Whatever Floats your Goat..

For someone that typically has a whole lot to say I definitely struggle lately with starting a new post.  It turns into a whole lot of staring at a blank page, shutting down the entire computer, then starting it back up ten minutes later because I have finally thought of something clever to write, only to end up staring at a blank page again..  But at least I can talk about my busy minded blank pages and actually use it as a good intro.  See what I did there?  That..is clever. Right?!

Can I just take a minute or two to talk about how adulting can be overrated, and how frustrating it is when you know what you want and you can't have it? Or in my case, can't find it.  I'm talking about my future farm.  About a month or so ago we finally found the one and only place that I have actually fallen in love with throughout the entire journey of our twoish year search.  I think we looked at 12 properties that day, and this was the last one because it was the furthest away.

A lot of properties we look at don't even warrant us getting out of the car.  It's frustrating how deceptive the Real Estate agents are with their photos.

This property was in a different town about an hour away from where we live now.  A rural farming community with a population of a little less than 4,000. As I stood there at the highest point of the property, I felt it.  This was it.  This was the one I've been waiting for.  I could envision exactly where I wanted my little Craftsman Farmhouse to be built.  I imagined my entire family coming over for Sunday dinner and me finally having enough room for all of them in one place. I loved the idea of the kids exploring our new place together. I couldn't wait to find out how magical it would be to watch the sun set for the first time. In my head I was already planning my first camping trip for after the closing just so I could sit in my chair all cozied up by a fire, filled with anticipation to watch the sun set and be awake in time to watch it rise again.  You guys know how much I love my sun rises and sun sets.  <3

As we walked the property nothing could wipe the smile off my face, or the warmth and joy I had in my heart.  On the way home we talked about all the places where we could put the chicken coop, and where to eventually build a barn/shop.  We talked about needing to build a lean-to right away to shelter what little equipment we already have.  I was so excited talking about where my garden and clothesline would go.  Not to mention expand my chicken family..I'm dying for a Lavender Orpington.  I am even open to eventually raising a few meat birds and harvesting them ourselves.  Gulp!  Trey talked about his tree stand, and Kyle couldn't wait to get a new tire for the M and get it out there with a bush hog to start cleaning it up.

Two days later we met with the lender at our bank.  A few more days later we found out that the land had restrictions. I think my mouth dropped to the floor and I had no words.  It was like the light in my heart was knocked out of me in an instant.  Who puts restrictions on a place in the middle of no where?  A place where literally your only neighbors on three sides of you are cows and behind you is a forest?  For the love of Nancy, I want cows for neighbors!!  This little gem, my dream come true..it was perfect, perfect, perfect....except it wasn't perfect for me..it wasn't perfect for the fact that they would not allow poultry, swine, sheep or goats.  Which is a deal breaker, because hellloo?!  We come as a package deal and this meant, no deal.

I cried my eyes out for a few days straight. The ugly cry for at least the first 24 hours.  My 16 year old consoled me while holding back his laughter because I was pretty much being an idiot grown baby adult crying about something I couldn't have.  And I swear if Kyle or Trey asked me one more time why I was crying, their light would have been knocked out too.  Really though, don't you hate it when you cry because you're crying because you knooow you're being an idiot?  Me too.

But seriously. Let's be real.  When you know what you want - you know what you want, and when you think you have finally found what you want, only to find out you really haven't found what you want, it does break your heart for a split second.

So, time marches on and we are back on the search again.  I'm still slightly recovering from my heart break so I haven't been obsessively looking every single day like before, only a few times a week. Although, I did find a fabulous place that was fabulous except for the house was the opposite of what we are looking for, which was pretty much an immediate no. Plus, I really really want to start from scratch and build it ourselves, so I'm easily turned off at finding something that already has a home on it, unless it's a cabin that we could live in while building.  But guys, this little house on the prairie came with a baby goat nursery. A. Baby. Goat. Nursery!  Talk about tugging at my maternal baby animal heartstrings.  Not to mention extremely dangerous for a gal like myself that could easily fall in love with baby goats to fill my baby goat nursery up with.   It also had a solar paneled chicken coop and the cutest little garden shed.  It was almost like it was meant to be mine.  Except it wasn't.  Annnd this is the story of my life lately. Ugh.  Heart. Breaker.  I could write a book, but for now this post will have to do.

Happy weekend, my friends!

xo
Carrie

Riding in Cars with Teenagers...

Finally the market has come to an end. For months my life seemed to revolve around the market, and it was a bittersweet ending..  I will certainly miss visiting with my friends..new and old,  and spending my Saturday's with Lynn, but I am ready to move on to my next project, to sleep past 4:50 a.m and to not bake one single loaf of bread again.  Ever...well, at least until Thanksgiving.

