Holy smokes Batman! There's a chicken in the house! Give-away time! Update!

Well, not really in our house! But it got you wondering didn't it? Mr. Awesome created a new box for our girls that are in the nesting sort of mood. This will help give our other hens a chance to actually lay in The Abbey for a change. We are pretty sure there is a cache of eggs in the meadow. I'm sure we will discover by smell or in the Fall.

It came out neato and in super condition! HEHE! The Batman cut out was from Mini Man's loft bed that he has since outgrew last year. It's a great repurpose and the girls love it, though they are snuggled up in the same box for some reason. Any insight on this appreciated!


These weeks have been busy! I have been harvesting yummy herbs for teas, smudge sticks, bug bite balms, aches and pain balms. I have a few tinctures planned and hope to broaden my herbs to better serve myself. Sorry sounds stingy doesn't it? It's not meant to. I do share! Honest!

I'm seeking out herbs and plants to help me in my Lyme journey. Buying the plants may seem weird but the cost of many of these are expensive!

We were blessed to have the local power company come and take down power from a barn that hasn't been used in at least a decade! There is a rumor the barn and silo are next! GASP! Now we have already looked at it and thought what can we ask to reuse? The answer is nothing. Most of the structure is in terrible shape. Not too much to be harvested or repurposed. Barn wood you say? A great deal is not the "Oh so gorgeous" barn wood you see on Pinterest. So, we aren't going to be crying to see it go.

The structure has been a hotbed of wild animal love. From Skunks, Raccoons to heaven knows what else!

We have had a busy few weeks, from our Annual Turkey Run Adventure, the micro-burst that hit the homestead a few weeks back to taking a self-defense course that still has me achy!

 Micro-burst mayhem in the next few pictures!

This grain dryer didn't have a dent in it prior to the storm! It was also lifted enough to take it off the concrete pad. The farmer took a peek inside to see if it was salvageable and discovered it would be too costly to repair.










This tank was about 10 feet away from this location as well as around the corner from where it landed. Alcatraz (What we call our quarantine area for animals in the background in front of the bus) was also next to the tank but was toppled to the area that you see here. Mr. Awesome did stand it up before I could take a picture. We were amazed! The barn roof also was lifted up on one side of it. Mr. Awesome has since used Hurricane straps to fasten the roof.

 Here is the agile and amazing aggressive (But not surprising) Ms. Peanut! We were gifted a 1 day session with Protective Tactics out of Chesterton, IN. We learned a great deal to help us in case of an attack and then some. While it was fun and informative, I am afraid it was too intense for me.

Part of the practice was to wait for your 'Attacker' to make his move on you so you can show what skills you have learned. I was a big ball of emotions and broke down. It made me irritated with myself. When will these feelings go away? If you don't know my story read a brief summary here- Hope when there was none- My story of surviving abuse . I was very proud of how well Peanut did during this class but it pains my heart to know how much my children experienced. Enough about that! All in all the class was full of good information.

My book is being edited by a dear Friend.  I pray it will be in Ebook form before the end of the year. No frills. Just information how we escaped our abuser and to let others know they are not alone.

I started implementing restorative yoga 2 to 3 times a week. I'm easing into it. I'm also trying to make sure I walk 4 to 6 miles 5 days a week in order to gain more energy and lose my fluff. I hope to stick to my low carb (Keto) and no sugar eating habit. It's all me and I admit I love my sugar and whites. I kicked them to the curb before but need to dig in with more restraint. None of these are good for Lyme Disease.

My garden isn't as flourishing as I hoped. I'm still losing plants to heat, rabbits and now Japanese Bettles! UGH! The dream of canning a bunch of items may not happen. I do have quite a bit of herbs to dry and have found several spots of Elderberry and Echinacea!

WHOOPIE!

I have also missed a few chances to set up to sell my vintage treasures. I have to admit it but I'm beat after working. The time I do have after is spent napping or just trying to catch up on domestic stuff. Then I'm too tired to think about selling. I've enlisted J.V. to help when she and Mike are available. We worked a bit today with inventory but it was a bit warm out despite Mr. Awesome reminding me to turn on the fan... Duh!

I really hope by next Spring to have some digs to call my own for Customers to browse and shop. I would like to host some foraging and herbal concoction classes too.

Oh did I mention I'll be hosting a Give-A-Way of a Pendulum?
What mystical witchcraft am I spewing? How am I a Christian talking about this?

No I'm not talking about conjuring spirits or anything like that. You can use this as a tool to help you with food and your body. Seriously! Feel free to message me for the how-to's of using this privately.

