I love this! But I think you answered your own question (also reminded me of Ram Dass’ “Don’t be should upon!) You would lose your present reality of actually being in the moment. I like reading what you do!
This resonated deeply - the pressure to always be using something to the highest advantage or opportunity (if that even exists). Thank you for illustrating how the being and doing in the moment actually is the most beautiful expression of that moment after all. Lovely writing!
This made me laugh, if only because I've thought the same thing many times myself. It boggles the mind how people can make themselves look...ethereal?...while standing in full sun when it's 90 degrees lugging hoses around or doing whatever other endless chore beckons. I'm out there not yet having showered, sweaty and with crazy hair, smudged with dirt, unfit for my neighbors to see let alone an entire audience online. Yikes. I'll stick to posting photos of my flowers and gardens while I happily stay behind the camera!
I sometimes have these thoughts about journaling. “Oh, I should write this down.” “Oh, I should write that down.” Then I don’t. I just let the thoughts swirl around in my mind and then disappear. Maybe I don’t always want to record everything I think about or every event that occurs. Although, after not writing anything for quite a while, I am happy when I do and feel good about it. Then I think, “Oh, I really should open my journal more often.” lol
I love reading your farm life stories and so admire all the work that you put into it, not to mention the beautiful way you are raising your kids.
I resonate with that! Last night I wrote in my journal for a few minutes just to describe how I envision all the thoughts and words I should be writing down are flowing around in my brain. Like they are cars on a roller coaster.
This is great writing Holly. I love how you still highlight what is private and only 'you moments'. Perhaps your upcoming book is the way you will gather more people around you, letting you enjoy and be fully present to the not-so-interesting moments without the intervention of a device pressuring you to turn everything into any sort of performance. I look forward to reading more of your work <3
If you stop to think about it, spending more time recording yourself doing those disgusting chores, is probably one of the dumbest things we have, as humans, ever thought of. And then to think of it as influencing anything is really mentally unbalanced. Now writing about it, that's another thing altogether. Throw the camera away and just tell us about it! It's all that helps, though I will say that the sight of those burrs on your horse was compelling. Been there, done that -- on all my dogs. There are only so many things you can do to get to the important place that you want to be, and influencing in its modern form, if I could guess at where you want to be, is probably not one of them. Writing, yes. Thanks!
I think you need to invent gloves that can withstand Burdock. Wow...they are awful. Can't wait until you pubish your book. Be safe from tics and burdock.
Oh, I love seeing your posts in my inbox! This one made me laugh a few times, and it also hits at just the right time. I’ve been feeling bad about all I’m not doing, (TBF some of it writing), but I’ve been living a very full life in a hectic season of huge transition for my family. It might not be sheep abscesses and burdock 😆, but it’s been… a *lot*. So I really appreciate what you’ve said here. It’s helped me take a deep breath and get some perspective.
I used to get some weird “rural influencer” rubbish on my Substack feed — I have since blocked it — that consisted of a young, beautiful woman doing chores and farm-crafty things. She always wore a flowy skirt or dress, and worked in soft light, producing ASMR-type sounds with her sawing or hammering or basket weaving. And there was always a camera angle where the sun was shining through her clothing so it was transparent. 😶
In real life, on my rural property, my workwear is whatever is old and stained. Sometimes I pull something out of the laundry bin. I often find leaves or twigs in my hair. I remove the odd tick. I sweat.
Ohh that burdock! As a landscaper, in the fall I cut back grasses & there’s this one variety that has little awls that imbed their little, pointy, itchy selves into my socks & sweaters. Even when you spend a whole movie just picking each one out you invariably, after the next wash, pull on a pair of socks & feel something poking. These days I write a sticky note ahead of time that instructs me to wear windbreaker over sweater and don’t wear handmade socks! Those gloves may take a Netflix series to unpluck …. My new favorite series was ‘crash landing on you’ but it’s subtitles so you can’t knit or pull burdock while watching .
I love this! But I think you answered your own question (also reminded me of Ram Dass’ “Don’t be should upon!) You would lose your present reality of actually being in the moment. I like reading what you do!
This resonated deeply - the pressure to always be using something to the highest advantage or opportunity (if that even exists). Thank you for illustrating how the being and doing in the moment actually is the most beautiful expression of that moment after all. Lovely writing!
