A Man and Woman Thing

A bit of a departure, but I had to post this...

I just got an email from a lifelong friend. She said she laughed so hard when she saw this picture, and she emailed it to her husband.

When he opened it and saw it, his reply was "I don't get it."

I opened it, and I'm STILL laughing...!!! Here's the pic...

Till the Cows Come Home

Sometimes I feel that's how long it's taking to get our piece of land! But plug away we shall. In the meantime, it feels GOOD to be able to have nearly unlimited resources available via the internet and through books to see how others have chosen to attempt similar things. One of the aspects I most enjoy when reading other blogs or articles is seeing how different choices are working out for other homestead-mentality folks. I'm learning so much...not only about skills, but about time management, the particular financial challenges, the element of the Unexpected, animal husbandry ups and down, health impacts, which methods (gardening, cooking, preserving, animal care, land management, nutrition, etc) are working best and which are not in different situations.

Appreciation for the Individuality Inherent in this Lifestyle
I love seeing how different families are raising their children, dealing with important political issues, having fun, dealing with hard times, working through relationship challenges, renovating their homes, fixing things, creating things, and choosing to do things they've always wanted to try at least once. I love people who think outside the box and make choices based more upon what works for their own situation and happiness than what society seems to accept as the status quo career track. I love seeing people happy preserving heritage ways of doing things, and even at times choosing to do things the "old" way rather than simply being driven by timeframes and convenience. I love seeing an attitude of respect for others, for animal care, for food origins, and for stewardship of this earth and its resources. I love seeing how others do things, solve problems, and oftentimes express faith.

From these things, I am inspired and encouraged, and feel renewal.

Up to this point, this preparation season, namely getting our household "in order" in many ways, particularly financially, has not been an idealist's paradise...it's been work. That's very much how I believe it will continue to be, even when we're finally able to get that land and raise those animals, plants, and trees. The part I'm looking forward to is that it is work that we CHOOSE...in fact I believe we'll be working harder in many areas then than we are right now. Much like what occurs when raising children, I anticipate there being tradeoffs, namely of "freedoms" of schedule and added responsibility, and the unanticipated emergencies that arise. But, like raising children, I also anticipate enjoying the journey and the growth, and hanging tough with the setbacks.

Hmmm...not sure how I got off on that thought trail... :) This WAS all leading somewhere.

Narrowing our Focus
At this point, not having had the hands-on opportunity to work with a variety of livestock yet, we've been trying to narrow our focus at least somewhat to what we THINK we want and would work best for us, since that is a factor in choosing a property. If we want rotation pasture-grazing grass-based livestock, best to have pasture and grass! :) Some ideas we have are fuzzy, and some are more specific. It's interesting comparing this year's "plan" to that of a year ago, and seeing what has changed and what hasn't. Sometimes, seeing through the eyes of bloggers already trying and dealing with particulars we thought we'd want to try affected how we see that subject now.

I started out wanting to take on many different sorts of animals, most of which I've never had in the past, ever. I didn't have much idea of which could be kept together, the behaviors and requirements of certain breeds, the advantages and disadvantages of how far we're willing to adapt our lifestyle to a particular type of animal's needs. After having observed for a while, here are a few things that have changed:

1. I've rethought the subject of keeping goats. I love certain goats' personalities, and I can see there are very devoted goat-lovers out there who have this animal at the top of the list rather than at the bottom. Goats seem to have a reputation for being active and curious...and escape artists. Do we love them enough to deal with them? (That's an honest question) There is one thing I'm not willing to deal with...male goats. I just don't want to take them on.

What is our objective in raising goats, if we do include them in our future plans? The two thoughts that most appeal, other than the fact I love their personalities, is for milking and for cabrito. Therefore, we've not ruled goats out completely, but we HAVE ruled out raising them on a larger scale. Another factor is matching my personal preference in breeds of goat to my location. Florida's weather can vary from sub-tropical humidity, heat, and wetness to years of complete drought and water shortages. During the wet cycles, parasites here are legion, and the heat is always a factor. Though I might be mistaken, it seems that in researching goat breeds that the dairy breeds are suited primarily for colder climates, or at least the breeds I seem more attracted to, such as the Swiss dairy breeds.

