365 Moments of Joy (continued)
#36 Walking in the Rain
It's raining hard out there today but the dogs and I still went on our walk. Even though it's January, the temperature is mid 50s so it's not that cold out. With a proper rain coat and my farm boots on, I found joy in our walk. The dogs liked it too.
#37 Connecting with the Spiritual Part of Life
My 14 yr old black lab, Remington, crossed over the rainbow bridge a few days ago. Since then life has been tough. I've always been a spiritual person, growing up as a Christian. In the past 7 years, I've studied and practiced Ancient Yoga and Shamanism; both use creative imagination to connect with other dimensions or the spirit world. More recently I've learned self-hypnosis and past life regression. All of these experiences have been essential in healing from the loss of Remington in the physical world. More importantly, the connection with him in the spiritual dimension has taught me so much. I'm thankful for that. I find joy and comfort in those practices.
#37 Daydreaming
For as long as I can remember, I've been a daydreamer. I'm not sure if everyone does this but I can remember even as a kid, I could easily get lost in a dreamland of wonder. Later in life when things got complicated and over scheduled, I didn't slip into that mode as often. I'm not sure one can plan for a good daydreaming moment, but giving myself time throughout the day helps. I just found myself daydreaming about the summer sunrise here on the farm. That brought me joy today.
#38 Out of the Mouth of Babes
I found a coffee mug that just tickled me and I bought three of them. I sent 2 of them to friends. The saying on the cup is “Here's your daily reminder that you're an "f"ing goddess.” I know this may offend some people but it's a risk I'm taking for the story. My friend's 9-year-old son knew that the f word was bad so he assumed that goddess was just as bad. In a moment on the playground where one boy kept hurting his friend, he decided use the saying on the kid. He confessed this to his mom, who quickly explained what goddess meant. His reaction was "oops". We're still chuckling about this, but what if we all used this description when we were mad at someone. I woke up at midnight and started laughing as I thought about the other kid telling his mom what his friend called him. I hope it made all the moms have a giggle.
#39 First Snow
Yesterday was the first snow in 2024 and the first for many of my farm animals. At first, the Sussex hens gathered under their Coop, looking out wondering what the white stuff was. Then I threw some scratch grains to them and they became adventurous. Soon they were out and about in the snow like pros. The turkeys didn't mind the snow and the ducks were fine with it too. The Kunekunes hunkered down in the barn and range house, snuggled up in the straw. Joyous.
#40 Sleeping in on a cold morning
This doesn't happen much and my sleeping in may be earlier than most. But after prepping for the dip in temperatures, I know that the animals are tucked away sleeping in too.
#41 A Hot Cup of Coffee after Morning Chores.
Winter weather is here! Frozen water, frozen ground, frozen fingers, you get the point. Farmers don't get snow days but I don't need them like I used to, when I was a middle school teacher. After morning chores on a cold winter's day, there's nothing better than a hot cup of coffee and a snuggle with my dog.
#42 When the Winter Farm Preparations make Chores so much Easier
I start my winter farm preparations in October. I consider where I'll rotate the animals in the cold weather and where they will be when the ground is frozen. I always bring them closer to the barn and access to electrical outlets. The housing we build is made to withstand all types of weather while providing the healthiest living conditions for everyone. When the farm systems are put to the test, like during the snowfall today, I feel joy when everything goes easy.
#43 My Yoga Practice
Some people think yoga is something that you do on a mat, at a studio, or in special clothing. But through my studies of ancient yoga, I realized that's a westernized version. It works for some but yoga can be done by everyone without being flexible or even standing up. Here's a simple practice I do to be calm and balanced. Place your thumb over your left nostril and breathe in through your right. As you do, imagine red feminine energy flowing in. Then cover your right nostril and exhale jealousy, fear, or things that cause an imbalance. Imagine them as smoke coming out. Repeat 3 times. Now switch to inhaling white masculine energy through the left nostril exhaling anger, resentment, and other things that cause an imbalance. Do that 3 times. Finally, inhale universal blue energy through both nostrils and again exhale negativity through both nostrils. Do that 3 times. Let your breath return to normal. Namaste
#44 learning
I'm taking a course on growing mushrooms on the farm and I'm learning more than just about the process. One case study is on a guy that has changed the world of mushrooms with his research. He's not a PhD, he's a highschool dropout. He stopped going to highschool because he was dissatisfied with the options in the educational system. Now he teaches others. He has a mushroom festival and they discover new mushroom species every year. I'm also learning the potential for growing mushrooms to balance nature when growing fruits and vegetables. Joy
#45 Messages from Friends
Messaging friends is so easy now, you don't have to wait for the mail to send a letter. I remember when I was in New Zealand doing my student teaching and I couldn't talk to friends because there was no Internet at that time. Now, I can send a text or Whatsapp message when I want to say hi or chat. That brings me joy. Last night I got a text from a friend who was just checking in. This morning I chatted with my friend in the UK. Those messages are instant joy..
