Priorities might be another apt “P” word this week. I’ve been making them and readjusting them by the hour. All I can say is that it is now nothing short of full-blown spring and all the things I was trying to prepare for in the last six months are all happening this week. 

We’re moving. Huzzah! Likely we will have begun residing at our new house between the time I’ve written this and the time you read it. Despite this goal, there is still work on the house to be done. Painting.

I’ve been furiously rolling the walls and ceilings each day, trying to get to the end of the ordeal, and somehow I left the biggest chunk for last. This would be our great room/kitchen/foyer. The ceiling has been done, although it didn’t dry correctly so another round of that is in order. The walls and floor have been prepped and await me. I’ve been painting so much it’s given me grey hairs—wait never mind, that’s just peach-colored paint.

I’ve been pushing myself to get the painting done by slowly bringing over pieces of furniture that won’t get in the way. And some that only get in the way a little bit but make me feel the need to keep working. Coffee is a beautiful thing.

While all this has been going on, I’ve been visited by family and friends, who are helping me with one detail or another to cross the finish line. My stepfather Steve came over to help install the ledger board for our back door, our babysitter and her husband came over to inspect our solar array for the greenhouse, and my wife’s brother has been back and forth helping me lift the bulky things. 

Oh yes, the greenhouse. My panic wouldn’t be complete without things like a farm business to balance while moving. I’ve been finding time (I don’t know where) to get out to the greenhouse and pick our strawberries, which have been producing now for about a week. I’ve also been managing the rampant explosion of new plants by transplanting them into my raised bed and potting others for sale. If you find yourself in need of plants or berries, by the way, you can always stop by the farm store at Hardler Farm to see what’s new. Trust me, there’s always something new.

I’ve even been so blessed as to have help in turning some of our berries into spread, which is also available at the farm store. My wife’s grandmother has timeless kitchen skills that always have me quizzing her about what we can do with different ingredients we grow or find.

The way out here, we put the spring in springtime. Whether it’s homebuilding, farm-building, or anything in between, there are always plenty of things to fill a life with. And despite the bustle, I wouldn’t call it a true panic; sometimes life just demands a little extra when there’s so much to be gained as a result. Hard work only ever yielded prosperity, even if it was only for the soul.