What Am I Trying To Prove...

  Last week we really cleaned house. I needed to do a spring cleaning anyhow, but Abigail turned 12 and I needed to feel comfortable with my mess before we had the bonfire. You know, in case someone came inside for a drink or something. Nevermind the fact that 20 + kids were running up, down stairs, in and out of the house! Proven recipe for house trashing.

  Anyhow the whole while I was trying to make myself comfortable with my mess, I was thinking: so what? Am I trying to pretend  that I really keep things together?
  No, otherself insists, you are spring cleaning, it just happens to happen right before a birthday party.     
  You're  a fake, Oneself declared, this will last a few hours and you wont be able to tell a vacuum came within 1 mile. You know you can't keep up this facade! 
  Otherself mumbles, You used to love cleaning house, now look! She keeps scrubbing, maniacally, only looking 2'' ahead, it's her method to keep from getting overwhelmed. Suddenly, after 25 years (of actual caring about clean), she realizes that no one else really cares and this really isn't very fun anymore. She sits up and is decidedly bored with house cleaning. How can I stop? Otherself despairs quietly.  There is no end, and how deep into this mess do I go?
 There is no end, Oneself announced, I will do this until I fall over dead, unless something changes. 

 It must be in the air because I had a message on facebook this morning to join a 

June Daily Challenge. 

Everyday starting June 1st. we will be doing something creative every day, and sharing it. Setting aside the frantic, desperate, fruitless attempts to keeping a house immaculate, delving back into the things that gave us joy before we fell into this bottomless pit.  

 Sewing (mending doesn't count!), baking beautiful things, trying outlandish recipes (that take up more time than you were allotted before). 

Flower gardening (vegetables don't count). Paint that mural on the chicken house. 

How about all those antique chairs in the barn loft that need new seats! Hurray! 

Actually life may become richer, fuller, messier in a beautiful way. Less time spent fooling around doing sudoko puzzles because you can't stand another pile of mismatched socks, let them stay in the basket shoved under the table! Does my neighbor care?

That's ok, if it's pancakes for supper every night. Because what if the next day I'm making my own ravioli with goat cheese in sauce that has simmered 4 hours. Menus flung out the window, chore carts set aside, Lets allow ourselves to be creative and accept things the way they are: messy and full. 

Yes we will still weed the garden, milk the goats, wash the dishes and laundry, and, dear husband, I will still hold the fort down, it just might be a disaster at times, but hey, as long as supper's good and we are all smiling- I know that that's what really makes you glad to be home.

Leibster Bog Award Nominees

When I was little I used to ask my mom who did she love the most: me or my sister (there were only two of us. Now, in my big family, so far no one has asked me that yet, they all know that it is currently: Timothy). 

" I love you each no more than the other, just in different ways."

Her answer was so wise, I've applied it to many things, now,  here to blogs.

I took several days of careful thought and consideration. 

There are many interesting blogs to read out there, and since this little activity follows the rule of the heart; to choose the ones you love...only if they have less than 200 followers, I did have a hard time.

I also choose to list them in alphabetical order. That way I could take the pressure off myself from picking my favorite.

Beneath The Beams

 Daily life in England viewed through Canadian eyes. Lovely photography.

Body and Soul 

A fellow homesteading family that I am looking forward to reading more about.

Haggy Housewife 

Good eats and humor that always cheers me up and really makes me laugh.

Speedkin 

Chocked full of interesting homesteading inspiration/ motivation, and Diane always makes me laugh, too!

Walnut Hollow 

A very creative family, never tiring, and always inspiring me to check out of my box.

Take some time and see what they have to offer you. 

I love them.

A Pleasant Surprise From BloggerLand

    The kids and I left from the garden today after a working crew set up shop across the road and right away began to discuss every action of the day so vehemently and with such volume I was compelled to cover the closest ears to me. Poor Samuel later looked at me and said, "Do you know what they were saying, Mama?" The look on his face was a certain boyish look that comes out of knowing knowing a naughty thing with high intent on discussing it. I wasn't honored, I threatened with a mouth washing with good old fashioned soap if I heard that stuff repeated. I knew what Bryon would think if he heard the kids pass along such language: that it must be coming out from my side of the family.

