Category: Nature

Environment, Herbs, Homesteading, Nature, Organic

Entering Fall

Lisa Burbank

Autumn in New England: a rich, vibrant pallet of red, gold, burgundy, yellow and orange shouts from all of the treetops; the homey scent of wood smoke kindles images of winter nights nestling beside a toasty fire; the fainter, smoky scent of fallen leaves beginning to decompose wafts up from under foot; and the raspy scuttling of those fallen leaves dances across the roadways. Though it is a bit early, I envision jack-o-lanterns and apple pies, skeins of geese flying southward and echoes of “Trick or Treat!” just around the corner. Everything seems to come alive in the fall.

It also heralds the entrance into a long winter, where all but the most essential chores here on the homestead, come to a halt. The garden will be laid to rest; the wood stacked; the barn carpeted in a thick padding of straw for the animals. And, while they won’t be needed for awhile, the heat lamps will be gleaming as they hang from their anchors, ready for service. I’m hoping to get a good supply of hay in for this winter, too, as the Farmer’s Almanac says to expect a harsh one. Two years ago it was quite a challenge finding hay after 3 feet of snow fell on New England; I don’t wish to be caught short again. I’m also hoping the power stays on…regardless of how much snow we receive. Two years’ ago, I had goats, chickens and ducks living in my laundry room as high winds threatened to knock out power and, thus, the only source of heat in the barn. If funds permit this year, I’d like to add another source of heat, such as a propane space heater that mounts onto the wall to keep goatees from knocking it over. We shall see…

Fall is also a time where the mind can rest a bit and make plans. This year, there are plans afoot to finally get out of debt and start looking for new digs. While I love my home, this area of Connecticut is becoming too commercial and I’m looking for quieter, greener pastures–no pun intended. Granted, this fixer-upper has little by way of curb appeal but the possibility of turning it into a business may entice someone into purchasing. I swallow down my worries about all the furry and feathery babies who are laid to rest here. Though it will pain me to see a strip mall over their graves, or to see a bulldozer digging everyone up, this area has also become too expensive for a single income household to handle. And I know their spirits will always be with me; what’s buried is only the shell that carried them through this crazy world.

I say that and then I want to weep. I am more attached to this small plot of land than I give myself credit. Despite the fixer-upper state, so much of myself has been put into it, so many memories cling to the walls like a relentless cobweb. Of course, there is also that old bug bear, Fear. Fear of the Unknown. Fear that leaving will not produce the positive outcome I’m hoping for. Fear of what I might have to give up to acquire that dream of a working, thriving homestead where there is land enough to grow my own hay and room for a herd of sheep for my future border collies to herd; I am obsessed with sheepdog trials. In short, it is a fear of success. But I have a long winter ahead of me to decide. And there are as many positives as negatives: being close enough to walk to work, church, the library, the bank, Walmart, and even the grocery store (though this latter is a bit of a haul…). A bicycle ride to the local Agway is possible, too, though some sort of vehicle is needed for hauling hay and feed home. I have quite a bevy of chickadees, woodpeckers, finches, titmice, sparrows, cardinals, hummingbirds (in summer), toads and chipmunks that come to feed here. And a herd of deer that travel by twice a day through the woods just outside my backyard. There’s the free gifts of wild blackberries, jewel weed (great for poison ivy), Japanese knotweed (though an invasive, the honey bees love it), St. John’s wort, red clover, purslane, lamb’s quarters, cinquefoil, curled dock, and, of course, dandelions. The property came with lilac and Rose of Sharon bushes, too. But much of this may be transplanted. Again, I have a long winter to finally decide.

And as the fears and doubts plague me, I look out the window at the faint pop of color just starting to grace the leaves on the old apple tree across the street, and I listen to the endless rumble of early morning traffic rolling by. Despite my refusal to use any chemical pesticides or fertilizers, and despite the living filter of arborvitaes bordering the roadside, how organic are my vegetables, herbs and fruits with so much carbon monoxide blowing through each day?

Autumn is the perfect time to dream; winter the perfect season for planning…for a spring made for making those autumn dreams come true.

May God bless you & keep you!

Faith, Gratitude, Herbs, Holistic Health, Homesteading, Nature, Organic

Friday’s Flora and Fauna: Chamomile

Lisa Burbank

Chamomile (Matricaria recutita) has been a staple on this homestead for many years. Diagnosed with Irritable Bowel Syndrome in my early 20’s, chamomile quickly became a valued friend. It is an effective carminative and considered by many herbalists to be specific for any and all digestive complaints. In fact, it has been proven to be “a good remedy for a number of diseases ranging from the common cold and flu to digestive disorders, diarrhea, menstrual cramps, nervousness and insomnia” (Tierra 110) During my herbal apprenticeship with Michael Ford and Joanne Pacheco of Apollo Herbs in Lincoln, Rhode Island, I came up with what I call my “Digest Tea” as a part of my herbal roadshow–the practical half of our final exam where we actually used herbs to make certain medicines, health and beauty aids and/or herbal products. Chamomile was the main ingredient. I’ve been making this tea on a regular basis for almost 9 years. Yes, it is a very effective tea for someone with digestive complaints, but chamomile also tastes good; not at all like a “medicine”.

