I wish I wanted to....

In Elizabeth Gilbert's book Eat Pray Love, she was telling one of her friends that she was going to go India in search for divinity, the friend said "Oh there is a part of me that so wishes I wanted to do that....but I really no desire whatsoever."

I have a friend who inspires me in more ways then she probably realizes and her blog and most of the links on her blog are for homesteading and going back to doing things more naturally, having food stores, reusing/recycling and cutting back on spending. I LOVE LOVE LOVE reading her blog and the other blogs similar to hers. I love all the challenges and beautiful meanings of life they come across in their journey. They are all so inspiring, creative and extraordinary. But....that line that Elizabeth Gilbert's friend said to her when she was going to India is the line I think of when I read some of the homesteading blogs -- how I wish I really wanted to do it.

I picked up a book a the library Loving and Leaving the Good Life by Helen Nearing. The book synopsis from goodreads.com: "Helen and Scott Nearing wrote Living the Good Life and many other best-selling books about working hard, living simply and self-sufficiently while saving time for fun and pursuits of the intellect. This is a book written by Helen after Scott died (at 100 years old!) and is a story of love and living....Inspiring and moving, this is a "how-to" book about facing life with delight and with eyes open." I am really enjoying it. I think anyone who does homesteading really would enjoy this book and get a lot from it. I believe the Nearing's other books on homesteading/living off the land came before this one but this is the one I found at my library. I enjoy reading of different experiences and life journeys and the Nearing's is very different from my own but very touching and thoughtful.

So that book along with my friends blog and other similar blogs creates my little fantasy of homesteading but then reality hits me. I am not a homesteading type person. I can't imagine milking a goat to have our own milk and make cheese - it just isn't something I could do. I had a flower garden and herb garden when I lived in Topeka and enjoyed both. I loved feeling the earth in my hands as I planted the bulbs and seeds. And seeing the life of the plants and flowers spring through and grow. But it was really hard for me to keep up with it because of my allergies. After I go out to spray weeds in our yard, it takes me a day to get back to breathing normally. So it isn't something I can have here in Grand Junction as it isn't fair to want it and ask Michael to do the up keep work for it. I don't can because I don't have a garden which I guess shouldn't stop me if I just go to the farmers market. There are so many things homesteaders write about that I am amazed how well they just seem to work through it -- where I would be panicked or give up.

But of course some of the ideas I read, I am trying to implement. Such as I am trying my hand at making my own bread verse buying it as it would be cheaper/healtheir. It is always easier to have flour, yeast and salt to make bread then actually stock up on store bought bread. Food storing is something I hope to do more of when we get a bigger home so I can have a freezer. But for now doing the things I can do -- such as making my own bread. (Though my first loaf isn't going well this morning -- not raising -- but not giving up).

I also try to reuse things -- round oatmeal containers become containers for ribbon in my studio. Many things I recycle for art -- the foil seals on cans of peanuts -- I have used in art many times, the mesh bags that veggies come in, the crates berries and cherry tomato come make great patterns on paper. We get a big big can of peanuts at Sam's. And I trying to think of ways to use those cans. They are bigger then coffee cans. I am hoping to utilize a few for storage in my studio - always can use storage in there. But looking to see if there are other ways I can use them in our house. I know I could even decorate the outsides of them if I didn't want them to just look like a tin can. There are many little things I do but I am sure there are other things I could do that aren't living off the land but that could help in creating a "good life" for Michael and I.

I think we get so used to running through drive through instead of making lunch or picking up a new item when an old item isn't quite working right. We see a hole in a shirt and throw it out instead of repairing it and getting a little more life out of it. We upgrade and upscale instead of using things until they don't work anymore. It is easy to think of going to Wal-Mart or Target before going to a thrift store to see if you could find something to reuse instead of buying new. There are so many things everyday we could do to help in not making a lasting imprint on the world. There are so many things we could do to cut spending and have more room in our budget to get to our goals. There are so many things we could do to appreciate all that we have available to us. So the blogs inspire me to think outside the box. I dream of homesteading -- all the way but I know the reality of me. There are some modern conveniences I don't want to give up. But all that said the blogs do remind me I do have options that I can apply to my life. I am thankful for being able to get a glimpse into their journey and that they inspire me in mine.

Here is a link to my friend Kathie's blog-- be sure to check out her links also. Her and those she links to are amazing people doing extraordinary work on making a good life.

