Opportunity Cost

On July 26, 2007 we closed on our dream.  A little homestead was ours and the vision that we had for it vast and full of excitement.  We were no stranger to the housing market, at that time being the fifth property that we had purchased in our life together.  We had planned for, saved, and even expected to carry our other house for up to 18 months.  Then 2008 happened.  After a great deal of turmoil and hardship, a huge flood, sparsely found then dicey tenants, and six years, seven months and two days of trying to sell our 'lake house', today we closed escrow.

Always making the best of it, we focused our energy and did what we could but had to put so much of developing our dream on hold, and now a little light.  After B's accident last year we were forced to take a hard look at our life and what was important and we decided that we needed to remove this stress from our life.  Bitter sweet, though it is, as we took a substantial loss in addition to the loss associated with carrying the property for so long.  In hindsight, would we have changed anything?  I do not think so.  The value of this homesteading experience for our family will ultimately be worth the opportunity cost that was in place to obtain it.  I think it only fitting that it has taken us so long to make headway with a name for our property, maybe we simply were not free to, until today.

Random 5 Friday

1.  For the last five years we have made and donated soup for our towns Empty Bowls event.  This year the health department is requiring that all Indy soups be made in a commercial kitchen.  Aside from all of our ingredients and spices, we have to bring all of our pots, pans, cookie sheets, knives etc.  The bags are packed and we will head off to make a parsnip and white bean soup later this morning...all garden fare from last season.

2.  Everyone seems to be very ready for the weekend this week, myself included.

3.  We have an old orchard on our property.  Well, what once was an orchard.  There are five large trees remaining, and though overgrown and dying, still produce very flavorful apples.  B harvested from last years new growth and has stored the samples.  We will be grafting them later this spring and hope to propagate the orchard this year.

4.   It is hard to believe that tomorrow is March first.  The start to the year has just flown.  We are approaching more records for the winter.  Earlier this week we were at 86 consecutive days of snow cover of 1" or greater, only another 20 days or so to break a previous record. With the masses of snow still on the ground that should not be too hard to do.  Regardless, thoughts turn toward spring and we are starting our onions in doors tomorrow!

5.  We should have some big news later today, but I learned early on that nothing is done until the last signature dry.  More to come.

Won't you join in?

Arrow Of Light

After five years of cub scouting, yesterday was the day our boys advanced.  I think most striking at this Blue and Gold banquet was the confidence the boys showed throughout.  They were clearly the big men of the pack and cheered skits and other dens awards in their own fashion.

As you can see, they all chose the caffeinated soda when given the opportunity!  We are not typically a soda family, but what a treat for him on his day :)

The beginning of the arrow of light ceremony and the story of Akela.

His Arrow of light award.

Next came his advancement.

And then I had another realization.  How quickly they went from being the big kids to looking quite small again.  All of that confidence they have developed should serve them well as they move forward into new waters.

Battle of the Buds

As more deep cold approaches, I take comfort in the signs of spring that are popping up everywhere, even if they are drizzled in ice.

Random 5 Friday

1.  We have tried for years to come up with the right name for our homestead.  We are now looking to some Celtic names for inspiration.  What do you think of Aisling Acres (Aisling =dream or vision)?

2.  We were thrilled to see our bees out and about for a few hours on Wednesday.  I am so glad they had the opportunity, since it appears that our temps are headed back down to the basement.

3.  I am going to try these muffins this weekend.  How can they be bad!?

4.  We got all of our seeds for the garden sorted this week, ordered some new ones, and have our plan for seed starts mapped out.  Now we will just wait and see what Mother Nature has in store for us...which at the moment that I am writing this is a 50 mph wind.

5. I recently finished Life after Life and have now been reading Monuments Men.   I have been digging being thrust into the WWII era and seeing it from such vastly different experiences.

Please join us!