Blueprinting

From the outside, it's business as usual around here.  But there are inner workings that will soon change the face of the Riddle Homestead.  We are working with friends and family who are skilled in the trade of house and garden building.  All of Jeremy's (very few) spare minutes go to this blueprint.  Right now, everything hinges upon it.  He is brilliant at making spaces work and knows so well what our family will use when it comes to rooms and corners.  When we are done, the blueprint will be submitted to a professional and then we wait some more.  So much paperwork is ahead. 

The children love watching daddy work on the house plans.  It's hard for them (and maybe also for me) to understand why we can't just start building new walls.  So we apply as much patience as we can muster up and continue to dream what it will be like to have more than two bedrooms and one bathroom shared among seven people.  

The garden plot (from last April)

I often walk out to our garden plot, so raw and unused.  I imagine it is the first time this space will be used for growing food (besides beef).  This area used to be a massive ranch, and before the dam was built, it was nothing but swampland.  I find myself having to settle down and remember how very important planning is for such a long term thing.  It takes everything in me to stay away from a shovel and just start going for it.  But truly, it will save time and energy in the long run if I can just be patient enough to establish a long-term permaculture paradise.

So we continue to plan and wait and crunch numbers and dream.  So very soon everything will change and the Riddles Seven can stretch out their arms without hitting each other in the face.  Stay tuned...