It’s mid-morning in my office. A candle flickers cheerily while the washing machine gurgles, shimmies, and whirs through its cycles. Ducklings peep outside my window and sunlight filters down through wind-tossed branches onto the floor.

It’s lovely to be home.

Slowly but surely I’m getting back into a routine that feels good. Writing the history book was all-consuming the last few months, numerous delays causing a backlog of other projects. Now I’m playing catch-up while trying to make time for needful rest.

It’s been wonderful to get back to working with Bear on our farm. We’ve really missed that partnership, the time and energy to tackle projects together. The last few days have been spent outside working on orchards two and three, digging through rock hard soil with crowbar and shovel to get all sorts of things planted. We’ve got blisters and sore muscles aplenty now, but we’ve also got fantastic results: chestnuts and hazelnuts, bush lemons, limes, and apricots, raspberries and gooseberries, wine and table grapes. In the days ahead we’ll finish fencing the orchards, covering them with vital bird netting, and putting in drip water systems to keep them thriving even during drought. I’m so excited to see it all in a few years when everything is established and flourishing.

sunflower against blue skyThrough this book project, I’ve seen how I put inordinate pressure on myself to do it all, all at once. But it’s just not possible. Not for me, anyways. And I’m learning to be gentle with myself, to take time to celebrate one achievement before tackling another. It’s been good. So good. I feel present in my life instead of hurtling along like an express train.

I’m practicing enjoying each thing I’m doing, be it laundry or editing photos, sorting through paperwork or checking on animals. I don’t want to be just a list-checker-off-er, I want to be a list delight-er, a life savor-er.

It’s a much more peaceful life, truly healing and nourishing. I now find myself evaluating my day on how I experienced it, rather than how I performed it, and that makes me smile.

laundry on the lineI’m also working on building good work into my life. There will always be unpleasant tasks we must do or unpleasant people we must work with for a time, but when I have a choice, I’m choosing work I love with people I love, trust, and respect.

Right now I’m working on two books that bring me great happiness. One is a black and white photo book of Italy, the other is a homemade Christmas book. Both feed my creative soul and inspire me no end. It’s so nice to step into my office with excitement and anticipation, squirrel away making beautiful things for a few hours, then head back outside to our beloved farm.

I’m so thankful to be in this place.

Grevillea blossomsWhat work is bringing you happiness this week? xo