"Feels" Like Spring
It’s been a weird couple of days. A thunderstorm blew through knocking out the power Monday night. The rain was so heavy and hard the mudroom and basement flooded. It was the kind of storm that takes down large trees and ruins pasture fences. In the morning the place looked ragged, but so much snow and ice had disappeared. Now, as I am writing this there is snowfall predicted to fall in the next few hours - but as of right now I can still see patches of grass in the lawn.
Sometimes I fantasize about sun warmth like people dream of their crushes. I picture myself hot and sweaty, bugs and humidity, making my way up a mountain trail with a heavy pack and then finally making it to the summit. I imagine the feeling of taking the weight off my back, feeling air hit the sweat along my spine, feeling wind in my face. The way water tastes like a life potion when you’re hiking. How every snack is a feast. The gratitude that comes from hardship, I’m familiar with. I long for it that way.
This past week I talked with my pig breeder, hay dealer, and farrier. There is so much to do at once when spring really hits. I need to order meat birds, set up their brooder in a safe place. I need to clean up the yard from a winter of round bale hay sluff and pieces of chopped firewood. There’s shearing, and hopefully taking 2 years of saved wool to the mill for yarn.
I have a truck parked in my driveway I still have to register, pay taxes on, buy insurance for and get my farm plates on. It’s not a lot of money to do so, but right now everything goes towards catching up.
In an attempt to earn up the money for the February mortgage payment as fast as possible (I am trying to catch up so I'm not always behind) I am still offering sales on logos, soap orders, and pet portraits! I also have whole chickens (If you are local for pickup) you can buy in advance for this summer and fall! I am working a part time job, applying for others, and looking for other ways to supplement the farm income. But right now I just want to catch up on February. So:
Pet portraits in color, a full 9x12” original piece shipped FREE are on sale 2 for $100
8x10" canvas paintings: $50 off!
Logos: $50 off!
Soaps: 10 random bars shipped anywhere in the US for $50
And if you simply want to kick in for the writing, and help encourage me to keep writing here, throw in a dollar to my PayPal, and if I see any support coming for just a return to regular blogging I’ll know where to put my energy. Honestly, if no one sends a dime or buys a single thing, I’ll still be here writing, as I have pretty much at least weekly for around 15 years. I’m asking for support if you want to support me. If you don’t (or just like sitting with a bowl to popcorn to see when this place is foreclosed on) then please don't support me.
However, regardless of your own reasons for following this blog; this is about to be (once April is paid for) 12 years of self employment and scrappy living on this land! It’s been the hardest and proudest thing I have accomplished in my life, along with the other thing.
So I am keeping on, and doing what I can, and hoping the wood and weather holds. Today, I just want to cover the internet bill and this round bale delivery. And if I can earn that back with the skills and talents I can do from this farm - then today is a HUGE success. And those small goals is what has carried me through the last decade.
Wish me luck!