Wildflowers.

Today I went walking. 

When I walk, I think about my life... 

Sometimes it makes me sad. 

Not today. 

Today, I realized once again just how fucking fortunate I am. 

I am seriously the luckiest girl in the world. 

I have a kind, loving and beautiful family. 

I am strong. I am confident.

I am SO blessed to be in Oregon. 

I am ALIVE. 

So, why NOT be happy. 

So...

I started smiling. 

I started picking wildflowers and handing them to people I passed. 

I started walking slower. 

I started looking up, instead of down. 

I looked around and realized, again, how beautiful everything was. 

IS. 

I love when the sun is out.

I love when people hold hands. 

I love when you can tell someone is in love. 

I LOVE when people smile back at me. 

I love doing random acts of kindness to the people who need to be reminded 

JUST HOW GOOD LIFE IS. 

Because, boy, is life good. 

Please, if there's one thing that I want YOU, who ever you may be... to remember is that.

Life is happiness.

Life is rain in the fall.

Life is that one cloud in an endless blue sky. 

Life is the baby nephew that is growing bigger each day.

And

Life is flying by. 

So

Don't waste it in misery. 

Don't waste it with sleep.

Don't waste the moments you'll remember when you're old.

Don't waste the dark pink sunsets and the sweet deep kisses. 

It's too great. 

<3 

Have a good day! 

Welcome To The World Baby Nephew!

Dear Baby,

My name is Hannah and I am your biggest fan.

I am also your auntie. 

Which doesn't mean much to some... 

but to me baby boy, you are my world. 

And that means that already I am planning for our future together.

Oh how I can't wait to take you on your first adventure camping in the woods.

I also can't wait to teach you all sorts of bad words so that you'll repeat them to your mommy and daddy.

I can't wait to snuggle with you and kiss your soft round cheeks, which are the most perfect things I have ever seen.

I can't wait to run around with you.

Teaching you the best places to hide at Full Belly Farm.

I can't wait to help you with homework and girl problems.

I will be there for you baby.

Through it all. 

I will hold your hand as we cross the street

and help you decide what car you should get.

I will wish you luck on tests and football games and first dates.

I will hold you in my arms when your momma is giving birth to a younger sister or brother for you to play with.

I will tell you you are my favorite. 

Because everyone deserves to hear it.

And because I will always mean it. 

I will love you forever, baby. 

You are the most precious thing in the whole wide world and I can't even begin to
describe how lucky you are to have chosen this family to live with for the next 18 years of your life. 

These two parents already love you more than any other thing in this world.

More than cooking or their dog Milo. 

They think you are the most perfect thing in the whole world. 

They couldn't stop staring at you when I saw you for the first time last night.

And I don't blame them. 

How could you possibly stop looking and stop loving a small person as perfect and squishy as you?

You don't. You just can't.

I love you to the moon and back again.

Love from,

Your auntie H. 

Born yesterday, September 1st, 2012. 

8 pounds 8 oz. 21 inches. 

Cutest baby boy in the world and my very first nephew.

Summer Food

Summer on the farm is one of my favorite times. 

Not only is it hot as "balls" here, which I LOVE.

But it is also filled to the BRIM with fresh produce. 

YUM. 

This week is one of my "weeks off" where there are no campers asking me questions about the kinds of cows we have, or tugging on my sleeve asking me to go check out the goats with them. 

Unfortunately... living away from the farm for a while has given me limited knowledge about the names of the cows and the sex of the goats. 

Last week I told one of the campers that we had a cow named blossom, when really, that certain cow has been dead for over 7 years. 

Last week I also told a few campers that the goat Buckwheat that we fed every morning is a male. 

Good thing those campers weren't here THIS week to see Buckwheat the "male" give birth to TWO beautiful babies. 

Oops. 

Anyway, this week I have been making lunch. A lot of lunch. 

Every day the interns, farm owners and farm kids sit down to lunch together. Usually, each intern has a day that they cook for the crew. (about 15 people usually.) well, because I didn't feel like making tomato boxes for 7 days straight I made myself  a chef at every meal prepared this week. 

The sad bit is that I can't find my camera at the moment so I didn't get to capture any pictures of the incredible meals that I made this week, but I will explain a few of them for your drooling pleasure.

Monday:

Fried Green Tomatoes

Corn Chowder

Cheesy Bread

Lemon cucumber salad

Peach and Strawberry cobbler

Wednesday: 

Homemade tacos

Gazpacho

Watermelon fresca

Full belly farm beans

Rice

Peach salsa

Ice cream with frozen fruit toppings

Thursday:

Corn fritters

cucumber salad

Jalapeno poppers 

Peach salsa

watermelon, melon salad with mint

chicken salad

grape juice

... 

You get the point. 

Everything was the best I've every had. 

I love cooking with fresh produce that I don't have to pay for but sometimes have to pick.

