Thursday, September 4, 2008

The Breakfast Club

I was thinking this morning about how much not only my life, but my lifestyle has changed over the past few months. Simple things, but they've had such a huge impact on me.



For instance, having breakfast with "the girls" used to mean taking time to do my hair and makeup, picking out just the right outfit and shoes and driving to the restaurant where we'd have our meal and sit and talk about all the things going on in our lives. Having breakfast with "the girls" now consists of throwing on a pair of jeans and an old tee-shirt, pulling on my wellies, grabbing a pocket full of apples from the tree in the back yard and walking the short distance to the barn and pasture. Parsley and Lullabelle prefer to have their breakfast served inside the barn at their own private table - they don't much like to socialize while they eat. Lilly doesn't much care where she eats as long as she gets to eat, so she usually hangs out with Emma and Jenny. I usually share the apples with Emma and Jenny first while Lilly is munching down on her "cereal.” Jenny prefers whole apples. Emma's mouth just isn't quite big enough to eat a whole apple, so I share mine with her. OK, before you get all grossed out and say "eeeeeew!", we don't actually take bites from the same apple, I do the biting and give her little pieces. After we've finished our apples, Jenny and Emma head off to share the "cereal" with Lilly and I head back up to the house to finish breakfast with my hubby. Do I miss "breakfast with the girls" as it used to be? Sure I do! What I miss most is sitting around the table talking after we've finished eating. Neither the animals or my hubby are very talkative first thing in the morning. Would I give up "breakfast with the girls" as it is now? NOT ON YOUR LIFE!

Having fresh flowers in the house used to be a luxury - saved for special occasions or sometimes when they were on sale at the grocery store. I'd bring them home and carefully arrange them in my favorite vase and be a little sad when they died and I had to throw them away. Fresh flowers now are nearly an everyday occasion! I can walk to the creek or stroll along the fence line in the pasture and pick as many beautiful red, purple, yellow and white wildflowers as I can fit in my hand. When I bring them into the house, I don't place them in a beautiful vase. That would be an insult to the flowers. They would rather take center stage resting in an old Mason jar or a milk bottle I picked up at a flea market a while ago. You know what? I much prefer the hand-picked wildflowers to the florist shop or supermarket bouquets! I'm not sure when God created all of the beautiful varieties of flowers that he meant for them to be used for profit. I believe he created them to be enjoyed by anyone at any time - free of charge. Why else would he place them in out of the way places like along a pasture fence, bordering a creek or scattered among the trees on a mountain path?!



Blessings from The Creek y'all!

10 comments:

StitchinByTheLake said...

What a wonderful post you have today! I'm envious of the wildflowers - if I had them in my house I'd be sneezing inside of 15 minutes. :( But I saw so many beautiful ones when I was driving home yesterday and thought "What good work God does!" blessings, marlene

Adrienne said...

Hi Liz -
What a wonderful group of breakfast club girls you have! I love how you enjoy each other in the mornings. And your flowers are just gorgeous. God's handiwork. Just for you! This post reminds me of a book I am reading about simplifying your life. The author and her husband moved to a rural cabin and lived a simpler life in the beauty of God's world. I think that's what you've done. While there is a lot of hard work for you it sounds like your new priorities are perfect. Just perfect!
~Adrienne~

Lori said...

I've been following your blog for the past few weeks. Lucky you to have breakfast with your girls. I too, love to go pick wildflowers or flowers from my garden. Unfortunately here in Illinois, the picking is limited to justa fewmonths though.
Kentucky is such a beautiful state. We had looked for land in Kentucky at one point but have now decided on East Tennesse.

Kathy said...

It sounds like you have found a piece of heaven! I am so glad that you are happy there! And after seeing the area, I completely understand. I think I would love it up there! Next time I'm in your neighborhood, I'd like to have breakfast with the girls.

sister sheri said...

Wow! How marvelous to hear that dreams really do come true!

vintage girl at heart said...

Ahhh when can I move in!!?? I LOVE love LovE this post... you are so insightful and a funny gal while doing it!!! I love your new girls...although I do miss having breakfast with you... I am glad that you have a new circle to keep you company!!!
The wildflowers sound so yOU too!!! Keep the wonderful posts and pics coming!!!
Miss you!!
xoxo

Penny from Enjoying The Simple Things said...

What a great post today! I am envious of you and your breakfast club! What a wonderful way to start the day. Your wild flowers are gorgeous and I adore your wellies!
Hugs,
Penny

Colleen - the AmAzINg Mrs. B said...

You have summed up what I feel is totally the "good life" ..jeans,t-shirts, great "friends" and clean, fresh air. I'm not saying the other would be too bad,but for the "Exception" and not the "Rule".. Have you read "50 Acres and a Poodle"?? I KNOW you'd love it and recognize yourself in it. Highly reccomment it.. And, the sequal is "Under the Same Blue Sky" equally as good. True story, good characters in a small town. Really, if you can find it, I know you'd love it as much as I do!
Colleen

elaine @ peace for the journey said...

A little Jim and little taste of heaven via your pic's.

Well said. Well lived. I want to come and have breakfast at the farm.

peace~elaine

Kim's Treasures said...

I think you have adjusted very well to your new way of life! It is so wonderful to be able to go to the creek to pick your own flowers! Ours is a much smaller creek but still the flowers there are wonderful!

I think having breakfast with the "ladies" sounds so nice and relaxing! Sometime the kitten has some Cheerios while I have my breakfast :)

Have a great day!!! (I'm sooo happy you like your new home!!)

Kim