Wow – I sure have neglected this space, haven’t I? I can almost see the virtual cobwebs.
I want to tell you about where I’ve been and why it hasn’t been here.
We are renting a home here in Texas now, and the back yard is fully shaded, and there is really nowhere to garden. My gardening commitments have been reduced to our 4×8 foot plot in the community garden a few blocks away. There are no chickens here for us to care for. Our compost has been moved to tumblers which are easily maintained. We use the city trash and recycling. I have no clothes line. I have no bee hive. We get food seasonally from a local CSA and we shop at Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods. Yes, I use the refrigerator, but no, still no microwave. My canning supplies – all of them – have been packed away in a box in the garage, since I have no room for them in this house. They’ve been there almost a year; no pickles, no jam. The single freezer we brought with us from Colorado is in the garage, unplugged. The dehydrator is in its dusty box. A homesteader, I am no longer.
Since moving to Texas I’ve experienced an incredible amount of free time, what with buying jam instead of making it and drying all my clothes in a dryer. You’d think that would leave a lot of time for blogging, but it really hasn’t.
Instead of blogging, instead of Facebook, I’ve been playing with my kids. I’ve been homeschooling. We’ve been exploring the hill country and visited the beach. I’ve been (albeit slowly) meeting my neighbors… and, well, that’s pretty much it.
I really, really miss homesteady things. I miss fresh eggs and the bees, and I miss my garden most of all. But less of all of that has left room for more joy within our family. Less DIY projects every weekend, less taking pictures of every. single. step of every meal, planting or project has left more room to enjoy what we are doing when we are doing it.
A year (and even two years) ago, I felt very much obligated to the blog. I felt obligated to come up with ideas, and to take better pictures and to write about every little thing my family did. But seeing my husband and kids sigh as I had to stop projects at every single step for another picture, began to wear on me as much as it did them.
And then we moved, and the to-do list evaporated.
Because of being displaced, I suddenly didn’t have much to write about. I took pictures of the black soldier fly larvae in our compost tumblers, who could amazingly consume our kitchen scraps overnight, and I took pictures of the bat house Rick made me for Mother’s Day. I took photos last January of a friend’s bug-out bag contents to share in this space. But I just didn’t have the words anymore.
After my social media fast in May, I never went back to Facebook. I was happier, my kids were happier. I was freer and more tuned in to my family. But the fast had another effect, and that was I really didn’t know what to write anymore.
Creativity is like that sometimes. Like inertia in a way… if you’re writing, you can write, but if you’re not… well then you’re not.
I thought the urge to write the post I started about the evils of BPA would kick in eventually, or that I’d get those bug-out bag pictures edited and put up. But I haven’t. I had hoped by just writing something the muse would visit me again and I’d be inspired to create something worth posting. Alas, the posts I was able to turn out last year (and there weren’t many) felt very forced, unnatural and were, frankly, not very good.
I have very much loved writing in this space for the last seven years. But I think, for now, I’m done.
I’m still trying to live with a minimal footprint, and plan on packing as much as I can into our garden plot. We’re thinking of getting bees again. But I’m not planning to blog about it. I’ve found joy in less blogging and more living.
I hope you continue to enjoy my archives here and that they continue to help people. I still read all the comments I get and I still respond to them.
Who knows what the future holds… I may write again here. I am very, very grateful for all the relationships, both virtual and real, that have formed through my blogging journey. Thank you, friends.
Now go live life!
The Lazy Homesteader 
Bye bye blog. 😢 I’ll miss you. I am so grateful you introduced me to its author. She is a beautiful humane being. She has given me inspiration and friendship. Most of all, she has restored my faith in humanity.
I love the Instagram photos and hope you keep those pics up! They are like a wordless Wednesday everyday!!
Love ya! Cynthia
Thanks Cynthia – I sure miss you too, but am glad to keep in touch! xoxo
I’m sorry that you are giving up the blog, because I had just gotten ‘into’ it. But good for you that you are enjoying life with your kids more.
Live in the now 🙂
Thanks Manon. I hope you enjoy looking through the archives. I think there are around 350 posts here, so there’s a lot for new readers. 🙂
I totally understand. Apron Stringz said something similar not too long ago. If the urge ever hits for a blogging one-off, you’re always welcome to come guest post at my virtual house. 🙂
Thanks Erica – I appreciate the offer and I’ll keep it in mind. 😉 I know the exact post from Apron Stringz that you are talking about. Calamity Jane sure has a talent for putting feelings into words.
What a nice offer Erica 🙂
That’s a lovely offer Erica 🙂 I’m not sure if i found Anisa through your blog, or NWEdible through Anisa’s writing; but i’m pleased to have found you both and value the time each of you have taken to write for us. thankyou.
Ahh…I just found you, like last month. I wish you well. This entry has given me food for thought as I transition into my next phase of life….empty nesting. Which means, I’m hoping to have more time for my gardens.
As a mother of three kids, you will find that life comes and goes around your children and husband. As the kids grow up I’m sure you will return to what you are so good at. However family always comes first, that is what a mother does. Love you and your family very much.
I was feeling guilty too about how little I’ve blogged since taking on facebook but had decided that i couldn’t do everything well. or even regularly. but for now I’m still struggling to try and make a regular income from the farm, so I’ll persist a little longer.
Its been a true pleasure to read about the things you have done, especially the thought and resolution and how you managed the challenges in deciding to move the family. You will be missed, but I enjoyed the little peek into your life. Enjoy your kids consciously every day-they are little for just a short while; and pack as much real life into every day with your husband. Blessings x
you can find me here still…….
https://www.facebook.com/QuatreSaisonsFarmYass
http://www.maidenfarmer.wordpress.com
This came at a great and bad time for me. Great because I’ve been feeling “blog envy” and thinking about jumping into my own homesteading blog but trying to talk myself out of it (I’m busy enough with my writing blog for work). Bad because I just came across your site recently and am LOVING it. But you need to take care of yourself and your family and, as you said, there are plenty of archives for me to read. Thank you for all the great information and inspiration you captured here! I appreciate it.
Well, just so you know you have been missed! Good to see you again and just as glad you are enjoying your new life.
Sorry for my ill-timed plug of your blog– I hope I didn’t cause you stress.
I am so grateful for your wisdom and example as we navigated our own efforts at sustainable living. Now I will just keep enjoying your friendship!
Blessings.
Not to worry Annie – no stress at all. It has been a while since I’ve had anything to write about, it just took me until now to even find the words to say that! 😉
It is so easy to get caught up in what is going on and to forget to blog. It’s ok. we all do it 🙂 I myself have a blog that I haven’t posted on for quite a long time because I have been busy writing and publishing books. I am hoping that my readers will understand once I get back to it- and I feel bad for not blogging but right now my books need to come first:-)
I want to thank you for having the best comment on the conflicted elector’s article, but couldn’t find the egular contact. You are also my hero for raising Bees, which I wish I were doing! See ya ’round, n say hi to all-MM (New follower- B back in time.)
I am so sorry to hear that 😦
I am so sorry to hear that 😦