Category: Katz N Smith

Love Your Neighbor

Katz N Smith

I have found that a good neighbor is one of the most valuable gifts you can be given in life. It has been especially appreciated when living out in a very rural area trying to manage a farm. We have great neighbors up and down the road but my neighbor across the road has truly taught me what loving your neighbor looks like. For the past seven years when he wasn’t out working as a captain of a tugboat, Rodger would cross the road at some point in the day with a dog biscuit for Farmdog. I would stop whatever farm chore I was involved with and we would chat. Conversations varied from topics of: traffic on our road , the animals, Covid, sickness, mowing, life, and dogs… We talked quite a bit about dogs.

When we first moved onto the farm I think he must have known right away I needed some help. When I began mowing our overgrown acres down with our old push mower, he would ride his over and mow circles around me. He eventually bought a newer John Deere and drove his old one across the road, into my driveway and handed me the keys. With amusement He must have also watched me push my tiny red wheelbarrow (that had no business as a farm implement) all around the property, mucking up after animals and moving this an that from here to there. One day I came home from running some errands in town and there was a brand new, very large , beautiful yellow wheelbarrow in my driveway. He didn’t ask if I needed one, he just knew I did.

Not just a generous man but thoughtful and kind. In May of 2021 my favorite goat Daisy had to be put down after our vet tried for over an hour to deliver her kids. It was a difficult morning, after Brandon and I buried her we left to get away for awhile and clear our heads. When we got home there was the sweetest array of flowers in our driveway, some that he had purchased and others he had picked from his yard. It was a kind and caring gesture that instantly brought me to tears, the good ones. Those are the moments you know you are truly rich with what really matters in life.

Three months ago when we had to put our beloved Farmdog down due to cancer, there were tears in Rodger’s eyes as well. He had taken the time to gain this dog’s trust and was deeply loved by our boy. Even as he could barely breathe Farmdog jumped to his feet to greet Rodger at the gate one more time. I’m pretty sure dogs can see past all our exteriors to the character of the heart and that scene of pure love will forever be etched on my heart. I have grown up hearing that God calls us to love our neighbor, I know that this isn’t always an easy thing to do. People don’t always make the effort but Rodger so simply demonstrated what it looks like. I am forever grateful, I share this with you, with tears running down my face, because we lost our beloved friend and neighbor this week. I am so grateful that I had the opportunity to tell him how much he meant to us and that he was truly loved in return. I know he would not like being fussed over, he would rather be under the radar so to speak. Even so, I can’t ignore the opportunity to encourage us all to love our neighbors. Take the time to notice other’s needs or stop by for a kind word of encouragement. It makes a huge impact, I know it did for me.

So if you drive by our farm you may see a little yellow rose bush planted on the street side of our gate in honor of my friend, and a loving reminder of our neighbor Rodger.

Farm Math

farmily, Katz N Smith

“Farm math” is a way of saying “I just might have a few more animals than I intended” or an explanation of how you started off with a few chickens and now have , fifty plus hens. I promise if you dip your toe into the shallow end of the farmlife pool, you too may find yourself treading water in the deep end and wondering how you got there.

In 2016 I headed off to buy two baby goats and came back with a herd of six, the two babies and four adult goats. Since then we have added chickens, ducks, geese, rabbits, donkeys, pigs and sheep. Oh and, I can’t forget to mention our two livestock guardian dogs and three barn cats. It has been an adventure and I have truly enjoyed raising each species , however we have chosen to downsize a bit and have rehomed the geese and are looking to do the same with the pigs. There are times when you just have to ask yourself, “Am I in a little over my head”?

Just because I can do something, doesn’t always mean that I should. Asking yourself some hard questions is a good idea from time to time. Do I still enjoy what I am doing? Is it sustainable ? Is it taking up more time and resources than I have to spend? It is a great idea to stop once in awhile and evaluate if changes should be made. In the past I have had a hard time with making those decisions. I do not enjoy feeling as if I can not accomplish something or acknowledging anything that resembles failure. I tend to keep pushing forward, I don’t like giving up. However, I am beginning to understand that admitting something might need to change or be eliminated to make room for healthy growth in a different or new direction.

So, after much thought I am subtracting a bit in some areas so I can enjoy the rewards of new additions in other areas . This week our joy was multiplied with the birth of these two adorable lambs: Mercy and Samuel. It looks as if the power of “Farm Math” can still be counted on to bring forth the moments we enjoy sharing with all of you.

Finding Rest

Katz N Smith

After my last post in April, I had every intention of  becoming a more diligent blogger. Through sharing the lessons gained from the farm, I had hoped to encourage others and lift their spirits. There are gems and nuggets of insightful wisdom and joy gained through our daily experiences and I was looking forward to sharing them with anyone who wanted to follow the journey. The plan was to be disciplined and consistent but four months later, nothing. Not one blog post. It was NOT because the stream of inspiration dried up, so why then?