So how do you win? You have to enter of course! I'll be sharing a post about entering on my Instagram account and at Legacy Antiques and Estate Sales within the next few days. More Give-Aways for the next few months.

Also to come are more interviews, 'Someone I think you should know' as well as updates on a few past interviewees.

 How's your month been so far? I'd love to hear from you!

BIG HUGS!
Mel

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Give-away time! Winner will win either 1 necklace or 1 pendulum of their choosing.  Available  Pendulums are #rosequartz , #rosewood , and #opalescence. Like this page or if you already have please Share page on your feed! Leave a comment about which item you would like to win. 1 lucky winner will be chosen on Saturday!

Pendulums can be used as a tool for your health! How?!

You can take it shopping and use it to help you choose what foods are good for your body. As an example:
Is this cheese fresh?
Is this a good buy?
Does this product have preservatives or chemicals in it?
Does this fruit have pesticides?
Is this meal fit to eat?

As you would for muscle testing place a common remedy in your left hand (Peppermint tea, ACV, Eldberry, etc...) and see what the pendulum does!
The fabrics that you wear daily have different vibrations as well and the pendulum can be used to figure out if a particular outfit has good vibrations for you.
Pendulums can be used to help realign the energy of someone that is suffering from Depression as well as Bi-Polar issues.

I was recommended The Pendulum Book by Hanna Kroeger to use. It is very informative and useful as are many of her books!

So! You ready to enter? Head over to Facebook and Like my page- Legacy Antiques & Estate Sales. Comment which item you would like to win. That's it!

Good-bye Cocky Locky!

I'm sad to say our Banty Roo disappeared. He had been experiencing leg spasms and general malaise. I keep expecting him to come out of the field somewhere. I have an infinity towards the Bantam breed or perhaps it's because I love Miniature anything. I am truly sadden by his loss. He was my last Banty.

Now this isn't the first time we have just seemingly lost a chicken out of thin air and I'm sure it won't be the last. In the past when a chicken was under the weather they would wander off never to be seen again. In my mind I try to romanticize that they found a comfy spot to settle down and pass on. The latter is just too intense to think about. SEE! This is why I shouldn't get attached to our farm animals! I blew my own rule. I'm a BIG sap. I cry at commercials. If someone shares their story of woe or happiness, I cry. If someone gives me a tip at work I cry (This is humbling for me. I treat others how I like to be treated and the last 2 days have been very generous and moving for me with how kind guests have been by tipping!).

I'm not a cry baby just very empathetic and caring. If you read my other blog about my journey as a Domestic Violence Survivor I wear my heart on my sleeve. If someone contacts me to share, it is moving for me when someone shares how reading my blog has helped them. I'm not tooting my own horn.

I mentioned in my previous post that I have been offline a bit. I have just been focusing on my family and in the moment. I may cruise around on Pinterest or Instagram but not for long. There is so much to do. I have to plan my day with 2 things in mind:

1) How am I feeling after work
2) How am I feeling in general

Pushing myself is never a good option. I tend to work myself with such intensity in order to get what I need done finished.

Enough about me!

Peanut has the garden detail this summer. She has been doing a great job! Rather then go nuts and just buy more and more plants I figure that I will get maybe 5 to 10 a year and add to our garden and around the home every year.

The plants I had gotten from Mom are looking pretty sad but I pray they will come around next year.

We went on an adventure last Saturday! Each year I ask the kids to pick 3 things they would like to

do or to go. (Within reason of course) Her picks were the Museum, Zoo and Turkey Run. So we went to Turkey Run! We stayed about an hour and then hit Rockville for lunch, antiquing and ice cream. I was able to have a long weekend and I needed to recover from Saturday for sure! The weather was nice, not too hot, humid or rainy. Can't wait for next year! My eldest was unable to go with us as Short Stack is sick with a virus. Poor baby! She is also cutting her first tooth.

Mr. Awesome has been working on various projects. From

getting a spigot for the outside to creating a cabinet for the kitchen about the stove.

Cherries and Mulberries are ready for picking! We picked a few gallon bags but I hope to can some for pies or jelly/jam. Now we have an understanding in the house for no one to mess with the jars at all. I was saddened to have lost dozens of jars because someone popped them before they cooled as well as leaving the rings on. I was horrified when a jar I had given to someone was moldy!

UGH!

It was JV and thankfully she is wonderful and understanding. She gave me a cute jar with a cross-stitched chicken on it that is adorable. I haven't decided what I'm going to fill it with yet. I have my goals, dreams and wishes that I keep in a box perhaps I'll put those in there instead. OR maybe I will just a thankfulness jar. Either way I am so touched!

