8/21/2019

It is a beautiful day here in Bethel Springs, Tennessee with the sun coming up over the tree line and my husband already outside burning tree stumps to clear them from the path of our house being built. Hello everyone. I got up this morning to a fresh cup of coffee and a smiling husband. It has been difficult these past few days with it being the end of the month and we are running out of things.

Our car has enough gas to go to town, but not return. We have run out of generator gas and almost out of weed eater gas which puts us at a stand still on clearing the property. We did manage to get the front yard taken care of for curb appeal and most of what we have cleared already. I ran the weed eater yesterday while my husband was burning piles of brush. I must say that I got a little too much sun and my arms and shoulders are a bit burned, so there will be no working outside for me today.

Our food rations are depleted except the one can of soda I have remaining and enough food to make a goulash for dinner. We both have been losing weight and the energy levels are low. My husband was hypoglycemic yesterday and I needed to give him some of my glucose tablets to help raise his sugar. We have no way of getting to any of the food banks for food because of our gas issue and my husband’s pride can be an issue with asking for help. He reminds me we are not a charity case.

Our neighbors filled out IBC totes back up with water for us the other day so there will water to drink, but no food. I have written my father asking for help to buy food but haven’t gotten an answer yet. Things look grim for us and my husband is afraid we will lose too much weight especially with me being diabetic. My sugars have been running very low and he fears that something will happen to me. We are running on fumes and don’t know how to take a day off because there is so much to do around here. We just have to get to the 29^th of the month to see any money.

What we have left to do while our gas has been depleted is burn all the brush we have piled up in groups which means it will get really hot and we will be drinking a lot of water. Well, it is time for me to get on to something else and I will talk again tomorrow providing I have battery life on my computer. I wish everyone an awesome hump day and a “Happy Birthday” to those who gained another year today. May you have many more to come. Take care.

8/16/2019

Hello everyone. It is another beautiful day here in Bethel Springs, Tennessee. It is a bit humid and hot but still beautiful here. I just woke up from a much-needed nap and sat down here to write this journal entry. I got up this morning to go see the doctor for my mental health medications, signed us up for quarterly commodity hand out, and paid another bill before coming home and then became sleepy.

It has been a busy week for us and it has even pulled outa few mood swings for both of us that things were said that we didn’t mean because it was a mood swing causing it. We are okay now and moving right along. My husband is outside weed eating the front yard and I will be doing the back yard and the path which leads to the back of our property.

We have done so much here, and the work is hard at times, but we knew this coming in with our eyes open. In the end, our reward will be great. I have done some research on raising pigs and what kind to get, what to feed chickens, and getting my garden organized so it will grow abundantly.

The other night was kind of bad for me because I heard the coyotes outside right at the back of our property and had to get my dogs inside. It sounded eerie and I never really took notice until that night. I knew there were wild animals here but thought it would be easy to handle.

I went to sleep and had a bad nightmare that I couldn’t wake from until I woke up screaming and yelling which woke my husband and I told him that it was a bad nightmare and he moved over to hold me. I fell back to sleep and ended right back in the same nightmare. I finally sat up for awhile listening to the coyotes outside which didn’t help. It was a long night.

Well, I will end here and keep some battery life for my next article to write before going back to my book. I hope everyone has an awesome day and a very “Happy Birthday” to those who are celebrating one today. May God bless you with many more to come. Take care.

8/12/19

Good morning everyone. It is a beautiful day here in Bethel Springs, Tennessee. The birds are chirping their songs and there is a light breeze blowing. I just got up not long ago, but I was up around two-thirty this morning with my husband who couldn’t sleep. We shared a few moments together having coffee while watching an orange moon set in the Eastern sky.

We are at a critical point now where we are having to pawn some things to get through these next two weeks because of some unexpected bills needing to be paid. It will be a struggle but then we will be back on track and gearing up to build our home. Plus, I had to budget money for foo since food stamps only wants to give us forty-nine dollars a month for two people. So, right now we have no food whatsoever, very little gas for the generator, and no water to drink. I have been in worse ways, but this too will pass.

I took the last three days off from work to concentrate on my book writing, but now it is time to go back to helping my husband clear more property. It has been hard on us with the high temperatures, but it will be cooling down soon. I have been working on our nonprofit stuff and it is looking good so far. We have lots of ideas for bringing in some money to get one of our projects off the ground to assist the homeless. It is a pilot program which we think will have great success.

