{nourish} :: my word for 2017

happy new year, dear ones!

i hope there was plenty of joy in your holiday season - enough to carry you into the new year!

2016 was a year where "cultivate" was my focus. it was personally an exciting year too - a year of growth and welcoming our little one into the world!

in 2017 i've decided to continue with a specific word to help me see through goals and passions each day + season. 

i wanted a word that would inspire efforts, work, and thinking centered around...

caring for my home, family and self

being mindful of balance + health as we find ways that our family thrives

prioritizing growing foods + planning a seasonal menu with local foods to feed this family

2017 is a year for NOURISH

enjoy some slow as we start off this beautiful year! 

thanks for spending some of your precious time with me.
happy 2017!

{update}::my 16 in 2016 + what is new over here...

This year I decided to live with the word "cultivate" in mind. I wrote 16 goals/prompts for 2016. And wow, 2016 has been pretty fantastic so far. I know I've been pretty quiet around here, but life is never quiet and we all know this. I couldn't find the time to dedicate to writing on the blog because I was busy doing so much and my energy was elsewhere.  I suppose I was cultivating the whole time...

If you ever read this blog or peek at my instagram you know that in November 2015 my husband and I purchased our "forever mini-farm" and started trying to settle in to the big plans we've always dreamed of - the homesteading, maker-paradise, big romantic dreams that we two are guilty of. {I think it has something to do with two creatives making a full-time life together.} We always are saying "we are so fortunate" and throwing around the word "lucky", but we also make some pretty great plans {slightly over-detailed plans} and keep running towards them. Anyway, buying this property {which we lovingly refer to as "our farm haus"} prompted the word "cultivate" for 2016. Well, the mini-farm along with some other plans I wasn't ready to share a few months back - you've probably already guessed it - but we are talking about cultivating life and growing our family to be bigger than two people. Yes, we are expecting and I am growing a tiny human - !! - my oh my, it is hard work! We are due late September and all is going along just fine. I'll save more of this story for a day in the not so distant future :)

I guess I really got this post together to redirect my focus of writing and reflection that I enjoy so much that is part of blogging for me. So, I am updating my 16 prompts with links below. I hope to get back into a routine, that will surely change again and again many times. But I'm okay with that, and I hope you are too.  Thanks for popping by to read about what is new with me! What is new with you? Leave me a comment below!

My 16 in 2016

1. Grow.

2. Improve.

3. Read.

4. Taste.

5. Rest.

6. Photograph.

7. Save.

8. Appreciate.

9. Make.

10. Move.

11. Plant.

12. Do.

13. Share joy.

14. Learn.

15. Create.

16. Simplify.

{cultivate} + {resolve} 2016 Garden Dreaming

Here we are, it is that time again... oh yes. Making 'Garden Resolutions + Plans' for 2016!

This will be our first growing year on our homestead and I am looking to learn A LOT! It will be fun to see what is around our property and how it can benefit from a little love (or no love from this gal at all) during our first spring and summer. With this first season of growth in mind I have a few plans...

2016 Garden Resolutions

::grow produce that we eat + some that we will save {such as}::

• tomatoes
• peppers
• onions
• lettuce, spinach
• zucchini
• cucumbers
• potatoes
• sweet potatoes
• carrots
• garlic
• herbs: basil, thyme, bay, cilantro, rosemary, sage

::spend time on our food or garden everyday {cooking, prepping, menu planning, gardening, etc.}::

::grow flowers::

::grow a pumpkin and/or berry patch::

::plant a fruit tree::

::find ways that work for us to preserve some of our mushroom harvest::

::continue to care for our laying hens::

::research, plan, + create a root cellar::

::take notes about our homestead --> growth of food, consumption, + general needs::

I'm using January + February to read some gardening books, lay out my garden plan, and consider the year's schedule + flow. How about you, up to some garden dreaming?

my 16 in 2016

I have been making lists and goals and drafting plans as long as I can remember {see my lists of goals from 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015}. I love to check off a task + to plan all the ways I could spend my time, money, energy and other resources. I love to consider options. I love having open ended goals because it gives me the flexibility to really strive for whatever I deem most important or appropriate to me - even if that changes several times during one calendar year. 

I write the following 16 goals for 2016 in order to work on passions and spend my time in meaningful ways. I know that my efforts may not always have perfectly posed end results. 

I will live 2016 with the word "cultivate" in mind. 

I will create in positive ways. I will take action. I will plan and just start. I will try not to rehash my well-laid plans too many times {I can already hear you laughing, j}. 

I will ask myself "what can I do to support my happy + healthy life?"... 