How much do I TRULY want to milk every day, if at all? That continues to be a consideration. I'm likely one of the few folks out there who prefer cow's milk to goat milk for drinking...the only goat milk I've had so far did have a different and unfamiliar taste, or at least my palate thought so. But I'd love to make yogurt from it, and cheeses and soaps...on a small scale, not on a large scale. So there are our goat concerns.

2. Some of the deciding factors, while this may seem shallow, are simply that we're attracted to some and not to others. Why are we attracted to certain breeds and not others? Because of the fact that our mini-farm will be a personal "smallholding" rather than a large scale income-producer, some of the choices are not going to be determined solely by the bottom line, but rather in matching the choices to our personal preferences rather than modern dictates such as fastest growers, best market weight, most demand, etc. Yes, we want to do things practically. But yes, we also will make certain decisions based upon...what we LIKE. And it may not make sense to anyone else. I know it may sound crazy, but if I don't like the looks of a particular breed of animal, we likely won't be very excited about raising them and investing our resources into them. Maybe that's why some people like large dogs and other folks like toy poodles...who can explain our preferences? the other factors are primary, but much as it may sound fickle, if I am not attracted to the physical attributes of a type of animal, I'm not very excited about making it a member of our future small-scale and highly-personal farmyard.

I wonder if this is normal? For instance, I prefer a certain type of ear on a goat. If we knew we needed to raise a few goats for meat, we'd go with a breed such as Boer, most likely. And Nubians seem to do better in our climate than the temperate climate dairy breeds. I'm just not excited about either of these breeds overall, though they're exceptional animals, for the simple and very fickle reason that I don't like the look of lop-eared goats. And since I can raise other types of animals for meat just now, I'm more drawn to other types.

It's the same with cattle. With so many choices, when we narrow down the breed to one with the characteristics we NEED, there are still so many breeds from which to choose that it's easy to gravitate to ones we like the other, less important, characteristics of. So when we've satisfied the necessary considerations such as Use (dairy, meat, or dual?), Size, Polled or Horned, Best Suited to Climate, Parasite Resistant, Heritage, Ease of birth, Good Mothering Skills, Availability of Feed, Temperament, etc...then it comes right down to the question of which one appeals most to us personally. And of course, is that sort actually available? In the end, I might have narrowed it down to a Zebu, Brahma, or Dexter. All three are suited to this climate and other needs in certain respects. We'd choose Dexter, though, not only for temperament, but simply because I prefer their overall look and size better...or something...who can explain preferences except to say we LIKE them a lot? That might seem shallow reasoning, but I guess it factors in.

3. Manageability. We want animals we can keep for the long run so that we can, over time, adapt and fine-tune until it's manageable. We'll always be up for improvements and trying new things, but we want to focus enough to actually succeed in being good at the overall. We'll start small, and grow it from there to whatever is manageable for us. I'd love to have a dozen types of chickens, all heritage or dual purpose. We'll start with two or three types, see which are a good fit and which aren't, and then figure that in before adding other types. Although I don't anticipate this happening, we don't want to start with 50 chickens only to decide by the end of that year "I HATE keeping chickens!" and never trying it again. We can only guess right now if we'll really use all those eggs we want from the hens, or whether processing chickens ourselves for meat is something we want to do on a large or smaller scale...or at all. It's hard when it's ALL theoretical. We do, however, like to eat, and this is a primary consideration in all our decisions...we want to replace our dependence on the grocery store with home-raised foods.

4. Though the point in raising animals is (how to say this delicately?) primarily to eat them, there will be those we won't eat. I've already told my husband this. I really want a family cow to milk. After her giving us some calves and milk long-term, we will NOT be eating her. The same with particular (not ALL) hens who've layed their little hearts out and are past their prime, or are especially good mothers. It's not ALL about the bottom line and chicken and dumplings. The animals that are slaughtered for food will be raised compassionately and are due a large measure of respect. And out of the same sort of respect, there WILL be individuals I know we'll spare from slaughter simply because of how much they've already given us.

On the next post, I'll mention what we think we've narrowed the list down to at this point :) To be continued...

