Staycation on the Homestead

We've got family coming to visit from out of state next week so DH scheduled some vacation time to be here. His work has been really slow (it's a feast or famine kind of job) so the company sent him home early and said to come back after vacation. We could have taken off for a few days but that wouldn't have been practical. Paying a critter sitter on top of travel expenses when there is no income coming in is not wise. We keep a little change socked back for the slow work times but didn't budget for vacation this year. Instead we're getting a little extra work done around the homestead and enjoying simpler, free fun during the down time. And we've found joy in the little things!

For the first time in the 15 years we've lived here, our peaches survived til picking time! DH presented one to me in the way a young man delivers flowers earlier. We didn't plant the trees so I don't know what variety they are but they sure are delicious! I put several in the dehydrator to use in the winter for oatmeal and hopefully will have enough to make a batch of DH's favorite peach butter.

Last night we watched an old movie, "Arsenic and Old Lace" with Cary Grant. We laughed and laughed and enjoyed the good clean humor in black and white. It was refreshing!

Today DH is getting the yard work caught up. Our mower had broken down a few weeks ago and he had to replace the deck with an old one that we kept for spare parts. The grass and weeds had really took over and the song line "welcome to the jungle" ran through my mind every time I stepped outside. We routinely walk around the yard every evening- watching the chickens head in to roost, the goats find their resting spots, the kittens batting a red clover bud in the last of the sunlight. It's so relaxing. Sometimes DH will start a fire in the fire pit or we will have dinner outside, when there's a breeze to dissuade the mosquitoes. All that stuff is better when the grass isn't tall!

Meanwhile, I've put a pot of ham and beans on the back burner and will stir up some cornbread shortly. While I type this post, there's a cat snoozing at my feet and a dog stretched out beside me on the couch. Clouds are rolling in and a pop-up storm is likely, maybe even a cooling rain.

After all the work is done today, I might challenge DH to a hand of cards. I'll practice a new song on my guitar while he snoozes rests with his eyes closed in the recliner. We'll grab an iced tea and walk around the yard one more time. I'll tell him how nice it looks and what a great job he did. He'll grin and hold my hand.

This weekend is the Watermelon Festival in our hometown. Crowns will be awarded to "Miss Watermelon" in every age group from baby to young lady. There will be pet shows and rides and lots of free watermelon. Who can say "no" to free watermelon?  Maybe we'll take the back roads, find a geocache, get a root beer float, spray each other with the garden hose...who knows?