Ok, getting back to the surprise. When we got back, I had a headache from probably not drinking enough water, either that or shouting at the boys for climbing in Jim's fruit trees, so I planned on sitting around relaxing a bit and reading about people who actually were working and accomplishing things. Lo and behold, turning on the computer, and reading new blog posts I discover that I had been nominated for a

AWARD!

Thank you so much, Glo!  This really made my day. And I'm sure of certain others who were nominated were pleasantly pleased also, because the phone rang and HaggyHousewife and I read together the sweet things Glo had to say about our blogs. "Do you think she knows that we are sisters?" Haggy asked.

 Another strange but interesting and fun thing about blogging.

'Liebster' means 'favorite' or 'dearest' in German. This award, which originated in Germany, recognizes up and coming bloggers with less than 200 followers. 

In accepting the award, the recipient agrees to: 

Thank the person that gave the award and link back to their blog. That is our Glo living life Off The Grid at -30.

Copy and paste the award to your blog- I was so excited I forgot how to do this momentarily.

Reveal the 5 blogs you have chosen to award and let them know by commenting on their blog.

Hope they pay it forward by accepting and awarding it to bloggers they would like to honor.

The 5 blogs I have chosen to share with you are...

Tune in within the next few days 

as I will carefully select from my collection of favorite blogs, a handful of fine specimens for good reading.

A Few Random Words...

I'm supposed to working right now but,writing a post sounded like more fun. Tell me, would you rather figure out the mess in your payroll ? For one, I'm not good at it, messes- yes, payroll -no. I wasn't hired because I was good at it, I was hired (as if!) because my husband knows that what ever I set my mind to do (or what needs to be done) I can do it. But I am handsomely rewarded by this dear husband, he's there for me, always. So that brings me back to why I am sitting in a little office next to the tanning salon in a small town. Work. I'd really rather be home finishing cooking the pot of lentils, musing over my sourdough starter, what to do with all the whey I have stored up (and in case that's on your mind too, I just read exactly what to do here. Let Glo tell you all about it). But I am glad for this opportunity to help my husband- it feels good to be needed- even if you're not really good at it!

What was really on my mind was the blogging world. Just before we start school every morning I quickly check the email/blogger for any updates on the blogs I follow. I have been neglecting that habit the past few days and I found that I really missed these people, and how much a part of my life they are. I don't follow a million blogs for that reason, I can't keep up on them all, and that makes me feel bad. I just think that it is so strange to feel so involved in someone's world yet they know little or nothing about me, or even know that I am reading about them! That is one reason why I think that it is fair to follow publicly, but to each his own. I am always surprised when people I know (but have no idea if they read my blog) start talking to me about something I've just written in a post. I'm convinced that it would be egotistical and tacky to question them if they are reading my blog or something.

At first when I started reading blogs I felt like I was reading their diaries, and I felt a need to apologize. When I read a book I can get so wrapped up into it, but sooner or later the book is over and I have a chance to recover. With blogs, I eagerly await each new chapter posted, wondering what is up if they are not posting as usual, then come to find out that Blogger dropped their updates from my dashboard.

Blogs, Authors, Followers, they come and go, but they are still real and I find myself forming bonds and connections. I wish that I could meet some of them sometimes. I just love the blogs I follow. Some of them are like a how-to books, or just plain funny, or just plain beautiful. Blogging can take up  more time than I have but it has given me a new sense of boldness, a freedom to go on and on about what interests me, without forcing myself on anyone to listen - read at your own risk, die of boredom or become enlightened (haha). This adventure has really connected me to a kind of people, far and few between, that I would have otherwise thought of myself as the only one, or in reality maybe just the only one who never tires to talk about it!