#39 - This Business Woman is Out to Pasture

Today, I was visiting a blog buddy at http://www.georgiafarmgirl.blogspot.com/ and her blog site is titled, "Life on a Southern Farm." She has an amazing post today of farm pictures that include one of her husband, FarmMan, as he stands on their rock bridge. It is absolutely gorgeous. Things like this get my heart pumping. I regularly stop by her place so I can see what Farm Man is up to next and to take a look at all the projects he's completed through the years. He is the epitome of a true Crafts-Man. My jaw is often dropping open after I see his latest project.

Deputy Dave on the lawn tractor with our niece.
Taking her for a spin in the city!

Ten years ago, my jaw was dropping open and my heart was beating faster over things totally opposite from country wow living. In fact, I was living it up after I landed another contract with a top law firm in Houston because I was the Owner and Director of a litigation support business. I was a successful, business-woman on a fast track in life. By city standards, I was "living the good life." But, there was a bump in my road and it forced me to take a drastic turn. Suddenly, my cushy perception of what is meaningful and worthwhile was severely and permanently altered. In a sense, I was "cured" of the city life as I battled for my own life.

My baby, Stefie and my other Baby, Christiana...playing around in my
home office, around 1996. Christiana was our foster daughter who we
had desperately wanted to adopt, but her Social Worker adopted her.

I still appreciate my birth city of Houston, Texas, but I no longer find it thrilling or satisfying. Shame on me! A city girl turning country? What is wrong with this picture? Most of my family and friends simply think I've been so traumatized by life's events that I am simply not the same person any longer. Guess what? They are 100% right.

Me and my family, outside our home on the outskirts of Houston. We had
lived with a Houston address for years, but we're still close enough and
in the same county as Houston at this new house. City living continues...

Oh, the city will always be interesting and there are unlimited new things to explore when in Houston, but the core of me changed. The city doesn't bait me any longer. It doesn't call to me. I respond to a different environment and I have for a long, long time.

Here I am with blond hair, having fun
with a friend and a client.

I did have country homes to vacation in, all throughout my childhood and teenagehood. I'm not talking about high-end country vacation homes, I'm referring to Texas back-woods country vacation homes...a single row trailer tucked among tall pines in a rural neighborhood with a poured concrete patio in the front for hanging out. These secondary homes were also affectionately called "Fish Camps" by my grand-father.

My husband helping his nephew catch his first fish at Matagorda Bay,
at my uncle and aunt's home. My nephew, Nathan, is being photographed
by his dad who is expertly catching this photo as his son makes his own catch.

I guess this is partly why we purchased our acreage; it's only a few short miles from the country homes I knew while growing up. I grew up going to our family's country place for many weekends and long summer visits over many years and there I would happily fish, ride a scooter, get to drive the car on the country back roads at 12 years of age and I could hardly be called back inside at the end of the day...I guess the country got into my blood and it could never be washed out by city immersion.

Here I am, Easter weekend around 1990 in my spiffy dress that cost a fortune.
Growing up, Easter was a huge deal that required top fashion.
That's my sister-in-law behind me and I think she's giving me that
look to show that she wasn't raised the same way. My husband's
sister is holding my baby girl.

In fact, the city girl in me has lacked gusto for high-rise buildings and big business for about ten years, ever since I took another personal detour in life. I experienced catastrophic health changes and that's when I dropped the stress of running a business like a hot ball. I chose life, and I longed for the peace and relaxation I felt when in the country. If my life was going to be in danger from my incurable health condition, then I wanted to forget the money and get to the country! I'd always loved country life, but after my husband and I purchased our acreage in the country about ten years ago, we had hit the point of no return.

Once we bought our land, we fell in love, permanently.

These days, I can't hardly focus on anything but moving to the farm full-time. Sometimes, I don't know how it will work out, but I don't let anything stop me. For ten long years we've been making our way to live on that land permanently. The day the dream becomes a reality is fast approaching. I know it won't be easy, but it's worth fighting for. This is one goal that my husband and I keep working toward. It had once upon a time been a long-term goal; now we getting so close to moving that the goal has become short-term.

Honey-suckle that is growing wild all over our acreage. Beautiful.

Retirement is approaching for Deputy Dave. He'll be able to leave the big city and it's crime and grime behind him. There is no doubt, there is a huge difference between Houston crime and our country city crime. Each place still has crime, but in Houston, it is prolific simply because of population density. We don't have this problem in the rural country. No sirree. But, for now, Deputy Dave drives into downtown Houston every day for work; seeing the city-scape is a beautiful thing, but I think he will probably feel ten pounds lighter once we move to the country because the tension slides away as he approaches his home in the forest.

Deputy Dave rolling on duty for Harris County.
I always pray for him to brought back home to us safely,
at the end of each day on duty.
He's a Deputy Sheriff and has been one for about 22 years.
He's heard it all, seen it all and he'll be really glad to retire.

In the country, he'll have days of farm enjoyment, not too much, but not too little. Certainly, he'll have many, many days filled with fishing. The thought of finally moving out there makes my heart pitter-patter even faster.


Great day fishing near the city house in 2008.



Nathan learning to fish  as his father takes the pictures. Warren is actually
a well-known, published photographer. We are blessed to have him around
to take our photo memories. This day was very special.

I am grateful for my beautiful days in the city. Indeed, for so many years, the city catered to my workaholic, money-making obsession, yet I still had ample time for my mommy-moments. It was a great life of city chaos, but I got burned out. In the city, I now feel claustrophobic. The business-woman in me is finished with sitting behind a desk; give me my chickens and I am one happy, fulfilled woman!

I look back and can't believe that my business focus had me shooting to the moon over each new client. Today, I have morphed into a woman who is full of joy simply after gazing into the glow of the moon itself.

And here are MOON Shoes! The girls loved having these to
bounce around on!

I get immeasurable happiness as I hand-feed my chickens. I love feeling the soil on my hands as I plant potato seeds or pull up weeds. It's an uncomplicated life. I don't miss the hectic life of never feeling that I've done enough at the end of a long day of work. I don't miss working with high-powered, narcissistic personalities. Give me an ordinary day on our land, a few hours sitting on a powerful lawn tractor while zoning out and I say...It's enough for me.


Mowing on our land, taking a break to check on the wild growing flowers.

Roughing it on our land is not even difficult for me. Leaving the luxurious life behind so I can be hot, sweaty, stinky and covered in dirt means I am doing exactly what I'm supposed to be doing. The business-woman in me is still there, somewhere I guess, but the Farm Gal in me is the ultimate boss and she's confidently leading the way. I like where we are headed.