Friday, July 4, 2014

How we celebrated Independence Day

We're not doing anything special today. We're not traveling anywhere, we're not shooting off fireworks, we're not doing anything out of the ordinary. But we ARE celebrating independence in our own modest way.

We're working. We're in the middle of a production run of 300 pieces, pulling together the inventory I'll need for my annual sales trip to Portland coming up toward the end of the month. We independently created a business that provides income.



I milked Polly this morning. Got 1.25 gallons. We are independent of buying milk from the store.


We picked strawberries again yesterday evening. Got about eleven pounds. So we are independent of buying strawberries.


I watered the garden. We are growing beans, corn, potatoes, fruit, broccoli, brussels sprouts, onions, herbs, peppers, tomatoes, lettuce, spinach, carrots, melons, pumpkins, etc. It provides independence from purchasing those items.


We fed the bull and made sure the livestock had fresh water. We are entirely independent of buying beef.


We fed and watered the chickens. We are independent of buying chicken meat and eggs.


Our girls went to their job. They are learning to be independent young women.


This is what we did (or are doing) today. How is everyone else celebrating?

11 comments:

  1. I am weeding my garden, much more modest than yours. Also doing things to prepare to sell our house and move to the country. Replacing a rotten roof fascia board, weeding the front flower beds, etc. Sometime this weekend I hope to listen to my kids recite the Declaration of Independence.

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  2. Celebrating the birthday of our nation and the birthday of a friend by quilting an small eagle wall hanging as a gift. Looking on with pride as some of my family goes out to salute our military personnel at our local military base fireworks display. Remembering the courage and sacrifice of the men and women that worked to make this nation great. I hope everyone has a wonderful and safe July 4th.

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  3. (Can't believe it's almost time for Portland again already.)

    This all sounds like a pretty great Independence Day to me.

    Today, I'm tidying up for company...

    Extracting some juneberry/cherry juice from the garden to make jelly and waffle syrup for this winter...

    Making mashed potatoes from the garden for dinner...

    And eating peas from the garden for lunch.

    You beat me by a mile!

    Just Me

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  4. Feeding and watering the chickens and the ducks. Finishing two more hugelkultur beds for strawberries next year. Weeding. Mowing. Making gooseberry jam. Picking black raspberries. All by myself while the hubby is in Poland and the kids are visiting their grandparents. It's a good day.

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  5. I have to admit though, weeding in this heat really makes me think longingly of the days of ignorant bliss when we were younger! :)

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  6. I fed and watered the 150 chickens, 9 turkeys, 3 guineas, the pig and 4 dogs this morning... along with our precious children. ;) I watered our small garden as well. I did this all 7 months pregnant while my husband slept after a full night of work (active duty military) as he prepared to go in for another 12 hours of work tonight. We didn't go anywhere or do anything because of his work schedule. We helped out a family member. We prayed together as a family... for our country... for our leaders. We shared a meal together. If the kids weren't sick I had planned to go to the reading of the declaration of independence with them, but it just didn't pan out the way I had hoped. Oh well. I think our declaration of independence needs to be reread by our president several hundred times.

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    Replies
    1. Bless you for your hard work and for your husband's service.

      I sense that a reading of the Declaration of Independence is becoming a larger and larger part of July Fourth celebrations in families everywhere.

      As it should be.

      Just Me

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  7. Prayed a prayer of personal repentance, and repentance for our country, with a friend. Even though taxes keep me broke, I declare independence by not accepting medicaid or food stamps,

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  8. My wife was out of town, so I was really feelin' the freedom and independence thing! :)


    Steve Davis
    Anchorage, Alaska

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  9. Schools suck the life out of the Declaration of Independence. I feel sorry for all the people who think it's a dry historical document. Read with the proper historical context and it's downright hilarious. I'm not making light of it's meaning or significance but a bunch of men seen as "backwoods farmers" telling one of the worlds most powerful nations where to stick it is great. They really knew how to turn a phrase then.

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  10. Where are you in Portland, and when?

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