Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Farm livin' is the life for me!

I've started my own farm. It's a small plot of land but it suits me just fine. I've planted eggplant, squash, and wheat, and I have three trees growing.

Okay, you probably guessed that I'm not actually out there tilling the soil, toiling away in the hot sun wearing a wide brimmed hat and coordinating gardening gloves. I'm in the house and my garden is just a few clicks away on... gulp... Facebook.

I still don't know how I got started. John showed it to me and I thought it might be kind of fun. So I set up my "person" and planted a few seeds. My crop of strawberries (harvest in 4 hours) withered but I caught the eggplant (harvest in 2 days) in time. I started with the small stuff. A plot of strawberries here, a plot of eggplant there. Pretty soon it was soybeans and now I'm into the heavy stuff... squash. Low point? I was explaining to a friend how she could "plant her strawberries in the morning and then she would be able to harvest them during her lunch break." And it actually didn't sound crazy while I was saying it. Only when I thought about it just now. And typed it out. And re-read it.

Oh, boy. How did I get here? Why did I start?! I may have become slightly too interested in growing vegetables I can't eat, can't sell (for any real money) and can't actually touch. But there's something kind of peaceful... maybe even zen-like... about taking a few minutes to see how my crops are doing. That's it. I don't have to pour blood, sweat, and tears into this. I don't have to worry about paying bills on the land. And I don't have to think much in advance... only 4 days for wheat, 2 for eggplant, 4 hours for strawberries.

Hopefully the time goes fast. I only have 6 coins left and I want to harvest so I can add some funding. I want to buy a cow or some chickens... but I would settle for a few more plots of wheat.

Sometimes Katie just cracks me up!

Last night, she was sitting with John while he was playing poker on the computer. When I told her she should go pick out some jammies, she said, "Daddy, when you're done with your stupid game, will you come with me to get my jammies?" John said yes. Then she said, "And then will you hold me again?" John said yes (because what else is there to say when she's being so sweet!).

She wasn't as sweet earlier today. She told me she wanted to go to sleep so I should turn off the TV. When I didn't, she pulled out her "ear mups" - some wooden animals that she pressed to her ears. After a few minutes she said "That not working." And she switched to two of her Knex pieces. She said they worked better but I'm not sure about that.

Now tonight we were outside and she was riding on her bike. She got off, came over by me and Jake, and said, "Mom, I have to ask you some queshons." (That's how she says it.) Then she said, "Uh oh, gotta go catch those villans. Just like on Scooby Doo." And she went and got on her bike and wheeled off.

She played with grandma for awhile and then went to the store with daddy. It's 10:00 now and they just got home. Jake is sleeping and Katie is getting close. I hope!