Texas Homesteader ~

I’ve always heard the term “Bloom Where You’re Planted” and I’ve put it to good practice. I was practicing self sufficiency even when I lived in the big city. Don’t wait, start now – wherever you are!

Living An Unfulfilling Life

When I worked in the corporate world I used to dread Mondays. After trying to relax at home over the weekend, cramming in all the “quality” time I could, it was back to work on Monday.

With the intense pressure of it all, sometimes I felt like I was living to work, not working to live.

Changing Life For The BETTER!

Now my office is in a pasture or garden in all kinds of weather. I’ve given up the hope of ever having pretty nails or work clothes without mud or manure.

AND I LOVE IT!

It’s amazing what happens when you love your job this much.

More Time & Effort Needed In Self Employment

Now Mondays are still work days for me just as any other day of the week (except Sunday, which we take off for worship and rest.)

But now I work nights and weekends as well. I’m on call 24-hours each day, 7 days a week, 52 weeks a year.

Gone are the plush climate-controlled offices and predictable work schedules. And also gone are paid vacations & holidays.

And still… I love it.

Self Sufficiency Takes Effort

I’m cooking from scratch almost every day. I’ve incorporated many shortcuts to make Daily Home Cooking Faster.

Still, it’s true that cooking from scratch daily takes more time and effort for sure. But there are rewards that make it all worth it.

I’m keeping our food budget low by buying ingredients instead of more expensive yet less healthy food items.

RancherMan has fresh homemade Honey Oat Sandwich bread at his fingertips since I’m making it several times each week.

(don’t worry, I incorporate plenty of Bread-Baking Shortcuts y’all.)

Gardening For Many Benefits

And my garden takes lots of effort as well. But it’s time I now have available since I’m no longer dragging myself to a 9-5 office job.

I’ve often said that Gardening Can Change Your Life. And for me, it does!

Sure there’s the garden prep and planting. There’s the watering and weeding maintenance during those hot & humid Texas summer months.

And there’s the endless food preservation whether by freezing, canning or dehydrating. But once again, it’s all worth it.

That garden is glorious and productive. It’s a happy place for me to be. And it provides us with healthy food.

Hard Times In Everyone’s Life

I’m not going to suggest it’s all sunshine and roses. We’re out there no matter what when our cattle need us.

It doesn’t matter that the most brutal cold front since the dawn of time is blasting through, if we need to be feeding hay that’s what we’ll be doing.

You’ll find us in the wind and rain hand-feeding our sweet bottle babies in the spring. Or in the sweltering summer heat fixing a broken wire in the fence.

And during the misery that is ragweed season when I would much rather be hiding inside consoling my poor sinuses, we may be out tagging a brand new baby calf or doctoring a sick cow.

There’s many hot hours spent in my garden and kitchen. It’s true that there’s extra hours required in many of the Simple-Life Steps in this life we love.

But it’s not really work if you love what you do this much.

I believe in the saying “Bloom Where You’re Planted”. I’m so very blessed that I’ve been planted here!

~TxH~

How Grandma Would Do Things

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~Texas Homesteader~

Working To Provide For Ourselves On Our Texas Homestead

Living A Self-Sufficient Life: It’s Not Work If You Love What You Do