Well, to be real with you all, I started feeling more and more overwhelmed by the tsunami of fear and negativity on every forum. I thankfully made the decision to excuse myself from the conversations for awhile. During this silent season I took a retreat from attempting to make sense of things that, well to me, just don’t. Choosing not to formulate and express an opinion on pretty much everything, I went quiet , I listened, I watched and I rested. Of course the physical work didn’t stop… It actually CAN’T stop.. because you know, things would die!

On the contrary, my days have been filled with new life: baby goats, ducklings, goslings, chicks, baby bunnies, garden sprouts and fresh ideas. I’ve stayed busy chasing after my granddaughter, a vibrant toddler who helps me to see things in a renewed way. Watching her experience dandelion seeds blown into the wind and picking fresh peas from the garden for the first time is a delight. It has been a peaceful rest, both wonderful and at times painfully lonely. The friends who dropped by for a chat and some fresh eggs or the phone calls from loved ones with an encouraging word have been invaluable to me during this season. But, the release from the normal social demands has been especially refreshing and an unexpected gift in the midst of the uncertainty that surrounds our world today.

With a renewed mind I have had the time to evaluate my priorities and beliefs, to examine the basis of their foundations and assess their roles in the future. This opportunity to press pause, step back and take a deep breath has brought a more focused perspective for my life, purpose and the responsibilities I have to myself and to others. I so greatly desire that what I have gained in this season will be clearly reflected in the words and the stories in the pages of this humble website. I have many things on my heart and mind to share here, and I hope I can bring a little rest and perspective to your days going forward. Most importantly, whatever I write about, I will focus on the things that are pure and lovely, to deliver a good report that is uplifting to the heart.

For now, I leave you with this thought… What gives YOU more strength a rested body or a restful mind?

DSCN4754

 

 

 

Arise and Shine

Katz N Smith

IMG_2282

Well, “Hello Everyone!” For the past few months I haven’t written a blog post, I wasn’t very active on social media and I pretty much isolated myself. I didn’t know it then but turns out I was just practicing to survive the current situation of sheltering at home and it’s annoying partner social distancing.

Last fall a couple of different circumstances in my life caused me to pull away from most social interactions. I hunkered down at home and focused on our farm and caring for my granddaughter during the week. Since she had just started to walk, I kept pretty busy just chasing a toddler around. On the weekends I had so much to do to care for all our animals, get caught up on the housework and enjoy time with my husband. I found it easy to make excuses for not attending many social gatherings.

As an extroverted introvert I like being with people but I also enjoy uninterrupted time to to recharge, read a book, write, and watch a movie among other things. I get it, alone time can be nice but make it a mandatory isolation from others and boy does that change my perspective quickly. When you add the stress of a global pandemic to the mix, feelings of depression, anxiety and loneliness can flood in overwhelm. I know, It’s difficult to be disconnected from others for any reason. In the past few months there were many days I felt lonely and down right forgotten. Wether we think it or not, we ALWAYS need authentic and healthy relationships in our life. I was just coming to the realization that I needed to open myself and my home to other people and WHAM!… Covid 19 stepped uninvited into all of our lives.

So here are some choices I found helpful for maintaining  mental, physical and spiritual health in isolation.

First thing everyday, talk to God.

Some people call it prayer or meditation. I would say it’s a conversation, one that starts your day by focusing in on where your heart and mind are at. It starts there but never really ends, it is a conversation that keeps going throughout the day. (If you don’t believe in God it’s alright because He believes in you.)

Get Dressed.

Get out of those PJ’S, take a shower, do your hair etc.. Seriously, you know you have the time for it! Oh and…Put on your button up jeans at least twice a week. (Sweat pants, yoga pants or stretchy bottoms of any kind are not your best friend)

Eat Healthy.

Your body needs you to fuel it with healthy nutrition so you can make good decisions and persevere through the onslaught of negative emotions that isolation can bring. Treat yourself occasionally to the things that you enjoy but maybe once a week, not everyday. ( I struggle with this daily so I Know, I really do.)

Feed Your Mind Well.

Don’t stuff your mind with excessive TV, social media, Youtube, Netflix or any other easy entertainment. These outlets can put you on a quick road to feeling depressed, anxious, and discouraged, need I say more? Try reading a good book, paint, draw, be creative. Do the things that bring you feelings of accomplishment and don’t leave you drained. ( It’s our chance to do things we talked about doing if we had the time, now we do!)

Go Outside Everyday.

Take a walk, at least step out on the balcony or front porch. Rain, snow, sun… do it, it’s a good way to reset your mood and gain a renewed perspective. (On my walk today I found the flower pictured above, it had bloomed in spite of its thorny prison. It inspires me to do likewise……)

Reach Out to Others.

I’ve incorporated reaching out to those I love in my daily life. Making phone calls, writing letters and finding better ways to communicate, “I’m here”, “I care about you”, “I need You”. ( Choose to do and say what you want and need from others)

In all seriousness, being isolated is no joke, but together, we can to get past our current situation. When that day comes we can “Arise and Shine” stronger, wiser, and more connected than before.

