*lol* This one made me laugh. I always cut my sandwiches in triangles. I think it's easier to eat when there's a point to aim in your mouth. *grin* Plus, holding it is a ton easier.
I'm stirring bread dough as I sit and read. Can't beat that warm yeasty wheat smell...unless it's the fresh-baked one that will fill the house shortly.
Woo-hoo! Our garden fence is complete...and we got the gate up this weekend AND Aaron tilled it.
Plus, the piano my great-grandmother bought us is getting delivered this week.
And then, my grandmother called us and said they are gifting some of the amount they received from the sale of the family homestead. (Don't ask...I'll cry. And post another day about it with pics.) So that's something to take away some of the bitterness. I'm excited of course...that means I can get things for the garden and the chicken coop a little easier now. And maybe put some down on our house principal.
I wish it wasn't so easy to thank God during the good times, and forget when hard times come that it's for my benefit as well. I sure am grateful and overwhelmed right now though! Sometimes I get a little "scared," thinking about how we have had the easiest time the last few years. I feel like I'm taking someone else's share of goodness or something. *wry grin* For instance, we lived rent-free for over a year on the family's property. That eliminated any financial strain our first year of marriage. I feel like we've just gotten to coast along, for the most part. So I wonder when the really hard times are going to hit for a while. Guess I'll just take and enjoy today for what it is. The older I get the more I kind of realize how fragile life is. I wish that reality would sink in fully and allow me to overcome the pettiness I get absorbed in that robs my day of some joy.
Ok...enough lecturing to myself. Sorry about that!
Here's another pic of the gate and arbor up close. 
It turned out exactly as I had hoped. I hope they never do away with libraries, because if you really want to know about something or be inspired, the internet is usually lacking in some respect. So I'm a great book lover and grateful for the inspiration of others. Here's the book and pictures that I found helpful. (Pardon the title)
Since Papaw cut down a spriggy maple tree I've been going nuts and having a ton of fun. (My obsession may have something to do with the fact I can make cool stuff with free materials!) It's really easy to pre-drill the holes and then just nail things together. My mom and I made several trellises as well...I'll take pics of mine later. I want to grow sugar snaps on it, but there's not enough sun on the back porch, and it keeps blowing over. Grr. Some one said I could sell things like this, but Aaron thinks it's been a tad overdone in this area. Plus, I'm not sure it would be profitable on an hourly pay basis. After living in Central Florida I tend to think my time and skills are worth more than they might be up here.
I guess I'll go do some laundry and start planning out the garden. Hopefully potatoes and onions will get in the ground very soon...
Ok.....posting twice in a day is too much, but I have to vent. Ever gotten stuck on the computer? I did this afternoon. Not always good, but I think I learned some things and hopefully am inspired for the future. And sickened. And resolved.
I want to thank Winterpast for her blog on the subject that got me started. After just getting chicks, I am incensed at this NAIS legislation that they are implementing at an alarming pace. I don't want Big Daddy Gov. curtailing/controlling any future homesteading acquisitions.
But reading about all that pricked my interest in factory farms. I've been a bit bothered lately about our grocery bill. Why it costs so much for 2 little people. Why I try and don't seem to succeed and spend more than we need to. Why there is so much meat in the fridge.
It was weird to see how everything appears orchestrated and connected by huge coporations making mega bucks and "telling" us how to eat as Americans. Monsanto's connection to the entire Ag world cannot be ignored. They are right in there with the factory farms, coming up with new technology to help continue the mass production destruction. Did you know they have come up with a way to increase gender selection in dairy cows? Here 'tis
Also, thanks to Carla K. for her articles on the Terminator seed and all of Monsanto's work in progress. This is just scary, folks. They came up with the growth hormone for dairy and beef cattle, I believe...plus all the Round-up stuff they make...all of the GM seed technology on top of that. Whew. And then, after Carla mentioned Central/South America, I was curious to see about Africa. (Anybody seen the movie "Constant Gardener?" Yup. They are there too. And the weirdest thing was finding one program they call AgriBEE. Now I know it's just a movie, but I think I kinda know who the 3 B's represents. They are shipping GM wheat to Africa because no one else wants it. Once it's accepted there, they have a cart blanche on importing all their crazy stuff. And of course they tout themselves as being so great for donating to the farmers there. The truth is a lot of the farmers become indebted to Monsanto who "helps" them buy all the stuff they need to plant. Here's the old site.
Internationally they are advancing on every front. Oh...and here's last year's pledge report. It makes me mad that they are so huge and have no conscience whatsoever. And they talk about their commitment to "dialogue and transparency..." Grrr. This article is pretty good as a summary to blow through some of their cover.
Shew. Sorry this is so hodge-podge. It's taken me longer to put together, and there's so much more. I need to figure out what to do with the things I'm learning. With the NAIS legislation, I have a plan for writing my rep's in the Gov. For all the rest of this, I'm not sure what to do except try to stay away from Walmart, and shop as locally as I can.
At least the Farmer's Market starts up here soon.
