K is for ..... #atozchallenge

For whatever reason K was a real challenge for me today.  All day as I tried to brainstorm, the only words that I came up with were Knock, Knife, Kite and Knope (as in Leslie from Parks and Rec).  As I was helping to motivate the children this evening to complete respective massive school projects both due within the next 48 hours I was lamenting that I had not written my post to which Sidney immediately offered Knowledge.  Wow.  That is fantastic!  However, I am not sure that I can come up with a thoughtful post in whatever time remains of this ever increasingly hectic evening.  To which Sid fired back, Kids.   Aha!  Yes.  Kids.  Those dear ones that we do everything for in every moment of the day to our last breath.  These humans we created that are developing under our tutelage into young adults.  They contribute to our joy, angst, frustration, worry and unconditional love.  Yes, K is for Kids.

Writers Block

This month has been a tough one for posting.  Aside from the fact that we are super busy with getting ready for school, while trying to utilize every last moment of the summer, I got it in my head that I needed to take on a writing project.  Several weeks ago I came across this great magazine called Taproot.  If you are familiar with Soule Mama's blog, then you may have heard of it.  The magazine comes out quarterly.  Each issue has a theme and encourages non-fiction articles, photography and poetry, but most of all creativity.  I decided to throw my hat in for the current issue that they were taking submissions for.  Funny enough, once I decided on doing it, the words all dried up.  I had zero inspiration for blogging, and was so preoccupied trying to come up with an idea for the themed essay that I was frozen. 

Then knowing that I was headed camping with the girl scouts this week and that there would be no time to finish it before it was due when I got back, last weekend I woke up and poof words were overflowing (further evidence supporting that I need a deadline to write).  I always have some scraps a little tablet of paper in the car.  So as I'm trying to jot down thoughts I realize how difficult the physical act of writing is.  When the flow of words comes typing is so seamless, but writing it down, my hands felt knotted and I couldn't get them to work fast enough.  It made me a little wistful to realize how I am losing the art of long hand, and how my kids may never truly have it. Oh, and my handwriting has become atrocious! 

I submitted the article last Saturday and had a response late yesterday.  As with anything, once submissions begin coming in they are picked and puzzled together to compliment one another within the theme.  My article did not fit in the puzzle for the winter issue, but they will keep it on hand in case it fits another theme.  I was also encouraged to continue submitting for future publications and Amanda (Soule Mama) nicely gave me all of the upcoming themes.  I didn't expect to be published on my first shot, just felt that I would take the leap, and was happy for the encouragement to continue.  The article I wrote is an introduction to how we came to the homestead and our journey thus far.  I posted it with my Bio under the new Our Story tab if your interested in seeing it :)

Happy Weekend!

Deadlines

Today is January 31st and it seems this week has been about deadlines.  Those moments in time that either you thrive or fall apart.  I have always been a deadline person.  I loved things like research papers in college, and part of that love came from hours among the stacks (who does that now?) and the looming deadline.  Even as a high-schooler on the school paper, I turned in articles at the last minute, needing the deadline to create.   With a deadline intact, I could sit, block out the world around me, and write.

I began thinking about this yesterday.  As I contemplated the oh so often missed deadline that is rent from our tenant.  Then, the deadline we put on selling the other house...oh we can do two mortgages for a year or so.  Then, the 'or so' that has turned into five years with a now two-year old inconsistent tenant.  So yesterday, my internal deadline was reached.  We're going to re-list our "lake house" and be rid of it once and for all, no matter the hit....and I'm sure it will be substantial.  The deadline of my patience for a continued bleed of our finances has now passed and I am irritated that I didn't turn it in in time.

Sidney just experienced her first real deadline.  Her aunt Ayne got her a fantastic gift for Christmas.  A participation in The Sketchbook Project.  Sidney created an illustrated short story that will part of a permanent display at the Brooklyn Art Library.  The deadline for submission was today, and I was at the post office in person making sure the post mark on her hard and amazing work read correctly.  It will be scanned in and posted online in April as well!

Today is a deadline for our very busy free mop month for Norwex hostesses and I submitted last nights show just under that deadline.

In more business terms, today is the deadline for property taxes to be filed, W2's to be mailed, and any number of necessities for income taxes to be mailed here in the U.S. 

So as the sun recedes into this crazy amazing fifty degree horizon, yet another deadline is reached.  January has reached it's end and I managed to get everything accomplished on deadline.  How was your January?