Reality .............
The alarm goes off at 5:15 and Honey rolls out of bed.
I roll over into the nice warm nest that Honey has left. And for the next 20-30 minutes, I swat at that screeching alarm clock every seven minutes .... just trying to get "just a little more sleep".
I stumble down the stairs ... grab the steaming cup of coffee ....and say "Good Morning!" to Patches Ann and Honey.
In that order.
The farm report will share the weather of the day, the crop conditions throughout the country and the latest in the foodie world. And through hazy eyes .... we watch a doe walk through the bean field across the road.
Is the haze the result of the humidity ........ or the fact that my drowsy eyes are not ready to face the day?
I slug down that coffee like it was a cold beer on a hot Saturday night.
The knitting needles are never far away and I pick them up and work on another dishcloth. Always a dishcloth in the morning. Mindless lace pattern ... no thinking ... little counting .... as I plan out the day.
There is always laundry and dishes. And weeding and deadheading. And sewing and knitting and cleaning. Bread to bake ..... the canner seems to be welded to the stove. Never moving.... always ready.
The list goes on and on.
I am reminded of an old saying ... embroidered on thousands of samplers .....
A man will work from sun to sun but a woman's work is never done.
That needs an alteration. A farmer's work is never done.
Even with only two acres ..... there is no time for relaxation. Wood needs to be split. Laundry needs to be taken off the line and folded. One coop or both need to be cleaned. Beans need to be picked. Tomatoes watered. Weeds pulled. Flowers fertilized.
I am tired this morning, just thinking about it.
Honey's lunch is packed and he is off to work. I pull on a pair of jeans .... dirty .... torn ... or patched. Most of the time .... all three. Shirt is stained. Or torn. Or more likely ... both.
No make-up ... hair barely combed.
It's definitely not a fashion moment.
I try to keep today's list manageable .....
Weed two rows
Finish dishcloth
Make two sandwich bags
Soak beans for supper
Wash and hang bedding
Freeze pesto
Finish class descriptions
We have all seen the bucolic vision of a little farm. Strolling through the garden, in a ruffled apron and stylish straw hat, harvesting just the right amount of veggies for supper. Hair is coiffed. Make-up is perfect. The garden has no weeds but beautiful wild flowers abound.
Eggs are collected with no poop on them. The old farmhouse looks charming .... not shabby. The lawn is green and lush and always neatly trimmed. Containers of flowers are everywhere..... and never need watering.
I knew life was not going to be like that! I knew it was going to be hard work. But sooo much hard work???
Today ...... today I need a day out of a magazine.
I need my chickens to be peaceful and relaxed and not squawking every two seconds! I need to walk through the gardens without seeing lamb's quarter that is taller than I am. I need kittens that curl up on a pillow and not poop in my path. I need peace and quiet and an afternoon nap in the garden.
I need that Pinterest moment.
And it ain't going to happen!
I roll over into the nice warm nest that Honey has left. And for the next 20-30 minutes, I swat at that screeching alarm clock every seven minutes .... just trying to get "just a little more sleep".
I stumble down the stairs ... grab the steaming cup of coffee ....and say "Good Morning!" to Patches Ann and Honey.
In that order.
The farm report will share the weather of the day, the crop conditions throughout the country and the latest in the foodie world. And through hazy eyes .... we watch a doe walk through the bean field across the road.
Is the haze the result of the humidity ........ or the fact that my drowsy eyes are not ready to face the day?
I slug down that coffee like it was a cold beer on a hot Saturday night.
The knitting needles are never far away and I pick them up and work on another dishcloth. Always a dishcloth in the morning. Mindless lace pattern ... no thinking ... little counting .... as I plan out the day.
There is always laundry and dishes. And weeding and deadheading. And sewing and knitting and cleaning. Bread to bake ..... the canner seems to be welded to the stove. Never moving.... always ready.
The list goes on and on.
I am reminded of an old saying ... embroidered on thousands of samplers .....
A man will work from sun to sun but a woman's work is never done.
That needs an alteration. A farmer's work is never done.
Even with only two acres ..... there is no time for relaxation. Wood needs to be split. Laundry needs to be taken off the line and folded. One coop or both need to be cleaned. Beans need to be picked. Tomatoes watered. Weeds pulled. Flowers fertilized.
I am tired this morning, just thinking about it.
Honey's lunch is packed and he is off to work. I pull on a pair of jeans .... dirty .... torn ... or patched. Most of the time .... all three. Shirt is stained. Or torn. Or more likely ... both.
No make-up ... hair barely combed.
It's definitely not a fashion moment.
I try to keep today's list manageable .....
Weed two rows
Finish dishcloth
Make two sandwich bags
Soak beans for supper
Wash and hang bedding
Freeze pesto
Finish class descriptions
We have all seen the bucolic vision of a little farm. Strolling through the garden, in a ruffled apron and stylish straw hat, harvesting just the right amount of veggies for supper. Hair is coiffed. Make-up is perfect. The garden has no weeds but beautiful wild flowers abound.
Eggs are collected with no poop on them. The old farmhouse looks charming .... not shabby. The lawn is green and lush and always neatly trimmed. Containers of flowers are everywhere..... and never need watering.
I knew life was not going to be like that! I knew it was going to be hard work. But sooo much hard work???
Today ...... today I need a day out of a magazine.
I need my chickens to be peaceful and relaxed and not squawking every two seconds! I need to walk through the gardens without seeing lamb's quarter that is taller than I am. I need kittens that curl up on a pillow and not poop in my path. I need peace and quiet and an afternoon nap in the garden.
I need that Pinterest moment.
And it ain't going to happen!
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