My 16 in 2016

1. Grow.

2. Improve.

3. Read.

4. Taste.

5. Rest.

6. Photograph.

7. Save.

8. Appreciate.

9. Make.

10. Move.

11. Plant.

12. Do.

13. Share joy.

14. Learn.

15. Create.

16. Simplify.

How about you? Any goals for this year?

sometimes a little word like "do" can be pretty wordy...

At the beginning of 2015 I wrote:

"I declare 2015 the year of action. I've realized that I've had time to reflect, to savor and appreciate... years of planning, of saying "in a three to five years _____ will happen"... I am now ready for a year to put my passions and dreams into action {as well as continue to dream, savor, appreciate}.  Each day, each week I am accomplishing mini goals, important steps to be more where I want to be.  Living a locally centered life in a relatively clutter-free home while saving + preparing for the future. All of these things are on the front burner now - financially, physically, mentally. I'm feeling very much on top of my goals for 2015. 

This is all happening because I've done some great reflections, pretty in-depth planning and research. Now is the time to start carrying out my carefully laid plans.  Each day I'm reminding myself to just 'do' something."

Wow. Some amazing things happened in 2015. We. Did. So. Much. 

Home renovations, savings, buying a new home, preparing our first home for the next family who will live there... so much good stuff. I can't even list it all.

"DO" was the PERFECT word for me in 2015.

My 15 in 2015 {3/15}

1. Simplify. 

2. Read.

3. Experience.

4. Taste.

5. Create.

6. Rest.

7. Search.

8. Learn.

9. Photograph.

10. Enjoy.

11. Express.

12. Save.

13. Appreciate.

14. Make.

15. Do.

Now that the year is quickly pulling to a close, I have to finish up my reflections and move on.

 2015, you were just plain fantastic. Thanks for all you did.

.:holidays on the homestead 2015:.

well, we are enjoying our first winter holiday season in our new home.

just a few decorations, a little baking and cooking, and many traditions to establish.

good eats, great tunes, enjoying time together. we even took a short hike this year - because 50 degrees in december. we are so grateful to make this house our home.

we ended our 2015 with two people, one {little} farm-dog, two house-cats, and eight chickens living on our 5 acre lot. i can't wait to see how all our work in 2016 will make our home so very us by this time next year.


happy holidays!

around these parts {taking a few days off}

hello friends!

guess what!? something very exciting is going on around these parts!

my husband and i officially purchased a mini farm!

well, it is an old house with barns and five acres of land. but soon it will be our dream mini farm. {soon is a relative term here when we've been declaring things like forever home}

the house has loads of character. just enough land for what we want to grow. and the property is a short drive to our village, family, friends and professional work.

we couldn't be more excited. and after just a few days of moving/cleaning/searching-the-barns-for-treasures i realized i couldn't wait to say something here.

and after a few days of all that work i also realized i need to spend a few days away from the blog because we still have much to do to settle in {and we are a few days away from our new internet connection as well}

so, i'll be sure to say 'hello' again soon. and soon this time will mean early November!

garden + homestead update {july 2015}

so you may remember that i had big - big dreams for my garden this summer. well, it is interesting when real life happens and how much work just one or two of your {other} big visions take...

this summer we've focused our extra time and energy on a few home projects and our lovely little chickens.

this means i haven't moved our garden beds to a sunnier spot yet. nor have i planted them. i'm dedicating more of my food growth/prep time to canning and using up {or putting up} what our great CSA brings us. we were early adopters of one of our local CSAs and man after a few years of working out what to supply they are bringing the veggies I tell you!

so as to what we've actually done this summer with our garden plans... our coop is perfect! my husband out did himself this time and i love how it has turned out. we even cleared a little portion of our back yard to place the girls back in a mostly shady area that we think they really enjoy {think low branches for roosting and pine needles for scratching}. we are into a great little routine with our girls and they've decided that i am the source of food and my husband is the source of loud, unpredictable noises - such as mowing the lawn, or general wood-maker/saw sounds. it is pretty great. i love the chickens just as much as i thought i would.

we have a few finishing touches to put on the coop + run. so i'll just have to promise a super tour sometime soon.

as for what's next... i'm thinking about canning up local tomatoes, hoping for the time to make roasted red pepper ketchup and then maybe even making a year's worth of salsa.

how about you, enjoying summer's bounty? what are you growing? canning?


*I'm happy to also note that I just added this blog post to the {Our Simple Homestead Blog Hop #10} click ::here:: to check out some of the great posts featured on this link up!

{2015::do} an update of taking action

I declared 2015 the year of action. Each week, each month I am accomplishing mini goals, important steps to be more where I want to be.  Living a locally centered life in a relatively clutter-free home while saving + preparing for the future. All of these things are on the front burner now - financially, physically, mentally. I thought it was time for a little update of my 2015 goals.  

