Community is...

something I have been craving alot lately. Perhaps it is the gardener in me that no longer wants to weed alone. I am wanting to have a good hot cuppa with my knitting in my lap and discussing the ways of living a simple life with someone face to face. I think that as more and more people come to want a more sustainable lifestyle that having community is going to be of great value. It will be both a teaching tool and a place of fellowship. Somewhere you can exchange ideas on what grows best where, or how to harvest water without great expense. How to combine aquaculture and hydroponics ? So many ideas. Perhaps the idea isn't just to be someone that eats food grown locally, but someone that lives locally as well. I know that I can't be the only one out there that is thinking these thoughts. (right along with the one that says I need to replace my cord to download my camera) My mind races right along, and then hits the brick wall of to many possibilities and has to go take a nap.
Today I actually made great headway in putting my studio space together. With much help from the dogs I might add. I think I am going to be happy with the results if we stay where we are. Dear Husband was laid off Friday. Wish us luck.

Grow your own...

or how to have a Victory Garden at your house!
I reciently came across this:

"If every U.S. citizen ate just one meal a week (any meal) composed of locally and organically raised meats and produce, we would reduce our country’s oil consumption by over 1.1 million barrels of oil every week. That’s not gallons, but barrels."*
- Oily Food, by Steven Hopp

somehow it hit me in the face like a dead carp. There really is something simple that can be done about the oil and gas thing. No real effort there, just good food!

So here I am wishing hard for spring time and planning my garden. The tea cozy is almost finished and at least one of my swaps is ready to go into the mail tomorrow. I feel all accomplished and stuff! My plans for the cardboard tea caddy are in place and I think I am going to have much fun with that challange.

Winter Blues

So here I am with my case of insomnia and my dreams of perfect gardens. I know that this is not what happens, but I am dreaming of summer. In the real world I will have cats, doxies, and bugs in it! Still, if you use what you have and grow what you can you are closer to being self sufficient I suppose. I have been looking into sustainable urban agriculture, some call it permaculture, techniques and I think that I can do this. Even in a smallish yard you can grow most of the veggies that a family would need in a year. Perhaps even chickens.

paranoia is my friend...

No real reason why. These past few weeks, perhaps months, I have become increasingly insecure about life in general. Being unable to really put my finger on why with out sounding like a moon bat, I have decided to do what I can where I am, with what I got. I plan to work toward an more self sufficient life style. I have decided to empower myself as much as possible by learning as much as I can. I am back in school. I have signed up to take citizen emergency preparedness courses. I have enough stash in my fabric to make a quilt that would cover my neighborhood. I have cheese making supplies and have some emergency food supplies put up. It is a start. This will be updated, perhaps in its own blog.