Weekly check-in: March — Attention & Intention
Having just returned from a very worthwhile but tiring trip abroad, I’ve been noticing the need to pause and reflect on my own circumstances before moving too quickly into the next phase. Back at the croft, the primroses are flowering, daffodils are now fully open and Daisy, my nanny goat, is close to kidding. At this time of year in the northern hemisphere, attention naturally turns toward new life. It feels like an appropriate moment to slow down and consider intention: what we may be sowing, what we hope to grow, and how we’ll work with the resources we have available. With my elderly parents needing more care, I’ve decided I need to reduce the number of “legs” I have on the land. Many of the ducks, geese, and chickens will go to new homes; others will be processed for the table. I’ll keep a smaller group to meet our own needs for eggs, meat, and manure. This will be our fourth year with goats, and we’ve still never managed to milk. Each season something has interrupted the rhythm just as we were about to begin. I love goats’ cheese and yoghurt, but if we can’t establish a workable routine this year, I’ll likely reduce the herd or keep only a few wethers for conservation grazing. This is the reality of homesteading — and of life. Patterns shift. Rhythms change. Sometimes attention reveals that intentions also need adjusting. Reflection for this week: • What has been catching your attention recently? • What are your intentions for the coming season? • Is there anything you need to reduce, release, or re-shape in order to move forward with clarity? If you feel to share, I’d love to hear where you are noticing movement — inwardly or outwardly.