Whoa boy has it been a week and a half or what?!? I have been busy, busy, busy since last Friday. Let’s do a quick rundown and then the deets and Friday Favorites at the end. I had two classes this week: beeswax food covers on Tuesday and salves/balms today. I had a LOT of prep for both those classes and both classes are over an hour drive away. I worked four days this week too. I’m still canvassing for a friend. He’s running for a local office and needs people to help spread the word about the upcoming election. I’ve caught up on my blog reading. I attended the second session in the Marketing workshop. You can read about that here. I also went to the NYS Sheep and Wool Festival. I’ll have a whole other blog post rounding that up. This weekend I’m planning on catching up on: making applesauce, processing pears for the freezer for pear pie (and I might as well make a pie while I’m at it!), cleaning the house, unpacking all my class materials and inventorying those materials. And listing my kits in the shop! I have a 3 day weekend with only one appointment so I should be able to get most of these things done. I would also like to make soap so I hope I can fit that in too. I think my next blog post will be the cash spending update. We haven’t been doing as well as I’d hoped but i think that’s mostly because I still haven’t been using a meal plan. So my plan is to write down the meal plan this weekend and then shop according to that plan for next week.
As far as my homesteading classes go, I’m in the throes of my fall classes. The classes have been going really well so far. I had a full house at the beeswax food covers class. I have a class tonight and I know we are almost full. It’s a new venue for me and I’m really excited about it! I have a STEM after school program coming up next week and then my classes are pretty much weekly after that. I’m going to work on more classes to offer for the spring. I could book a couple more classes for December and then I’ll take January and February off because of weather. But I’ll use that time to book classes, work on products, and write classes. I’ll also use that time to work on homesteading plans, updates, etc.
So let’s talk about classes and work. I chose to stay locally this semester and started subbing at my local school. I’ve done this before (same school, about 15 years ago). I always wanted to get my teacher’s certification and work as a librarian in a school. I love teaching. And I’m glad I decided to stay local. I really enjoy meeting people in my local community. That was a goal of mine once we moved back to the fishing lodge. As much as I enjoy holing up at home, I wanted to make sure I made connections in my little town. I never wanted to do that as a library director. Too many opportunities for people to start talking to you about what they didn’t like about the library. It was draining. Actually I think being a library director was just draining for me. Maybe one day I’ll be a director again but I’ll do things differently so it’s not so draining. But for now I’m really enjoying what I’m doing. I don’t get called everyday because they have to call the certified teachers first, but I’m working every time they need me. I also like the flexibility that subbing offers me. And that’s also why I’m canvassing for my friend. I get to meet my immediate neighbors and I’ve really enjoyed that. I’m not very good at meeting new people. I get shy but this has given me a good reason to go up to someone and introduce myself. I try to be very respectful of people’s time and privacy. If they don’t want to chat then I thank them and leave.
Don’t tell the Mister, but I wouldn’t have made it through this past week without him (and don’t tell him that I used his picture again!). He’s done all the cooking and taking care of the animals. He’s been cleaning up (and out) the winter crafting room and setting up it so I can have the girls over for crafting evenings. It’s also the same space where I work on my homesteading business. He’s also helped make my lunches and fixed my coffee for me. He’s encouraged me when I didn’t think I could keep going. What a godsend he’s been. The kitties jump on me as soon as I come in, as does Anna. They are all asking where I’ve been. Why have you been gone so much lately? But I’ve got time coming up to sit and snuggle them.
The sheep and wool festival was so much fun. I think this was the best year yet. As I said above, I’ll do a whole blog post about it but I’ll hit the highlights here. We watched the sheep parade which featured breeds that are in danger of extinction or are threatened of becoming extinct. It was very interesting. And cute. We met the author Elisha Cooper. I’ve known his work for a long time (as a librarian I’m totally addicted to children’s picture books!). He was super friendly and I have a funny story about meeting him, but you’ll have to wait until I write the next post. We met some really nice shepherds and their flocks. I saw old friends that I hadn’t seen in a really long time. We closed the place down at 4PM. It wasn’t as crowded this year due to the weather so it was a really nice day.
So that’s it for the roundup. I’m off to my class and then I’m taking my time this weekend and working my way through my ‘catch-up’ to-do list. I am really looking forward to it. And now for some Friday Favorites.
Once again, I didn’t have much time for digging anything this week but here are a couple of things that I think are fun!
1. This cider is local to me and they do seasonal flavors. Their fall cider is a pumpkin one but with a good story to tell! I can’t find the story online but let’s just say their fall seasonal cider is named “Hometown Homicider” for a reason…..
2. I love bluegrass but sometimes I have a hard time finding new bluegrass bands to listen to so I keep my old favs on repeat…like this one, or see them here.
3. I love fall and I wear my wellies with everything. Literally.
I’m linking up with the co-hostesses of Friday Favorites. Click the links below to see what they’ve been up to this past week!
A Little Bit of Everything / Momfessionals / Grace and Love
Sorry to do a ‘dump and run’ again! I hope you are having a great week. What plans do you have for the weekend? Let’s make it a good one!
-k
Shugunna Alexander
Lol to dump and run! It’s ok, you are a busy bee, I’m happy that your classes are filling up and progressing! I hope the sub-teaching does work out well and I hope you continue to enjoy it. That’s pretty cool of your husband and very thoughtful of him to help with everything while you’ve been running, they are pretty cool at times lol. I really love that picture of him.
I would’ve never thought you to be shy, but I’m glad you’re getting out and getting to know your town, tell your friend good luck with election! Remember to take some self care time, you deserve it🥰
chickenlibrarian
Oh girl! I have such social anxiety sometimes! If I already know you, it’s not a problem but put me in a room with people I don’t know and I clam up immediately! I’m trying really hard to move past that anxiety and try to find something that I can talk to someone about. For example, “oh I really like your dress (or something they are wearing)”. That helps open up a conversation or at least helps make them feel good. It’s hard work though overcoming that anxiety. I guess I’m just a work in progress. LOL!
Tracy
Whoa – you are one busy lady! Your week / weekend must blur on by sometimes. I don’t know how you do it! 😀
It’s also so great to have a partner help shoulder the load. Good on your Mister! I know I wouldn’t make it through many weeks without my husband cleaning up or making dinner… lunch… coffee. Whenever I thank him or praise him he always says, well, I live here too, you know.
I wish you MUCH SUCCESS with your classes. They sound like fun! Plus, the classes must also double as a great marketing tool for your other products. Great way to get your name out into the community.
I never would have guessed you were shy, but people never think I am an introvert. I used to do a lot of outreach for my former work-life and come across as very gregarious. But I find it to be a lot of work and draining. So you just never know!
Looking forward to learning how the “kit classes” go this fall!
chickenlibrarian
Yeah, my week tends to go by so quick. It’s hard to keep up sometimes and I end up burned out. This past weekend I totally crashed. I think I mentioned it before but I have to start saying to no to other things that don’t have anything to do with my business. Or things that aren’t a good opportunity. That sounds horrible but when I’m trying to do too much I end up really cranky and burned out. And then everything suffers.
And I think you described how I operate perfectly. I’m outgoing but inside I’m an introvert. It takes a lot to be outgoing…it’s not my natural way of being. And I recharge by being by myself. I NEED downtime. So that’s a goal of mine…to start saying no and to take the time I need to recharge. I think this will help me stay on top of things and to really focus on the business instead of outside things!