Another 'In Our Home' post:

Just popping in to say Hi all~

Today is  March 1 ...?!?!
I can't believe it already. We've had wonderful weather this week. Mild 70° temperatures and I think it may even reach 80° today!

Live Stock: To have OR Have Not? That is the question. 
All that being said-- we've had a pretty mild winter. So the grass has grown up already.  We got the mower out this past week and getting it ready for the season. It will need some repairs.
Every Spring it is the same thing-- I begin to wonder if having goats or a calf would be better. That comes with no small responsibility. I'm still getting used to the chickens-- and right now, am not wanting to take on much more.
 I was reading the Homestead Revival  today, and Amy brought up a lot of points about raising livestock; in particular GOATS.  That has had me thinking-- this time of my life is not a good time for taking on more responsibility. We have trips out of town for Honey's Dr. visits-- early morning appts.;  and at times we spend the night out of town for appts, even further away.  I can't make the commitment right now for that.  I am considering pricing fence and perhaps seeing if others would bring their grass eating animals to my home and clear up the fields. The last time we had the field bush hogged-- they man told us we had good 'coastal bermuda' (?) and that we should have a calf.  Still more responsibility.

The Garden: A Returning Feature to our Yard
A vegetable garden~ I learned so much working in the garden this year. I'm looking forward to growing more food for myself and The Honey.

• Yesterday, I worked in the garden.  
• I got our potatoes planted.  
• Weeded the other boxes and turned the soil. 
• Harvested Cabbages and Brussels Sprouts  
• I was also able to spread some mulch in the areas for walking.  

I've begun to look at our property a little differently in the past couple of years.  I'm trying to utilize our trees more. One of the types of trees we have on our land are Catalpa Trees. If you're not familiar with them, they are really huge and they drop a lot of 'trash'. They have huge leaves the size of dinner plates. In dry seasons, the leaves drop early and land all over the place. In the Spring, they have white blooms that fall everywhere --it looks like it has snowed, they are very fragrant and they stick to your shoes. These trees also drop what are called 'cigar beans'. In fact, some people call them 'cigar bean trees'. These pods are about 14 inches in length and once dried they can be raked up and I've started using them as the mulch for our paths that we walk on-- to eliminate the mud problem!

The Coop: Utilizing my Chickens

While out in the yard yesterday, I allowed my chickens to roam freely around the yard. I watched the patterns that they made around the yard. They are going to do wonders at keeping the insect population down here. Grasshoppers Beware!  I will have to put a fence around the kitchen garden- the box out front has a small fence already. But yesterday-- they made their way right to my newly growing Sweet peas and they found 3 potatoes that I'd planted that morning! Hmmph!... So while great at keeping the pest down...they are just a little nosy when it comes to my garden. 


The Budget: Exploring Options for increasing the Income.
 I'm working in conjunction with my youngest daughter (as a team) and we're thinking on opening an Etsy store. I mentioned that last week. I'm still exploring and planning. I'm about to start working on inventory. I want to have it built up pretty good before opening. I'll keep you posted on all that.

Time and Plans:  I've noticed a pattern to Homesteading. 
That is~~ you plan for the next season whether it be on the Calendar or in Life too, I suppose, before it gets here. So~While being out in the yard working on garden preparations for spring is a good way to spend time now... it may not be the best way to spend my time if I were wanting to sit and sew or crochet. Stocking an Etsy store should ideally be something I do during Winter months. That way nice weather days are spent working outside. You get the idea.  I've thought about the garden this year for example; I'll be working and hopefully growing and harvesting food up until the end of May-- by the time it gets really hot here, I plan to have all the gardening done and my garden can REST until time to plant in the Fall.  Maybe then I can get caught up on lap work; like sewing, crocheting, crafting and painting, etc.

Is it me? or does this time of year evoke ideas of change, plans, preparation and newness? 

Many plans are in a man's heart, But the counsel of the LORD will stand. Proverbs 19:21