Wednesday, March 24, 2021: The Excitement of Depression

Chiggins!

I got off work this morning like most mornings and went home to turn the chickens out and pat the rabbits. It was a nice routine morning. I had intentions of planting things, but in stead I just walked around looking and surveying. Where to plant my trees, where to plant my crops. I think I've pretty well got a plan figured out.

The golden chick

After I got in and made breakfast, I put a rabbit in the crock pot to cook down for some broth. Melissa's been wanting it cooked, so I just brothed it. The meat she'll use in enchiladas tomorrow for supper, the bones and little bits of gristle and some intentionally added meat will go to the chickens. The broth we can use for recipes. I want to get Melissa used to making and using our own broth rather than the weird bland broth from the store. Am I crazy for thinking there should be more to broth than chicken and water?

Golden rabbit broth

Aside from the rabbit, I put in some apple cider vinegar, pink salt, thyme, cayenne pepper powder, and black pepper. Oh, and a small dollop of lard. I like some flavor to my broth. I had some with a piece of bread, and next time I think I'll put a touch less ACV. Otherwise, I'm a fan.

Rabbit in the crock pot

I set it to cook on low for ten hours, and got two and a half quarts of thick yummy broth. It'll be nice and gelly when I get home.

Broth fixins

Bones and bits for the chickens

I woke up early-ish and my baby sister was there with my niece and nephew. They didn't stay long after that, but it was nice seeing them. I got to get out in the yard after that. Melissa had found some old Rubbermaid totes in the apartment, so I put them to good employ catching rabbit poop under the cages. Now we can get into the real poop production. Once all these litters roll in, I'll probably be collecting a bucket of poops a day. It'll be a serious matter, we'll have maybe close to sixty of the cute fuzzy little critters then. Melissa will be mad cause we'll be spending money to feed em, but that's okay. They'll feed us too.

Dewberry flowers

The dewberries are blooming. They're a wild creeping blackberry that makes smallish fruits that are super yummy. I planted a handful last spring or the one before, and they're quickly taking over. But I'm okay with a food crop that wants to take over, as long as it's yummy and makes more than just food. Blackberry roots are medicinal, which is coincidentally a way of keeping them in check 👌 ain't permaculture nifty?

Dewberry flowers

I finally got around to trimming the rooted tips on my big blackberry out front I think there's ten or so. Once trimmed, I set the canes up on the new fence. I think it looks pretty good there.

Training the big blackberry to the new fence

I've noticed a nice pattern in my mental state that I plan on using. In my last post, I noted how good I've been sleeping lately. Well, today I'm good and depressed. Low motivation, not a lot of soul, very bland and dry. I've noticed the depressive cycles, but I never made the connection to the awesome excellent high quality restful sleep. This depressive cycle usually starts a buildup to a big burst of energy and progress. The last one was around Christmas I think. That takes the edge off the depression a lot, knowing that it's just my body and mind getting ready for a huge burst of spring progress. I wanna see what happens :)

In preparation, I'll probably do a little cleaning and organizing. From now on, I'll be able to recognize the cycle and know that when my body starts sleeping like that, I need to clean and prepare for some awesome shit about to go down. It's neat how mindfulness and journaling are helping me realize this cycle and, rather than wallowing and being depressed, I get to understand and take best advantage of what's coming.

Well, my phone's nearly dead, and the line is running, so I'm gonna go ahead and call this one a wrap.

Love from Texas

Nate 💚