OOOHHHH blogging early in anticipation of the lumberjack coming home with a truck load of skid wood ready to go on the kitchen walls.  This is going to be a VERY LONG process but I am ready to get started!  Emptied out the cabinet and took the things off of the wall in a small space in hopes of getting started this evening.  Barn chores are complete for the night so he wont have that to do.  Dinner is in the over baking...Irish Lamb Stew!  The house has been cleaned...not so hard in such a tiny space but getting a little cluttered.  Going tomorrow to order a building for larrys tools and to store some of this stuff in until we get the addition this spring.  All pups have been walked...even spooked a very large and lanky red fox not but a few feet from the cottage!  Definately going to be keeping an eye out on him.  Had more chooks hatch so were up to nine with nine more on their way out.  Actually planted a plot of spinach into the ground this afternoon!!!  Felt absolutely amazing.  I had all of the makings for the terrarium and took time this afternoonto get it planted up.  Im thinking it needs a light of some sort...will work on that soon enough.  Also finished the swap project and am ready to deposit it into the mail first thing monday morning! Also took some time to set some more seeds...chives, parsley, dill, red bull onions, and dakota tear onions. Well going to run and hope we can get a little of this wall up!!  Pics when the first wall is completed!
Be well,
Lisa

AN AMAZING ARTICLE THAT SPEAKS MY HEART!!!

I just wanted to take a minute and share here for anyone looking for an amazing article on FOOD!!  I am SOOOOO over all of the lables...yes all.  I shared momentarily ago on FB this very article with the caption of my own...

From Fb:

OMG....I want to love on this womans writing! For real everything in me screams Y-E-S!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am so done with the labels...the categories...the yes this no that...if people would just love what they eat. Eat it slowly...savor it! I am all for eating seasonally but I do NOT want to carry even that label so I hereby dump it!! And all labels for that matter. Food is life and meant to be eaten and enjoyed all of it much as life itself is! I have lost over 12 pounds and have had NO labels no restrictions except feeding my body what it desires listening...savoring...enjoying the food and the company slowly. Ok im done...off the soap box...but give it a try give up the lables and love yourselves enough to move on and enjoy!! Get outside as she says enjoy the life you have!


AND I MEAN EVERY WORD!!  Here is the article for you yourself to enjoy:

http://www.beckyphipps.com/blog/2015/2/4/punch-clean-eating-in-the-face

Its all real right there!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Seriously GO READ IT!!  And give up the labels yourself.  What freedom there is in it!  I shutter to think of all the money we waste on seminars...workshops...foods...supplements...and the such.  And the people making all of this money the bloggers...the companies..makes me sick!  If we would just stop looking to someone or something to "fix" us and stop seeing that food is our enemy!!!  Anyways im done with the soapbox for today.

Be well,
Lisa

Wednesday....February 4, 2015....

An early post here today.  Its the kind of day where I sit here and just feel absolutely overwhelmed with life and emotions.  It has been an absolutely lovely day outside.  As I type the fire is burning just enough to keep the fire going, the windows are open and the sun is streaming in with all its glory!  during late noon barn chores I simply did not want to come inside!  Its a muddy mess but I will take it and enjoy it!  Up early this am to get the barn chores done before heading to town today instead of tomorrow.  The sun was shining and the air crisp and cold...there was a HUGE red headed woodpecker just knocking away at a tree here at the cottage.  I had a dr appt this am before going with Karla to get the organic produce order for the month.  Not so good...well not bad I guess either.  I have struggled for five years now with some major sinus issues about every six to eight years.  It seems that claritan d is causing some heart racing issues so it was time to seek medical advice.  A cat scan is ordered for next week and surgery is inevitable.  Apprently I have a major deviated septum!  This is NOT something I am looking forward to at all.  Actually have alot of fear.  But I simply cannot live with the pain and pressure any longer.  It sucks the life right out of a body.  A trip to a few stores and of course the greenhouse.  Home with lovely produce and some fresh new houseplants as well as some succelents to do up the terrarium tomorrow.  Home....well....yep theres alot of noise in this cottage upon my arrival.  Peep...Peep...Peep....yep two have hatched with five more working their way out.  Good thing I picked up a few of the things needed at tractor supply today.  The duck eggs...well not so sure about them just yet.  And this is a very minute amount considering what we had set but we are happy with it none the less.  Life is abounding all around here on this little farmstead...what with seeds starting...new house plants...seeds going in the ground outside and now these littles...and Indie not so far behind.  Im am feeling a renewing within my spirit and it is amazing!  The lumberjack will be a little late tonight as he is stopping for a haircut so tuna cakes on a bed of lettuce and some homemade aioli for dinner it will be.  As for me...well im medicated so early barn chores a quick and delicious meal and an early evening for sure!
Be well,
Lisa

Tuesday.....Febuary 3, 2015....

What a glorious day!  The sun was shining and just a tad warmer than before!  I managed to get all of the valentines done today and ready to be mailed next week.  Lunch was a bowl of quinoa with a can of wild caught mustard sardines.  Started some forced bulbs inside.  Oh I cannot wait until they bloom!!  Hula dance was awesome and a definate again!  Dinner was simply amazing!  And the lumberjack came in after all of the evening barn chores and asked me to go for a full moon walk in the woods with him.  We bundled up and headed out with one pup in tow.  Home now by the fire and ready to settle in for the evening!
Be well,
Lisa

Monday....Febuary 2, 2015....