I couldn't ask for a better place to be in the summer.

Because this post is missing some pictures I'll add some in... 

pictures of my farm. 

Some that you may have already seen, but I don't care. 

Things I'm Going to Miss.

Let me say first and foremost that I am DAMN excited to adventure into the land of the unknown in less than 48 hours. 

Damn excited, I say.

Now that I got that out in the open, comes the REAL reason that I wrote this blog post:

My sister asked me the other day (after I had been home for a whopping six hours) if I had to choose between leaving the Capay Valley forever or having to stay in the Capay Valley forever, what I would pick.

 If you had asked me two years ago I would answered honestly in a heart beat, 

'get me as far away from this place as possible. I don't want to ever come back.' 

Harsh. Yes. I know. 

But when you live close to something for so long you start to despise everything about it. 

Especially when that place has annoying siblings, high school memories and chickens. 

Yet, the other day when my sister asked me that question I actually said that I would stay. 

STAY, I SAY!! 

Crazy. I know. 

But the truth is,

I love the people here.

 I love the community and the way that everyone knows everyone. 

I love that we all share a connection and passion for food and learning. 

And yes, I understand that staying here forever would mean missing out on a lot of adventures, but if I can't be surrounded by the people that I love I don't want to experience any of it. 

I love sharing my life with the folk of Full Belly Farm and the Capay Valley... and even Eugene Oregon.

 I can't picture my life with out those people and as I travel to distant places and experience new things that becomes much more clear. 

So, in memory of those times, friends and family members that I am going to miss a whole heck'of'a'lot when I am away I give you this:

 A list (in no particular order) of some fun times that I am going to cherish no matter when in the world I am.

The Roommate. Pretzel Price.

I hate to say this, but I actually think I will miss studying for classes. Yeah. Wow.

Good friends and great study parties.

Sunshine in Eugene.

Well, the Urban Farm o'course.

Walking to classes.

The kind of beautiful place I call home.

These folks. They're pretty swell.

Best friends.

Drinking wine with the family. (Ignore the wine teeth.)

Sunshine with the siblings in Lake Tahoe.

My sister....

The sillyness and giggles.

The romance.

Do you think that they have Frozen Yogurt in New Zealand?

Half-drunk and fully silly photo sessions with the Roommate.

Well, it's been fun ya'll and I know I'll be back soon... maybe then I actually WILL stay in one place forever. 

As of now... Ta'ta and see you on the other side.

xoxox

Farmer Girl.

Things I've Learned From My Siblings.

I have two older brothers and one older sister. (Two if you include my brothers wife, which I do.)

Wanna meet them? 

Meet Hallie

Meet Rye

Meet Amon and Jenna

Yup.

I am the youngest. 

The baby. 

(Although I did have a dream that my mom was pregnant again. Haha Yeah, that's soooo not happening. Everyone knows parents don't have sex after a certain age... RIGHT?)

Anyway... Yeah. I am the baby.

I am pretty sure I am permanently 12 in most of my family members eyes.

Forever burned in to their mind as a scrawny girl... hair parted down the middle with gap-teeth, acne and braces.  

Cool.

It's really okay though, I wouldn't have it any other way most of the time. 

My siblings are awesome. 

They rock at just being alive. 

They have taught me a lot about the world.  

Including but not limited to:

1. BBQ sauce makes anything taste better. ANYTHING. 

2. Never keep a diary around the house.

3. Never try to have your own pet. Especially a cat. 

4. You can quote any movie anytime. It always applies. It is always relevant.

5.  If you are ever looking for the T.V. cord DO NOT look in mom and dad's closet.

6. Musical instruments are the best form of torture. 

7. If you say "Please" before you stay stop they are actually more likely to stop. Who knew?

8. Pinning someone down and letting Mister (our dog) lick their face NEVER gets old. 

9. Pretending you are dead/dying also never gets old. 

10. You can convince anyone of ANYTHING if you try hard enough.

11. It is never going to be your Golden Year at Christmas. 

It is always moms Golden Year at Christmas. 

No matter who tells you it's going to be your Golden Year. 

Never. 

12. Following Dad around is the best way to find candy at Easter. 

He somehow always know where the Easter bunny laid an egg. 

YOU SNEEAAAKKKYYY DAD!!

13. Dancing while cleaning up the kitchen makes the job go by ten times as fast. 

14. Cleaning the Bathroom is the best chore to sign up for because it is relatively small compared to the rest of the house. 

15. If you talk to dad at the kitchen table long enough after dinner sometimes you can find yourself with out any chores left. 

16. The 2 minute walk to take the compost to the chickens could very well be the longest walk in the world. 

17. Always go shopping with dad two days before Christmas. It's when he's feeling the most generous. 

18. If you EVER need to get on mom's good side clean the pantry or the fridge.

 Or promise Grandchildren.