 Each day I'm reminding myself to just 'do' something. Some things that I'm pretty pleased about so far this year...

using my fitbit to track my sleep + healthy movement 

creating a space to make

eating well, drinking water + simple menu planning

considering daily rituals + weekly routines

having fun + finding time to play

making plans -as well as time- for friends + family

continuing our budget + financial planning meetings

Check out my list of goals for this year:

My 15 in 2015 {6/15}

1. Simplify. 

2. Read.

3. Experience.

4. Taste.

5. Create.

6. Rest.

7. Search.

8. Learn.

9. Photograph.

10. Enjoy.

11. Express.

12. Save.

13. Appreciate.

14. Make.

15. Do.

...there are many more days of 2015 + I hope to do all that I can.

Have an awesome weekend!

Interrupting this Whole30 to bring you a Whole15

that's right. i've felt so good {+ so good, so quickly} this third round of the Whole30 that i've decided to make it a 'Whole15' instead. ever since my first Whole30 a goal of mine has been to work my way thru resets until i'm only needing a Whole15 every so often. and i think i'm there!

i have so much energy behind eating well right now i've decided to head off {slightly} from the strict Whole30 guidelines and just add back in small amounts of dairy. that really is all i'm working with now. a serving of cheese or a glass of milk each day. my plan is to only eat quality dairy ingredients that are really worth it to me. i think to keep some sort of balance i will not eat cheese as a snack - i've learned in the past that snacking on cheese seems to increase my sugar cravings.


as for everything else, i guess i'll only splurge when i really feel something is worth it. but my hope is to keep treats and all sugar to a minimum. gluten is such a bother to me that i think i'm steering completely clear of that situation if possible.


i'm hoping that with this early end to my reset that i will continue to make these healthier choices and begin to establish new routines which will rarely include the foods that make me feel the least like myself.

Garden Thoughts for February 2015

February has been for planning the garden! 

I've got planting dates marked in my calendar and books about growing galore from the library.

I've also been doing some thinking about our chicken coop plans and the lay out of our yard...

Guide to Designing the Perfect Chicken Coop with One Acre Farm

I've been considering numbers of plants and counting up my need for seeds... 

How much should you plant in your garden? with The Well Fed Homestead

Oh! and reflecting on the blueberry bush we planted last year...

You Can Grow Blueberries with The Paleo Mama

I am getting myself so excited for this year's planting. 

How about you? Any great plans for the 2015 gardening season?

30 Days of Declutter {Completed}

I am so thankful to write this post! We've survived {triumphantly} our month of the minimalist game. Yes 30 days of declutter. And declutter we did. 

Both myself and my husband decided to take on this challenge. Over 30 days we removed 960 unneeded items from our home. Wow. And it feels great! 

We are really noticing a difference in our house. Especially certain - mostly often used - spaces. We found it easy to identify items to remove from those common places. There is still more work, organizing and letting go to do but much has also been accomplished. We plan to take a little break while we are working on a studio space for me. But we will revisit the idea of maybe returning to the declutter challenge or something that might work for a more daily/weekly routine.

A few things that worked for us during our 30 day overhaul:

Leaving out a container for donations

Having a "catch all" bag or box in a central location was very helpful to aide in quick decisions. If I noticed something during daily life it made it so simple to quickly say goodbye and place it in the box. {We kept a running list to tally up our number to make sure we were on top of the challenge amount each day. We kept that in an obvious space as well.}

Virtual yard sale

My husband belongs to a local virtual yard sale group which allowed us to make a few bucks on some items that I had a hard time letting go. Nice, working items that we just didn't need. {I wanted to know that it was going to be used. Since I had hopes of using those things.} It wasn't a ton of money but it was a nice perk to grow our savings while slimming down our clutter.

Quick drop offs to Good Will

We did a quick trip to our local Good Will Donation Center twice or so a week in order to not have any second thoughts and to keep our pile of goods to a manageable amount. 

Setting a time to bulk declutter 

Two times during our month we got behind {typically during the work week} on our tally. When this happened we decided to dedicate some time on the weekend to get rid of many, many items {one day we completed the goal of finding 100 items to leave our home}.

Short bursts of declutter

Of course, there is the flip side - such as doing a quick walk through the house - finding ten items and then moving on for the day. 

Asking the hard questions

+Would I buy this again? (As inspired by this Pure Green Magazine Podcast)

+Can I find a replacement for this?

+Do I have time to fix this right now?

+Do I love and use this regularly?

+How many copies of this do I need?

