New chapters and adventures abound.

New beginnings and new chapters are starting for so many, including us. We have been blessed with so much of what many would call the American dream. We have so many family and friends with graduating children, and so many embarking on new adventures. It's such an amazing time of year for so many.

There are graduations happening all over the country this month. Some have plans of going to college, going to work, or even going into family businesses. As each of the graduates takes the next couple months adjusting to life after high school, there is so much to learn. Keep in mind that learning never ends. Each and every day is a new opportunity to learn and grow. It's important to further your education, but also learn to manage your finances and make decisions that you won't be embarrassed by in 20 years. The biggest advice I have for all the new graduates, ALWAYS be true to yourself. Don't follow the crowds if it goes against your beliefs, morals and values.

For our little family, our new adventure began in November 2011. Our little Hayfield was a new adventure for me, and a dream for my hubby. This was a big step for me and a step that seemed to make sense. As someone who didn't grow up on a farm, and had really only been around horses and chickens for any length of time, jumping into cows, and pigs too was an adjustment. However, as I said above, every single day is an opportunity to learn something new! I take these opportunities and grow from them too. We have 3 big gardens and have taken our property to a completely chemical free environment. We have even jumped into the DIY of home ownership. While I have had many experiences in building and remodeling, my hubby hasn't. So we really do work well together in our strengths and weaknesses. We just have several differing opinions that do tend to cause some heated conversations until we both calm down and think logically!

Our little piece of heaven is constantly ablaze with activity, and if anyone would drive by they'd be thinking we were crazy. Our landscape makes changes in short amounts of time. It's amazing what you can accomplish with determination, and not dealing with contractor schedules. We aren't perfect, but our trials, errors and accomplishments give us not only learning experiences but also such pride in what we do accomplish.

Our gardens are a new experiment this year as I have jumped into my heritage planting and companion planting. We have always gardened as the fields are farmed. Marking rows, using a garden planter, following spacing and depth charts. This year, after spending a year learning from fellow Native Americans, and some online education, I decided to try the 3 Sisters method of Corn, Pole Beans, and Squash planting. By Native thought, as I am told, these are the 3 main crops needed to live. Planted together, the corn grows tall, the beans climb the corn as a natural trellis, also giving the corn substance against winds, and the squash is a ground vine that spreads and keeps the moisture in the ground to provide to all three plants. The beans and squash also add nitrogen back into the soil which in turn is used by the corn as a nutrient to produce. It's a win-win as I see it. Companion planting isn't much different than the 3-sisters version, only it allows utilization of less space, more vegetables, and adding nutrients back into the soils all while providing families the produce they want and need.

For example, planting your potatoes with bush beans, tomatoes with peppers, basil, chives, or cilantro. Planting corn with sunflowers. All these companion plants allow benefits to each other. It's a great benefit all the way around!

It's such an amazing time. Wishing all the graduates the best of luck. Happy planting and Spring!

It is May, right?! Are we sure?!

"It is May, Right?! Are we sure?!"

I have half jokingly said this for 10 days now. I have normally been in my gardens for a month or more by this point and have vegetables poking through the ground. This year, however, only half of 1 garden has been planted, I still have 2 1/2 gardens to plant. While I am getting really nervous about how late my seeds are getting in the ground, I know that I have a plan b & c to backup in this crazy weather! The original plan was to get everything ready this Fall for raised garden beds. The plan now, raised garden beds this month...otherwise, I won't be able to get into my gardens until next month, at least!

As so many of my FaceBook friends know, we are trying to eliminate some of the to-do projects from our ever growing list. First on the list - a deck. What started as a small functional deck with a ramp, turned into a bigger deck(for the same price), and putting a roof on to be able to use it more. The planning process started over a year ago, for the original deck. We made the trip to the lumber yard, got a trailer load of lumber and came home. The lumber yard is 70 miles away. Within less than 24 hours, the decision was made to enlarge it. So, literally 3 days later, we hauled the entire load of lumber back to the lumber yard with our new plans in hand. We unloaded the original order, and reloaded the new plan lumber...minus a handful of pieces they didn't have. The first trip involved the yard guy dropping a 4x6x14 piece of lumber on my toe and causing it to be purple/black/blue and bled. The second trip....I stayed away and made the yard guy do the work. This project is beginning tomorrow. Digging holes, pouring concrete, squaring it up, and hopefully by the end of Sunday we can at least have the roof and ramp on.

The projects on this months to-do list seem overwhelming sometimes. Since I am limited in the time I can actually devote to projects because of meals, school work, business, and the other wifely duties...it really cuts out some of the time I'd like to spend. May's project list: Deck!, gravel for the driveway, raising garden beds, putting in flower beds, planting the remaining trees, and getting in some bonfires.

I have 30 trees to get plants, a boat load of vegetables, 50 feet of flower beds, lots of grass seed, lots of indoor cleaning and little projects, not to mention the OCD temptation of an organized and functional home. I keep trying to get everything organized only to have 3 people come along behind me and turn it all on its head! For every mess I clean up and every room I get organized; 3 more messes are made and 2 more rooms destroyed! It gets very frustrating from time to time.

Since the weather hasn't given me too many breaks this Spring, my frustration level seems to be on the rise. I usually have my gardens to work in and contain my stress and frustration. Not the case so far! Instead, hubby and I will be building a deck this weekend and I'm certain there will be plenty of temper flairs, not to mention keeping up with the 4 yr. old and meals. Not too many are around when we need them, but expect us to be around when they need us. Others have to work, and then there are some that it's best they don't help.

It's the 10th of May,it's 58 degrees outside and overcast, my house is reading 65 degrees inside and my driveway is a mud pit. We are still using the temporary stairs they sent with the house a year and a half ago on one door...nothing at the back door, it's too muddy to mow, we have started getting invaded with little bitty black ants, my gardens require mud boots, there's no sunshine, and my bottle of Jack is empty. Very thankful there's still coffee!

So, in spite of the frustrations, I'm going to smile. I'm going to take a few hundred deep breaths and remember everything happens for a reason...even if cursing under my breath. Knowing that eventually my project list will dwindle, and be added to, and dwindle again. Knowing that eventually the weather will change, as it always does, and then I will be complaining that it's too hot. Knowing that whenever possible, it's bonfire season.

So, here I go. Trying to remind myself that everything will work out. Trying to keep a somewhat positive attitude and not bite anyone's head off. There's surely something to learn from all of this!?!?!?!?!

Anxiously awaiting S'Mores and wine!
~Sal