Doing it Alone

When I read some of the blogs of women (and a few men, too) who are out there making the homesteading dream a reality, I am astounded by their strength, and by the fact that they are doing it alone.  Now I'm not the old-fashioned type who thinks that a man is necessary for anything to be accomplished... but I do know how hard it would be to be doing it full-time without the help and encouragement of another person on a daily basis. 

I thank my lucky stars that I have Honeybunch around... especially on those rare occasions when I'm sick, or injured, or just plain exhausted from a long night of work... when it's raining outside and the chickens are roosting in the fig tree instead of the coop, or the box of harvested tomatoes is starting to go soft, or the trash needs to be taken out, and my body can hardly carry me to the kitchen sink for a glass of water.  I know that I COULD do it, and would because you do things you don't want to especially when little critter lives are on the line... but I sure as hell wouldn't want to. 

I'm largely in charge of the kitchen and garden endeavors around here, because I want to be and I think I'm good at it.  I could probably handle that part of it by myself.  But when it comes to hooking the chicken coop up with solar panels to run their light and water heater, I'm lost.  Honeybunch has a unique set of skills that are quite honestly beyond me.  He is the puzzle piece that I was missing, without which I was sure my dream of self reliance would never really happen.  It was only after we met and discovered our common goals that I seriously started to consider the possibility of getting off the grid and out of the conventional food system.  The idea was always too overwhelming to think of doing alone. 

So here's to the ladies and gents out there making it happen for themselves.  You inspire me daily to get my sorry butt out of bed, to carry those 50 lb sacks of chicken feed by myself, to stretch and try a new skill even if it scares me.  Thank you!