True Riches

This presentation says it better than I ever could--take a look...

 
 

These are a Few of My Favourite Things

Red Trillium (Spring 2010)

If anyone were to ask me what I am looking forward to the most when we finally make the move to our dream home in the country, I know I'd be able to answer immediately.  Clean air... Here in the city after only a few minutes spent outdoors, my lungs start to protest. I feel that it is impossible (or maybe just unwise) to take a deep breath for fear of inhaling carcinogens. My face ends up with a thin layer of grime that shows up when I wash my face. So, yes, it would be wonderful to be able to take in great long breaths of fresh air.

Aside from that, running my bare toes through just-mown grass would be heavenly. In our back yard in the city, and just about any park, there are unimaginable dangers. Empty syringes, dog and cat scat, bodily fluids...the list is far too long. At least in the countryside, the worst that one could possibly encounter is the odd pebble or bur, or perhaps a random pellet of poo that you missed when you were cleaning up after your own pets.

The best of all though are the people... While my neighbours in the city are friendly and helpful, nothing can compare to the people you call neighbours in the country (and that might be a quarter mile down the road!).
After all, who else would happily come to your rescue with a tractor when you slide off the road into a ditch on a snowy day? Who else would give you tomatoes and cucumbers from their garden? Who else would look out for strange cars in your driveway when you are at work?

May the day come quickly when we pack up the moving truck for the last time and head out to our pastoral Camelot!

Country Roads

Lessons from A Country Mouse

The city mouse is tiring of the frenetic pace of her life, and is about to trade in the townhouse in the city for a loghouse in the country. Well, maybe not a loghouse, more of a three-bedroom bungalow. Just call me the mouse with a new house!


To be honest, my new direction is still in the planning stage. It'll be a three year journey, with a lot of learning along the way. Despite being brought up in the country on a hobby farm, there are many things that the gnome has to learn.

As told to me by a veteran of the country, here are some important lessons:

Lesson #1: The front end of a cow is a chewing machine; the back end emits the final product.

Lesson #2: Always check for spiders and mice before using the outhouse.

Lesson #3: Water does not just magically flow from taps--conserve it or else you'll be bathing in the cow pond.

Lesson #4: Chickens are easy to raise, and eating fresh eggs is marvellous, but having fried chicken for dinner means some dirty work is involved.

Lesson #5: Give up on the idea of sweet-smelling meadows in the spring--think more along the lines of cows, sheep, chickens, etc.

Now it's off to hit the books for more lessons on homesteading... TTYL