Watch the weather change.

It’s been 2 years this month since we rolled through Taos on a whim and purchased this 8 acres of rolling mesa. We had searched for land to buy for a year. Went up and down California…nothing. Fell head over heels for Oregon…but nothing. And, when nothing came together in Colorado, we decided to stop in Taos before going home. Taos, New Mexico? …Yeah… Well, we weren’t here two days before we bought the land. From there we proceeded to go back to San Diego to tell everyone our crazy plans, pack up all our belongings and move to our beautifully raw, little piece of earth.

There are a few things which are fact about the aligning of stars. Timing being a big one. Trust being another. We knew it was time to make a leap. You know that feeling? Like when you’ve been standing on the edge of the pool for long enough that if you don’t jump someone’s just going to push you in…And you’d rather jump in on your own accord to allow the illusion of control to dull the rush of cold sensation as the water envelopes you. I’ll be the first to admit we didn’t know fully what we were getting into. But you can’t always know 100%…which is where the trust part comes in. It is so all a part of the thrill. It has been a miraculous journey of discovery. Like a gift that is Mary Poppin’s purse. We are continually shown the reasons for which fate brought us to this magical place.

After a year and a half of actually  beginning our sustainable endeavor here, we have reached an interesting point. Reflection and enjoyment have somehow found their way to the surface from the depths. Two things that we didn’t foresee happening anytime in our near future. But we’ve worked hard to make a place which was previously unlivable not only livable but comfortable. All without leaving much of a footprint. It’s been such a blessing to have brought our baby girl into the adventure for so many reasons. One for sure, she has served to enhance certain factors of this endeavor which our previous, non-parent selves would have pushed aside, sacrificing our own well-being. Living off the grid, sustainably can be enjoyed, can be comfortable, can be normal. We catch all our own water, harness our own power, and grow our own food and still have all the comforts of home. Sure, you’d only have to watch the Disney Channel for 5 minutes (which I accidentally did the other day) to realize just how unconventional our lives are compared to what they blatantly portray as normal…but fundamentally, our basic needs are being met on a daily basis just as well as any upper middle class suburban family’s. We’ve just made a choice to live in the direction we feel we should be moving. Our subscription to the system has expired. If the media and government decided one day to cast fear dispelling images and words onto the world, and promote individual independence and concern for Mother Earth through togetherness, courage, goodness, ingenuity, and progressive thought. If they decided one day that it would benefit our future as a race to empower the people and stop maintaining the obstacles which keep us from making our world a better place. And if they encouraged people to find happiness inside of themselves, expand their consciousness, find peace, heal, think freely, and live outside the design. Then I might consider renewing it. But until then, I believe from the place of my spirit. I believe for the Human Spirit as a collective whole. Its the truth that appears when everything else diminishes. And despite the confines which only serve to impede us, I know that every one of us will get there eventually, however slowed our growth and path to full potential, balance and harmony may be by the powers that be.

Here on the homefront, we have so many good things going on. Despite the fact that the spring winds showed up right on cue, we are managing to make great headway on so many different projects. The idea being, if we push hard now we’ll get to enjoy the summer with more ease. We are building a few different spaces purely for the sake of relaxing and enjoying the amazing place we live. A roofed front patio which will complete the wing wall around the front door, a deck off the house facing west because it doesnt get better than New Mexico sunsets, and a firepit grotto for nights around the fire. Our indoor grey water recycling system keeps many plants thriving in our house all year round however, we have decided to build a green house off the front, south facing wall of our house as well so that we can produce even more of our own food at home. A storage shed so Jeff can finally have a place for all his tools…its been a maddening couple years of the things we need most strewn all about. A lot of little things, a lot of big things. And many many more.

Big love and big thanks to Josh and Emily for helping us kickstart the spring workload!

Couldn’t ask for better help or better human beings.

Desert Naps

Jeff working on the deck with Flat Greg

Elowyn experiencing spring winds

So much to do. So much gratitude. So much love. We are so blessed and so thankful!

Bless my eyes this morning. Jah sun is on the rise once again.