Sometimes I think I took the wrong road

When I was a freshman in high school, there were two paths that I excelled at: art and writing. My high school put a strong emphasis on sports, of which I did not partake. I was a theater geek, in a school with very little arts funding.

Because of required classes and my boneheaded guidance councilor who said that he couldn't support me taking art electives over classes that would get me into college, I followed the writing path, only to once again allow myself to be mislead by a "well meaning" professor who said that creative writing courses would hinder my ability  to properly write term papers for my other classes.

Looking back, I feel like I missed out on what really made me happy, career-wise, because I allowed someone else to make my decisions for me. I've followed a path that, while introducing me to some great friends and teaching me so very much, has led me to work where I'm bored, living paycheck to paycheck and having no way to fund going back to school to make a change.

In a meeting today, that I covered for one of my bosses, I heard about a fabulous educational center that puts such an emphasis on arts, that I was both excited for those kids and jealous! Why didn't my school put more of an emphasis on arts education? Oh right, because it was a public school in a sports town. But the teachers in this educational center just loved their jobs, you could see it!  Educating pre-K and kindergarten students, with the plan to expand into higher grades, brought great joy to their faces. It got me thinking how incredibly rewarding it must be to be an educator like that, in  early learning for a private school that has a Montessori background.

I'm still not sure where my personal road is leading, but just seeing in these teachers that finding happiness in your chosen career field is possible gives me great hope that I can find that, too.

Getting There

While not everything on the list was accomplished this weekend, I feel as though I did quite a bit; much of which  has been just sitting there waiting to be done.

The two biggest, or rather most important, on the list were not done; balancing the checkbook and revamping the budget. While I cleaned the basement and rearranged the living room, I chastised myself for not sitting down and doing those two very important things. But I knew that in their overwhelming nature, they would consume an entire day (did I mention that I'm really slacking on the balancing of the checkbook?). I had to decide that these would be saved for a day when I would not be distracted by all the "other" things that needed to be done.

Despite this, my three day weekend was full. I managed a night at the Windsor Fair, in the rain, and still enjoyed myself. I cleaned the house with more energy than I realized I had and I spent a day at the Lake with my family, where I was able to start the binding on a quilt that has been near completion for three years or more. I have 1 1/2 sides to go and it will be finished!

I also managed to get zucchini, squash and celery from Mum's garden blanched (well not the celery) vacu-sealed and frozen; I made pulled pork and cornbread from cornmeal grown and milled in Maine. Tonight I will be putting together a chicken soup with ingredients from my garden (and my mother's), so I can freeze it for this winter.

I wish I had another day or two, for yardwork and to take a day to paint, because I've been itching to paint and I just haven't taken the time.

It'll come. I just need to manage my time better and realize that, no matter what, the dishes will still be there and the floor doesn't have to be vacuumed right away.

Clearing the Clutter, Inside and Out

You know, for the first time in a REALLY long time, I felt as though I actually spent a summer disconnecting…or better yet, connecting.  I kayaked, I swam, I spent time with friends, family, on my own.  I ate fresh foods, I read books (not just one but a few!).  I took an actual vacation-not just a few days here or there to make a couple of long weekends, but a real nine day vacation!  And I really just enjoyed myself, which is all that matters. 

Even though the daytime temperatures are still sweeping the 80’s here in Maine, its time to start thinking about the coming new season and the changes that autumn brings with it.  I’ve had my summer of play and I’ve been thinking a lot lately about how I’ve been slacking in many areas of my life, mostly in the organization of it.  Because I feel physically disorganized in my home, in my finances, in my filing of important paperwork, I feel mentally disorganized.  Does this make sense? Is it just me?  Its weird, but I always feel better after I vacuum.  I don’t enjoy vacuuming, but for me there is a definite link between a clear and focused mind and a clean floor.  I strangely feel better when I’ve finished, like I can move on to the next project without distraction.

Well, it’s time to literally and figuratively clean up my act. This long, Labor Day weekend will be dedicated to purging the unnecessary from my home, organizing the basement clutter, rearranging spaces for maximum potential, balancing the checkbook, updating the budget and finishing projects that have lingered for no apparent reason other than my own inability to get off my ass and finish them! The act of outward organizing will go a long way toward inward organization.  It is the inward organization that I need to get a few artsy craftsy ideas off the ground and on track.

While I work on this, please feel free to enjoy these seemingly random photos I have taken at various times over the summer:

Put Up or Shut Up...

Tonight I blanched, vacu-sealed and froze about two pounds of green beans, two large heads of broccoli and a zucchini that a friend gave me last night.

Now that July is coming to a close and August is setting in, it's time to start really thinking about putting things up for winter. The meat birds have been processed (weighing in at between 5 and 8 pounds). The pig won't be ready until late November. So it's time to think about veggies, soups, dehydrating and canning. I did none of this last year (no freezer), so I'm determines to make the most of it this year.

And in six months, when I pull some of that locally grow, farm fresh goodness out of the freezer, I'm going to smile and think about this evening: the sound of the wind whipping through the windows, creating a wind tunnel in my house; Sadie turning her nose up at a piece of zucchini until she saw me eating it and figured it wasn't poison; the sight of the chickens comin' runnin' when I tossed out the bits and ends that I cut off the vegetable; watering the tomatoes with the water I used for blanching...after the dog decided she was done drinking it (wouldn't eat a green bean, but she'll drink the water I cooked them in, weird dog!); and listening to the crickets and the calmer wind as the sun sets on this day.

Freezer Chicken

My very small order of meat chicks came in on May 20th.  Being new to meat birds, I started small...I only got 6.  My friend ordered them for me, so they cost me a grand total of $8.

Knowing that we couldn't name any of them individually (I really didn't want to form any kind of attachment to my future dinner), my family nicknamed them the "McNuggets."

They spent 2 weeks in the brooder, then 2 weeks in a dog crate in the basement, because my house smelled like chickens and good god, I couldn't wait to get them out of my house!

Then  I built them a PVC coop that I call the "Hoop Coop" since it looks like a hoop house:

I had to cover the very top with a tarp to keep the rain out and they only used the little house for the first 2 weeks that they were out there, then they got too big to all fit in it.  I also didn't realize that they would smell as badly as they do, nor that they would be as disgustingly messy as they are. In 4 1/2 weeks, I've moved the coop a few times, to give them access to fresh grass, as they will COVER that small patch of grass in poo in a VERY short amount of time! They also eat like there's no tomorrow (which in their case is fairly accurate, I guess) and they suck through gallons upon gallons of water a day.

Well, the birds have finally reached their 8 week status (8 1/2 really) and its time to have them processed.  A guy I went to high school with, just down the road from me, runs a meat cutting business and processes poultry, as well.  The McNuggets have a 7:30 appointment and then, they will fill my freezer.

Say goodbye to the McNuggets!

Vacation, all I ever wanted...

Today is the official first day of my vacation and I haven't done much, save for laundry and rearranging my room. It's too humid outside to do more than melt, even the chickens are panting. The dog goes out for a minute and is back at the door whining for the sweet relief of air conditioning.

I have lost my ambition to more than lay on my bed and snooze. Some time during this vacation I'd like to clean my craft room and do some quilting.

Tomorrow will be different. Tomorrow will be filled with shopping with my mother and aunt (who is visiting from Maryland). Tomorrow I will have the energy to do more than putter around the house in a humidity induced daze!

And Wednesday I will be delivering the meat birds to the meat cutter for processing. Yay!!!!

The Weird Coming Out in Me

Is it bad that I hear Apu from the Simpsons in my head when I go to pump gas and  the little screen on the pump says, "Thank you, come again" when I'm finished?