19. Don't ever get a tattoo. And if you do? Repeat #18 for the rest of your life.

20. Always ask dad to write down his to-do list... or else you are bound to forget at least 12 things. 

Yeah, we're suuuupppperrrr fun.

Babies. Continued.

So, if you remember, from an earlier post, I plan on adopting all of my future children. 

How I see it? 

There are HECKA (I say that word sarcastically) babies out in this huge world already. 

Most of them with out good families, love or food. 

Well, instead of pushing another one out of my privates, into this crazy world of ours. 

My plan is to help give a warm, peaceful, happy childhood to those who need it most. 

I want:

To smile at those kids who don't have smiles.

To exclaim loudly and obnoxiously when they do something ordinary.

 To dance around with them before I tuck them in to a cozy bed. 

To kiss their face each morning, reminding them they are no longer alone. 

I want:

To help them explore our backyard and the rest of the world. 

To help kids turn into students and builders and adventurers. 

I WANT:

To give a child who may have had nothing... everything! 

The moon, the stars and my heart. 

As you can tell, having my OWN babies has NOTHING to do with the fact that I don't like babies... 

 I LOVE babies. 

I can't get enough of their squishy little faces and small pudgy arms.

 I love the way they smell and their big, soft, round eyes. 

I love their open minds and kind hearts. 

I love their curiosity for the little things and the way that they will love you at the end of night... 

No matter how bad the world is getting. 

I love babies so much I can't hold it in any longer... 

I am going to be an Aunt! 

My brother Amon, and his wife Jenna are having a small baby in August! 

Remember them?

The news is slowly leaking out, so I think it's about time I can tell you all. 

Because I am just so damn excited! 

I am going to love this little baby with every inch of my heart.

 When they told us about a week after New Years I instantly started crying, which surprised even me. 

I had no idea why I was so happy.

 I mean, yeah, it's a baby, it's cool and little and squishy, but did I really need to start blubbering about it?? 

Well, yes. 

I did. 

I do.

Because, being someone who believes that everyone deserves to be hugged, warm and well fed.

I feel happy.

Because, if there are any fit and capable parents in the world, it's these two. 

They have enough love to generate electricity, they have a cozy home and cook delicious food. 

And

If they love this baby half as much as they love their dog Milo, I know this small lump of a thing will be just fine.

 I am going to be an Aunt, guys. 

I am going to buy baby clothes and snuggle and hold that baby until it turns blue 

(Not really, I'll be careful I swear) 

I am going to love the HECK of of that small morsel of a thing and I know that the rest of our community will too. 

I can't wait for August. 

I can't wait for the future, because this baby is just the beginning of a whole new life. 

 <3

The future Parents? 

Beautiful right?

Sometimes Weekends Are Too Short.

We all have those weekend we never want to see end.

The kind that make you wish Friday, Saturday and Sunday could be on a constant repeat button. 

The kind of weekend that make you HATE Sunday nights and YEARN for Thursday nights.

I just had one of those weekends. 

It was by far the happiest, most productive, most giggly and smiley and sunshiny I have been (and seen) in a LONG time. 

It was so, so good

I actually wanted to get up early so I would have more hours in the day.

I snuggled with lambs and with my sister and mom. 

I ate wonderful food in extremely large amounts.

I stayed up late, not to check my facebook, or to watch a movie on netflix, but to spend one last second laughing and talking with my friends. 

I got to sit in the sun, drinking a beer while doing some School reading. 

I got to eat oranges and asparagus and steak fresh from the farm...

I got to watch my beautiful friend give one of the most powerful speeches I have heard in a long time.

(My best friend Cassidy is a Senior this year and competed in the 97th Annual Almond Queen Pageant. She was running against some other incredible talented and beautiful girls and made me and her family proud by being first runner up!)  

I had a perfect weekend and yet,
After I got done with the 14 hour train ride back up to Oregon...

 I was walking around campus today and it still felt like home.

I was still wickedly giddy to see familiar faces on my way to classes and even more excited to see my roommates.

I have three more weeks up here until I am gone for spring term. 

I had the funnest time this weekend, but these next weekends are going to be jam packed...
I am going to make them

Filled with memories that I can keep with me where ever I go.

I may miss my family and home when I am away up here at school, but I know that Eugene is just as much my home and family-- so I need to make some lasting adventures these next couple weeks that I can keep in my mind where ever this spring term leads me.
SO, HERE WE GO!
 (But before we go anywhere, here are a few pictures of my weekend...in no particular order Enjoy!)

 

Dear Farm, Family and Friends,
You are the best in the world.
Thank you for filling my heart with passion,
my mind with goodness
and my soul with joy
You are the keepers and holder of my happiness.
You make me realize over and over again just how much I love life.
Thank you for creating a nest of warmth I can look forward to coming home to.