In Limbo...

Lunch with Friends

The kitchen remodel is still moving along at a steady clip, but I'm not going to post photos until I have accumulated a more exciting series.  I have to thank all of you for hanging in there and following as I haven't had any new recipes or crafts to share lately.  It's been an important period of pondering as I predicted.

What have we been up to lately if not cooking?  Reading lots of library books!

As I've mentioned a few times in the last couple of months, sometimes my inner voices beat me up a bit when I've chosen shortcuts with certain "homesteadable" tasks.  I've blamed my current commitment to give my child/family proper attention at this unique period in our lives.  And there's nothing wrong with that, I've decided.  Vera will start preschool in the fall and then I'll theoretically have more time to bake fresh bread, experiment with homemade gluten-free pasta, save seeds, build, craft, research chicken breeds, etc.  Of course, none of you lovely people have made me feel guilty in the least.  It just comes with the territory of my perfectionist genes.  Was reading a cool article this morning and I think Erik Knutzen, one of my urban homesteading heroes, set me a little straighter when he said:

"Many people confuse self-reliance with self-sufficiency.  Especially in an urban area, such as [Los Angeles], true-self-sufficient living is impossible.  We can't grow all of our own grain or keep a cow.  We can and should, however, build a community with like-minded people and continuously work toward self-reliance: the ability to make and do things.  A self-reliant community builds resilience through networks of shared skills and goods with the goal of sustainable living."

Whew!  I feel better.

This weekend is Vera's 3rd birthday party so I actually have had some time in the last month or so amid the mess to put together some handmade decorations, prizes, goodies, and games for her big celebration. Stay tuned for photos in my next post.

Making a Wish at birthday breakfast!