Buzzing

 I'm in a buzzing good mood today. 

We got back yesterday from a little hiking/canoeing adventure as a family. It was awesome! More details and pictures coming soon.

My home garden has managed to provide veggies for us AND a good-sized donation to a nearby free produce market every week. That makes me happy. James and Matthew like to help me harvest and prune (aka "use the sharp clippers"). My favorite time in the garden is puttering around (pulling weeds, harvesting, grooming plants) and having the kids chase grasshoppers or find a baby toad. I love it when Matthew begs to harvest more potatoes. I love it when James can spot a ripe husk cherry (ground cherry) and pick it, even if he thinks it's a little too weird to eat. They're deliciously fruity and bright, by the way. All of that happened today.

I've had some really positive interactions with people at the farm this week and last week. There's something about me that you may have noticed once or twice *ahem*...I tend to be pretty quiet and cerebral and intense, drawn to understanding a person's motives, asking questions that tend to dig deeper than your typical conversation. In my dreams, sometimes, other people will dismiss those earnest questions with something like, "Oh, that's just Susan being Susan," and I'll nod my head and shut up, remembering that not everyone appreciates my particular brand of conversation. This week, though, in real life at the farm, a couple people expressed to me how their conversations with me had helped them see themselves better/differently. They appreciated my questions. They felt heard. They liked the "Susan being Susan" bits.

I've been a little more productive the last few days due to a new app on my phone: Habitica. Habitica is designed to build better habits. You get points every time you check things off your to-do list (read scriptures, practice guitar, care for the chickens) or avoid poor habits (Sims...so. much. Sims.). It's also a game. The points I earn can be spent on gear for my avatar. I'll eventually get to fight dragons and do magic and such. You can even team up with friends! External accountability is a powerful motivator for me when it comes to building new habits.