Well, it is time to get things going around here, so I will bid everyone a “Happy Monday” and to those celebrating a birthday today, “Happy Birthday” and may you have many more. Take care.

8/10/19

Hello everyone. It is such a cloudy but semi-cool day outside. It has the look between just cloudy and overcast. I woke up around eight thirty this morning and started the coffee while I allowed my husband to sleep some more. I forgot to write a journal entry yesterday because I got caught up in writing on my book. It is thrilling to see what imagination I have.

Before I sat down to write this journal, I cleaned the cabin up, swept and mopped the floor, and washed a load of laundry by hand placing it on the clothesline my husband made for me. We have been very tight on money and it looks like we will be really struggling to get through this month. They are only giving us forty-nine dollars a month in food stamps which only covers our water consumption for the month, so I had to redo the budget to include some money for groceries which takes away from other things and not allowing us to stay on track. I will have to make it work like I always do.

I am taking the weekend off from clearing the property to spend time writing on my book and my husband is okay with it. He has been outside clearing the area for my gardens and greenhouse which will be built in February and ready for March plantings. Because of all the other things screwing with our finances, it will take a little longer to get our house completed but that is okay too. I am not in a hurry to have it built, but God will provide for us like he always has.

We will still be within out five- year plan and that is what matters. Some of our bills will be paid off in February which will leave more money to get some building done. I will have fun working my gardens and ready for the harvest. I have my list made up of the things that I will plant and whether they will be in the greenhouse or outside in a planting box. My husband thinks that I am crazy, but it will all work out.

We will be on solar power and not the electric company because we are homesteading and trying to stay off grid. The only bills that I want to see other than writing costs are the internet and trash bill. Things are different here in Tennessee and it is difficult for my husband to adjust but homesteading and using an outhouse for now is something that I have had to deal with for most of my life being homeless for twenty-three years.

Anyway, let me get going on my writing and I will post another journal tomorrow and it won’t be until Friday when these go up on the internet because I have to go into town to use the free Wi-Fi at Burger King to post them. So, I want to say “Happy Birthday” to all of you who are turning another year older today and may God bless you with many more to come. Everyone else, have an awesome Saturday and spend it with loved ones. Take care.

8/8/2019

Was up at five this morning with my husband already making coffee. We headed to bed early last night after a tiring day of doctor appointments. He had an ultrasound done while I endured a mammogram for the year. We got home hungry and made some sandwiches, stayed a while longer and then took medications and went to sleep.

I woke up fresh this morning ready for a day of working outside on the property. I began weed eating the path that goes through the property when the shaft broke. My husband is outside fixing it now while I type up this post. I am ready to get some work done and things like this happen. Oh well, things always happen but what can you do? We have some brush to move, some brush to burn, and some more brush to cut. We began weed-eating what needs to be kept up while clearing new stuff.

Where the house is to be built is cleared and ready and we have already cleared enough back for one greenhouse plus my planting beds for the things that will vine out. What is left is enough space for the corn, another greenhouse, and a small orchard of fruit trees.

The other side of the path which doesn’t need to be ready until the end of next year will be for the livestock pens which include rabbits, chickens, turkeys, and pigs. My husband wants a few goats to clear land for us which might be a good idea too. I have my five-year plan written out and we are working it accordingly.

It sounds like he might have the weed eater fixed, so I need to get going. “Happy Birthday” to those celebrating today and may the rest of you have a blessed day. Take care.

8/7/2019

Hello everyone. It is a new day here in Bethel Springs, Tennessee ad everything is beautiful after a good night’s rainstorm. My husband and I watched the electrical storm the came before the rain which I was in bed before the rain started. He told me this morning that it poured rain. I love the rain but my medication makes it difficult to stay up late.

My husband woke me up this morning as he was making coffee for us and I spent a few minutes with each of the dogs. I love my little family to death. I feel pretty good this morning and ready for the day even though my body wants to lay back down. I can’t because I have a doctor’s appointment for my foot this morning.

Upon returning home from the doctor’s office, we will be going back to work since the rain has kept us from finishing our jobs. Things will go back to normal with us working on our property and getting more things done and ready for the building process and fencing in the yard for the dogs. I have everything laid out in sketches as to what goes where and what we are building.

