Thursday, December 01, 2011

Cold Days To Come


 We didn't get any snow the other night but it has turned considerably colder since then.  As you can see, Chigger's favorite rope toy was a little stiff this morning!  She played with it anyway though.  That dog is a never-ending source of amusement.  If people could be so content with such simple pleasures we would all be much better off.  There was such a heavy frost last night that when I awoke this morning it almost looked like it had snowed.  I thought it would be a good morning for a little walkabout and Chigger is always agreeable to such.  She knows the word 'walk', so you have to be careful saying it in front of her.  She starts jumping and dancing around in anticipation.  she has free run of the place but won't go down the drive or some other places by herself so she really gets excited if she thinks you are going to take her down to the creek.


In the colder months it takes a little while before the sun begins to peep inside the house as it first must make it up over the ridge behind me.  Once it's over though, the sun floods into the house.

The creek is up a good bit right now due to the recent rains and it normally runs a little more during the winter.  I was trying to get some good shots and I just happen to find another piece of broken ceramic in the water.  It has a beautiful rich, green glaze on it.  I think it's curious that I find so many pieces of broken pots in this creek.

So, I think I'm getting back into the blogging swing.  I have to make another small confession.  I had gotten a bit discouraged while working out of town and had not felt as much a connection to the whole homesteading/ sustainability thing.  I think I did okay considering that I was living in a hotel, but it's very difficult to maintain a certain lifestyle in that environment and work schedule.  But mainly, people are by far the most discouraging aspect of the whole thing.  Now, my guys at work tease me unmercifully about eating tofu and all that but we have a lot of fun and I don't mean them when I say people are discouraging.  A few of them even told me over the course of my time there how lucky I was to be able to live like I do and not be a slave to a corporation.  But it's just the general attitude of the public and the white collar people that we interact with in the course of our work.  I was not prepared for that, especially in a university setting.  I don't go around telling people how I live because I know by now it is considered very weird but I will say a little something if someone asks me.  And people will ask because they know I only work at times and they see this or that.  I had a few ask me about how I ate and they just laauuughed, like I had told the funniest joke.  I'm sitting there thinking, "what did I say that was funny?"  They scoff and snicker a little if I said I would be glad to finish my work and go home.  Their eyes bugged out and they sputtered incomprehensibly when I said I didn't shop at Wal-Mart.  Or they would just stare at you and kinda slink off, like I had something contagious.  Over the past few years that I have been really trying to live with more of a conscience, I have been called various, unflattering names.  I've been accused quite often of thinking that I am better than everyone else. (This makes no sense to me)  And like I say, I generally don't talk about stuff unless someone asks.  Guess I should stop doing even that.  Anyway, I guess it kinda got to me and I began to think, "Is what I do really of any importance?  Does it make any difference at all?  Is there really any point to any of this sustainability stuff?"  Well, coming home, of course, reassured me that it does make a difference, even if just to me.  And I realize that people who make fun or criticize others for trying to do right are only doing it to cover their own guilt or shortcomings they feel and are not willing to face up to.  Well, really this is a whole 'nother post, as I often say but I had to write a little about that.  It just confounds me that people will be so ugly to others when it really doesn't make a hill of beans to them what I do.  Do any of you ever encounter these issues, or is it just something about me?

16 comments:

Rita said...

Bother me? Of course it does. I've lost my best friend because of my frugal ways, eating better foods instead of eating out a lot. My friends daughter in law worked in the bank where I keep my money. And my mother's trust money (mom just passed and the money that is left is to be divided with siblings). Mom did not have enough to do a trust and I don't know why she did. Anyway this girl told my friends family about all the funds there so my friend thought that when I would talk about sales or one of my frugal ways I was a liar. I am reserved in my spending and I love living life this way. It is comfortable for me to live using things until they are to old to use any more. I feel good giving to thrift stores what I can no longer use. Maybe someone else has a need. I worked for many years several jobs to be able to leave the work force at age 60 but that does not mean I've stopped working. I make sure I get the best bargins when I do buy. I continue to make life good and enjoyable and yet stay within my means. Saving for the day I may have a medical need. I'll continue to live this way and as I do I keep more to myself. Oh I see friends out and about and we talk a bit, I have lunches with some. But for the most part I want my home to be my comfort spot where I can heal from the years of over work and other painful happenings. I have rambled again but just know I know exactly how you feel.

Phelan said...

I am asked often if I am Amish. Which is odd considering there is an Amish community not for from the city. Yes, people will accuse me of trying to be better than them or what have you. My boys get teased at times because they don't have the latest gadgets, but then again the same teasers come over and have what seems to me a blast playing with the homemade toys or doing my boys chores or chasing the cattle.

Anonymous said...

ER, I have been getting the same thing since I was in my 20's (30 years!)

Walk your own path, those who are true friends accept who you are....and lets face it, those are the people that matter!

Your post prompted one of my own on this topic, if you get time read:)

Ed said...

