When I think about taking care of me and following my bliss, the best decision I’ve made this year has been moving to the farm. I absolutely love it here.
First off for the beauty. Every morning and every sunset I look out the window at the Olympic Mountains, and at Mt. Townsend (which I climbed!). I look out at the water of Port Orchard Bay, boats sailing by, float planes taking off. I drive to work on forested roads. When I’m out kayaking, baby sea lions follow me, inviting me for a game of hide and seek.
Second, for the opportunity. I have been hired as an office manager of an integrated healthcare clinic. With 6 practitioners, each with a different specialty, my days are interesting, engaging, and informative. I have landed in the midst of a fabulous resource for healthcare, with an opportunity to contribute what I know, learn new things, and gain information towards reaching my own goals. My work is very rewarding, at yet it’s only a fraction of the opportunity I have here.
Our home is surrounded by fruit trees. My garden is full of produce and flowers. The sheep in the field know me, recognize my face and my voice, and come asking for treats or sniffs when I come in. The dogs are loving, well-behaved, and playful. Chickens are coming in the near future. Moving to a mature farm is an amazing experience. The amount of effort required for a good harvest is relatively low. We got started in June, too late for many things, but the years of love put into this land are apparent in the ease and volume of the harvest.
Lately I’ve been inspired to pursue the fiber arts, so recently I acquired a spinning wheel, through work-trade. The generosity of everyone I’ve met in this niche is immense! I came out with how-to books, 2 kinds of wool to spin, bobbins, storage containers, niddy noddy for winding, and a lesson in the basics. She also recommended a fantastic spinning shop and gave me an introduction to the owner. Then there are the sheep, whose wool I can learn with, and make things from. My friend at work gave me tons of yarn to work in the meantime, offered to help me with my projects, and we’re taking a knitting class together. With what’s at my fingertips right now I can easily be learning for years to come!
Our latest purchase is a food dehydrator, to help us preserve the fall bounty we are overwhelmed with now. There will also be canning, my first attempt. Apples, plums, peaches, basil, tomatoes, zucchini, lettuce, kale, potatoes, pears, hazelnuts, sunflowers, figs, raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, chamomile, rosemary, sage, and lavender.
I am blessed to find myself in such a gorgeous home, with many opportunities to pursue my interests, and surrounded by people who offer their encouragement and support. And today I celebrate two years with the sweetest man I have known.
panashe 