#46 New Adventures
I haven't always been adventurous but I've always been curious. Growing up in the city of Pittsburgh, my mom took us to the West End library every Saturday. The books were a way of seeing the world from our little neighborhood called Sheraden. That hope led me on an endless adventure of trying new things and figuring out what I liked to do. As my interests changed, I haven't lost that quest for new experiences. They say to grow, you need to be outside of your comfort zone. If that's the case, I'm there. But, I'm not too far from comfort. Maybe that's an essential part of well-being.
#47 Watching a Heart-Warming Movie on a Rainy Sunday Afternoon
Sometimes it's good to watch a movie with a 3 1/2 star rating. It doesn't have to be the most captivating or intriguing plot but you know things are going to work out for the characters. A rainy Sunday afternoon is perfect for that.
#48 Power Napping
I don't get a chance to take a nap often but power naps have always been something I like to do. In college I lived in a house that could have been haunted. There was a parlor that had wooden sliding doors and each roommate had an experience when taking a nap in that room. The sliding doors made the room perfectly quiet for a snooze. During a nap one day, I heard my cousin calling me from the back yard but she lived 1 1/2 hrs away. A power nap is deep sleep that lasts about 20 minutes. When you wake up you're totally rested. Joyful
#48 Taking my Foot off of the Gas
When I'm out on the farm, the work can be hard and sometimes I stop to take a panoramic view. Since the eyes are part of the brain, they're a direct link to the nervous system. By softening the gaze and seeing a wide view you automatically take your foot off the gas and start the relaxation process. You can try a three breath meditation called Time-Space Bridging on my website
https://www.drlisaclow.com/
#49 Completing a dual certification: Essentials in hypnotherapy Skills and Certified Past Life Regressionist
I'm a National Board Certified Health and Wellness coach and every year I take a course to further my skills to help people realize their goals. In 2021, I became a Spiritual Wellness Specialist through the Natural Wellness Academy.. Spiritual health could be the basis for all other areas of wellness. Completion of this new course has made me joyful and I look forward to helping others find their path to Well-being.
#50 Synchronicity
I read books, sometimes several at a time. Many times they synchronize in a message even though the books are on very different topics. Allan Savory 's Holistic Management is one of those books. In yoga, everything is connected; connention is a definition of yoga. If you're interested in learning more about how we can connect with the environment, check out his book. Joy is making those connections.
#51 Routine
Have you heard the statistics on how micro-decisions sap is of our energy and motivation? I don't know specifics but for me, sometimes my to-do list is overwhelming. Today I was headed out to the barn and I felt dread because I thought I didn't know how I would complete the tasks. Then I said, "Just stick to the routine". I immediately felt fine. In fact, I felt joy! I realized my routine saves me.
#52 Chosing to Choose
There have been many times in my life when people have tried to define me. In conversation some said, "You grow vegetables and raise animals?" As if to say, you can't do both. It's true that there's only 24 hrs. in a day but you get to choose (from a chapter out of the book, Essentialism). In all of the choices, I find joy in some and those are the ones that get first place on the list. The power to choose brings me joy.
#53 A Calm Morning on the Farm
I've been working hard this morning on the farm doing a lot of different projects. I stopped to text a friend about a recording her mom did for the Library of Congress Veterans History Project. She sent me the link and as I listened, I moved the chicken fence to new area. As the recording goes, her mom and enlisted in the military in 1955 and she spoke about her time in the service. She described her travels to Japan, where she was stationed. The chicken scratched all around me because they had some new dry grass to search for bugs. Listening while I worked was very relaxing and at the end I thought I should probably search for more of these stories of women veterans.