Time Lapse

A really good thing that happened this week....One of my very good friend Jessica has been wanting to take a trip so she called together a group of friends (A, C and I) and said lets all get together. So it looks like I am going to have a girls-weekend -- possibly the weekend of my birthday. Jessica is going to fly here and spend 1 or 2 days with Michael and I. And then her and I will drive to C's town since C can't get out of town - we will be having the weekend there. And then A will fly to C. After then Jessica and I will come back here and she will spend a couple days here before going home. So I am really excited about that. I could really use some girl time/friend time.

What else...

We have been up to the Colorado National Monument more lately then we probably went at all last year. Tuesday evening Michael wanted to film a sunset so we went up there to get that. And then Wednesday morning we got up at 4:15 so we could head up there again to film a sunrise. He is going use them as time lapse in a wedding video he is doing.

Tuesday evening before heading up to the Monument we stopped at the library so I could pick up a couple books on hold for me. One really just had me absorbed from the moment I picked it up -- Brave on the Rocks by Sabrina Ward Harrison. I haven't ever read/looked at her first book but of course now want it too. Brave on the Rocks really evoked my emotions, memories and imagination in positive ways. It is a book I would like to own as I am sure it would be a constant source of inspiration through her message and her art.

I finished Breaking Dawn in 2 nights. it is the forth book in the Twilight saga by Stephenie Meyers. I have some issues with Breaking Dawn But I think I will just do a review on good reads since it might have some spoilers. Right now I am reading The Post-Birthday World and I really thought after reading 21 pages that it would be one that ended up on the "didn't finish" list. I then got to a dialog instead of the authors long detailed explanations of things that don't have anything to do with the plot. And helped me plug on. But now is confusing me as the author described one scenario 2 ways. Two different ways it happened, two different sets of feelings and reactions. And the plot seems to go back and forth between the those two scenarios so I am not sure what actually happened. Where I ended off last night seems to have moved past that scenario but the book is still hanging in that....wonder if it will end up on the "didn't finish" list because it is annoying me.

I have been battling with a migraine this week. It started Tuesday evening and still hasn't really let up. I hope to at least get some work done today as I don't feel I have gotten much done this week.

just a daily life update...

I am still coughing - not as much of course. It is less and less each day. But on top of it now...allergy season has started. My eyes have been driving me crazy and my nose is running. Thank goodness for loratadine or I would absolutely miserable.

It just seems like there isn't much going on with me. Just cleaning and working and the rest of the everyday things and then rinse and repeat.

My hair is at this awkward length where it isn't long enough to put behind my shoulders but it isn't short enough to not just sit on them. I also haven't dyed it in a while and seeing gray. So it is driving me crazy.

It has been beautiful here. Sunny and just perfect spring weather. We have had the windows open quite a bit. But of course since it is so nice we decided we better get a move on painting the shed and deck so this weekend or early next week we will be doing that. I need to make sure I track down our sun screen. I am slightly allergic to the sun and also I am on a med that I can't be in the sun for prolonged time.

I am watching Peter Pan! Why that just reminded me....but I wanted to remember that I saw magnetic antiqued alphabet letters at Michael's that I can think of a few uses.

Okay well I am going to watch the rest of Peter Pan and then go to bed.

Spiders!

Okay so I mentioned that on the way out of Colorado on our trip to Shreveport we saw spiders. Not just tiny spiders - BIG HAIRY spiders as we were going 65 - 70 mph down the road. You could see them ahead on the road. We saw 20 in about a 50 mile stretch. I wanted a picture bad but our camera was buried and it isn't really a stretch that is easy to pull over.

On the way back Michael had the camera out and the traffic wasn't busy so he pulled over when we saw them and took some photos. This time we only saw like 5 but at least we got some photos. When we got the closer look - I thought it looked like a tarantula. But we were surprised there were any in Colorado.

As I mentioned that on our way through Colorado we stopped and met up with one of Michael's friends and on the way back we saw him outside his store so stopped. Michael asked about the spiders. And his friend said that they are indeed tarantulas. And this is their migration season and the pavement holds the heat so they criss cross over it on their journey. He said scorpions do the same thing but go in groups.

I did find it odd when we got closer to populated areas - farms and ranches we didn't see the tarantulas as much. I guess that is good for the people that live out there!

Day Trip

So tired. We left at noon for a little trip. It was only going to be the afternoon but at the last part of it we added on another little jog and it meant that we got home at 9:45pm. We had a really nice day though!

We saw snow and iced over lakes up at 10,839 feet. We had pretty spring weather in the lower altitudes. We had gravel back roads. We had lunch on top of Powderhorn overlooking the grand valley. And then we stopped at Gateway Caynon Resort for dinner at The Paradox Grill on the way home.

It was very nice day!

I am hoping I can get Michael to actually POST some pictures that he took as they are gorgeous!

Snow?

