(The photos above are of Sage doing a little squirrel catch-and-release in hopes of catching one that becomes tame because it gets treats in the trap. Hm.)
I set a goal a year or so ago to come here four days a week and post. Meaningful posts. Real posts. Challenging or inspiring or beautiful posts. And somehow along the way four became usually five. And that has been so good for me. Writing here has become one of my favorite parts of my day, each day.
But as our autumn homeschooling season has come (and our three-week quarantine has gone) I am finding us wandering out into the world or getting lost deep in projects more than in the past. And I desire to be present with my kids during the day, and with Pete (and myself and my crafting) in the evenings, and all the while make time each week to focus on my growing business and on writing my book.
Hello plate. How very full you look today.
But everything on my plate I love. I want more of everything! (It's like a Thanksgiving dinner of life.) There are gifts to make and handwriting projects to work on and rabbit and dog breeds to research and walks to take and skills to learn. There is living to do, and I don't want this space to get in the way of that. (That would pretty much miss the point of what I have created here, wouldn't it?)
So I have set a goal to write 2-3 posts per week here, rather than the 4-5 I have made a habit of. Many of you have told me that this is the first place you go each morning, that you start your day here. And I don't want to let you down. (Because as one of my favorite people told me recently, "Do you know what your biggest personality flaw is? It is that you want to please everyone. And you can't." So true.)
But my priorities are being rearranged a bit this season, and this feels like balance to me.
So I'll still be coming here often, but not every-day-sort-of-often. I'll keep chatting with you on my Clean Facebook page and I'll keep pinning inspiration on my boards on Pinterest. So keep up with me there, and subscribe to my RSS feed if you haven't already and keep coming here every day or so to find fresh full posts now and then.
Love to you all. You have become a part of my day-to-day world. I love your comments, your emails, your insights. I'm still here. Just not with quite the frequency as before.
Love,
Rachel
Hi Rachel
I’m one of those people who read your blog first thing (first thing being nap time as we have time difference!). Thanks for all your wonderful and thoughtful words.
I look forward to continuing to read your blog and thanks for keeping it going. Please don’t feel bad about posting less frequently! I know everything that you continue to write will be sincere, heartfelt and loving.
Many thanks
Susie
p.s I read more than post comments so you may not have come across me before!
Enjoy your life and all the magical daily happenings. No need to tell us about them every day — we understand. 🙂
~Thanks Casey~
Thank you Susie. Where are you located? Always so curious as to how (and where from) people find their way here… So glad you left a comment, your first here.
Hugs, Rachel
Hi Rachel
I’m in Fife, Scotland – a lovely little corner of the world. I think I probably came across you from reading Amanda Soule. I don’t have a blog and find commenting on posts a bit intimidating but occasionally I pop my head above the parapet! Also, I have two very littles so I usually just have time to read my favourite blogs at naptime and scurry off to tidy / cook / feel guilty about knitting instead of tidying and cooking!
Susie
Love the squirrel pics. My sister in law and her boyfriend used to rehabilitate squirrels and bunnies that were too little to survive on their own. Most were released on my in-laws land out in the country. Some of the squirrels still hop out of the big tree out back on to my father in law’s shoulder when he takes nuts out for them. Brad (boyfriend) had one squirrel that he just couldn’t part with so he let it live in the house a bit longer than he should have. It nested in the back of the fridge (oops) Tell Sage good luck with his squirrel experiment- just keep them away from major appliances 😉
Oh! I COMPLETELY understand what you are saying. You need to take the time you need to keep your balance. As a blogger, full-time designer, and mom of 3 I too have to reevaluate my priorities once in a while. I am also one of the folks who pop here first thing in the morning, and I will miss you when you’re not here…but you are not going away! For that we can be grateful. 🙂
–Cassandra, Madison
Hi Rachel,
This post is another reason that I so appreciate you. Balance, trust and finding the rhythm that works for you and your family in any given season.
I love your posts, and will continue to read when they are available. And I trust it will be just perfect.
Thank you for the living example.
Mary
You are a wonderful role model. Knowing when to take care of self, family and priorities is a positive reminder to us all. Happy autumn to you!
Cheers,
Alicia (in France, but soon to be back home in the US)
Blessings to you on the new rhythm. Peace, Jen
What a cute little squirrel. My husband and I use to live in this dreadful house apartment with patchwork walls that were completely full of squirrels. Naturally we started to feed them out on our balcony and quite a few of them became rather tame. It was really funny to see the squirrel hierarchy too and how they interacted with eachother. Of course things got a little iffy when we realized they had access to our closet through the unfinished ceiling in it (which was discovered by a fateful piece of bread left out…) It became less iffy and more scary the night one of them pushed open the door and came right up to the bed, OI!
