A Day in the Life of a Garden Mama
Let’s take a peek into a day in the life of a mom/wife/gardener/entrepreneur, shall we?
My three biggest roles in life are wife, mother, and gardener. I have had the incredible privilege of getting to realize many of my dreams. And how? Hard work, dedication, consistency, and the knowing that “If I could dream it, I could do it”. My mom actually had a sign made that said that and it hung over my bed as a child until the day I moved out at eighteen.
In all honesty, I don’t think I believed it consciously until I was in my thirties when most things started to fall into place for me. And now, I have proof that no matter how large or small, there’s at least a fighting chance. And really, it matters not if you actually arrive at the doorstep of your intention. The pursuit is where the magic happens – that is where we gain experience, wisdom, confidence, and courage.
All About Intention
After years of working to find my purpose, I really started to see clearly that sharing my journey to gardening was somewhere tucked into it. And then I started building my life around that and the other passions and priorities that I have.
Now, I find myself getting to truly live MY dream. I get to be home part-time with my kids (I chose part-time school care for them so that I can work too) and I get to run my own business inspiring others to garden. It’s all very intentional, and has taken me years to refine. It’s taken me a long time to find a flow that is productive and also present.
I’ve had many days that are filled with unknowns, hardship, and even heartache. On those days it’s felt most purposeful in getting to choose my life, and how my time is spent. That freedom has meant everything to me. But then again, freedom is a really core motivation for me. Perhaps you have different motivations. I have had seasons of hustle, and seasons of rest. I find that it’s really just about what you can keep up with mentally, spiritually, and emotionally to be at your personal best.
As I uncovered the faux balancing act of doing “it all” I have found a rhythm that works for me.
Here’s what a full day in the life looks like (most of the time):
Morning
5:00AM wake up! I thrive with an hour of pre-kids time. I cherish this alone time to do whatever I want. Though I’ve learned that being disciplined with mediation and journaling at this time really helps me keep a calm mind.
6:00AM at least one child is typically bounding down the stairs, or yelling, “MAMA!” from the crib. If the coffee’s not made, now’s the time.
Around this time I do my first quick walk out into the garden to either harvest at dawn or water, if I can. Some days this gets pushed a couple of hours. I just like to get eyes on everything and see what’s inspiring me for the day.
6:30AM if I’m in a good routine, I work out around this time for 30 minutes. Often this gets sacrificed/ skipped over in the hustle of the morning.
7:00AM is breafast, lunches, juicing, and morning madness. On days that I’m home with the kids it’s much more calm and we’re typically playing/listening to music while I do mom chores, or we bake a treat to enjoy post-nap.
8:15AM is about when I am back in the garden, or getting out there for the first time. This is when I usually water, harvest, pinch off bolting lettuce shoots, or prune things. I can typically get away with about 15 minutes – 30 on a good day.
8:45AM I start “working”. I answer emails, take care of garden club admin, develop content, write blogs, etc. On at-home days with the kids we usually have an outing – anything in nature is my preference.
Midday
11:30AM lunch and then nap for the kids, and more working for me.
2:00PM tea time. I am on a big kick of mixing teas. I love Earl Grey with something from my favorite tea herbalist, Highgarden Tea. “Lift” is the blend I love most.
2:15PM is a transitional point. If I’m prepping for kids to come home, I tidy the house,then make a fun snack before getting them from school. If we’re already home we normally do dance parties followed by yard work. This is when I can get the kids to plant with me, help weed, do chores in the garden overall.
4:30PM I start dinner, as we eat really early (around 5:30) and usually head back into the garden to grab some herbs or leafy greens. I like to be as fresh as possible.
Evening
6:15PM we are usually pretty done with the day and doing family time. Sometimes a quick TV show, a fire outside, or getting last minute wiggles out. Then we do the kids routine and get them to bed on the earlier side.
9:00PM is typically when we’re done for the day – giving us a little mom and dad time, and on rare occassions some time to jump into work if need be.
There you have it! It’s all quite simple and relatively uneventful. I will say that part of what I love about sprinkling the garden into each day is that it gives me pause. It gives me a place to breathe and regroup throughout the day, working in tandem – nurturing it, as it nurtures me.
I realize as well that my days may seem so unconventional to some, which is what I love! Peeking into someone’s day-to-day is so fun. In fact,a couple years ago I did a series here where I featured a day in the life of some of my friends. You can check them out below.
Other “A Day in the Life” Features
A day in the life of Hannah from Ballerina Farms
Day in the life of Breanne from Burch Acres
A day in the life of Jennifer from Fest Farms
What do you think?? Should we add in more “Day in the Life” features?? Who do you want to see? Comment below and let me know!