Deep In Thought.

Sunrise on the Farm.

I'm still here despite my lack of posting. There really hasn't been much to talk about. Oh we're busy, plenty busy, but this time of year is relatively quiet. We've dug back into a regular routine for school, and we've been busy with field trips and homeschool activities. Around the farm,  though,  it has been pretty basic maintence. No big projects. No births. Pretty much feeding, and cleaning up after that feed has been processed.

It is a time when I do a lot of thinking, and make a lot of plans in my head that are well beyond what we could ever get done. I am good at the thinking, the planning, and I can get a lot done, but what I am not good at is being realistic about the hours in the day versus my commitments and responsibilities.

I've been thinking about the garden:
We are losing our largest garden spot this year. It is at the neighbors. True, we have 100 acres, space should not be a problem right? Acreage isn't a problem. Land that is flat enough to garden is a problem, and land that is cleared on our acreage is almost non existent. Clearing of any space isn't going to happen for this season. This has caused me to think hard about where, what, and how we will grow vegetables this year.

I've got the itch to get started. Soon, very soon.

I've been thinking about the farm:
Tim's work schedule is about to change. It is going to mean more time away from home for him. We aren't keeping up on the farm now. I wonder if it wouldn't be better to turn away from some of our more heavy labor farm activities, and look at things that would be easier for the kids and I to maintain. I'm thinking about bees, maple syrup, fruits, expanding on the poultry, a high tunnel for veggies, and mushrooms.

There are a list of projects we need to complete. A list of fixes that need to be done. Projects in the house we never quite get to, and projects I'd like to work on for the upcoming season. My head is spinning with lists and ideas. 


I've been thinking about our away from home activities:
I'm too busy, way too busy. I know it, and it shows in the things that don't get done (or done well) around here. I struggle to cut things out. I'd love to cut out working away from home. I am to the point of cutting back on that, and that is wonderful news. Cutting other things is hard.

Things that aren't as important to me are very important to the kids, and I'm a sucker for all the great looking field trips and educational opportunities that come across my path. It is a blessing that we have so many wonderful things for homeschoolers here, but it makes it hard to say no. I can't (and don't) do them all, but we do too many of them for sure.

Then there are other activities. Church activities, d-i-y classes I want to take, and the possible start up of a new local foods market that I have found myself involved with. I'm excited for these things. I see a lot of value in them, but where do you draw the line? I want to do it all.

This struggle is nothing new to us. Seems Tim and I have gone through this cycle our entire marriage. We get mind numbingly busy, and then we cut back drastically. Slowly we add one activity and then another until we are over booked again. At least I can say that the cycles have gotten longer.


Even when it is quiet here, it is busy, and when it is quieter, that is when my mind seems to race 100 miles an hour.