Prairie Mamas to the Rescue

Living in a rural area can be lonely at times. (Especially if you are like me and kinda like to stay home in sweats.) Moving to a small town from a large city can be even lonelier. Being a farmer and living a life and schedule many don't understand or are not familiar with adds an extra layer of difficulty too. It's hard to break through and find those that you connect with well! You know, those you can turn to when you are in the middle of your toughest times, have questions you don't need shared with the rest of the town, and people that you can enlighten with stories of the wild things you saw, did or watched your kids do.  Small towns can be tough. ( I will say that the are some pretty awesome people in my small town.) Sometimes those that we become closest to live the furthest away. 

I have to say, I have some of the best "Prairie Mama" friends from around ND that I could ever expect to find!  They are my rock, my encouragement, and source of humor, but ultimately they are always there reminding me of how amazing faith and God are!  

Faith is something I struggle with. How can the faithful be challenged so often? Why is it that the more I commit to a life with The Lord that I find more questions than answers? How many things can be thrown at me at once and am I really expected to rise above them and come out on top? I get that faith is a journey and that by attending church, listening and working at it it will get easier to hear and follow. But, in all selfishness, I would love for one request via prayer to be answered on my terms. Ok, I know that is part of the learning curve... But throw me a bone, please!  

So, when it comes to struggles and what feels like prayers are falling on deaf ears, I reach out to the "Prairie Mamas". They help fill the gap while waiting for direction from The Lord. It is this that I am utmost grateful. It is this that reinforces the true meaning of friendship. It is this that adds value to all other relationships I have. It's the "Prairie Mamas" that keep me going! 

Thanks Prairie Mamas! I owe you big! 

The Hidden Cost/ Investment of Gardening

Gardening is a passion of mine. I love to be outdoors, soaking up a bit of sun, producing food in my backyard, getting my kids to work together, and sharing what grows with others, but it all comes with a cost. 

The other day I started to think about trade offs, costs, investments, and expenses. Then I went outside and began cleaning out the garden preparing it for tillage and planting. My 3 year old and 5 year old were helping me while the other kids worked on other things in the yard. They all took time to goof around and play too. We were having a wonderful afternoon. So I then thought about the things I gained and lost as a result of having a decent sized garden. 

Here are some things I thought of:

Gains/ Investments:

* time outdoors

* interaction with my kids 

* fresh produce

* understanding of growing process

* less trips to store for veggies

* kids eat snacks out of garden in summer

* looks pretty

Costs/ Losses:

* plants/ seeds

* fertilizer

* planting stakes/ rope/ tomato supports

* less time to get indoor tasks done

* time ( planting, weeding, collecting, canning)

* processing supplies for canning

All in all it is about the bigger picture... Do we focus on the costs or the investments? Yes, sometimes, I feel as if my beans/ melons/ herbs are the most expensive in the county, disappointment when I only get 2 pumpkins, sad that I didn't make the time to do something with the hundreds of tomatoes that rotted/ froze on the plant, and frustrated that my broccoli went to seed before it even grew a head. But, the ability to eat right out of it, trying to grow different things,  looking for recipes that I may be able to use to convince my family to try something new, the ability to share the goods from the garden with friends, family and our local school, and see my kids "play" in it far outweighs the costs. 

So, think about what you may gain from planting a full garden or even growing a pot of beans or tomatoes on the back steps. 

You'd be amazed what a bit of gardening can do for the soul!

Where is My Prairie?

It has been a LONG time since I took time to write. Quite honestly I am not sure how 3+ months have passed but, I am ready to get going again!

Last night I arrived home at 12:40am after the completion of our 5th trip since December 22nd. Today I return to Bismarck (1hour away) for appointments all day and wonder where my prairie days have gone? It seems that I am missing part of life that I have come to enjoy.... Hot coffee and the sunrise, a landscape of flat fields and rolling small hills, a few moments with my husband and kids and a sense of having a bit if time to do the things I enjoy.
So how do I get this back when so much of my running is out of necessity and for others and for purposes I can't always pass up?
I have come to think that it is about perspective. It's not what I am missing or losing, but what I am gaining. Then I may just need to set the alarm earlier and schedule better so the coffee and I can enjoy the solitude, glow and colors of the morning!
Finally, I guess there is always tomorrow!

A Few Moments to Play?

After a long 6 weeks and no post (once again) I can say what could be planted is, insurance and other paperwork has met the deadline, some sleep has been caught up on and a deep breath has been taken. Yet, as so many of us know, you can never get ahead of mother nature. Infact, I was told just a few days ago, I have two days to go until spraying is caught up and then I will find myself 5 days behind. All I could do is think, I don't even know what to say.

Then I thought, if you don't go check the field for a day, you won't know that you are 5 days behind! So that is what we did! We took a much needed break, 2 infact and boy did it make EVERYTHING so much better.

Steven headed camping and four wheeling in the Badlands 2 weekends ago and then yesterday we headed to the lake without kids, but with family and friends for an afternoon. It's amazing how much more can get done when you set out, take a break and see the "world" instead of feeling like your world is getting smaller and smaller.

One great thing we have in ND is wide open space, and with is comes the ability to see things in the distance, a sense of natural freedom and feeling that all things are possible. So I have again been reminded, when the times get tough, the tough step outside (the house, the car, the tractor etc.) and breathe in possibility, patience and perservence! How awesome ND is and how lucky we are to live here!

Views From My Windows

Growing up in Minneapolis, MN, I did not know what wide open spaces were. I was raised knowing that when you saw the black clouds above or heard the booms of thunder over the traffic that it was going to rain within a few minutes. I will never forget my first weather experience in ND.

 

Ok Ok, my first ND weather experience was a beautiful day and looked something like this view of a wheat field from this past summer.

My most memorable ND weather experience ....I was riding in the tractor for what seemed like forever. Early in the afternoon we were harrowing a very bumpy hilly field headed southwest and I looked out the massive front window onto the horizon and noticed a line of dark clouds. Instinctively I said, " We'll have to head in soon. It's going to pour in just a bit." Little did I know that the storm was over 60 miles away and was probably more like 150 miles from our location. I was quickly corrected and spent the rest of the afternoon amazed by the building and movement of the storm.

 Ever since then, I have been fascinated by the views of the sky and the countryside that I can see from the many windows I sit behind: the kitchen windows, front windows, car windows and yes, even tractor windows. No matter how often the sun shines, flakes fly, winds blow or a storm brews, I love all that the wide open spaces of rural ND that I call home.




Snow in backyard as of last week



Shingles blown off from the wind in front yard