How much is enough?
That’s a tough one, isn’t it? My “wondering” for the day is a tough-y, alright.
But first. I get so many requests to link your blogs to this one and I wish I could; but that’s not a feature this “blog-ware” has. So send me your own blog links and those of your favorite blogs. I’ll post them in a very special upcoming post. I’m thinking a “contest” would be fun! What do you think? Either email me using the link at the right or leave a comment below with the blog addresses.
Now on to my wondering of the day:
How much is enough?
How many acres? How many cats? How many days (or weeks) off? How many friends? How many blueberry bushes? How many cups of coffee? How many hobbies? How many pairs of blue jeans? How many minutes or hours in meditation/prayer? How many books? How much kindness? How much honesty? How much time nurturing children? How many children? How many charitable endeavors? How much food in storage? How many gallons of water in storage? How much time on the computer? How much time cleaning your house? How many pairs of shoes? (Okay, forget that one…one can obviously never have enough shoes…)
What are those answers today? How much is enough? What is the balance? The “how much” number is ever-changing, I’ve sure learned that.
What is enough today often becomes too much tomorrow. Or not enough.
Ah, I don’t know the answers for today, but I’m working on it. I’m wondering about it.
How about a “how much” on a lighter note? How many eggs did you stuff with candy or decorate? We’re still enjoying Easter around here. This week, “Easter week,” my daughter is on spring break. So we’ve been goofing around and enjoying life. Nothing big, just hanging out and having fun. We continue to have egg hunts with the eggs we colored. Though I think it might be time to do our famous egg toss soon. Our eggs are beginning to have a certain, familiar odor about them. When that smell arrives we know it is time to stand on the back deck and have our egg tossing contest. That’s where we try to hit various trees with our eggs. (I note that there are fewer trees to try to hit this year because of Friday’s storm.)
Did you go to an egg hunt this year? Or host one? We went to a community “egg hunt” that was the strangest egg hunt I’ve ever experienced. Filled plastic eggs were dumped in a small, roped off area. I mean a very, very small area. Like 30 feet by 60 feet. For 80 or so kids. None of the eggs were “hidden.” They were just dumped there. In fact, I’d call it an egg “dump” instead of an egg “hunt.” Once the whistle blew to begin the….um….”hunt” the kids ran and pushed and scrambled and grabbed the eggs just lying there. My daughter only got 2 because she is not a scrambler or a fighter or a grabber. A truth of which I am proud, by the way.
I decided that this hunt was perhaps just poorly coordinated; perhaps they needed more help and more hands. Perhaps they had underestimated the “how many” people we need to help with this thing. So, perhaps they had no one to hide the eggs; therefore, they had to just throw them there in that small area.
But. I’ve now talked to others about my “not enough help” theory; I have realized that what I consider true egg “hunts” have gone by the wayside around here. I was told that the egg “hunts” are now much like the egg “dump” I witnessed. I wonder why that is? What happened to “hunts” where kids get to look for eggs? In any event, I will call next year and “volunteer” to actually “hide” the eggs. If they don’t want my help, well then, we’ll have to pass on another egg “dump.”
Anyhow, we came home from the egg “dump” and have had lots of egg hunts at our house. Here, we used the eggs we colored. I never figured out the technique for hollowing out the eggs; so instead, we just boiled them as usual. We always have fun coloring the eggs. We’ll use that clear crayon that comes with the kit to write things on the eggs or to draw pictures. Everybody always gets a special one with his or her name on it. Even our pets.
For example, this year there were eggs with: “Strudel” (our dog)…here she is now
sorry to wake you, Doodle
“Elvis” (our cat)…here he is now….
Guess it’s nap time around here.
Here are some words on our eggs this year:
“Egg Head” “Hoppy Easter” “Hi, Mr. Wedgey Pants” (don’t ask…) “I found it!” “Bluebird Inside” “Alley Cat” “Love the 70s” “Fragile” and “Happy Birthday” (for someone very special whose birthday fell on Easter this year, April 12th…I’ll tell you who in the next post).
My daughter liked both hunting and hiding. Me too.
Strudel only enjoyed the hunting:
Drop it, Strudel-Doodle! Give it to me!
