Hectic week...easing into Slow Summer

 

Good Morning!

It is Friday after a Monday holiday so naturally I have no

idea in my head what day it really is...could be Saturday

for all I know!

This week has been challenging.

One small thing after another then one big thing...

yesterday we had a *planned* Eversource shut down.

When the power went off our generator came on as usual.

2 hours in we got a power surge that shut down the generator and

fried the electric boards of the furnace & hot water heater.

It was quite scary to hear the main breakers trip all at once in the basement

while the generator shut down and the power went out.

I took the dogs and ran outside, calling the Mr. on the way .

It may have fried other things that our electrician and heater guys will

check today. The power company did come out last evening and the

guy was super nice, checked the main feed which was ok.

But he was honest about whether they would admit a power surge

cause the breakers to all trip and fry out our

 mechanicals even though it appeared to him

that is what happened. 

. I am just praying the evidence we have from our electrician will get them

to look at our claim...time will tell.

In the meantime we have no hot water which is fine for a bit.

The thing I was worried about yesterday & why we got our electrician here

stat was the baby chicks. They need 85* at least temps.

They are fine now.

It can be hard to address many issues here if there is no power.

Where we are, if there is no internet, there is no cell service either.

You have to move to the far end of the property to talk to anyone 

or even text. I am truly grateful that we do this as a business.

I could not imagine trying to find an electrician on such short notice.

Most of my days are now spent out in the gardens or with the flock.

The sun dictates where I spend my time...and I love it.

I have my morning sunshine chores ( so I can ground and get that am sun)

and my noontime watering & free range of the chickens, then the evening

free range and tucking them into bed.

All the while plugged into that magnificent sun.

The nights are just magical.

I could stay out all night.

But I need my 8 hours.

One last look at the babies.....

Then I am ready for my nighttime ritual..

( except for last night)

Epson salt bath, no blue lights 1 hour prior, red light on sore parts,

magnesium, prayer

and my new sleep sound...gentle thunderstorm.

I sleep like a baby.

Sunday is June 1st.

And I may want to start our Summer series early.

I am ready in my personal life to move onto the next best version

of myself. So why not drag you all along for the ride?

😀

I promise though...this Slow Summer will be gentle and easy.

For me, it will be a time where everything I have been working on

for the past few years aligns.

I have reached the part where my outsides need to reflect the 

healthy changes I have made inside..but quite differently than I have

done it before. Some folks call it a glow up... I just call it

coming home .

Home to who I was always meant to be, to my authentic self.

Without anyones judgements or criticisms in my head.

Paring down recipes to the best, most nutritious is part of that.

This dressing is my favorite.

The proportions are to your liking but I have given up on bottled.

Too many junk ingredients for me.

On a salad, even chicken ( use more mustard) or sautéed broccoli- yum!

My mantra these past few months.

I can not wait to share what I have learned with you all.

Have a truly blessed Friday friends.

Thank you for being here.

xoxo

Raven

Can we just move on and start living now?

 

Good Morning!

Rise & Shine!

I have been outside early getting in that sunrise light.

It will be a beautiful day here today and boy do I have tons of

chores that I have left slacking...

Bags of clothing to drop off, chicks to get outside in the grass,

general cleaning etc...

That looooong weekend plus being away yesterday was 

needed but it threw me off my usual schedule and I have been

trying to keep to a more scheduled day.

It is good for me to parse out my time in blocks that allow

me to be productive and also gives me gaps to rest.

I wish I had learned this years ago.

Days flow seamlessly this way.

******************

So, while I do post here a lot

 I do not always post everything obviously

about life that may be happening.

I lost Beauty this weekend.

It is the 3rd loss this month and my heart is sore.

She was a beauty...my grandson named her shortly after

her birth last year. She was blind and had many other issues

but she also lived a lovely life in her own coop she shared with her

*spouse* Apple Cider my silkie roo. He is lost without her.

I am trying to see if he will join in with the other girls right now.

It really is up to the flock who comes into it... I do not force.

For now, he free ranges with them when I am out there to watch.

I will miss her....

So yeah, this month has had it's sadnesses.

I choose to focus upon the good though.

I am not a wallower, I mean how selfish is that?

Life continues on and I know that for sure

my mom would tell me not to squander a moment of it, even in loss.

There has been so much to be grateful for. 

Mothers Day, my birthday and this loong weekend with 

my grandson being the highlights.

We took in the zoo. 

And I must say that I have been going to this zoo for decades and

only now just felt the joy and happiness in seeing the animals.

I mean,  I always loved them but this visit was different.

I connected with so many.

What surprised me was the flamingos which I never really cared for before.

Gosh what beautiful creatures!

Their color is just the most perfect mix of salmon & pink.

Truly gracious and lovely as they just exist....

and we marvel at how amazingly beautiful they are!

The deer was magical. 

She was so peaceful  just standing there in the mist of the early morning forest.

I connected with her immediately.

If I could have a heard of these deer that lived in the forest around me I 

can only imagine how much calmer I would become.

And wow... that lion was magnificent...truly.

He reminded me of a few  people I know who stand their ground.

