reality

Creative projects on hold for a short while, no fun photos,..... been working as much as I can at Grocer's Daughter making truffles and chocolate bars (yum yum yum!). Jayson dislocated his shoulder while snowboarding, so he is out of commission for a few weeks and not able to teach. I'm pulling double duty at work and home and trying to keep it all together. I do love where I work - best smelling job ever! Leaf came to work with me today, she loves it, too. A special, special place where magic happens.

I am winding down a bit while Leaf is resting. Thinking about Biodynamics and sending energy to our land for the plants we hope to grow and welcome this spring and summer. The snow has stopped falling for a little while. We had about 16 inches Tuesday night, another 12 the next two days, and probably another 10 inches last night plus blowing and drifting. It was quite a chore shoveling out to the wood pile and the compost. Leaf decided to read every book about snowmen that she has and played with bears. How fitting, of course!

I have been thinking about what change I will make for March in our move towards sustainability. January's and February's have been so successful. Jayson remarked the other day what an amazing change the family cloth has made in toilet paper consumption. I am loving the ToGoWare stainless food storage and satiating my creative needs with knitting and sewing. Some ideas for March include establishing regular visits with elders in our community, always remembering our own containers to bring food home from restaurants (not that we have been out at all lately, but I am hopeful), learning to make pasta from scratch to eliminate that purchase with packaging, and having designated shut-off times when absolutely nothing is using power in the entire house and all is quiet. Wow, the last one is really appealing. I used to live without any power or electric hum or cell phone emissions. What happened?

This change will take effort from everyone in the house. I will post more when I am able.
Peaceful evening to you~~~~

knitting on....

Leaf's hat was finished in an afternoon while she napped on my lap. She chose the yarn (100% wool), and I am pleased with how it turned out. Jayson's is next.... I actually had most of it knitted, but could not live with a mistake in it and unraveled the entire thing. I suppose that is where the term "knit-picky" might come from. Ha-ha!
I am envisioning a sweet pair of pants to make next. I hesitate to write any more about it, lest it lose some magic.
My other challenge for Feb is keeping up with the housework while satiating my compulsive knitting craze.

Here is a wonderful poem I read about once a week; it is me and is the source of inspiration and continued renewal of energy for what I am doing with this life.

I Will
Listen, I've decided:
Life is too precious to ponder
the petty details any longer
and to put it bluntly
I will not participate.
I will not be coming to the party.
I will not be returning the call.
I will not be anything to anyone.
I will stare at the gray sky till it is blue.
I will walk in the green fields and
smell the wildflowers.
I will imbibe this life the way
it was meant to be imbibed.
I will listen only to my body
and the black crows.
I will live by the true laws of the Land.
I will pick wild blackberries and pet cats.
I will write poems I share
only with the wind.
I will raise a child
on the edge of nowhere.
I will nourish her on magic and honey.
I will teach her
the language of the fairies.
We will play in
the forest at twilight.
We will hurl all hardship
downhill to the sea.

-Marni Norwich

One Small Change for February: Self-Reliance

Not exactly a small change. On our path to sustainability, my family must learn how to do many more things ourselves.... especially where we live.
Last week I read a knitting tutorial and learned how to knit. Soon, the family will have new hats that fit well! This is a skill I promised myself I would acquire this winter.
I also inherited a sewing machine last month. Three nights ago we unearthed it, only to discover it was not running! Jayson took it apart, figured out how it works, cleaned it, oiled it, fixed it,..... and now I am learning to use it! Leaf has two new stuffed mouse friends made from an old pair of jeans.... and clothing for Leaf and me is on the way!
I am taking a woodworking class later this month (we bartered with a friend for tuition), and I can finally get some tips to make my projects better executed. Hopefully some playstands will come of this.
I am finally getting my head and rest of me in gear to get creative with bringing more income in, or at the very least, have more bartering items. I feel like a bear that just came out of my cave. Motion has begun with the quickening in the earth.
And we are planning our garden!

All of these elements are helping to bring us closer to sustainability. And the most beautiful part is the feeling of making something, creating something, out of re-used materials, and made with love. It just feels good.