#54 Deliberately Choosing to be Different.
I've made it to 54 moments of joy! Of course, there were more. Documenting these moments has brought me more joy than I could imagine. My topic for this moment is broad. Stepping back from the mainstream in some aspects of my life is my focus. While farming isn't the most common business to start, it's a lifestyle that more are adopting. Why? Because farming connects us to life. I was struggling to figure out my place in this high tech world and found it in farm life. That's my joy today.
#55 Memories
Happy memories bring joy but all memories are a blessing. We may not consider that until we know someone who has lost their ability to remember. So today, I honor my memories with a joyful moment.
#56 Connecting with a long-lost Cousin
My cousin and I connected for the first time in about 40 years. He wasn't lost, but we just never called, emailed, or texted each other. So whenever I was looking into bringing bees to the farm, my dad suggested I talk to Jeff. I got his email address and wrote to him. We ended up talking on the phone, and he shared some of his 10 years of experience as a beekeeper. He gave me some really great suggestions for equipment and set up.
The beekeeping stuff arrived this week! I'm excited to assemble the hives and set the lore to try and catch a swarm. The bees will be enjoyable to have here, but my reconnecting with my cousin is the joy for today.
#57 Small Wins
One of the last chapters in Greg McKeown's book, Essentialism, is about creating small wins. Another way of saying that is baby steps. I stumbled onto this technique during some big projects on the farm. Since then, I've found joy in the small wins. Sometimes the small win is writing an entry in this blog. My small win today is finishing his book.
#58 Gratitude for my Pillow
I was listening to a podcast last week and the guest said that the first thing she does every morning before getting out of bed was to have gratitude for her pillow, bedding, and bed. Her idea was to get the oxytocin flowing right away. I decided to try this technique and I have to say, it's working. Before my feet hit the floor I've already been thankful for something. Gratitude can be tricky because we forget about the small stuff. Try going without your pillow for a night and you'll find out how much you appreciate it!
#59 The Newness of the Day
This morning I thought about the newness of the day. Each day comes with the opportunity for success, joyousness, and progress. When I turned on the coffee machine the message said to descale, which is is a good description of what our body does when we sleep. After a well rested sleep we feel rejuvenated, fresh, and ready to start on the journey once again. That thought brings me joy.
#60 Spending time with the Rabbits
The rabbits are so relaxing to be around. They know me and they know their names. Sometimes things get hectic and I don't have the time to hang out with them. Today I made the time and it was so worth it. My newer rabbits have settled in and are a part of the community. The Champagne d'Argent rabbits I have are so friendly and the Creme d'Argent rabbits are getting there. When I went to the Dr.s the other day, my blood pressure was 117/74. The nurse was shocked and said that's really good! Being around animals will do that for you. I don't know what my BP is right now but I'm pretty sure it's low. Thank you, rabbits.
#61 Rising Above it (it being everything)
I'm not sure if this needs more explanation. But this joy comes from knowing yet rising above.
#62 Warmth
It's cold and rainy outside, but I'm warm and cozy inside right now. I thought about what life would be like if I didn't have a warm place to be. Then I felt overwhelming gratitude for this moment in time.
#63 Realizing Potential
One of my friends commented that I'm living the homesteader's dream. That made me think about what I call this place and what I'm doing. I don't really call it homesteading but maybe I should. Or maybe I should coin a new term, because what I'm doing is similar to homesteading. It's also similar to farming so what is the difference? I'm not sure. When you say farming people now think of big commercial industrialized forms that grow GMO, soybeans, corn or sorghum on a rotating basis. I like to think about what I'm doing like a modern day Victorian farmer. I don't know if you've ever seen the series, I'm not sure which platform it's on. But if you google the Victorian farmer or Victorian farm you may see a couple episodes where three people live as they did in the Victorian age on a farm growing crops and animals like they used to. I feel like I'm doing this yet with some modern technology. When I think about making a change to this type of lifestyle, I realize the potential for changing people's lives. That brings me joy.
#64 Holding a Duckling
Ducklings are different than chicks. They're super loving and immediately snuggle in when you hold them. Yesterday evening, I went to check on the duckling. I saw another one had hatched so I held them both to build a connection between them. Soon the older one was giving support to the newly hatched little one. The joy that ducklings bring is a special treat after a long winter here on the farm.
