Are You Ready?

[bèlla]

.

 

[Lost Witness]

Don't try putting pants on while Sprinting

 

[Anthony2019]

In (hopefully early) 2013, I'm finally going to be able to buy and move into my first house.

 

[Lost Witness]

In (hopefully early) 2013, I'm finally going to be able to buy and move into my first house.

Time Travel :o LORD willing, shall we live. I'd like to be much closer to the LORD in the next few months

 

[Anthony2019]

Time Travel LORD willing, shall we live. I'd like to be much closer to the LORD in the next few months

Whoops I meant 2023! I think I would need a time machine to go to 2013!

 

[SavedByGrace3]

In (hopefully early) 2013, I'm finally going to be able to buy and move into my first house.

That is an excellent goal! Lord Jesus make it happen for A2019.
We have owned 3 houses in our life. We are in our upper 60s now. We just last month paid off the mortgage on our 3rd. So we are debt free except for utilities, taxes, and insurance. All the thanks and credit goes to the Lord without whom we would have nothing. He has worked miracles in our finances. I am trusting God for your situation. AMEN!

 

[SavedByGrace3]

Our goals this year are to complete that water catchment project. We have a couple of barrels and just need a way to funnel the water from the rooftop into them. We also want to purchase a small 20x12 ft building for a workshop. We also will put up 20 or so solar panels and start our survival electrical system. We cannot put them on our house because of the trees, but there is a spot in the back that gets 9 or so hours of light a day... so that will be good if we can wing it.

 

[Kettriken]

I've learned that if you're going to compost your chicken litter in a barrel, make sure the lid is secure! Twenty pounds of wood chips and chicken waste can become over a hundred pounds of rained on sludge quickly! On the upside, we've had ready made manure "tea" to put on the garden.

I'm working on getting rid of or using up backlogs of things that I thought would be helpful but are just taking up space.

This year I'm pleased by how many plants we were able to grow at our home property, rather than the rented garden plot. There are a lot more sunny spots than I'd thought.

 

[Anthony2019]

Excellent news! Do you plan to garden?

You’ll have lots of inspiration for your photos.

The house I've put an offer on only has a small garden space but it overlooks a nature reserve where it is possible to go out on walks or runs. Also there is a large forest adjoining the village, so I won't get bored! I only need a garden big enough to sit out and natter with friends over a cuppa.

 

[Kettriken]

Ditto on the above. It feels as if we’re in a perpetual phase of chaotic decluttering—purging while bringing in other things simultaneously—and its driving me crazy!


Congratulations! Did you plant anything new or interesting?

~bella

It's such a strange era to live in, historically. Our ancestors mostly tried to accumulate as many resources as possible, hoping they lasted til the spring. Now we're inundated, and neither old homemaking advice, nor our passed down patterns have that much to say about the process of decluttering and discerning the gems from the junk.

We finally finished our stone retaining wall (got free field stones, which was great, but dry stacking them was a bear,) so I planted a little herb and pole bean garden along the walkway. I thought the beans would go much more straight up, but the front herbs did quite well.

 

[SavedByGrace3]

Our majority priority this year was the pantry and increasing our proficiency in fermentation. We’ve modified our diet and expanded our consumption of healthier and less popular foods which lessen competition and improve our health and immunity.

I put a few tasks on the back burner in light of the move now that things have settled. I was fortunate to find bulk suppliers overseas and Costco too. We’re able to replicate what we’re doing now and that’s encouraging.

My primary focus for 2023 is the move and finding a place with a sizable garden and outdoor space. Chickens are on the horizon but I’d like to get settled first and get a feel for the climate. God willing it has a generator and we’ll tackle solar too. I think that’s enough. We’ll resume canning and have access to raw milk for homemade dairy projects.

We’re purchasing multi-level vertical planters on wheels and seeds of course. Especially medicinals. My daughter’s expanding her herbal education and adding ayurveda and TCM to the mix. Possessing the knowledge of eastern and western principles increases your proficiency. Natural health is a big part of our lifestyle.

There were surprises too. Like making my own tea blends and herbal remedies I hadn’t tried. Delighting in the joys of roasting. I did several batches of tomatoes and repeated the process with sweet and hot peppers and they’re good! That’s a definite keeper. I made some freezer meals that came in handy when life got hectic or I wasn’t in the mood to cook. I plan to do more in the coming year.

I didn’t get around to the candles and soap but I’ll do them in the winter. I think its a good time for projects like that when things are slower. The same applies to sewing. Acknowledging my limited availability during warmer periods is a must. As is doing something everyday. Tackling big tasks all at once isn’t enjoyable. Setting aside 30 minutes or an hour works best.

I finally created a seasonal meal plan that fits and devised something similar for entertaining on a monthly basis. Building routines takes time but once you do the hard part is done and that’s my lesson. I need more routines this season to accommodate the changes in lifestyle and focus we’re adopting.

I feel a growing necessity to fine tune my management and role as an overseer. While I won’t have to do everything myself having systems in place is important. The more we establish good practices the clearer it will be where help

Nice

 

[Kettriken]

We didn’t have a lot of excess. Somethings outlived their usefulness and were given away. We continually prune and increase our self-sufficiency.

Good for you! An item that is no longer useful can be a great boon to others. I inherited a bit of great depression mindset from my grandmother and am trying to unlearn the mentality.

Well done. Are you adding a medicinal garden?

Kitchen herbs are my main focus, though I put up raspberry and nettle. Many medicinal herbs grow wild around here, and we have lots of local herbalists who can supplement for specific needs. I'd like to add chamomile, yarrow, and calendula.