My harvest season ended along with the market season.  With my last harvest I had one lonely, late blooming watermelon, and a basket full of beautiful peppers.  I'm thankful that it was plentiful and that I will get many cans of pickled peppers from this bunch.

One of my next projects is my holiday wreaths.  In a week or so Kayla and I will begin taking orders for these beautiful natural wreaths that will be ready for delivery or pick up the week after Thanksgiving.  We have been gathering supplies and making bows for the last few weeks, and are so ready to dive right into it.  This is my most favorite decoration to enjoy during the Christmas season.

My other project is sort of a pretty big project.  This has probably been this most difficult year I've had in my adult life, to say the least..At one point it felt like a woe is me sort of time, which is totally unlike me and I couldn't stand it to be honest.  As I was sobbing a few months ago during a vent session with my "tell you what you don't want to hear, but what you need to hear, Dad" he basically told me that I need to stop feeling sorry for myself, and make some changes in my life that will make me happy..then he asked.  "what is one thing that will make you happy..?"  and without any hesitation I said I want to go back to school.  So, he was like there ya go.. and that very same day I applied, and that week I received my acceptance letter.  Soo..it's official, and that burden of knowing what I want, but being afraid to go for it feels wonderful to no longer be weighing heavily on my shoulders!!  I'm loving it and actually enjoying spending my nights and weekends reading and doing assignments.  I don't know how long that love will last, but so far it's great..and it makes me happy!

Brodie likes to sit in the chair next to me while I'm working on my school stuff.  I think he likes to think he is going to college too..  He's probably the cutest study partner I've ever had.

and this guy wishes he could sit in the chair next to me..Knowing him he probably wishes he could sit in my lap instead of beside me..he is unbelievably jelly and crawls under the table to lay right under my feet.  I guess he's a pretty cute study partner too, I'm just a little biased to my Westie boys.

Last weekend we spent our Saturday night at the farm.  My cousin's wife has been wanting to have a party and burn this ever growing wood pile for several years now.. It was most definitely the largest bonfire I've ever been to for sure..I have to say that my family knows how to throw a good party, and I'm glad they are planning to make it an annual thing. 

It was also the weekend we kicked off celebrations for Trey's 15th birthday...He's a hot mess most of the time, but he's also one of my most favorite people in the world and I love celebrating him!!

Scuba was my little helper that supervised while I wrapped his birthday gifts..

Trey came home from school with a bouquet of balloons filling the foyer..we invited my Mom over had his favorite dinner with cake and ice cream.  My favorite dinner would have been cake and ice cream, but it wasn't my birthday...

How did my little infant baby child turn into this big, handsome young man so fast??  

Friday night I took Trey and his friends to dinner at an old diner for cheeseburgers and fries, then dropped them off at the football game.  It was the perfect ending to his Birthday week! 

Next up...the driving test.  It's funny how living through our children's teen years so vividly reminds us of our own teen years..I remember the day that I got my permit my Mom was like "here's the keys, you're driving home.."  "Whaaat??  Driving on the rooaaad??!! But..but.. there's people!!"  I was terrified.  I'm pretty sure my Mom was too because she kept kindly, yet nervously leaning towards me and asking me to please stop hugging the shoulder of the road.

Ummm... I'm not sure I'm ready for all that!!

I have a feeling there will be some very animated blog posting in my future...The blogging of riding in cars with teenagers..on the rooaaad..with people!

xo

Carrie

H54F

Hola, people.  I so need a nap!  I was just talking to a girlfriend on the phone and I couldn't stop yawning..I was telling her I've been trying to write this since last night..I keep deleting then rewriting.  It's like a cluster of run-on sentences.  Nothing makes sense.  You have been warned.  My eyes are bloodshot, and stinging like fire.my wheels are constantly turning...making plans.  Last Sunday my partners and I were arranging our final plans for the market.  We made a few last minute lists, and sketched out how we (think) we want our booth set up.  I literally have the next 21 weekends planned.  No foolin'.  Can't decide if that's awesome, or absolutely insane..Right now, I'm ecstatic...Hopefully when I'm right in the middle of it all I will still be having a good time.  Having a booth at the market is an idea I have tossed around for the last two years..and now I'm really doing it!!   It's exciting!  We are planning some off time.  We chose 5 of the 21 weekends to take off..I have some trips planned, and then we blocked out some lake time as well.  Good things are happening, guys!!

You've probably wondered how my tiny garden will supply us with enough produce for the entire market season?  My little 16x8 is just a sliver of what will contribute. Our main source is a half acre of corn, and a half acre of other fruits and veggies.






In the coming weeks we are going to have more than we know what to do with. Not sure what produce we will have next week, if any...Maybe tomatoes. I'll be sure to post what we plan to have each weekend.  Yesterday, I bought a ton of bananas.  I'll have some fresh bread next week too..as much as I can make...I set out a loaf of it for my family on Sunday, and between the six of them they ate the entire thing within minutes.. then said I should have brought more. It's pretty good stuff!!