I also suffer from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Again, chamomile, with its nervine and calmative properties is the herb of choice. I don’t think it has ever made me so drowsy that I’m a threat to society behind the wheel of a car–but I’ve also never put it to the test and, with tongue in cheek, would advise: DO NOT DRINK AND DRIVE! Instead, it is best enjoyed sitting by the fire on a cold winter’s night or else curled up in bed just before bedtime with a good book.

The aforementioned uses for chamomile are fairly common–even for those not as familiar with herbs. Quite a number of commercial tea manufacturers/distributors have a Sleepy Time Tea (or an equivalent) and, again, chamomile tends to be the main ingredient. However, a recent reading in James Duke’s “The Green Pharmacy” brought to light another effective use for chamomile–one that is proving timely for me.

Every summer my legs break out in this itching, burning rash. It is more of a nuisance than anything else, but I refuse to wear shorts or short skirts outside of the house even in the hottest temps because of its unsightliness. It almost looks like poison ivy but a.) I’m one of those weirdos that usually doesn’t react to poison ivy and b.) in this infernal heatwave that I’ve been complaining about ad nauseum in previous posts, I’m not doing anything to come into contact with poison ivy. It seems most prevalent behind the knees, and around the ankles and feet. Many years ago my doctor gave it a name but it escapes me. However, it is a dermatological reaction caused by the sap from weeds and tall grasses when weed whacking. Another electric weed whacker died earlier in the summer; this rash, once it erupts, stays most of the season. Anyway, I have tried everything–both common anti-itch methods such as hydro-cortisone creams and Calamine lotion to holistic approaches such as a spearmint leaf decoction, which works great for poison ivy rashes but, apparently, not any other kind of foliage-based rashes.

Anyway, in “The Green Pharmacy”, James Duke writes “Aromatherapists, especially in Europe, recommend massaging with camomile preparations to treat skin allergies such as hives and itching”. Yesterday I was desperate. This rash is extremely itchy and I have all of the self-control of a 5 year-old child. If it itches, I scratch it (don’t go there…). I know it doesn’t help the unsightliness of my legs to have bloody runnels everywhere but that is the usual effect after a good scratching. So I decided to give chamomile a try. I brewed a standard infusion of chamomile (1 tablespoon of dried chamomile leaves and flowers in a cup of hot water (turn off the heat just before the water comes to a full boil; boiling water may destroy some of the healing properties of the herb); cover, and allow to steep for 20 minutes) and, after it had cooled, dipped a cotton ball in it and began bathing my legs with it.

Almost instant relief. It was amazing. Of course, I also took a bath in Epsom salt prior to the application and I’m sure that had a hand in helping, too. But it was the chamomile that seemed to provide the most soothing relief. Within moments there was a visible reduction in inflammation. It was wonderful. And I am so grateful that He led me to this passage in James Duke’s book; it is truly a godsend. Like any other treatment, you will need to re-apply it. It stayed with me for about 5 hours and then a few of the worse areas started itching again–not quite as bad as before the first application but enough that it was time to re-apply.

Hopefully, this will help others in a similar situation. I do need to add a few words of caution: chamomile is a member of the ragweed family. If you have a sensitivity with ragweed, you may want to proceed with caution before using chamomile, especially taking it internally. If using it topically, apply the chamomile infusion in your bathroom where there is a shower or faucet where you may quickly wash it off. As with all things, seek professional medical attention if the rash gets worse.

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This presentation is intended for informational purposes only; it is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease, nor be taken as medical advice.

Works Cited

Duke, J. The Green Pharmacy: The Ultimate Compendium of Natural Remedies from the World’s Foremost
Authority on Healing Herbs. Rodale Press, PA: 1997.

Tierra, M. The Way of Herbs. Simon & Schuster, Inc, New York: 1998.

Biodynamic, Environment, Frugality, Gratitude, Herbs, Homesteading, Minimalism, Nature, Organic

Goodbye Humidity…Praise God!

Lisa Burbank

My dream home is in Alaska. But I’ll settle for northern Maine. I know I’ve said it before but I am the most unproductive person when the humidity moves in. While friends of mine extol the virtues of a winter vacation in Florida, I’m glorying in seeing 3 feet of snow outside my window. Well, maybe not exactly ‘glorying’; digging endless pathways to the barn and chicken coop after each snowfall gets old after the first time. But I can praise God that I’m still fit enough to do the shoveling…even as I listen to Nervous Nellie nagging at me (Mom) that I’m going to stroke out if I keep this up (even while she reaches for the shovel herself–I don’t think so!). But snow is, hopefully, a few months’ away; I still have a lot of prep work before winter sets in.

Not snow, but this morning thunderstorms rolled in, giving a brief shower or two to nourish the land. Looking like Tobacco Road, as usual, I both welcome the rain and lament it. We need the moisture, as everything has been so dry, but the wet grass means another delay in finishing my landscaping as I wait for everything to dry out again. I am hoping the upcoming long weekend will be humidity-free so I can make a good dent in everything.

