Old Fashioned Living Attempt 2

I start with a happy picture of spring here. We cut a tree down to make room for a fenced garden. We've since added raised beds all the way down the fence line. It's been busy! 

If you remember- back in December I tried out what it was like to live old fashioned. It only lasted one day, but it was a blissful and exhausting day. No cell phone, that was absolutely the best part. I could easily see how controlled by media I had become. Unfortunately life has a way of throwing us curve balls and so my fun experiment was quickly halted. Let's just say it was the spring of health setbacks. 

My grams had a stroke, dad had kidney surgeries, father in law had sudden onset dimentia, and my hubby had a really close call on losing an important finger on his dominant hand- and as a mechanic... It helps to have as many fingers as you can manage to keep. Surgeries, lots of physical therapy,  etc etc. Between that and all the prayer, we have managed- like so many of you out there. Life feels like that's about all we can do right now- "manage." I know deep down though, it WILL eventually go from managing to maintaining, and maintaining to merry once again. 

Sooo... Here we are. It's been a crazy spring and part way into summer now. The garden is going in full force. I have green beans screaming at me to be picked. A local grocery store had to go and put their peaches on sale for .88 cents a pound last week (Fresh Thyme, you know my weakness- cheap fruit!). So now I'm canning 30+ pounds of peaches, then pressure canning all those darn green beans. There never seems to be enough time in the day.

Here's my real excitement though. Hubby and I have been debating whether or not to stay where we are at- or move closer to his work (he's about 50 minutes away right now). He said he is determined to stay right here though. We have made our house something special, with the help of family, friends, and especially my parents. Everyone has put a little of themselves into our home and in a way- it's a little bit their home too. So with that, I told him there is one big bucket list thing I would like to put in... A wood cookstove. He said- order it up. So I did! I will do a separate article on how to choose a wood cookstove, if you are thinking of one too. I've done my research- and we've installed two regular wood stoves already in our houses in the past. 

How does this relate to attempt number two? I'm going to try to live a week in the rustic farming era this fall when the stove is in, and harvests need to be taken care of. Plan to see more old fashioned recipes and lifestyles coming up then! We have to push back a wall to get this lovely lady in- but I will try to keep a photographic account for all you diyers out there!