One Poor Correspondent

I've been one poor correspondent

I've been too, too hard to find

But that doesn't mean

You ain't been on my mind 

America

Sister Golden Hair

It's been a while once again. And I know I promised a whole new blog in my last post, we simply have not had the time to get it all together.  We are currently working four days per week at the great Mammoth Cave, and in the remaining three we are doing all we can to keep the crops growing on the farm.  It is hard (sometimes REALLY hard) but it is not without its rewards.

Decisions, Decisions

Springtime on the farm . . . and it never stops.  The decision making that is. For example, last week we almost planted out our lovely tomato plants.  They certainly looked like they could handle it,

big beautiful babies that they are.  But at the last minute we chose to put them in six inch plastic pots instead,

Fire Update

All is well.  That's the simplest thing I can say.  We've all adjusted reasonably to having basically no electricity.  My sweetie rerouted some wiring to allow the generator to directly power the house, but, since it is noisy and guzzles gasoline, we don't like to run it except to power the glow plug on our stove. While we bake we do all of our baking, charging of rechargeable stuff, and movie watching. The rest of the time we do all of the wonderful things we do without electricity,

Mindful Monday

I, Barbara Ann Schanel, do solemnly swear that—

I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; 

that I will bear true faith and allegience to the same; 

that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; 

and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter.

So help me God

Walking Back Forward

A great friend and I have been talking a bit lately about taking steps forward, taking steps backward, and some of the subtle differences between the two.  The case in point, of course is our decision to return to the ‘working world’ for a bit to get a few projects completed. 

It feels for all the world like stepping backward, out of the realms of sustainable living and into the clutches of the dreaded ‘MAN’ (whoever he is).

Infrastructure

That's my story and I'm stickin' to it.

I am a big advocate of anyone entering into sustainable living by simply dropping their present life and moving onto a piece of land with next to nothing, and frankly not even much of a plan.  It's what we did roughly 24 years ago.  That method shows you what you are made of, and clarifies your personal set of needs (everyone's are unique).  In a general sense it has worked out well for us, and though it has taken quite a while, in many areas we have achieved serious success.  Besides, if we had waited to begin living sustainably until we had all our ducks in a row I doubt we ever would have.

Getting to Know You

We're spending an awful lot of time in the garden these days, but I guess you've guessed that already.  One of the pleasantest parts of the gardening day is the very beginning.  Whether we arrive by bicycle or truck, the first and foremost chore is roving the potato patch.  It reminds me of my days at the great Mammoth Cave when  in between tour after tour, I could sneak off to "rove trails", which basically meant getting paid to go hiking (picking up bits of trash along the way, answering visitors' questions, and reporting stuff that needed to be done.)  It's a way of getting to know the garden and of helping it help itself.

Making Good Choices

If you woke up to a beautiful sunny Sunday morning in January that was predicted to be in the mid fifties all day, what would you do?  What if on that same morning your sinuses felt like they were blocked up with cinder blocks and your head felt as if were solidly encased inside of a fishbowl?  What would you do then?

Ranger Rick

I just received some terrible news. A great Mammoth Cave guide passed away today.  His name was Rick Sanders and he was an amazing man.  A quintessential storyteller from whom I learned a great deal about the cave, but more importantly, about how to tell a story.  He will not soon be forgotten.

Peace to you Ranger Rick.

My heart is with the whole Mammoth Cave guide force today.

Independence Day

When we left our day jobs at the great Mammoth Cave a lot of people thought we were nuts because in this great nation of ours only one means of survival is considered viable: a good (read high paying) wage earning, job.  We have set out to prove that a beautiful, satisfying life can still be lived without selling our time for less than we believe it is worth.  And, so far, it seems to be working out.  Granted it has only been about a month, but in that month we have made serious strides toward true independence, without depleting our meager savings.  Indeed, our savings have actually increased!

"What is true independence?" you ask, well here at Groundwell Farm we consider independence to be:

Meeting, or even occasionally exceeding, all of the necessities and desires of life through either direct work, or through agreeable trade with people we are close to in everyday life.

A Tribute

My last few days as a National Park Ranger were not all I hoped they would be.  A struggle with forces beyond my control over a small matter reddened my eyes and quieted my laughter.  But this same struggle showed me how many of my fellow rangers cared and supported me.  So now as I breathe in the thick, heady scent of roses and honeysuckle that surrounds Groundwell Farm, I can look back upon my days at the great Mammoth Cave with kindness and respect.

Gimme a Break!

A cane break that is.  Cane breaks received mention throughout Tennessee and Kentucky’s history.   As far back as four to five thousand years ago, Late Archaic and Early Woodland Indians were binding clusters of cane together to light their way through caves in the karst region (I heard that from a Mammoth Cave guide I know).   They also used it to weave baskets, and when burying children, they would wrap the body “in a matting woven from the outer bark of the cane”.[1]  They would choose to live in the river bottoms where cane grew in abundance “thirty feet tall and three inches thick”.[2]

For explorers and settlers it was, simply put, everlastingly present as either a help or a hindrance.  Soldiers could hide in it during battle, and cattle would feed on the young shoots, but where traveling through was concerned . . .

Get a Real Job?

I have a real job. 

At least by modern standards.  And it is a good job, especially as compared to many of the alternatives.  I lead tours through the great Mammoth Cave, and most days, it's pretty fun.  I work with a good group of folks, have reasonable supervisors, and at times get paid for doing things like "trail roving" which is a glorified term for hiking and answering questions for the two or three visitors I meet while I'm out there.  Really, as jobs go, it can't be beat.

So why am I disappointed that this is my last day off this week? 

Slow Down

I've been thinking a lot about slowing down lately, perhaps because my life is about to speed up again.  In one week I return to my life as a power ranger.  It will be fun leading people through the longest cave in the world once again, but guiding tours at Mammoth Cave is a real game changer for every day life here at the Tweedledee.  For example, bread

can't be baked on any old day that we choose, it has to be baked

the day before our work week starts.  And I need to remind myself of all of the quick and easy meals I cook on busy days so that the boys can make our supper on work days.