Setting down (...and feeding, and pulling up, and eating....) roots.

The time finally came where handing over dollars for a bite of food no longer felt nutritious. Around the time of my last post, it dawned on me that though I may have never had an answer for "what I want to be when I grow up," I DO have a dream. Taking care of myself. To own a modest piece of land (or amazingly breathtaking, depending on what I can afford) where I will grow my own food, catch rainwater, and produce my energy - to be completely independent... Or at least know HOW to be...



Even with four years of solid Texas Aggie experience, I came away with just as little know-how on living off the land as I had from my inner-city upbringing. I began reading articles and books ("Animal, Vegetable, Miracle" by Barbara Kingsolver, for one) on how a person would go about living off the land. I talked with a friend who has begun to do the same. And I bounced this idea off many friends, most of whom agreed they wanted to do the same thing - but most did not see it as possible in their near future. We're at an age where we want to start saving for retirement, building our careers and a foundation (we hope) to live "comfortably."

Working a 9-to-5 job was good for saving money to one day buy the property of my dreams, or to dip into in an emergency. But working 40 hours to build someone else's (even more comfortable) future didn't leave many hours for learning. I knew the only way was to get out of the city. Get into the ground. Get in with someone who's already doing it.

So here I am, home on the range. Almost eight months after my rant about simplifying, on course to learn how to avoid hypocrisy. And simplify.

More to come....