That Time of Year: Summer 2016

There comes a point every summer when the frantic pace of farm-maintenance and projects I started in spring finally catch up to me. For a while the long summer days–where the sun doesn’t set until after 9– are a blessing.

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I enjoy every minute I get to spend outside while it’s light out (since I usually won’t get home until well after dark in the winter) and the farm is so full of life.

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Birds, insects, farm animals…

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The fields around my property are growing…

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My own garden is taking off…

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It’s one of my favorite times of the year. Also? It’s kind of exhausting. So I work as hard as I can for as long as I can, and then– usually sometime mid-July– I crash. And, you know, once I hit that wall, I stop worrying so much about things getting done, or weeds in the garden, or mowing the pasture. I spend time out on the lake with friends, or in my hammock with a book…

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Which is great. But even though this has happened every year I’ve lived on the farm I still haven’t figured out how to make that a “thoughtful” break. It really is like hitting a wall in that it happens so fast I don’t see it coming, and the result is, ah, [insert sound of things blowing up here.] Yeah, basically a shitshow. So while I do end up taking some breaks (out on the lake, or hiding in my hammock with a book) a large part of that is just me averting my eyes from the disaster that is the rest of my life. (Like, let’s definitely not talk about the laundry/dishes/can’t-walk-through-the-garage aspects of my life right now.) Oh, look! A chicken and a book!

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See how that works? My diversionary tactics are legendary.

Seriously though, I don’t know if in the twelve years I’ve been writing this website I ever just took a random 3 week break from posting everything, and not because I didn’t have things to post. I just got far enough behind this spring that any time I sat down to write in the last few weeks I’ve never been quite sure where to start, or, frankly, where to end… and that’s a recipe for real bad storytelling. (I can’t even stand to re-read most of the things I’ve written in the last few weeks, much less post them for everyone else to read.) But, I’m finally feeling slightly more rested and ready to get back to all the things that have been waiting for me to get my ass out of the hammock and back to work. And in an effort let you guys know what’s been going on around the farm for the last couple of months, I’m working on 5 short updates about various parts of the farm that I’ll be posting over the next week.

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Don’t worry. The donkeys are keeping me in line.

16 Responses

  1. At last…I’ve been going thru Kit withdrawal…glad you were recharging your batteries, so to speak…your body can only handle that frenetic pace for so long til it tells you, SLO-DOWN! Thx for the brief update…

  2. Ok. It was a 3-4″ vertical pvc pipe stuck to wall. At bottom was a tee with a 45. They filled pipewith feed for chickens. They eat out of 45 tee. An auto feeder….thought was cool. Peace

  3. OMG, I can so relate. After 20+ years of condo living I just bought a house with a big yard…. ok it’s like .25 acre, but I have been so busy doing house/yard/moving stuff that I haven’t really had a chance to enjoy the amazing yard…. so I can totally relate. I also think you are being hard on yourself, I think your story telling has been top notch lately! I love the authenticity tell it like it really is don’t sugar coat it -ness of your writing. I’m still laughing about how you unapologetically use roundup and I’m hitting the round up this weekend, because, well you know why!

  4. Hetting my Kit-fix via IG but looking forward to a post. I truly don’t know how you do everything you do. . .

  5. Getting my Kit-fix via IG but looking forward to a post. I truly don’t know how you do everything you do. . .

  6. Take a deep breath and relax. It will all still be there when you are ready to get back to it. Now doesn’t that feel better?

  7. Glad you took a break….now get back to work. j/k!! Ha!!

    You were missed… and I agree with the comment above, I don’t know how you get it all done.

  8. Take your time! As long as you come back when you are ready. I love, love, love your blog.

  9. What on earth are you doing?? Stop writing and working and posting and Instagramming, sit down, and FINISH THAT HP BOOK!!!! Because priorities.

    1. Ha. I finished that book before I ever put it down! (It’s a screenplay so super short read.)

  10. You’re so inspiring – I’ve definitely missed what’s going on with life at the farm. Glad to know you’ve got some updates planned!

  11. My ability to distract myself from the stress in my life with a book is EPIC. It’s my go to place when life gets too overwhelming. The good news is, there are worse ways of recharging… take the time you need for you to be healthy, the rest of us will be here whenever you come back! XXOO

  12. Boy, can I ever relate to what you’re saying! I have a little hobby farm and I love the hard work it takes to get it to where I want it to be. But there always comes a point (which for me was about a week or so ago), where I’m just suddenly spent and can’t seem to motivate myself anymore. It’s part of why I love winter (which my co-workers give me such a hard time about). But I need winter so I can have a nice break of down time and relaxation!

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