In one egg hunt where my daughter had done the hiding, I noticed something. The eggs were color coordinated with the hiding spot. I asked her about that and she said, “Of course they are…”
Now is that the opposite of an egg scramble or what??
Take a look:
That’s the “Elvis” egg, is says “Elvis” for Elvis the cat (named after Elvis Presley.) My daughter has now named my old truck (whose bumper you see here) “Elvis” after Elvis the cat, not Elvis Presley. So, the truck is older than the cat, but is named after the cat. We like to complicate things around here as much as possible.
“Happy Birthday”
garlic egg
Isn’t she cute? To do that? TOO c-u-t-e! There are lots more color-coordinated photos, but I thought that was probably enough for ya on this Friday after Easter…
Have you noticed my daughter makes my heart melt? Yep, I thought so.
Like this. A big pile of papers from school came home the other day. It was something they did way back on the 100th day of school. There were many different questions for the children pertaining to the number 100.
Like, “I could eat 100 ________.” My daughter is a girl after her mother’s heart. She filled in that blank with “M&M’s.” Yeah, me too.
Here’s the one that made me cheer. “I wish I had 100 ____________.”
Now before I tell you her answer, let me tell you the answers of some of her friends. “Webkinz.” “Horses.””Matchbox cars” “Lizards” “Dollars”.
My daughter, the girl after my own heart, who makes my heart all marshmallow-y and sugary and soft…she filled in the blank with this word: “acres.”
Ha! That’s my girl.
Yeah, me too. I wish I had 100 acres too, though I wouldn’t know what to do with them.
I’m sure I wouldn’t want a “100 Acre Wood” like Pooh’s. Maybe a “50 Acre Wood” would be good. That would leave me 25 acres for pasture and the rest for gardens.
When I asked my daughter what she would do with her 100 acres, she said “run on them.” Yeah, me too. Barefooted, if possible.
I picked up a book at the flea market where I bought that old black table I put out on the screened in porch (and which is currently layered in yellow pollen.)
Here is said book, sitting upon said yellow-pollened table….
The book is called Ten Acres Enough by Edmund Morris. He wrote it in 1865. Sounds good, doesn’t it? I’ll take it with me this weekend when we go to our twenty acre mountain farm. This will be the book I’ve brought from home to read on this trip. I always take a book, just in case.
Here’s the routine: I make a cup of hot tea, tuck the book I’ve brought from home to read on this trip under my arm and head out the front door. I might not get beyond the rocking chairs there. But I might. I might climb the hill behind the house; I might cross the street and head to the rushing mountain stream; I might plop down in the meadow; I might perch on the white wrought iron set my parents always had on their front porch when I was a child and which they gifted me; I might lean against one of our ancient apple trees.
Once I find a spot, I will open the book I’ve brought from home to read on this trip….
And I will not read….
I will meditate; I will contemplate; I will admire the beauty around me; I will dream; I will listen; I will envision; I will list; I will wonder.
I will breathe in and absorb the peace of these acres. I’ll tuck it in my heart and soul and bring it home with me.
When the cup is empty, I will close the book (still on the preface page) and take it, with the cup, back inside.
I’ll come back outside and pick up a shovel.
Then I’ll find a different kind of peace and contentment with these acres; the kind that comes from communion with nature. From “working” with it and “touching” it rather than just admiring it. I’ll bring that back home with me too.
“In quietness and in confidence shall be your strength.” Ralph Waldo Emerson
“Do not dump the eggs and call it a hunt.” Anonymous (well, someone who wishes to remain anonymous anyway…)
Until next time, Friends, savor the flavor of life!
Lots of love, The City Farmgirl, Rebekah
Rebekah, you write so well. I always peek to see if you have written anything new and enjoy your words. Thank you for sharing about your "20-acre farm." It has to be so close to heaven that one can only imagine.
Betty in Pasco
Never enough kindness, compassion or love. Always too much "stuff". Never enough memory making or time with children and grandchildren. Oh gosh, and certainly never enough garden space. My daughter and I were discussing this subject yesterday and decided that IF we had a 20 acre farm (actual number) we might have enough to plant all the things we want from fruit trees down to an acre of peonies. Thanks for the thoughts and I’m going to see if I can find that book on e-bay. It is right up my alley. If you have not read the books by Gladys Taber you might enjoy those, too. Just super simple writing about a woman and her farm. Oh, and BTW, probably never, ever enough books!
