Of Gypsies and Cowboys

Hellooooo!
I know. It's been awhile! Sorry :(

Friends, I have much to share. The past month has been full and amazing and challenging and, well, different. I am learning so much.

What I am learning:
- A life can be as hectic, empty, miserable, and unsatisfying as you are willing to allow. No matter where you dwell.
- The presence of bounty and unlimited good things (food, recreation, etc) doesn't always lead to a lust for more (you know, how we're always told o0nce you have some you just want more, etc?). Been able to choose can actually lead to an awareness of what you want, what you actually value, what's worth the time/effort/cost/energy. Interesting.
- We are not called to please everyone. We are not called to 'look busy'. We cannot be at peace if we only strive to busily please everyone ;) Figure out what's worth it. What's worth pushing in a few extra hours of work. Decide what is 'work'. What's worth staying up past midnight? Figure out what constitutes a conflict and what needs to be let go, or casually talked about over coffee.
- Learn how to ask a question instead of tell it.
- Be tidy.
- Stop and see where you are. Be there.

It's been awhile! Sorry!

Last night I was presented with a reminder to live well, embrace those lives dear to me, and keep short accounts of all issues, questions, and burdens. I decided to teach myself how to ride the dirtbike and, upon finding that I was SO awesome at it ;), decided to head down the road on a zippy little adventure. Long story short: I hit the dirt. Bike spinning, helmet plowing, and bare arms skidding, I plastered myself onto the gravel road. It hurt. It scared me. It reminded me that one can never know when that conversation or phone call or lack of was the last.

This afternoon I'm stiff and scraped and exhausted, but I'm in one piece and enjoying my sweet life with my family. Who knows? Maybe a little faster or a forgotten helmet... today might have looked much different.

Thank you for sharing life with me today.

Some pics from our week in the heat wave. Temps above 30 everyday. Lots of work, lots of play, lots of things in motion.
(BTW, GreenValley is going to be feautured in a Portland-based magazine. They heard about us, love our story, called us up, and away it went. How bizarre!)

(scratch that. internet keeps cutting out and the pics aren't working. later!)

I have created myself a new office. In my opinion, it far exceeds the upholstered confines of my past office zone. It has hardwood floor and muted natural light. The open rafters could almost be termed ‘valued ceiling’ and the breeze drifting through could certinaly by likened to central air. Six hundred bales of freshly cut hay lend a sweet and earthy scent, and the fact that I’m the only one who knows I’m here at this moment creates that comforting sense of ‘secret’.
My hayloft office. In times like these….

Hey! Our story finally came out in the paper! http://www.facebook.com/ext/share.php?sid=104848368023&h=aBywo&u=MBMcU&ref=nf The interview was done months ago and much has changed since then, but it's still cool! for now, we're roasting part-time and still supplying the store mentioned (The Docks) as well as some mail orders, while working at the ranch. Hm, crazy how things come about....

Throughout our journey this year, I found myself embracing the music and lyrics of artist Jack Johnson. His disc 'On and On' has been especially present; played and replayed and applied to countless moments. Almost every song has been a challenge or support in our steps and I have found mysefl inceasingly thankful for his contribution to our life.
This morning, over oatmeal and fresh coffee, I couldn't help type out the lyrics to my favorite track. An exceptional song.

Gone.
(Jack Johnson)

Look at all those fancy clothes
but these will keep us warm just like those.
And what about your soul is it cold
is it
straight from the mold and ready to be sold?
cars and phones and diamond rings…
bling bling
Those are only removable things
And what about your mind? Does it shine?
Are there things that consume you more than your time?
Gone, going, gone everyththing
Gone, give a damn
gone be the birds cuz they don’t want to sing
gone people all awkward with their things

look at you out to make a deal
you try to be appealing but you lose your appeal
and what about those shoes you’re in today
they’ll do no good on the bridges you burnt along the way
you willing to sell everything, gone with your herd
leave your footprints, we’ll shame them with our words
gone people, all careless and consumed
gone
gone going gone everything gone give a damn
gone be the birds if they don’t want to sing
gone people all awkward with their things
gone

(Yikes, live that hey? Hmm>)