I want a good, productive garden next year. The last two summers have been minimal, by choice, and I cringe every time I have to buy produce at the supermarket. Not only the prices cause this tightwad to cringe; the not-knowing where it comes from, or more specifically, how many pesticides/fertilizers were used in its growth, cause me to shudder a bit, too. It’s the main reason I decided to homestead in the first place. However, because my garden area is towards the front of the house and visible to Interstate 6, I want to make it attractive. Yes, I know, Tobacco Road is definitely NOT attractive (though letting it overgrow has given me some great wild herbs and delicious wild blackberries, the latter now in the freezer to enjoy through the long winter), but my goal is to do this all without using any sort of power equipment–or, at the very least, only as a last resort. And I’m a stubborn woman. My dream is to combine some antiquated methods learned as a volunteer at Old Sturbridge Village with some modern, alternative farming methods like lasagna (or no-till) gardening plots and the Square Foot Gardening method (Mel Bartholomew wrote the book by this name that started the movement). I’ve been researching something called Biodynamic Farming, too; more on that later, but it’s definitely attracting me. And I am hoping to eventually add Aquaponics to the homestead. But, for now, I’ll settle for the completed landscape this year and the jars of homemade pickles, jams, jellies, salsas and relishes lining my kitchen shelves next year; I miss canning…even if it does increase the humidity in the house. Now there’s an oxymoron for you!

May God bless you & keep you!

Alcoholism, Environment, Faith, Frugality, Gratitude, Homesteading, Minimalism, Nature, Zero Waste

Tightwad Tuesday

Lisa Burbank

I think I created a post a couple of years back about frugality but it bears repeating. We live in a culture where everything bigger, or more of something, is better. It is natural to want more in life. But when so many people are in debt up to their ears because they have far too many credit cards; they allowed that real estate agent to up-sale them into a house they couldn’t afford or, I cringe as I type this as I work for a car dealership, but up-sales are a part of that world, too. As their photographer, I spend a good part of the afternoon driving around the parking lot in brand new cars–I don’t even own a car right now! So put me in the seat of that Silverado High Country–and, believe me, “my” dealership has some sweet trucks in their lot right now–and I’m practically salivating…and this summer’s 90+ temperatures have nothing to do with it. However, I’m already eating a lot of pasta and beans, and PB&J for lunch; I refuse to take the Crazy Cat Lady a step further and start dining with the felines as, sadly, many do. And no, that real estate agent or salesperson isn’t inherently evil in trying to up-sale you a higher-priced item. A bigger sale means a bigger commission and they have to eat, too. Without those commissions, they’re barely scraping minimum wage. But keeping your head instead of letting emotion drive your decisions is a discipline worth learning. The salesperson will still earn a commission on the item you can afford but you won’t be re-mortgaging or filing bankruptcy later on. Take it from one who knows: debt hurts.

Years ago, a gentleman that I was dating made a good point about something. He was incredibly frugal about his necessary living expenses: housing, food, utilities and yet he indulged in extravagances. But, as he pointed out, because he conserved so well on the essentials–and he didn’t starve or freeze during the winter months; quite the contrary, he had updated his home to be super energy efficient and so it stayed toasty warm all season–he could afford a few luxuries. He could indulge in many of his interests. And so, he actually lived a bit better than most because he was careful with his expenses and, when he made an investment, he did so with the future in mind. He also tithed regularly, had a healthy retirement fund and a savings. These last three are key. Without some sort of savings, you automatically have to go into debt when something breaks or needs replacing. Without a retirement or 401K, what will you do when you grow too old and infirm to work 40+ hours a week? And He only asks for a tithe = 10%; you get to keep 90%.

Of course, Super Tightwad here–and, no, that doesn’t equal “cheap”; your birthday gift may have been purchased on sale but it didn’t come out of the gumball machine–weighs everything. Whether it is a necessity or an indulgence, I carefully weigh it. I’ve been known to take field trips to the supermarket to price all of the fixings for a veggie burger at Burger King (i.e. condiments, lettuce, tomato, etc) vs. one made at home with all of the trim; the cost was nearly doubled. When you realize what you’re really spending, how convenient is it? I know I’ve posted before that Amy Dacyczyn’s “Tightwad Gazette” is one of my secular bibles. When I first started reading it, the first thing that happened was she changed my mind about how I viewed frugality. I grew up in a home with a very modest income. Of course, my stepfather’s penchant for the bottle had a lot to do with our financial status and there was as much shame attached to his behavior as there was to the hand-me-downs and goodwill visits. In the “Tightwad Gazette”, however, Ms. Dacyczyn points out how, for example, we buy brand new clothes and, within a few months to a year, we either relegate them to the back of the closet where they never see the light of day again or we discard them. In fact, discarded clothing makes up a large bulk of our landfills so overcoming even this one fetish for the latest fashions would solve another problem in our society. She relates a story about buying a pair of boots second-hand for her daughter. They were the right brand but the color was “wrong”. Well, her daughter wore them to school, despite the “wrong” color, and came home raving about how everyone loved the boots in this unique color. I am not at all ashamed to admit that when I decide I “need” a new skirt or blouse, I shop at the thrift store FIRST (intimate apparel and shoes are the exceptions). It’s all about perception. If you can look at frugality as a skill, an art, maybe even as something fun–a game to be played in the marketplace, it takes away the stigma our society has attached to thrift. And who doesn’t love a few extra dollars in their pocket?

