this week around the 'homestead'

I love calling our place 'the homestead'. For some reason it's like an inside joke between Steve and I and we always call it that. It's not very accurate, since as far as livestock goes we only have four (recently acquired) chickens and one labrador retriever (do the numerous wild bunnies that forage in our yard count?). And our 'garden' is made up of...wait for it...a single rhubarb plant.

Buuuttttt...we still call it that. 

Because it's our someday dream to homestead, to be as self-sufficient as possible. 

To be realistic, our 'dream' probably won't be realized while we live on this one-acre property. To be even 50% self-sufficiant we will need a bit more land. But we want to do as much as we can here, where we live now; to make it work as much as we can.

I have spent most of this summer planning for next summer. We have been preparing beds for next springs garden, including finally getting a compost system set up. 

Steve scored some nice wood containers from work that we are repurposing into raised beds and we want to fill them this fall so that they're ready first thing next year. 

I also plan on ordering some chicks in the spring to increase our little flock. 

It's fun to make plans, but I'm also trying to be realistic about making sure I can follow through on them. 

Despite not really being a homestead yet, it is truly our home and we love it here. Every day as Riggs and I explore out in the yard and down our little dirt road, I am so thankful to be here where I feel so comfortable and happy.

Riggs has so much to keep him busy here too. He especially loves climbing on the old highline arms Steve brought home from work.  

I am also so excited because Riggs discovered the moon this week!

He's been able to point it out in books for months now, but usually when I try to show it to him outside, he just seems confused and uninterested. 

This time, I pointed to it and said, "Look, Riggs, it's the moon!" 

He craned his neck, looked up and searched the sky for a few seconds.

Then a hug smile crossed his face.

He had spotted it!

The rest of our walk he kept checking to make sure it was still there.

SO CUTE.

Steve and I both got hit with some serious allergies/head colds Sunday that lasted for a few days. Steve went back to work Tuesday even though he was still pretty stuffy and tired, and I'm finally starting to feel a bit better today. 

Despite feeling like zombies, we managed to take a family walk Monday morning so that Riggs could get out of the house.

I think the fresh air was good for all of us.

And I know seeing my two guys smiling and laughing together made me feel better.

I love these two so very much!

OH!

Before you leave, I wanted to share some pictures I took early Monday morning.

I was out feeding the chickens feeling very bad and grumpy about being awake. I was mostly focused only on my own misery, barely paying attention to the world around me when suddenly I realized

that the birds were going crazy. Not the chickens, mind you, but some other birds out in the yard.

It seemed like all I could hear was various bird songs and chirps and calls and trills. It was noisy!

I got out of the coop and stood up to really look around and noticed that there was a lot of activity going on by the woodpecker's tree.

There were four and sometimes five woodpeckers fluttering around and seeming to 'fight' with each other about whether or not they could land on the tree. It was so crazy! I was just mesmerized watching them interact so intensely. 

If anyone is a birding expert I'd appreciate feedback on what those crazy woodpeckers were doing!

Usually we only see one in the nest and one coming to bring food. I've never seen that many around the tree before! Maybe I'll add the woodpecker's to my livestock list...not cheating at all, right?