Wicked Rural Homestead
Live Simply
Category: Current conditions
Your Pets Are Not Your Children, They Are Your Grandparents.
Your animals should not be like your children. They should be your grandparents. I say this for one specific and important reason- it is unnatural to outlive your offspring. Barring some unforeseen tragic event, it will be your privilege to preside over the passing of your critters. I… Continue Reading “Your Pets Are Not Your Children, They Are Your Grandparents.”
Spring time in Maine (Shut Up Ca! I Can Hear You From Here.)
To celebrate the fist day of spring, I went to the beach the other day… (Click for gallery.) I think I have said all I needed to.
Time May Heal All Wounds- But It Makes Homesickness Worse
My little town has always been the core of who I am. Even now as I sit thousands of miles away-it feels close enough for me to touch. It still stings my heart that I am too far away to do so. Boulder Creek… Continue Reading “Time May Heal All Wounds- But It Makes Homesickness Worse”
Eastward Ho! PartII. Our little mine.
When we drove across the country four years ago- one of the only things we DID plan was to stop in Montana and mine for sapphires. Both of us totally dig (no pun I swear!) rocks and minerals. There are few better ways to spend… Continue Reading “Eastward Ho! PartII. Our little mine.”
How Do You Tell If It’s The Calm Before OR After The Storm?
This time last year I was doubtful that this day would come. All THREE dogs sitting quietly on the couch with the rest of the family. Our two oldest are old pros at the ‘relax and cuddle’ game but our newest edition has been… Continue Reading “How Do You Tell If It’s The Calm Before OR After The Storm?”
Stained Glass Flowers-Easy as Clay! (Less tasty than pie…um pie)
More goofing around with clay- I like rainbows! There I said it. I like stained glass too. I have found it is easy to create clay “stained glass.” Start by making logs of all the colors you want to include. Then wrap them in… Continue Reading “Stained Glass Flowers-Easy as Clay! (Less tasty than pie…um pie)”
Koi Pillows and Emu Eggs
I started quilting last winter and while I only managed one full sized quilt this season I have done a bunch of other smaller sillier projects. For instance-I was messing around with overlapping progressions of fabric and decided that they looked like fish… Continue Reading “Koi Pillows and Emu Eggs”
My Little Indoor Hair Garden
The snow is still falling but I have decided to grow some flowers anyway. Clay flowers that is, no danger of snow or frost impeding my progress. I started making roses out of clay when I was pretty young. I have always given them… Continue Reading “My Little Indoor Hair Garden”
The First Step in a New Direction…Maybe. AHHHAGAHH!!! ^&^%$##$ &(&(*& !! (breath, breath, breath)
Confucius say: “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” I have not always gotten along with Confucius but here and now I find some solice in his words. I have been cooking professionally for more than half my life now.… Continue Reading “The First Step in a New Direction…Maybe. AHHHAGAHH!!! ^&^%$##$ &(&(*& !! (breath, breath, breath)”
Death and snowflakes
The snow falling lightly on my window reveled itself to me one day. All the little flakes waited patiently to melt. Momentarily displaying their breathtaking detail, individual beauty and uniqueness. I was there to see it. But had there been no audience-the show would… Continue Reading “Death and snowflakes”
Multitasking, laziness or genius? You decide.
The snow and the eggs keep piling up! Looks like today will be another day of being homebound for me. I’m not sure if it’s a good sign that I am totally OK with this. I have only left the house once or twice… Continue Reading “Multitasking, laziness or genius? You decide.”
How to make a spaghetti squash bomb
It’s easy! 1. Turn oven to 400 degrees or so. 2. DON’T poke or cut the squash in any way. 3. Wait for the boom (about 40 min.) and enjoy… To make the same recipe WITHOUT the mess and noise do the opposite of… Continue Reading “How to make a spaghetti squash bomb”
Hang the little buggers!
Eggs, people I’m talking about eggs. Boy do you need help! Through my adventures in egg decorating I discovered an incredable simple way to hang the finished product, which is good since I seem to be unable to stop making them. You can do it too, all… Continue Reading “Hang the little buggers!”
Standing isn’t as simple as you might think
I mentioned in my OCD post that I have been in the martial arts community my whole life. Due to my mother’s practice of Tai Chi I have spent many hours moving S L O W L Y or watching others move at a… Continue Reading “Standing isn’t as simple as you might think”
Late night trouble with the iPad
4 am. Currently in our bed there are; two humans, one cat and two dogs. I would love to tell you that Isis is not here too because we learned our lesson after the first two; that dogs should sleep on the floor. … Continue Reading “Late night trouble with the iPad”
How a random acts of kindness resulted in a senseless act of beauty.
