Here we are, fall is fast approaching and we made it through our very first spring and summer as parents. Some days it felt like a task that even a superhero would sweat over. Others it was an effortless breeze passing C back and forth like a well coordinated dance routine. There were ups, and downs, and everything in between. He was born on a cold winter morning, and shortly after we too were born as new people. Our farm was reborn, and our home. Suddenly it felt like we too were learning the ways of the world as our tiny human was slowly figuring it all out.
He entered this world in his own way, the journey didn't start how we expected it to. But we are strong and he is stronger and what a joy it's been watching him learn his surroundings, hearing the endless babble (he has a lot to say) and now watching him discover the first tastes of food. I don't think we ever thought our hearts could expand as much as they have, and they are still growing, growing, growing!
The farm has been growing, too, and learning in its own way. We felt lost in early spring, wondering how to manage a newborn along with all the animals and overwintered beehives. My first mothers day rolled around and I gave my poor husband the impossible task of building me a garden area, complete with raised garden beds and a picket fence. I must have been crazy, I was definitely post partum, but he did it! He built me that damn garden and I just about jumped for joy when it was all done. I ran out to our local greenhouse before the frost even got to say goodbye and I filled my trunk up with more plants than it could hold. And I planted, I planted them all with a baby on my hip and I told him what each seedling was and we figured out our first big task. Growing food with a babe. By golly, we did it! And here I sit with the cold air rolling through knowing I have to cut all our hard work back, but the visions of next years garden has my heart holding strong.
We figured out the rest, too. Managing our hives and animals, loving on our pups and reminding them they are still our firstborns, and making space to remind each other we are all equally loved.
Spring didn't stick around long and the nectar flow was mighty. We were able to harvest our honey early and it yielded such a vibrant product. Darker in color than we expected with a very sweet flavor. We are surrounded by wetlands where sweet pepper bush and skunk cabbage are abundant. We were able to get a 2nd honey harvest which yielded a much lighter honey with a more mild flavor! Now we will be taking the supers off for good, harvesting the last of the honey, and we will prepare our hives for the long winter ahead. It's been a struggle having to do most of our apiary work as a one-man-operation. Most times my husband entertains the baby while I happily consider being in the bee yard as my alone time, but other times I have my husband go out. The supers and deeps are heavy and I certainly cant lift them all on my own. But my husband can, and he loves being with the bees just as much as I do.
And here we are, baking apple crisp and letting the cool breeze enter the house through the open windows. We are trading our flip flops for warm socks. My knitting has been dusted off and I'm finding time to work in a few stitches while the baby naps. We are saying goodbye to the warm days of summer, we are feeling proud that we made it through our first seasons with a baby, and we are bracing ourselves for what's to come. Our schedules are already changing along with the hours of daylight. But we did it, and we will do it, and we will tend to it all as much as we tend to each other hearts.
Summer, you were great!
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