This made me laugh, if only because I've thought the same thing many times myself. It boggles the mind how people can make themselves look...ethereal?...while standing in full sun when it's 90 degrees lugging hoses around or doing whatever other endless chore beckons. I'm out there not yet having showered, sweaty and with crazy hair, smudged with dirt, unfit for my neighbors to see let alone an entire audience online. Yikes. I'll stick to posting photos of my flowers and gardens while I happily stay behind the camera!
I sometimes have these thoughts about journaling. “Oh, I should write this down.” “Oh, I should write that down.” Then I don’t. I just let the thoughts swirl around in my mind and then disappear. Maybe I don’t always want to record everything I think about or every event that occurs. Although, after not writing anything for quite a while, I am happy when I do and feel good about it. Then I think, “Oh, I really should open my journal more often.” lol
I love reading your farm life stories and so admire all the work that you put into it, not to mention the beautiful way you are raising your kids.
This happens to me too. Sometimes it feels like my thoughts don’t wish to be pinned to paper!
I resonate with that! Last night I wrote in my journal for a few minutes just to describe how I envision all the thoughts and words I should be writing down are flowing around in my brain. Like they are cars on a roller coaster.
Whenever you have the inclination, you ARE an influencer.
Keep up the good work!
Holly, I so enjoy every post that you share. Your writing is engaging in all the best ways. Thank-you for keeping it real.
This is great writing Holly. I love how you still highlight what is private and only 'you moments'. Perhaps your upcoming book is the way you will gather more people around you, letting you enjoy and be fully present to the not-so-interesting moments without the intervention of a device pressuring you to turn everything into any sort of performance. I look forward to reading more of your work <3
If you stop to think about it, spending more time recording yourself doing those disgusting chores, is probably one of the dumbest things we have, as humans, ever thought of. And then to think of it as influencing anything is really mentally unbalanced. Now writing about it, that's another thing altogether. Throw the camera away and just tell us about it! It's all that helps, though I will say that the sight of those burrs on your horse was compelling. Been there, done that -- on all my dogs. There are only so many things you can do to get to the important place that you want to be, and influencing in its modern form, if I could guess at where you want to be, is probably not one of them. Writing, yes. Thanks!
I hear you, and yet give me a sheep abscess channel any day.
😂
You already influence in a wonderful way with what you share in your writing !
❤️❤️❤️
I love your stories. They are authentic and make me smile. Thank you for taking the time to write.
I love your "real" life. It is influential!
I think you need to invent gloves that can withstand Burdock. Wow...they are awful. Can't wait until you pubish your book. Be safe from tics and burdock.
Oh, I love seeing your posts in my inbox! This one made me laugh a few times, and it also hits at just the right time. I’ve been feeling bad about all I’m not doing, (TBF some of it writing), but I’ve been living a very full life in a hectic season of huge transition for my family. It might not be sheep abscesses and burdock 😆, but it’s been… a *lot*. So I really appreciate what you’ve said here. It’s helped me take a deep breath and get some perspective.
I used to get some weird “rural influencer” rubbish on my Substack feed — I have since blocked it — that consisted of a young, beautiful woman doing chores and farm-crafty things. She always wore a flowy skirt or dress, and worked in soft light, producing ASMR-type sounds with her sawing or hammering or basket weaving. And there was always a camera angle where the sun was shining through her clothing so it was transparent. 😶
In real life, on my rural property, my workwear is whatever is old and stained. Sometimes I pull something out of the laundry bin. I often find leaves or twigs in my hair. I remove the odd tick. I sweat.
My kid hugged me yesterday and said, “You smell like the barn.” I was wearing clothes straight from the laundry.
My favorite perfume!
That happened to me with my niece then I realized it was the barn boots I was wearing 🤦♀️.
Ohh that burdock! As a landscaper, in the fall I cut back grasses & there’s this one variety that has little awls that imbed their little, pointy, itchy selves into my socks & sweaters. Even when you spend a whole movie just picking each one out you invariably, after the next wash, pull on a pair of socks & feel something poking. These days I write a sticky note ahead of time that instructs me to wear windbreaker over sweater and don’t wear handmade socks! Those gloves may take a Netflix series to unpluck …. My new favorite series was ‘crash landing on you’ but it’s subtitles so you can’t knit or pull burdock while watching .