Just a story to bring attention to: More than a decade ago, I was walking to my car in downtown Santa Cruz. Coming toward me from across the parking garage was a man, he was crying. His hair was matted to his head and… Continue Reading “How a random acts of kindness resulted in a senseless act of beauty.”
Golden cabin fever brain farts.
OK, brace yourselves. Are you sitting down? Yesterday it snowed, again (or is it still?) You are shocked I’m sure. Good thing you were sitting down! Our yard now looks like this: There is still one person here who is beside herself. Please do… Continue Reading “Golden cabin fever brain farts.”
Stop saying you have OCD. You are just anal, I have OCD.
Growing up on a fault line meant that I have been through more than my fair share of earthquakes. This includes Loma Preita in 1989 the 6.9-7.1 magnitude quake that collapsed the bay bridge, and our fireplace. I was six at the time. The… Continue Reading “Stop saying you have OCD. You are just anal, I have OCD.”
♥ Read Mine ♥
Yesterday the internet filled to capacity with pictures and stories both good and bad about Valentines Day. Most of my friends on FB posted pictures of the flowers or gifts that their sweeties had given them. AWWW (truly no sarcasm, I promise) and others… Continue Reading “♥ Read Mine ♥”
RUN Phil RUN!!!
It snowed. Again…. As I previously mentioned I am ok with this. My husband is not. Since he grew up on the East Coast he has had more than his share of winters, when he was 17 he thought he had escaped them for… Continue Reading “RUN Phil RUN!!!”
Never buy chap stick again!
Even if you don’t have bees you can still make your own chap stick. It is one of the simplest things ever, I promise. You can find all the supplies you need at Bulk Apothecary or your local health food store and it doesn’t take… Continue Reading “Never buy chap stick again!”
Quickening Moon
I do not believe in Valentines day, the Easter Bunny, Santa Clause, or that unicorns fart rainbows. (A Unicorn’s fart is just like all other horse farts, silly. They SNEEZE confetti AND rainbows. Now you know.) The difference is that I can’t remember ever… Continue Reading “Quickening Moon”
Sometimes the chocolate box of life gives you the best kids in the world.
We got married over an year and a half ago and it was perfect. Not because everything went the way we planned but because it didn’t. The only thing I really cared about was having the kids there with us. They dressed as they… Continue Reading “Sometimes the chocolate box of life gives you the best kids in the world.”
A picture is worth at least one poll…I hope.
Last week I took a drive to get out of the house and take some pictures. I love the way you can see the animal highways frozen in the snow. I stumbled upon some kite skiers, what a cool idea!!! I love they way… Continue Reading “A picture is worth at least one poll…I hope.”
It’s all fun and games till someone calls “NIYDEK!”
I have often heard people talking about activities and situations that they “could never do with a spouse without killing them.” My husband and I have done so many of the things others recommend not to I have lost count. For example, we have:… Continue Reading “It’s all fun and games till someone calls “NIYDEK!””
My surrender to a lack of expectations
This journey is far from over and the things I have learned are immeasurable and priceless. Every once in a while I am privileged to have some positive reinforcement that my thoughts and I are on the right path. Surrender is not something to… Continue Reading “My surrender to a lack of expectations”
Antiques Roadshow Thinks You’re an A$$hole and Why
Years ago we gave up cable and switched to Netflix and Hulu instead. Originally this occurred because we couldn’t afford to pay $160 a month on anything we can’t eat. We have not gone back because we don’t miss it, the bill or… Continue Reading “Antiques Roadshow Thinks You’re an A$$hole and Why”
7/13/2010 -Today you said you love me.
Without preamble or question, today you said you love me. My heart leapt out of my chest and my breath stopped in my throat. All I did was build a fort and my reward was a unsolicited statement of affection. I could only answer… Continue Reading “7/13/2010 -Today you said you love me.”
The Places I have Found Myself
More than once I was waiting for myself as I summated a mountain’s top, standing on the path yet out of my own way, so that if I had not been looking for myself I wouldn’t have been there to see. Long ago I… Continue Reading “The Places I have Found Myself”
Eastward Ho! Part I
Almost four years ago now, my partner (now husband) and I found ourselves in the unenviable position of moving to the East Coast. For us, the timing of the move was not something we had expected. In fact it was years sooner than… Continue Reading “Eastward Ho! Part I”
Buck Flack Friday!
You shouldn’t hate anything but…I hate ‘black friday.’ I despise the consumerism and mania that it encourages. I find it abhorred that the nation can deftly vacillate from heartfelt appreciation for the things we have- to unabashed and rapid accumulation of new things. Things… Continue Reading “Buck Flack Friday!”
