Sneak Downsizing Peeks #2

Slowly, slowly…slowly…it is coming together. Boxes are moving out of the house, and shelves are going up. I’m going to spare you the corners that still have stuff all over the floor waiting for more shelving and hooks, and share some more peeks with you. Oh, and the entire upstairs hasn’t even begun to get unpacked yet–we still have work to do on the walls and ceiling and paint and floors. BUT….now that our big house is finally LISTED (woo hoo!) we can turn more of our attention to our current house.

We got the back pasture finally mowed (and mowed….and mowed…it was a lot!), and spent an afternoon butchering our meat hens. Our layers are parked in our old chicken tractor for the time being, until we can renovate the existing coop and put up some fencing. Who knows when we’ll get around to that?

What you don’t see in the distance over those little hills is the very large mountain behind it, hiding behind cloud cover. Our view is pretty spectacular. It’s very different from living in the woods! I liked the woods, too, but this is a very nice change 🙂

 

 

A friend of ours filled our freezer a bit with some fish he had caught; what a blessing that has been! It’s been very nice to eat outside this summer as the kitchen gets itself in order.

 

 

The cherries we’ve been picking (and then buying!) have been a happy addition to our diet. I just love locally grown food, don’t you?

 

 

Speaking of things already growing here, we’ve been watching the grapes grow. I can’t remember ever eating a fresh grape right off the vine. I hope that whoever buys our other home will be just as blessed with the food already growing there.

 

 

Inside, things continue to be unpacked and sorted, and even more given away. It’s hard to give away that set of creme brûlée dishes! Yes, I used them *maybe* once a year…but I did enjoy and use them. But, in the end, I use my crockpot more, so that’s what gets the space. It is interesting, however, how stubbornly I cling to things that I just plain love and find beautiful; I’m definitely not a minimalist. Nothing on this mantle is “necessary”, but my husband’s grandma gave me the one white pitcher on the right. She insisted I choose things from her home to keep before she died. This was all I wanted, and she gave it to me that very day with the biggest kiss. So…some things never end up in the pile to go away. Downsizing REALLY makes you reassess everything.

 

 

I have many baskets, and I’ve made a few myself, too. I find them useful and do use them–not a whole lot ended up at the yard sale! Doesn’t this look cool in my mudroom? My husband did it, and I love the wire hooks he made. I can use this rack to hang lots of herbs to dry next summer, and won’t THAT look and smell awesome? Or, in winter, I could take the whole thing down and use for drying the wash by the woodstove. His other upcoming project is to build me an apothecary for my herbs–I can’t wait to see how that’s going to look!

 

 

Another thing I love….my cookbooks! So fun to unpack and see again. Three whole shelves full, and that WAS a downsize! It’s nice to have them in view again, and the mugs and cups hanging ready for hot drinks. My kitchen is small and compact (pictures coming!), but I still like to create yummies for the people I love.

 

 

My quiet spot–my desk–is almost in order, where I can write, art journal, continue my herbal studies and keep up with my letters. And blog. Do you have your own quiet spot? I have a chair in the living room I like to sit in also, to do handwork. Things seem to get more calm with me as my own spaces get into order. I’m sure it will be the same for my children upstairs as well, when that comes.

 

 

The loom is set up (happy!) and I’ve begun a new warp for a baby blanket. Why not? I’ve already watched the first few leaves fall from the trees and can smell autumn coming. There is no garden for me to tend right now, so it’s as good a reason as any to begin thinking of those indoor handwork projects.Otherwise, when do I find time? I suppose it depends on how you define “time”. To me, taking 15 minutes is better than nothing at all, and most of my projects are done in just that way: here a little, there a little. One row of knitting is better than none, etc.

 

 

We kept one room downstairs for a sewing/crafting room, rather than a nursery. So, the toddlers are upstairs with everyone else, and this room is slowly coming together.

 

 

That’s all for now! If you’re praying (and thank you if you are!), please pray for our other home to sell quick. We’re learning a lot in this process, and I’m looking forward to sharing more soon.

 

 

Blessings,