Farmhouse Friday Week 5 - Finding Balance

 Good Friday Morning!  

I have really enjoyed January!  I basically took off 6 weeks from doing "estate work."  I did do 2 "lot drops" on my business group and was available for sold lot pickups.  However, I purposefully took this time off to regroup, recharge, rejuvenate what it is I do.  I needed these weeks off to give me time to do some things I find pleasure in.  Self employment and finding a balance between work and pleasure is difficult.  Especially, since what I do for pleasure is also what I do for a job....ahaha.  Anyway, Lisa and I are back to work on Monday.  We have an estate sale mid February.  

We have had unseasonably warm weather in Wisconsin.  My brother actually saw 3 Robins this week.  My friend is already collecting maple sap - by the milk truck loads.  In almost 30 years of keeping chickens, I have never let my birds out to "scratch around" this many days in January!  Now, this is still Wisconsin - winter is not done.  Al did move my Christmas gift - rusty old VW Bug - in the wild flower field.  We thought we better do it while ground still hard enough to do it.  

He had quite the line up out there.  Truck, flatbed trailer, VW and tractor.  It worked!  

Monday night after our Strong Bodies class, I took Nancy out for her birthday dinner.  We ate at Chet & Emil's, a landmark in Birnamwood, Wisconsin.  They are known for their broasted chicken.  Al and I had our wedding reception there almost 36 years ago.  

I've been buying out estates for 35 years.  I have some really nice cupboards that I have no intention of selling while I'm alive.  Our daughter, Justine, sent me a message and asked "if you ever find a cupboard like this" - I said "I have one, please come get it."  This piece, we bought from a house on Kent Street, in Wausau, Wisconsin before she was even born.  It had been in our house for many years, but I moved it out to my studio/shop where I used it for storage.  It has a roll top desk, with pigeon holes and the drawers are deep.  I believe it is a one of kind and probably made by a skilled craftsman for personal use.  It is very heavy, but comes in 2 pieces.  It had some condition issues, which she didn't mind.  I'm so happy she gave this wonderful piece a new life and home.  Here it is in her's.  

Today, I get to have Lauren over here for a few hours.  I won't lie, I did make all of the treats for her.  I made some cupcakes.  I was planning on taking them to church last night too for our "kitchen table Bible study."  I found the recipe on pinterest, deep, rich chocolate batter with a fluffy frosting.  They were good!

That cute little face is my great-nephew, Arty.  He seriously, has the funniest little faces!  It's hard not to laugh when he is being a bit rascally.  Anyway, he really liked the frosting!  

I had a gift card to Hobby Lobby that I used part of for some Valentine craft and decorations.  I saw these sprinkles and melting chocolates and thought about popcorn.  I air popped the corn, spread it out on parchment and drizzled the chocolate over the top and used ALL the sprinkles.  I wanted to put conversation heart candy in the bottom of the bags, but I couldn't find any at Hobby Lobby.  So, I put in these little wooden hearts.  

I also tried focaccia bread from my sour dough discard.  It was fantastic!  So easy.  

You only have so many days to spend with children, so, for my grandchildren, I want each time I get them to be fun and magical.  I had Lauren in mind for all I did today.  

She asked me what my table will look like "next time" and I said, "it'll be a surprise."  The popcorn was a big hit!  So were the cupcakes.  

Do you have any tips in keeping balance between work and fun?

Blessings from Ringle, Wisconsin.