How is it June already?

I had hoped to keep this blog updated about life on the Donegan homestead, but time has gotten away from me. Suffice it to say that things have been busy. I finished school at the end of April and walked across the stage to get my diploma in May. I can't believe I now have my masters degree. It feels great to be done, and I'm sure it will come in handy someday. (Just not right now.) The girls are growing too fast and keeping me fit. A stranger commented about how small I was for having two little ones, to which I replied "Well, look at them! I chase them all day long and lug them around." Later I also remembered that rarely do I get a chance to eat due to trying to get THEM to eat. But, alas, that's the life of a mother.

Life on the "farm" has been great! Our garden is growing and growing. Here is a list of everything growing at my house right now: Basil, Cilantro, Parsley, Dill, Tomatoes, Butternut Squash, Zuchinni, Yellow Crook-neck squash, Asparagus, Beets, Radishes, Strawberries, 2 types of grape vines, Carrots, Pole Beans, Kale, various types of greens, onions, various types of potatoes, lima beans, cucumbers, cantaloupe, bell pepers, jalepeno peppers, pumpkins, watermelons, 4 blueberry bushes, 2 golden raspberry bushes, 2 red raspberry bushes, several blackberry bushes, a peach tree, and then the following flowers are also involved in my raised beds: marigolds, nasturtiums, cosmos, daisies, and zinnias.Phew, that's a long list. It's been fun to watch things growing and climbing up the trellises I built. Ainsley is my big helper and likes to look over the plants with me every day.

My garden has truly become a haven. I enjoy being out there to pull out weeds and observe the progress of each plant. I'm sure Kris is getting sick of me pulling him outside to show him how the beans have climbed another four inches up the trellis. Yet, it truly does excite me to see each little change. Gardening gives me a since of productivity and providence. I feel like I'm taking care of my family through growing food for us.

Today, I signed up for a meat Csa through Walnut Hills Farm. I have gone through them in the past and absolutely love them. When I walked up to their booth today, they greeted me by name as a long lost friend. I couldn't believe that they had remembered me after five months. It felt good to be that important to the people raising the food that my family is going to eat. My hopes are that between the meat Csa and our garden, I won't have to do much additional grocery shopping.

Additionally, I pulled out the cloth diapers again on Thursdsay. I had taken a break from them while student teaching because I didn't have the time or energy to put into them. However, I decided it was time to give them a whirl. So, we are well on our way to becoming self-sustainable, which is very exciting.

So for now, that's the news from our homestead. I hope to make another update soon with some pictures. Enjoy your hot beginning to the summer.