Maybe it is natural to want more. I’m thinking that’s just another myth we’ve been brainwashed by our media to believe. I know I quote HGTV a lot but they are a good example of the societal mindset. In my not-so-humble opinion, nobody needs 5000 square feet of living space unless your last name is Duggar and you’ve got 19+ kids in tow. Even then, I would question it. You see a lot of waste on HGTV, a lot of spoiled, superficial people (or seemingly so) who have to rip out the “dated” kitchen and replace everything. Okay. Maybe the refrigerator is old and inefficient. That would make sense. But a coat of paint on the cabinets would give the room a fresh, new look without sending a lot of composites and laminates to the landfills…or without emptying your wallet. I also quote tiny houses a lot. No, not everyone could live in a space 400 square feet or less, but they do provide some great examples of how to maximize living space so that maybe 1000 square feet instead of the 3000 square-foot McMansion will suffice–without one feeling deprived. The tiny house movement forces us to look at life from the perspective of “what do we need” vs. “how fast can I keep up with the jones'”? And, as they quote a few tiny house builders and/or buyers in their advertisements, the mindset is to save more on the cost of living so you can afford to live life–to spend more quality time with family and friends rather than in the office working overtime to pay for the 3000 square feet; to get outdoors and spend more time in nature; to spend more time playing sports, attending concerts or going to the theatre–whatever your passion. When you look at how much you sacrifice in memories, in good health and happy, relaxing experiences, the cost goes even higher.

May God bless you & keep you!

Works Cited

Dacyczyn, A. The Tightwad Gazette. Villard Books, New York: 1993.

Animals, Creativity, Gratitude, Herbs, Holistic Health, Homesteading, Nature, Spirituality, Writing

Monet I Am Not

Lisa Burbank

I added a brief blurb to one of last week’s posts about starting a mural on the wall of my home office. This is the one room of the house I have never painted in all the years I have lived here. I’m not sure why–and it certainly could use a coat of paint–but somehow the unpainted, unfinished walls add a sort of creative aesthetic to the room. A blank but less-than-perfect slate upon which to feed the creative genius. Last week, I painted the sky and the grass. This week I added details.

I am painting my dream life, my dream property in Maine. You see, I’ve been doing a lot of reading about manifesting, using creative visualization to manifest what you hope to achieve. I have several vision boards in the office, on the refrigerator, and even on the cork board next to my desk at work. For those of you unfamiliar with vision boards, a vision board is a collage of images of your heart’s desire. Mine have a wild assortment of goats, sheep, rabbits and Border Collies, as well as an array of antique furniture, spinning wheels, looms, beehives, and herb and vegetable gardens. You can add affirmations to them, too. The idea is to surround yourself with these constant reminders of where you want to be. I even have one with the image of a manual typewriter with an affirmation beside it that reads: I am a professional writer. Eh, whatever motivates you. And the mural is simply a larger vision board–one that I am putting a lot of passion and creative energy into as I improve upon my drawing and painting skills. (I read somewhere that this really helps with the manifestation process; it doesn’t hurt to try)

Painting a wall a single color is actually kind of boring to me. I know many contractors and house painters who find it meditative but I need more detail. Painting a scene on a bit of canvas is meditative for me–as long as I can still the inner critic. But that’s actually not hard to do as I paint simply for enjoyment. When I write, the critic comes out. Though I enjoy writing, too, I tend to forget the rule of thumb about not expecting your first draft to be bestseller material. It won’t be. Accept it. When I paint, though most of the details I’ve added to the mural are pretty easy to figure out, I am definitely not a Monet. And that’s okay…even if it is occupying the whole wall in my home office. Though not a Monet, it does look like a bit of folk art, with a whimsical willow tree over a sea cliff, and some fruit trees that look like they stepped out of a Tim Burton movie. Once I add some leaves and the actual fruit, these skeletal monsters will look a bit more benign. As for the animals? I think I am going to have to find some “how-to” books or websites; my artistic skills need a little honing before I add them to the wall. I can do a passable cat, rabbit, sheep and even a horse but my chickens, ducks and goats leave a lot to be desired.

All in all, it was a great way to spend an afternoon. I went into that proverbial “zone” for a few hours and found true relaxation, something that is often sadly lacking with me as I tend to be moving in 20 different directions at once. It’s nice to be able to focus.

May God bless you & keep you!

