Driving around looking for home.

the house.

I am under some pressure from outside sources to sell my house. I have mixed feelings about it and frankly the thought makes my stomach hurt. So maybe if I write about it things will become clearer. The problem is I live in the most beautiful spot in the world. Its true. Another problem is that the house itself is just too big for us now there being only two of us. Out of the 9 major rooms in the house we are using about 3 of them. Its a stunning house built in 1775 on the eve of the revolution classic colonial with gorgeous beams and white wood work. But like many or maybe most old houses it requires a ton of work on pretty much a constant (exaggerating a bit) basis. But the house does need work and it usually falls on my parents shoulders to help us out when things go awry so I understand if my father would like me to at least entertain finding another home.

So I have agreed to look around to see whats out there. I know what I want I just don't know if its out there. So I have been driving around lately looking for home. Number one thing I need is a beautiful view right now I have two the Hudson River in the front and rolling green hills that remind of England in the back. Don't think I am going to find another spot with two but one will do but it has to be BEAUTIFUL. Living somewhere beautiful is one of the only things I have accomplished in my life and I am not giving it up. I am not a person who can live in a development honestly if I move from here I want a farm a real farm. Which of course leads to other problems like no longer having an excuse to be a real farmer if you have a real farm. Excuses will go flying out the window on that one.  But its a chance I guess I am willing to take.

the back

the front

I have lived here for 10 years and haven't really made a lot of connections one of the main problems is I don't really have a town. So that would definately be something that I would be looking for a little community probably one a little goofy since that would be my and definitely Tommy's only chance of fitting in. Always wanted to find a little town like the one in the TV show northern exposure not sure it exists but I am out there driving around looking. The other day I got off exit 12 on the northway and drove around looking and looking for the spot that feels like home.....Went yesterday to salem and drove through jackson and cambridge and greenwich and schyulerville looking for home....Did more errands in greenwich today looking around looking for home. This week I think I will try west and north of saratoga and see if I cant find home. I have a weird feeling that I will know it when I find it. But honestly its a large bill to fill and I am not sure if its out there. Oh and I need to be somewhat close to my parents in Saratoga they are getting older and I don't want to be too far away.

So if you see a silver honda crv wandering the back roads of either warrren, washington or saratoga counties its probably me looking for home. Beep if you see me.

Sunday ramblings and signs of spring.

You can tell its been a long winter when its in the upper 30's and people drive by on motorcycles and bicycles. The sun feels stronger today and I keep going outside to drink it up like a starving person. The chickens are outside and they are having a ball they just walked past the living room window hopping from snow free patch to snow free patch. Its been a long winter to say the very least but spring must be coming right? I looked at my preliminary farm plan yesterday to get my head around what I need to do soon and I noticed that I had the first planting of peas going in on March the 23rd. Um I don't think that's going to happen but hell you never know.

Woke up this morning to the sounds of birds chirping and a great celtic fiddle song in my head. Instant good mood. We have been having issues with our well so we were without water for a few weeks so you can only imagine the dishes that backed up. I think I just washed every dish in the house but that chore is done even if my fingers are a little pickled. Trying to make some spelt bread in the bread machine for my dad who cant have gluten right now so far looks good fingers crossed it turns out okay. Going to their house later to start the first of the seeds for the upcoming growing season its time to get the tomatoes that go in the high tunnel going as they will get planted mid to late April for an nice early start on the tomato season. And yes if all goes to plan which it rarely does. \\

After dishes I ran the garbage up to the dump we dont bother having a pick up service the dump is up the road and its only 2 bucks a bag so you really cant beat it. Love being a girl and pulling up to the dumpster jumping out and throwing the bags he-woman style in front of the group of guys were are always standing around shooting the shit. They just shake their heads at me which is fine. Wish I had brought my camera today there were some great shots I missed today.  I call the leader the "dumpmaster" and no matter what the weather he always says its a beautiful day.

When I came home I noticed the chickens were yucking it up outside taking dirt baths and stretching their legs. Looked like they were having a great time here are a few picks.

dust bath time!

garlic sleeping under the snow

mighty hudson rolling by

Wake me when its over and dreaming of warmer days.

Planning time for the 2104 season is underway and planting time will be here before I know it. Today I did the taxes took a deep breath after getting the results a nice little refund take another breath breathe in breathe out. Can you tell things have been tight? Then after tackling that yearly chore I needed to start wrapping my mind around this years planting schedule. The tomatoes that go in early in the high tunnel need to be started now and to do that I had to go through the new seeds that were bought this year and the seeds I already had. I did this while sitting in bed but to be honest sitting in bed is where I usually tackle the big stuff of life. Ziggy came to help and found a little spot not yet covered with seed packs to sit and purr. Nothing more soothing that a cat purring. So I found the seeds I needed to start today and then figured out while I was at it I might as well organize them. Time to start thinking about spring.

Today is March 1st and it feels and looks like Jan 15th except the days are longer and the sun does feel a little stronger. I guess warmer weather will show up at some point but I keep checking the forecast and all I see is more polar vortex kind of crap. I don't mind winter I like the break and it gives us all something to bitch about but this winter has just been too hard too dark too cold and yes way to damn long. I am about to take a leave of absence from work so I can hibernate until spring actually shows up. I can even see the sign on the bedroom door "shh human hibernating don't wake till spring". Well I guess that is not really something I can do there are jobs to be done and bills to be paid but its a nice thought. Can you just imagine going to sleep right now while its cold and bare and waking up to birds singing the sun shining and that wonderful wonderful smell of things growing. Oh how I miss the smell of dirt baking in the sun or that feeling of digging in the soil and finding that still moist and cool soil just prime for planting. I can  picture myself now sitting in the dirt planting something with one of the cats usually Ziggy or maybe Fat Albert coming to check on me and to see what I am doing and then usually laying down in whatever I am trying to accomplish in that special way that only cats can be "helpful".

I read through some posts from last year and I actually started to cry there was so much anguish guilt paranoia and nerves last year trying to be successful at growing food it kind of floored me. I hope this year is better I hope I do better find more energy make better decisions have better luck (okay any luck) work smarter work faster and get some nice results. At least this time of year I haven made any mistakes yet there is always that. After I read those posts from last year I thought again about why do I do this why try and have another full time job on top of the one I already have? Honestly I think I like the struggle of farming its so different from the corporate world I work in where you just go and do your job day in day out. I think that there is something so primitive about growing food and choosing to try and do it makes you part of the past and breaks you from the mold just a bit of being a normal person. Well that makes sense doesn't it what normal person would want to do this? And that's fine with me I have avoided being normal my whole damn life.