We hired our young neighbor to help out with tasks around the homestead, as she wanted to save up for her own homestead projects. She set to work with a will - weeding, planting, pruning and trellising tomato plants. Then she got a gleam in her eye and said, "Let's clear the wild grape vines out of the rose patch!"

That turned out to be quite the task, as wild grape vines breed with an enthusiasm akin to rabbits. She was in the middle of the mess, working with my sons, when her dad showed up to give her a ride home. Seeing her fighting with a stubborn vine, he jumped in and joined the pulling, until they'd cleared enough to meet her satisfaction. You know that friends are true when they gladly lend a hand to messy jobs.

This week was hot and steamy, with a couple of rounds of rain. Dunc walked out to start chores this morning and said, "It smells like outside is fermenting." The ground finally has some bounce instead of feeling stiff and dry. (Much nicer for walking barefoot.)

The humidity was so high earlier in the week (over 90%) that I didn't even attempt to dry the day's laundry on the line. Thankfully there was a breeze today, so the grapevine wrangling wasn't completely overwhelming. We also had a stunning double rainbow just at sunset last night. No matter how many of them I see, they never get old.

The gardens are finally starting to take off (yay for rain!) and we're getting mulch and trellises in place. Then there's the brief slowdown in the annual gardens (where we take some more time with the perennial plantings) before the main harvest season kicks in and it's crazy time until hard frost. Homesteading life is very seasonal, especially when you raise plants or animals.

This Week’s Resilience & Abundance Boost

• Share the work when you can. Big, messy projects feel lighter when tackled together, and shared labor builds both skills and relationships.
• Use the “in-between” season wisely. When the first planting rush eases but harvest hasn’t kicked into high gear yet, it’s a good time to catch up on mulching, trellising, pruning, and repairs.
• Work with the weather instead of fighting it. Hot, humid days call for a slower pace, more water, and a willingness to shift tasks to the cooler edges of the day.
• Notice the signs of progress. A softening soil, thriving plants, or a rainbow at day’s end are all reminders that steady effort does add up.
• Invest in the next generation. Whether it’s hiring a young helper, sharing seeds, or teaching a practical skill, passing knowledge along is one of the best long-term resilience strategies there is.

Resilience grows stronger when we share the load, work with the season at hand, and remember that today’s effort helps shape tomorrow’s abundance.

All our best to you and yours,

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

Making the Most of the Weekend

Whether you’re hosting family, heading to a cookout, or just trying to stay comfortable through the heat, I’ve rounded up a few favorites that should come in handy. From memory support and musty laundry fixes to easy summer recipes for sharing, here are some practical reads to help make the weekend a little smoother — and a little tastier.

Give your memory a little support

If names, to-do lists, or “why did I walk into this room?” moments have been more common than you’d like, this new article digs into simple ways to support memory naturally — including daily rhythms, novelty, and habits that help your brain work with you instead of against you.

Read: How to Improve Memory Naturally​

Rescue musty towels and clothes

Summer heat and humidity can make laundry smell “off” in a hurry. If towels, workout clothes, or stored linens have picked up that stubborn musty odor, these simple fixes can help freshen them up without a lot of fuss.

Read: 6 Ways to Get the Musty Smell Out of Clothes and Towels​

Easy summer recipes

If you need a few dependable dishes for the 4th of July weekend, I’ve got you covered with a mix of savory sides, cool drinks, and old-fashioned desserts. Think simple crowd-pleasers for potlucks, cookouts, and family gatherings.

Browse the recipes:

• ​Baked Beans from Scratch​
• ​Honey Sweetened Lemonade​
• ​Rhubarbade​
• ​Creamy Cucumber Salad​
• ​Broccoli, Bacon, and Cheese Salad​
• ​Sour Cream Cole Slaw​
• ​Fruit Juice Finger Jello​
• ​Chocolate Zucchini Cake​
• ​Red, White, and Blue Cake​