WOW what a day.  I feel as though I have hardly sat down.  The wind has howled wildly all day and only just the last hour settled.  Started the day off with coffee then a green smoothie.  Three pup walks and two times to the barn for chores.  Spent plenty of time in the kitchen.  Bought a second chance plant over the weekend and transplanted it.  It seems we have finally got a go on this meal worm farming thing....we have set the darkling beetles to lay the hundreds of eggs over the next two weeks they are predicted to.  It will be another 10 weeks though until we can actually harvest any mealworms for the chooks to enjoy.  On one of the barn trips I found a hen that has gone broody sitting on her one lone egg as the Lumberjack took yesterdays from her.  It does seem a bit early in the season but hey they dont have a calendar and so im thinking she knows whats best for her and the young.  Sent a basket of marked fertile chook and duck eggs to the barn this evening to set under her and just see what happens from there.  Spent some time this afternoon in the art journal.  I wanted to do a journal page devoted to reminding me to pray for the person or many persons that the scarf I made found its way into their lives.  Very happy with the outcome!  Well dinner and dishes and barn chores are finished.  Time to get cleaned up and settle in with some Waltons for the evening.
Be well,
Lisa

The Daybook.....Febuary 2, 2015....

http://www.thesimplewoman.blogspot.com/

Outside my window.....VERY windy with a wind advisory.  Cloudy but breaks of blue skies and sunshine which I will take and enjoy!

I am thinking....About an upcoming online class im signed up for.

I am thankful for....The changing of months as it reminds me of each new season and holiday and to be present for each!

I am wearing....Zebra print yoga capris, black workout tank.

I am creating.....Nothing new really.  Purple shrug, grey mitties almost finished, the art journal, garden spaces, new house plants, and my project for the valentines swap partner.

I am going.....To be enjoying a weeks worth of amazing foods right here at home!!!

I am wondering.....If its all really possible.....

Quote of the week.....

I am reading.....Nothing new.

I am hoping.....To have the most amazing garden season ever!

I am learning....Just how good it feels to settle into a "Rhythm" that works so well for me mind body and soul....

Around the farmstead.....Working on getting the beef barn and fencing done before Indie Kids.  Eggs hoping to hatch in the next week.  Meal worms finally ready to start a good rotation.  More seeds to start indoors.  And a bed of spinach goes in the ground by the end of the week.

In the kitchen.....Roasted and sauteed all the fresh veg we have in the house on Sunday in anticipation of this months organic/non gmo produce co-op order.  Going to be some very yummy things in the menu this week!!  Root veg roasted with a poached egg...Omelets sauteed with some tomatoes and spinach....Soups and stews....And some of those yummy roasted root veg for some cold barley and wheat berry salads...cukes and onions as sides....and homemade naan bread!

I am pondering.....What it will be like to eat seasonally come May???  Its going to be a very interesting year!!

One of my favorite things.....Dinner dates with the Lumberjack and friends!  Just time to drink a glass of wine with a good meal and enjoy the company of each other and others.  S-L-O-W-L-Y!

Plans for the rest of the week.....Not as busy as the past couple of weeks.  Home most of the week.  But tomorrow....my very first HULA DANCING lesson in a town two over!!  A day date with a friend to pick up our produce and a stop at the amazing Amish greenhouse...Oh how i am going to savor that greenhouse!!  And Saturday....well....a long anticipated consultation!!

A peek into a day from the past week.....

A photo from the event my sister and I participated in over the weekend...."Scarf in the park"

The weekend.....January 31, 2015 and Febuary 1, 2015....

Oh so sweet to change the calendar page to February.  I love February!  Not sure exactly why...maybe we are just one more month closer to March when magic happens around here or Valentines day....or another month to celebrate a family birthday.  Not that it matters why but I do love it!  It was a nice weekend.  Not terribly busy as we had expected but I steady kind of weekend that you want to go on forever.  Saturday the Lumberjack went to work for a few hours and I tended the morning barn chores before heading out to meet up with my Sister.  We had signed up to do a scarf in the park event in town and together we took our scarves and scattered them for the homeless.  A few errands and some coffee then I set off for home.  Before I left I snapped a photo of the area we had been clearing.  We had a son in law coming in the afternoon and they were going to start to work on the barn addition for the beef calf "meatball".  With Indie coming fresh anywhere in 2 to 6 weeks its time to get him his own area and give her some privacy.  I have a feeling this is going to be at least a three week process so hopefully she waits.  I came home to a no reason surprise!!  I am so terribly spoiled and in love with this man of mine!  And its not even valentines day!!  We called it an early evening.  This morning we set out to try a church in the next town over...well thats NOT the one!!  We didnt even go in as there were only three cars in total!  We like small but thats too small for even us.  We headed to the local Lowes for some soil to start one of the beds this week and get the first of the spinach in the ground!!  We also purchased a few landscaping timbers to start working on the back veranda.  Hoping to get started on the living room ceiling quite possibly even next week!  Home and he has been cutting wood and getting ready for some more bad weather...even though im praying NOT!  Well out to help with the evening barn chores!
Be well,
Lisa