Once again, you have touched my heart with your words. Thank-you so much.
Blessings, Pam
Love your stories! Enjoy that lovely 20 acres!
Wonderful Bloggie Rebekah…!
Your Daughter sure has a keen artistic eye for color, and though it may seems a "little thing", great Artists create Beauty paying attention to the "little things". She is truely Blessed as it seems to be a natural ability for her, and doubly Blessed, because it is appreciated by her cool Mom.
Strudel and Elvis are such Good Critter Companions, and I am certain they enrich Y’all’s lives. Oh… the Possums will Love the egg toss… later after Nightfall, they will clean it all up. They are Nature’s little disease free janitors, and they also eat the shells for the calcium.
Cool book you got there… Edmund Morris won a Pulitzer Prize for his biography of Theodore Roosevelt, and co-authored "Day of the Triffids" (((((((@-@))))))) go figure. He also started a publishing house, which is probably the origin of this particular book. Yes I read… a LOT… nooo "tell-a-vision"… I have my own visions, as apparently you do too.
The "egg-dump" is indeed to be avoided, as is the company of people whose best thinking created it. Oh… about the hollow egg technique… try this:
Leave the eggs in the carton, and take either a sharp pointed object or a small guage drill bit and put a hole in the top center of each… penetrate deep enough to break the yolk, and turn them all over and repeat… then over a bowl "kiss" the egg and blow the yolk out the opposite end… done. Color the shells, and cook the eggs.
Thank You for the Wonderful photos, and…
GodSpeed to Y’all…!
Gary
in Tampa
As suggested by another commenter here, YES, you would love Gladys Tabor ! I have several of her books. It’s time again, for me to reread them. They remind me of you, your experiences, your way of writing about the experiences, your love of the country ~~ on and on. Gladys would have loved to read what you write, she would Love you magazine too (As do I !!)
Thanks for all about the Easter eggs,your daugher, your animals, Winnie the pooh, etc, I just loved it all. Many Blessings to you and your whole family ~~~~
In our town we have several Easter egg "dumps" to chose from held by various churches, nursing homes, and community organizations. Some are more hyped up, offering face paintings, balloons, pictures with the Easter Bunny, etc., etc. We gave our daughters (ages 5 and 7) the choice of going to a community egg hunt or doing a family Easter egg hunt, but we would not do both. To our pleasure our girls chose to do a family egg hunt. We went out to my parents farm with my brother’s two kids and hid about 100 eggs all over the farm. It was such a blast to see 5 kids just running themselves silly trying to find all the eggs. It was truly a blessed time. My mother has Parkinson’s disease and has a hard time with large crowds. She was just beside herself, grinning from ear to ear as she observed her grandchildren having an absolute blast. Simplest truly is best.
I think out of all of your wonderful blogs, this is my favorite one yet! I love how your intellect and spirit glorify God and His world. I love the farm-girl in you! Thank you for loving your family, nature, Easter eggs, and shoes!, to name only a few….You are a gift to all of your readers…
I am going to link your blog to my new one…..Blessings, Cate
My favorite blog (besides this one of course!) is eyesofwonder.typepad.com. It is very inspirational for mothering and for life in general. Great pictures too! And she recommends Mary Jane’s web-site. So what could be better than that?
Love your blog – especially the animal pictures. I have seven cats and one big lab-mix dog who doesn’t like cats. Doesn’t that figure? All of my kittlebugs were rescued. I hope you’ll add the link to my blog so others might visit there. I have stories, pictures, games, music, recipes, etc. Thanks and keep up the good work.
Kady from Miamisburg Ohio
Oh my gosh. I can’t believe you found that book! I found a 1982 copy just recently and I could not put it down. I just finished it and everyone around me is sick of hearing me go on and on about it. It’s incredibly timely too. You will love this guy! Google it. You have found a treasure.
