I just watched the movie "Julie and Julia" - the one about Julie the blogger who cooked Julia Childs' 524 recipes in 365 days. It was delightlful and quite inspiring.
Believe me, I have no delusions about being a great author. I mean, I write non-fiction, and way back when, I wrote fiction and published too. But I'm not Mark Twain (my Great-Times-5 Uncle). I write the way I think, which can be quite scattered and ADHD-like. I meander, moving from cooking to gardening to politics and so much more. But I tried, with separate blogs, to separate my thoughts into the categories and thus the blogs where they belonged, and it just didn't work.
So while I very much enjoyed the movie, and quite admired the dedication of Julie Powell, it's just not me.
Do you want to hear all of my thoughts? I have so many that never make it to the "page". I edit what I speak to people, and even more what I type. I mean, who wants to read about every frustration about this buying-of-the-mini-farm process? Or that I did a load of laundry at 5:30 this morning, after which I did a load of dishes? Or that more paperwork required by our loan processor didn't make it through last night and I had to re-email all of it first thing this morning (incidentally, while the load of laundry was going)? Maybe you want to read about my frustration with Hubby for not helping more with the cooking and other chores? Or that I really appreciate the things that Hubby does? Or that the Kid failed the quiz I gave him yesterday on Watership Down and am giving him a re-do today after he re-reads the book? (The book bored him ... oh mom, why can't I read something I want to read?).
Would you prefer that I stick with the topics of gardening, animal husbandry, self-sufficiency living, small homesteading and cooking? Perhaps a little "survival" and homeschooling thrown in? Or do you want me to just write what's on my mind?
I'm listening. Er, reading.
Showing posts with label Blog Basics. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Blog Basics. Show all posts
Hoarding versus Prepping versus Self-Reliance
When it was just the Kid and I, I got quite ill. I couldn't hold a job down, hadn't slept in about 2 months, migraines, carpal tunnel and much more. When I lost my job, I didn't qualify for unemployment benefits. I applied for disability, but that takes forever, so I lost our home. We lived in a tent-camper in a friend's front yard for almost 2 months. I went to the food bank daily for our meals, and let me tell you, they don't have healthy food. It's bread, cakes, rotting fruits/veggies, and every once in a while, on-the-edge milk. Still, we got through it, and I got a new place with welcomed help.
I became a hoarder. When I was given fresh fruit or veggies, I used a dehydrator and put some away for a rainy day. Someone left a box of shampoo, etc. on my doorstep, I watered down one and stored the rest away. I hoarded. Oh, believe me, I hoarded! Just look at the ton of boxes we have in our tiny home and 2 storage units!
Thankfully the initial hoarding period didn't last long. I got medical help for my physical problems, met my husband and married him, and disability came through. My hoarding turned into prepping. What if all of these changes in the weather are a sign of frequent and radical weather changes? What if the "war on terrorism" will escalate to bring it back on American soil? What if the bird flu hits? What if What if What if?!?!
I started storing everything and anything... sewing kits, dried food, powdered milk, sterno, ammo, seeds, and much more. I wanted to be prepared for whatever may come. Yep, more boxes.
Only recently did my mindset change again. I didn't want to "prepare for a catastrophe". I want to be able to live lightly on the Earth. I want to know that I can take care of myself and my family without worrying about "using the last toilet paper" or oh no, the last of the powdered milk got ruined whatever shall I do?!
So this blog, in case you've followed me from the prepping and survival blogs, is about taking care of myself. About reacquiring knowledge our ancestors used for centuries until we got too good for our own britches. About smelling bread baking and knowing **I** grew the wheat, cultivated the mother (for sour dough) and grabbed the eggs fresh from under a hen just that morning. About serving my Kid some yogurt that we just made from milk we took from our favorite nanny goat.
From time to time, I may digress and talk about storing and checking inventory and so forth, so bear with me, but for the most part, I hope this blog will show my journey to be self-reliant and content with myself and my accomplishments.
Thanks.
Vikki
I became a hoarder. When I was given fresh fruit or veggies, I used a dehydrator and put some away for a rainy day. Someone left a box of shampoo, etc. on my doorstep, I watered down one and stored the rest away. I hoarded. Oh, believe me, I hoarded! Just look at the ton of boxes we have in our tiny home and 2 storage units!
Thankfully the initial hoarding period didn't last long. I got medical help for my physical problems, met my husband and married him, and disability came through. My hoarding turned into prepping. What if all of these changes in the weather are a sign of frequent and radical weather changes? What if the "war on terrorism" will escalate to bring it back on American soil? What if the bird flu hits? What if What if What if?!?!
I started storing everything and anything... sewing kits, dried food, powdered milk, sterno, ammo, seeds, and much more. I wanted to be prepared for whatever may come. Yep, more boxes.
Only recently did my mindset change again. I didn't want to "prepare for a catastrophe". I want to be able to live lightly on the Earth. I want to know that I can take care of myself and my family without worrying about "using the last toilet paper" or oh no, the last of the powdered milk got ruined whatever shall I do?!
