I've got to get back on track.

On CREATING SPACE + new store, tomato harvest, quick supper recipe, and tending home

Hello my friends,

Some days I find myself racing to get it all done. It’s a fake race anyway, isn’t it? Because the reality is it’s never all done. Still there’s food to harvest this month and that’s where most the days and work begin.

Much of the work that we have to accomplish is self-inflicted. Dang, those homemade tomatoes taste so good - somehow it makes the effort all worth it. Still, there’s certainly much to be cared for.

I toggle between submitting to the fact that life is so much more than just “getting it all done” while at the same time, trying to remember that we’re a self-employed, homeschooling family of six and with that comes great responsibility and many needs. Much of my day consists of caretaking for it all and doing my best to manage the chaos.

And hear me now, it is chaotic. Sometimes it makes me want to cry with overwhelm - managing emotions, managing routine, managing education, managing work, managing stuff. Sometimes it feels like I do it all so poorly. But other days, when the mood is lighter, it’s easy to laugh at the noise and the to-do lists, knowing how fleeting each season of life is and how quickly much of it can be resolved with a bit of space and effort.

Will you help us get our YouTube back on track by liking, commenting, more sharing the video? We listened to your requests and made this one a bit more VLOG style (and I picked the music… what do you think?):

Years ago, a friend introduced me to the idea of creating space. Sometimes this means letting things go, other times it means doing things you love to create a space of happiness in your day. For me, this is cooking. Tonight’s supper is one of the simplest I make: browned ground beef, homemade pasta, garlic, salt, oregano, olive oil, and pasta - topped with Parmesan and basil. A moment of rest and revival is just what the heart needs sometimes to carry on.

Even though our life involves a lot of work and dishes, I feel very grateful for it and I feel very thankful to have days to get things back track. A bit or order amongst the madness, a bit of beauty amongst the tangles. I highlight doubt I’ll ever really get things back on track, but even still, the effort is not in vain. It makes a difference. Here’s your reminder that your efforts matter.

Print the recipes right here:

Ragurecipe

1.14MB ∙ PDF file

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Cheers,

Shaye