birch & lily

And it begins

I’ve been a bit of an absentee blogger this summer. I have many things I hope to blog about soon, but have to wait until the projects are further along. And this whole trying to sell our condo thing has seriously taken over our summer. I haven’t been home much (trying to keep the apartment clean and available for showings). Not to mention I’ve had some serious internal debate over whether or not I want to continue blogging (that introspective post will come later, though. Boy, aren’t you excited.)

But here’s why I’ve decided to keep blogging - at least a little bit, for a little while: it’s actually happening. This thing - all of this house dreaming - is actually coming to fruition slowly, one step at a time. And I figure I’ve pined and whined and promised and prayed and planned about it for long enough, I should stick with it and take you on that ride with me to see it to the finish(ish. Finish-ish. Is a house ever really totally done?)

Today was one giant step for the Taylor family.

The surveyor came and marked out the land for subdivision. Step 1 in getting our farmhouse.

(You see him? He’s the little neon yellow guy beside the white truck.)

On this muggy, sunny August day we walked around in the middle of a grassy field (dodging cow pies) and wondering approximately where our front door would be. Where the trees would be planted. What it would all look like when a house was there. Our house.

(The view from my future veranda)

It was pretty awesome.

(Can you picture it? I can…)

Book Review - Farm Anatomy: The Curious Parts & Pieces of Country Life

You know those gifts that you never even knew you wanted but they are so thoughtful and perfect? I got one of those today. I’m not even sure the giver knows on how many levels I love this book:

Farm Anatomy: The Curious Parts & Pieces of Country Life by Julia Rothman

How many ways do I love it? Let me count the ways.

First, it is illustrated by Julia Rothman, who is endlessly cool and talented. (That’s right, I live in a world where illustrators are trendy and cool.) Her illustrations are both charming and accurate, which are equally important to me. And regardless of subject matter this book just looks cool because of its aesthetic. Definitely a book to leave out on a shelf or coffee table for the pretty factor.

Second, it is a teaching book. And though I chose not to become a literal classroom teacher after university, I am still in career, and motherhood, and by my very nature a teacher. This book has a wealth of information laid out clearly, and interestingly. Little M was immediately drawn to the different kinds of farm machinery and looking all of the animals. (One of my initial remarks was, “this would be perfect for homeschooling!”) This book made me remember my dear friend Dorothy - a retired teacher with whom I did my teaching internship years ago. We taught a unit on farming connected to my city’s huge agricultural fair (called “Agribition”) She would die if she saw this book, because it’s such a good resource! I wanted to fly to BC immediately and show it to her! (Well, and to see her and her beautiful lakeside retirement house…)

And third, I love this book because it’s farming. Most of you regular blog readers will know that Sean farms, grew up on a farm, and that we are working towards living on the farm. But my love of farming actually started before my love of Sean. Back in my camp days I worked with a lot of farm kids. Back then I decided I wanted to marry a farmer (I figured I was a prime candidate for living out on a farm: I mostly like to be thrifty, I’m no social butterfly, and I love nature and the wide open sky!) My camp friends would teach me, and I was an eager pupil. I think they half thought it was cool, and half thought it was funny. They’d pick up old copies of the Western Producer and quiz me on farm implements and cattle breeds. I loved it. And this book recalls those times and goes further in depth. It feeds my farm nerdiness.

The only drawback I’ve noticed so far is that it doesn’t feature grain crops that are common on the Canadian prairies (canola, flax…) but that’s OK. Maybe Little M and I will have to illustrate an addendum. ;)

So if you love farming, or teaching, or great illustration like I do, then pick up this book too! And thanks to Aimee for this thoughtful gift!! You are too sweet.

(All pictures are from Amazon.com, all illustrations by Julia Rothman)