Hi Rebekah, I sure can relate to the "Easter Egg Dump", my grand daughter was involved in one from church. They stuffed 8000 plastic eggs with candy at her Wednesday night youth group and dumped them the following Saturday at the nearby elementary school field. When I dropped her off on Saturday to be the Easterbunny, I was surprised to see all those eggs just lie in the field, it looked like confetti and I had to laugh. "That’s not a hunt", I said, you could hardly walk on that field without stepping on an egg. But the kids seem to have fun. We did an Easter egg hunt at home too, that was a real hunt, we are still missing an egg, luckly a plastic one, we ate all the boiled ones. No odor.
Hi,
Please add my blogs to the list.
This is my blog where I make post about homesteading, ect… http://www.homesteaderbellesblog.blogspot.com/
and this is a blog I use as a shop to sell cloth menstrual pads, things for baby, soap, ect….
http://www.homesteaderbelle.blogspot.com/
Thank you!
Belle
LOL!!! My kitten is also called ELVIS!! After the KING himself, since I have been a big fan of his music since I was a little girl. My big brother was a BIG fan and has given me the Elvis bug, lol. SO when I got my kitty almost one year ago, naming him was very easy :0) 🙂
I would love for you to link my blog to yours, some way or other.
Here is my addy:
http://just-me-a-dutch-girl.blogspot.com/
Hugs from Marian/dutchy on MJF
I love your blog!! I am new to blogging and have started mine at: http://CountryCents.blogspot.com
Just telling about life and farm girl activities here in the Great North Woods. Sharing pictures and events of daily life.
My website sell country and lodge related items and I also do custom orders too!
Thank you for thinking of all of us and wanting to include us in an upcoming post!
Hugs!!
Joanna
JojoNH
Rebekah
I enjoying reading your blog. We have 6 acres, and have just finished plowing our vegetable garden. Chickens are on the agenda in a couple of weeks, just need a coop built.
Please add my blog to your site
http://www.gardenchick.com/garden-blog
What is, each moment, as it changes, is exactly enough. Loving what is doesn’t put one in a state of apathy or stagnancy, in my mind. It is more of a state of gratitude that seems to be the ultimate spring board or quiet path, whichever, to more moments of gratitude and creation. By knowing this moment is perfect, it opens my eyes to the next beautiful step and it is always enough. Thanks for sharing your world dear. Blessings and light from Amy
Just wanted to leave my favorite blog spot to share with you and add to your site!
http://www.melodynotes-melodynotes.blogspot.com
http://www.bythebayhandcraftedsoap.com
http://www.lemonverbenasoap.etsy.com
http://www.andsewitgoes.etsy.com
Thanks Rebekah !
LOVE….your blog too!!
Love Mary Jane , have subscribed and bought for friends/family. Your dughter is after your own heart and that is fantastic! love the Easter egg story.
Two blogs I want to share are very interesting, in that they are taking housewifery to a different level. you will understand it more reading from the beginning. They are:
my50syear.blogspot.com and destination1940.blogspot.com
There is alot to learn at these blogs. happy reading
My husband would agree 100 acres would be better, but I am very content with our 10. Hoping to get the chicken coop built this spring before starting our planting. We don’t really get to start vegetable garden until late May here in Michigan, too many frosty nights. Bought a book by Judy Pangman called Chicken Coops 45 Building Plans for Housing your Flock. I have one in mind, hoping its not too cute for husband to agree to. Never enough books, favorite magazines, flowers, grandchildren, family gatherings, I’m afraid my list could get rather long. I have a new blog site myself. Not a lot there yet, but I am having fun learning the ropes. brtowsleyblogs.blogspot.com
Loved your post today. As much as I would love to even have 10 acres I can be satisfied with my 1 1/4. As long as I can play in the dirt and grow food for my family I’m happy. Would you mind linking my blog to yours? Love the pictures of the pets. Have a great day!
Tracy
Please add our blog http://www.funkyjunksisters.blogspot.com
I would love to have you link to my own blog,
http://www.ehomebody.com/blog
I have a recent post regarding our new venture in urban homesteading here:
http://ehomebody.blogspot.com/2009/04/leaning-toward-urban-homesteading.html
However, one of my own favorites — next to this one, of course 🙂 — is http://www.down—to—earth.blogspot.com.
Thanks for considering these blogs.
Beautiful. What else can I say? Simply beautiful. Thanks for writing.
Hello there, Happy Easter 2010!!!