gmayeaux

Initial harvests

There are a few hallmarks of August in a yuppie homesteadin’ lifestyle. There’s chopping wood and getting the woodshed filled. There’s the gathering of wild fruits to wash and freeze for a Thanksgiving pie. And then, there’s the biggest: harvesting the garden. Harvesting the garden comes in waves. The first wave starts with the tomatoesContinue reading “Initial harvests”

A breakthrough of sorts…

Last night, this little family had a breakthrough. (And no, it wasn’t “stop adopting cats”. We have made that pledge, but I’ll be honest here and say it will take one sick, starving cat to lay waste to the promise.) Instead, sitting on the back porch, margaritas in hand and enjoying a few quiet momentsContinue reading “A breakthrough of sorts…”

Seeking a lost kitty collar… and peace.

Life spun out of control. Even though I am largely retired and working on average 14-15 hours per week, the wheels fell off. Spectacularly. I mean, there were wheels rolling down the streets in opposite directions, wheels going flat and wheels running off the road into the tall grass on a deserted southern road whereContinue reading “Seeking a lost kitty collar… and peace.”

Lost and found.

I lost my way today. I woke up after a horrible night’s sleep and all of the demons I’ve worked so hard to banish came crawling back. The feelings of being overwhelmed, too busy to be this unmotivated and desperately needing a break came crashing over me. I spent the morning reluctantly working right upContinue reading “Lost and found.”

Wait. What?! (Another renovation saga)

So in the past two days, we’ve had two contractors at the house. What?! I thought renovations were done for the summer? Well, yes and no. Here’s the deal: we found carpenter ants by the old decrepit back deck. It appears that Mother Nature – or more accurately – a horde of ants has decidedContinue reading “Wait. What?! (Another renovation saga)”

Priorities…

I tend to spend a lot of my time – both emotionally and physically – on the mundane. Dishes, grocery, vacuuming, mowing, kitty care… they all have to be done and my head goes there. This new life that I’ve carved out where I work a few hours most days but then focus on homeContinue reading “Priorities…”

When a tree falls in the woods…

Saturday was one of those days I typically dread. It’s what my husband calls a “chainsaw day”. Now, I don’t love the chainsaw in the first instance. Growing up in a rural area, it wasn’t often but periodically a chainsaw caused a serious injury. Even my husband, who is the poster boy for safety first,Continue reading “When a tree falls in the woods…”

Give me a year.

I saw a couple of old friends the other day as I was leaving the hair salon. For me, it was the first haircut I’d had in over a year, having generally been too busy to get one. For them? They were doing good work – planting flowers down Main Street in our little villageContinue reading “Give me a year.”

The day I re-evaluated.

It has been a fabulous four-day weekend for me. The weather until today has been absolutely fabulous for a solid week. The garden is largely in – just direct seeding left – and I’ve managed to keep enough of a lid on home, garden and yard that we are going into tomorrow – the firstContinue reading “The day I re-evaluated.”

Plants are in the ground!

There are a few markers in our life that are largely driven by the calendar. There is, of course, the holidays and the fact that I like to celebrate the entire holiday season including Halloween all the way through New Year’s Day. Then, there is the winter-into-spring calendar when I obsess over when the snowContinue reading “Plants are in the ground!”