Abuse, Animal Rights, Gratitude, Herbs, Homesteading, Nature, Writing

It All Started with Dreams of Goats and Sheep

Lisa Burbank

My favorite part of the St. Louis Zoo was the children’s petting zoo, especially the area where all the kids and lambs were kept. I could have stayed there all day. We went to the zoo a lot in the summer months so at least I got frequent visits where I could feed my growing obsession. In between visits, I would fantasize about having goats and sheep of my own. It’s funny because I never saw this enormous farm. It was always a smaller place with just enough room for a small herd. And I always had a garden full of herbs and flowers–the Botanical Gardens were another favorite place to visit as a kid. I would even imagine myself in later years as an old woman with that herd of goats and sheep, and a yard full of flowers, herbs and vegetables. I can’t think of a better way to retire someday but I am working towards making that dream come true now. That old woman of myself was happily settled.

It started with the petting zoo. Books fueled it further. When my family relocated from Rhode Island to St. Louis, Missouri in December 1978, I felt completely lost. I missed my family. Granted, my stepfather’s family welcomed me as their own and I’ve been blessed with a third “set” of grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins that I love dearly. It’s just the place where you’re born always has a special tug, no matter where you end up later in life. And I was convinced there would be at least one family member I would lose before we returned East again. You see, I lost my paternal grandfather shortly after we relocated the first time in December 1974. He was probably my biggest influence. He was a writer and a musician and he gave me a love of learning that I cherish to this day. He started teaching me chess at the tender age of 3–well enough that I held my own in a chess club against some with trophies bigger than houses, though I’ve never had an interest in competing; I enjoy the game just because it’s fun and requires one’s total absorption. My family managed to move back East just before Poppop’s passing in April 1975. Nanny, my paternal grandmother, passed almost a year to the day after Poppop and things were never quite the same in my world. Somehow it stuck in my head that major moves like that would result in losing someone dear again. And I did. My Uncle Jimmy was killed in a car accident 6 months’ after that second relocation in May 1979. We were only 4 years apart in age and our birthdays just 2 days’ apart. Mom and Grandma Heon would have a cake for us both on the day in between our birthdays. Anyway, at 12 years old, this was just too much grief and homesickness to deal with so books became my solace.

I remember being in Ms. Borden’s 7th grade class and picking up Elizabeth George Speare’s “The Witch of Blackbird Pond”. It was set in New England–Connecticut, more specifically–and the vivid descriptions of a Puritan village (I had already visited Sturbridge on a field trip and fallen in love…) and autumn foliage and the smell of salty sea air brought home a little closer to me. Maybe that’s where the dreams of myself being a little old lady with a bunch of goats really came from as the character of Hannah Tupper lives alone in her little dilapidated cottage with her goats and her cats (I am sort of in line for that title of “Crazy Cat Lady”…). She reminded me of another elderly woman who lived across the street from my maternal grandparents. Her name was Mae. And I know her last name but I am not sure of the spelling so please forgive the lack of etiquette. Anyway, this book became a major part of my life. I still have a copy. And I cannot count the number of times I have read it.

“Those Miller Girls” by Alberta Wilson Constant was another that captured my heart at that tender age. Though it was not set in New England like “The Witch of Blackbird Pond”, Swish the Goat was a major supporting character–at least in my book he was. This seemed to be a theme to my early readings. Ironically, I didn’t read “Heidi” until my early 40’s!

A couple of years later Mom had enrolled in the Doubleday Book Club. One of the first books she received was entitled, “The Tiger’s Woman” by Celeste De Blasis. Unlike “The Witch of Blackbird Pond” and “Those Miller Girls”, it did not feature any goats, though there were plenty of sheep. And this was not a young adult reader. If Mom had known the very adult content, she probably would have prohibited me from reading it at 14 years of age; the bedroom scenes were quite explicit. But this book actually became a major catalyst in my life as the lead character of Sarah-Mary Drake and I shared a common childhood: we both had fathers (in my case, stepfather) who wanted too much to do with us. I suddenly felt less alone in the world but, more importantly, the influence that this book in particular had on my life still has the power to astound me: my love of Newfoundlands from the character of Captain; my determination to learn American Sign Language from the characters of Maggie and Ben; Sarah-Mary learns gardening, spinning, weaving, breadmaking–all of the myriad aspects that make up homesteading. A later book by Celeste De Blasis, entitled “Wild Swan”, had almost as much of an impact as the lead character, Alexandria, is an herbalist, as is her grandmother, Virginia. The vivid descriptions of Virginia’s English herb garden stuck with me and put me in mind of Mae, too. Though I don’t recall Mae having an herb garden, she did know her plants, her herbs. Mom cured a case of pink eye (conjunctivitis) in me using a decoction of spearmint leaves, a remedy that she learned from Mae when she was a child.

I am definitely older now. Not sure if I’m any wiser. But copies of these books stand on the shelf of my library, tattered and torn, the bindings cracked, the pages yellowed from their many handlings over the years. Every once in awhile, I feel a need to re-visit some old friends and mentors, and remember the solace these cherished volumes provided for a lost and lonely little girl. It could be, too, that they’re simply some well-written stories with some vivid and memorable characters. I admit, if I can write just one complete novel with even half of the dynamics that Celeste De Blasis put into her novels, I will consider myself a success as a writer. She was an extraordinary author…even if she didn’t feature any goats in her novels.

Almost 40 years later, I am still in love with Swish the Goat. And I still linger overlong in the petting zoos.

