A view out back last night. In between showers we had the highest-arc rainbow I've ever seen. After about a half hour without fading, the left side showed up to complete the arc. Unfortunately, it sits right over our neighbor's house, which ruins the pastoral photo op.
Anyway, happiness. I just got a comment from a reader saying she finds happiness in my blog at a time when her own life is short on it.
I wrote back to say that we have a lot of happiness here these days, but also a lot of stress. I'm busy, and tired, and the financial roller coaster we've been riding for over six months now doesn't look like it's going to come to an end in the foreseeable future.
And yet, I'm happy. How is that possible?
It's the little things. Like my garden. Check out my lettuce patch:
I've been having a giant green salad for lunch every day. This makes me happy.
Things are growing, slowly but surely. And we're leaving for our annual camping "vacation" tomorrow, just two towns over, which means my peas will no doubt be ready for picking next week, the little beasts. But aren't they cute?
The photo above is one of my shell peas. Knowing the yield on a row of shell peas is pitiful, I followed some old farming advice (basically, why plant in straight single rows if you're not using power equipment to plant, weed and harvest?) and planted a wide row. It might be a little overplanted...
The onions, tomatoes, carrots, potatoes, beans, squash/pumpkin/cuke vines are all coming along nicely. I even threw in some broccoli plants (about the only things I didn't start from seed besides the onions) even though I have a mortal fear of broccoli worms.
Taters:
All these make me happy, even though I know I'm going to be overwhelmed with harvesting.
The baby turkeys are doing well and growing fast. Can you see all four here?
They make me happy, as does the laundry hanging on the line back there.
Even rotten Milo makes me happy. This morning he thought he'd maybe ambush some birds at the feeder. (He didn't. He almost fell to his death jumping up there in the first place.)
This picture was taken on our back porch where we have our morning coffee in the summer time. (Makes me happy, 'course.)
And tomorrow, we go camping for 10 days. Even though we can't afford it, even though I'm working half of next week, even though my garden needs me to stay here, even though I don't really enjoy camping all that much (even in a camper with a bathroom), even though I don't know how we're going to make it through the rest of 2009 -- I'm still happy to be getting away with my family. And I'm going to have plenty of much-needed time to just sit and knit.
Happy.
What makes you happy? (Don't you dare say "money.")
Happy things? Mine are very similar to yours. That rainbow is awesome.
Posted by: Manise | June 25, 2009 at 10:45 PM
I agree that reading your blog brings a smile to my face . If I am at the computer my husband always asks how the lady with the turkeys is doing . Small things are the best and especially family and friends . What makes me happy, my grand daughter , my spinning , my chickens . What makes me unhappy , injustice and the possums eating my vegetable garden . Have a good time camping.
Posted by: diane | June 26, 2009 at 01:43 AM
You know what the truly important things in life are that bring happiness. I also share many of your happy-making things: family, gardening, knitting, and now chickens. And hanging laundry. Before playing find-the-turkeys I noticed the laundry. Unfortunately with all the damp weather here lately that source of happiness has been infrequent.
Posted by: Kristen | June 26, 2009 at 06:05 AM
My happiness comes from the kinds of little moments you describe, some of which are working with the lovely colours you've given your equally lovely yarn, and seeing your beautiful photographs - thank you for all that! and yes, have a wonderful camping trip :^)
Posted by: Mary | June 26, 2009 at 06:33 AM
You may not be able to eat the scenery around here but it does make me happy!
Posted by: AnnaMarie | June 26, 2009 at 07:15 AM
I feel the same way about the garden, the laundry, the cat (mine brought in a bat yesterday, thank you) the financial stress, camping (dirty word) and the air con. at work is broken and we have been working in the kitchens in a heat wave all week - but strangely, yep, happy.
Posted by: Elizabeth | June 26, 2009 at 08:30 AM
I'll have to do that with my peas in the fall. I planted a single row this spring. I may need to get more seeds though...
Posted by: Natalie | June 26, 2009 at 09:10 AM
Free time makes me happy!
Posted by: Kathy | June 26, 2009 at 09:14 AM
Happiness = finally achieving things I've been planning for so long, which is a never ending list. Included in this is the yard and garden, especially eating the fruits (or rather, vegetables and herbs) of my labor. And I love recycling, in its broadest terms. That why I have worms in my kitchen!
Posted by: Abby | June 26, 2009 at 09:26 AM
Love that last shot of Milo (and Yay! for Abby with worm composting!)
Happy... happy happy happy...the peppers on my pepper plants, the smell of fresh basil, kittens in the windows, another thunderstorm (letting Mother Nature take care of the garden).
