Domesticated Me

Look at that! The wild Charity Tree is finally being domesticated!

Chad and I have been thinking a lot about self-sufficiency and emergency preparedness lately.... Some friends have been hit kinda hard this year, and we thought, you know, you just never know if/when it's going to be you. So we've been stocking up on food storage, etc. But, as a result of said conversations, I have also decided to try my hand at the self-sufficiency side of life, which I am subtitling The Domesticated Side of Life. Because I feel like a pioneer. I feel like I'm learning all about living off the land and preserving food old-school style, and such. 

It's actually quite liberating! I like the Domesticated Me!

Like this... Look at what I have grown!

And that's just a week's worth of garden pickings! I've got about 30 tomatoes just waiting to turn red. So we shall be doing some canning of diced tomatoes and homemade salsa very soon.

And as an aside, look at these:

You may or may not be a beet fan (I love them!), but you have to admit--they are a beautiful vegetable!

I also went to the park and collected a bucketful of crabapples and made syrup.... it's rather delicious, actually! And some neighbors let us come pick bowls of apricots and apples. So apricot jam and applesauce are also on the horizon!

Domesticated Me. Who would have thought?! And that I enjoy it! I am discovering this deep (and surprisingly large) part of myself that feels grounded--almost like being at peace with myself--when I am surrounded by good earth, by green things growing, by the natural beauties of this world. 

And I have a hunch that I'm not alone.... I'm starting to think we are wired that way; and maybe we've just lost that. Which is (part of the reason) why we feel frenzied, materialized, etc, etc. Nothing is more calming than having hands covered in dirt and arms full of sunflowers/corn cobs/tomatoes/peaches/daisies/you fill in this space. 

We are stewards of the earth, aren't we?.... Funny there should be a connection....