May God bless you & keep you!

Animal Rights, Environment, Faith, Frugality, Herbs, Holistic Health, Homesteading, Minimalism, Nature, Organic, Yoga & Fitness, Zero Waste

Motivation

Lisa Burbank

The antithesis of motivation is avoidance. I have been sitting here for over 1/2 hour going through unimportant emails–the Linked In connection prompts; advertisements from certain companies/organizations I’ve been in touch with in the past; coupons that I probably won’t use, etc. One of my new textbooks touches on this, that as writers, we often tend to avoid writing. I suppose it’s not so very different from any other passion or skill. How many students of piano lessons avoid practicing? Or runners/joggers become “lazy” and stay in on that chilly winter morning? The textbook says to write anyway and that writer’s block doesn’t really exist, that it’s “a fabrication, an excuse that allows you to ignore the problem you’re having with your story” (Dufresne 22). My problem this morning is the blank slate that is my mind for the moment. But, amazingly, as I finally discipline myself enough to log into Word Press and start writing, the creative juices start flowing again.

Writers also love to read. This morning, while still in avoidance mode, I pulled a favored book off of the shelf. Favored but only read once; I’m not even sure why “only once”. So I’ve decided it’s time to read it again. If for no other reason, inspiration. The book is “One Woman Farm” by Jenna Woginrich. And it was the title that caught my eye in the first place. I happened across it in a catalog from a book club I used to belong to. Ms. Woginrich could be my long-lost sister. The pages of this book echo my dream life with very few exceptions. Ms. Woginrich raises sheep, goats, pigs, chickens, geese (I have ducks but geese are on the radar…as are the sheep), honeybees, and, when this book was written, she had just started training her first Border Collie to herd. I have avowed not to get another dog until I am ready to get sheep (which will require a bigger farm with more acreage than I currently possess…) because I want to train and work with Border Collies. “Babe” is my favorite movie and every event that I attend, be it a fair or a festival, if there are sheepdog trials or demos, I am there. My fascination with this never abates. Ms. Woginrich also grows all of her own vegetables and fruits; I’m not quite there yet but every year sees a little further expansion. This year it was the perennials: blueberries, rhubarb and asparagus. And she cans/preserves what she grows. I love doing both. No mention of herbs or making tinctures, etc. nor do I recall anything about spinning and weaving, but she’s also a musician; albeit, her instrument of choice is the fiddle; mine, the guitar and Appalachian dulcimer. Suddenly, I don’t feel quite as alone in the world.

As a homesteader, there are times when I feel like the very odd duck because most people do not seem to understand why I do what I do. I’ve heard comments about why do I want life to be so hard? Sorry. I don’t consider any of this hard; it makes me happy, actually. I hear plenty of comments about my animals. Because I am a pescetarian (vegetarian + fish), none of these animals is raised for slaughter. And I would never allow that to happen to any of them. Nor could I live on a farm where animals are being slaughtered. I know that’s where meat comes from, and I respect another’s right to eat as they choose, but it won’t be happening here. And there’s no such thing as Freezer School. My chickens and ducks give me eggs; reduce the tick and slug populations, respectively; provide sweet song and gentle chatter, laughter and love; and plenty of free fertilizer for the gardens. That is enough. They do not need to give me their lives, too. The goats are dairy goats but Felicity has not been bred. It is in the future plans, but I’m still learning basic goat care skills like hoof trimming and such; milking and midwifery will come later. The milk, cheese, soap and cosmetics that the goat’s milk will eventually provide, as well as their comical antics, affection, and, yes, more fertilizer is also enough. My rabbits, well, I’ve had 3 Angoras in the past who have provided me with lots of Angora wool. I have a spinning wheel but I haven’t mastered spinning yet; that is a work in process. The 6 rabbits that currently share this homestead with me are Lionheads. And, at present, cuddly and funny little pets who also provide plenty of fertilizer–I’m getting this composting thing down pat. (chuckle) I have considered cross-breeding them with some Angoras next spring, which I think would produce a finer wool but we shall see; one step at a time. Homesteading is a work in process. Always. You are always improving, always thinking of new ways to increase your yields, to reduce your waste and your carbon footprint, to become more self-sufficient. But the one thing I hear most–especially from Mom–is “I do too much”. Interestingly, Jenna Woginrich has a section entitled just that. Her words echo my thoughts and feelings entirely:

“I have too many hobbies, too many obligations, and too many animals holding me down on this farm. Sometimes I believe this. Sometimes. If I just kept a few chickens and some raised beds with a couple or three sheep, life would be easier.

And I would be miserable.

I do what I do because it fills my mind, body and spirit. I live in this frenzy of activity not as a victim but as a celebrant…some days are overwhelming and scary, and those words “too much” haunt me like ghosts. They keep me up at night. But every morning I know what I am capable of, and what this farm stands for. What feels like fear today is inspiration tomorrow and nostalgia around the fireside in a season.

I’ll figure out the mortgage, the freelance, the bills, the manuscripts, and the workshops…It’s not what I have taken on that scares me, it’s that I’m not doing enough. Not doing enough to make this farm work, to make myself healthy, to make mistakes disappear.

