Just a picture and a thought today

 

I love waking up to this every morning. There is something about the ritual of walking to the barn in the morning and hearing the chickens, goats, alpacas, dogs, Casper the Horse and Bailey the pig that creates the perfect start to the day!  You know that feeling when everything feels so right?  That is how I feel being here on the farm. Even when ants have attacked the bathroom, I still know without a shadow of a doubt that this is where I want to be. In fact, as I approach the 2nd week, I still feel like I am dreaming....

Country Observations Week 2

I actually hear the birds in the morning, all day and into the evening.
The stars are crystal clear
Ants also love the country, especially the sides of the house
Bow and Arrows at sunset = best evening activity
Olives are ready for picking in mid-October - soak them in water to cure
The mice are actually pretty cute despite being little pests
There is time for making fresh baked bread - thus far whole wheat and poppy seed
Evening silence cradles me to bed every night
Waking up to sunrise is rejuvenating
Walking the farm during my lunch breaks makes every worry disappear
Alpacas and goats co-exist beautifully on their pasture
Sitting on a swing set and watching the sun go down is an evening ritual
Coyotes do actually make a distinctive sound
Eucalyptus trees invigorate the air and are very useful ( I will post more about this)
I know nothing about greenhouses - needing to acquire a lot more information
It is possible to get 8 hours of sound sleep
Running the levy roads brings calm
Dogs are in heaven on the farm
There is never a boring moment in the country
Starting the day drinking mate in the sun porch = bliss 
You can get rid of ants with Vinegar, Peppermint Oil and citrus 
Country time feels different
Seeds in the greenhouse sprout in 2 DAYS!!!
You can plant a fall garden starting in mid-October in Davis!!

 

Country thoughts week 1....

After a 15 hour drive from Portland to Davis (we were driving a huge U-haul truck and took swim breaks and food stops every other hour, as this drive usually takes 8 hours) we arrived to the farm at 1AM.  Needless to say, the last couple hours included loud country music, windows open and the assistance of caffeine to arrive "safely."   Of course the combination of adrenaline and utter bliss to see the moon rising in the east and the stars leading us home helped keep my eyes wide open. Waking up Saturday morning and seeing the sun shining in through the east facing window, I knew we were home. The sound of the roosters making their morning Cockadoodledo and the birds singing the most lovely morning sounds was the perfect start to our first day on the farm!  We could not control our excitement to walk out to the barn and say "hi" to the alapacas, goats, pig, horse and crew of dogs.  Nalu and Tiago, our dogs, were literally flying through the air with excitement.  The entire day felt like a dream. In fact, I found myself having to stop every few moments, look around and actually believe we were here!  Even after the first week, I still feel as though this is one big dream and I will wake up under the rainy, grey skies?