Wednesday, July 30, 2008

What to do? What to do?

Oh the forever to do list:
  •   Go back to the pick- your- own blueberry patch...1.00 a quart  compared to the 4.50 a quart place.  Although, when you buy the already-been picked you don't get  stung by yellow jackets or spend  an  hour cleaning them.
  • Still have to plant spinach in the garden for fall harvest.                                             
  • Friendly neighbor gave me some cucumbers that I have to make                                                        some  bread and butter pickles with.
  • Learn how to download pictures for this bloggy thang.
  • Finish knitting baby hat for new niece.
  • make dinner, do laundry, vacuum...yadda, yadda, yadda





                                              

Homesteading?

     I am one of a family of four. The mother. I have a son who is fifteen; from this point on he shall be know as T-Bird.  I have another son who is 2. He is the Wee one.  There is Hubby and me, Karin.

     We live in Central Maine.  In a small house in a small town. On two acres.  We homestead.  Or in other words we grow potatoes and squish potato beetles, chase 5 sheep around our property, build things that sometimes turn out the way we intend, pull many weeds, dehydrate zucchini and tell the toddler they are chips, turn compost, hunt for eggs under chickens, buy milk from the local farmer for ourselves and our pig, tap maples with snowshoes on, shear sheep in the spring, barter with our neighbors, can, can, and can some more, save rainwater to conserve energy, forage for wild food,  fix the plow truck outside in February , rise early in the morning and most nights have no problem falling asleep. 

We live simply..LOL.

No, Really!

  

Monday, July 28, 2008

Welcome!

     I've been awake since 5am.  The dawn chorus began with a one lonesome bird calling for his fellow choir members. The dog woke and scratched at the door, whining. Leroy Brown Goat notices some life coming from the house and begins his woesome wail from his shed.   The wee one, just over two years old , had been climbing over me to fine some oobie-doo.  Alas, we are weaning so he found no joy this morning.  So, we rise before the sun has peeked over the horizon. Hubby remains in bed.  It is his turn to sleep in.  I help wee one use the potty. Play  "gucks " (trucks) for a while.  Then make coffee and strawberry muffins. A peaceful morning.

But, I have to admit...I am a NPR addict.  So, Morning Edition is turned on at 6 am.  It is the usual mayhem this morning: suicide bombings in Turkey and Iraq, banks failing, the price of gasoline drops below 4.00.   These are interesting times.  I never thought I would be living through such times? 

I sit at the computer this morning writing this post.  My first of many I hope.  What is this exercise for anyway...blogging?  Well, first, I hope for it to be a chronicle of our life here on our homestead. We are working hard on our small patch of earth.  Second, I hope for this blog to be a record of our understanding of Peak Oil/climate change and what we are doing to adapt to these changing times.  Third, I hope to share the flotsam of life: knitting projects, toddler witticisms, teenager accomplishments, recipes,  local economy and general musings. 

Hubby rises with a declaration," I am awake! Thanks for letting me sleep in." 
I must consider the to do list today:

Finish shelling peas and put them in the freezer

Pick raspberries from our property and freeze them.

Plant spinach for fall harvest.

Bake bread

Harvest basil and make pesto.

Empty dehydrator of kale and dill.

Wait for delivery of materials for building barn

Vacuum Rug..bleh...

Well, onward and upward....