I can already see the big picture while my husband stresses over the bills and having no money. He has no vision or optimism as I do. He must see everything in front of him and not in imagination. That is okay because I can be optimistic for both of us.

I already see me getting up every morning and taking care of all the animals and then tending to my gardens before sitting down to write my books. It gives me the strength and motivation that I need to keep going. This will be our forever home and a place of solace for both of us. I will take pride in what we have accomplished.

We might be moving slowly right now but things are going to turn around for us in the coming months. Well, time to get ready for doctor’s appointment so I will bid you all a happy “hump” day and a blessed one. Please keep the homeless in your prayers and keep smiling. To those celebrating a birthday today, “Happy Birthday” and may you be blessed with many more. Take care.

8/6/2019

Good morning everyone. I feel pretty good this morning. It is beautiful outside, but a bit humid since all the rainstorms that came through for the last couple of days. I just woke my husband up with his cup of coffee and I have already fed the dogs, taken my medication, and had a few phone calls this morning. He is a bit grouchy this morning, but he has those mornings like I do.

I have plans on getting some writing done today as well as making some phone calls to set up donation tables for our nonprofit. I feel excited today and full of motivation this morning. I picked up and set up my medication box and I am on track with that. We have some property work to do today since the rain-soaked everything. My husband wants to hand dig our well for water which I know will be a task.

After careful consideration and thinking, I have made a list of steps to take to begin working on our nonprofit stuff and getting her up and going again. I am going to go back to the beginning with her and made a list of everything that I did ten years ago when I incorporated her and will begin designing new flyers to hand out and get her name out there again.

I can’t believe that it has been ten years of serving the homeless and now with other new projects on my mind, I hope that things will go full force by the end of the year. I will be driving a lot to service two states and hopefully, soon we will be registering in Tennessee too. Homelessness has become such a huge problem, yet no one wants to take notice except for homeless veterans. I give them respect, but what about the other homeless people many of who didn’t ask to be homeless?

Well, it is time to get started with my day. I hope everyone has an awesome day and a very “Happy Birthday” to those celebrating today. May God give you many more to come. Take care.

8/5/2019

Hello everyone, how are you today? I am doing pretty good today and feel motivated to get things done which I am working my daily schedule today and I have gotten quite a bit done so far. I had two cups of coffee this morning instead of just one and I have already gone to the market to get some food for us to eat for the next few days.

It has been a struggle every now and then to keep things going, but we are managing. I go to Burger King once a week to post these journal entries and some articles that I have written and now I am boiling some eggs for egg salad sandwiches. We have been pretty much on a liquid diet for the past few weeks because of running out of food and Tennessee has only given us forty-nine dollars for this month of food stamps which only covers our water consumption for the month. I will have to go to the food bank here in town for some food, but we are okay for the minute.

My husband and I found a hole under my foot on Saturday and it is about an inch to an inch and a half deep and about an inch across, so we have been doctoring it until I get to the doctor on Wednesday. We don’t understand how I got it but there is an indention in my sandal that something was stuck there, and it caused the hole in my foot. My husband takes care of my feet and he has been doctoring it up for me. he trims my nails and takes good care of my feet since I can’t feel them.

I am making a note to myself that things are going to get better and keep a positive outlook on things. We may struggle here and there for a minute, but like a storm it will pass. So, today is a fresh new day and a renewing of my mind. I want to wish everyone a good Monday and a “Happy Birthday” to those that are celebrating today. May God bless you with many more to come. Take care.

7/31/19

Just waking up to a beautiful morning and my husband is out building a fire to heat up some water for coffee. We ran out of gas for the generator, so he cooked dinner last night by using a fire outside and made us some pasta. Tomorrow is payday and I look forward to a morning full of things to do like going to McDonald's to sit and have coffee while posting all these posts to my page as well as some articles that I wrote.

Today is supposed to be a burn day for brush and weed eating the front yard which has grown tall because it was raw land and mostly brush but since clearing it, it has grown grass and so we keep it looking nice. It will be fenced in for the dogs and I will be treating it for insects which include fleas and ticks.  I wanted them to have a nice big yard and that is what they are getting. We just finished clearing the rest of what will be their yard and working on the rest of the area where I will have my greenhouse and gardens.

I have been keeping the ash from the brush burning to place in the soil for my gardens to give them some added carbon which will help them grow healthier and stronger. We still have quite a bit to burn and about two acres to clear and about eight months to do it in before we start building animal pens. It will put us ahead of my five-year plan, but I need to have everything ready for planting season this next year.

