Moving in and Day 1, heading west

Well, about a week ago we moved into our new place. It was a long day of placing boxes and trying to be organized in the midst of chaos. At the end of the day we were all totally exhausted. Luckily we had brought a six pack with us from Hot Springs and were able to cool off and sip on a cold one before heading out to dinner. Here you can see Jim making sure he gets every advantage a cold beer has to offer.

Then after settling in a bit we packed up and headed off for our trip westward that will take us to Oregon and my friend Anna's wedding.


Yesterday we drove. It was a long drive and yet so awesome. The way the landscape changes from from dry prairie to gorgeous mesas is so awe inspiring. There really is something amazing about traversing the land. I can't imagine having done it with horses and covered wagon. It would be an adventure to really connect you to the land since you would constanlty have to be on the lookout for fresh water, good eating for the horses, and places where you might be safe for the night.

Anyway, our initial plan was to head to Santa Fe, but we were unable to find a place to stay so we headed onto Alburquerque. On our way through eastern New Mexico, we were greeted with beautiful mesas. On our left side there was a fantastic lightening storm all gray and ominous and yet on our right, the sun was shining bright under the billowing clouds. After a while the two came together to create the lovely rainbow you see pictured.

Awesome. Today on to Flagstaff.

Westawrd migration

Well, my journey westward to Denton, TX is now in full swing. This past week we finished packing up the house in GA and the movers arrived to load it up on the truck. It is so much work to manage all of the stuff we have accumulated over the years, even with the culling out from the past three moves. Anyway, we got it done and whent he truck was loaded and gone I breathed a sigh of relief as we packed the cars with the remaining items and pulled away from the house for the last time.

My last night in Athens was just right and included a delicious dinner with friends at Farm 255, followed by a slightly embarrasing indulgence into the world of Twilight Eclispe, which I loved (sheepish grin spreading while I write this). The boys hung at the Tate's house and in the morning they treated us to a delicious breakfast.

As we were literaly driving out of Athens, Ted Maclin called Jim to pass on some wonderful news. The book they have been working on, The Slaw and the Slow Cooked: an Anthropology of Mid-South BBQ, has been approved for publication. To celebrate we stopped at his house on our way westward to enjoy a night at the farm, friendship and of course mid-south BBQ.

The fellas toast!

Bozo's BBQ sandwhich.

Bozo's BBQ combination plate

racked mead

Fermentation Inspiration

This past weeked was a really great time. My boys and I headed out to Whitwell, TN to visit the Sequatchie Valley Institute, known by some as Moonshadow. The reason for the trek was to take part in the annual Food For Life gathering.

in this basket are the fresh garden ingredients we harvested for making our mead

(clockwise) nasturtium, bronze fennel, mugwort(didn't use), lemon balm, sassafrass, yarrow, cherries,

mulberries, goumi berries, carrot green, shiso

While we were there we all attended various workshops including Meadmaking, Fermentation, Canning, Fat rendering, Bread & Butter making; took part in great discussions concerning food, nutrition, and the global situation at large; and I cooked a lot of food.

a texas breeze and bees in trees

Well, it's been a little longer than usual since my last posting due to travels and preparing for moving. Last week I was in Texas searching out a new place for my family to live after we move there in July. It was way more challenging to find a suitable house than I realized it would be. Apparently the demand from students and the limited number of places available really makes for a competitive market.


I was totally blown away and it took us a few days to really understand the town and it's dynamics. Comparatively here in GA we rent a great three bedroom house on about 1/2 acre with trees, garden space and a nice big yard for $775/mo. In Denton, a moderate three bedroom with small fenced yard and close neighbors goes for about $1200/mo. Big difference! So it was a shock to get comfortable with that.

However, I'm looking forward to our new adventure that will be starting up very soon. Denton seems like a great place with a neat town square built around an old awesome courthouse where you can hear live music every Thursday night during the summer. There are lots of public parks with facilities like a disc golf course and water park.




Today we had one of the coolest homeschool lessons ever. Early this morning while I was fixing breakfast Ian came running into the kitchen and said, "What is there an invisible bee army outside my room that's making a big buzz?" So I answered, "Of course not you silly." A short while later I had to get something out my car and so I went outside and was greeted with a very loud buzzing sound.

I looked out into the yard and there in the branches of the silver maple were tons of bees in frenzied flight. I called Ian out and told him that there was indeed a bee army right outside and the reason was because the hive here had split and was swarming.

After a while the bees settled in to this tight glob protecting the queen while the scouts found them a new home. This evening when I went out to check on the swarm, it was gone. I guess the scouts picked out somewhere good and they went off to make it home. I wish I knew where there went simply so we could follow the rest of the process.

Nature is so awesome!

journeys continue

Well, as always life is moving swiftly onward, here is an image of our baby robins on their way to fledgling.

So, today our journey in Athens takes a huge step. Jim officially graduated from UGA receiving his PhD in Anthropology. For a moment a few months back he contemplated the idea of not walking the stage, but his opinion was quickly overthrown by my own and his mother's. At least for me, being present to see him walk that stage in all the wizardlike regalia was not only a testament to all of the hard work he has put in, but to my own as well.

Here we are in front of the stage: Jeanne, Me, Ian, Jim and Benny. The graduation was followed by a rockin party later in the day complete with BBQ, Beer and live music by local musician Nathan Sheppard.

wandering the greenpath

I returned home this evening from a deep place. My family and I attended a gathering in western NC focused on the green path. What is the green path you're wondering? Well, it's a lot of different things rolled into one. For me it means learning to exist in harmony with our sacred mother earth as well as her other inhabitants, and being in tune with the plants surrounding us that help give us food and medicine, clothing and shelter, appreciating that the water we have to nourish our bodies is a gift that we as humans cannot live without, knowing that many if not all of my actions do have an impact on someone else somewhere whether directly or indirectly, allowing myself to breathe deep and feel connected to the essence of life that exists in every living being.

Sharing space in the woods with other like minded individuals, hiking with my boys, cooking for others, weaving a bittersweet basket, washing my face in the cool mountain stream, hearing the rain falling on the tent, eating wild foods and fresh picked greens, sharing stories about old friends, re-connecting, just taking the time to slow down and be, made for an exhilerating experience. I feel rejuvenated and grounded and back in touch with my inner self. Ah, springtime in Appalachia always makes me feel whole.

i could hear the trees,

branches swaying,

and the chill breeze blew me backwards into birdsong,

clear and loud,

the land heaved a deep breath and the mayapple danced,

my spirit resounded with joy