 Direct eye contact with every patron standing at the fence,

 protecting his female ( she was also amazing) and his home.

 Brave and bold.

Just wow.

Nature + me ...we go way back.

Before people started disappointing me, I went into nature to 

escape the noise and irritation of a world dedicated to selfishness & greed.

Nothing has changed. 

Nothing. 

Me.

Or the world.

 I do not affiliate with any position or man made *box*.

In any way, shape or form.

For me,

common sense & the ability to think on my own feet

 is the recipe to a  successful and emotionally mature  life.

So I have always had mentors who did as much

 and followed that guidance for my life.

Lately, I care no longer to explain myself to people

who demand me to be whatever they envision me to be to fufill

some vacant hole in their lives.

It is only a recent thing.... having to defend who we are to 

those who carry no actual weight in our lives.

Justifying everything we do so we can then appear worthy

in their eyes.

Ugh... it is gross.

God is my only accountablity.

And when I speak of God I do so with so much reverence .

Most have no idea what my back story is.

That is fine. 

We all have been through our own stories.

My faith is solid, has been for most of my life.

It kept me from the grief of deep despair & loss.

It healed me and has been THE ONLY thing

that I could grasp upon when the $hit hits the fan.

I wish I could say it better or explain how nature and faith

and God and light are all entwined in my life.

But I can not. 

So I go on always being misunderstood.

I was born feeling like this.

I am sad for those who make such a huge deal over

peoples differences and not on what brings us together.

But I also know when God moves, he clears out the unnecessary

underbrush keeping us from being our best selves.

In this period of immense growth and clearing in my life, I am hugely aware 

 how blessed I am even on days when it can make me weary.

Connecting with and healing with nature while co-existing with it

it is how I heal. 

I raised my family this way .

It is not new to me. 

It is not a trend I have just recently embarked upon.

In that vein, 

I will be focusing on nature based ways

we all can use in the weeks ahead.

Slow living is the focus of this summers series and that includes

ways to disconnect from the madness we have been coerced into

living. There is a better way, gentler ways to employ wellness

into our lives that I have actually tested out for you all

and for which I will be sharing.

Last year we did kind of the same in our Summer Camp series.

This year during the Slow Living series I will bring you into my own

life here at Stone Hollow where you can see what I have been

working on to make our lives healthier for us people and for the animals

that I care for and those who visit us through the day and seasons.

Unlearning is step #1.

We will start Friday June 20th, 2025.

My heart is sore and I am slightly weary over 

the many losses I have encountered this month.

It has been a month where I examined what I was doing and if I should 

continue doing  it.

I prayed for answers.

Oh but...

The answers are always right in front of us....

For me it is that tub of baby buff Orpington chicks in my breezeway

 that gives me the hope and promise for tomorrow.

Right back where I started my chicken journey 10 years ago.

That is my answer.

The lesson for me in all of this: loss of beloved pets and disappointment 

in humanity is that I must continue on knowing it will all work itself out.

The true crime would be to stop, stagnate and refuse to grow

 That is where the bitterness and resentments fester.

Light is the universal disinfectant to darkness in any form.

May you all have a great Wednesday.

Much love,

Raven

xoxo

🦞 Memorial Day weekend

 

Damn it.

I suddenly lost Maple yesterday.

Ugh...

My sweet as pie Cream Legbar hen who followed me around like a puppy.

She laid the most beautiful blue eggs.

Losing two hens in this past month has been rough.

( neither related. one was 8 and the other had laying issues from birth)

But it has been a kick in the stomach.

Life will always surprise you, sometimes in not so wonderful ways.

As I get older I am more adaptable to its ebbs and flows.

I know that my flock is really lucky to be mine.

I also know that I am super fortunate to have them.

Many days they have saved my heart.

This is one view of my heaven.

I am sure that I will see all of my babies one day again.

Now, what to do moving on?

I wish for more Maples. 

Of course I do.

Will I get them?

Stay tuned.

In other news....

Remember Lucy the Goosie?

She has been with us for like 3 years now.

Injured and not able to fly, she made her home here.

Well... something happened this Spring.

Lucy had babies!!!!

Oh my this warmed my heart.

This weekend is a big one for many people.

It is the unofficial start of the Summer.

We will be hosting an overnight guest.

He now has a big boy bed.

( this made me sad a bit)

But we have so many plans to celebrate summer with our guy.

What will you all be doing this weekend?

I have decked out the house.

Purchased the lobster & American Flag sweaters.

( coastal Gramma & Fisherman chic is a thing this year... LOL! 🦞)

I have rustled up vintage treats.

Plus we will be having hot dogs.

Nothing special.

Just hot dogs & baked beans.

Simple.

When my daughter asked me if I will be making the viral

lobster cake....well I said yes.

I will post my cake photos so you can judge how well I did.

My home decor....

Can you tell that I live in New England and love decorating for the summer?

I have been fully present in my days now.

So the only bit of advice I can give from my perspective now

going forward are these two nuggets.

Walking is my go to for when my mind wishes to wander.

I put on my theme music for my summer - Yacht Rock station

on Pandora and just clear my mind of so many things .

I pray that you all have a great weekend.

Remember to hide that 10$ for ice cream in your car.