I think you said it best. People laugh or criticize when they are afraid of what it would mean in their lives to do what you do. I grew up with open minded parents and expanded my horizons beyond that so now my parents seem almost closed minded to me.

Frogdancer said...

It's more an affectionate thing where I work. People call me a hippie and I pretend to get mad and say, "I'm NOT a hippie!!!" and then continue talking about my solar oven and my chooks.

I'm noticing that more and more people are growing veggies and keeping chickens. It's slowly turning mainstream...

HermitJim said...

Anne...I know exactly how you feel!

I've had folks say to me "if you had a (nicer/bigger/fancier) place, more folks would come to visit!"

I just say "I know! The quite sure is nice, huh?"...

My friend, just march to the sound of your own drummer and know that all of us think you are a terrific lady!

Caroline said...

First, you have to consider the source of the comments, my husband maintains that the average person on the street has the intellect of a house plant.
Or you can take my teen-aged daughter's raised eyebrow stare and the single word "Seriously?" approach to ignorance.
I think people who make those kind of stupid remarks have not the willpower and courage to give up the "stuff", or the intelligence to see the wisdom of living that kind of lifestyle.

Beatrice P. Boyd said...

Boy some of those folks must have relatives where we're living now cause we sometimes wonder if there IS any intelligent life here. We're learned that news travels fast here and gossip travels even faster. Best approach is to talk as little as possible, so we're keeping more to our own stuff lately. That also makes folks wonder what we're up to these days. So you can't win either way and we've given up even trying - not that we ever were.

R.Powers said...

I catch it for trying to eat healthy and stay in shape. At family (nlaws) gathering I get teased about being "Mr.Healthy".

MamaHen said...

Hey Reet! Wow. It's hard to believe people can be that petty but it's true. Thanks for your comment.

Hey Phelan! Amish?? I've never got that one. lol! I imagine most kids really have a great time, whether they would admit it or not, with so many animals and such wide spaces to roam and play. I know I did.

Hey Molly! Very good point. Unsupportive people don't matter. Great post you wrote too!

Hey Ed! Yeah, I always thought my mother was pretty open minded; and she still is really. She is one of my few supporters.

Hey Frog! Good to have you here! Yes, it is becoming more mainstream. Oh, I have a blast with my fellow hard hats! They tease me and I go on a "rant" for them and then we'll be laughing so hard we can't talk!

Hey Jim! Thanks! you are terrific yourself! Oh, I've got the same thing; "you know, if you would ever finish this house somebody might come see you". No they wouldn't. 'Cause it'd be some other thing they didn't like. Piss on 'em. :)

Hey Caroline! You make some very good points and I do mostly ignore people like that. Sometimes it's my own family though, which makes it a little harder.

Hey Bea! you know, i have heard/ read that so many times lately, that people like us just keep more and more to themselves, don't talk much about stuff. WTC? I mean, it's sounds like we're some kind of subversive Communists or something! LOL! I just want fresh veggies!! :D

Hey FC! Oh yeah, I dread family gatherings sometimes. "Oh Annie won't eat that, Why'd you bring weeds? What IS this? (it was asparagus) and on and on.... LOL!

Tossing Pebbles in the Stream said...

I think you live a fairly high standard of living with the usual middle class comforts. On the other hand you are trying to be thrifty, self sufficient with as low a carbon footprint as possible.
In the age of dire predictions of global climate disaster, you are living a moral life. Those who might ridicule you are the ones that need to explain why they live such ecologically damaging lives.
I call these people "Neros" for it was Nero that fiddled while Rome burned". Ask your critics to justify their way of living.

Tossing Pebbles in the Stream said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Jenn said...

Yeah. People in general have no idea that not everyone lives exactly the way they do.

We shared Thanksgiving with three other couples this year. One of the woman said she never watched TV, ever... We said we didn't either. Then she went on about all the movies she's seen lately. We said we don't see many movies.

She was agog.

You have to laugh. They just don't know. Don't let the turkeys get you down!

MamaHen said...

Hey Philip! thanks! Neros? ha! I like that. I have found talking to people like that akin to beating your head against a wall, so I have gotten to where I avoid it really. :)

Hey Jenn! thanks! I try to not let them bother me but sometimes I admit I get pretty aggravated.
You are right though; most of 'em don't have a clue.

Unknown said...

Hi Ann,

I came across this entry when doing a Google image search for something -- I was enchanted by the photo of your dog standing in the stream.

I was also touched by your last paragraph here in particular, and just wanted to let you know that, even though I don't know you (actually, I live in faraway Finland), I think what you're doing is wonderful.

Bless you for trying to make a difference -- you are, and today part of that difference was cheering up someone on the other side of the world with a beautiful photo and blog entry. Thank you!

Kind regards,

Simo Sakari Aaltonen

MamaHen said...

Hello Simo! Not sure if you will see this comment but thank you! so much for taking the time to leave your comment. I was quite down myself when I saw your note and it cheered me quite a bit. thank you.