Today's post is not about gardening, or what's happening here in Mill Creek, but more about life and it's cycles I guess.. I went home today to see my great grandmother Hazel after receiving the call that she wasn't doing well.  She is a tough old bird who has been such an enormous part of my life and I wanted to take a minute to thank her.. and to thank all the wonderful ladies surrounding me today.. My grandmother, my mom, my aunts, my niece.  They inspire me.  They comfort me.  They support me.. in this new venture and in everything that I do.  My roots are deep.  My life is lush, productive, and vibrant.. all the things I wish to see around here.. because of those who have nurtured and loved me.  And to Mama.. thank you for teaching me to sew just about anything, to roll out dough and how to cook soup, to garden and grow, to laugh, and how to be a little fiesty. 

This is a lot of pressure.. Writing my first blog post.  But since I have not decided if this blog should be entertaining or business like ( mullet anyone?) I will start by explaining what I'm working with here.. I have 9.4 acres (that's 0.6 acres from tax credits..) and a house that is in constant repair.  Walls have been knocked down, concrete floors covered... I have a fancy new bedroom sans stinky carpet and a worm bin in a trash can.  I have a garden that is small by most standards, but feels huge in July.  I feed 18 chickens, some of which are very old.  The neighbor across the way gave them to me after they kept crossing the road and others came from a birthday present with too many chicks in the box.  I took 8.  Six turned out to be roosters.... Thank you Mary April. My compost bin has been depleated for the season.. and it's January.  But I've started new piles, as I always seem to do, and am learning as I go. 
I picture so many things happening here.. But for now I will be (hopefully) providing for about 8 folks this spring.  Vegetable and herb seeds are going in this week.  I have tilled up an additional 20x30 area for the garden and will be recruting friends with trucks to caravan to the county compost pile :)  I'm thinking mid-February? I'm expanding the apiary up to 5 hives.. have visions of a baby goat, and pigs, and apple trees..  I am so excited that my stomach truly does feel like there are butterflies flittering around in there.. I'm nervous and God, I really hope I don't screw this up.. But I can't help but smile.. I'm hoping I'll have the steam to keep writing about what I experience here and that we'll all learn a little along the way?