Saturday, June 9, 2012

Bigger Boats

Yes, I'm still here. Don't get excited. hehehehe

It's been busy around here as always. Anyway, one day when I actually had time to breath, I was sitting out front of our house enjoying the view of the pond scum taking over our pond,( That was sarcasm folks.) when I remembered what an older gentleman told me once. You see, he loved to go boating. I don't know if he loved to fish on his boat, or if he just loved the whole aspect of just being on the water. Either way, he LOVED it. He said that whenever he purchased a new boat he would love that boat. It was the best boat ever! Until, he actually got it on the water.He would look around at the other boats on the water.  He always saw a bigger and better boat. This made him to never be satisfied with the boat that he had. He would turn to his wife and say, "Honey, one of these days, I'll have me a boat that size." She would just shake her head and say, "There is always a bigger boat."

I got to thinking about how some people are with their homesteading. "If we only had a bigger tractor....."  "If we only had a bigger garden....."  " If we only could have more land...." I admit, I'm one of those people.  I'm all happy with what we have until I see someone who has a better garden, or a better tractor, or (heaven forbid) more goats. In fact I seek out places that I know are "better" than ours. I visit farms where they have many people tending their gardens and their lands and I wish that I had our gardens and lands looking like that.

You know,I use to laugh at people who come to our farm and say things like," Oh, how I wished we had a place like this."   or "  I can't wait to get more goats like you." or " I would love to have all of this land!"  Well, at first I would laugh at them and explain that they wouldn't want it if they knew how much work went into it.  I mean, don't get me wrong, I love our place, but there are times I would give it up for a nice condo near a pool.  Like the time when I was milking the goats and had over a half a gallon of milk in the pail when the dog barked, scared the goat, and the half a gallon of milk ended up soaking me from head to toe.  Or the time I wanted to see my sister graduate from collage, but couldn't because we had no one to milk the goats for us that night.  Or the time that it was 90 bazillion degrees outside and we had to put up hay or the animals would starve that  winter. Oh, and don't forget standing on your head picking the 4 rows of beans in your garden that you were stupid enough to plant all at the same time. (Cough, cough, yes, that was me.)

Yes, I use to laugh when people said thing like that. Because if they only knew what went into making a farm, well, a farm. But then I remembered that I did the same thing when I went to visit those other farms. I was wishing that our farm could be like their farm with nice fences, crystal clear ponds, beautiful, well groomed goats, and a garden that could be in a Home and Garden magazine. I remember, I'm just like everyone else. We need to look at what we have and appreciate it. Someone out there would give their eye teeth for our 50 acres, or 10 goats, or our 1978 Ford tractor.  We need to sit back and enjoy what we have   instead of always wanting something else. Because.............Well?........

There will always be a bigger boat.

So until next time,

Small Farm Girl, boater

11 comments:

Jenna said...

This post was awesome. Really liked it! I wrote this week about appreciating the little things that I've done in the past year (started a blog, moved back to my home country, started my first garden) are things I should be proud of.

I should STOP feeling blue and low because I don't have the farm that I imagine in my mind. (Probably looks like yours. ha!)

I've pushed the bigger boat out to sea, realizing that, if I'm ever to get there, I'll have to swim. Efficient farms and homesteads take work! They don't happen overnight!

Maxine said...

The bigger boat burns more gas, needs a bigger crew to run and will have more "fair weather friends" coming out of the woodwork looking for a free ride on YOUR boat. Sometimes, NOT having the bigger boat is a real blessing in disguise.

SweetLand Farm said...

SO true! We had wanted to start something of a farm, but didn't know where to start. Then a friend said "do what you can now, with what you have." So we did. We got chickens, and started maple syrup on a small scale. We have been blessed with some growth over the years!

Anonymous said...

lol, i spent ten years in the u.s. navy and i personally dont like boats. but i do like the solid earth under my feet on my little homestead...my homestead does not make my living for me but it does help me live. it produces enough to feed me throughout the year and for that i am grateful enough to give it tender loving care. i dont own a tractor, or farm animals..but i have gardens of all kinds and a woods hat gives me shade in the summer and warmth in the winter. to supplement our income i sew quilts, aprons, toys, and restore old linens and such for others. there is a real peace that comes from contentment.

Rain said...

Great post!!--so true!! Two words for you--pole beans!! haha-too late this year-but boy do they make the pickin' easier!!

V.L. Locey said...

Wonderful post and very, very true!

Melissa E said...

Awesome post! I feel the same way, always wanting more space, more animals, a bigger garden...and I am always so surprised when people say they wish they had what we have. Thanks for reminding me to cherish what we have!

Candy C. said...

What a GREAT post!! :)

Anonymous said...

I think in some respects we're all like that. It's a goal. Work hard and you can reward yourself. It's just good ole' human nature. Gives us all something to work towards. Me, I just want my hair to grow a little faster...debbie

Tonya @ My Cozy Little Farmhouse said...

That was an awesome post. It really touched my heart. It seems there are a great number of us who suffer from the I wanna's.

Peggi said...

I heard a story about a who had been guy out mowing his lawn. He went in the house to get a drink and started looking at the magazine "Better Homes and Gardens". The more he read the more discontent he got. This is the saying that came from that moment. "Better Homes and Gardens, better than whose, better than mine".

Just trying to be thankful for the backyard that I have to grow veggies that don't want to grow in the super hot desert.