So this blog, in case you've followed me from the prepping and survival blogs, is about taking care of myself. About reacquiring knowledge our ancestors used for centuries until we got too good for our own britches. About smelling bread baking and knowing **I** grew the wheat, cultivated the mother (for sour dough) and grabbed the eggs fresh from under a hen just that morning. About serving my Kid some yogurt that we just made from milk we took from our favorite nanny goat.
From time to time, I may digress and talk about storing and checking inventory and so forth, so bear with me, but for the most part, I hope this blog will show my journey to be self-reliant and content with myself and my accomplishments.
Thanks.
Vikki
Intro to Blog
I have so many blogs going right now that I had to take a breath, step back, and think about things. Did I really want to keep writing for 6-10 blogs, all about my life but different aspects of it? Cooking, gardening, homesteading, life, homeschooling, and much more.
My readers even got involved, and it was pretty much a consensus ... combine all of the blogs into one but keep writing about all of the different aspects about my life. So... I made this one. Vikki's Verandah. Why a verandah? Because it is technically a porch that wraps around the front and sides of a house, often found in the older houses, or around mountain cabins. That right there is for me.
So... pull up a chair, imagine joining me for a cup of herbal mint tea (or your own favorite beverage) and together we'll chit-chat about living a life of self-reliance.
= = = = = = =
Mountain Gardens Learning Center (an Independent School)
I started a non-profit back in 2002 (I think) called "Mountain Gardens Community and Learning Center". The intent was to raise enough money to buy some land and start a large learning center for people who homeschool, need a place to take co-op classes and much more. I've also used it as the umbrella school for my own child. The Learning Center didn't go far, and from what I understand, the "National Heritage Foundation", under which my learning center is filed, is having financial troubles. As of Jan 4 2010, Mountain Gardens Learning Center is a legal entity in the State of Colorado, and has an EIN with the Federal Government. Soon we'll be able to help other people help their children learn from home (!) by enrolling. Watch for a link to appear that will have the curriculum guidelines, brochures, etc.. We will also work towards accreditation. If you're interested, please e-mail.
= = = = = = =
Frequently Asked Questions: Here are some questions that are frequently asked:
Do you really do all of this stuff?
Most of it, yes. Although some recipes are just passed on, for the most part, I do the stuff I talk about, unless otherwise noted.
Um... that's it for now! If you have a question, please feel free to ask it as a comment to this post. I'll respond when I can. Thank you.
= = = = = = =
Glossary and Definitions: Just to keep you up with the slang that I just might use in this blog...
*24/7 = 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
*H1N1 = Also known as "swine flu", of which a severe case first popped up in Mexico in Spring 2009.
* Kid = my oldest child
* Hubby = my husband
* MGLC = Mountain Gardens Learning Center
*WHO = World Health Organization
*WTSHTF = When the Sh** Hits The Fan
If I missed anything, please let me know. This is (obviously) still a work in progress!
My readers even got involved, and it was pretty much a consensus ... combine all of the blogs into one but keep writing about all of the different aspects about my life. So... I made this one. Vikki's Verandah. Why a verandah? Because it is technically a porch that wraps around the front and sides of a house, often found in the older houses, or around mountain cabins. That right there is for me.
So... pull up a chair, imagine joining me for a cup of herbal mint tea (or your own favorite beverage) and together we'll chit-chat about living a life of self-reliance.
= = = = = = =
Mountain Gardens Learning Center (an Independent School)
I started a non-profit back in 2002 (I think) called "Mountain Gardens Community and Learning Center". The intent was to raise enough money to buy some land and start a large learning center for people who homeschool, need a place to take co-op classes and much more. I've also used it as the umbrella school for my own child. The Learning Center didn't go far, and from what I understand, the "National Heritage Foundation", under which my learning center is filed, is having financial troubles. As of Jan 4 2010, Mountain Gardens Learning Center is a legal entity in the State of Colorado, and has an EIN with the Federal Government. Soon we'll be able to help other people help their children learn from home (!) by enrolling. Watch for a link to appear that will have the curriculum guidelines, brochures, etc.. We will also work towards accreditation. If you're interested, please e-mail.
= = = = = = =
Frequently Asked Questions: Here are some questions that are frequently asked:
Do you really do all of this stuff?
Most of it, yes. Although some recipes are just passed on, for the most part, I do the stuff I talk about, unless otherwise noted.
Um... that's it for now! If you have a question, please feel free to ask it as a comment to this post. I'll respond when I can. Thank you.
= = = = = = =
Glossary and Definitions: Just to keep you up with the slang that I just might use in this blog...
*24/7 = 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
*H1N1 = Also known as "swine flu", of which a severe case first popped up in Mexico in Spring 2009.
* Kid = my oldest child
* Hubby = my husband
* MGLC = Mountain Gardens Learning Center
*WHO = World Health Organization
*WTSHTF = When the Sh** Hits The Fan
If I missed anything, please let me know. This is (obviously) still a work in progress!
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