It happens every year around this time. Spring and early summer are overwhelming and a game of “Beat the Clock” with Mother Nature. Then, sometime around July 1st, the clock rings and whatever got done is what will be. Planting now – except for second harvests – isn’t going to do you much good. This year, although we got behind with some plants, we are actually “there” now. Darryl finished putting in the very last seeds Monday. This family is done. It’s summertime.
Now, I’ve explained this before but for those who are new to the blog, there is a difference between “summer time” and “summertime”. Summer time is when the weather gets and stays nice. Summertime is when the garden is planted and there is suddenly little left to do before harvesting. Yes, we will need to water and weed, but that’s nothing compared to planting and when you consider we now use biodegradable corn plastic to help keep the weeds down, it gets easier every year.
So, as we pause with the rest of the nation to celebrate Juneteenth today, we can also take a deep breath. Planting is done. Very shortly, the combination of hot days and the soil drying out after the spring melting means that the grass mowing will slow down from about every 5-6 days to about every 8-9 days and now that I’ve invested in perennial gardens out front, once the garden is cleaned up each spring, it essentially manages itself.
Inside and with the help of a four-day weekend, I’ve finally caught up and am starting to pull ahead after the winter’s renovation project. Certain “to do” items have finally gotten scratched off of the list. More importantly, the weekend gave me time to get the regular tasks done as well, which after a crazy week, was a welcome opportunity. Suddenly, I’m faced with a Monday with very little to do: pick up the kitchen, make the bed and run to the grocery. Other than that, the day is wide open – a rare occurrence on this little homestead.
For all that we live a simple life, we live a busy life. Growing one’s own food and preserving it takes effort. Finishing our own renovations, also effort. Three rescues that bring us incredible joy: effort again. Add in a big yard, a generously-sized house, and the simple things we do such as hanging clothes, always using cloth napkins and glass plates, and utilizing our recycling closet to the fullest and you can see how the small extra activities can add up. That may sound like I regret it and I don’t. Each of these extra tasks are part of a lifestyle that is, at its core, attempting to be as self-sustaining as possible.
But this slide into summertime? Well, that’s when our whole lifestyle pays off. The days are long and only slightly more encumbered than my old life. Yes, we will weed and water. Yes, we will make sure we get kindling and firewood in. Ultimately, when the garden starts to produce, the canning supplies will take up residence in my dining room until the season is over.
But these are the things that bring me joy and they’re not so much tasks to be completed but projects to be enjoyed. There are few things more satisfying than seeing a set of freshly filled jars cooling on the butcher block after being removed from the canner. Or that super-satisfying “pop” when the lid seals. Or standing back and looking at either a full woodshed or a full freezer. There is an overwhelming sense – no matter how false – of actually providing for ourselves. It is also especially rewarding to have the bounty of garden production preserved in the basement and to know that I can always produce a healthy, balanced meal without having to leave the house.
This summer, as I make the slide into summertime, I officially go half-time. So, I a lot more will be changing for me. This past month has been slightly out of control for me. While I wanted desperately to be able to slow down – and I had arranged nearly all of the elements of my professional life to allow that to happen – I ended up with a project that meant slowing down wasn’t possible. As frustrating as that has been, it’s a good lesson learned. I was requested to do the same work again and was able to turn it down. Now that I’m half-time, I can make choices like that.
So now, I can slow down. My slide into summertime is a deliberately easy one. This week, I’ll work three days. Next week? I’ll work two. Then, I’m flying out on Wednesday to meet my sister in Roanoke, VA, where we’ll travel down to her beach house for a few days. We’ll come home on Saturday in time for Fourth of July on Monday. Out of the next 14 days (including today), I will work five. While completely unplanned by me, this little break is exactly what I needed to definitely make a break between my old life and my new life.
So, welcome summertime. It’s been an awfully long time since you were here. Feel free to stay awhile.
The Yuppie Homesteader 