In her book Radical Homemakers, Shannon Hayes says the happiest among the homemakers she interviewed "saw their homes as living systems and accepted the flux, flow, dirt and chaos that are a natural part of that." I've been thinking about this over the past week, as my nest has been full of all the above - and I've been quite a happy homemaker. We've been...
...composting. Our worms moved into a new two-level bin, ala the project plan outlined in The Urban Homestead. (Welcome new worm babies!) All the beautiful, rich compost from the former bins went into the garden.
...gardening. The garden is producing eggplants, peppers, tomatoes, squash, cucumbers, beans and lots and lots of flowers.
...releasing. We've witnessed the homebirth of three monarch butterflies, released into our garden, and have four caterpillars on the back porch preparing for their transformation.
...nurturing. Tadpoles are back in our backyard pond, much to my gals' delight. Every morning before school and then again after school, Selby goes out to check on the tadpoles, which involves catching (at least) one and feeling it wriggle in her hand.
...reveling. Gorgeous, sunny, just-the-right-temperature weather has led to lots of dining al fresco.
...harvesting. I joined Rose from The Laughing Monkey at a local farm where we each picked approximately 75 pounds of vine-ripe tomatoes (for about $4!).
...preserving. All those tomatoes led to enough canned whole tomatoes and marinara to get us through the year (maybe?).
What's happening in your nest?
2 comments:
Tomatoes, tomatoes, tomatoes! That's what's happening! Well, I guess I should say, resting after all those tomatoes! And contemplating salsa. Am I crazy? Perhaps.
Also happening: plans for compost bin, worm condo, and fall veggie garden. Chickens and bees on my radar. Between daydreaming about my urban homestead, I am homeschooling and dreaming of summer vacations!!
I love that book so much. I think that so many of us are beginning to see our homes in that way, and it does force us to embrace all the ups and downs fully.
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