You know what I think? I think wasted potential is a lot scarier than feeling overwhelmed. There is no monster greater than regret. I wouldn’t wish it on anyone.

Yes, I do too much. It’s what I do.” (Woginrich 100-101)

I couldn’t have said it better myself. This one passage really says it all for me. It is also comforting that there is at least one other person out there with many of the same passions as I possess. And they’re making it work for them. I just have to keep putting on those big girl pants each morning, sit down, and just write. The creative genius is just another muscle that needs to constantly be strengthened and stretched. Sort of like this morning’s tackling of one of my new yoga DVD’s. I may not be getting all the way into those bends and twists yet but, in time, look out. I am unstoppable.

May God bless you & keep you!

Works Cited

Dufresne, John. The Lie That Tells a Truth. W.W. Norton & Company, Inc., New York: 2003.

Woginrich, Jenna. One Woman Farm. Storey Publishing, Massachusetts: 2013.

Environment, Homesteading, Nature

A Quickie

Lisa Burbank

I had 3 alarms set last night and not a single one of them went off this morning. How is that possible? And, before anyone assumes I simply slept through them, well, possibly–anything is possible. But I tend to be a very light sleeper. Field mice walking by will awaken me. Fortunately, I awakened on my own but not until 5:35. What’s up with that? On any other day I would still have 2 hours to sit here and blog but today is Saturday, my early day at the dealership. Hence, the title: A Quickie.

First, most have probably noticed the lack of blog postings on Fridays. That may change; I have something a little different planned for Fridays–more about that next Friday–but suffice it to say that Fridays will start to have a theme. Friday is my one day off from pretty much everything: dealership, religious responsibilities, volunteer work, etc. There may be–and usually is–homesteading responsibilities as it is the one day I don’t have to “be” anywhere by a specific time so I can get a lot of chores done (I guard my Fridays fiercely…). But I am really growing to like blogging and, over the last couple of weeks, I have been thinking that I’d love to write something with a little more substance. Again, more on that in the coming weeks.

Yesterday, instead of blogging, I went outside and began trimming back the bittersweet that has been twining itself around the big Rose of Sharon bush in back of the house. Bittersweet is more than just a nuisance. It will strangle everything else in the yard if not kept in check. Despite the overgrown status of the yard, I really strive to keep this one at bay. During the Master Gardener program in 2011, bittersweet was in the top 10 of invasive species. And for good reason. Yesterday, after pruning it back from the Rose of Sharon, I happened to look over to my left on the way back inside. The western boundary of my property is marked with a line of evergreens. I noticed a line of pale green leaves twining up amidst the pine needles. On closer inspection, I found more bittersweet–and, if the thicker, woodier branching is any indication, this one has been here for awhile. I managed to clip all of it back and away, which I know may spread it more, but I didn’t want it to kill the evergreen. And, if this boa constrictor of the plant world has its way, it will.

Definitely have to get some portable fencing for the side lot; my goats have a job to do over there.

May God bless you & keep you!

Abuse, Alcoholism, Faith, Frugality, Gratitude, Holistic Health, Nature, Religion, Spirituality, Yoga & Fitness

Recognizing the Little Miracles

Lisa Burbank

This morning 3:30 was a bit of a struggle. My body isn’t quite settling down to sleep at the earlier bedtime needed to support such an early rising. But I know it won’t be much longer. I feel myself waking up just minutes before the alarm and I am waking up on my own. This morning–barely! I was tempted to make a quick trip downstairs to the loo and then give in to the temptation to go back to bed for another hour…or two. But I drew a deep breath, pulled on the big girl pants and got on the yoga mat instead.

And my favorite yoga video–A.M. Yoga for Beginners with Rodney Yee (Gaiam)–broke. I popped the VHS tape (yes, it is that old, that beloved) into the VCR (yes, I still have one–two, actually) and there were all these squiggly lines across the TV screen (the TV is an analog, btw…) then the VCR actually shut off and ejected the tape–almost. It would only come out so far. So I turned the VCR back on and pushed it back in, hit rewind. It rewound. I hit play. More squiggly lines and, after another moment or two, the VCR shut off again, spitting out the tape; again, halfway. So I tried to extract it. And the tape snapped. Judging by the accordian-like folds in it, it has seen its better days.

Normally, I would throw a little temper tantrum; the peace of my day would’ve been totally spoiled. This would be “proof” that I should have gone with my first instinct and gone back to bed. But I think the combination of Al-Anon daily literature and Positive Affirmations for Life, “Affirmations for Living a Complaint-Free Life” (Farnoosh Brock) program is finally being absorbed somewhere in the DNA, or at least the psyche, because I had only a fleeting moment of calmly thinking “That sucks” and then I reached for a lesser-used yoga video, “Stress Relief Yoga for Beginners” with Suzanne Deason (Gaiam). It proved to be a nice change of pace and helped release some of the shoulder tension I had been holding onto. I remembered why it has also been a bit of a favorite of mine and I came away from that half hour feeling totally relaxed and energized…which is how one should feel after a yoga workout. So there’s the first little miracle of my day. I overcame a personal, well, not exactly a hang-up but I didn’t allow this little hiccough to overshadow everything else. I didn’t view it as “the end of the world”. (It’s funny because I usually maintain calm in major calamities (i.e. true crises) but its the little things like this that usually frustrate and irritate me to no end)