So...market...next weekend.  Stop by and say hi!

While I was in Nashville last week. I had an hour to kill, so I wandered into World Market...annd then wandered out with a patio set.  That was totally unplanned.  The table was used as the display, so it had some chips around the edges..I thought it was cute like that, but I didn't say anything while the lady kept talking to me, offering it at a lower price..As I was walking away saying "I'm not sure, I'll have to talk to my husband about that" The classic line I used long before I even had a husband...Then she said "Well, wait a minute..if I take this much off will you take it then?"  Uhh, sold!!  Sooo, loaded it up in the car, and had a candlelight dinner that evening with this handsome fella of mine.

Kinda digging my new little patio set.  Beer and watermelon tastes so much better in the backyard!!

I was so excited to show ya'll my corn.. Two Friday's ago it looked like this...

Now it looks like this...This week I had to weed out the seedlings..I always feel so bad doing that...Sorry little seedlings..your life was cut too short, and it's all my fault.. 

My strawberries are so pretty...

Pretty delicious too...I ate these Sunday morning for breakfast..

If you have strawberries planted don't forget to pull your runners.  This is exactly what they look like..you can't miss them.  They will steal all of the nutrients from your berries...Just pinch at the base of the runner and pull.  You'll get more berries if you do this!

One day I almost panicked thinking the moles had tunneled through the garden....Then I was like...nope..the potatoes are breaking through..This was also two weeks ago.

and this was yesterday.

Somehow I have a potato coming up from last year...Under my beans

Love watching the beans come in!

Remember when I said I planted bean plants,as well as seeds?  

My seeds (right) are taller/thicker than my plants (left)

Baby jalapeno..I also planted red and green bell peppers, sweet banana peppers, cayenne and I don't know what other peppers.I'm drawing a blank..More evidence that a nap is needed.

I planted beefsteak tomatoes..I think that's what they're called..it is possible I just made that up, but I'm pretty sure I'm correct..I do know I planted grape tomatoes.  I cook with grape tomatoes a few times a week, so I'm pretty pumped about them.  Anyway, both tomato plants are flowering..

Trey makes homemade popsicles that are too cool for school  This one is made with fresh pineapple...Juice and chunks.  The perfect treat for a sunny afternoon.  I spent this day sunning out back in my beach chair while reading a book.

My sweet boy got me a pink Dogwood tree for Mother's day.

Snapped this on one of my runs...

It was hot at the beginning of the week!!  I love a good sweaty run!

Another - seen on my run - picture.. I love this place!

When I get a package from Nicole I know it is going to be something thoughtful and wonderful.

She made me this amazing mug!!  She is seriously so talented.  I have been bugging her for a year now to open her own shop!  I LoVe it and her!!

I had two date nights this week...the first one was with Brittney..we went to dinner and a movie.  We saw the dumbest "scary" movie..We were mostly distracted by the hacking/whooping coughing CHILD..literally.  Poor baby.. and then the little girl sitting across from us that was cracking sunflower seeds the.entire.time.  I can't even make it up.  Brittney said if she had popcorn she would throw it at her.  It was very distracting...and annoying..you could hear her smacking over the movie.  Loved my Brittney night!

Kayla and I went to The Hayloft barn sale last night...It's always so fun to browse all the booths.  They have the cutest things.

I got this adorable spoon ring.  

I loved my Kayla night too.  We were going to eat dinner off the food trucks, but I talked her into going somewhere where adult beverages were served.  I didn't have to pull her leg or anything..I merely suggested it and I think she agreed before I ended my sentence.  

Have you seen the Regenerate Juice Bar truck in town?  I met one of the owners and he was super friendly.  Kayla and I spent a few minutes talking to him.  Turns out his juice truck will be at the market on Saturdays..annnd turns out he's in the market for some locally grown cucumbers.  I just happen to know a cucumber grower! :-) 

I had the juice called sucker punch.. I think that's the name...I wasn't kidding about the nap.

Speaking of naps.  Brodie loves to make himself comfortable in my arm for his naps.  I don't mind.  

Lately Scuba needs to be told when to do things.  I'm not sure if it's some kind of psychological separation anxiety or what, but he's totally lost his mind.  He..is a weirdo.  When it's feeding time he will sit and stare at me until I tell him he may eat.  He will look at his food, then back at me..and won't move until I say..."you can eat"...Then when it's time to come in..I open the door and he sits and stares at me until I use my words to invite him in.  Weird, I tell ya,

The three of them love our backyard time.

