Rediscovering our inspiration

I am sad to say that, as far as homesteading goes, we have lost our way in the past few weeks. Tomatoes and a few banana peppers are really the only things left growing. The garden has pretty much played itself out, and it's a good thing, really. I have been so busy that I haven't had time to preserve anything, and all the green peppers and most of the season's tomatoes have gone to waste - rotted on the vine or in a bushel basket as they waited.

The only fall vegetables we have taken the time to plant are lettuce and spinach. And my good home cooked meals have become scarce as we run by - gasp! - fast food restaurants in between activities.

Now that we stop and look at our lives as of late, we are saddened. We set our priorities when we first started our urban homestead, and they consisted of God, family and then the homestead. Extra-curricular activities weren't even on the list. Unfortunately, we have taken several on and I now feel committed. They are almost all good, church-centered activities, but still... they shouldn't be our priority.

Granted, I have spent a lot of time lately getting all the kids' new school stuff ready, but school is now in session and we should be able to get back on a routine schedule. That means that instead of running some errand every day, I should be spending my days at home - gardening, canning, and doing projects around the home.

Hubby recognized our shift in priorities before I did, and brought it to my attention. But I couldn't seem to get re-motivated. This week, one thing I have deliberately taken the time to do is to read other homesteading blogs. Other blogs or Web sites, like Path To Freedom, were what inspired us in the first place. So I am finding familiar faces in the blogs I have always loved and discovering new ones - like Timber Butte Homestead.

This essay from their site has inspired me, once again, to simplicity. Granted, we were only off the path for about a month or so, but that can mean a lot on a homestead - even an urban one. Finding inspiration to homestead can be difficult when you live in the city, and I am grateful that I am able to connect, via computer, with others who understand.

In the coming weeks we will be attempting to find our way back into our "homestead" mentality which, simply put, means finding contentment in who we are.