My Visit to the Southeastern Animal Fiber Fair, A New Addition and A Little Grace...

I am so thrilled to have add the opportunity to attend the Southeastern Animal Fiber Fair (SAFF) in Fletcher, NC.  It was so fun and educational!

I had the opportunity to take some classes in spinning, needle felting and traditional wool preparation.  The spinning class was SO helpful!  I cannot wait to have time to sit at my wheel and work on improving my technique. The needle felting is so easy and you can complete a small project in just a few hours. I am looking forward to trying my hand at making some more artsy items with needle felting. The traditional wool preparation class exposed me to many different types of fleeces, hand carding, fiber washing, and more.  It will help this next Spring when we shear our own sheep!

I brought home an unexpected purchase!  Introducing Glory to God's Idaho Pine.

This little guy is a beautiful addition to our all boy's gang.  He is only 4 months old and already a beautiful, friendly little man.  We will be keeping him intact, as long as he remains a gentle boy!, so our friends at Dragonwool Acres can use him for breeding this next Spring. I can't wait to see how all the boys fleeces are in the Springtime!

Even with all the fun learning, the excitement of a new addition and a absolutely wonderful weekend away with two friends, I have to admit the highlight of the whole weekend was the awesome gift of Grace I was blessed to witness.

When I was walking around talking with other Jacob sheep owners, a little boy, probably eight or nine walked up with the cutest, little Jacob ewe lamb on a lead rope.  "You can pet my sheep" he says to me, so of course I had to bend down and pet this beautiful little lamb.  The little guy was just beaming from ear to ear.  He soon trotted off and was offering for the next person he saw to pet his sheep.

I began speaking with another Jacob Owner and we were talking about ram lambs I noticed a little girl taking selfies with the sheep.  It was adorable!  As she went around to the other side of the pens I noticed the little guy with the ewe lamb was talking with her.  I watched as he went into the pen and brought his little lamb out once again and says, "You can take a picture of my sheep!"  I grinned from ear to ear. This little guy was so very proud of this little lamb and so eager to share her with anyone and everyone who would listen.  I watched as they put the little lamb between them and started taking pictures.

I mentioned to the person I was speaking with how adorable that was and they said, "Yeah, he has been through a lot" and went on to explain.

You see this little round, freckled faced boy, think Opie Taylor, had just gotten out of foster care.  He was currently staying with his Aunt.  His father had been caught with heroin a year before....actually on that very day one year before.  The little guy had been home when this all went down and he had been taken into foster care.

He is being cared for and loved at his Aunt house who also happens to be a sheep owner.  He had stated to his Aunt he really wanted a sheep of his own and she had shared that with some of the others there.  The only problem was, there really weren't many ewe lambs available for sale and they just could not take a ram lamb home because of the full grown rams they already had on their farm.

That did not deter this little guy from having the best time at the fair.  He ran around offering to help with animals, help with their food, help with hay or straw or just help in any way he could.  He was having a great time.

One of the other sheep owners saw how he was so excited about the whole weekend and they had spoken with the Aunt and knew his story so they knew they had to do something for this smart, bright, helpful little fellow.

They told him he could show one of their ewe lambs!  He was SO excited.  He marched that little lamb right into the ring and did an awesome job.  They did so well he came out with a fourth place ribbon!  He walked up to the lamb's owner and said, "Here this is your ribbon!"  The owner said, "No honey, you showed that lamb, that is YOUR ribbon".  He was so excited!

Then, he got the biggest surprise ....the lamb owner said, "and that is your lamb."  His eyes lit up and he said "Really?" "Yes" was the reply from the lambs owners and his Aunt was standing there as he got the news...( the owner had asked before she just gave it to him)... so he turns to his Aunt and asks, "Can I keep her?" His Aunt nods her head.

This little guy had just been given a gift of a ewe lamb that the owner had just bought for herself.  Now he was walking around showing off HIS lamb to anyone who would listen.

Folks, this was such a beautiful example of grace.

I stood there and the lambs, now previous owner, and I are in tears as she tells me the story.  These amazing people saw a little boy who had been through so very much in this past year and did the one thing that they saw that would bring him joy.  They gave away a little ewe lamb to a little boy who just needed something to call his own and something for him to take care of and love.

My heart just overflowed with love and total appreciation for these awesome people who were so generous to a little boy that needed a little hope and love....they showed him grace.

It really made me think.  How many times could I have done something to show someone else a little grace? How many opportunities have I missed to show another person grace? How can I share the love of God and show grace to my fellow man?

We all have things in our past, we all go through things, and we all need a little grace.  We are all in this thing called life together and if we can do anything to lift up one another why wouldn't we?

I want to thank these awesome people for being such great, loving grace-filled people. We could all use a little more grace so let's share some grace with those around us today.

I know every time I think of that little boys face just beaming with pride when he asked, "Do you want to pet my sheep?" it will remind me that just a little grace may make all the difference for someone.....Will you share a little grace today?

