Sustained

The Stigma Around Quitting We’ve all heard the adages: “Nobody likes a quitter.” “When the going gets tough…” But sometimes, quitting is the tough and wise choice. As a society, we've come to view quitting as a personal failure—a weakness to overcome rather than a calculated decision. The truth is, not every endeavor is meant to succeed. And sometimes the most responsible thing you can do—for yourself, your animals, or your family—is to let go and walk away. Unpopular Opinion: Mercy Over Ego in Animal Rescue Here’s where some folks might click away—and that’s okay. Animal rescues serve a purpose, but at times, their efforts cross a line from compassionate to cruel. In our attempt to “save” animals at all costs, we often end up prolonging suffering rather than easing it. Take rabbits, for example. Prey animals to their core, they are wired for flight—not for prolonged recovery or adaptation. When we try to rehabilitate severely injured rabbits by outfitting them wit...

Sometimes this homesteading life is hard— really hard. It can be unpleasant, heartbreaking, and full of loss. I’ve been fortunate in many ways, but I won’t chalk it all up to luck. I take serious precautions to protect my animals: a large livestock guardian dog (LGD), strong fencing, motion-sensor lights, zero feed left out overnight, and a 12-gauge shotgun by the back door. But even with every safeguard in place, things can still go wrong. The Visitor: A Yearling Bear Last night, a young black bear paid us a visit—likely a yearling, based on the tracks he left behind. In hindsight, my LGD Orsa had been trying to warn me for over a week. She's often vocal, especially with stray cats visiting after dark, so I’d dismissed it. The trail cam picked up a fox the night before, which I assumed was the source of her unease. But I should have listened more closely. Her intense focus and barking toward the woods south and west of the house were more than her usual reaction to a fox. ...