Dog Days of Summer!

It's crazy hot here in Virginia! I'm talking almost 100 degrees and 50% humidity. Definitely not a dry heat and so oppressive it's difficult to breathe. But we all know the garden still has to be tended, the overgrown fields need bush hogging and hungry chickens are begging to be fed. Some days my attitude stinks and I complain about the sweat pouring off my face and body as I carefully pick through the growing carrots to hunt for intruding weeds, reinforce the garden fence where furry, frustrating fiends have been sneaking under to chew off fresh kale leaves or weed whacking stream beds for the millionth time. But then I catch myself . . . I live the life most people only dream about. My view is no longer the inside of my closterphobic cubicle, my shoes no longer have heels on them and my days are no longer orchestrated by someone else. My day begins with a steaming mug of joe while sitting on our quiet dock taking in the beauty of the picturesque pond that gently spills out from my back door. Making the choice to embrace this new life and to give up the stress filled, fast paced corporate life was like jumping off a cliff. Uncertainty was all that stood in front of us and the fall from that cliff has been the biggest struggle of our lives, financially, emotionally and physically. But the pay off is here on this dock, in the hen house where we glean precious gems from our girls, around the campfire at night as we gaze up at the millions of stars and in the laughter of my children as they run bare foot around the farm, feeling the grass between their toes. Every day is my own here on the farm, orchestrated by seasons, children and livestock. This sanctuary is a privilege most people never get to experience and I remind myself, on those sweat filled days, that this is the key to the quiet, gentle life we all seek. What are you seeking today? Is it giving you peace and tranquility? We all make choices and I choose this quiet dock with my steaming cup of joe and I choose to walk away from the hustle and bustle. I choose to stop complaining and I choose joy! Come jump off that cliff with me today and choose life! You won't regret it!