Perspective...

A very dear, sweet, young lady I know is one of the most brilliant artists I have the privilege of calling a neighbor and a friend.  She is wise beyond her years.

Here is a quote and photo from a recent Facebook post:

"Yesterday evening in the garden...the garden that is thigh high in grass and weeds. It sways in the breeze and hums loudly with insects. When you walk through, you hear field rats scurrying to get away 😂 The tomato plants have grown so tall they've leaned over and created a canopy. Seedy grasses, fragrant herbs and bright pops of color draw in all sorts of birds and pollinators. It's a glorious little patch of wildness. I'm just going withn it." Rebecca Joye @ Joy Haven Farm

  

Photo Credit - Rebecca Joye @ Joy Haven Farms 

Her post is all about perspective and it got me thinking.

Lately, things have been kinda crazy here around the farm....well, more crazy than normal even for us!  It seems like every time we turn around there is another unexpected expense that has to to be taken care of immediately.

You see, we used our Lowe's care and our Tractor Supply credit cards to purchase all the items we needed to install the much needed pasture fence, stalls, etc. that our sheep boys and our Great Pyrenees pups needed to move them out of the backyard.  We used them wisely and were able to obtain zero percent interest for long period of time so we won't have to pay anything extra in interest...BUT, my farmer man and I hate to be in debt...even with zero percent interest. 

We have been very diligent about paying both of these debts down just as quickly as possible, but it seems like since we have occurred this debt everything else now needs to be repaired, replaced or medical attention!  All three vehicles need some kind of repair, the refrigerator decided to quit working and Paddy needed some veterinary care for corneal ulcers...just to name a few of the things that need or needed immediate attention.

It could be very easy to focus of all the things that are going wrong and lose sight of all the good things that happen every single day. It is all about Perspective.

I was washing dishes yesterday morning, before taking our sweet neighbor for a surgical procedure, when I noticed a pair of our Eastern Phoebes, also known as Fly Catchers, out in the garden.  It made me stop and think.  These two, a mated pair, usually have two to three nests each year and raise about 5 per clutch. That is sometimes 15 babies in one season! These two do not worry about where they will live, what they will eat and how they will raise their young. They just do what God made them to do. It reminded me of the verse in Matthew 6:25-34...

"Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?  Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.  Are you not of more value than they?  And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing?  Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these..."

As I was putting the half and half creamer back into the cooler on the porch and not back in the warm refrigerator I literally stopped.  How can I be so frustrated about an inconvenience like a refrigerator not working with I have so very much else to be so grateful for.  I was ashamed.

You see, last week, much of the panhandle of Florida and Southern Georgia was devastated by Hurricane Michael. Many families have lost everything. Their homes, their jobs, and some even lost family members. They have nothing,. No where to call home, no job to help them rebuild and many are living in their cars.  If they are "lucky" they have family or friends that they can stay with. I cannot begin imagine the multitude of destruction those areas are enduring and will continue to deal with for many months to come.

Many of those affected the hurricane would thankful have a home, electricity, running water, a job to go to and yes, even a non working refrigerator.

It just humbled me to think about all we are so very blessed with that we too often take for granted...until it is gone.

Our refrigerator is now humming away this morning and all the coolers are empty on the porch. It was a minor inconvenience for a very short period of time, but it was also a lesson for me.  A lesson in perspective.

Do we still have the debts to pay? Yes

Do we still have three different vehicles that need work? Yes

Do we still have animals that need medical attention? Yes

BUT...

We are blessed to have good jobs and income to pay those debts in a timely manner,

We are blessed to have three vehicles that are paid for and will be repaired soon,

We are blessed to have some pretty awesome animals who give us such joy and an awesome veterinarian who is helping our Paddy boy's eyes heal....

We have so much more than just this to be thankful for!

I hope that you will join me in making a conscious choice every day to change our perspective.  Let's look for the good each day, the blessings, the positive and not focus on the negative. Let's change our perspective.

Ramblings from the Homestead and We Need Each Other Ladies!

It has been WAY too long since I have posted to this blog! Too often we let life and all the happenings get in the way of things we enjoy or are therapeutic....I am going to try and fix that, at least for myself!  Writing is very therapeutic for me so I am going to try to make it priority once again.  I hope there will be some posts that you find helpful, funny, or just make you nod your head in agreement.

Lately, I have been totally overwhelmed. Yep, I am going to keep this real folks!  Too many times we all post all the puppies and rainbows on our blogs or Facebook pages and goodness knows, we are all dealing with something, so why not be real. Share our triumphs, our good times, our happy occasions, but also share the troubles, trials and failures too. It is too easy to look at social media and compare our upside down, chaotic lives with all the fluffy, unicorn sprinkle posts and feel even worse about our lives. So that being said, I will be posting what is really going on here at the farm...the good, the bad and the ugly.

