Tuesday, April 23, 2013

Getting from Point A to Point B, a Life Journey


  “You should write a book about what you have gone through as a way to maybe help other women heal from bad situations” is what my wise friend, Jacie told me not long after those life altering events occurred last Fall.  And you may have noticed my recent blogs have had a different feel and tone, as I not only try to paint with words what farm-life looks like, but I have started painting with words how this farm-chick’s  heart & soul sees life in general.  A sort of weird combination….. the healing process and my lessons learned from a wheat plant or farm-life on how to try and live a better life. 

And from what I can see  readers seem to like  the new  format too as my statistics on readership have increased.  And this is a small taste of what the book will be about, plus lots more…. So I do have to thank you for being my unintended guinea pigs.  Currently I have a title to my book and a basic outline, of which I shared with Jacie and she loved it!   Now all I need to do is get myself marooned on a quiet island somewhere with Internet and a well equipped kitchen to finish the book. Cooking is such a big part of my life.... that it has helped me heal and become whole again.
 
With increased stats, this blog has started getting noticed by other companies wanting to promote either their products or advertise on my blog.  And while I will not let the blog be used as a tool to promote a company or product, I will, however, share their products and do give aways  if I feel they have a value to you.  I will also do a link to the company if you want to check them out, but other than that, this blog’s purpose is and will remain a way to connect the consumer to the farmer.

And here is my “Wheat / Gayle’s Life Lesson”…..From its inception, the wheat plant knows what its purpose is. And unless outside factors strike it down, it will grow and fulfill its life cycle with the end game being a fully filled wheat head.  

 
And like a wheat plant, every person has their own path and purpose with many choices of how to go down their life’s road.  Watching the new wheat shoots coming out of the ground and making the rolling hills a non-stop look of a huge lawn... I felt connected to the land and to the new wheat coming alive after being dormant for winter. 
 
 Looks like a really big newly planted lawn


Kaitlyn and I have been experiencing the same thing, meaning that we are coming alive again after the cold spell in our lives, and now we are  enjoying much brighter days filled with hope and joy.  It in no way means we didn’t value our previous lives, it just means that we have chosen to take the path towards the sun, a warm and sunny place in life.  We all have seen others who chose the not-so-sunny paths in their world, clinging to the bitterness of events that suddenly presented itself in their lives, unasked for, unwelcome, but still a change that shifted the world that was familiar and loved.  Unlike a wheat plant that only has one path, we can choose our paths. Happiness is a choice.
 
This is what the new wheat will look like in a few
more weeks, a sea of green, blue sky, white clouds.  I just realized my bedroom
colors are this exact theme....guess I love Spring!

 
Recently a publishing company wrote and asked if I would review a book, call “A North Country Life” written by Sydney Lea.  This book is  about the author's view of his own path in life and the lives of those he connected with, and I said yes ...  To be honest, it took me a bit to grasp where the writer was coming from as his writing style was unlike any I’ve read…. But by chapter 3 I began to love his views and he tells stories about paths in his life from a very different perspective.  It is almost like being inside his head and hear him talking to himself as he is walking along and comes across a familiar place he loved while as a young man, or that a sudden memory of a loved one who passed away, but left such an important stamp in his heart and soul. And for me, I believe the view from everyone's road of life has scenery that is special to him/her and we all have our own viewpoints. The publisher has offered to give me some books to give away and I want to share the book with you!  So all you have to do is leave a comment on my blog about what you like about the blog (deadline is May 15), and I have a panel of un-biased people who will select the 2 winners.  When you leave a comment, please email me  your contact info so if you are selected, that I can send you the book! 

As for what is happening on the Anderson Farm??  Well last Fall, Cody, our young hired man choose  a new path in his life and the bright lights & big wages of a big city lured him to Las Vegas.  And taking Cody’s place is Vaughn,  a longtime friend of  Farmer Joe’s, a recently retired mechanic for the State of Idaho DOT.  Vaughn's expertise in the mechanical area will be an asset.
 
Spring work is well underway and the crew moved their parade of farm equipment up to the Genesee farm, wherein hard white wheat is being planted along with garbanzo beans.

Improvements to the barn have been made to put a new concrete floor and pad out front for ease of working on equipment.  (Gotta keep the hired man a happy camper)   Can't view this video? click here.



 
With that, I am only a click away and hope you will always feel free to ask any questions about what is done on our farm and how it affects your dinner plate at Idahofarmwife@gmail.com.  And a final personal thought from me to you is that I hope the path you choose is filled with goodness and grace of a life well lived (and if you have time,  Rascal Flatts says it better than I ever could in his song," The Wish").    All my best, Gayle.