Critterhaven Farm

Staying Focused

Have you ever just tried to sit and stay focused on something?  I find about the only time I can do that is when all is quiet at night.  Hubby and the kids have gone to bed, all the animals have been fed, and the chickens and doves and pigeons and goats and all are restling and trying to get comfortable for the night.  Buddy the peacock hollers every once in a while trying to make sure he isn't alone in the world.  The doves are cooing to each other to try to fall asleep.  And me? Well I am wracking my brain to try to hold all of this together.  One day at a time.  Don't look too far ahead.  Easy come easy go...what?  Okay, sometimes it doesn't work 100%.  But the idea is in the quiet of the night I hope someone will speak to me.  So far I've been listening but my world has been quiet.  Maybe that is the problem.  I'm listening in this world.

And I'm also rambling.  Must be this wonderful spring cold that just started yesterday!  Guess I could fix some turkey noodle soup...as our Tom won't be here much longer.  He is at the point where he is attacking visitors at the farm and even tries me daily.  Our Australian Shepherd has become our guard dog and saviour from Tom...fending him off when he gets too close.  He will be freezer ready as soon as I make sure a few of his protege's from the hatching a few days ago are going to be alright.  Yum...our own first thanksgiving turkey.  We could follow the rule we have always had and not use any of our critters for meat...but Tom is the exception.  He has made me mad and bruised me enough times to earn the right to be the first used critter on our farm for meat.    At least we can save that much on our thanksgiving meal.

Speaking of saving on meals, I went to Wally-World last night for the first time in two weeks grocery shopping and spent just over $60.  Not bad for a family of four.  I've started using our goat milk for the kids, and plan on making our own butter with the cream.  Then we have an over abundance of eggs!!  So I'm checking into freezing them in some way or form to make them last.  I am going to work on making my own bread.  I have a bread machine that has sat on the counter for two years...takes all this to get me to doing this.

Now if I can just get the garden planted we'll have our own food this summer.  I hope. 

I feel like shouting 'Keep Hope Alive'!  "Where there is a Will there is a way!"  "He will never give you more than you can Bear!"

So we keep plugging along.  I get encouragement from my friends along the way.  I look at my children as they play or sleep, and imagine try to imagine this life without them...and I cannot.  And I try to imagine this life without this farm for them...and I cannot.  So while we may sell everything we have in this house physically, and while we may go without alot of things...we will keep this place for them, for us, for the animals..both those we own and those we rescue and foster...and we will keep plugging along.

That is what we do.

I received an email this week that made me stop thinking of my troubles and appreciate the work our brave soldiers are doing abroad.  Here are just a couple of examples and images...makes you stop and think.

You complain about how hot it is.

He wears his heavy gear, not daring to take off his helmet to wipe his brow

You crawl into your soft bed, with down pillows, and get comfortable.

He tries to sleep but gets woken by mortars and helicopters all night long.

Say a prayer for them.  And for all of us.

Susan

Untitled Comment

10:57, Thursday, April 24, 2008 .. Posted by faithfarm

Nice post! Try freezing your extra eggs in ice cube trays-just pop them out when frozen and put in zip-loc bags for later use. Blessings>faithfarm