Oh darn, work. Gotta go.
Posted by: bullwinkle | June 26, 2009 at 09:37 AM
Your happy list is good for me, too. And I have sheep now - major happy, there.
Posted by: gayle | June 26, 2009 at 09:38 AM
We're on the same financial roller coaster ride, but happiness comes in the simplest things and in the smallest kindnesses. Nice post, Jessie.
Posted by: margene | June 26, 2009 at 10:06 AM
Good for you. Happiness for me (now;-D) is time, friends and family. And, being sole support? Financial roller coaster, too!
Posted by: cindycindy | June 26, 2009 at 10:08 AM
For me, happiness is when the little batteries on Bug's noisy toys finally give out...
Posted by: Carrie | June 26, 2009 at 10:30 AM
Yup, my happiness is much the same, baby chickens, growing gardens. Specifically - the mass of perennials that filled the back of my subaru that I got for free because I'm "helping" a friend thin out her overgrown perennial beds.
Re: broccoli worms (maybe you know this already) - if you're freezing broccoli for winter you'll need to blanch it first - and it makes the worms turn BRIGHT YELLOW and easy to pick off. Not helpful for raw broccoli, I know.
Posted by: Becky in VT | June 26, 2009 at 10:47 AM
I'm there with you, garden is going good, economic situation is downhill all the way(bugger unemployment), but we will be tent camping too, in this case I enjoy it, (but not for 10 days!)And the knitting is a'coming along.
Posted by: marianne | June 26, 2009 at 12:06 PM
Happiness is seeing my perennials poke their seedling heads up through soil. Happiness is enjoying a good meal with my hubby and stepkids. Happiness is a cat purring beside me or a puppy giving me the "sad-eyed" look.
Posted by: Angie | June 26, 2009 at 02:32 PM
We've had the combination of tight finances and big health issues, family in bad shape, etc., yet happiness abounds because we are together, facing it as a family.
Posted by: Sylvia | June 26, 2009 at 03:14 PM
It's taken me a long time to discover that happiness is usually just a choice. I'd be so worried about everything that I didn't recognize that I had all of these reasons to be happy. I was wise enough to always find happiness with my kids though, whether it was reading to them, taking them to the park, or cooking with them.
I'll admit to being too materialistic at times, but I still know that almost always it will be simple things that mkae me happy: a perfect cup of coffee presented to me in the morning by my husband; fruit off of our own fruit trees; or enjoying a day at the beach with my family.
Posted by: Caroline | June 26, 2009 at 05:08 PM
I have also been finding happiness in the simplest pleasures, despite our own financial roller-coaster. We went for a dip in a cool pond yesterday afternoon after a really hot day. Robb cut up a fresh chicken,covered it in one of my first batches of pesto this season, and cooked it to perfection. One thing about the crazy state of the economy right now is that it puts stability into perspective. Financial stability would be nice, but I'll take loving friends and family over that any day. I would also take both. The other thing that I keep telling myself is that for most of history and in most of the world, people have worked week to week and month to month, hoping to pull through each season with what their family needed. Anyway, glad to hear you're enjoying the summer. Your garden looks fabulous. Enjoy camping.
Posted by: Miss Curious | June 26, 2009 at 06:17 PM
Today, the sun lighting up my sweet peas and the indigo vat I started. Tomorrow, who knows?
Posted by: Hrist | June 27, 2009 at 12:46 AM
You are so very right... there is so much that makes me happy... my husband, my grown kids all being such great people, my burros, cat, dogs, and chickens, and all their entertaining antics. Then there's the fact that my youngest son and his girlfriend are about to have a baby (what a miracle to get to live to see that!). And of course my creative pursuits knitting, spinning, making chemistry from the garden... the list is long. Hope the camping was wonderful.
Posted by: Birdsong | June 27, 2009 at 05:46 PM
Raw broccoli--submerge it in salt water. Heavy on the salt. It kills the worms and causes them to float to the top of the water.
I read your post just after walking my dog, thinking "I'm so happy--for no particular reason. I'm so grateful for my life." Thanks for sharing your happiness.
Posted by: Greta | June 28, 2009 at 07:50 PM
Hands down my 2 grandgirls, orange creme popsicles, my knitting, sunsets, and the bird that sits on the roof singing the sun up. Enjoy your camping trip.
Posted by: Ruth | June 29, 2009 at 07:36 PM
Milo would make a good weathervane! Purring kitties always make me smile.
Posted by: Robin | June 30, 2009 at 10:56 PM