 

 

Dream Big

Katz N Smith

HarlequinSwanIf you have read some of my posts or followed me on Instagram you will already know that I have quite a few ducks on our farm. I believe the count is currently at twenty-two.  With this sizable flock, my summer was largely spent keeping plastic baby pools filled, dumped and filled again with clean water. If you don’t know, ducks are messy, really messy. Our resident chef, aka my loving husband calls them “cement makers”. They make mud, lots of mud and then stamp it down with their little webbed feet. Despite this fact, I love them…. I love the sounds they make, I love seeing the bonds they make with other ducks, but I mostly love watching them play in the water.

It only took a couple summer months of constant water refills before I knew we needed something big, something much larger than what we working with. So, we hopped in our small pick-up and headed to the feed store. (On a side note, for those of my friends who live in the city and don’t know where to get themselves a pitchfork or a cool pair of overalls, the feed store is the farmer’s Target or Walmart .) Shortly thereafter, we found ourselves with a three hundred gallon stock tank strapped in the back of our truck. The volume of the stock tank is greater than that of our truck bed so, I will let you imagine what we looked like driving home.

Our stock tank is awesome, it allows for more than one or two ducks to swim at the same time, which is a great plus if you enjoy watching ducks as much as I do. If for some strange reason we decide not to have ducks, (but why would we?) we can make ourselves one of those cool cowboy hot tubs you see all over Pinterest. That of course, would be after a major cleaning, because as I have stated before, ducks are messy! I was reminded of this fact the other day while I was performing my monthly draining of the duck tank. The faucet valve didn’t work and I had to use the shop vac to suck out the murky green water. After too many fill and dumps to count, I reached the bottom, a thick layer of muck and bloated eggs. What most people don’t know is that ducks, especially young ducks will often lay their eggs while walking about or even swimming. Filling and dumping the shop vac is unpleasant enough, but I seriously began to reconsider my decision to have ducks while sucking up their stinky sludge.

It is easy to forget in the difficult times why we do the work, why we push through the muck and mire, wear the bumps, bruises and blisters, just to go to bed at night exhausted, wake up in the morning and do it all over again. When I fill the tank with fresh clean, although somewhat sulphur smelling well water and the ducks begin to dive in and splash around with excitement, I remember why. It is in these moments I am filled with joy and inspiration. I watch my flock raising their wings as if they are majestic swans and recognize the wondrous beauty of this simple moment. With one captured second of complete bliss, I can creatively share my dream with others. When I do this, it grows and becomes even more than I could have ever imagined.

Dream big my friends, work hard and push through the difficulties to achieve it but, when you do, don’t forget to enjoy it. For in doing so, you will surely inspire others to do the same.

Balancing Act

Katz N Smith

balancedKatz

I’ve always tried to do my very best at what I set out to do, the problem is, I often struggle finding the correct balance. My tendency is to go a 100 mph, deplete myself and then come to a complete screeching halt. I am able to get quite a bit done in a short period of time but then lose momentum trying to recover from exhaustion. It’s all about balance, I need to live with a 100% all in attitude without trying to give everything and everyone 100% of me a 100% of the time. Learning to choose who and what to invest our time and effort in is an important part of life. It all comes down to balancing priorities if I truly want to be at my best, doing my best work and living a joyful and fruitful life.

This past summer I worked really hard to complete my first children’s book, my last post We Wrote a Book has more about that. While completing the book, there were still farm chores to do: feeding, cleaning, birthing, milking, etc. I also spent quite a bit of energy finding new ways to develop our farm and trying to discover how to be self -sufficient in the future: farm to table dinners, growing a pumpkin patch, and creating new products to sell. In addition to these responsibilities, I have a part-time graphic design job and a multitude of family and friend relationships to care for as well. It is physically and mentally exhausting, honestly there are times I am completely overwhelmed. Sometimes, I feel like one of those circus performers who spins plates on sticks with a tremendous pressure to keep them all from crashing to the floor.

Staying focused is especially challenging when I allow myself to compare my life, priorities or achievements with someone else’s. Social media can inspire but it can also derail us by offering an edited snippet of another’s life or accomplishment. We don’t see the whole picture, all the hard work, struggles, frustrations or loss behind a pretty photo or a well-worded comment, just say’n. I know that I am not alone in this struggle, I hear and see so many others burdened by an abundance of “things to do”. Constant busyness seems to be a rampant social disease that is robbing so many from living a fulfilling life.

For me, farm life helps to bring my important priorities back into focus. It requires me to slow down and be more thoughtful, which allows me time to appreciate what is truly important. Knowing what is of real value and eliminating the extraneous labor that sneaks into my daily life is the key. I do realize that as I continue to seek the right working balance I will be cleaning up some broken plates that fall to the ground. Going forward I think I am ok with that. Who knows, I might even piece together the broken shards to create a mosaic of sorts.