It's Official

We're moving! The end of July to Portland, OR and I couldn't be more excited!

I've been completely consumed with the process of moving, along with planning and shooting a friend's wedding that I have spent next to no time doing my usual stuff like baking bread, knitting (or practicing, rather), voracious research on self-sufficiency, and all the other things that usually consume my brain. Now that the wedding is over and the pix are edited and made available to the lovely bride I feel like I can breathe a little easier.

Also, in this process I've done some things that I don't think are very green and I've been struggling to justify them. For instance, we traded in our 2000 Honda Accord for a 2005 Chevy Silverado truck. Gas hog. But, we will be moving 2-3 times in as many upcoming years and ultimately living on a farm where the truck will be necessary. Financially, it was a good move for us because we're saving money that would have gone towards a U-Haul ($1200! WTF). The flip side of the truck purchase is that we also sold our other car for a motorcycle that gets amazing gas mileage and will be used as primary transportation rather than the second car we sold. Is it a wash? I hope so.

I can't wait to get up to Portland and explore that amazing city, visit with all the family I have up in the Pacific Northwest and begin our search for the perfect parcel of land to begin our organic hobby farm!

The Pacific Northwest

We are considering a move to Oregon/Washington sometime soon. My husband needs to be able to transfer his employment to another location (of which there are many in that area), but since the economy isn't so hot right now that might take more time than usual. We are dreaming of building our own home that is built with green living in mind, as well as the ability to be self-sustaining. We're talking solar panels, organic farming, a cow or goats, chickens, beekeeping and maybe a horse or two. I'm not sure if this falls under the category of hobby farm or not, but it would not be something we would try to do on a large scale. We want to be able to sustain ourselves and perhaps sell the extra stuff we'd make on Etsy and local farmer's markets.

The fact that I'm a clueless city girl has given me pause, but I am a believer in treading lightly on the earth, living healthy and above all, knowing how to live. I'm the first to admit that I have not been much of a homemaker up to this point in my life: most side dishes I've made in the past came out of a cardboard box. I do know how to cook and enjoy learning more about scratch cooking. But, I think it would be wise, healthy and fun to take it to the next step. Don't get me wrong, I love technology and my internets, but I want to find a way to coexist with the tried and tested healthy ways of the past and combine them with the smart, helpful technologies of today. I'm finding that smart isn't always healthy in today's world...while plastics, chemicals and other advents that were hailed as improvements to our lives aren't always worth the risk. What bums me out the most is that oftentimes these things are known to be unhealthy, but still marketed and used by companies that care only about their bottom line.

A good, green mix of the old and the new - that is what I'm looking for. It might take more effort in some ways, but everything I've learned thus far has shown me that everything I want can come from my own hands...and not in new, improved, convenient plastic packaging guaranteed to save me 5 minutes of time, but last forever in the landfill and soil. OK, I'm getting off the soapbox now (recycled and filled with my own handmade soap, ha!)

Green on the inside

I'm sickly today, so I've spent a good deal of time browsing some of my favorite go-green-0r-go-home sites, diy sites and other places that have just the faintest hint of patchouli. I've never been a hippie or a hipster...but something more down the middle, with a touch of damn-it-all thrown in there for good measure. I care about people, the environment and my responsibility to the aforementioned. It can be exhausting thinking about all the things I should be doing. I know the appropriate approach is to do a little at a time, and I do. But, I've been slowly making my way down Granola Way and I'm very close to turning in my Ziploc bags and salon died tresses for hemp bags and henna.

In my efforts to be healthy inside and out, as well as be conscious of my footprint it seems like the timing is right. I don't know if I'm going to run out and make myself some shampoo...but maybe I'll start using a shampoo bar.

I'll shoot you

I've been interested in photography for a long time. I really enjoy beautiful photographs, and with the advent of digital cameras a whole new world has opened up...for a whole new population of people. I've been playing around with different dSLR cameras lately, and finally purchased the Nikon D40. I loved the more expensive and HD-video making Nikon D90, but it just wasn't in the budget. So the D40 and I are getting to know each other this week.

This is my first official step towards semi-professional photography. I will be second shooting a friend's wedding in five weeks and I'm devouring all the information I can get my hands on regarding technique and tips. I'm enrolled in an introductory class that starts in a few weeks as well.

When I hold that camera in my hand and capture a really great shot, it feels like art...and that has always been addicting to me.

It's been a while, Blogger...

Well, I was deeply invested in Blogger and personal publishing back in the early 2000s when Blogger was really the only weblog publishing tool and was still owned by Pyra Labs (and Twitter wasn't yet a glint in Evan's eye). I had many domains and very little success maintaining posting on a regular basis. I've stayed an avid blog-reader, but haven't felt the desire to return to my own journal-type posting until now. I thought I might go back to Typepad or Wordpress, but since Blogger and Gmail are intertwined and with the purchase of my much adored G1, I went ahead and started up again here.

Who knows where this is going...it is posting mostly for me and my love of silliness and all things internets. It could get heavy aroud here, it could be quite boring...but here I am.