Zachary is here!

Zachary was born June 1, at 2:02am Sunday morning... in my bathroom! This was not the romantic homebirth I had envisioned, but is was at home nonetheless. My contractions started at 11:30pm Saturday, I hit minute long contractions around 1:30 am, and at 2am I was squatting and Jason was ready to catch! What a miracle! Zachary came out and cried immediately. Jason put him on my chest, and the ambulance arrived moments later. They cut the cord and we were transported to our local hospital.
Zach came at 36 weeks, so he was premature. 5lbs 3oz., 18.5 inches long.

So, now, he is 2 weeks old, breastfeeding like the boobie monster he is, and is over 5 and half pounds!

Our life has been completely revamped, but for the better. Who knows what will come about. Major "life" issues are in the forefront of our discussions, of course. What's important, what are our goals, etc...? Exciting and scary! After paying off our mortgage last month, anything is possible.

8th Month of Pregnancy

Not too much to say, really. Just slowing down and eating more, oh, and sleeping more. I've been away from home since March 29th. From EcoVillage Training Center at the Farm in TN to the in-laws in Massachusetts, "what a long, strange trip it's been." We leave to head home tomorrow and will arrive Thursday the 15th, just in time for Jason to play Ultimate Frisbee (hope the weather is good).

I have a little shopping to do for my baby shower, which is Saturday. I want to get some supplies to make a friendship baby quilt. I am thinking of butterflies...

So this is my 34th week of pregnancy, and all that is on my mind are plans for when I get home.

So let me indulge!
Clean the house
Purchase any necessary baby stuff
Set up laundry room and bedroom
Install doors on wardrobes
Need 2nd clothesline
Sew, sew, sew!
Do laundry
Stock pantry
Do photo albums
Read my books
Update my blogs
Thankyou cards, and Prepare Announcements

Blue Roof

Well, I haven't been home lately, but I did happen to stop by my house on my way up North. So, Jason got the blue metal roof on! This shed is HUGE! When we get back home, he'll order the wood for the board and batten walls. He thinks he'll be "bug tight" in a month (even if it's plastic windows).

One Month at The Farm, and 3 Weeks Visiting Family

Well, before I decide to dive into a thorough report of my experiences at the EcoVillage Training Center on The Farm, I want to just take a brief look at things.

I learned about:
organic gardening
permaculture
world political issues
natural building techniques
bamboo
vegetarian cooking
community living
interdependence
chickens
solar power
grey water systems
humanure
ticks and deer
straw


It was so easy to make friends, and good ones too! I was surprised with all the open minds and hearts. There must be so many people who care and love Mother Earth and all her inhabitants. I am very excited and reinvigorated to pursue with my husband our dreams.

More to come!

A Manic Monday Welcomes the Shed-ma-hall!

Well, I'm not yet in Manic Mode, but I should be. I pack to go to The Farm for a month. I'll leave this coming Sunday.

Jason is in Manic Mode, however. Even since last week. He prepared for his Barn Raising, and that happened on Saturday. What a day! We didn't have the turnout that we were hoping for (probably because it was a holiday weekend), but family and a couple good friends did help, and what a job they accomplished!

The goal was to raise 3 beam-frames. Each are quite heavy, and could not be easily lifted by the amount of guys we had, so Plan A was attempted and failed (the Jetta lift technique managed to lift the Jetta, not the frame). Plan B was to rent an Ultra Forklift and it worked! Straps were tied to the frame and lifted with the forklift. Pretty Cool! (Actually it was hot and sunny--J got a nice sunburn.)

Everyone worked from 9am to ~3pm. For lunch I served spaghetti and meatballs, since we only had 4 extra guys to feed, along with a fresh picked salad (my sister picked), steamed kale and carrots (which no one was interested in trying). For dessert, a birthday cake, since literally everyone but 3 people had their birthdays in March and April! My Dad's being April Fool's, I try to surprise him a bit each year.

The guys were happy and exhausted after work Saturday. Especially Jason. It is a major start to getting this workshed done. The slab has been waiting since our wedding 2005. Originally, Jason planned on a strawbale structure, but because he needs a workshop sooner, he decided on timberframes. He can, if he chooses, in the future, switch to strawbale, I think. Also, he is considering solar power on the roof, but that will be a fun project in the future, too. For the meantime, he'll be busy building his "Shed-ma-hall" (18' at the peak, 27' square area)... then our new front porch... then a new roof on the house...

Barn Raising Party, this Saturday!

Jason has picked out his oak beams, restacked his wood, and is now making some cuts. This Saturday we'll be raising the beams! Hopefully with some people power, but if we don't get enough people to show up, we'll have to pull it up by car and pullies. Well, Jason's got it figured out, even if I don't understand it. (That's our neighbor's new addition behind our slab.)

Here's some extra info about it though:
Link to a movie showing what we'll do before lunch:
http://www.socketsys.com/content/files/Movie.wmv

If your interested in the whole assembly and how it's done you can go to:
http://www.socketsys.com/

Oh, yeah, my main job is to make lunch, which will be a pressure cooked corned beef and veggies, and Irish meal in honor of St. Paddy's, and really easy to make!

Looks like the weather is going to be nice this week, with a little rain on Wednesday. I couldn't believe we got quarter sized hail this past Saturday, it was so surreal! Well, just a few more dents to add to the Jetta.

Thoughts on Fall Garden 2007

Well, after everything I planted, the survivors were, Mesclun (no surprise there), Turnips (handles the winter marvelously), and Garlic (easy cheezy).

I picked a salad today for our guest, Jason's aunt and uncle from New Hampshire. Aunt Carol was delightfully impressed as I picked it just before lunch. This made me happy.

So, I wanted to try an Early Spring Garden this year, but managed only to plant sugar snap peas, broccoli, parsely, and onions. I did not even prepare the soil, just punched holes in the ground with a stick and stuck in pea and broccoli seeds. Who knows if anything will pop up. I am hoping this rain we just had filled in the holes better with soil as I only scratched over them with my hand rake. I have to say, that this pregnancy is pooping me out.

I do want to have a garden this year, but it will have to be a small one. I am actually going to The Farm for the month of April to apprentice in organic gardening and permaculture. I am really hoping to learn alot, so I can apply it to my home garden, and share my knowledge with my garden friends. I am also taking a trip in May to visit family up north, then will return home to begin a summer garden--oh, and get ready for labor, hehe!

I am thinking that I will purchase a load of compost manure this month (March) and spread it over my garden to let rest until the end of May till I can get to double digging. It is an expense that I would not usually make, but I feel like I need to nurture my soil this year since it's been a couple years since my last addition of manure. I will probably spread some more leaves, too (we did cover with leaves in the Fall).

Right now I plan to do companion gardening like last year. I loved all the colors, and attracting all the honey bees! I've actually seen my first honey bees of the year buzzing around the purple flowered ground cover (clover?). Their heads were a fuzzy bright pink. I wish to plant a bee garden just for them...

I have many plans for the garden, but the hardest part is keeping it simple. I will just have to take it day by day, and allow the garden to arise of its own accord. In the very least, I will revamp my garden with my acquired knowledge from the April apprenticeship. Perhaps, even, start from scratch.