Yesterday, I was standing at the laundry room sink spraying off muddy clothes, when Job came rushing in from the garage. He told me that there was some “big news” and that Silas would be telling me about it in a few minutes. Always fearing the worst with those two, I asked, “Is it bad news?” “No,” he reassured me. “It’s really sweet news.” I wondered whether or not he meant that literally. A few minutes later, Silas raced in to tell me the big news. “We caught three huge male crawdads in our minnow traps! We are going to start breeding crawdads!” So, I guess Job didn’t mean it literally. I asked Silas if crawdads have babies in the winter and he assured me that they breed year-round. Great. I’ll be sure to keep you posted.
I have been making soap like crazy in recent weeks. I took on a big wholesale order for a friend’s online shop and that kept me making soap every day for a couple of weeks. I typically only make about four batches per month, one per day for four days. Now I am finishing up the soap I had planned for my own last big shop update which will probably be the end of next month. So much soap! My studio smells amazing. In the meantime, I have a few batches ready right now and they are listed in my shop. There’s a yummy grapefruit soap, oats & honey which is a new favorite of mine, and woodsy cedar woods. Keats also listed a few little bird shawl pins!
It has been raining all day and I am afraid that with it, many of our fall leaves will drop. We haven’t had a frost yet but one is forecasted for early next week. I still have bulbs and perennials that I grew from seed to get in the ground! I planted a bunch of kale in several varieties weeks ago and it is looking great. I will have to take photos and show you! I think this is the first time I have ever planted a fall garden. I found it really challenging because I just don’t have fall gardening enthusiasm. Seems that is only a spring thing for me.
Jonny and I have been talking a lot about priorities lately. We are both so busy and constantly evaluating how we are spending our time, asking ourselves if we are spending it in a way that reflects our priorities. It’s super hard! At any given moment there are almost always several seemingly good things that I could be doing. I need fewer choices! I am already thinking of all the ways I want to simplify in the new year. Are you guys doing that yet? I think it’s a little early for me to start thinking about the changes I want to make in 2021. Maybe a sign that I’m more than ready to say goodbye to 2020, though it hasn’t been all bad for us. I hope to move forward remembering the good parts of this year while taking strength from all that was bad. This year has been so strange, but here we are! We are doing it!
Now, if you could see my laundry pile, you’d probably tell me that I need to make that a priority…
p.s. Giuseppe has decided that I am his favorite after all. Good kitty. Seth is a little sad, but he’ll be okay.
Karen says
I want to be more mindful next year and to be ‘in the moment’. This is a huge undertaking! I just bought a new planner and am already sketching out what I want my days to look like. I have way more wiggle room than you because I have an empty house (no kids).
Pamela Hans says
Hi Ginny,
I love your posts and so appreciate the photos of your family enjoying life. I have a priory right now and that is to sell my house. I live near Charlottesville m, VA and it’s truly beautiful here but my grand babies are in NJ and the ride back and forth is getting to be too much. Also, with this COVID, the travel is scary, so we are moving up there to be closer. I will miss.VA so much. The people are so kind and lovely but grandchildren are the best.
Marilyn says
Hi Ginny, Our leaves have fallen quite a bit due to all the rain we are having. We raked a lot of leaves yesterday. It is raining all day and there are a whole bunch more of leaves to pick up. The tree is still pretty full,so there will be many more days of raking.
Marilyn
Joan says
Your Fall foliage is gorgeous. Here in new York the leaves have no color except brown.
Joan
Amy says
Oh boy, do I understand the priorities questioning. I made a rough sketch of a ship’s wheel, whatever those are called this morning, and put the four most important things around it and was just praying about understanding that it’s not balancing, it’s just turning the wheel a bit sometimes to the area I need to direct my ship. So hard. Thanks for sharing.
Dawn Harris says
I love the analogy of the ship’s wheel! I will put that to use in my own life’s voyage. Thank you for sharing!
Melissa says
I’m glad you’re continuing to make blog posts a priority.
Conni says
A pleasure, as always, to read your ‘heart’ and view the wonderful pictures of your family and crafts. I had to laugh, though, that the picture of Mabel making ‘tea’ is followed directly by the picture of her sister seemingly encouraging her to drink a brewed cuppa….LOL!
Lindsay says
A strange year indeed.
And your soaps smell so good! Even before I opened the package, I could smell them. My daughter asked, “what’s that nice smell mama?”
Becky says
Hi Ginny!
I was thinking of you last evening when i pulled yarn and the scent was your sachet! Nice way to end an evening.
Love the pics’
Bevk
Laura says
Ginny, I am so impressed with your soap making! My husband makes our soap as a hobby, but finding the time is a real struggle lately. Your post really struck home with me…..we’ve been questioning priorities and it’s really hard at times – especially balancing kid activities with things that calm and reduce stress for me (read as my crafty desires). Also, the pictures of your trees are amazing – I always love VA in the fall!
Marion says
Thank You Ginny for the beautiful pictures Here in New York the leaves are falling without much color. Beatrix and Mabel are so lovely.
Marion
Nele says
makes me think of this book ‘where the crawdads sing’ (Delia Owens)