I have just finished two days of training to renew and update my certification to teach classes to prospective faster and adoptive parents. The classes were quite good but two days spent in a hot, crowded, too small room with no access to sunlight and only canned air left me feeling sluggish and out-of-sorts. The hour long commute in heavy interstate traffic didn’t help either. What a pleasure to get home yesterday and just walk in my back field. The air felt so good; birds were singing and the cows giving an occasional low grumble over the fence. I could hear chickens and goats, kids (both human and goat variety) and geese but no mechanical sounds at all. I checked my sweet potatoes and tomatoes, looked in on the bees and finally wandered down to the stream. There, just waiting to be discovered, was a flush of shitake mushrooms. Walking back to the house with my shirt front holding a dozen specimens, I stopped and picked asparagus. I know what we will have for dinner tonight. With eggs from Barbara and Sheri, local cheese and milk from the Creamery, bacon from our pigs and the mushrooms and asparagus, I feel a quiche coming on. I have enough for two so we will snack on this egg pie all weekend.
The other good thing was checking my email. I had some nice emails from Keith Farnish, one from Sharon Astyk and another fron Janaia Donaldson, host of Peak Moment TV. Keith is the author of Times Up, a book I heartily recommend. If you find yourself with some time, look at some of the Peak Moment youtube videos. Janaia has interviewed some amazing people and the videos are well worth the time. I am a particular fan of the permaculture videos. No matter how down I feel, wandering through a garden, even virtually, makes me happy.
On a preparedness note. Driving home on a interstate in rush hour traffic is always an interesting experience. I can’t help but do the “what if” game. What if I had to walk home from here? Would I make it with what I carry in my purse” Am I dressed appropriately? The answers were Maybe and No. The sandals were cute but I sure would wish for the extra walking shoes and rain poncho I keep in my car. (I was riding in a friend’s car). I had my leatherman and lighter but no extra water and no food. I have a well equiped car pack but I don’t carry my pack with me in someone else’s car.
It is another glorious day. We are spending tomorrow getting ready for the first open house on Bruce’s mom’s house. We are hoping for a quick sale. It woud be amazing to get a barn up before snow flies. Contractors are still hurting for work around here so getting a crew together should not be a problem. I’m dreaming of dwarf goats, a big flock of chickens, a few lambs in the pasture, a kitchen for processing honey and canning and a big equipment room.
June 4, 2010 at 7:16 am
When I travel with someone else, I always take a back pack with some water, snacks, flashlight, and an extra pair of walking shoes.
Nice dream aboutthe barn….I’d like one, but not sure we are ready for bigger animals. We got our new shed up, so hopefully the meat rabbits will be starting soon.
June 4, 2010 at 7:48 am
Coming home is the BEST stuff: loved ones, growing things, peace and quiet. Yesterday was a banner day for me too. In my little plot at the church’s community garden, I harvested my first-ever broccoli, arugula, basil, kale, lettuce, zukes and squash. I had made cheese the day before — from the video instructions at foodwishes.com — so most of our dinner last night was still warm from the sun. I’m not given to hubris as a rule, but I was quietly proud and thankful for the bounty before us. Donna
June 4, 2010 at 9:01 am
I travel with a backpack too, no purse!
We are thinking about tearing down our barn, leaky roof and no funds to fix it. If and ever we get back to farming, we would like to have a new barn anyway, our barn was built in the 20′s. It will be sad to see it go.
June 4, 2010 at 9:19 am
keep your eye out on the brokers and “buyers” coming to that open house..you would not wish to wake up this week with a flooded house that ruins all the expensive repairs and such amd painting that you have done attempting to sell , in someones attempts to “buy” been there done that ..tho not provable and sold low, low, low…,
June 9, 2010 at 4:34 pm
That’s a really good point about the preparedness while you were traveling. I commute to work each day and often I’m in my work clothes and heels….I have sometimes thought “now what if I broke down or had a flat—would I be able to walk to the gas station/etc, or run (if need be)…I hadn’t thought about actually walking home… in my situation, I think it would make sense for me to figure out “safe places” I could walk to on my route, in the event of something unforeseen, since my commute is 45 miles.
Daunting.
On a side note, I started my first vegetable garden this year and I’m just tickled every time I go out there and see things growing!
June 9, 2010 at 5:23 pm
After all these years, things popping up is still a miracle to me.