The sound started slowly, like an engine sputtering after long disuse. Soon, the thin frame warmed to the effort, and the stray cat started weaving in and out around my ankles as I scritched her matted fur. She'd been so scared when we first spotted her, thin as a rail, hunting around the edges of the yard. Then she got closer and attempted eating the duck chow. We didn't need another cat, but she needed us, and so began the slow process of winning her trust.

Food, clean water, a safe place to rest, and our current cats learning how to make peace with the new arrival. Weeks passed. We went from a black shadow that disappeared at the slightest noise to a kitty that's decided to live again.

Once again, we are adding another rescue cat to the homestead. I'm pretty sure this one was a "let the kitty go in the country because we're tired of it" situation, because once she felt safe, she wanted to be my best friend. Our kitty boy Reggie was like that, too - just looking for a home after he was dumped at a friend's farm. The poor fellow had road rash on his chin when he showed up.

Planting continues, albeit slowly. We're tackling the wheel garden beds first this year, which always goes a little slower than the rectangular beds. I love the way the garden wheel looks in the yard, but it's definitely more work to keep up.

We had to pull one of our large rectangle beds out of production this year because we'll be trenching through the area this summer as we add power to a new outbuilding, so the remaining beds all need to be in full production. The new outbuilding will house the solar inverter and batteries so we can move them out of the house.

We replaced our original inverter last year because the first one we had installed was undersized - and blew up rather spectacularly one evening. We didn't want a repeat performance. The new inverter works well, but it's noisier. (I could tell you some stories about what we've gone through with our solar electric system, but I'll summarize by saying you'd better do your homework and know how to troubleshoot your own system, because knowledgeable help is hart to find.)

Still, even with all the setbacks, I am glad to have a backup to the power grid, as the number of power outages keeps creeping up each year. We will keep working the problem until we get it all figured out.

This Week’s Resilience & Abundance Boost

• Invest in what lasts. Whether it's a relationship, a garden, or a backup power system, the most valuable things in life are often built one small step at a time.
• Know your way around. Learn the basics of the systems you depend on, from your home's utilities to your local roads and resources. Familiarity builds confidence.
• Keep a paper backup. Maps, phone numbers, recipes, and important information are still useful when technology isn't available.
• Plant anyway. Gardens don't come with guarantees, but they teach patience, hope, and the habit of preparing for tomorrow.
• Offer a little grace. Sometimes people, animals, and even projects need time to settle in before they thrive. A little patience can go a long way.

We plant gardens, build systems, and care for living things for the same reason: a belief that tomorrow matters and that our efforts today can make it better. That's the resilience and abundance mindset.

All our best to you and yours,

Laurie (and August IV, August V, and Duncan)

This week's featured articles...

Summer is travel time for many, so I thought I'd make the case for including paper maps in your travel plans. They're also good to include in emergency preps like bug out bags, and in roadside emergency kits.

If you need a refresher on map reading, we have you covered, too.

As I've been dealing with the crazy weather and various planting delays, I've been thinking about this whole gardening thing. Sometimes I get an urge to throw in the towel, but it's a part of me at this point.

I shared some of my musings about why we still plant gardens, and invite you to comment on the article and share your thoughts, too.

Rhubarb season is rocking, and this easy rhubarb bread recipe is one of our favorite ways to use it.

Don't forget to be on the lookout for mullein plant. This time of year is best for harvesting the leaves from the base rosette. It's a great plant ally to have on hand for cold and flu season later in the year.

Speaking of plant allies, my friend, Heidi, is hosting her FREE webinar about five of the best herbs for your home apothecary. You can learn more and register to watch here - https://learn.healingharvesthomestead.com/a/2148276953/i2AQ22xo​