A quote

"The philosopher's stone of an American farmer is to do everything within his own family, to trouble his neighbors by borrowing as little as possible, and to abstain from buying European commodities.  He that follows that golden rule and has a good wife is almost sure of success." 

J. Hector St. John de Crevecoeur,
Letters from an American Farmer, 1782

As I was going through a flashdrive, I discovered a talk that Bri put together in 2008 for a state homeschooling conference.  The topic was Homeschooling & Homesteading and this quote was how he started.  Interesting!
 

Happy Happy!

Yesterday was Mr. Man's Birthday!  Happy Birthday, Bri!!  We were so busy celebrating, I didn't have time to post on the blog.  It was a very fun day.  Bri was able to be home, we ate at a local place in NG, the younger boys made a card, the bigger boys wrote a song, we had cake.  It was a great day.  I feel so very blessed to have this man in my life.  It's crazy that after 20 years of marriage & 5 years of dating prior to that, he can still make my heart do flip flops!  And now, for 2 months, we're the same age.  Haha!  I love you, Bri.  Happy Birthday!!

Spring & Doulas!

We put the greenhouse up this weekend.  It's cool! T & P go in there frequently throughout the day to see how warm it is.  It's a passive solar greenhouse so we're still trying to figure out how to use it during an tricky WI spring.  I think I'll just put some seeds in potting mix & see what happens.
The forecast for today is windy but 58 degrees!!  Huh?  58?  I'll take it.  I know, I know, it's been mild, true, but I'm ready.  March always feels good to me.  We've made it through the doldrums of winter and the post-holiday dark, long nights.  Daylight Saving Time begins on Sunday.  Although I have 2 minds about this strange tradition, I'm glad to see more light in the evening. 
I'm on call for 2 births, which means lots of project finishing for me & not going further than 1 hour from Madison, just in case.  I'm back to saying "uigctab" to my friends & family.  Hey, did you know that March 22-27 is National Doula Week?  No???  Don't have that one on your calendar?  Well, there is an event in Madison on 3/27 - come watch a film called "Doula!" (my boys love that this title and frequently say "Doula!" in an exaggerated voice complete with jazz hands).  In addition to the film, you can also meet a variety of birth people (they'll be booths of a sort) including "Doulas!".  Here are details:

Hosted by ICAN of Madison
contact Rachel at ican_madison@yahoo.com or 608-807-9401
We will also be including a “Meet the Doulas” event with the film
6:00-6:30 Vendor Booths (All things belly, birth, & baby)
6:00-6:30 “Meet the Doulas” Booths Open
6:30 Intro
6:35 – 7:40 Film
7:40-8:45 “Meet the Doulas” Booths Re-Open

Catching Up

Last night, I had the great privilege, again, to be part of a wonderful event.  Mardi Roots hosted by the church of a neighbor pastor.  This is the 3rd year for Mardi Roots.  This event happens on fat Tues, you know, the day of consumption.  This little church hosts a local dinner where all of the food is, well, local.  Yes, it's Feb (or Mar depending on Easter), yes it's WI, yes, it's winter & you know what, you can eat really well!  Last night, we had a spinach, beet, microgreens salad (microgreens from our wonderful friends & Joe & Will's employers, Garden to Be), meat chili, black bean soup, cornbread, cider, fair trade coffee & sweet potato pie.  After the dinner, we set up for a farmer's market where I got to talk to so many people who are excited about local foods.  Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful.

In other news, my dad & niece are here for a mini-visit, the farm is good, Freddy still stinks but not nearly as bad, sheep are getting shorn (or do you say sheared, doesn't sound right...)on Sat., chickens are laying again and I'm waiting on a baby.  Been on call 24/7 since our return from Disney.  This weekend, I'm going to turn off my cell & let my freak flag fly.  Well, actually, we'll probably go further than 1 hour away from Madison & not let every sentence I say end with, "unless I get called to a birth".  I should create an acronym, uigctab, pronounced "you-gk-tab".  "Sure we'll come visit, yougktab", "yes, I can do that, yougktab", "oh, we'd love to make that field trip, yougktab".  Anywhoo.  Here's a little somethin' fun in honor of food (yes, it's a commercial for Chipotle, but it's awesome!)  I get shivers when he busts open the barns so the animals can be on grass - imagine, animals on grass.....now there's a revolution!

Freddy vs. skunk

Skunk wins.

Ok Ok - I'm back

Well, it's been very difficult for me to blog lately.  Not because I don't have things to say, but because, I've had a hard time readjusting to life back in WI.  You see, we went to Disney World.  All 6 of us + my dad.  We had......an amazing time.  Honestly, amazing doesn't even really sum it up.  It was wonderful, fantastic, great, happy, relaxing, smiley, joyful, and I could go on and on.  Granted, it's a LONG way from WI to Orlando......LONG.  We were stuck in traffic many times (Atlanta) and were stopped for more than 2 hours on I75 outside of Gainesville due to a very terrible & tragic pile up....
We didn't have a lot of time but boy, did we make the most of it!  We all loved it.  Peter has been the most upset about not being there (besides me....).  He has cried everyday that we had to leave and return to our "normal" life.  But, I guess that's the way vacation is.  You plan & think & dream & plan, then go & enjoy.  Then it's back to normal.  For us, that always includes planning the next trip (we already have our thinking caps on for another vacay in Oct!).
So, returning home meant back to work & chores & teaching & doula-ing & seeing friends & cooking instead of eating out.....or eating sandwiches....& fires in our fireplace (there was no need for that in FL & we spent every afternoon poolside....ah!).  It's all good.  Bri has a big shindig at the UW tomorrow.  I'm on call for a birth & have a meeting with another client tomorrow (and was hired by 2 more while we were away!).  The boys are back into their life.  But, we're all missin' Epcot & "Worlds" & the Rockin' Roller Coaster & Expedition Everest & the dubloon guy at our resort & the pool/hot tub & the fireworks & the tree & GRANDPA........a great trip and one we'll never forget!

This Place

Have I told you lately how much I love where I live?  I mean it.  I really really really love it.  I look out on the beauty of the rolling hills of SW WI.  I can only see one neighbor (my inlaws).  I have acres & acres of land to walk & explore.  I have found like-minded people some of which are midwives, unschoolers, straw-clay house builders, homesteaders and sometimes all that rolled into one.  It's an amazing place, I'll tell ya.
One of the newest additions is.......get this........a barn converted into a yoga studio.......literally 2 minutes from my house!!  Who woulda thunk it?  Anywhoo, said studio hosted a concert last night of Stacey Earle & Mark Stuart.  And you know what?  During a break, I met a woman who is a doula & midwifery student.  Come on!  Anyway, this video is Mark & Stacey doin' their thang.  Wonderful!