My hands…
Have never known a manicure or file. And they are bitten rather than clipped. They have been painted less times than there are fingers to paint. In many places they are more scar than skin. The fingers on the right appear to have been… Continue Reading “My hands…”
This isn’t a post. it is a cry for help.
Just in case I am found dead in our house, tied up with yarn and covered with small puncture wounds and scratches- you will know what happened. Luna did it. I am beginning to suspect that our cat, Luna blames me for winter. This… Continue Reading “This isn’t a post. it is a cry for help.”
Egg craft do’s and don’ts-how can even unborn chickens be such a pain the ass?
It’s has been a couple weeks since I started down the egg paved road of Pysanka and I am no saner now than when I started. But that train may be on a one way track no matter how I pass my time. I have… Continue Reading “Egg craft do’s and don’ts-how can even unborn chickens be such a pain the ass?”
Dead things in mail, Camping with Team Squeam and the Wonderful World of T’n’A
The sun warmed my face and the sandy wind stung my skin all at the same time, I tasted salt and inhaled the sea. The surf resounded inside my head like empty sea shell waiting for new purpose. The feeling of home these things… Continue Reading “Dead things in mail, Camping with Team Squeam and the Wonderful World of T’n’A”
How sad that little girls don’t dream of becoming stepmoms when they grow up
Here I am the same as before, but different in every way. Me, wanting to be there for them every second, but knowing full well such things are impossible. I have to let go everyday. Every morning when I wake up and they are… Continue Reading “How sad that little girls don’t dream of becoming stepmoms when they grow up”
Ode to my sister or an elaborate excuse to tell a funny puke story. You decide.
The Little One One of my earliest memory from childhood is of playing on the floor by an old wooden lamp stand we had in the living room. My parents came into the room and towered over me, backlit by the bank of windows… Continue Reading “Ode to my sister or an elaborate excuse to tell a funny puke story. You decide.”
When life gives an ‘arctic blast,’ make a wicked dirty Maine-tini and repeat till warm.
Supplies: A night without kids, snow and a mason jar. Recipe: 1……………………. jar of tightly packed, fresh Maine snow 1/2 jar…………..…olive juice 3……………………olives 1/2 jar …………….cocktail onion juice 2………………..…..cocktail onions Add as much vodka as necessary (I would not presume to tell you how much to… Continue Reading “When life gives an ‘arctic blast,’ make a wicked dirty Maine-tini and repeat till warm.”
The closest I’ll ever get to writing a love poem
To all those who have never fallen in love. Never tripped over your own soul to be swallowed by another’s. For all the people that have contrived meetings, set forth guidelines to follow safely into planned monogamy. For those who think they have fallen… Continue Reading “The closest I’ll ever get to writing a love poem”
Eggs, eggs, the magical fruit… Fruit that comes from a chicken’s butt
During the winter I love the excuse to make random things and try new crafts. My sewing machine has gotten a ton of use the past few weeks and the dogs are getting pretty sick of the racket so I decided to try something… Continue Reading “Eggs, eggs, the magical fruit… Fruit that comes from a chicken’s butt”
The swell (how life works from the perspective of a surfer’s daughter)
The Swell Again and again I tread the same water passing it over my body and going nowhere, suspended between what is and what is to be. Then change comes as a wave out of the abyss consuming everything. Shifting your entire bodily universe… Continue Reading “The swell (how life works from the perspective of a surfer’s daughter)”
Corn starch and chicken blood; this isn’t your mother’s chicken soup recipe.
Ok, technically it is not a recipe for soup at all. Actually it has more to do with keeping our chickens out of the dinner pot than getting them in there. Unfortunanelty one of the things you have to worry about with a larger… Continue Reading “Corn starch and chicken blood; this isn’t your mother’s chicken soup recipe.”
How can I tell?
Am I beautiful? How can I tell? I could look for the answer in the mirror to see what I need to cover up. I could give myself a number either off a scale or tag. I could look at the the beautiful people… Continue Reading “How can I tell?”
It is not always about honey and eggs, some days are filled with bee shit and chicken blood
Taking advantage of the momentary warm up I went out to check on the hive’s honey supply. If it gets too low we will have to install a candy board (big block of sugar) to supplement the food for the little buzzers. As I… Continue Reading “It is not always about honey and eggs, some days are filled with bee shit and chicken blood”
Life at the top of the mountain
Life is wonderful. Whether you take the time to realize it or not. To truly look around and see creation, life, living as it is, is a symphony to behold. The harmony of sky and sea, mountain and sun can not be accurately inscribed… Continue Reading “Life at the top of the mountain”