Especially this one..  <3

Tonight my Mom is finally getting to use her Mother's Day/Birthday gift...I got her tickets to the Willie Nelson concert in Nashville...  I asked her if she wanted to wear my shirt, and she just laughed at me.  I don't really know what was so funny about it.  Anyway, my Mother has a super crush on Willie..has for as long as I have known her.  Like super heartthrob crush...Bless her heart...ol' Sue is gonna lay her eyes on ol' Willie tonight.  So, anyway she and my Dad are date nightn' it up.  You kids behave yourselves and have a Willie nice time.

To the rest of you...have a Willie nice weekend.

xo

Carrie

High Five for Friday

I skipped a Friday post...I hate it when that happens, especially when I actually had something to talk about.  If I skip a week it's more than likely because I didn't have time to put a post together..and then sometimes I skip because my week was so boring low key that I would put you to sleep with my lameness..No one wants to hear about how I was in my pj's by 5:00 every day, or how I spent an entire Saturday afternoon in my house clothes having a Red Box marathon...Seriously..that's only exciting when you're exhausted and need the down time, but major snoozefest to write about..and most definitely to read about..So, on occasion I spare you.  You're welcome.

Turkey season...still.  

Trey was home one weekend because he wasn't feeling well/he had a bad grade, so he staked his hen in the backyard..

Then he decided to put the hen and the Jake in the front yard.. Random...I know. The Jake is the Mojo Shake N Jake, so he would hide in the garage and make it rotate and fan out trying to freak the little neighbor kids out.  I promise we have a life.

and thennnn.. here she is again..
I feel like I have spent enough quality time with this hen that she deserves to have a name, and her own room.

and...hmmm..

We are the Random family.  It's nice to meet you.

Kyle and I had plans to grab dinner together last weekend.  I was on a run at the Green when he called to tell me that at the last minute he found out he had to spread fertilizer on a farm near my house, and he wasn't going to make it for dinner.  After my run I called him and was like..."Sooo, how about you come pick me up and I ride with you to spread fertilizer?"  I was totally surprised when he said yes..because he has never said yes when I've asked to go to work with him.. I rushed home just in time to let my dogs out for a second and refill my water bottle.  Then I heard him coming down the road...I hopped in and off we went.  

We did a little 45 acre farm...the sun was setting, it was beautiful.

Then we went back to the shop, and made it to dinner after all...Except we were both dirty, so we just went to an old diner in town..The perfect little impromptu date.

My clothesline is up...I L.O.V.E it!!!

Saturday morning I woke up bright and early to toss my sheets in the washer. I couldn't wait to get them on the line.  My neighbor snapped this picture and sent it to me..My dogs like the line too.  :-)

Kayla and I had our monthly girls' night...This time we went to a new nail salon and had pedis..then went for dinner and drinks.

The plan was light dinner and heavy drinks..We always plan our dinner dates based on where the best drinks are... Don't be judgy.  I tried something new..Strawberry Mango Tango..  It was amazing..I don't remember everything in it..key words for me were vodka, fresh mango and fresh strawberries.. at Ruby Tuesday's..  Yum yumm!

I took this on one of my runs..

I love running in the country..

We had one day in the upper 80's and I was itching to go for a run..In between work and picking Trey up from school I decided to go for a run in my neighborhood, which then led me outside the neighborhood...You guys would be proud of me because I saw a snake slithering across rocks in a ditch, and I actually held it together... Possibly because I was on the main road...and at the same time I noticed the snake there was a car coming towards me..My instincts were to scream and jump away, but had I jumped I'm pretty sure I totally would have thrown myself into oncoming traffic..and I wasn't going to give the snake the satisfaction of my death by automobile..So, I held my breath..talked to myself for a few minutes..and have since tried to erase the vision of the long black, slithery, cold blooded creepy reptile out of my mind...It's still there.  Yuck.  I came home and crashed out on the deck floor.  I was hot..sweaty and feeling good. Sometimes even a short run can make you feel like a rock star!

I got a new patio umbrella...I had my eye on it for a few months...I basically stalked the umbrella section often.  One day I was in Lowe's and noticed it was the last one left in the color I wanted, so I snatched it up.. and by snatched it up I mean that if anyone else decided to go for the umbrella at the same time I did, they may have gotten an elbow block - black Friday style..  Not that I've ever been black Friday shopping..I avoid it for that very reason..I'm not a violent person..violent people are scary...I'm just saying.  All threats aside, I was pretty determined that umbrella was going home with me that day..I hoisted it into the miniature shopping cart, and paraded victoriously to the checkout line.

Anyway, I don't even have patio furniture, except for the really huge pallet table Kyle made for me last year..I tossed my table and chairs set a few years ago..buuut..thanks to my beautiful new umbrelly..my deck now has shade..my fern and my herbs won't die from too much sun..and my dogs have it made in the shade.  Who needs patio furniture?  <quietly raises hand and smiles>  It's not a priority..Besides, if I want to sit still for a minute I'll hop in the hammock..

Thanks for stopping by..hope you have an awesome weekend!

xo

Carrie