Today is a burn brush day which we will do at the end of every month, so I need to go get started. My husband just brought me some hot coffee and now it is time to spend some time with him before we get started working. I wish everyone an awesome “hump” day and be blessed. “Happy Birthday” to all those celebrating today, and may you have many more. Take care.

7/30/2019

Last night was a good night because we got to spend some time together. I love my husband very much because he is so loving and supportive plus he takes good care of me. he washed my feet last night as well as trimmed my nails. I am a diabetic with neuropathy and can hardly feel my feet. I also have hammertoes which I have had several toenails come off, so he takes care of my feet for me.

We had dinner early and then spent time with the dogs before going to bed. It is difficult this morning being the last days of the month and no more gas for the generator, so we did not get to have coffee this morning. I feel awake but still a bit fatigued.

We are going to take the day off today and tomorrow because of no more gas to run the weed eater which gives me more time to write and organize some drawers that need it. I also have several calls to make for our nonprofit to set up some donation tables which my phone is charging right now off my computer while I write. Without the generator, I won’t be able to charge my computer, so there probably won’t be a posting tomorrow.

I love homesteading so far and talking with the local neighbors about what they do around here has been an experience. I am learning so much from them about raising chickens and what kinds. I have learned when they lay their eggs and such that I have taken notes.

Well, it is time to finish up this posting so that I will have time to write my book. I hope everyone has an awesome day and a very “Happy Birthday” to those celebrating one today. May you have many more to come. Take care.

7/29/2019

This morning was a good morning for me because I got woke up by my husband with coffee and the dogs were outside playing. I got to spend some quality time with him talking about our day so that we are on the same page. I slept well and felt rested when I woke up. However, I did get up once during the night to use the restroom and allowed my dogs to go potty outside. I kept them quiet while my husband was sleeping because if he gets woke up, he has a hard time going back to sleep.

I started working my daily schedule yesterday and so far, everything is running smoothly. My husband has already gone outside to begin clearing more brush while I take care of some things inside before meeting up with him to help. I love how we work together as a team and we accomplish so much. I get to help clear our property as well as write my books. I have picked up a few more ideas for books to go along with my long list of books that are in line waiting to be written.

I have taken my medication, and all is well. I had to refill both mine and my husbands pill boxes so that we can remember to take them. Neither of us can afford to run out or not take them because we are two totally different people off medication, and I am the one who will have a meltdown. We stay on each to take them so there will be no mistakes of forgetting.

It is nice and beautiful outside with a slightly chilly breeze blowing. I am still in my nightgown and slippers while sitting here writing this post. I will put clothing on when I am ready to go out to work with my husband. The dogs are romping through the house chasing each other and playing which is amusing to both of us.

Well, enough, for now, I have work to do. I want to wish everyone a good Monday and a very “Happy Birthday” to those celebrating today. May you be blessed with many more to come. Take care.

7/28/2019

I woke up this morning with my husband having coffee ready for me. It was early around six thirty and we sat on our front porch drinking coffee and watching the dogs play. I apologize if I haven’t written a post in a while because we have no power and are running off a generator long enough each night to cook food and that I when I charge up my computer so that I can continue writing on my book.

I went to church this morning and it was a good message for me to hear. I just got home, and my husband is relaxing after doing some burning of brush piles this morning. He is just a great help and I love him so much for everything he does. We have finally cleared an acre of land by hand and it has been brutal with the heat temperatures being in the nineties.

I have a few things on my to-do list for today and we are setting up things to begin building the rest of the house beginning in late September. Right now, until then it is playing catch up with credit cards and bills which has been a struggle, but we will manage. I keep a positive outlook on things and sometimes it becomes a struggle keeping my husband positive.

We have cleared enough back yard for the dogs to have at least half an acre of yard space to run and play in. Right now, they get to run free and they love it. It is hilarious watching them chase after new bugs they have never seen like frogs and crickets.

I will be writing a post every day from now on again but will only be able to post them once a week when we go to town and I can get on the internet. Well, it is time for me to go so that I have enough life left in my battery to get some book writing done and setting up my new tweets. I hope everyone has a wonderful day and a blessed day. “Happy Birthday” to everyone celebrating today and may you have many more. Take care.