Taking Root in Tuscany

So, it's been such a long time since I felt inspired to write a post, but somehow, everything seems to be falling into place and I have my homesteading and blogging head back on, and, it feels amazing.

To be fair I think one of the biggest inspirations of late has been found in absorbing info from others, learning new skills and opening my mind to new ways of doing things.  A huge thank you to The Big Family Homestead who have well and truly kicked me into touch on the homesteading front. Their educational, enjoyable and practical advice has literally changed our lives in a few short weeks. From gardening to preserving, planning and prepping through to craft and cooking, we all love their youtube channel, find it here and be inspired....

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClBCi5TpnTXorbRke79UyLw

The smaller things in life really do make a difference, and after a 3 year period of working really long hours, scraping the barrel financially and supporting our boy through his overseas study, we finally feel grounded again and in some kind of  family rhythm.

Shameless puppy pics:

Puppy Monty arrived in February

Zoe has been a good Auntie - nearly all the time

I have limited myself to 6 hours paid for work a day and promised myself some dedicated time in the garden and 2 hours of writing a day. We are also sticking to our guns on family time, we have 6 weeks of school holidays and intend to enjoy time doing the simple stuff, the good stuff, the warm glow stuff.

So this is how an average (happy) day in my life pans out - if all goes well:

6am let puppy dog and old ginger out to pee
7am make dough for breadmaker bread
7.30am take a walk around the garden and veg patch
8am plan food for the day and defrost meals I made in advance
8.30 emails and office work
2.30 Late salad lunch with family
4pm writing time
6pm glass of wine or 2 and cooking
7pm water gardens and dog walk
8pm supper
9pm film or book
10.30 Bath, Bed, book

BUT..... sometimes it looks like this:

3am can't sleep worrying about work or money
5am dog barks at phantom wolf and  wakes us up
5.30 can't sleep, so get up
6am headache from no sleep
7am realize we have no milk or loo rolls
8am supermarket dash, fighting off tourists
9.30 90 minute drive to work
11am meetings with clients or suppliers, still with a headache, no time for lunch
6pm stop at supermarket again as forgot cheese or wine
7.30pm get home shattered, garden is sad and dry, so are the kids
8pm make dinner from leftovers, with a glass of wine
9pm realise I left shutters open and bedroom is a sauna
10pm collapse in heap
11pm write work notes for tomorrow
11.30 Stare at the stars and pass out

BUT, the balance is getting better, bit by bit, hour by hour, day by day.

Here again, finally

So, my last post was rather over enthusiastic.  I didn't start blogging again, I even stopped reading blogs and boy how I have missed this journalling of our life in the woods in Tuscany.  So whilst I find my rhythm again and reacquaint myself with the technical side of things I'll simply post a few pictures that capture times here and there.  As I really don't think its possible to fill all the gaps of our ups and downs during 2015 I think I'll simply upload images that conjure up some magical memories.  I'll also note a few of the most important or emotive events that have popped up lately.

This moment.....

The boy is watching Rugby on the TV, he is big now, 15, hairy, deep voiced, taller than I and still the most kind, warm hearted male on the planet. Shy, humble, strong and funny.

The girl is sitting at the kitchen table, she is humming a song she is learning on the piano, blond pony tail nodding as she works, tongue poking out the side of her month marking her concentration. 

The man is showering, cleaning up after a day about the house and garden, chopping wood, gathering kindling, packing away Christmas things, cleaning up after me, as ever.  He is the reason I can be me, he is the quiet, solid, brave, ever supporting force in my life, making me feel OK, safe, happy, loved.

Some memories from 2015.....

Dreaded Man-Flu

No question about it I am certain I must have contracted man-flu.  Feel like I am about to meet my maker.  Have exhausted 2 loo rolls on my leaking nose just this afternoon.  Am sitting under two duvets with hat and gloves on, shivering and moaning.  Dreadful shards of glass in my throat and jack-hammer at the base of my head where my aching neck meets my lolling skull.  So pretty much good for nothing at all today.  The poor girl has come home from school aching from her bruised back and side following her tumble off a horse on Saturday and Gary is doing a stirling job of being Daddy, Mummy, Doctor, Cleaner, Company Director, Dog whisperer and Chimney sweep, Chef and general all-round miracle worker.... all at once mostly.  So to lighten my somber feeling of gloominess and uselessness I am trying to catch up on blogs, emails etc.  Here are some of my favourite pics of my truly wonderful long-suffering family, I promise to get well soon, discard the leaky nose and get back in the saddle asap.  I have also just ordered a 'organiser' diary for busy working Mums - no doubt I will misplace it somewhere within days of getting it.  Ho hum..........