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Photo link: Winner Nancy J. Reynolds http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.etext.org/Zines/Intl_Teletimes/Teletimes_HTML/cows_come_home.jpeg&imgrefurl=http://www.etext.org/Zines/Intl_Teletimes/Teletimes_HTML/winners_gallery_94.html&h=450&w=742&sz=150&hl=en&start=8&tbnid=s35rWxBSG2nSHM:&tbnh=86&tbnw=141&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dcows%2Bcome%2Bhome%26gbv%3D2%26svnum%3D10%26hl%3Den Goat picture: http://www.neatorama.com/images/2007-01/tree-goat-3.jpg Dexter calf photo link from FingerLakes Dexters site: http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.nehbc.org/img_directory/mem_fingerlakes/fingerlakes3.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.nehbc.org/img_directory/fingerlakes_dexters.html&h=319&w=426&sz=30&hl=en&start=11&tbnid=ud0F2a4oV7REmM:&tbnh=94&tbnw=126&prev=/images%3Fq%3Ddexter%2Bcattle%26gbv%3D2%26svnum%3D10%26hl%3Den

Peasant Foods Revisited: Colcannon

I have Scots-Irish somewhere way back in the nether regions of my family tree. And it must be said I do love a good potato.

Which love, it must further be said, requires restraint if one does not want to eventually RESEMBLE a good potato...heehee! (Er, ok, well let's not go there just now...) ;-)

I even want to have a small white or buff donkey someday, named Tater. (But we won't eat HIM...)

It seems that through the years, despite the pickiest of palates, the potato has been a frequent family table favorite, in nearly any form. I was not raised eating potatoes, since my mother was always on some version of a Weight Watchers or other diet, and therefore our starches were nearly nonexistent. This, likely, raised the potato to an even higher state of desirability in my sister's and my eyes...the only time potatoes turned up were at holidays or special occasions, most usually in the form of escalloped "Scalloped" potatoes...a "company" dish.

Fast forward to the present. I've now had many years of practice cooking the lovely potato in its other forms. And despite all pretences of fancy-ing it up, the favorites are usually the simplest...some type of variation on the theme of The Otherwise Hard To Goof Up Cooked Potato. Little new potatoes boiled and sprinkled with parsley, chives, green onions, you name your favorite, and a couple grinds of salt. Easy, and delicious served next to any green veggie. Boiled potatoes, sliced and served with nothing but salt and pepper. Delicious! Potatoes creamed or made into a soup or soup base. Pan fried potato strips, seasoned and crusty. Potato wedges baked with herbs. The topping for a shepherds pie. An accompaniment for savory meats, gravies, sauces. The star of an all-vegetable meal, nestled with fresh green beans, fresh sliced tomatoes, green onions, etc. The possibilities are endless, and besides being good eating, the potato is.....er.....CHEAP.

I make a mean mashed potato. I usually use the cheapest potatoes, which in this area seem to be white Idaho potatoes (yes, I know, not local...I'll get there someday...when raising my OWN :)). Or if we're getting really fancy, I'll spring for the lucious Yukon Golds...yum! I have it down pat my own quickie system for mashed potatoes....peel, rinse, slice once down the middle horizontally then back again vertically along the length of the potatoe into 1 or 2 inch cubes...boil in a relatively small amount of salted water till soft but not mushy, drain, and mash with a masher. Then add whichever combination of these suits the moment and the meal...whole milk or cream, butter, cream cheese, sour cream, yogurt, fresh grated cheese, pan roasted garlic, chives or other herbs, fresh pepper. Usually we do the milk/cream cheese/butter/S&P sort, or the milk/butter/garlic/sour cream/grated cheese one.

Or we bake a potato and eat it sans fat with a grind of salt and pepper.

Or oven roasted, with a dash of olive oil, liberal amounts of garlic and onion, and some chunked root vegetables...yum!

In my searching for variations on the potato theme and our Peasant Foods endeavor, I ran across a recipe I've always wanted to try, from Across The Pond...Colcannon. There were a few variations on it, but essentially it is a simple and hearty dish of potatoes mashed with either cooked curly kale or cabbage... the addition of leeks, scallions, chives, parsley varying with the particular recipe. Essentially this is a dish of mashed potatoes and the cook's choice of kale or cabbage, despite the variations, so I made a basic recipe of my own mashed potatoes and added boiled and lightly pureed kale.

Most recipes call for stripping the kale leaves from their stems, but my kale was storebought in the organic section already chopped with the stems still on. I had no leeks or scallions, and substituted dried parsley and chives.

