Farm Living: Little Surprises

 A friend recently asked what keeps me busy at the farm.  I thought it was a great question, and since I've never lived on a farm before it's one worth pondering. I think what took me by surprise is the constant work.  Not overwhelming, unhappy work, but just the day to day stuff.  I thought more acreage would simply mean more grass to mow; however, it's much more than that.  Fencing alone (building, repairing, changing) could be a full time job.  Now I understand why ranchers have hired help for the fences.  My sweet man does 90% of the work around here but my muscles still ache in the evenings.

We all work together.  Mostly happily... sometimes with attitudes that match the mud on the bottom of our boots.  The kids help best when there is a bribe of riding 4wheelers or going into town for a shaved ice.  They're kids, after all.  And I'm not above parental bribery.

I discovered a huge, wild rose bush in our backyard this May.  The blooms are so fragrant.  They only lasted a couple of weeks, but they were a wonderful little treat.  I felt like they were a bouquet sent from God.

 Farm life isn't always work.  I love that my kids can step away (sometimes into another world) into a good book.  My sweet boy just finished reading all 7 books of The Chronicles of Narnia.  When he finished, he declared, "time to start over!"  That boy sure knows how to make me melt.

In the 7 months we've lived at the farm, we've had more than 8 major events at the farm.  I think my fear of isolation has completely dissolved.  A pleasant surprise.  We've had maybe three Saturdays without anyone stopping by; and those were probably rainy Saturdays.  We love that friends and family want to come out for a visit.

If you cook it, they will come.   NC is famous for its vinegary bbq sauce and my husband's family recipe is noteworthy. I don't really like pork, but they still let me live here and make the side fixins'.  

Our visitors come in a variety of shapes and sizes.  Rocky and Neicy came for a 5 month visit.  The timing was perfect, right after Pickles the goat died.  Good medicine for my heartbroken girl. 

Since our goat visitors left, we've added 3 new goats to the farm.  More pics to come.

 Overall, I think the tranquillity (mixed with the physical labor) has been the most surprising.  In the evenings, when the shadows are long, I love walking out to the field.  I would have never guessed that a field full of happy chickens could bring such a sense of peace.

 My kids have found peace here, too.  After arriving home from a visit to the mountains, my daughter (who happened to be the one least excited about moving to a farm) said, "I love it here.  We have found our true home."

As I type these last words, I am overwhelmed by a sense of contentment.  Not because of a new place to live, but because my children belong here.  Their own sense of contentment should not come as a surprise, but it does.  And I am grateful.