Back to Basics

  Beth and I moved back to the East Texas woods a few years ago to embrace our country roots and to learn to do things like our grandparents did. Not forsaking technology, but not bowing at the alter of electricity either. We bought a little place,  

 raised some animals (and lost some animals ),

  grew a garden,

and started canning and storing food.

All in all, things were going good. Beth stayed home and took care of the animals (including this one), while i went to work at a little shop up the road. We slaughtered chickens on weekends and talked about our plans in the evening.

  We were already raising chickens and selling eggs so we decided to start  a hatchery. Building a hatchery costs $$$$$,  but i was only making $.  We ate good and paid our bills, but we had no money left over to expand our little hobby farm into a real farm. So, in an effort to turn our dreams into reality, we sent Beth back to work. Since my check was already paying our way, Beth's check was to go solely toward homestead expansion. As I'm sure you've guessed, the money found other uses.

 Shortly after starting back, we burned up 3 cars in a row--$$$$.  Other stuff broke, gas went up, we found neat toys we 'needed' ..more $$$$.  But the 'BIG OUCHIE ' was the house fire that ate our bathroom and the ensuing renovation that left us crapperless and showerless for months --$$$$$$$$$$. We had insurance but it wasn't enough. After it was all over, we just fell into a 'relieved-to-not-be-having-an-emergency' trance. And there we  stayed for months...

Until Last Weekend!

 Sweet wife and I  had a long sit-down talk about our plans and goals and on pushing reset on our motivation. Then, we had a  'walk-around-the-yard-and-point-at-where-to-put-things'  talk and got even more motivated. It turns out that both of us had been waking from our collective fogs about the same time and had been feeling uneasy about our recent lack of direction. We are now re-focused and back on track. We even have a  few NEW exciting plans for our little paradise.

  I'll go into more detail soon, but for now i can tell you...

• The hatchery is back in the active planning stage.
• The bees are scheduled for a big expansion.
• The ducks are getting a small pond.
• The food processing and storage area is getting its own building.
• Water pumping / catchment / and storage are all due for a major upgrade.

  Sometimes your plans come off track. Sometimes it's your fault and sometimes life just happens. Either way,  its easy to lose your way after the plan-wrecking events are over and slip into an aimless daily grind  unless you stop and re-focus. 

Live on purpose, dear friends!