Bees

Months of silence…and here, at the very end of the year, what prompts me to write is a movie. I’ve watched a lot of movies this year. I’ve watched a lot of documentaries. Some on politics, economics, nutrition, health, you name it. I always learn something…sometimes something very powerful. Today, as M napped and I took a quiet afternoon to myself, I turned on Netflix and selected Vanishing of the Bees, mostly for background noise…since it’s been in my “to watch” list all year. I’ve accomplished little else as I sit in horror and wonder.

I’m filled with thoughts I can’t even express: What have we done?

Is there nothing that capitalism and industrialization has held sacred? Nothing that it can’t keep it’s greedy little fingers out of? Nothing it finds magical and inherently unneeding it’s almighty intervention?

What will we do? And why don’t more people care about this? How can we all just walk around filled with our own every day importantness without carrying the weight of what is going on in our world?

This little film about bees and their susceptibility shows such a microcosm of so many of the problems our world faces. Wanting too much, for the lowest price…rushing ahead with drastic short term vision for problem solution…trusting the wrong people…not waking up to face the issues at hand…not caring how many people or animals are harmed in the process.

I’m left horrified.

And yet, there is a hopeful feeling too. Inspiration from those who are braving a whole new world…an informed world, that steps back in time…and tries things again…and holds its breath at the splendid design of God’s creation.

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This Is...Where I live

Here is a peek into where I live. Perhaps, in the next few days I'll show the inside off too.

 Looking out across the campground

 Down at the lake

 The lakes fountain

 Swimming in the lake this summer

 Looking down the road from our campsite (As you can tell, these are some I took today...fall is here)

 The area right above our site that is mostly empty but for a few weekends of the year. This summer this was a beautiful park where Mack, Reagan, and I could run and play all to ourselves.

Our camper, front lot, and parking spot.

 Here's our camper and outside living space

 Our entry deck...and George, our pet stray whose health is improving drastically.

 Here is where we relax

 A touch of October

 Reagan sleeps here whenever she's outside...hoping to get a chance to chase the chipmunk who lives in the woodpile.

 The Aloe plant who lives next the fire pit...just in case

 The yard

 More yard

The kids table

The evening view from our living area window.

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Laundry Day

I like doing laundry. Or, at least, I like having clean clothes. Back in the sticks-n-bricks it was an odd day when the washing maching didn't run at least once. Moving into the RV that didn't come with laundry facilities was a bit of an adjustment even though we are lucky to have a really great laundromat nearby.

 

Thankfully, it was only a couple weeks before DH acquired this really great all-in-one machine for us. Apparently, they are pretty common around the world where people live a little more conscious of their space consumption. Imagine that!

In the interum, I found several alternative laundry solutions. In fact, several of them would have completely solved my laundry problems except that with Michigan humidity, clothes don't line dry all too well outside, and my inside space is limited. You can see several fun options here:

The Laundry Alternative
and here:
Compact Appliance

Six days after getting my washer/dryer I started it while it was sharing a circuit with a power tool. For those who like me had no clue that this would be a problem, this blew the internal fuse. Said internal fuse, has been created by evil manufacturing guru's to be single use (I'm told that old models had a fuse reset button that worked well, but didn't result in additional revenue). So back, I am, to the laundromat and my handwashing methods. In a stroke of luck, we are having a week of nice breezes and low humidity.

So here's how it goes:

Fill 5-gallon bucket with
6-10 inches of water.

Add a tablespoon of detergent.

Whisk away for approximately 2 minutes.

Drain clothing. Dump water. Refill bucket. Add teaspoon of fabric softener.

Whisk for approximately 2 minutes.

Slightly wring clothing. Throw it in washer to spin it out (or not depending on the dryness of your climate). Hang to dry.

I enjoy not having to rely on the laundromat for everything.

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I Am From

I am from the wide open spaces and rolling hills of the northern grasslands. Badlands, Mt. Rushmore, tumbleweeds, smoke plants, cicadas and wind. Vast nothingness, filling my soul with spirit.
I am from the green valleys and cool waters of Wisconsin. The house in the woods. The cities of endless parks.
I am from big kitchens and hours spent canning. Hundreds of jars of red, gold, green and pink.
From big gardens and herb beds.
From push mowing lawns and cutting wood by hand.
I am from long bike rides, and longer days spent in the woods. Pine scents and piles of leaves.
I am from childhood companions with big hearts and impish fun. From stickers and hair ties, freckles and skates. Arms held out to catch to me. Competition.
I am from big tents, smoky fires, floating in the rain, carving names in the rocks, football games, broken bones.
Growing up unaware…
I am from a great grandmother I barely knew, who everyone says I’m just like. Kilpatrick bloodline, always cold, rather forgetful.
I am from songs on repeat, nighttime runs gathering strength from the stars.
I am from hidden reading cubbies, and dusty libraries.
From skinny girl arms, too big clothes, and clutz of the year awards.
I am from big daydreams, fairy worlds, and even bigger plans.
Summers in Colorado with cousins and mountains, rivers and reunions.
I am from frigid winters, frostbitten toes, crunchy snow. Sledding and flying, snowballs and snowmen.
From long talks, giggles, and secrets.
I am from contentment.

