Still working and resting and resting and working

The garden last summer

Actually, while chatting with you all I am also watching my West Ladies DVD about herbs.  Technology is a wonderful thing (and I am always mentally thanking my blog friend who gave me the laptop when our old computer kept crashing).  :)

I can't tell you how enjoyable the canning and herb DVDs are to watch.  There is so much to learn and they are nice to view over and over (as I'm a visual learner... and slower the older I get... sigh).   It also makes me hope hubby can build the second raised bed (or using the lumber for three small raised beds) soon.  I'll have a little extra money the beginning of May for the garden and I'd love to use some of it for herbs.  If we do build three smaller beds, we may use one of them for strawberries.  Still pondering that decision...

I'm resting a bit after being outside working... actually, I'm resting a lot.  That is a hot sun for April.  Which reminds me, I shouldn't have watched that disaster movie recently about the sun burning up the earth.  Especially with such a hot April.  Creepy...  It's a good thing we're getting back to normal soon or one would begin to wonder.

The raised bed has been hoed and weeded but the decision was made to hoe once more before planting... letting the hot sun bake the soil a little to kill more weeds.  One side of the raised bed will be planted with the two different kinds of green beans.  The other side will get other veggies and the tomato plants.   I decided not to plant squash this year since it takes up so much of the raised bed, I'll plant it again next year (if and when) we extend the garden. 

This morning I continued my "little bit at a time" spring cleaning by moving the extra bags of chocolate chips from the garage to the deep drawer in the kitchen where I'd cleared room for them (they share the drawer with my extra boxes of tea).  When it begins to get warmer, there are a few items that are better kept inside where they benefit from the air conditioning. 

I had to teach myself a different way of housekeeping when I developed a chronic illness and it does work so nicely now.  There are good benefits about housework (lawn and garden work, crafting, cooking, sewing, etc.) done a little at a time... such as... one eventually gets a lot done, it is better to accomplish a little than get behind, and... one can always do a little more when time and energy make it possible.

Over time I have learned to divide work... such as making bread dough for cinnamon rolls in the evening (I use my bread machine on dough cycle), letting it rise in the frig overnight, and then rolling it out in the morning.  I often make either chicken or beef soup stock one day and then finish it the next (which also allows the fat to be skimmed off easier). 

Like my mother-in-law used to do, I like to assemble casseroles in the morning and then pop them in the oven later for dinner... which means all the clean up was also done in the morning.  Of course, there is always the CrockPot with dinner assembled in the morning to serve later.  So many ways to divide work when necessary.

One doesn't have to experience a chronic illness to do a little at a time for there are so many times in life that one experiences less energy (pregnancy, colds and flu, etc.) or time (sports practices, seasonal church activities, work outside the home, etc.).  It's just a different way of thinking and doing but it works (for me).  :)