Ringing in the New Year...

Happy New Year to everyone. May the year of the horse run strong and a little wild through your year.

J and I started our annual ritual this morning. We have a small journal where we review last years lists. Our accomplishments and gratitudes for the previous year, and a list of our goals, dreams for the coming year. Then we reflect on what we accomplished and our gratitudes and make a list for the year that is closing and a list of our goals and hopes for the coming year.

We are always amazed at how full our years are and how far we've come. This year we ended the year feeling like we worked a lot and didn't play hard. After the list, we realized we spent more time with friends and family, grew our community and had some really good trips. We reached around 50% of the goals we listed, and are on course to hit the others this year (our lists tend to be ambitious!). But, in the end, we love each other more and have found more peace with ourselves and the world. It's all good. My cup runneth over.

Community is at the center of our goals this year. We are looking at creating a community garden at the farm based on a barter system. I am putting it out to some of our friends and think we can achieve the garden we keep planning, but can never quite find the time for. J and I had a conversation this morning about not waiting for the "planets to align" before pursuing our dreams. I personally would love to work closer to home. Three + hours a day in a car to a job 75 miles away takes its toll. I am also grateful, as this job has provided for us tenfold and is one of the main contributing factors that allowed us to purchase the farm. My big dream. But I can't put off the farms evolution until I find work closer to home. I need to focus a percent of my energy on building the property and community I aspire to now.

Health is also a big focus this year. Having found wonderful practitioners who were able to determine what ailed me, has changed my perspective dramatically. And I have found the motivation to make the necessary changes toward obtaining good health and more importantly, maintaining it. These changes have also inspired J to make some changes and place some emphasis on better self care.

So while the winds blow, and the snow falls and the cold covers the pastures over these next few months, plans will be hatched and put into motion. Fencing, outbuildings, garden beds and seed and bee orders will be laid out with great care and intention. This is the year of balance and home, community and connection. I am looking forward to it.

Love to you all! May your year be filled with great care and intention!