Homesteading

I put away the four loads of laundry I washed and hung on the line yesterday,

Cut swiss chard and the the bolted spinach from our garden, laying the seeded sections of the spinach back on the ground to start a new cycle of spinach

Made a mental note to weed the carrot bed, grass is trying to take over

Fed  the chicks, rabbit, and guinea pigs some of the swiss chard and the spinach.

Took out the recycling and compost

Started working on sewing diaper covers, bibs, and a blanket for our coming baby

Our house is cozy and small, but plenty big enough for us to live comfortably.

We don't have a dishwasher, toaster, microwave oven, or television (we watch movies on the computer).  I thought we were pretty high tech with a coffee maker.

and this morning it hit me. I am homesteading.

According to author John Seymour, "urban homesteading" incorporates small-scale, sustainable agriculture and homemaking. I have always adored the idea of homesteading, and being self sufficient, and always thought it would be hard and complicated and a lot of work. But step by step we are getting more and more self sufficient. We have a huge garden which we often eat from, several fruit trees, blue berry bushes, I planted a butterfly garden as a natural barrier between our yard and the neighbors. We compost, just got chicks which will soon be giving us eggs.  A bunny that is mature enough to start producing babies for my husband to eat... she just needs a boyfriend. There is still a lot we want to do, and get planted but it all takes time and work. Small step by step we are homesteading. Very exciting realization!