I don't have the farm of my dreams but I have come to realize that I need to make do.
I do have 2/3 of an acre which includes garden space and pasture. I have two chicken coops with twelve or so hens and one Silkie rooster that acts like a fop. (A fop, which I only recently learned, means "a man who is excessively vain and concerned about his dress, appearance, and manners.")
I just got 20 meat chickens this morning. They are so cute when they are babies! My almost-eleven-year old, Matthew, cautioned against becoming too attached to them, knowing the end from the beginning. He calls them the "yum chickens" and he is right. They are down right delicious once they are all plump and ready to "harvest." (And pretty ugly too.)
I just ordered four ducks which will be the herdees for my Border Collie as he learns to be the herder. You start with ducks because they have a flock or herd mentality like sheep to stay in groups. But they are a bit easier to manage. (And very cute by the way.) And no, I'm not planning on any Duck L'Orange.
Basically what I have come to understand is that even if the farm girl is not in the country, she can bring the country to her. And that is my goal. So, join me on my front porch and we'll chat about my blossoming urban farm.
Watch for forthcoming photos, ideas, recipes and just plain farm girl thoughts.

Blog therapy

I just saw Julie and Julia, the movie that follows the lives of Julie (last name?) and Julia Child. I realized that blogging can be very therapeutic and I think that's just what I need. I'm not into the one sentence headline of Facebook, ie; "Josie...is baking cookies..." I need to write and express myself more fully and hopefully people will read what I have to say and find it interesting (or weird..or pathetic).
For a long time I was emailing a friend and it was fun to actually put thoughts down knowing that someone was really going to read it and respond. When they stopped responding (I guess they must have thought I was weird or pathetic) I stopped writing my thoughts and feelings.
Every once in a while I get a good idea for a story. Usually a romance, always schmaltzy. I can't get over how sappy the storyline is. Sometimes I lose myself in the action and live more in my story than in real life. Not long ago I spent hours and hours writing a story. I neglected the house and my boys (including Rob and my dog). I was caught up in the story, enjoying the adventures of my heroine. After a week or so I realized that I was having more fun in my heroine's life than in my own. I enjoy movies for the same reason, they are all having an adventure. Their lives always have some meaning and significance. When the movie is over it is hard to get back into real life. It's like the Christmas Eves we would have with the movie camera. My dad would turn on the spotlight and it would be bright and beautiful while he was "filming" us. Then he would turn it off and everything would be dull and dim.
It's time for me to enjoy what I'm doing in real life. To have adventure and live meaningfully. So it is my quest to fine out what I'm here on this earth to accomplish - and get busy doing it instead of writing about it.