Stop and enjoy the beautiful scenery God has gifted us with.

Ignore everything that does not support a happy life.

Blessings,

Raven

xoxo

Monday, May....sweet frozen yogurt clusters

 

I made it to the sea on my birthday.

Happy Monday Friends!

How was your weekend?

Are you ready to start a whole new fresh week?

I am learning that in order to be happy in life

one must return to themselves once in a while.

For me that means a visit to the shore.

I never realised how much a part of myself

salt water was until very recently.

Visiting my old beach frequently has made a huge difference

in my quality of life.

This weekend we went down to where my family used

to weekend. My husbands father lived there and 

we spent a good amount of our newly married years

there in the summers.

The weekend before Memorial Day is usually quiet

of summer folks but the businesses are working to get

everything just right.  I had what was my first whole

lobster in decades, I walked the beach, grabbed a 

souvenir sweatshirt. The puppies loved the lobster...

who knew? And they each got a beach rock to lick

( something I used to do with my first pair of 

Pomeranians) for their souvenirs.

Silly small things like that make me so happy.

When I came home I felt wonderful.

Sometimes you just need that time

to refresh.

Back home I checked in on the babies ( they are wonderful)

and got to work on the chicken laundry.

I use the towels to clean the cottage and for check ups/

care. After a long Winter they needed to be scrubbed and

hung in the sunshine. I opened the outdoor sink on Saturday

so it was time.

Cooler crops like those collards and kale will

have another week before they think of 

bolting. It is supposed to be a cool and wet one.

Can we just have a moment for May?

May is one of my most favorite months.

It is the month where I grow the most.

It is the month where Mother Nature

just shows off and produces some of the 

most beautiful , precious moments.

It is a months  where I do believe if you set your

mind to it, you can achieve most anything.

I have been slowly switching out of sugar

again. I only started back in February but what

it did to my body was noticed .

I will not sacrifice my after supper treat.

I mean, I have lived to be this old to

have some small luxuries ... lol!

I was so surprised at how easy & satisfying

this is to make & eat.

I use any berry and have even used bananas.

For more protein I can even see adding some nuts.

A healthier alternative to my after supper sweet craving.

Here we are... Monday.

Full of promise ... a blank page.

Blessings,

Raven

xoxo

Carrot Ribbon fettuccine & the start of *Slow Summer*

Hello.

How has your week been?

My internet is seasonal, meaning it gets spotty in the Spring & Fall.

I have no reason why- just does.

Limited calls, FaceTimes , texts, podcasts and blogging.

So I focus on what I can do, usually larger projects

around the property. I am available to baby the babies and 

be with the ones who are older...like my sweet Wyandotte

Carrie who passed yesterday. I was able to give her

my time and love as she passed.

Here she is with her sister...she's on the right .

I am happy for the special time we had together in 

her final days. She lounged in the gardens as I dug in the dirt,

throwing her grubs. I will miss her darling coos.

*******

I also have been fighting off a Spring cold.

First one in ages.

A fresh box of tissues and some oscillococcinum ,

hot lemon & honey tea, 15-20 minutes in the sunshine

will fix me right up.

I had plans to visit the coast for my birthday but I will

be putting that off until I feel better.

Being momma hen & tending to my flocks is just fine for me.

I have heard many times in my life that you 

have to surrender to win. 

I just never understood that way of thinking .

I am a  scrappy gal.

I thought fighting every day was the only way

to be heard or to live.

It may have been at one point, I just do not need it

anymore. 

Picking battles, choosing how I spend my time,

being gentler with myself overall has been a game changer.

Remember the chart in my last post about

what is in /out of my control.

That.

( go and take a peek)

We have free will to choose all sorts of things.

That is wonderfully freeing.

Sometimes I choose to let it go.

Whatever it is.

My peace is priceless.

Surrender.

Sometimes we can surrender.

To God, to circumstances to choices out of our control,

to small hands that tug at our sleeves.

And you know what?

It's okay.

It is okay to just BE.

This season I am excited to live softly, without much fuss.

-without the intensity of the past.

No competition , no strife, no more angst.

Leaving that all behind.

My clan, so to speak, is intimate and endearing.

The days of my week are finally forming

a web of relationships that are easy and light.

I am embracing this easy way of life now

where I fought it for so long.

All I had to do is focus upon what I could control

and the blessings are many.

I am spiritually, emotionally and physically

 on a healing path of great success.

This summer I will be writing a series on living slow.

Being present in the moment, gentle healing,

intentional relationships.

Embracing the many ways of just *be*-ing.

I hope you join me.

😊

*******************

Behold! the sweetest fairy egg!

I adore getting these & save them all.

It is  unusual to get them but not uncommon.

What are you all up to this weekend?

I hope that it will support whatever brings you joy.

Remember to stash some $$$ in your glove box for

surprise ice cream!

One of my favorite things to do in the warm weather.

Here is a recipe from one of my most used cookbooks:

The Forest Feast.

I am counting macros and bringing in healthier carb options.

This is a great side.

Embracing

Slow

Summer

Starts in just  a few weeks ....

💚🌳🐝🍦🌝

Raven

xoxo