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Monday, May 12, 2008

Day Off Sunday

One fuzzy photo is all I have to show for a wonderful brunch with my daughters and grandson (John took the picture.) It was a perfect gathering; Nathan as you know is the apple of my eye and my daughters are my best friends. Family. That says it all. We are a universe and Mother's Day was a joy.

After a long nap John and I drove to our friends' house which they built with a southern exposure into a hillside with sustainable principles. The house was built over 30 years ago if my memory is correct; the couple that live there run a CSA and provide food for a number of subscriber families. Every visit is a lesson in right livelihood. Join me for a short tour.

First we head down the path toward the 2 greenhouses that contain solar powered fans. Along the way we follow beds of beautiful greens, flowers, kiwi fruit, apple trees, chickens, ducks and geese. At the bottom of the hill are a couple of contented cows and a goat.

Tao will be a year old in July. He is the most contented and treasured child; Chavo says he wants 5 more just like him. I got to yummy yum yum all over his fat little self.

Here are some lovely lettuces that will go to the CSA members this week. Nice!

Inside one of the greenhouses. Wish I could remember all the unusual things growing there. These growers really love their exotic varieties.

My hand in the photo to give you an idea of scale. These lettuces are huge!

The photos of the orchids were fuzzy so you'll have to settle for these. My friends have an eye for beauty.

Inside the home. Books and music. Refined pleasures after the workday is done.

The woodstove cooks all the food and heats the house. Don't even think of the word microwave. Composting toilet, well-water, solar ovens for summertime cooking, these folks are set if the grid goes down.

This is how you grind coffee. These people make their own butter, wine and cheese. Oh, the meals are to die for!

A calm sense of goodness rests over this home. That's a Meyer Lemon tree in a pot behind the buddah; I just love the way these people live, with intention, appreciation and wisdom. I think we learn things from every person with whom we come in contact. And this way of life is too good not to share and to ponder.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

What a sweet, sweet place... I could move in and be happy there. Oh, and current owners, please leave the baby, I want him, too. What a cutie!
MF

Karen Cole said...

Don't you live a wonderful life!?

Great family and friends. A prolific artist....did you do all of those encaustics in just one day AND have a beer? You have a really nice DH, like me. Fun workshops to attend.

Did your palms itch? Did your ears ring? Bee and I had lunch and spoke of you today, all good I might add. Hmmmmm a workshop in the city of "brotherly love"....or sisterly.

Kim Rae Nugent said...

The vegetables are georgeous! They look like they have been grown with LOVE!

I am hoping to get a small garden in this year. Memorial day is the date to shoot for planting a garden here in Wisconsin.

Have a Sunny Day!
:)Kim

Jamie said...

What an enjoyable post! I love learning about people who are so connected to the earth. What a wonderful environment for that precious little hunk of Tao to grow up in.

My husband and I have been CSA members for a few years now. We have nothing but great things to say about it.

I'm glad you had such a nice Mother's Day. I can see the love even in the slightly blurry photo. :-)

Candace said...

Judy, I think this has been one of your best posts. What a lovely family you have and the CSA stuff makes me want to do more than I already do living "off the grid" in a smarter, considerate way for the Earth and all She is.

Oh yes and do NOT throw out that baby with the bathwater. What a sweetie pie!

Best,
Candace

Kelly Snelling said...

powerfully excellent! i am so enamored of how your friends lived. and inspired. but probably too spoiled and wimpy to completely go for it. slowly i am reforming and remembering and trying. but i do like my coffee to come quickly. and thank you for posting your beautiful family photo. it looks like it was a happy mama's day!