#65 Weight for it
I'm taking a break from morning farm chores and I'm smiling right now. Yesterday, I realized that my pigs are overweight. But that's not why I'm smiling. My mentor said my pigs need to eat less, move more, and I should switch them from having a sugary snack like banana to a low sugar snack like berries. Here's where the smile comes in. I gained some weight over the winter. My health coach (Yes, I have a health coach and I am a health coach. I follow the Virta Health plan) suggested that I eat less, move more and switch to low sugar snacks like berries. Now you see why I'm smiling? It's just a matter of changing things up a little bit, so we're all getting a reset. I see better health in our future!
#66 Entrepreneurial Homesteading
I listened to a podcast about redefining modern homesteading. I had to think back to the original use of the word. The Homestead Act of 1862 was meant to encourage people to move west and build populations in western territories with land grants.
Most of us of have to buy our land nowadays. There are still some big family farms, but they're dwindling as the ultra rich and corporations scoop up large tracks of American soil.
So what does that mean for people like me who decided to homestead with the purpose of raising and growing my own food; serving the community by providing an option for healthy, locally grown food. I'm in a small niche of people who have ventured into this lifestyle with an entrepreneurial spirit. Some homesteaders feel like poverty is a way of life, but others prefer an abundance mindset. Those who worked the full career, saved up money, and now might have a retirement pension, annuity, or investments with returns are perfect fit for entrepreneurial homesteading. You'll work harder, feel so much at peace, and get so much satisfaction out of this business /lifestyle adventure. That thought brings my joyful moment today.
#67 Intention and Attention
These two processes are essential for daily life yet sometimes I forget. Have you ever been ruminating on a thought that had nothing to do with what you wanted in your life? Setting the intention to bring something into your life is the first step. The next step is paying attention to your thoughts. When I redirect my thoughts to those goals, desires, dreams, and outcomes, I find joy
#68 When My Website Works Better
I haven't been posting my moments of joy because of changes in my website providers app. They've updated the ability to make changes from my cell phone and that brings me joy. So many times, I write about the joy I feel while I'm out on the farm taking a break from work. I waited for the updates and having them working out the glitches, which felt like a long time. But it's working and I'm back to the blog. That brings me joy.
#69 Teamwork
Farm life is my thing. My husband supports my dreams and sometimes that means rolling up his sleeves and working hard. There are big jobs that I can do myself but things go smoother with help. When he pitches in and helps out, it's the teamwork that brings me joy.
#71 Getting lost in my thoughts
I was listening to a podcast and the expert said that many people don't want to meditate because they're afraid of being alone with their thoughts. I don't think I ever felt that way. I remember in my younger years spending time just quietly reflecting. I don't even know what I would think about but without realizing it, I had been lost in thought for hours. As life got more complicated I found less time to do that. Today, I had a cancelled appointment that gave me a few hours of unexpected free time, a joyous chance to get lost in thought. I need to remember to add more cancelled appointments into my schedule.
#72 Connecting with local farmers
One of the benefits of selling farm products is connecting with other women who also have farms. Whether it's 1 acre or 100 acre farms, many women have decided to connect back to the Earth. They raise their own food, raise animals, and sell farm products. The other day someone that bought a turkey from me last year emailed me with some pictures of goats that were born on her farm. While I'm not ready to add another species here at Beachdog Farm, the goats were so cute! We talked about bartering goat's milk for a Thanksgiving turkey. Since we both own our businesses, we have the freedom to do that.
I can remember in my last days of teaching at a public school; I kept dreaming of the freedom of owning my own Farm and running my own business. I longed for being able to make the work decisions that impacted my life. At some point between now and when I started my farm, I lost sight of that decision-making power. Thank goodness I got it back! Connecting with another farmher is one of the joyous moments in my day.
#73 Making Bone Broth
I use homemade bone broth in most of my recipes for the taste, texture, and nutritional value. There's something different about using heritage breed, slow grown bones to make the broth. One of my customers bought a second turkey from us specifically to make the tasty elixir. After cooking a rabbit, turkey, or chicken grown on our farm, I simmer the bones in water on the stove top or in the oven. After some time has passed, I strain the broth and freeze it for future use. That's my joy today.