Ah, the memories! 😀
i’m so glad you are doing this for yourself. as someone in the comments above mentioned, you are a wonderful role model. thank you for sharing so much of yourself with the people who come here. your words often stay with me throughout the day — i hope you know how much of an imprint you are leaving in this world, Rachel!!
Thank you, you are a inspiration, thank you for keep posting, as frequent as you can and feel like it.
Thank you Sarah. You got me all choked up. (hug)
Thank you Alicia! (And France-obsessed Lupine loves to see the little dots on the map when you and others in France pop up as readers!)
Echo sentiments from above…
Your words will be enjoyed regardless of frequency. I once worked at a (large) company where I was the only person I knew who took sick days when I was sick. It was crazy. What does this have to do with your post? Just saying that in today’s world, your example of balance is rare, shining, and appreciated, even if it means we have to wait an extra day for a post 🙂
Rachel, I truly enjoy all your posts, the everyday stuff and the more inspirational. In my real life, most of the people i come in contact with are way more conventional, especially on the parenting front and i find it very helpful to have internet “friends” to turn to for ideas and thoughts that are more like mine. Still, i’m sure most or all of us here understand the need for balance. I’m just glad you gave us a warning! i get so sad when one of my favorite bloggers stops writing or slows down their frequency. i always wonder if everything is ok in their real lives.
I feel the same way! I enjoy writing and sharing with others, but I need to find a balance. When I focus on my kiddos (family, etc.), there are other areas that suffer… and then I feel like I need to rush and squeeze those other things in too! One of the quotes I pinned on my Pinterest board recently reads “If you’re always racing to the next moment, what happens to the one you’re in?” This can be hard to remember! We should all take a cue – less writing means less reading and perhaps less time on the computer, eh?
That sounds a perfect way to do it – enjoy your extra time away and keep enjoying here too! xx
Hey Rachel. I so know the struggle of keeping everything on the plate…. it feels like you have to stand still to keep the plate from spilling. And then things feel stagnant… like you’re treading water and not honoring your own needs to move and grow and dance when you need to. I’ve been contemplating much of the same in my own life and figuring out how to be more present and less scattered. Some of my favorite blogger friends have fewer posts and such good content… I’m sure you will be just the same. Here’s to finding balance (and unplugging a little).
~~Stephinie
ps – I’m glad to know you’re on pinterest 🙂 I just found you over there….
Thanks for not going away entirely! That’s happened to several other blogs I read and I feel a loss for. IT must be difficult to have to answer so many e-mails and keep up with a well known blog. I write a blog too but the readership is really small. I just write when I can and write about what really inspires me. No pressure. Some time I don’t post for several days because good or bad chaos ensues. Anyway I’m just glad you are taking the pressure off yourself. We’ll all stick around to read. It will be that much more exciting because we have to wait for the next post!
Knowing who you are (well, your blog personality anyway) and where your prioties lie, I knew this day would come. I will miss the daily rhythm of reading but certainly wouldn’t want the daily rhythm of creating such posts, so of course I understand. (The blogger-reader relationship is a funny one; as a reader I often feel like I’m receiving so much but giving so little.) I’ll take it as an invitation to spend less time in the virtual world and more time in the real one myself. Thanks for sharing your time and your lovely spirit as much as you have for as long as you have! Enjoy the full days that I’m sure lie ahead of you…
And P.S. Do you know about making leaf crowns? With a birthday coming up and your felt crown posting last week, I wanted to make sure you knew about the possibility of making birthday crowns from maple leaves (although it’s important that they’re fresh and I’m not sure how much longer we’ll have fresh leaves). No other materials necessary, except a scissors to clip the stems and a toothpick to make neat holes if you like. My mom made a leaf crown for my brother every year until he left for college (those lucky October babies!). Now she makes them for my boyfriend (really) who might love them more.
Beautiful. Thanks so much Mikaela.
Well said. Thank you Stephinie!
Me, too Robyn. I lost a couple of favorites in the last year and there is a sadness mixed with the understanding of the needed space. Blessings, R
Thank you Susan!
Sage loves this. Thanks!
Sage is all over it! Love it.
Wonderful! So glad you found me. Blessings, Rachel
You gotta do what you gotta do and family comes first. You are a great example to all of us. Now if I can just get myself to step away from the computer. I think of your words daily when I am trying to be in the moment with my girls. Thank you.