Being outdoors is my favorite place to be. Fresh air, taking the time to observe all that is around. I'm just starting to learn about all the wild foods around us that are not just edible but very tasty. For example, the pigweed that grew up in our poorly weeded garden this year was delicious! More on forage foods another time.
Getting regular exercise (including stretching). 30-60 minutes a day is ideal. The mental and physical benefits far outweigh the time put in; with more energy, tasks getting done more efficiently, and when doing tasks outside I am working my muscles not straining them, reducing the chance of getting hurt. When this falls out of the schedule occasionally, there's no sense moaning about it- plug it back in and move on!
I like rocks. The ones with the soil on them, of course! Since as far back as I can remember I have been picking up and dragging home everything from tiny tiny fossils smaller than 1/4", to huge rocks over 100 pounds. Ok, the 100 pounders with my daughter's help, or my son just picking it up on his own. Bless their hearts, they don't mind going rock hunting with me occasionally!
Organically growing as much of our food as possible is important to me. So far we have a veggie garden, berry bushes, fruit trees, an asparagus patch, and there are a couple walnut tree saplings planted in pots in the herb garden awaiting their new home in the lawn next spring. Bartering or gleaning in other peoples yards for nuts, fruit, or berries we don't grow is another way to acquire organic food. With permission of course!
Sharing the food we grow and make with others. There is something about sharing with others that just warms the heart and brightens up any day. Sharing baked goods probably happens the most, which I'm sure contributed to my children calling our kitchen the 'stone hill bakery.' Sharing other people's over abundance is fun too; my dear friend Terri lets me pick bushels of apples each year which then are given away to alot of different families and local homeless shelters.
I love my family. My husband and I are blessed with two beautiful children, inside and out, who make it all worthwhile!
First and foremost, I love God. All three co-equal parts of God. I am thankful a part of Him stepped out of eternity and into our 3 dimensional world for 33 years to walk with us, teach us, and provide us with a path back to Him if we choose to. I am thankful Jesus sent us the Holy Spirit to help us, and be with us with every breath we take, when we choose to accept God's gift of forgiveness and salvation through Jesus. God has also provided us with Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth. (B.I.B.L.E.) Reading some of the word of God each day has enriched my life. One of my favorites is Esther: among other good things she prayed to know when to open her mouth and when to close it. Always a good thing to know. Another is Matthew: which reminds us how God comes along side people with some pretty heavy baggage and turns their life around for the better. He still loves doing that today too, when asked!
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