I think someone forgot to tell Mother Nature it is April. We don't even get that much snow in the winter and right now it is snowing...huge huge snow flakes. Michael is leaving today to get to Denver for work. So I am little nervous about him driving over the mountains. I am staying behind. It is just so weird to look outside though and see snow and then remember it is April....April....not December...April.

Computers and Hawks, oh my!

It's been quite an adventure lately.

A couple of weeks ago my folks went out and got themselves a computer and basically learning how to make these darn contraptions from the ground up. Everything from turning on the computer, to how to run the mouse, double click, drag, the enter key - everything. So far, they are mastering the art of the mouse by playing solitaire and other games on the computer. (which ironically was the original design of the games to begin with - but everyone tends to forget that when they master the art of navigating using a mouse.)

I figure I touched my first computer in 1982 - so - now almost 23 years later, I didn't realize *all* of the things I've long since packed away in the book of knowledge -- a lot of things that I took for granted.. I've found myself backing up, re-thinking a section or two when I get the sense that I was talking a bit too geek.. I've been most impressed with how well they've picked it up!! (Yes, they get a really big gold star for all that they have learned!!) I'm really proud of them - as I know that much of this really seems daunting if not completely intimidating..

This week has been pretty stressful with work and then with meetings in Denver Friday, I didn't get a really good chance to give my folks any really good lessons that I did the week before.. After tweaking my back on a big box that I had to deliver to my car, having only slept for a small handful of hours the night before, we managed to get up early this morning so that we could attend a photo-op class near the foothills of the front range of Denver.. Hawkquest is a non-profit group, volunteer driven membership to further the education and awareness of some of the prettiest birds I've ever seen.. The early wake up call was well worth it.. I saw
four of the five birds in the group before my body couldn't take anymore and I began the trek back home..

More pictures to follow - including some shots I recently took over the 4th of July weekend.. I've been just a bit busy to work no anything other than the larger fires that seem to be creeping up..

For now, I'm drained - pretty darn tired and in need of sleep...

Out of Town and ATCs

We are going out of town this weekend. We are going with Michael's parents to Hawk Quest. It is in Red Rocks. We go and hike a little ways and then this company Hawk Quest will be there and release their Hawks, Owls and such and the shutterbugs take pictures. Michael will use his SLR and I am using his old sony.

Of course when are about to go out of town I get a really strong creative surge...made a few ATC's in the last few days...

Here are a couple...


Torn and Blue

This one was made out of an article on depression in Psychology Today. So that is why it is painted blue...and is blue.


275

This was made out of bunches of bits and pieces from here and there.

Catching everyone up

Howdy!

I know Darby has already posted three times, so she thought I should get my act in gear and start adding stuff on here. As most everyone knows we've been passing our germs back and forth for at least the last month (and it feels longer than that..) so we've been weathering through that. Work has been stressful as of late, but hopefully things will start clearing up before a rather large case coming up later this spring.

Speaking of spring -- we are enjoying some incredibly fab-ola weather!! We ventured over to Aspen today and had lunch while we walked around a bit downtown. It was wonderful up there! We managed to stay in the 60's for better part of the week and that trend looks to be continuing at least until the middle part of the week.

The biggest news that is coming up soon is the fact that I'm applying for a business license through the State -- doing videography/editing work. The venture initially started last year when I agreed to assist a co-worker on a project that she was working on. The rants and raves of my amateur video was a hit with a lot of people. So much so that I've done a series of videos for my sister and a co-worker that I'm particularly proud of. I have our trip to Minnesota to put into a video composition as well as my folk's road trips to the northwest and beyond to put together. Busy, busy, busy!

The name of the business will be Reflecting Time (which you may recognize as being home to our photo gallery currently.) I hope to finalize the process within the next couple of weeks once I get a couple of fundamental questions answered by some employment counselors that I've been seeing -- then I can begin to implement things in stages at a comfortable, absorptive pace... *fingers crossed*

It's a nerve-wracking process to even think about it -- yet it's a passion, and with what I've learned about my inner-passion, when it feels right, it's almost always right. :) Darby has been incredibly supportive and helpful as it really will end up being an endeavor we can both do together. I'm looking forward to the challenge, all of the hardwork, and learning something that deeply touches the passion within. A well of emotions, on a really nice slow simmer right now.

Anyhow - that's the latest...

While on the road between here and Vernal, Utah -- some of the scenics along the way:

(a look from the top of Douglas Pass)


(what used to be a motel or a small band of shops at one point - near the Colo/UT border)


(having fun with barbed wire)


(cautiously looking after their pal -- image taken about 150 yards from the road)


(the pal)