JRmom
Lovin' The Homestead
Okay, I have decided to use this much shorter list!
Name: Karen
Hometown: Knoxville, TN
Current Residence: Ocala, FL
Relationship Status: Married, 27 years
Family: I have one daughter (30) from my first marriage, and my husband has 2 sons from his first marriage (30 and 28). Between us, we have 6 grandchildren, plus one on the way. Plus our 2 Jack Russell kids.
Political Views: Conservative
Religious Views: I don't attend church, but I do have a keen interest in religion, science, and the universe, and how (in my view, anyway) science is proving the existence of a higher power.
Activities: I am a sun worshiper... boating, swimming, fishing are high priorities. I do love snow skiing, but my skis haven't been used in 6 years. Then again, I would have to endure the cold weather to ski (maybe I should just sell them).
Interests: Cooking, canning, gardening, antiques, Jack Russells
Favorite Music: Alternative
Favorite TV Shows: All-time favorites - The Sopranos, Seinfeld. Not much worth watching nowadays, but I do enjoy watching the Food Network.
Favorite Movies: I don't have a favorite. As long as it's well done, I enjoy almost all types of movies.
Favorite Books: Too many to list! I love to read, so again, as long as it's well written, I'll probably enjoy it (except for bodice-rippers - not my cup of tea).
About Me: I started on this self-sufficient journey 3 years ago, about the time I quit my full-time job and started freelancing (I'm a graphic designer). My income was greatly reduced for a while, so I started looking for ways to cut back my spending, which led to a realization that I had way too much "stuff" to begin with and was shopping to feel good. No more! Our purchases now are well thought out and are "essential".
I've always loved to cook, but another realization I had was about convenience food. Once I started making a conscious effort to cook everything from scratch, I realized it really doesn't take much more effort or time to create a fabulous meal with real ingredients. We are eating much better and my grocery bill is much smaller.
And cooking from scratch led to my first (in a long time!) vegetable garden last summer. It was a great learning experience and I'm itching to get started again this spring.
My big issue is our housing. We rent a house in town. We also bought a cabin in the National Forest 2 years ago, with the intention of eventually moving there full time. We spend every weekend there, and it's where my garden space is. We would move tomorrow, but it would be a 45 minute commute to work for my husband, and he is not willing to do that (at this point). So...we have a rent payment, a mortgage payment (small, but still), 2 electric bills, and 2 cable bills. Ugh! We have 9 more years on our cabin mortgage, and if we could move there permanently, I could make double payments and get it paid off early. I'm 49 and my husband is 55, so getting the cabin paid off early would be nice.
Okay, that's me in a nutshell. My plan for this journal is to use it to keep track of my gardening, and any other hair-brained schemes I may come up with! Oh, I should add that my husband is very supportive of everything I'm trying to do - he brags to anyone and everyone that I make my own laundry detergent.... yep, doesn't take much to excite him!
Name: Karen
Hometown: Knoxville, TN
Current Residence: Ocala, FL
Relationship Status: Married, 27 years
Family: I have one daughter (30) from my first marriage, and my husband has 2 sons from his first marriage (30 and 28). Between us, we have 6 grandchildren, plus one on the way. Plus our 2 Jack Russell kids.
Political Views: Conservative
Religious Views: I don't attend church, but I do have a keen interest in religion, science, and the universe, and how (in my view, anyway) science is proving the existence of a higher power.
Activities: I am a sun worshiper... boating, swimming, fishing are high priorities. I do love snow skiing, but my skis haven't been used in 6 years. Then again, I would have to endure the cold weather to ski (maybe I should just sell them).
Interests: Cooking, canning, gardening, antiques, Jack Russells
Favorite Music: Alternative
Favorite TV Shows: All-time favorites - The Sopranos, Seinfeld. Not much worth watching nowadays, but I do enjoy watching the Food Network.
Favorite Movies: I don't have a favorite. As long as it's well done, I enjoy almost all types of movies.
Favorite Books: Too many to list! I love to read, so again, as long as it's well written, I'll probably enjoy it (except for bodice-rippers - not my cup of tea).
About Me: I started on this self-sufficient journey 3 years ago, about the time I quit my full-time job and started freelancing (I'm a graphic designer). My income was greatly reduced for a while, so I started looking for ways to cut back my spending, which led to a realization that I had way too much "stuff" to begin with and was shopping to feel good. No more! Our purchases now are well thought out and are "essential".
I've always loved to cook, but another realization I had was about convenience food. Once I started making a conscious effort to cook everything from scratch, I realized it really doesn't take much more effort or time to create a fabulous meal with real ingredients. We are eating much better and my grocery bill is much smaller.
And cooking from scratch led to my first (in a long time!) vegetable garden last summer. It was a great learning experience and I'm itching to get started again this spring.
My big issue is our housing. We rent a house in town. We also bought a cabin in the National Forest 2 years ago, with the intention of eventually moving there full time. We spend every weekend there, and it's where my garden space is. We would move tomorrow, but it would be a 45 minute commute to work for my husband, and he is not willing to do that (at this point). So...we have a rent payment, a mortgage payment (small, but still), 2 electric bills, and 2 cable bills. Ugh! We have 9 more years on our cabin mortgage, and if we could move there permanently, I could make double payments and get it paid off early. I'm 49 and my husband is 55, so getting the cabin paid off early would be nice.
Okay, that's me in a nutshell. My plan for this journal is to use it to keep track of my gardening, and any other hair-brained schemes I may come up with! Oh, I should add that my husband is very supportive of everything I'm trying to do - he brags to anyone and everyone that I make my own laundry detergent.... yep, doesn't take much to excite him!
I have seedlings! My first time ever trying to start my own seeds - 12 tomato seedlings up - 6 Amish Paste and 6 Homestead. They are hanging out in the warm kitchen window until hubby gets my grow light installed tonight. I'm soooo excited! Still waiting on another variety of tomotoes (6 Green Salad) and 6 Pepper plants.
