When the farmers in residence and any visitors come to work here I run a very tight time line for each day. 
They start at 7.30. We work until breakfast, after breakfast we work again. Lunch then SIESTA. Then reconvene at 3pm and work for another three hours, showers, dinner, clean-up, sleep.
The siesta (I think) is the key. Fitness has to be developed and adjusting to farm life can be pretty exhausting. So being given permission to throw oneself onto the bed and lie still for a couple of hours in the middle of the day makes all the difference I think. A rest in the afternoon is such an old fashioned idea but a good one. 
And while they rest I have time to catch up on all those other things that need doing without attendants. So it works both ways. 
I have always believed that having a stressful life is OK and perfectly normal as long as you design your life so that you have NON-Stressful times too. On purpose. A wide awake life is so much easier to manage. We take all the components of our lives, think about them then re-design them to suit ourselves as much as humanly possible. Give yourself a break every day.
I hope you have a lovely day. I could do with the wind dropping and a little warmth. But the temperature was perfect for gardening. So we did.
celi
The Kitchen's Garden 
62 responses to “Siesta”
aahhhh SIESTA or “nap time” on my to-do lists every weekend! 🙂 outsiders never understand why I need the naps and how can I ever sleep during the day AND at night… simple: stay busy before and after the nap. I love the pictures of the snuggled piggies catching on their zzzzz
Brent and the herd tend to siesta at the same time. I don’t siesta, I like to wake up once a day. Waking up twice a day is too much for me. I blob instead with stand-up comedy.
Cows know best when it comes to sleeping.. I never go to sleep either – but sometimes I nick a sit down.. c
Siesta – ahhhhhhh!
excellent advice . . . . we should all take time in our day to stop for a while, whether that be a snooze or just sitting still. My mum who is the carer for my dad often forgets this, and so often when I am down I remind her of the need to ‘breathe’!
Being The Carer is a very difficult full time job. c
And if not an actual siesta, then a lie in the hammock is divine! 🙂
A little sit down in the afternoon with my knitting is my ‘down time’. I love it. Looking forward to seeing your beautiful garden soon ; )
I remember taking “a little lunch” to my dad and uncles when they were doing field work. Mom would make summer sausage sandwiches and tuck them into a tin tub snugged with a white dish towel. She would nestle a few bottles of beer inside also. And then my brother and I would set out for the field, waiting at the edge for the men to arrive. We’d all settle into the shade of the tractor wheels and rest, eat and maybe talk. This afternoon break ranks among my fondest farm memories.
That is a great memory too. We used to do that when the men were making hay – take out morning tea – literally tea in thermos’s and cookies.. c
We did the same in Germany. Thank you for bringing back those fond memories .
My wise Momma used to say ” if you can’t sleep, at least rest your body.” A good practice. All I thought of when I saw the plonkers haunches was ” Pork chops”. Your day has a lovely cadence to it. Enjoy.
Yes! I say to the children – just pretend you are asleep.. c
That is key – to rest your body. My mom so needs to practice this more. She has been stressed out in the past couple of weeks but perhaps she can “de-stress” next week on vacation. Much love to you my friends – hogs and snout kisses. XOXO – Bacon
A little stress and a little ressst – all in one day.. that works well… c
excellent advice! Have a lovely day today!
As I was driving to work this morning, I passed a field of cows. A longhorn cow (6-7 ft. spread) was licking her tiny calf…very sweet.
I saw a longhorn for the first time the other day – they are stunning cows – so graceful. c
Resting your body – and your mind – in the middle of the day is such a good idea for us all. I recently read about how some work places are providing ‘napping areas’….. sometimes you just need a half hour break! And that break supposedly helps productivity! Glad the weather has improved some and you were able to do some gardening!! ‘ o )
What an excellent idea – giving people permission to rest. c
Exactly!!! ; o )
We always take a nap…a short break in the very long busy day! First light to gloaming…a nap is a help.
Linda
At first glance, I thought someone was so exhausted she was sleeping with the plonkers–at bottom right, it looks a bit like a person’s bare foot.
Actually my girls have been known to lie down and rest with the piggies – so sweet.. c
I thought the plonker’s bottom looked like a human bum-bum. I thought this blog had gone in a whole new direction!
What a thing!. c