Homestead Holiday Prep
Chocolate Box Cottage Diary, Volume 2
Week 21: May 28, 2022
We are spending this weekend prepping for a Homestead Holiday. (Thank you Kathi Lipp for the name.) Once or twice a year, when Sam has planned time off, we dedicate a few days to a week to projects on our small homestead in the mountains.
When you live rural or in an older house, it is so helpful to have time set aside to getting things done that you just can’t get to in a weekend. I think it’s a great strategy for anyone who owns or rent a home or for anyone with a big project or list of smaller projects they want to accomplish.
We plan indulgences to make it fun and special. Mornings are for relaxing on the porch with coffee and tea – no matter what the weather!
Some projects, like refurbishing a shop table into a baker’s bench (we did that in 2019) , we tackle tougher; others are solo, like reorganizing the pantry (2020) or replacing light fixtures (2021).
Our list is long this year. Sam and I feel behind. Unusual spring weather has put us behind bringing in next winter’s firewood and our garden is yet to be planted. Other fix-it projects are piling up, too. We hope to make a good dent in the list over the next week.
Key to success with a Homestead Holiday is preparation. And cleaning. We can’t relax in a dirty, messy, or cluttered house, so we spend a day getting the house ready.
We like sparkling windows and floors, fresh sheets, laundry caught up, and easy healthy food in the fridge, so we prioritize those. It feels like a vacation in our own house AND we are getting much-needed work done at the same time!
Two sourdough loaves in the making – we must have good bread, after all. (Left: whole wheat, orange zest, and white chocolate chips; Right: coffee, cranberry, and hazelnut)
Homemade sourdough toast will go nicely with our morning coffee or tea.
Sand Stars quilt in progress, for evenings after homestead project work is done. This is an ongoing project of about five to six years. I pick it up when I am in the mood and lay it aside until next time. I keep my hand piecing supplies in a child’s pencil supply box for easy access.
Plenty of quilts for snuggling, a bookcase full of books, and a magazine I haven’t had time to read: Greenprints. Sam has purchased supplies needed for projects and has a movie or two in mind he would like us to watch.
Now, I think we are ready for our Homestead Holiday!
Thanks for stopping by to visit. Let me know if you do something like this, or plan to in the future.
Blessings,
Michele