Moving onwards

So, here we are, the boys watching the Rugby (husband, son, boy-dog), the girls (daughter and girl-dog) curled up in the cosy armchairs by the woodburner in the kitchen.  Fresh pasta on the stove and a home filled with happiness, laughter and light.  Many changes have happened over the last year, may of them wonderful, some stressful and a few tricky and difficult.  All in all we are in a good place with so much potential at our feet.  Land to clear, gardens to plant and house to decorate and a future to enjoy.

For now a week off work will unfold and include lots of cooking, clearing, reading, relaxing, dog-walking, wood collecting and films by the fire.

Settling

So we are settling, resting, restoring and nesting.  A new home, a new start, a new adventure.
Still in Tuscany, but in the wilds where I truly longed to be all along.  No more shouty neighbours, grottty landlords downstairs and so much more freedom.  To add to this we have 3 acres of land to get under control, a falling down farmhouse to maintain and our chance to be much more self sufficient.  2km of the road overlooking the mountains and surrounded by forest this is one of those once in a lifetime chances to immerse yourself in a project that needs total commitment and bags of energy.

So watch this space x

Comfort and Joy

So, Christmas flew by in a flurry of activity, friends, food and happiness.  2013 seems a distant memory, the year was one filled with hopes and disappointments, from which I have learned great things.  I have realised life is not all or nothing, decisions are not black and white, my personality is not one thing or another, life is not simple or hard.  Mostly our existence is a whole combination of good and bad, happy and sad, promise and loss. So I am trying to master the art of acceptance and settling for 'enough' and when we do achieve great things it is all the more joyful.

Contentment can be found in the simplest things, today I am ill, I didn't sleep and felt really sick throughout the day, but, even in this state of yuckyness I have found the 'good stuff'.  Resigned to my bed I have thrown the windows open to let in the fresh February air, I have been soaking up the sounds of the countryside, the wind from the northern mountains rustling through the pine trees.  The sound of the horses in the nearby stables, the relentlessly cheerful cockerel chiming through the minutes. Also, the scents of our home, the woodsmoke from a neighbors chimney, the damp mud recovering from the recent floods, the simmering garlic from a Tuscan kitchen somewhere in the hamlet, each of these make me feel safe, at home.  So, today I will recover, sleep some, read some.  My wonderful man has offered to make a pumpkin risotto for the girl, whilst the big-boy spends more time at Abetone skiing with his classmates, lucky chap.  The rest of the month will be a fluctuation of  work, travel, writing, home-making, nurturing, nourishing, plan-making, gardening, decorating, cooking, eating and just 'being' here in our small rustic home in Tuscany, and for that I am so grateful. Here are some winter pics from the last few weeks and months xxx

naughty LB in the Captains chair

chilling by the fire

winter wandering

the Boy and I

olive washing ready for salting with orange peel

two scruffs

horse neighbors

birthday girl and LB

bbq in january

the girl loves to read in bed

my new horse

my man loves winter bbq's

The bpy enjoys a dodgy English Brekky at the airport

A very Kilby Christmas

Zoe loves sunshine

Boys and Girls

Fresh olive oil for friends

Light

There is light at the end of the tunnel.  I will blog again, I will share the happiness and laughter of our lives again soon.  There is so much to tell, how things have changed, the axis shifted in strange and unexpected ways.  All is steadying now, life is realigning and we are able to breathe deeply, walk tall and with eyes wide open.  The sunrises fill me with hope and happiness and I am overwhelmed with how beautiful the winter sun can be after the dark days of a rain filled November.  For now a small entry of how I feel better now, able to purposely keep moving on through this life of mine.  The last year has been stressful, long and hard, wearying and arduous, but it is drawing to a tidy and overdue closure, I am so at ease with starting a new chapter, champing at the bit for new experiences, positive changes and inspiring new journeys.

The sleeping children have given in to seasonal fevers, coughs and colds, shivers and chills so we have all withdrawn to layers of duvets, open fires and hot tea. This week will be all about 'restoring' ourselves and our hopes and dreams x