Where are we now

This Blog was originally a dedication to my daughter, who recently moved in with her dad.

Also, I haven't posted regularly for years.

Also, we are in covid19times. And Black Lives Matter times. And global warming times. And here I am, sitting my large posterior in front of the screen. Had I known.

The only thing that remains for me since I started blogging in 2006 is my dedication to Waldorf Education and the lives of those living under the thumb of the white patriarchy.

I have benefited from this system time and again. I remember when I used to spend time in my early 20s, (1985-87) with a family on the south side of Chicago. My friend's cousin, Richard, was very suspicious of me and said, "You're only here to see how the other half lives." I was outraged but how right he was. When the cops pulled us over that night I bad mouthed them, and they cautioned my friends, "keep your friend in line." Had I been black...

Why did I move my daughter to Maine? It was selfish because it is the geography I love. And my family is here. But what of her family? These are questions I ask myself because she is gone and when I see her again soon I want to be a better ally. A better mentor. A better mom and advocate.

She a city girl now!

She a city girl now.

Hatch House!

Our new house. As soon as MS and JW sell theirs they will move in with me and Booty.

Lupines and mallards

Directly behind the woods in back of our house is a sand pit that has been left to nature to form this lovely pond which now is home to several different water birds and other creatures. Walking around with my sister on closing day was a delight.

Also lupines.

Our Trip to Maine

Great!

November
These are words you tell yourself
As if from another mouth
And in a moment of honesty
It seems false
Like another bedtime story
A blanket from the dark

On Tuesday afternoons Booty and I try to do something special. Last Tuesday we walked from International Friendship park to Smale Riverfront park.

Fall 2015

We finally took a much needed vacation at the end of July to St. Augustine. We stayed on Villano Beach near the marina and from what I gather, everyone had an excellent time. Booty spent time with her grandma, her great aunt and with me, separately and together. Lulu ran wild on the beach in the early mornings and at dusk. Gailala and mom were able to spend some time together and we all enjoyed the cottage and the town. Tho' it was super hot, of course. It was especially satisfying to watch Booty learn to swim in the ocean.

Spring mess

This spring I am planting my seeds in starter boxes first and then putting them in the garden. I dug two rows (with Lulu's expert help no kidding) for the sugar snap peas and then I will trellis and replant in the front garden. In addition I have started cabbage, kale, 3 different lettuces, cosmos, sweet peas and morning glories (of course).

We now have 50 baby chicks living in the garage room in the basement. Road Island reds, black austrolorps, buffingtons and a brown striped breed with which I am not familiar. Only one death very early on. Today one of the austrolorps flew up to the top of the lowest cage.

Our grown layers are doing well and generously giving an egg each day. Timma continues to escape almost every day but never strays too far.

I have 3 students at the language academy and 4 active programs at my consulting job. But $ is trickling in and I have other things I am more interested in here in the village.

I have been actively participating (on behalf of the Ecovillage) in the efforts of purchasing a property on the corner of 8th. All I can say now about it is, given particular circumstances, this purchase could have an extremely positive effect on the village and the community in general. We are still negotiating and I am very eager to see how it turns out.

The CSA (of which I am the coordinator) had a lovely open house last month and Nathan (our friend and head farmer) is busy getting the season underway. We will have orientation in a few weeks and then plant sales and then the season begins with shares in the middle of May.

Nathan started planting in January! He has a "wicked" effective system of heating the flats with water lines which run from a water heater. He is a very inspiring friend.

My Waldorf friend Kate (who happens to be Nathan's wife) just finished her week long camp "strengthening the will" with farm work.

She had older children as mentors with the groups. And adults guiding the activities. This is the kind of work she imagines we could do someday given the right preparation and a group who wanted a farm school in an urban setting. It has all the right ingredients for a pilot program that could innovate schools globally.

Friend Romain has built a mushroom incubator at the greenhouse. These aren't  just edible mushrooms. They are also earth-cleaning mushrooms!

Waking up the body

We finally got enough snow to build a snow tunnel and sled! What an achy morning I had today from all the shoveling and fort building. But very satisfying to be outside for so much of the week-end. 

I have been occupied with my part time job (Relocation Consulting) and learning how to be the Coordinator of the CSA. It may not be spring but our local gardens are being planned and readied for share membership.

Last week-end we took care of the baby girl goats, (above Floppy) because their momma refuses to feed them as they were sickly little ones when they were delivered into the world. Now floppy is still a little "special" but at least her ear isn't completely paralyzed. She and her sister Speckles are bouncing all over the place! The Bakers had just very recently delivered a human baby and momma Baker is quite active these days. So we took care of these babes, milked their reluctant mother goat and the other creatures on their farm (adult goats, cats, dogs and chickens) while they took a much needed 24 hour vacation(?) with their 3 young boys.

Happy Valentine's my dearies

Getting used to who I am now

That I love

A rough stone stair in the wood

Holy things

An absolutely beautiful day. The sky couldn't be bluer. The breeze more gentle. So, instead of heading downtown on the bus to march and sing we went to the creek and walked in the cemetery. We sang to MLK. It was a blessed day.

"We bake a cake. We blow it out. Happy birthday Martin Luther King we shout.
I have a dream, he said. All people hand in hand. Working and playing throughout the land." Written by me and a group of stellar 2-4 year olds in Chicago 20 years ago.