Hello dear friend. What can I say after so much silence? So much time has passed, time that I really wanted to be here but just felt I had nothing to share. Truly, almost everyday, I have sat down only to close the computer and walk away. The past week has been a break through. The first week that I have had time and want to sit down and start a new project, the first week that I have spent every day outside in the sun watching the wonders of spring with all of its pomp and renewal.
I have missed sharing here with you, I have been reading emails but honestly, have just started reading all the comments. You make me smile more than you know. Kate, Louise, Jacki, Lisa, Lori Ann, Leah, Jan, Angela, Jennifer all of them, Lisa, Diane, Rachel thank you for your friendship, words of encouragement and taking time to check in on me.
It is a tiny bit embarrassing I guess to have so many people worry about me. I really don’t like attention and don’t do well when I am the center of attention which is probably hard to believe from someone who is always online saying “hey, look what I made” or “here is my dinner from last night” and “come and follow my life here”. Really, I am just a person who loves to share the little that I know to make the world a tiny bit better and knowing that we all share so many things in common and that you have been reading, makes my heart swell a little and it makes the sun a bit brighter over here.
The sun! Did I tell you it has been here? Oh and everything has come back to life. Slowly but surely. Everyday I walk outside to find new flowers and new trees leafing out. I have found rhubarb and asparagus growing in the little garden out back. The violets, so pretty and dainty. I have plans to make some violet tea jelly, perhaps tomorrow. We have chicks! They are now past the cute stage and venturing into that ackward teen stage and almost out of the baby pool in the basement. We have been busy creating new beds, clearing brush, pulling weeds and planning where the perennials will live, where the fruit trees will live.
Our meals have started to turn from the winter soups and squashes to lighter more local fare. We have been so blessed to become friends with farmers who live just around the corner and they have the most amazing eggs. As good as from our own farm and many times double yolkers. I love to drive past their farm every day to see their hens busily pecking around their front pasture. I have been thinking of some new recipes to try and there are so many wild edibles here to become acquainted with. So much to do. I miss the energy to do all those things. I am being patient with myself and slowly I feel as if I am getting to a new day.
My oldest daughter came to visit along with baby Lewie! She spent a week here when all we did was go out to eat daily (we are now recovering economically from such a venture), taking her to see everything we have seen without her, spending time with her and of course as any daughter of mine would want to do, we went thrifting and antiquing (at her request). We all got to hug and squeeze Lewie as much as we possibly could and I was suprised at how much Matthew loves his little nephew considering he is the reigning prince of this house. It was so marvelous. I fell asleep every night that week thank God for allowing me to have all my children under the same roof once again even if just for a few days. It was just as it always was, board games, staying up late watching movies, laughing at jokes that only siblings get.
I wanted to share it with you but just as our last days drew near, I got a call from my mother. A call asking me to sit down and not get too upset. A call which ended in my mother who is a thousand miles away having to have heart surgery to replace the pacemaker which had stopped functioning. She is fine, and recovering and we are all so very happy that she is but we have a very stressful two days one of which was actually Good Friday.
We mommas don’t enjoy others worrying about us, we however worry about everyone else and so I thank you. Your words have really helped me to break through. It is like something you have been putting off, it is so hard to get started again but once you have you want to continue. I promise to be here much more regularly but I have decided not to put any must do’s on my plate at the moment. I do hope to continue the Real Food series soon but for now, I am just going to be planting, watering, weeding and loving my family. One day at a time.
Oh Trisha!!! Sooooooooooo glad you're "back"!!!! Please don't leave again!!!!!!!!!!!!
Your words are beautiful … REAL. The love you exude for your children is such an inspiration to me. Thank you for coming back to this space…..
Love,
Jennifer
It's so good to read a post from you again! I follow your blog a lot though I don't usually comment, and I had missed your words. My husband, son and I are living far from family at the moment – in another country – and following your life and thoughts have become like a familiar friend to me in a foreign place. I've had a tough couple of weeks too, so it's a bit uplifting to hear from you and to see you so honest and graceful about life's difficulties. So, I am glad you are doing ok and will pray for your family.
Chantelle, I am so happy to hear from you! I will try to be present more often 🙂 Your words make me smile.
You have just made my morning with this post. i find ad hoc schedules much more forgiving and appealing too so that sounds like a good plan. Lovely to see you 🙂
Thank you Louise!!!
So glad that you are back! It was a LONG winter- Even for those of us who are accustomed to winter! It does make Spring all the more delightful though- Don't you think so? Thanks for sharing. Enjoy the days!
~lisa
Lisa, I have never seen such a green spring. Every morning I wake up itching to go outside 🙂 I could basically live out there right now 🙂 Thank you for being here 🙂
I've missed your beautiful pictures and inspiring posts! So glad you're back! 🙂
You're back! Your're back! You're back! I have missed you and your family so!
Christy, You are so cute!! Thank you for sticking it out with me 🙂
So nice to see you again! I'm always glad when you update your blog, no matter how much time passes in between. Your lovely words and images are a real inspiration to me! Glad to hear your mom is recovering–it's so stressful when our parents need medical care.
Welcome back friend! So glad to type in your address and find new words from you! I pray that your mama is well and I definitely look forward to spring and summer adventures ahead 🙂
Oops..that should read "as you place your HOPE in Him"… 🙂
Christ is Risen! Truly He is Risen!
Welcome back, we've all missed you! You & your mom are in my prayers. May God's mercy & peace be upon you as you place your hop in Him!
Happy to see you back, down here in New Zealand its the opposite and Autumn is finally here after a very long and dry summer we are grateful for the rain and a chance to get cozy and knit, Thanks for sharing you're one of my favourite blogs
Oh! Being in the warm sunshine, knitting, and feeding my family is exactly what I am doing this week. After lots of stress, a mental/emotional meltdown, and falling down the garage stairs and breaking my ankle last week your list of "to do" inspired me to be gentle with myself. Yeah, so thanks friend. Love, Kate
Kate, I hope you are on the mend!! Falling down the stairs, oh my!! Definitely get some knitting done while you rest 🙂
Hello! I'm so happy to hear you are doing so well. I don't enjoy attention like that either, but it's good for us to reach out to each other in love. Lack of community in our modern era makes it hard to connect, for me it is especially hard when I struggle, but knowing someone is praying for me, really touches my heart. That is what I was hoping to convEy to you! I have been knitting up some kitchen goodies for you, I am hoping to finish everything up and ship them this week, so watch your post! Love, Kate Talley
Glad you're back and are well. Missed reading your posts. Karen
Hi Momma! So glad to hear that you're out and about enjoying the sunshine! It's so good for you! (And all those sweet baby cuddles aren't half bad for you either!)
Hugs, Rachel
How funny that you would post today. I had just checked yesterday because I thought maybe you had fallen off of my Feedly list! I'm glad all is well and that you didn't run away after that winter!! LOL
You are very blessed with a yard that already has beautiful flowers. Not to mention those beautiful babies!!
Thank you so much for the beautiful pictures! I miss you here in Florida and I am sorry that I didn't write a Christmas card for you in time. (I was going to give it to Alex when I saw her a while after that, but by that time the one I finally wrote was in our car so long that things got shuffled around and I couldn't find it – I am sorry!) Whenever I read your blog I am amazed at all that you do and I am sad that I never learned to sew, knit, can, jar, and many of the other things you do. I'm happy for you that you got to spend time with Alex and Lewie though and your family is in my prayers.