Roughly, the recipe is something like this:


Colcannon (adapted from a variety of recipes found doing Google searches)

1. Make a pot of boiled potato chunks, cooked, drained of cooking liquid, and mashed till a thick dense mash, not runny. Season well with salt and pepper.

2. Heat a bit of milk or cream (just a bit, not a large quantity) and add your choice of scallions, chives, parsley, leeks...heat till they are tender. Then stir this into the potatoes.

3. While boiling the potatoes (above), in a separate large pot put 2 or 3 inches of water and either de-stalked and shredded curly kale or shredded/thinly-sliced cabbage (minus the core). Lightly salt this in the pot so it will cook down quickly. Cover with a lid, and heat to boiling, and then immediately reduce the heat till it is still simmering briskly. It doesnt take that long to cook down...it's done when the vegetable is tender but not lifeless. Drain off liquid. And explain to passersby that you don't have intestinal distress...it's just the smell of greens cooking ;-)

4. It's your choice whether or not to process the kale/cabbage into a puree or not, or whether to leave as is before mashing it into the mashed potatoes. I tried pulsing the drained kale with a stick blender, which didnt work that well without liquid but still got it a lot smaller. You could use a blender or food processor to the consistency you desire.

5. Add the kale/cabbage to the mashed potatoes, and season with additional salt and pepper to taste. If too chunky, add a bit of additional cream/milk, but NOT till runny. You want a thick, dense mash.

6. Serve steaming hot, alone or as a side dish, each serving scooped onto plate or bowl. Make a well in the center of each serving, with a spoon, and plop a chunk of butter there to melt. This was traditionally eaten by dipping bites of the potato mixture into the melted butter with each bite.

I tried this tonight, and mine was too runny due to my exuberance with too much milk. Even so, my husband really loved it, and I served it with portions of breaded cod oven cooked till crisp on the outside and flaky on the inside. The greens add vital nutrients and flavor, and green up the potato mash to a vibrant color that's a nice change from white. It would also be delicious served with grilled kosher sausage.

A close kin to Colcannon is another heritage tradition called Stamppot. A Google search will render countless fun links to great recipes of these and similar dishes.

Bon Appetit!

Photo link http://glospolski.eu/photos/photo_1632_1.jpg

Pleasant Peasant Fare: Oatmeal

This may not sound like the most exciting subject, but I've given a lot of thought lately to the simplicity of mealtime enjoyed by a majority worldwide, or in past history. My grandparents were Depression era folks, the two sets a contrast to the other. My paternal grandparents had a more plentiful larder due to the nature of Granddaddy's profession, and my maternal grandparents were more limited in their means and so would "stretch" foods and utilize what was less expensive and readily available. Both had access to seasonal gardens, and would supplement their meals, in season, with fresh and cooked produce.

At my maternal grandparents' table, we were satisfied with simpler foods...in an age when processed foods were only just beginning to storm the supermarkets. Grandma was used to cooking everything herself, and there weren't many available places to "eat out" in their small town..."eating out" was more of a novelty, and the thrill was more in the change of surroundings rather than in an appreciable difference of foods.

I admire the thriftiness of my grandparents, though to them it was not as much a choice as it was a necessity.

In my maternal grandma's kitchen, I only remember how they cooked in their older years, after they'd retired from the North and moved down South to retire on 40 acres in the country. it was not a glamorous retirement...they bought cheap land with a tiny and run-down existing house and rusty tractor. It was what they could afford, and retirement didn't mean Working Less, but rather meant working at what they preferred...gardening, quiet in the country, and my grandfather's woodworking. Because of their ages, they chose not to raise animals...they had done that in their younger years before the Depression took them to Chicago. They'd simplified things to what worked the best for them at the time, and my memories of them in this country setting were the only ones I have of them.

They were early risers, always up with the sun, or sometimes before. Weather permitting, they'd have their breakfasts together on the back porch...not a big Victorian wrap around porch with porch swing and clapboard siding, but a tiny concrete slab back porch under the overhanging roof nestled next to an amazing huge oak tree. Along the porch were folded aluminum and plastic mesh lawn chairs, and they'd unfold a couple and sit there, quietly talking, while enjoying their breakfasts.

