It's been 14 years since the abrupt loss of my mother. Here are a few thoughts on the deeply personal process of grieving. Thinking about mom. How I started out for my run that morning but felt compelled instead to check in on her. Finding her still in bed, a bleeding cut on her forehead. Her skin bright orange from ...
Simple Living
Learning to Let Go
All the art of living lies in a fine mingling of letting go and holding on. ~ Havelock Ellis Walking the gardens, I notice the changing beauty. The flowers have shed their colors, the red berries are in full bloom, and the plants are releasing their seeds. It seems there could be a message ...
Avoid Homestead Burnout – Stop Trying to Do It All
Homesteading Dreams - Avoid Homestead Burnout and Stop Trying to Do It All The aroma of fresh baked bread, jars of home canned goodness lining the pantry shelves, a beautiful meal created with ingredients from the garden, and the sounds of happy chickens in the yard. If you are on the ...
30 Personal Development Books for Women That Offer Practical, No-Nonsense Advice
In the words of Dr. Seuss, You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. You're on your own. And you know what you know. And YOU are the one who’ll decide where to go. No-Nonsense Personal Development Books for Women Can we really change our lives just ...
Living in the Moment – Finding Peace in Nature
Sometimes we get so caught up life's dramas, don't we? We slide through our days preoccupied with unhappy thoughts, fretting over the past, worrying over the future, and despite our highly connected world, we feel deeply disconnected from ourselves. It’s too easy to live a distracted life. It’s easy to forget our ...
How to Stay Motivated on a Budget – 6 Ways to Stay on Track
Sometimes it feels hopeless. Like you’re swimming just as hard and fast as you can, and yet you are still drowning in financial burdens. You work so hard to keep up with the bills and just when you think you can see the light at the end of the tunnel and start feeling hopeful, life gives you another kick and ...
Weekend Book Review: Homegrown and Handmade A Practical Guide to More Self-Reliant Living
Homegrown and Handmade: A Practical Guide to More Self-Reliant Living, by Deborah Niemann - a book review. Deborah Neimann's book Homegrown and Handmade: A Practical Guide to More Self-Reliant Living is great for information and inspiration. If you are dreaming of starting a homestead, or already started, ...
Anxiety and Overwhelm – Discovering Your Strengths
Having anxiety and depression is like being scared and tired at the same time. It’s the fear of failure but no urge to be productive. It’s wanting friends but hating socializing. It’s wanting to be alone but not wanting to be lonely. It’s caring about everything and then caring about nothing. It’s feeling everything at ...
Prepping for Beginners – How to Start Prepping and Keep It Simple
Prepping for beginners - what do we need to be prepared for, how to start prepping, and how do we keep it simple? Prepping used to be considered a radical activity, but more and more we are realizing the need to be prepared for all kinds of emergency situations. When you consider the definition of Prepping, it becomes ...
From Fear to Gratitude
From fear and overwhelm to gratitude In the Darkness of Night... The distant call of a great horned owl echoes down from the mountain behind us. Dawn is still hours away, and the moon hangs low in the sky. My breath fogs in front of me and I wrap the old blanket tighter to keep out the chill. From the shelter of ...
Enjoying a More Peaceful and Productive Home
Exhausted, overwhelmed, frustrated, and cranky. This wasn’t how I imagined parenting to be. What was wrong with me, and why couldn’t I just get it together? I suspect chaos, overwhelm, and a sense of failure are a normal part of running a household and parenting young children. As moms, we are expected to do ...
Four Methods for Transforming Lawn Into Garden
Our first year on the land, we were overwhelmed with projects. But at the top of our list was starting the annual vegetable garden beds. The question was - how do we transform overgrown grass and weeds into usable soil for tender new vegetable seeds and plants? We experimented with four methods for ...
Seeking Joyful Simplicity is about living your best life after 40. I write about using a holistic approach combining herbal remedies, nourishing foods, and self-care to reduce overwhelm, manage our weight, and enjoy more vibrant health in our 40's, 50's, and beyond.