Beholden

Before homesteading came into my life, I spent a lot of time and effort NOT being reliant on other people. I had to be in control at all times, and could not delegate for the life of me. Single homesteading is a humbling experience. I've had to take a deep breath and ask for help. While it still gets under my skin, relying on others has taught me more than it's taken from me. I know that I've gone on (and on) about how lucky I am to have the neighbors and friends I do, but I really AM lucky. Asking for help can be difficult. Especially if you have control issues and your own time frame.

With surgery looming, I mustered up my nerve, called a neighbor and said, "HELP!!" Vic retired and doesn't like sitting around. He showed up Friday afternoon and cut down three small gnarly trees and dug 9 holes, while I trotted behind, planting my plum trees, willow hybrids and forsythias, and transplanting my lilacs. Then he raked up all the debris, transplanted grass that had been displaced, and came back to haul away all the tree parts. Good golly.

But asking for help can also bite you - another neighbor, a farmer, offered to replace the muffler on my truck. This is great news for me - a bigger non-mechanic you couldn't find - but I forgot about farming time frames. It has been almost a month and I'm still waiting. Can I complain? No. He has to make hay while the sun shines - or, in this case, disc and harrow his fields to get ready for planting corn. It's raining today, so my Pollyanna is out in full force!