I am tired to the bone. Day one of garden week completely knocked me out. Day two I did a small bit of gardening. Day three I planted a tiny fraction of my onion sets, and I was finished. Today I didn’t garden at all. I am praying that I wake up on Friday with renewed strength and energy. There is still so much to do! I am frustrated with the shape I am in. My mind and my body are clearly not in agreement. I think a big part of this is the heat we have had this week. My body isn’t acclimated to these temperatures yet, nor used to all that sunshine in such large doses. Using a hoe with a baby strapped on my back is also clearly out of the question for me now. I accept this. I am going to take it easier.
The positive side of being so sore and worn out is that it really hit me that Jonny and I need to pursue some of our dreams while we still have the energy! We have so many plans that we haven’t followed through with for this reason or that one. So often we find ourselves waiting for the “perfect” time, when in reality that doesn’t exist.
Jonny ordered our bees this week, so it’s official. We are going to keep bees thanks to our local bee supply and a friend who has been recruited to mentor us, although I am not sure that he is fully aware that he has been named our mentor. We are really excited.
Silas is clapping and taking his first wobbly steps. He’s ten days shy of ten months and will probably be our earliest walker, that silly boy. (He’s wearing a birdie shirt from Dandelion Dream.)
Larkspur received a thrilling package of yarn from her knitting friend this week. She is now the proud owner of a “stash.” Almost as thrilling was all the attention she received from her oldest brother Seth as she invited him to choose his favorite colors from her stash. I don’t think he realizes how much his baby sisters adore him. Lark’s plan is to have me knit him something with her yarn. She’s thinking knitted Easter eggs for everyone. Can anyone recommend a pattern?
Seth made some thrilling (for him) discoveries today with his metal detector. As I write, I can hear him telling the tale of today’s big find for what must be the tenth time or so. He’s demanding a blog post. Yes, next week for sure.
In the meantime, this weekend stay tuned for a giveaway and Saturday Garden Journal where we’ll talk gardening details from this week.
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Don’t forget about caring for yourself!
If it consoles you at all you have way more energy and stamina than I do. I have yet been able to walk up my gigantic hill and talk at the same time. We (meaning husband) planted our little spring garden.
You’re doing a wonderful job, even if you didn’t get it all accomplished as ‘planned’. Having dreams is so important and yet, I find that there are those unexpected events and life in general that can slow down, upset, change those plans. Tyranny of the urgent – and trying to stay away from that tyranny. A difficult task.
Silas’s impy smile is so adorable and his little foot too! I loved when my children learned to clap and the belly laugh that accompanied it.
I love that feeling though–when all your muscles ache a bit and you’re so tired that you fall asleep as soon as your head hits the pillow. It always feels like the sign of a day well spent.
Knitted easter eggs! I hope you show them here after you’ve made them, they sound lovely! Well done with the gardening, it must be hard work with a baby strapped to you, I’m not sure if I’d have the stamina for that. 🙂
Jess xx
I agree with the first poster about Susan B. Anderson’s eggs…they’re adorable. I know there are some others out there but I really do love Susan’s patterns 🙂
You’re pictures are all so happy! I love it!
Susan B. Anderson just blogged about how someone used her egg to bird pattern as Easter eggs. It’s so cute! It’s an eggs that turns inside out into a little bird.
http://susanbanderson.blogspot.com/2012/03/chirps-from-ravelry.html?
Congrats on your upcoming bees – how exciting! We’re a year and a half into our life on our farm and are slowly learning the art of not taking on more than we can handle. We’re new to farming and still young without any kids in tow yet, unless you count the 40 or so lambs that will be born here over the next month of course! We look forward to bees, chickens, pigs, a huge garden, a stocked root cellar etc. – all of these will come, maybe not this year, but certainly one day.
Looking forward to tomorrow’s garden journal. The snow is gone here as of this week but the garden is very, very wet so it will be a while before we’re out there.
One can start “homesteading” at any age, but I will tell you, as one who is 48 now, yes, it is easier when you are younger! Now I have to rely more on my older kids’ assistance. But big-time gardening and fruit trees and bees are all on the agenda for the new property. We never had the space for it before and it was a lot harder when the kids were all little ones. Now we have more time, more room and more help, but less energy!
Silas gets my vote for “Cutest Little Guy Ever”!
I totally understand putting things off because of whatever reason. It seems to be a constant struggle for me! We make all these lists with our goals and dreams on them, but then don’t try to do them for one reason or another. This year, we are trying to be more intentional about our time. Really walking what we talk about. Stop living in the future, and instead live in the moment. Great post!