However, as I sat down to pray the Chaplet of the Divine Mercy, I started thinking that replacing it with the DVD version probably wouldn’t be all that expensive; I would really miss this video. It’s a very gentle series of stretches that really wake up the body-mind, helping me to focus. And, without it, those times when I’ve been lazy and given into that temptation to catch another hour or two of sleep, I find my joints really starting to ache. Yoga, in general, has been like food and water for me–I need it to feel healthy and strong each day. Again, I would really miss this one. So, despite trying to keep my spending to the barest minimum, it would be worth the investment. After my prayers, affirmations, Mind Movies (Natalie Ledwell), and meditation (another small miracle–I reined in my usual impulsive nature), I went online to http://www.gaiam.com and looked to see if this video was even still available. It was given to me in 2002 by a friend so it is at least 15 years old but, apparently, it is a popular seller because Gaiam still carries it.

And here’s the third little miracle of my day: Gaiam is hosting a big sale of their DVD’s. You could buy 4 DVD sets (i.e. more than one DVD in each) for just under $19. I had mentally budgeted myself that if A.M. Yoga for Beginners was over $30, I would just have to make due without it. Now I have 3 other DVD sets coming with it; should be here in a few days. Even with shipping and handling, I didn’t exceed the $30 cap. And this actually answered another longing in my heart. I’ve been thinking I would like to try some new yoga routines and here I have several coming to me. Proof that He really does give us what we need…and maybe even a few of the things we want. Earlier this week, my favorite juices, bananas, frozen strawberries, and Sunbutter (for making smoothies) all went on sale at Big Y–and that seems to be a regular thing. When I really need something, He provides a sale so that I can afford it.

I’m going to shoot for the stars now. With a little help from above, maybe someone will have a sale on a good pair of walking sneakers in the not-so-distant future. A little cardio would be a good thing and I have 20 lbs. extra to shed. You never know. Little miracles occur every day. And these are just the material. If we look closely enough, we may begin to see those little miracles everywhere. I’m going to keep looking for those little miracles. And be grateful for each and every one of them.

May God bless you & keep you!

Environment, Faith, Homesteading, Nature, Religion

Heatwaves

Lisa Burbank

I nixed the church picnic yesterday. Some of it was pride; I had nothing to bring to this potluck. Some of it is because I am still trying to get right-side up financially and have had a recent setback or two; the rest, because I refused to cook/bake anything in this infernal heatwave. In retrospect, I realized I could’ve brought a beverage–a nice herbal sun tea, maybe a couple of varieties. But I didn’t think of it until after Mass when I was driving away from the fun and fellowship.

Of course, five minutes outside in this heat is enough to reduce me to a puddle of sweat and that was the greater reason for nixing it; I’m no fun at all in this heat. I’m a fall through spring kind of gal. I always joke that my dream home is in Alaska. That’s only partially true. Yes, I would love to visit Alaska–it’s definitely in the Top 10 of places to see before I leave this planet–but getting Lisa of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom across the Canadian border would be a bit of a challenge. I’ve heard enough horror stories about quarantined animals when they cross the borders; I’m not willing to risk it. Northern Maine would fit the bill just fine; as long as I’m near the sea, I will be happy.

Befittingly, I saw a recent photo on MSNBC of what the US will look like if our seas rise 25 feet. This is due, of course, to our polar ice caps melting, as is happening at an alarming rate despite all those individuals in Washington, and otherwise, who would rather wallow in denial about global warming than actually try to do something about it. Anyway, it showed the Capital building with only its dome sticking up above the water level. Maybe something inland might not be amiss; who knows where northern Maine will be if those seas do rise from all that melt-off. It’s a scary concept. And while the cowardly side of me hopes I never live to see it, I also don’t wish it upon future generations. I could fall back on biblical truths, about God’s promise not to destroy the earth with flood again, but this wouldn’t be total destruction as it was in Noah’s day; there would still be land mass, just the boundaries would dramatically–and tragically–change. And the loss of life would be astronomical. When I really think about it, I am tempted to join the Denial crowd and pretend everything is fine, that there aren’t species of plants and animals rapidly going extinct due to shrinking habitats, or that it’s not that important. I want to forget that every life form is vitally important and duck my head into the sand. I want to give up this mission, this passion that consumes me–not quite to the point of fanaticism, but close–and let someone else make a difference. But, I am reminded of another biblical truth: if He leads me to it, He will lead me through it. He has put this dream, this passion, in my heart and there’s no going back.

There’s also this infernal heat again that makes denial impossible. Though we had heatwaves even when I was a child, they have grown steadily in their intensity. That scares me, too. But I counter that fear with gratitude that, so far, all of my loved ones–human and humane–have weathered this heatwave unscathed; I hope the same can be said for you and yours. Stay cool!

May God bless you & keep you!