Hello September...

Hello September. I hope you came in a good mood, mind your manners and brought some common sense. Honestly, those that have come before you this year have left us battered and bruised. We wake up either scared or angry depending on the moment. There's always this feeling or thought in the back of our minds about what is happening or about to happen and so many voices telling us what to believe or think or do. It is absolutely exhausting. As for me, I go between anxiety and gratitude depending on the day. Today I'm trying to stay positive. Trying to make plans that include some more stocking up and settling in for a long probably isolated winter. Between the Cornoavirus and the unrest around the country frivolous pursuits will likely wait. Insead we are turning our attention to our little farm and the ways we can use our land and time to make it work for us. I'm ready for the peace that comes in winter. Not really the struggles but the silence and the dark and the rest will be welcome for just a little while. I've found that our frustration with the world we're in right now does cause us to take it out on each other now and then. I feel like being aware of it will help us as a family combat it and get through it. We have to stick together. We are all we have right now. I know it is hard on both kids. Nick just got old enough to have a life, get a career and move on with big dreams but he's kind of stuck. Colleges and trade schools are closing or moving online as we speak. It's awful and would be awful to pay full price for an experience and education and only get half of what you've paid for. Sarah has struggled not being able to go to her riding lessons and horse camps. She's missed going to camp with my parents and the water park and kids there. I have to give both my kids so much credit. They have done wonderful living, surviving and thriving in all of this Covid mess. There are blessings too. Getting to work as a family toward our goals. Getting to have game nights and snack nights and family time that we might have missed in other cicumstances. We build an oasis with gravel and our pool and a new deck and trampoline in the backyard. It's been so wonderful this summer! Nick's barn turned cabin is almost done as well. A few more weekends and he could move down there full time if he wanted. He has two bedrooms, a kitchen, full bathroom and living room. It's a perfect little place. In the mean time, I'll stock up on more canned goods and fun foods and check stock in the freezers. I'll keep working toward my chicken coop. I'll do what I do and school with Sarah, cozy up the house and try to bring calm and peace to our home and farm. We'll plan for what we can and hold tight to each other. Be safe. Be content. Find the calm.