I have a dream

I come from a long line of self-sufficient folk. Some hunters, some farmers, some breeders of livestock, some fishermen, some foragers, sometimes all wrapped into one. Perhaps it came from coming of age in the Great Depression and remaining poor, passing those frugal and resourceful qualities onto your children. For whatever reason I’ve always been fascinated with self-sufficiency.

Even in this era of consumerism and affluence, while sitting at my kitchen window typing on my laptop which resides just above my dishwasher and to the right of my espresso maker I sit here dreaming of my colony.

I can visualize the spots in the front yard where I have plans for plums and apple trees and caned raspberry bushes.

I have a view of various spots in my backyard where the pea starts are struggling up through this unforgiving spring weather - some days sunny and mild, some days rainy and all too many days of sleet and hail mixed together. I see chard and kale and carrots coming up. I see flowers peek out of the strawberries and falling from cherry trees. I see leaves start on the blueberry and huckleberry bushes and rhubarb just beginning to venture up. I see spots for corn and beans and tomatoes once the soil warms some more.

I see the spot where we began driving the well into our hard clay soil which works as a marvelous plug that prevents water drainage into the soil, allowing the high water table to pool and the rainwater to collect in the reservoir. An old cistern pump lies waiting for us to finish driving the pipe down lower so the kids can bring up water for the plants in July when we need to water them on a regular basis.

I also see the spots where I’ve left room for a future hen house - in Seattle we are allowed 3 chickens even within city limits but no roosters. I’m ok with that. I’ve also left a spot for a bunny hutch. I dream of fresh eggs and rabbit legs to go with herbs and vegetables fresh from my garden.

I dream of someday living outside the city limits so I can have a cow and some goats for fresh kefir, butter, cheeses and crème fraiche for my berries.

Perhaps Mrs. G will let me be the cultivator of livestock and farmer of fresh foods in her Women’s Colony. It’s a wonderful image to hold. For now I’ll just keep dreaming of summer and fall bounty, fresh eggs and homemade cheeses. And maybe I’ll head to PCC so there is actually something in my refrigerator when my husband comes home.