These guys following me around as I do my chores ❤️Not goodbye I hope, perhaps just a “see you later” whilst I get my shit together and find a place in this country with salary and concrete walls. 

I’d like to stay in the industry… If I cannot be on a farm, perhaps I can help agricultural issues or animal something.. This is why I need time to figure out where I am going and what I’ll be doing.

What a week!

With the farm family away on their annual holiday, my new colleague and I were in charge.

We weeded and harvested in the garden when needed and we fed, check fences and water for the animals as well as meat shares in the freezer.

In the evenings…. Or even during the day when our tasks had all been completed, we relaxed ‘the redneck way’ – beers by the campfire. It was great. 

With a pool, sunshine, wonderful company, Spotify  (so we could play some 90s rock bands) and a freezer full of beef and pork. Ah, we had no complaints.

Occasionally we’d hear Coyotes howling too – as an added reminder of how close to nature we all are.

Nighttime company 🙂 Stella had been working hard all week and needed a night off and anyway, Nacho was taking care of her.

I’ll never forget these sunsets.

So this morning I pack my pick up truck – Wolfie, who’s been doing well all summer (apart from a couple of flat tires which I fixed myself, from having learnt it in Saskatchewan – it’s a great feeling to be independent).

And off I go… To a cute village 15-20 minutes away!! Still in the Ottawa Valley and still close to the great friends I’ve made so far. 

As an extra note (and something which I’ll write about once out), I have already handed in my two weeks notice at the well-known yoga clothes company. For MANY reasons – but best I write more once I’m free. 

And I’m not worried about being unemployed suddenly. I’ve worked enough to pay my way through September and I’ll find something for October onwards. 

I found a book on my bosses’ car seat by Seth Godin and started reading it at random – handed in my notice that afternoon doubt free.

There’s so much more out there….

And I was lucky enough to spend the past 4 months experiencing it, loving and living it – and at times, hating it but finding the worth of it all making it one of the best decisions to try it all out – I’ve ever made.

I will write thank you emails to both farm families who let me join them, they deserve to know how much they have helped me and how this summer has added a lot of strength to my character emotionally and physically too! 

I know now that when I have a problem, I just friggin’ get up and fix it – as no one else will.

I don’t cry over spilt milk or chipped nails – I concentrate on the vegetables I’ve grown from seeds and am now eating in a roast dinner or the bricks I can lift without wincing at the pain.

I’ve learnt to live completely alone without help – in Saskatchewan. Scary and nerve-wracking but I made it. And no one can take that away from me. I became friggin’ Rambo woman that month (in a really in feminine and sweaty way).

But I also learned to live with and work with other people, here in Ottawa. Which has its own obstacles, people are so so different and perspectives can make or break an argument but it’s all about compassion and understanding. And a lot of laughter! I’ve never laughed so much in my life! My farm family here are hilarious and my colleagues too, I started off shy but very quickly felt at ease and didn’t have to hide any of my weirdness. 

I can bake and love it! I think I’m quite good at it too! – oh, and that’s another thing – realizing what you’re great at (and saying it out loud) and knowing what you suck at (and still admitting that too).

We all have strengths and weaknesses, we’re not perfect in any way – but when we have a strength we should embrace it and even persevere it. Or at least try.

One of the last things I want to share that I’ve learned is – just to try. Try and fail – okay, well, I tried… Try and succeed – euphoria!!! 

“What if I fall? 

But darling, what if you fly?” Yes oh Yes.

I don’t want to lose what I have learnt. 

I will write all these things down on paper as well as here so wherever I am I can go back to this.

But really, it’s not over. I don’t feel a loss – I feel a gain