Posted in The Homestead

On this ANZAC Day, the day we remember those who bought freedom for my generation of New Zealanders, I think about my life and what has bought me to this point in history.

Rhonda over at www.down---to---earth.blogspot.com  (link in my sidebar as well) has asked her readers to give a brief description of what our lives are and how we live. Here is mine, though maybe not too brief. I tried to condense it!

I think about my childhood, happy and uncomplicated within a small but loving family and extended family. I think about my youth, with its joys and tragedies of love won and lost, of the years of independence traversing foreign lands. I have dined with kings and rulers in those days, and I have supped with the poor and persecuted and refugees of other lands. My life is rich with experience and excitement. It has changed somewhat now - I don't have the daily thrills and drama of those single years, but there are thrills in the discoveries of the every day - of the three little souls I have in the power of my moulding, and the journey of returning to a simpler, less complicated life.

I live with my husband of 10 years on 10 acres in the countryside of Canterbury, New Zealand.

We have 3 children. Hugh is 8, Meredith is 6 and Teddy is 3. We have two dogs - wonderful, funny, cuddly pets and both good guard dogs; Cricket (a Labrador) and Poppy (a Jack Russel). Poppy is the alarm - she will hear something before Cricket, and Cricket is the policeman. He's big and black and looks and sounds intimidating (though he isn't really). We built our own home, and have dug our own garden which is 25 metres long. I have a five year plan for our journey back to the simple life. I grew tired of depending on other people for my survival. I am a self-confessed control-freak. I'm the type that doesn't like flying anymore, because I'm not the one doing the driving, although now I love living this way because I am finding more and more that it is the better way, the nicer, gentler, more wholesome way to live.

The first year we planted our vegetable garden.

What a saving this has been already, and it is only half dug. This year we plan to extend it. I love the thrill of growing things from seed and eating the result. What a miracle! In August we are getting 6 hens, and just now are in the middle of building the hen house ourselves. I homeschool my children and they hankered after a wood working project, so this is it!

Over the next five years we plan to add livestock, a milking cow or goat; bees; plant woodlots (for fuel) and have a good time doing it all. My big project is my orchard - I call it my orchard of friends. Every tree has been planted by a family member or a friend who has visited us. So far I have 9 trees; 7 apples and 2 cherries. I am planting along the lines of an old-fashioned orchard with trees close together and organic.

My husband's big project is truffles. 5 acres are set aside for our Truffiere which is our long term investment for our retirement. With 10-12 years being the minimum for the first harvest of a truffle (5-8 if you are especially lucky), we do plan to stay here a long time, Lord willing.

We are in the process of opening up a little old-fashioned bookshop in our community where atmosphere and charm and friendliness are more important that stock and sales.

I have recently written a children's picture book which was released last year, and is bringing in a small income for us. I love to write about New Zealand and the rich, beautiful, privileged golden years of the 70's and 80's growing up here. My country is no longer the country it was 30 years ago, and people who recognize this love to hang on to the old ways and the old memories. That is what I like to incorporate into my writings.

My side interests are many. I love to cook from scratch, preserve, make jam. I love to sew, make clothes for my children, quilt, knit and decorate my home. I love classic literature and old out-of-print children's books. I'm enjoying the discovery of living frugally and the challenges that brings. I bake my own bread now, and I recently made my first batch of soap which I find is rather addictive. I've tried making my own butter (a fun thing to do). I find this way of life is fun and exciting and adventurous.

I love staying at home all day during the week, (although the children's activities often take me away from here). I think I could be a hermit if allowed, although I do love the company of others and good friends, so I probably wouldn't last as a hermit very long. The world has become a scary place and I sometimes like to think I could escape to a remote area with my family and forget that the rest of the world exists, but in reality I probably couldn't do it. I do love the colour of other people. People are interesting whatever their story is, and everyone, even the humblest, most unlovely, has something interesting to tell.