Looking Back...And Foward

The clock is ticking away on 2013,and I must say,overall,it was a very good year for us.

The most wonderful that happened this year is that Rick finally got his assistance dog,Richie. Not only that,but he got it from the best training facility in the US,NEADS. While Rick's PTSD/TBI will not go away,Richie offers him great support in situations and helps to calm him down .

We also finally set our little farm in motion,buying three Romney ewes and being put on the top of the list for three Nigerian Dwarf Dairy does for this coming Spring. Through this we also met lovely people who are more than willing to share their knowledge with us whenever we have a question or situation arise. It's like becoming part of a small farming family!  

I discovered yoga,and though I have been remiss these last few weeks,I am going to begin my classes again. I had to find a way to calm my anxiety. Sometimes living with someone with PTSD/TBI can be very trying,and even though I love my husband more than life it's self,he can frustrate me. He has to do things in certain ways,even if it's more difficult or make no sense  -it's just the way his brain works now. The job gets done,but not in a timely manner. The barn is an example. I kept telling him that we needed to start on it-but he kept saying we had time. Well,the holes are dug,and that is as far as it got before the ground froze up. Rick has no sense/concept of time anymore,and even though I tell him there won't be enough time to accomplish something,he won't listen to me. Yoga helps me  greatly- it centers me,and I do find calm and inner peace. Plus I have some me time,which is very important for my own well being. Yoga has been a huge positive this year.

The scariest thing that happened this year is when Zach got struck by lightening at National Youth Leadership Training at  Camp Bell,in Gilmanton. Those of you here in the States may remember hearing about 23 Scouts getting struck by lightening this past summer in NH. The charge went through Zach's heel,and he has a tiny scar left,but that is all.Some of the boys minor suffered burns,one boy had his heart beat turn irregular for a while,but no one was killed,thankfully. Now,after "10 years of red tape" a storm shelter is going to be built up on the mountain. It only took 23 boys almost getting killed to make it happen. It seems like tragedies or near tragedies have to happen before things can move forward in many cases!

2014 looks like it's going to be a great year-our barn will be finished,we will have our goats,and we are currently deciding exactly what to grow in the garden. We had to pull up our square beds to make room for the barn area,so I will need to decide where the beds are going to go,and what we are going to continue to grow. There are a few things we have not had great luck on,such as corn and pumpkins,so I would rather focus on what grows well for the time being. I want to grow a dye garden (plants and flowers that I can use to dye the sheep's wool with) and we do want to plant plenty of clover for the sheep and goats to nibble on.

I am working on a new home management binder-our old one was too heavy. I have actually created two new binders out of the one large one-one for household information,the other for farming. This time of year it's easier to take the time to be more creative and do more organizing,so I enjoy it more!

Thanks to all of you who have continued to follow me from my old blog,Little Cottage In the Country. I am still hopeful that some of the other followers will find their way here,and I look forward to getting new readers!!

Have a lovely New Years!!