rambles

This is not a coherent post-just a series of thoughts-jumbles and fragments.

Chickens are better--the leghorns are alone in the 'palace' and beginning to increase egg production-9 hens and 1 rooster -this weekend we were up to 5 eggs/day from that group. now that my 'summer schedule' is starting i would really like to move them 2x daily-they really love the clover and mustard. The banties however are another story... there are 20 (ish) of them and 1 rooster and they were giving us maybe a dozen eggs/day last weekend it was 1 egg/day. ONE. They are in a 1/4 or 1/3 acre fenced orchard with free choice feed. I will send my chicks in there to see if they have found an alternate laying spot-or look for evidence of egg eating.

For some reason my anxiety level is through the roof. Everything sets me off. I was actually thinking about drugs (the Rx kind!!) to help me get things back under control but that's not the way to go. Ive been reading a book called SPARK and it details the connections between exercise and the brain. This book is filled with proof after proof that our brains NEED exercise to function optimally. Did you know that exercise can grow stem cells--create NEW brain cells. And low grade chronic stress actually makes you stupid --as in lose IQ points, as in can't remember new things. This book is NOT riveting reading -it is full of growth factors and study findings but even though it puts me to sleep I will read and probably re-read it. The way to get me out of my cycle of stress= paralyzed into no action= more stress-- is to move! I have started the walk/jog thing in the mornings again and it is BETTER than drugs!

The bunnies were weaned last week and mom bred back. We have 3 nice sized babies and 1 little guy. He/she is less than 1/2 the size with a very fluffy-fuzzy coat; he also drinks alot of water. He is very bright and active though-always the first to look for handouts! We will probably let them go to 10 or 12 weeks of age.

The girls are done with school today and my 4 day 'weekends' start this week. I have decided to just hire a handyman type person to finish the projects we need to do to get 'for sale' sign in front of house. We have the money right now just no time--or more acurately the time we have is not being spent in town -we are actually trying to have some fun and relax.

happy summer -maybe we will break into the high 60's this week!!
kris

On Big Rocks and Small Potatoes

I've been pretty quiet for a few weeks. I have not been very good company for my family, my co-workers, my clients or my blogger friends. I had withdrawn into my protective shell and am now just starting to peek out. In the last 4 weeks I have re-read the Lord of the Rings Trilogy and finished the entire Twilight series-that is what I do to escape and I have had it BAD lately. I look back and think -what a waste of time! But it was what I needed.

I've been thinking about big rocks. I have been scattered and not focused on the important things in my life. Tom and i attended a time management class a few years ago sponsered by Franklin Covey. The take home message was this: your time is finite, fill it with the most important things first, the not so important things can fit around the so called 'big rocks' like river sand. My big rocks are my children, my husband, my health. I realized my business is not even close to a big rock-so why am I filling my life with it? Now I need a job to make money just like anyone else, but this business takes up a disproportionate amount of my life. When I am not at work I am thinking about it (and resenting it). I plan to sell my portion of the clinic within the year. But first the exciting news...

After much soul searching, Tom and I have decided to place our house on the market. I hope to have it ready to show by June 1st. It looks like we will be able to buy the farm adjacent to my fathers place. It is a 100 yr old farmhouse which is partially remodeled, a nice barn (which will need some new roofing) and a bunch of out buildings which probably just need to be knocked down! She would like to sell 20 of her 40 acres (we want first dibs of the other 20). I am calm and happy about moving our family out there but a mess when considering getting our house ready to be looked at by strangers. I am paralyzed right now...where to start. It doesn't matter I just need to start!

My (very first) garden is going well, no great! Not that anything is really up, but it is so much fun! The girls and I planted potatoes last weekend (10 lbs of seed potatoes--caribe, rose gold, yukon gold and i think pink cloud), onion sets, spinach, beets, swiss chard and kolrabi and some peas are in. Today I am headed out with more lwn clippings for the walkways and to finish the garden gate. I will also finish the chicken tractor. This time I will remember to bring the camera so I can post some pictures.

Erin (the 11 yr old) will be in her first horse show this weekend. She rides saddle seat on one of the lesson horses both sat and sun. I am so proud of her! I was a horse crazy kid too, so I love being able to give her this experience.

Thanks for listening my heat feels lighter already!

(Christy -thanks for the great book review on 'One Second After'- scarey and totally plausable. It has me revisiting food storage and self reliancy in a less abstract way.)

Homecooked

As I am typing I can smell the chicken roasting in the oven. It is a whole chicken with the body cavity stuffed with a cut-up lemon, garlic cloves and fresh rosemary. The skin overlying the breast was loosened and a mix of rosemary, salt and olive oil rubbed on the breast meat. The smell is AMAZING. It is even more amazing that this is a chicken who was raised by a family member (dad) not more than 30 miles from here. The meat birds are a commercial Cornish cross. I am increasingly having a hard time with grocery shopping and feeding my family. A summer of eating fresh stuff and reading the Omnivores Dilema has left me disgusted with our current food supply but not in a place to do alot about it. Now wait-- that's not true! I may not be able to grow our family's own food but there are still alot of things I can change. We will further reduce our fast food stops. I will continue to bake our bread. I will shop at local bulk foods and 'natural foods' stores. I will order that grass finished beef that I have been procrastinating about. Meals can be planned to use all leftovers and frozen veggies from the summer. (I have not learned to can yet) There are many small steps to take in this journey. K

The longest journey begins with a single step.