I recently have been so busy trying to do it all.  Keep the house, take care of all the animals, tend to the garden, help my farmer man with putting up pasture fence, run the errands, etc. and I found myself feeling very alone.  That has gotten me thinking....I know, uh oh.

We have chosen this homestead life and I am grateful that we have the freedom to make that choice. Most days I love working on the farm!  I love spending time with each of our animals and learning about them. I love working in the garden and seeing our work grow into fresh fruits and veggies. I love mowing grass and making our place look nice and neat. I love working side by side with my farmer man.

But....

Some days I miss seeing other people. I need people.  The sheep are awesome listeners, but they lack valuable input.

It got me thinking about when the settlers were spreading out across this great land.  How lonely those women must have been!  There often wasn't another homestead for miles and miles.  Travel was difficult and so much hard, back breaking work had to be completed daily just to survive.  If they were lucky, there was town within a few hours buggy ride and they got to go "into town" once a month or so.

So how is it with modern conveniences like cars, phones, internet, social media, etc. can we be feeling isolated and disconnected?  I think some of these "conveniences" are the problem..  We used to talk to each other.  Phone calls were a regular thing. We used to go visit more. Weekends were for visiting family and friends.  Friends would come by and "sit a spell" in the evenings of summer. Neighbors actually knew each other, chatted often and visited frequently.

Instead, we are "satisfied" with a quick message on messenger or text. We check Facebook to see what our friends and family are doing and learn more from social media than we do from the real people behind the keyboard. It has become to easy to disconnect...and I think relationships and the art of conversation are suffering. I watched a piece about how employers are disappointed in this generation because when they do interviews the applicant does not look them in the eye.  We are loosing the art of conversation without an electronic device between us.

I try to get away from the farm at least once a week.  Usually it is to run errands and get feed and groceries, but I also try to meet up with my best friend for some girl time.  I.NEED.GIRL.TIME!  I realize that I need to sit and spend sometime with a female friend.  I need that interaction.  When I do not take that time I, and everyone I love suffers for it.

Ladies, we NEED each other!  We need to spend time with each other....actual time, face to face.  We need that security with that special friend that you can be open and honest with and be free of judgment.  We need that interaction with a female friend that can understand how we think and just listen.  We NEED each other.

I have found those weeks when I am just "too busy" to take time to meet up with a friend and just catch up, I struggle.  I struggle with all the things I "think" I have to get done that week, I struggle with my relationship with my farmer man, I struggle with my own thoughts and I struggle feeling overwhelmed in general.

I can also admit that when we homeschooled it was jut as difficult if not more so.  Trying to do everything you can to ensure your child(ren) have the best education, learn what they need to learn, etc. on top of all the homesteading stresses can be very overwhelming.

So, what is the answer?

For me, when we homeschooled, it was co-op classes.  Yes, it was more work, and time away from the homestead, BUT it was a much needed break in the daily routine for my son and I both.  We have very fond memories and forged lasting friendships because of those co-op classes.  So I encourage anyone who is homeschooling their children, find a support group.  Find a local group of fellow homeschoolers and jump in!  The relationships you could make will change how you homeschool, how you feel on a daily basis and give you a network of like minded people that will be so valuable.

Now that I am retired from homeschooling it is actually a little more difficult for me to make plans to be away from the farm.  When homeschooling, you do what is best for your child(ren).  I need to remember that I am in the phase of my life that it is my turn. I CAN make choices to do what is best for me and not feel like I have to justify why I am not working at the farm. Putting my mental health as one of my priorities is ok!

I am pledging today, to make it a point, at least once a week, get off the farm and go visit with a female friend or invite a female friend over for a visit.  It doesn't have to be a half a day or all day thing.  Just an hour or so, but at least once a week.

Don't worry about inviting a friend over and your home being spotless.  Be real!  Your home being spotless is not what matters.....  I am preaching to myself big time with this one.  What matters is continuing to cherish friendships, grow new friendships and just be supportive of each other.

If you are working in the garden and have a friend who doesn't mind helping harvest or pull weeds, invite her over!  If you are preserving your harvest and have a friend who wants to learn or would just be good company while you work, invite her over!  If you have a new recipe you want to try, ask her if she minds being a guinea pig and invite her over!  If you have to run errands and just want a ride along, invite her along!  If you know of a new mother, offer to watch her child so she can take a peaceful shower while you get to snuggle that new baby and visit afterwards!  If you have a friend who works off the farm, offer to meet her for lunch!

She might just be feeling the same way you are and be wishing someone would invite her for a visit and be in need of a break as well. Remember....to have a friend you have to be a friend.

I challenge each one of you ladies, let me rephrase that, I give you each permission and encouragement, to make your friendships a priority.  Make your mental health a priority. Make YOU a priority.  You matter.  You make a difference everyday in the lives of those you love so why not be the best you you can be. It is not selfish to take time for yourself.  You are important and you are loved! <3