part six

i've  been spending more time on the farm lately. i moved from my original campsite to one a little farther down, where two ravines meet and create a peninsula, where an abandon winnabego took on a new life, as a small but cozy place for me sit sit and read, do art, listen to music... i took the battery out and charged it, which powers my stereo, two strands of christmas lights, and an overhead bulb for reading and drawing. for heat i brought along mr heater portable buddy, a small and efficient propane heater. i definately have to figure out how to peacefully cohabit with roaches, because they claimed the place before i did. but i figure no dirty dishes or food waste inside, try not to kill them or display negative energy towards them, and let them have the cupboards and drawers. it seemed a little gross to me at first, but they're living creatures and as long as they're not in my food i think i can live along side them. 

for cooking i have two options- my fire pit, which i've been using for every meal (i have a modified "power stove" i'm working on, more on that when it's proven effective), and a coleman propane stove if it gets too cold or wet.

i bring my own water down to the site with me, one for drinking and one for washing dishes, hands, and face. my biowaste goes straight to the humanure compost, and for washing myself, i take a nice walk down to the colorado river with dr bronner. so i am officially living completely  off the grid!

there is alot of energy moving around the farm. new people all the time. one couple brought chickens. one guy (also in a winnabego) is a stand up comedian. we are starting to have small unofficial powwows about our agenda- to have a working structure of compost, humanure, greywater watering systems, full circle sustainable proteins, mushroom harvesting, and then to move into teaching workshops on sustainable living, selling  earthworm,larvae, compost kits, mushrooms, honey, eggs, veggies... 

i have been doing alot of meditation. multiple times a day. i have a clover field i walk through on my way back to my campsite, which i do a slow walking breathing meditation through (thich nhat hanh method). i then have another spot at the end of the ravine where i do a sitting meditation, then after dinner i've been doing a mantra (om) meditation at the fire pit. 

i've stumbled across some interesting music around town, i found a dirty little dive bar doing free noise shows. every bar has a stage, but the hidden gems seem pretty interesting. i went downtown last night to have a drink with my friend shawn. the drunkfest that is austin on a saturday night entertained me when i first arrived. last night it saddened me deeply. oh yeah, and someone knocked over my bike (fell on it, most likely) and bent the derailer six ways to sunday. now it rides like an old ratchet strap. 

tonight our band is going to do our first "performance"- on the farm, of course.


ok, the pictures i realize are terrible quality. i take them with my phone. we've got the colorado river at sunset, the beautiful stained glass i put in the greenhouse, my mosaic firepit built out of bathroom tiles left as litter in the ravine, honey collection. not necessarily in that order.

 
see you soon!