Inspired by Sarah at Emerging Mummy

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Piper

So here I sit in just shy of 400 square feet that we are starting to call home. We are full time RV living. In the middle of the move, even I had moments where I thought we might be crazy. But now I am so very glad that we took the jump and did this (well, as soon as I can get all my internet access bumps worked out)!

So my grandmother about summed up most the reactions we’ve gotten to this move. She called shortly after being informed by my parents that we were living in a camper, and the conversation went something like this:
Nana: “So how are you doing?” (her voice dripping in sympathetic tones)
Me: “Oh, we’re doing great!...”
Nana: cutting me off, “Well of course you are dear, that’s what you do. You are just going to keep going and make the best of it, aren’t you?”
Me: “huh…the best of it…I’m not sure I understand”…
Try explaining to an 85 year old who can barely hear you that everything really is ok, and no, we haven’t lost either our home, or our minds.

The house, by the way, is rented out to someone we trust.

My grandfather wasn’t much better as he spouted off about being irresponsible and the dangers of renters (I guess he should know since a good chunk of his fortune came from his rental properties). But I can’t fault him, most people, I think, have thought we were a little crazy.

It’s hard to explain everything though. Sure, the easiest piece of the puzzle is that it saves us a bundle to live in Piper (we’re in a Sandpiper camper by Forest River. “Piper” is in lieu of calling it “house” which didn’t seem quite fitting…or “camper” which doesn’t seem quite homey enough). The mortgage on the house is being covered by someone else, and should the local economy not hold out this fall/winter, we won’t have to be scrambling to figure out what to do with the house if we have to leave. But that really is only the worse case scenario.

In reality, we’ve been moving this way for quite a while. Each small decision over the past couple years has probably impacted our ability to make this one so easily. For one, we’ve been in the typical cycle of collecting stuff. It gets overwhelming. Downsizing has been very freeing. Less stuff means more time. More clarity about what’s important in life.

Ironically, three weeks ago I had half a dozen really good points about how this decision was good for us and why we were doing it. I really can’t think of all those great thoughts right now. We’ve been in the Piper for a little over two weeks and here at the park for just over a week. And though life seems a bit busier than normal right now because of Dh’s schedule on top of trying to get everything settled, it’s still been almost perfect. M and I have spent every moment that we can walking, biking, exploring, firefly chasing, swimming, and playing outside. I have had to spend a lot less time cleaning. Though it takes a bit more dedication to keep it clean/uncluttered, actual cleaning time is much less than in the sticks and bricks.

I’m also hoping this also translates into more time/inspiration for blogging. That might be asking too much though.

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Library Run

About every other week we drop in on our local library to either pick up a stack of inter library loan books or just browse the shelves. I usually stock up on books for M to cycle out our reading. At the moment, he absolutely hates returning the books. He's convinced they are ours and those mean people behind the counter are stealing them from us. I continue to remind him that they were never ours, but that we are trading them for more.

Right now, we have:

The Great Doughnut Parade by Rebecca Bond
It's a cute tale about a little boy who ties a doughnut to his belt and takes off on a walk, gathering quite the menagerie of followers. It's a lyrical read...which of course is my favorite.

The Kiss That Missed by David Melling
I found this book to be a bit awkward to read...but Mr M loved the story line. The illustrations are great and this ended being one he didn't want to part with.

The Magic Hat by Mem Fox
So this book was both of our favorites for this trip...and I've promised him that we'll get it back! With great rhyming verse and appealing pictures, the plot is just the right amount of predictable for a child, and still interesting. Lets just say we've both been seeing this in our sleep, it was read so many times.

I also have The Continuum Concept by Jean Liedloff, which is a pretty interesting description of the authors time in the jungles of South America studying natural parenting. I think it will warrant it's own post at some point.

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Intentional

Intentional. The realization that this is my word for 2011 blazed through my consciousness as I stood in the kitchen watching DH and M. It's New Year's day and rather than being out creating memories, we've been recovering from a week long bug. By 5 pm I'd steeled myself enough to offer M a trip outside, so we bundled and headed out to face the cold. The wind was so bitter that after 15 minutes he volunteered to return to the warmer climate indoors (bless his little heart). After stripping his clothes and grabbing my phone for his new Sponge Bob game, he hurdled onto the couch with his dad while I started dinner. A few minutes later, I turned around to see:


What this picture missed, was how his arm was wrapped up and around his dad's neck with a palm gently craddling his face. I absolutely adore this and relished the moment...and that's when it hit...

Intentional. WHile we've tried to be very intentional about the decisions and choices we've faced on our journey through parenthood, our schedules are such that the days and weeks run together and are gone. I never seem to manage to write down those moments, memories, firsts, and milestones like I always planned. And I have a never ending list of great ideas for special times and experiences to fill up his childhood that never seem to happen. And so, this is the year to start living intentionally with respect to living...not just choices.

I'm pretty excited about it! Living intentionally really encompasses so many of the areas I've been contemplating lately. Intention moments, intentional reactions, intentional feelings, intentional contentment, intentional spirituality, intentional growth...and even some more mundane things like intentional meals (as in better planning), and intentional days (though you won't find me implementing the dreaded "schedule").

And since this is my first real post on my new blog...intentional blogging. So this year I plan on spending some time documenting my life and some of the topics near and dear to me. Hopefully it will be somewhat entertaining, and if I'm lucky, perhaps even thought provoking.

Happy New Year!

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