Lonely

Did you think all of my posts had to be about the weather or animals?

We are nearing the beginning of our school year and I've been thinking about how lonely homeschooling and farm life can be - especially when the two are combined.

Farm life is, out of necessity, quite solitary - or at least confined to your immediate family. I believe that big farms are less family oriented than the smaller, hobby farm. The large(er) farm necessitates contact with vendors and the additional assistance required to make such a farm possible. Our little 30+ acre farm does not require much outside help. We did have someone in to shear the sheep, but that's about it!

Homeschooling is also a somewhat lonely pursuit - again, aside from contact with your immediate family. Our proximity does dictate who and when we see others (along with those pesky gas prices!). We have to be deliberate about interacting - it's not just the neighbor walking her dog in the evening stopping to chat. It's actually traveling to someone's home (this assumes an invitation) to hang out.

Why do I muse about this? Why now? Answers? Only questions.