Grandma always made breakfast...in fact, I don't remember Grandpa ever making any sort of meal. It was always a really reallly simple breakfast, too...she would toast two pieces of storebought whole wheat bread (whatever was on sale), and separately over the stove would crack two eggs into a skillet, lightly salt and pepper them, and leave them to cook "sunny side up" till the whites were firm but the yolks were not completely set...the middles were still partially runny. Since my family ate mostly scrambled eggs, the thought of anyone eating runny-yolked eggs seemed really digusting at the time. When Grandma's two eggs were cooked, she would place each of them onto one of the pieces of whole wheat toast, served separately on a small plate, and take them outside for breakfast with Grandpa... one for her and one for him.

And accompanied by truly BAD instant coffee, likely decaf Sanka. I have no nostalgia for that coffee other than watching my grandparents drink it :)

When my sister and I would come to visit, Grandma always fixed us something a little different, but of course quick and inexpensive. It usually took the form of oatmeal, though sometimes we'd get a treat of Cream of Wheat. Whatever type of oatmeal it was, it was from the Quaker Oats cardboard cylindrical container. After salting the boiling cooking water, she cooked it for about 15 minutes and served it up hot at the kitchen table, with butter and with the sugarbowl nearby. We'd dilute it with a few splashes of milk, and eat it accompanied with a tall glass of milk, IF the milk were store bought. If the milk were not storebought, it meant that the only milk available was the kind Grandma had mixed up from the box of dried milk flakes and kept in the fridge in a closed Mason jar...watery and tasteless, and, to our taste buds, simply awful! Since she and Grandpa seldom ever drank milk, she probably used it mostly for cooking, because dried milk powder was easy to store and was very inexpensive.


In simplifying our lives, we've begun simplifying our grocery list, and are trying to simplify our spoiled American appetites a bit in the process. I'll be mentioning a few of the things that are reappearing, or appearing at our table for the first time, as we continue this journey.

One of the first comebacks has been Oatmeal. A porridge grain for a great many years worldwide, a hot bowl of oatmeal definately is filling and warming, and making it from scratch is hardly more time consuming than making its spinoff cousin, the "Instant Oatmeal packet." Since we're staying away both from microwave cooking and from processed foods, I just boil a bit of water, add a bit of salt, and then boil the oatmeal. Any sort of sweetner works well...I alternate between a splash of maple syrup, a sprinkling of brown sugar, etc. One of our favorites is the addition of dried fruit, or fresh, and even nuts. When added to the boiling water before adding the oatmeal to the cooking pot, they plump up nicely. Today's oatmeal featured the addition of dried cranberries and a few almonds. A splash of whole milk or cream, and a small pat of butter planted in the middle of each bowl of oatmeal rounds the whole thing out.

We don't have oatmeal every morning for breakfast. But we do have it quite often, at least several times a week. It's satisfying enough to keep us going often well past lunchtime or longer without any thoughts of hunger or cravings. It also is a great fiber for the digestive system, and has other health benefits. Meaning eating oatmeal with regularity results in eating oatmeal with Regularity...if you get my drift, ha!

It is very inexpensive, and I'm guessing costs only pennies for a serving.

So welcome the return of porridge to our table...pleasant "peasant" fare! And some great memories of sitting in the wintertime in my Grandma's warm kitchen, with the windows all fogged over.





Photo link: http://www.quakeroatmeal.com/qo_managingWeight/adults/quakerWeightControlPlan/intro/images/IMgOat.jpg

This Little Blog O Mine

I plan to be here more, to document more, to catch up with deliquent posts and to express gratitude to many who have become valued friends in the blogosphere.

I hope to chronicle things a little better, too, via the purchase and use of a digital camera. Let's see if I can not only choose a good one, but figure out how to use it here!

I'd also like to improve the visual quality of the blog, though I lack html skills. If any of you have advice for the non-skilled (moi) please feel free to advise away!

And now to get some sleep...so that other blogs can be writ...

The Path Narrows

I needed this good news!

We reviewed The Big Overall Plan, and we're making headway. Can we say a HUGE Yay!!!!!!

First, God gets the credit for helping us through this all. This was quite a challenging, and yet very fulfilling year. I'm convinced the prep work is as vital as all the more "fun" stages.

