Re-energizing With Inspiration

It is easy, at this time of year, to get swept away by the busy-ness of the season.  Every where I look there is something calling to me... an area to be weeded, an animal to be groomed... the list is always endless.

I have found that if I don't intentionally make time for relaxation, it never happens - and I end up working from sun-up to sun-down.  And although I enjoy all of the work and try to find magic wherever I can,  occasional relaxing recharges my energy reserves.

Finding a peaceful, beautiful spot...

with a friend...

or two...

I relax and lose myself in the moment, with the wonderful fragrance of the garden filling my head.

Monday's blog elicited the question as to what magazine I enjoy.  You might have noticed that I had a copy of "Taproot" magazine on the table next to my tea.  This particular periodical is, perhaps, my most favorite ever.  The subtitle is "For Makers, Doers, and Dreamers" and I consider myself each of those.   I was introduced to this magazine by a blog friend... who sent a copy to me and I immediately fell in love.  It is an advertisement-free, independent, bi-monthly publication filled with lush photography...

recipes...

sewing projects...

 knitting patterns...

thoughtful essays...

and, oh, so much more.

Although I am trying to reduce our use of paper, I do subscribe to hard copies of this and also "Enchanted Living" magazine.  Both of these magazines are the kind that I like to keep or pass to someone else.  They are richly full of cover-to-cover reading. Enchanted Living has very few advertisements and only for things that relate to the magazine.  

For those who, like me, believe that there is a magical unseen element to life... this magazine is perfect and so much fun.  It has articles, poems, stories, a few recipes, and tons of incredibly beautiful photographs!  It whisks me away to another dimension and inspires me to seek more magic in my own life.  (These opinions are strictly my own and I am not receiving any compensation for this.)

As for Magnolia Magazine - while I do enjoy this magazine, it is not one to which I would subscribe.  But,  despite my efforts to have it stopped... they just keep sending it to me for free! 

You might have noticed that the tea in my teacup is very weak... it is a combination of herbs that I found around the farm (and it's delicious)...

fresh lemon balm leaves-

wild yarrow leaves-

and cleavers leaves(also known as bedstraw or sticky weed)

I've been trying to learn as many of the indigenous plants as possible and their culinary uses.  This (and the internet) is my information source...

Though it is important to note that too much of anything is never good.... so I only have these homegrown herbal teas on occasion.

I spent a little time in the dry lot with the herd yesterday.... brushing, trimming, shedding, picking hooves. By the time I finished, they were all looking a bit less wretched...

and I was covered in horse hair.  Seriously covered!

I noticed that the barn swallows are no longer making nest improvements.  Their nest is complete - with decoration and all.

Now, Mama sits and lays her eggs.

One down, several more to come....

And, in the mean time, the two Beatrixes are keeping watch.