wide open spaces.

life is full of our wee little unexpected and beautifully frustrating complications.  we've been looking to buy a house and land - because we can't afford to pay rent.  doesn't that sound backwards?  but we'd rather be investing in the future, than living month by month.  and honestly, i want to grow some perennials - really massive rosemary bushes and asparagus and peach-plum-pear trees that i know i'll be around to harvest. so we're hoping to buy land.  

right now the leading option is located 15 miles from downtown waco - or a 15-20 minute drive.  4 acres.  with a round pen.  perimeter fenced.  and a large barn/storage building.  with utility and water hook-ups.  $60k.  and seeing as we're poor - and prefer the challenge of living simply - we're thinking of living out of a finished section of the barn.  which will basically be like living on a bus.  hopefully.  (doesn't help that i'm reading a book called Twelve By Twelve right now . . . ) so our future plans - or at least our discussed dreamings - include:

• building a wrap-around porch (which will double our living space - and force us to be outdoors - piddling around with the sheep or the gardens)
• perennial orchard - with all the fruit tree goodness, grapes, blackberries, rhubarb, asparagus, herbs - medicinal and culinary, and wildflowers galore
• sheep.  we'll probably apply for a texas department of agriculture young farmer grant - which will give us $5k or $10k if we match funds.  we're interested in keeping our land mown - and i - in the art of shearing, carding, spinning, dyeing and beyond.  (see awesome cyclo-carder below.  i want to build this!)

cyclo-carder from felt the sun

brick-built oven

cob oven

• wood-burning stove, solar panels, rainwater catchment.  any of the aforementioned.  as we will be living in a tiny space - this means low utility cost.  but we have a large metal roof - so we might as well put 'er to good use.



move-able sink for the out-of-doors

• i want an outdoor kitchen.  built-up with a lovely cob oven/stove/grill that we hand build.  complete with some old reclaimed cast-iron sink.  and ready for processing all the harvested goods for market.
• and i'd like an outdoor bath/shower.  a solar-heated shower would be lovely.  and we'll plan on growing some evergreens or some sort of privacy barrier so we can bathe out in the open country air.

the infrastructure will be there - but we'll get to hand-craft the home into what we frugally will.  i'm excited to piece together old bits gleaned from the habitat restore and thrift stores and freecycle and craigslist and friends.  as well as give away some of our larger possessions that won't fit into living quarters that are 12'x30'.

lord only knows what we'll do when the babies enter the picture . . .

today's bizness. and a cup of lemon ginger tea.

morning started with an inspirational song to rev up the urban gardening coalition office:  'bizness' by tUnE-yArDs.  then the gathering of eggs from our lovely hens.  today's total:  8 -- all in a lovely array of beiges and browns and one lone white.  not too shabby for 9 layers.  biked to first meeting to discuss housing possibilities down at ye olde habitat office. 

then off to the goodwill as-is store - possibly heaven for folks who love to craft from recycled old clothes and shrunken sweaters and moth-eaten blankets (ie my love language).  here i dig through shipping crate-sized boxes for golden treasure. (i score raggedy carhartts for raggedy garden work, an old samsonite suitcase for farmers market, & old flannel pajama pants for diy flannel scarf).

bike with the dog and co-workers to the river for a meeting about ramping up the s.n.a.p. (food stamps) at the waco downtown farmers market.  then more house browsing and new dreams of living on land, semi-in-the-country with our own road-side farm stand where we sell our soaps and home-baked goods (thank you not-very-comprehensive cottage food bill) and vegetables.  first, the house in axtell.  next, the house on orchard lane.  dinner with the boys.  crafty work for the farmers market. 

and ending with lemon ginger tea, more inspirational music (thank you for your sweet dance moves, janelle monae), and bit of reading from the wonderful world of wildwood.

guilty pleasures for the now.

things i may currently be obsessed with - in no particular order or timeline:

 

• reading books that become movies.  "hunger games" and "all the pretty horses" and "interview with a vampire" and "twilight" (yep - team jacob) and "wildwood" (will most likely become some sort of hipster claymation phenom)

• foster the people.  all the time.  "helena beat" and "call it what you want" 
• reading books about diy home repair - ie reclaiming wood floors, kitchen tiling, building an outdoor kitchen, insulating, etc.  considering if we are able to buy a house/land - we'll probably have to rehab whatever we can afford

lovely moccasins - from manamocs

• moccasins - both homemade and ye old vintage minnetonka

imagine this on a sweater.  it is - by sharp shirter.

• old grandma/crazy sweaters - a never waning obsession
• convincing my husband to craft me antler buttons and tan deer hides (so i can make my own stinkin' moccasins)

bacon-chocolate covered pretzel - by lynsey confections. 

• bacon-flavored things.  mainly bacon-flavored chocolate.  even though i still proclaim to be a farm-itarian.
• dreaming about harvesting all those greens on the side of the road that look like a crazy love child of turnip+mustard+radish greens.

wanted: small house with acreage.

dreams include:  bike-able to downtown areas (ie we can load up a bike trailer and haul all our goods to the farmers market each saturday). small acreage (1-10 acres) - enough to grow a large garden, plant some fruit trees, and keep some small livestock (chickens, bees, a few goats - pygmy/dwarf/full, dogs, maybe a horse). house can be in minimal stages of disrepair - so we can grow as a loving married couple, fixin' 'er up and learning some basic handy skills (ie plumbing, electrical, carpentry, etc.) so long as we can make the house and land more liveable. also to include: wood-burning fireplace, wood floors, porch, good counter space in the kitchen (for fermenting projects), maybe an outdoor kitchen, existing perimeter fencing, stock tank, both wooded and open areas.  interested in both traditional and owner-financing. a cabin or cottage would be lovely. small but cozy. please contact with great opportunities.

also, we are poor.  and will supply our own rocking chairs.  but are willing to build/repair toward our dream.  see below for suggestions:

wooden - but not energy efficient. via Backyard Neighbor.

amazing gypsy kitchen via Thrift Candy.

Amazing wood stove via Thrift Candy.

More amazing gypsy kitchen from Thrift Candy.

outdoor kitchen & garlic via Transition Woodinville.

canning wall via Sweet Mama Jane.