Just Go Out and Do It
Life on the Maine coast is hard, but it is a good life, a quality life, a way of living simply in troubled times. When Scott Nearing was ninety-five, I heard him give a lecture at the Common Ground Fair in Litchfield, Maine. He talked about gardening and homesteading, and concluded by telling the audience, “If you want to have a garden, just go out and do it. Just go out and do it.” I’ve often heard those words as I think about taking on a new project or expanding the gardens. Despite any divergence from Scott’s philosophy and practice Lynn and I have taken as we made the Maine farm ours, that too would be my best advice to anyone thinking of creating a new life for themselves: “Just go out and do it!”.
Stanley Joseph from Maine Farm: A Year of Country Life
I read this book a couple years ago and have been meaning to buy it. I actually forgot the name of it and had trouble finding it again until a few weeks ago. It was written by the couple who took over the Nearing homestead. When it arrived in the mail, Mr Chiots decided to read it. One evening, while we were sitting in the living reading, he said to me, “I just flipped to the afterward of the book to see where they are now and listen to this…” He then continued to read the quote above.
He continued to talk about how this was exactly what he needed to hear as we think about starting a new chapter in our lives. We’ve spent the last month or two looking at houses in Maine, Vermont and a few other New England states. After choosing a location we thought would suite us perfectly, we called a realtor, rearranged our schedule, and set off to Maine. Today we’re on our way home from this journey, with a lot to talk about during the 12 hour drive. You’ll be hearing all about what we saw and experienced over the coming weeks (perhaps a poll so you can help us choose which house to purchase).
This quote really resonates with us right now. You see, we’ve been dragging our feet a little, reluctant to give up the comfort we’ve achieved here for the unknown. Our reluctance is starting to turn to excitement, even though we know we have a lot of hard work and long days ahead. I have no doubt the future will bring many rewards and we’ll never regret just getting out and doing it.
Do you have something that’s been nagging your mind that you need to just go out and do?
Share this:
The Right Time of the Night
Sunsets again become events worth noting, and can be noted, for in February they begin to occur not while we are still absorbed in our daily work, but after, in the peaceful time when dinner is being gotten ready.
Joe Eck & Wayne Winterrowd in Living Seasonally: The Kitchen Garden and the Table at North Hill
Every now and then, I look out the window, and it’s the right time of the night. Earlier this week, a winter storm rolled through and plastered everything with snow. While I was cooking dinner, the skies cleared and the sunset was perfect.
I enjoy sunset more than sunrise. This is probably the case because I have no windows on the eastern side of our house and cannot see the sun rise. The sun sets on the side of our house with the most windows and I find myself often working in those rooms when it is on it’s way down. As a result, I love the sunset and the golden glow that it provides while I’m cooking in the evenings. Perhaps when I have a house with easterly windows I’ll enjoy the sunrises more than the sunsets, but for now it’s the sunset I love.
Which do you prefer, the sunrise or the sunset?
Share this:
The Best Things in Life are Free
You’ve no doubt heard the quote, “The best things in life are Free”. I find this to be quite true, especially when it comes to cat toys. I’ve always wondered why people spend money on cat toys when a milk ring or bottle cap is so entertaining for them.
Our cats LOVE milk rings and lids, but we don’t get milk rings that often since we get raw milk from a local farm in half gallon mason jars. In the winter, the farm lets the cows go dry, so during this time, we purchase milk from another small local dairy. The milk isn’t raw, but it’s low-temperature pasteurized and non-homogenized. If you live in NE Ohio and don’t have access to raw milk I’d highly recommend seeking out Hartzler’s milk.
The cats love the winter because we have a glut of milk rings and milk lids. They absolutely love the big fat lids from the glass milk jugs and have a grand old time batting them around the house (Dexter is especially fond of them). We always save a few to last us throughout the year.
I suppose if I had to pick something that was akin to a milk ring for me it would be the library. You will always find a big stack of books on my table that I get for free. Spending time working in the garden is also something I enjoy that’s free (unless you count the cost of seeds). When I think about it, the things that bring me true joy are usually the things that cost the least!
What things do you enjoy that are free?
Share this:
Quote of the Day: Solon Robinson
Everyone who is so happy as to live in the country, and can gather vegetables from his own garden, knows the difference between them when gathered thus and properly cooked, and those which has been picked and kept for the market even one night.
Solon Robinson, Facts for Farmers, 1866
found in This Organic Life: Confessions of a Suburban Homesteader
Exactly the reason I’m growing more and more winter hardy vegetables each year! This is my first year with a good harvest of leeks and scallions for the long winter months and I’m certainly enjoying them to the fullest. The scallions are being used in batches of kimchi and the leeks I’m using in all sorts of recipes, most recently leek and potato soup made with ham stock (adapted from this recipe).
What’s your favorite food that’s in season in your area right now?
Share this:
Give Me Your Thoughts
This blog was started many years ago as a place to keep track of what I was doing in the garden, my garden journal of sorts. It has grown into so much more, a narrative of my journey towards the simple life and a community of friends. There are a lot of you that stop by each day to read about my life and a few take the time to comment (which if you write a blog you know what a joy those comments are). You’ve journeyed with me through the expansion of the gardens along with its successes and failures. You know what I eat, my favorite things, and the things I’m passionate about. You have become my friends and I thank you for that.
We’re currently in the process of redesigning Chiot’s Run. Mr Chiots has been spending some time in the evenings coding the new website with new features.
I wanted to extend the invitation to you for your thoughts and ideas. Part of the reason I post each day is because I know there are thousands of people that stop by; you are an integral part of this blog. Those of you who read and those of you who take the time to share your knowledge and thoughts in the comments.
How can I make it better?
What would you like to see? a better search tool, more resources, bigger images, more links…
What topics are you interested in hearing more about?
Some people have been requesting greeting cards, postcards and prints – anyone interested in seeing those or other items available?