Before the chickens, before the bees, you have to come play in this AMAZING garden that God planted for you. Lori’s got the details. It’s not negotiable. And I absolutely promise to trade you for 2 trips down your way to welcome the chickens and inhale strawberries.
Oh, and energy? You’ll have MORE ten years from now. I know it seems counterintuitive, but it is true.
Ahhhh, I love that baby! My youngest is three, and my arms are aching to hold a baby! We’re not gardening just yet… we’ve been redoing floors all week. Hard work but satisfying to see the beautiful results. Happy weekend! +JMJ+
Ginny, I hope you were able to rest and have woken with renewed energy. Gardening is a lot of work so take your time. That is exciting new on getting your bees, I must admit to being a little envious!:) We have wild bees on our property, but my husband won’t allow us to have hives because I’m allergic. I have an epi pen, but still it’s a no go. Anyway, it will be fun to watch your family with them
Linda, from Natural Suburbia, has a very cute and easy egg and nest pattern that I have used in the past:
http://naturalsuburbia.blogspot.com/2011/03/easter-nest-egg-pattern-and-tutorial.html
I hope your day is a lovely one.
Knitted Easter eggs, what a great idea! I think I’ll make some as well. Thank you everyone for sharing the patterns!
Another set of beautiful photos Ginny. I can’t wait to see some daffodils in my garden, but we still have snow. So exciting that you are getting bee’s! we have been talking about getting some for years but just don’t seem to get around to it, I will be interested to see and hear all about yours.
Looking forward to Seth’s metal detecting post!
Tired to the bone, I know the feeling! I have been working so hard on my garden, the more I do the more I see to do!! It is so very excioting though. How lovely to have bees, and such lovely photos. 🙂
So excited to hear you are starting bees too – ours are coming next month and I’m also apparently about to learn woodworking as I revive Dave’s grandpa’s old hives back into shape! Good luck – and Ginny – be kind to yourself – you still have such a little baby – I can’t believe how much ‘easier’ everything is with the youngest at age two.
Take a rest! What a busy week for sure. It is true to not put off things too long, but also be gentle with yourself. Love the gift for Seth knit by you with Larkspur’s yarn. She is inventive.
Wow! What a week you have had- just take it at your own pace! I need to get out in the garden this weekend too. So much potential out there!
I love the daffodils in the first picture.
Silas is getting so big! All your kids seem to be growing like weeds.
Yes, take care of yourself and I look forward to hearing about your adventures in beekeeping!
I could so use Seth in my yard. We have only lived in the house 9 months and so far I have found 3 strange metal pieces, many many nails, screws, we do have a dog grave that we found cemented after digging, forks, spoons and some other pieces. I am trying to get my garden ready for planting tomorrow and my girls have been having a nail/screw hunt as I turn up the dirt. =) Hope you get to feeling better, I have been hoeing without a baby strapped to me and I am so sore. I can’t imagine what you feel like.
I love this pattern from the purl soho blog: http://www.purlbee.com/sparrows-nest/
It is for a nest and eggs, but I just knit the eggs last year. So small, simple, and quick!
Hope you’re feeling rejuvenated tomorrow. I know what you mean about the sunshine. It wipes me out as well when it has been a while!
This weather has been crazy lately. Cold one minute, warm the next. We’ve been fighting off sickness due to the constant changing in weather. Love little Silas in his shirt Ginny, so adorable. I remembered seeing this link on ROTH a while back for eggs: http://rhythmofthehome.com/archives/spring-2010/wooly-eggs. 🙂
So excited about the bees!
Here are a few patterns that I bookmarked (the first isn’t a knitting pattern, but it is a really cute idea!)
http://rhythmofthehome.com/2012/02/surprise-yarn-eggs-seasonal-craft-for-children/
http://rhythmofthehome.com/archives/spring-2010/wooly-eggs/
http://www.purlbee.com/knitted-easter-eggs/2008/3/16/knitted-easter-egg-ornaments-the-pattern.html
http://www.purlbee.com/knitted-easter-eggs/2008/3/16/knitted-easter-egg-ornaments-embellishing.html
Please, Ginny take care of yourself! As for Easter eggs, I plan to do this set: Easter basket and eggs, but it is not exactly what you’re looking for and you have 6 (6!) children…..
http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/easter-basket-9
Have a good Friday!