Without being specific, we received a most unexpected...what's the word?? ...BLESSING...from the Almighty. A HUGE HUGE blessing. I'm sorry not to elaborate. No, we've not won the lottery, but some things have transpired to put my husband's mind at ease about some things he was working very hard at for a long time, and he was awarded retroactive compensatory benefits.

Y'know when you can't get the ketchup out of the bottle, and you smack it and smack it with the palm of your hands trying to get that first push of sauce out of the bottle, and finally the first blob makes it out? (yes, I know...I'm waxing poetic...ha!) Each step we've been taking, be it our jobs, long commutes, training in fields new to us, trying to keep things together for our daughter's education, land research, experimenting on a small (very small) scale with this or that towards the goal of our eventual mini-farm...each step has been like one of those smacks on the bottom of the ketchup bottle. Yet a recent "smack" moved the whole thing along!

I'll be more specific if and when I can. All I can say is that it was unexpected and delightfully encouraging! It has given my husband a great boost of confidence and momentum, and we're both humbled and entirely grateful to God. So the greatest thanks of all to the One who watches over us. Thank You, God, for your encouragement in this season, and for honoring the efforts of my faithful husband. I just can't say thank you enough!!!!!

Putting it off

I've been having very mixed emotions and have not been ready to type much about it, but time's gotten away and I'm needing to update here before yet another week has come and gone.

Painful subject, and not entirely wrapped up yet, but the 911 job is no more. It's a letdown and a relief, both, but such time and effort was invested that now it's a big adjustment to find the next step. This is new and I'm still adjusting to the change. And trying to be "grown up" about it all. In spite of myself, there have been tears and somewhat of a letdown.

And there has been a return Home and a savoring of any time I can have here, doing home things I've neglected in the past few months' crazy schedule. I am jealous for my time here...I love making those meals that take time, cost less, and gather everyone to the table for conversation. I've enjoyed reconnecting to my daughter and husband.

The job came to an end just before Rosh Hashanah, and again I found myself unprepared for the High Holy Days. We celebrated quietly with our family and some friends, but no services were in the works this year...not having known our availability due to jobs ahead of time, we made no reservations. A lame excuse, but that's been the case the past two years as well due to job transitions and the unavailability of time off. So...finding myself right at Rosh Hashanah AVAILABLE was new this year, and I really valued the timing of this job transition with the days just in between that and Yom Kippur, which began this past Friday night. The days preceding Yom Kippur are spent in reflection about the past year and about relationships, and are also a time to mend friendships and focus on forgiveness and renewal. On Yom Kippur, we "do business" with the Almighty, being open before Him about the things we've done wrong and determining with Him that we'll keep on the right path in the upcoming months. That's oversimplifying things, but it's a time of humility and recognition of His goodness in correcting us and protecting us.

The reflection came easy, and though I'm skipping over the specifics, the days prior to Yom Kipuur and then the day of Yom Kippur were each meaningful. There is a healing that comes from facing the past year's events, be it successes or failures, and laying it all out on the page (as such) and then gaining some perspective and focus for the days ahead.

Amid all the other emotions, there has been a consistent gratefulness I feel in how He's seen us through this past year, and a gratefulness for the blessings we enjoy on a daily basis. I SEE the bounty, and count every day with my husband and daughter as precious. I just don't take those for granted. We've had health challenges, job challenges, and have steadily kept on toward some of our overarching goals. We're not "there" yet, but despite some setbacks, we're making a real effort to get in shape, keep things simple, reduce our consumption materially, and get out of debt. And to appreciate the moment :)

An update about the land trading:
We did have a firm offer from an investor who has many many properties. He makes his living primarly by owner-financing tracts of land, 5 acres or more, to people who want to live on land that's mostly agricultural. He offers a zero down financing at about 9 or 10%, with the terms being that if the note cannot be maintained, the property reverts right back to him even Steven. He doesn't make his money selling land, but rather from the interest and from the lands being handed back to him during this nationwide housing and economic slump. When we first began talking to him only a couple months ago, there was only one property he had available to discuss with us about trading. Within a period of three or four weeks, he'd been handed back 5 or 6 more of his properties. People had put trailers on them, but couldnt afford to keep up the monthly notes on the land. So they handed the land back to him.

