The Garden.

The Garden.

Carrots are looking good 

Moving out here to our little farm has been challenging at times everyone has an idea of what we are supposed to do out here. They ask us what kind of animals we are going to have, are we going to have goats? Cows? Do we want horses? What about chickens?  They want to know what we are going to plant and some save seeds for us or they gift us plants with the general idea that we have the room so why not plant it. 

I’ve realized that out here things need to be planned or at least I need to be able to plan them. You would be surprised how much ideas change depending on how far our water hose reaches. One hundred feet doesn't get us very far out here!

The Dream.

If you are from Texas or you watch HGTV at any point in the last few years you have heard of or seen Joanna Gaines. You might have even visited or wanted to go visit Waco, TX and go to the Magnolia Market at the Silo’s to either be inspired or do some shopping or like me do both. Now I wasn’t inspired go shopping for land because of the show or our many trips to the Silos but seeing what she’s done with their acreage is inspiring. I mean just look at her garden- its gorgeous. 

Joanna's home garden featured in County Living

My latest obsession is Garden Answer ( you can find her YouTube channel here ). Laura gives me the idea that although in south Texas acreage properties have these sweeping lawns with grass that goes on forever, maybe I can create something a little more lush. Maybe the idea of having a garden goes beyond raised beds. 

The Reality.

For now I have an idea of what I would like to do with my garden but we will just chip away at all the big luscious dreams with a few raised garden beds and the beginning of some landscaping around the house. Eventually I see a lot more raised beds and landscaping. Can you see it? I can!!

Onions & Garlic 
These won't be ready until the summer!

Lettuce & Carrots
These will with stand colder temps

Tomatoes
Peppers
Basil
These will go away with the cold temps

And now we're here.

This weekend was low key, not much going on. That wasn’t the original plan of course but sometimes that’s just the way it goes. It all works out for the best, it gave us a chance to work on a long over due project. 

It’s been a year now since we moved into our home, actually we have officially been here for a year and 19 days. Our official closing date was on October 31st of 2019 and we are the crazy couple that lined everything up so that by the end of the day one the 31st we were 90% moved into the house. It was a long and tiring day but worth the overdue wait. 

One of the challenges of building on your own land, especially one that didn’t quite exist before is that no one can find you. That is of course, not always a bad thing (said the introvert in me).  As for the issue of mail, the good ole’ USPS, UPS, any furniture being delivered and let’s not forget the tried and true Amazon, still they have trouble finding us. 

After scouring Pinterest for ideas, I came up with a simple idea that I love and hopefully I can add to in the future. Out here bigger is sometimes better, going with a small sign by the door just wasn’t going to be enough. 

A few weeks ago we put in the the frame just a simple two post with a 12 inch wood beam in the middle. It is treated wood so we had to let it dry out for sometime or it just won’t take the paint well. And finally this weekend I was able to paint! 

Once it was painted and dry I added some little details, I found these lights at Home Depot and I thought it would be pretty neat because once it's dark out here it's dark! So any amount of light would be nice and helpful when we have visitors. 

Adding the numbers was pretty easy work once I figured out my center points of the beam. I found the numbers here and they are floating numbers which I was excited about. Until I hammered my thumb. As it turns out - it hurts a lot. That was a first for me, I never realized how useful my thumb is until I couldn't use it! 

I absolutely loved how it turned out. In the spring I think I'll add some flowers around the base. Out here all of these projects take time. There is so much to do and just not enough time to get around to it all. As it turns out a year later and many lost packages after - we finally have something to help find us. 

The little things.

Well needless to say that last week was a little overwhelming. For reasons other than election day, because life moves forward even during the election. While Nevada counted votes so much happens in our everyday life. 

I had a friend loose her mother last week. I had a friend loose her father last week. My kiddo had a birthday last week. I also was worried because I knew a friend of mine was in a very difficult financial situation. While another friend was taking a leap of faith. 

An ebb and flow of joy and grief. Happiness and heartache. We sprinkle a little bit of Covid and this is 2020. Our stress levels rise and fall with every day and every situation. This week my friend that was grieving her mother last week (and I know still continues to) also celebrates life, her fourth grand baby being born over the weekend. My friend that was in a financial bind has found great relief today. 

Y’all it’s okay to be stressed and overwhelmed and it's okay to enjoy the little things too - even if the little things come in this mist of the big heavy stressful things. What do you do to help relive your stressful days? 

This year I’ve read a lot more than I have in recent years. I’ve started to garden too and I read a book about gardening!  I know next to pretty much nothing about gardening but it’s been fun to worry about peppers and tomatoes instead of politics. I love working on DIY projects and of course going for a walk works out all kinds of stress. My most favorite way to distress will always be surrounding myself with my loved ones. Taking time to celebrate my big kid will always make my heart the happiest.

Whatever it is for you I hope you find something to ease your day.