What a charmed life we live. Rant to follow right now...

I don't get how people can sleep at night when they are untruthful, surly and downright deceiving. I am a terrible liar. I don't even lie well. I recently cut the hose with my Garden Claw and confessed to Mr. Awesome because I felt so guilty. Oh, now don't get me wrong I have done my fair share of untruthfulness. Like blowing money on a donut or something random that I didn't need and not telling.

I feel if I talk the talk I should walk the walk. I'm not perfect. I fail. I curse. I unsavory thoughts. I
don't always choose the right path. Because I think I'm right doesn't mean I am. Such with the situation above. (I still think I am though) I don't always handle situations right. I am a hypocrite. I fail everyday as a Christian. Boy, I sure am thankful God loved me so much he sent his only Son to die for my sins.

Yep, I went there. Before you shut this window please do me a favor.

Why do you not believe? If you curse God or say why does God let bad things happen to me, think about this...

You are mad, hurt or angry at the wrong being. God is not necessarily lovey dovey. He's not looking the other way at sin nor does he want you miserable.

There is one that loves you to curse the Lord. There is one that dances when you fight or shut your heart God or enjoys it when you fight with your loved ones. The devil has dominion over the earth to tempt you, drag you through the bramble and valleys.

The devil is delighting in your misery and your letting it do just that.

God is not a magician. There is no wand to be waved. If there is maybe your praying to the wrong God. Prayers aren't always answered or answered right away for reasons we can not begin to fathom!

Have a falling out with church? Or perhaps people are judgmental/cliquish at church. Maybe your going to the wrong church. I'm going because I want to hear God's word not because I want to join groups or see what this person is wearing or the latest gossip about such and such. I'm going to join hopefully like minded persons. A church should be a place of healing. A place to find comfort. No one there is without sin. Consider it a hospital for broken spirits. And don't harden your heart if that place where you seek refuge is not what it should be.

I had no intentions on writing these things but have thought about my path and how the things of my past have come to be blessings.

Want to learn more check these out:
Common Man's Institute
Reg Kelly
Dr. David Peacock

Still reading? Great! Now look at my life. God has moved mountains and made miracles in my life. Please read my story of Lyme disease as well as a Survivor of Domestic Violence for my story. Also check  here for my vlogs.

I know I am still pondering the wonders of how everything turned out the way it did....

Thanks for listening to me ramble!

Wherever your journey takes you, know I bid you happiness and joy.

BIG HUGS!
Mel

Hiking at Turkey Run!

My goodness am I pooped! I hadn't been to Turkey Run since I was I believe 13 or 14 years old. I don't recall the ladders being so scary! Or having to scale the paths here or there. Of course I believed I was indestructible back then. Bugs didn't bother me all that much, heights, the unknown and leaping over small paths of water. Seeing the park thru the girls eyes was very cool!

We got there about 12ish and ate some lunch then set out for the most important part! The bathrooms! After a quick dash there we were on our way to adventure! Now I have been exercising and doing P90X so what challenge couldn't I handle? Right?

Factor in having a tiny human strapped to my back! LOL! I hadn't given too much thought about this. By about 10 mins into the hike, while climbing stairs and a hill to get to the top of a ridge I was dripping sweat!(Notice the sweat around my neck! I know gross! I sweat at the drop of a hat!


My gosh my face looks HUGE in this picture Is my head really that big?!

At this point in the hike, my calves were screaming and dare I mention if I kept up that kind of work out my bum would probably look awesome! (Remember this is ONLY 10 MINS INTO IT! LOL!) I start second guessing myself whether this was a good idea or not...





Did I mention my fear of heights! Luckily I had a few ladies and men give me a hand at the ladders going down.


Next time I will bring an extra adult pair of hands, it would have been nice to switch off with the baby. Missed having Terry with! Thinking a camp weekend will be in order since there were a few places on the hike we didn't get to.

I was surprised at how gutsy they were! Climbing, jumping, scaling walls, and taking chances!
When did I lose my thrill gene?

 On the way back we did stop in Attica, IN, which is a neat little town. I would have liked to have explored the town more if I didn't feel so exhausted.


We caught abit of the Potawami Fair, we didn't stay too long, I was hoping there would be more Indian type of things, seemed a little too commercialized for my taste. But it was still a nice place to visit!

All in all it was a fun day! I loved what team work the girls used with each other and others!


Now that we are home it's time to put up our hooves and relax...






Now where is the Captain Morgan and 7?