Since he can afford to just re-collect his properties this way, and has enough ready money to pay whatever taxes go along with it, he's in a bargaining position where he doesnt NEED our few vacant residential properties. So his offer to us was for ALL of them at a fraction of what they're worth...at least what they're worth IF properties around here were selling at all. Nothing around here is moving. So we offered to use the tax collector's office assessed value as at least a minimal marker of valuation. Essentially what he offered us was five acres of one of his less desirable properties at prime asking price (i.e. what he could have gotten for it two years ago during the boom) in exchange for J's 2 waterfront and 3 vacant residential lots at their CURRENT COMPS rate. Which is not just a slightly skewed bargain, but is rather a sell-out. We've gone to the table with him several times, but it boils down to the fact that it's to his advantage to be a shrewd businessman, whereas we're just trying to make an even swap. So thus far it's a no go.

More updates:
We've been gathering research on different acution properties in various counties, and this is where I'm able to help out by scouting the official records, tax assessors, and etc sites to help us narrow down any possible targets of interest. We went together for the first time to such an auction...my first time, at least. It was fun, and interesting. Most of the people who showed up knew each other already...they greeted each other by first names and chewed the fat a little prior to bidding time. The bidding process was writing your name on a yellow steno pad, converging on the front steps of the courthouse with other prospective bidders, and paying careful attention to the legal descriptions as the clerk read them aloud to open the bidding. The bids started with the opening bid, minimum bid being the back taxes owed on the property and going upward from there. In researching properties ahead of time, you have to be sure to look up the records and see if there are any outstanding liens, judgements, mortgages, etc...because those pass with the property to whomever is the winning bidder. So you really want to have done your research, because the point is to bid on a property that is unencumbered if the owner doesnt want to redeem it. It's more involved than that, but I'm just learning. My husband is very laid back and follows such things at an easy and steady pace, while for me it's a series of mini-adrenalin surges of possibility. We didn't bid at that auction, but stood back and learned. The bidding on the one property we might have bid on opened at the low opening amount, and two bidders went head-to-head till they reached their financial limit and one of them walked home 5 acres richer. A few back-and-forths, and it was already beyond our limited means just now. But the experience was fun :)

J has agreed that we can expand our geographical search area to include not only Florida, but also Alabama (at my repeated "suggesting" lol). He's since repealed that decision...arghhh :) He needs a hot weather zone for health reasons, and we need for some while longer to be no more than a day's drive to his mother, who is advanced in age.

I have a lot of research to do. I won't detail it here, but it involves gathering the necessary web links and phone numbers of the counties about which we may want to inquire, and compiling a contact list and deciding HOW we can go about trying to secure and acquire land. We both have the urge to find it quickly...enough to support a small flock of sheep and a few cattle, with room for garden and chickens...and us :)

I waffle between frustration that we're not there yet, and happiness that we've made progress in getting out of debt. There is light at the end of the tunnel. We'll just keep on pursuing different fronts of possibility, and hopefully one of them will work out before too long. We're praying during all this...we believe there's a good solution out there that God will help us toward as long as we're doing our part.

OK enough me me me, us us us.

We've reconnected to some folks we'd neglected in our busiest times, and it feels good to catch our breath and think about something and someone besides ourselves and our jobs. And it feels VERY good to be home while I can, and have this time with my hubby and daughter. And to cook homemade meals rather than resort to repeats of drive-through food.

Ricotta-stuffed pasta shells with garlic, chives, tomato sauce and spices and grated parmesan.
Crisp salads with fresh squeezed lemon.
Meatloaf, shredded steamed cabbage, mashed potatoes.
Shepherd's pie.
Beef and cabbage stew.
More fresh salad and lemon, and cucumber.
Hot mugs of tea.
Cold glasses of tea.
Unlimited glasses of cold water.
Beef tips, sauteed vidalia onions and mushrooms, gravy over basmati rice.
More salad. More lemons.
Glasses of cold milk.

I'm going to go with this cooking momentum and keep trying to keep the eating at home rather than out...as long as possible.

We're walking each day, and staying more faithful with maintaining good blood sugars and pressure. This is a GREAT thing!

What's next...maybe getting to a healthier weight?? :) (perk!)



Back later for more...


Thank you for your comments, and sorry again for the delays. The job development sucker-punched me, though I knew something would have to give. Just getting my sea-legs of optimism back in place...it takes me a little time to suck it up and be a big girl about these things sometimes :)


Shalom for now