Cold, busy summer

I'll get back to posting properly (as if I ever have) soon. We've been keeping ourselves quite occupied. Summer is a time when not much crafting is done. I always find myself longing for the warmth of summer, the season of gardening and yet by August fall can't come quickly enough. I need the rainy days to use as an excuse to get some knitting, spinning, sewing or quilting in.
This summer has seen the beach on a few occasions, camping in the mountains on more than a few occasions, creating new strawberry beds since the chickens decided to decimate my once happy, healthy, lush strawberry bed, the creation of a new garden between our deck and fence line (20ish ft.), and last but certainly not least work on the front yard. The front is taking on a complete transformation. We now have 4 raised garden beds (12' x 4' each), thorn less blackberries planted along the fence and raspberries that I'm still nurturing in their pots. They were on clearance so I grabbed them. Now we're waiting to locate 4x4's in order to create support for them.
We (insert I at will) spent some time in limbo. The mister applied for and interviewed for 2 different positions in TN. In the end, we're staying here in WA and talking about (please, please, please) creating a plan of attack to wipe away the debt and have our home ready to put on the market in 3 years. At this point, trying to sell the house is not reasonable. While we bought our house under market value and while the housing in our city did not inflate drastically, our market has still suffered. We are one of the unfortunate Americans who now owe more for their home than what the home is worth. We were able to hold our heads about the market value line the first year after the crash but after that we were toast. :-(
Time to snuggle with a little Miss who seems to have a summer cold. Poor girl.

Post Road Vintage

You absolutely must go here to see a little something that is absolutely lovely. It is just what I've been telling my husband I need for months and months. If only I'd get off the computer and get to being creative. :-)

Less is more

Kerri at Living Large in Our Little House posed a question. Paraphrased, she asks if society (with it's consumerism) robs people of the euphoria of contentment.

Here's my response:

I absolutely believe that societal pressures have robbed people of
contentment. The ball seems to have really started rolling after
WWII. Recently I was touring Cade's Cove (Smokey Mountains) with my little
ones. I was immediately humbled by the size of homes that families lived
in. We've been living in a 1200sq ft house for 2 1/2 yrs and then 2 yrs
prior to that. It's always been more than enough for us and yet I've
caught myself in the "well, when they get bigger I'll have to separate them (boy
and girl) and then what do I do? Just one more small area would be
nice." I had convinced myself that I was not like "them".
Consumers. I'd compare myself and our home to the mass size of
others. In the world of today 1200 sq ft is small. In days gone by
it would be quite comfortable. I've changed my thinking. It's all a
matter of being completely content and thankful for that which I do have.
For realizing the happiness, euphoria, contentment doesn't come in the amount of
stuff I have, the size of the stuff I have or the price of the stuff I
have. It comes in the thankfulness for the blessings of what I have.
Thankful that I'm blessed to have a roof over my children's head. Thankful
that I have an abundance of food. Thankful for the beauty of nature that
is shared with me. With all of this, I find contentment. I let out a
big, cozy sigh.

Contentment

1 Timothy 6:7,8

For we have brought nothing into this world and so we can not take a single thing out either. But if we have food and shelter, we will be satisfied with that.

At this moment in time, and I hope forever more, this is where I am. Content. Big changes in our lives may or may not shortly take place but I have complete peace. Thankful for the blessings of food and shelter whatever may come.

Simplicity

Simplicity? What exactly is it? I believe for so many it means something different. I've always carried a particular definition within my heart and longed for it but have not worked progressively towards it. I long for it. I long for a simple life. Not a lazy one. That's the irony of the it all. Simple does not mean easy. It takes work, dedication, drive, a goal. I feel so many changes within me. I've had a taste of this or that and you know what? While it may be enjoyable, it leaves only a temporary satisfaction. I long for a home-made life. A thrift-ed life. A purposed life. I life made not just lived.