Updates in a nutshell!

We have been so busy I haven't been blogging for awhile! Seems like spring brings a lot of things to do!
This is what we have been up to...

• Tilling the ground, frantically trying to pull weeds and prepare soil to at least get a few things in the ground before the really hot weather sets in (although it's pretty hot right now--but it's just going to get worse!)--I have to water the garden at least twice a day because it dries out too fast in this heat! (by the way--my potatoes are doing awesome!)
• Planting corn, sunflowers, squash, beans--all good heat loving plants
• Finishing the horse a new pen--we built it out of wood to save money--but then we have to paint the wood so she won't chew on it and preserve it from the sun and rain! The painting should be done tomorrow...
• taking care of the ever growing poultry! I've got to get bigger waterers because I'm having to refill water 2-3 times a day!

on the immediate to do list:

• finish painting the chicken coop and horse pen
• plant the orange tree and grape vine we just bought today!
• plant peppers, onions, corn
• plant bermuda grass seed (this will save us a bundle in horse feed costs)
• de-horn goat and trim both goats' hooves
• make garden rabbit proof
• finish floor in bathroom
• get some tar and fix the roof of the chicken coop
• figure out where we want to keep those turkeys
• get a better pool for the ducks and geese

on the near distant future hopefully sooner than later to do list... :

• turn the perimeter fence upside down (when we moved in the previous owner had put a fence around the property which is awesome because fence is expensive! but he put it upside down...the little squares are on top and the big squares are on the bottom...animals run in and out of the big squares no problem but if it were turned upside down they wouldn't be able to because the little squares are too small...but it's a pretty huge job on five acres)
• finish painting the office and kitchen and laundry room
• organize the office
• put up baseboards
• fix up guest house
• make a porch
• plant lots more--make a huge garden!
• make larger pen for goats and make them a little goat house with the plywood we bought

All this work makes me think of the passage in Genesis 3 where God tells Adam the consequence of his sin:

“Because you have heeded the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree of which I commanded you, saying, ‘You shall not eat of it’: “Cursed is the ground for your sake; in toil you shall eat of it all the days of your life."

Interesting God says, "for your sake"--because of sin, God made the ground cursed for our sakes. Not exactly sure what that means but if I were to take a guess maybe it's something like we are prone to be lazy and not work, but for our sakes God had to make the ground cursed so we'd have to get out and work and get exercise and our daily dose of vitamin D!

All I know is I've never been so busy or so hard at work and have it feel so rewarding. I guess I was busy a lot in college...and my freshman year I played soccer on scholarship and I still would say that was the hardest work physically I've ever done...but this is just different. It seems like the work God created us to do--right out of the Bible. There are so many verses about farming and harvesting. The Bible just comes alive to me now because I really know what they mean and how they feel when they talk about their goats or preparing soil or harvesting crops!

And I have to say I am really loving this country type life and I know it is so good for me to get out and work hard in the fresh air and the sunshine. And I know the kids enjoy it all too! No more forcing myself to go outside and take a walk with the kids in the stroller in the neighborhood so I could get a little exercise!....you know, in our old suburban life there were times when I wouldn't even go outside for days! There was no need--we lived in a rental and couldn't redo the gravel backyard, and if I had no errands to run I'd just be inside for days! And then when I'd finally go outside it would be so bright I'd have to squint because my eyes weren't used to it! Now I go outside at least 2-3 times a day. I also see why farmers don't invest in large houses (or at least they didn't used to-not sure what they do now a days but I think it's still the same) 1) because it's a waste of the land that could be used for something else 2) you're hardly ever inside anyway and 3) there are so many other chores to be doing already why add cleaning a huge house to the long list!

Makes sense to me! God bless and good night! My day starts at 6 am so I'd better get to bed!