The flowers of the blue-eyed grass were scattered about the semi-wild areas of the yard, like specks of deep blue sky fallen to the earth. As quickly as they appeared, they vanished, making way for summer blooms like birdsfoot trefoil and dame's rocket. Nature's artwork was ever-changing, making each walk through the yard a new adventure for those who paid her heed.

We had old friends over for a visit on Memorial Day, sharing a meal and hanging out in the south yard fishing in the big pond and exploring the yard. I was amazed at how many blue-eyed grass flowers there were - more than I've even seen before. We've never planted them or encouraged them to spread, but those little beauties made the day extra special.

Then the last two days I started taking a walk after morning chores and garden time, and those tiny blue starseeds have gone back to posing as grass. If you didn't know what they were, you could walk right by them and never notice that you had a little late spring magic nearby.

As we approach the longest day of the year, there's still plenty to be done in the yard and gardens (as always), but I make it a point to take time each day to marvel at this beautiful world we live in. It helps keep me grounded, especially when other bits of life get chaotic.

There's a patch of red clover that showed up in the north chicken run being visited by fat bumble bees and other native pollinators. The swallows and dragonflies swoop around the ponds and gardens, grabbing mosquitoes and other flying insects and performing amazing acrobatic displays. Frogs serenade us at night, and birds welcome the day with the dawn song.

My yard is messy. It will likely never grace a magazine cover. Things don't always go as planned, and there are many projects left to tackle.

But to me, the most important feature of it all is that the yard is filled with life, and that is abundance. The rest I'll keep working on as time allows. (If anyone in the area has an urge to help, just holler!)

Speaking of working on things, I have a question. My first book with a regular publisher, Common Sense Preparedness, is coming out in September. (You can pre-order your copy here.)

Would you be more interested in my next book being about more observations from the homestead, or getting back to what's real in life when we keep being pushed towards more and more of what's fake (processed food, AI generated slop, etc.)? Reply to this email to let me know your thoughts.

This Week’s Resilience & Abundance Boost

• Notice one small wonder. A wildflower, a bird song, a patch of clover buzzing with bees — taking time to notice life's small gifts helps keep us grounded.
• Prepare while the skies are calm. Check flashlights, weather alerts, emergency supplies, and family plans before severe weather is on the radar.
• Spend time in living places. Gardens, parks, woods, ponds, and even a small patch of flowers can help restore perspective when life feels overwhelming.
• Savor the season. Enjoy fresh foods while they're available, whether that's cucumbers from the garden, berries from the market, or a meal shared with friends.
• Choose progress over perfection. A thriving yard, garden, home, or life doesn't have to look magazine-perfect to be rich with beauty and purpose.

Abundance isn't found in flawless landscapes or perfect circumstances. It's found in recognizing the life, beauty, and opportunities that surround us every day.

All our best to you and yours,

Laurie, August IV, August V, and Duncan

P.S. - If you are local (northeast Wisconsin, near Denmark), we have 5 tomato transplants that still need homes - 3 Red Centiflor and 2 Chocolate Stripe. I ran out of room!

This week's featured articles...

It's been warm start to the season, and I've gotten a little pink working in the gardens, so I figured it was time to update the home remedies for sunburn.

Our garden cucumbers are just getting started, but our greenhouse cucumbers have blossoms. (Yeah!) I know many of you are ahead of us, so I figured it was a good time to share our favorite creamy cucumber salad recipe.

It has been an active start to tornado season. If you haven't checked it out yet, you may want to take a look at our tornado prep checklist. We also have a prep list for extended power outages.

I got the sweetest email this week from one of our readers. Nancy shared:

"I'd like to take a moment to say how happy I am with my purchase of the Resilient Gardening System series.  So glad I decided to purchase them! I love them sooo much!!! Our garden is doing really well this year so far and our neighbor noticed how huge our garlic and potato plants are. Your series are enjoyable to read, the info makes sense and everything is so well explained and not overwhelming which I really love."

It makes me so happy to know that the Resilient Gardening System series is helping people with their gardens, especially with the crazy weather and food prices increasing due to drought, frost damage, and other issues.

If you haven't grabbed your copy yet, you can purchase it at:
​https://commonsensehome.thrivecart.com/the-resilient-gardening-system/​

This isn't your standard gardening kit. It's about filling your garden with life from the soil up, and working with nature to grow healthier, more nourishing food.