Thankful started back at school this month. It's been a hard adjustment for Prudence, she is always close at heel with her older sister. Shamefully, I have to admit, it's been a little easier for me to get things done. Not by much, but enough to notice. Its not quite Autumn yet, but its cool, and the horse Chestnut tree in the back is dropping mountains of brown leaves. The leaves hide the miniature balls of fury and hate, the horse chestnuts themselves. Inevitably, I will hear one of the hens hoot and holler, and I will charge out in my bare or stocking feet, forgetting my back yards' natural booby trap.
I feel a looming sense of unfounded fear about winter coming on, there is a need to run around and grab snippets of green, take pictures of the melons still left in the garden, gather more and more firewood and hoard food. Is it because of my heritage career? My homestead line of thought? Is it an inherited knowledge from grandmothers past? Whatever it is, it has become my enemy, I cannot enjoy the change in seasons as much as others do because of it.
September so far has been productive and kind to us. We have been able to sell our soaps at a few outdoor markets again; I love connecting and talking with the customers that have supported my journey so far. I love how my soaps look in the sun. We were able to acquire an old cast iron stove, heavy and enameled black, for our kitchen. Thankful has settled in and feels comfortable with her new classmates, Prudence has decided to eat more and use words like 'treat', 'please' and 'toot.' Our work calendars are filling up (a good and bad thing), and because of this, our cupboards wont be bare because we chose to live out our heartsong.
Sweet Thankful, my oldest girl child, has followed her mama's red shoes when it comes to some of her interests. This summer, we put in a small potager garden, four raised beds. One bed is devoted to kitchen herbs. Rosemary, basil, sage, verbena, chamomile and thyme are growing well and spreading wide in the composted soil. Every evening, we weed, water and talk about what we plan to use our abundances for.
The chamomile is being harvested and laid out to dry daily. Homegrown chamomile is stronger, sweeter, more apple-y than anything I've ever purchased, and we intend to put as many blossoms by to get us through the cold winter nights that have us aching for summer. Thankful has also taken to the large mullein plant that has spread out in the old garden behind the barn. My heart nearly tears open when I see her making notes in the herb books over my desk. She harvested some of the leaves with her summer house guest, Maya, and they have hung their bunting of leaves to dry in the hall window. Yesterday, they wildcrafted flowers for tea. Thankful likes color, Maya likes order, and together, they laid their harvest out to dry.