It was amazing how as the month grew I would find myself picking up things thinking 'this is not worth the clutter it makes in our home' or 'I would rather be one item closer to my goal than keep this'. It was invigorating!

So, how about you? Any tips for declutter and managing the madness that we may unnecessarily keep in our homes?

Cutting Down on Sugar {Half Way thru my second Whole 30 + Coming Clean}

Okay, friends. This Whole 30 thing is trying. Even the second time through - it is a struggle. {read about the start of my last Whole 30 :: here}

I'll be honest and tell you {yes, I'm super ashamed} - I had a little break down over the weekend. I'm going to blame it on the state I was in after seeing the movie Whiplash - no joke. I jittered out of the theatre and right into a single scoop of the best + most local ice cream I could. {But really, go see the movie, it is intense so don't plan on going straight to bed - and do your best not to spoil your Whole 30 meals after the viewing}

Of course I had a ridiculous sugar crash the next morning.

Lesson learned.

I'm back on the sugar-free + narrow.

I had a big heart to heart with my husband over our {completely compliant} Sunday breakfast and we decided to just continue with our Whole 30 plans. Chalk it up to earning a deeper commitment. I guess we aren't really "starting over", we are moving forward.

We know that our ultimate goal is finding what foods fuel our bodies the best and limit the ones that don't. But we also know that once in awhile there will be times where we might indulge. We're just not going to do so during the rest of our thirty days. I am not going to let a little bit of cream and sugar sabotage me. I will also not let the date on the calendar continue to hold this mistake over my head for weeks to come. I know that I will feel that I've completed this Whole30 once I reach that feeling of "reset".

So, to help me make peace with this + to build momentum I will share a few links of recipes I've really been enjoying these past two weeks:

Easy Slow Cooker Taco Meat {From Rubies & Radishes} - love making this for easy taco salad lunches!

How to Roast Vegetables in the Slow Cooker {From Chocolate Covered Katie} - this is wonderful for a prep + forget side dish

Paleo Crock Pot Chili Recipe {From Paleo Newbie} - tonight's dinner...


and these two I've got my eye on for an upcoming dinner:

Easy Balsamic Infused Beef Pot Roast {From Just Enjoy Food}

Lazy Sunday Pot Roast {From Rubies & Radishes}

Living an Intentionally Local Lifestyle

Hello Friends! Have you been over to the actual blog to see all the changes around here? {If not, please click away:: here} You probably can tell that I've been thinking, reorganizing and giving even more thought to what my current direction of this little space is.... I realized that I wanted to give more attention to my intentional lifestyle and some of the daily work that I'm doing for myself, my home, and my family.

For years we've been simplifying. For years we've been focusing on "local" - local food, local goods, local entertainment -heck, even local brews! Some of these thoughts, trials, and triumphs have been what inspired me to start blogging! So I want to bring some focus to these thoughts once more.

This year I have a huge hope and goal to make even more local choices than I have in the past. I'm thinking about what is in our lives daily and there are still so many things that I can make myself that I'm not as of yet. Or different needs that can be met from a source that is more local to my home. {Of course there isn't something "more local" than what you create, grow, or supply yourself or on your own land - but that might be for a different post}.

If desiring to live a more local lifestyle one should make choices and use resources based on what is available locally.  It can be entirely manageable - just start small and see what is comfortable to you. Every little bit can be something positive! Think about a little something you can do today. What could you make yourself {laundry soap, ketchup or jam}? Or what is something you don't need that you know comes from somewhere far off + away? 

I'm excited to consider these topics here on the blog and get into sharing a few tips and ideas of living a more local lifestyle! 

Goals, Passion, Growth Archives

I have been making lists and goals and drafting plans as long as I can remember {see my lists of goals from 2012, 2013, 2014}. I love to check off a task + to plan all the ways I could spend my time, money, energy and other resources. I love to consider options.

This year I'm going to harvest my energy and stick with some plans. Take some real actions. I have decided to continue my goals + habit plans for 2015. I love having open ended goals because it gives me the flexibility to really strive for whatever I deem most important or appropriate to me. 

I write the following 15 goals for 2015 in order to work on passions and spend my time in meaningful ways. I know that my efforts may not always have perfectly posed end results. 

I will live 2015 with the word "do" in mind. 

I will start. I will take action. I will plan and find a way to begin and then take the following steps. 

I will ask myself "what can I do to support my happy + healthy life?"... 

My 15 in 2015

1. Simplify. 

2. Read.

3. Experience.

4. Taste.

5. Create.

6. Rest.

7. Search.

8. Learn.

9. Photograph.

10. Enjoy.

11. Express.

12. Save.

13. Appreciate.

14. Make.

15. Do.