently his kiddo's loved the jellies and his wife barely shared the carrots and carrot soup. Those reactions make the time spent a true blessing and gift.
By the way, if you've never had homemade ice cream, well I highly recommend it. After tasting while I was making it last night, I have a feeling before long my friends will be getting an ice cream maker. I never recommend getting the kitchen aid set I have. Not because it isn't great, because it is. But because it is quite pricey! Hubs had collected all my pieces over years. I would never spend that kind of money all in one setting. In fact, him buying my mixer was probably one of our biggest fights. I couldn't believe he would waste that much money when he could have gotten me another hand held for $10. And yes, I do thank him all the time for not listening to me and doing what he wanted to, every day. His foresight makes the things I do, that much easier.
I am trying to plan out my coming week. I have some canning that needs completed, I really would like to get a batch or two of soap done (it takes 6 weeks to cure, so I try to keep it somewhat on a schedule) and I am supposed to be picking up two quilts to quilt for someone. I never dreamed I would be so happily busy once I stepped away from the corporate world.
Here is the thing, I used to dread long days. Now, I simply float through them and at the end of a 12+ hour day, I am tired, but I am not mentally fatigued. It is body weary, happy tired. I often wonder where the day went. I used to watch the clock on those long days, dreading every minute. Now, it's more often than not the ache in my back or the tiredness in my arms that remind me of the hours that have passed.
So many of my family and friends make comments that I am so busy they hate to bother me. That honestly annoys me a bit. Because for the first time in far too long, while yes I am busy, it is busy on my terms and I can stop to spend quality time with loved ones whenever I want. It is truly a blessing for which I have an unending thankfulness. That is probably the greatest gift ever.
My fire is nothing but embers, my babies are inside waiting on breakfast, Hubs is already busy with his honey do list. So I guess I should stop slacking. I could get up from my chair here in the garden and do the things. I need to stitch the toe of that sock so it is complete. I have a celery plant that needs transplanted, a few more tomato plants that need a bit more support, there are things to do. I guess it is time to officially start this day. It isn't like it used to be, I don't need several days to regroup and brace myself for the coming storm, now my life simply flows. One moment to the next in steady rhythm.
But... oh it is so hard to leave the peace of the treetop garden... the birds are singing and it's still oh so beautiful... maybe a few more moments.
love and peace...
Good one! 381+
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