I parted ways with my legal representative in Ukraine this week. Yes, he’s a great guy and we’ll probably always be friends, but professionally, I don’t think we’d be seeing each other again. It wasn’t a drawn-out fight. It was more of a fizzle when we both realized we weren’t what the other needed. Sometimes…
Category: Sustainability
A touch of rebellion
I teach self-reliance, the world’s most subversive practice. I teach people how to grow their own food, which is shockingly subversive. So, yes, it’s seditious. But it’s peaceful sedition.Bill Mollison When I first heard these words, spoken by David Holmgren, I had to look up the word “sedition.” Even as a person fluent in English,…
How I am reaching my word count by keeping up my blog
This July I have chosen to be unconventional. Yes, I know that the idea of a Novel Writing Month is to – well – write a novel, but I have decided that I would do just as well to get my word count up by working on this blog, instead. After all, the more posts…
Why would anyone buy a rescue property in a war-torn country?
When I tell people that I want to buy property in Ukraine and move there as soon as the war is over, they look at me with a strange expression, as if they are unsure of the polite way to tell me that I have completely lost my marbles. Then I show them the photographs!…
Release the Hooligan!!!
It’s 3 January 2023, the start of a brand new year. Most traditions have this image of the “OLD year” (an old man) handing over the torch to the “NEW year” (depicted by a baby). Well, this is how my year started… I had a “key scare” this morning. My work keys got lost,…
Back to the drawing board… or is it the dot-grid notebook???
Now that NaNoWriMo is done and dusted, I can bring my thoughts back to my backyard farm somewhere in Europe. It’s actually much less of a hassle than people think it is, but the one thing that I have since learned is that “doing it myself” is not only a myth but a sin, straight…
And so it begins… Strengthening my resolve
No, dear readers, I have not forgotten my original dream of buying a small house on a large property and turning it into a backyard homestead. On the contrary, that dream is stronger than ever before, combined with the desire to support neighbors and local businesses as much as possible. And – well, duh! –…
If you could read my mind, Love…
Good morning, B! Yes, I’ve heard. T told us. Don’t blame him. I think he needed to share his feelings, too. Feeling helpless is horrible. No matter the circumstances.
Qualified Permaculture Designer, at your service!
The shouting happened yesterday morning when I opened my e-mail box! I first let my boss’s boss know, as he was hugely instrumental in the success of my project, encouraging me every step of the way, inquiring about my progress, and also helping me secure the necessary permissions for the final project plans. And then…
A few thoughts on a sustainable lifestyle
Sustainability is a word bandied about a lot by corporations who wish to “greenwash” their operations. Unfortunately, any operation using a finite resource can – by definition – not be considered sustainable, no matter how pretty it’s dressed up. To be truly sustainable, the components of a system must produce more energy than they consume…