Wildside Home

To all things there is a season...

2009-05-17T09:04:00.000-07:00

Rainwater collection in Spring

Air-drying clothes in Summer

Apple harvest in Autumn

Nature's beauty in Winter

To all things there is a season, and I think that my blogging days are finally over.

Along with all the things offline that are calling my name, we are unexpectedly losing our internet connection and email in this move (at least for now), so I will soon be using the library as a means to access the web, if & when I do. Recently I joined an online forum for entertainment purposes and am presently uploading an album of photos to share from our years spent living here and creating the "Wildside" mini-homestead.

If you'd like to join in some nonsense and fun, sign up and then you'll be able to see it there!

HomesteadGarden Forums

Just discovered and had to share:

2009-05-09T10:58:00.000-07:00

While I'm away, taking that supposed big ol' blogging break (and learning to live without our cable TV!), here's some videos from P. Allen Smith's "Garden Home" show we might all might enjoy:

First: Chicken Tractor

(and there's many more!)

*"Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed

2009-05-09T10:55:00.000-07:00

"Opportunity is missed by most people
because it is dressed in overalls
and looks like work."
--Thomas A. Edison

"Opportunity is missed by most people *because it is dressed

2009-05-09T10:54:00.000-07:00

"Opportunity is missed by most people

because it is dressed in overalls

and looks like work."

--Thomas A. Edison

Taking a look back:

2009-05-07T07:07:00.000-07:00

Here I am three years ago, working to replace our failed sewerline which ran through the middle of our garden. This tragedy, combined with other signs, was the final straw for my little garden biz. So, I decided it was a strong indication to step back and take another path. A long-term break from trying so hard to please others and relying on situations outside myself. Time to try and put my silly pride away and focus instead on quietly practicing some gratefulness and frugality to see how far these could take me with what can be freely done from home. Not perfect at all in this, mind you; there always is much room for improvement and a ways to go -- but that's what can keep it fun.

In my attempts on our 1/10 acre in town, there have been many failures and successes . Fortunately, success (or mostly failure redefined!) always out-weighed the rest.

When anxiety and doubt creep in and create a sort of unsettling impatience, we often need to remember that a relaxed pace -- slow and steady -- wins the race in the end.

Like the sewer-line work, we can get some major things done if we do them inch by inch -- and then time will pass, things grow in thick and tall, other distractions befall, until we fairly nearly forget what came before...

So it is good to pause every once in awhile and take a look back and see how far we'e come. This blog was meant to help with that and with getting things done. Not quite sure how that all worked! Mostly I've just enjoyed your company in the comments because it helped to keep from feeling so all alone on this odd little path. So many thanks to each of you!

Despite my fears of falling to the abyss, will be taking a break now, unplugging, and immersing myself in all things offline. That's the next test. To see if that is even possible. As Nature is out there calling my name!

"Are you feeling the effects of the recession?"

2009-05-06T08:49:00.000-07:00

Looking for a little more interaction than this blog can provide, I recently tried out an online forum and the above question was posed. Cutting and clipping from follow-up posts there, here's more:

"With the shakey situation of employment these days we should all be talking and making plans for how we will cope and reduce our spending before jobs are altered or cut. That way we feel more in control of the situation and less powerless if (and when) the axe does fall.

None of these things would cause us any great hardship when all said and done. We could do much more before hardship would start to pinch. Actually just writing this tonight makes me realise there is no good reason not to start doing many of these things right now. We'd still be happy and fulfilled and probably even more so! I don't see any reason why comfort and joy cannot be synonymous with living even more simply and frugally....it's all about the balance, and finding it for ourselves - in our own situation."

Very thought provoking, isn't it?!

Trying to come up with a related question to post to start a discussion here as well, and I suppose it could simply be this:

"What small things can we be doing today to ensure a more secure tomorrow?" (And with that, how do we go about about staying within happy balance, making sure not to exclude both comfort & joy?)

Feel free to comment.

Bread sampler

2009-05-05T09:45:00.000-07:00

After reading today's find (article in below post below this one), am thinking I ought to make some bread again, but we're in-between houses, some stuff here, some stuff there -- making the entire process kind of difficult! So am putting up some pictures of past efforts instead.

Scratch That *How cost-effective is it to make homemade

2009-05-05T09:33:00.000-07:00

Scratch That
How cost-effective is it to make homemade pantry staples?
http://www.slate.com/id/2216611/?Gt1=38001

"Although I love to cook, I've always secretly, darkly, suspected it is costlier to craft at home what you can buy at Ralph's. Obviously, homemade bread tastes better than Wonder, but does playing Martha Stewart really save you money?"

(Click on link above to read article discussing home-made bagels, cream cheese, yogurt, jam, and more...)

* Dare to step into the void...* ** Radio Mystery Theatre

2009-05-04T10:34:00.000-07:00

Dare to step into the void...

Radio Mystery Theatre

Our TV connection & bill have now been cut.

We scratch our heads --

what in the world did we ever do in the days before we had TV?

This link takes us back in time!

(Some frugal free fun)

*Is it lunacy or sanity? I suppose it depends on which way you

2009-05-03T08:10:00.000-07:00

Is it lunacy or sanity? I suppose it depends on which way you look, eh?!?

This past week I've been transplanting blueberries, rhubarb, herbs, and flowers from old house to new. Just as I was feeling silly about all this effort to move a garden, a worker from the neighboring house stopped by and raved about how pretty it was... His enthusiastic comment helped me to see anew how worthwhile this seeming craziness of mine is.

On my way back I popped into the local store to buy gas and groceries -- thought I should give convenience a chance. Though shelves weren't as crammed as you'd find at a regular store, I was surprised to see they have a good selection of local coffees and regional wines and prices on everything weren't as jacked up as you'd expect to see. The young man at the checkout was friendly and well-mannered, could speak rather than grunt, which added to the overall pleasantness of experience. Driving the distance back to here, the old place, I got carried away by the notion that I probably wouldn't have to go into town ever again if I didn't want to! Especially if I continue on with working daily towards my incredible, edible Eden...

(So the lunacy continues...)