Chapter One
I am a transplant. Originally a city girl, my roots had grown deep into the cement. I was well established in a bed overplanted with houses, buildings, stores, and people. My soil was primarily a mix of tarmac and concrete, with a little bit of dirt and grass tossed in.
Although I was okay with that life, deep down inside I always knew there was something else out there. Better soil. Cleaner water. More room to stretch my leaves and stems and grow into the person I knew I was meant to be.
I was in my forties before a ‘gardener’ came along with a good sharp shovel and transplanted me from all that tarmac and concrete to a healthy, rich soil on 60 acres of rural farm land. That ‘gardener’ was actually a dream that was ready to come true. The Country Boy and I came across the opportunity to relocate from the city to the country, and jumped at the chance.
Now, mind you, I had no idea what I was getting into. I felt the pain of my roots being pulled from the ground I was used to, trimmed, and wrapped in wet soggy newspaper in order to safely get me where I was going. But once I felt that rich, moist, delicious soil packed around me, I knew I was home.
We have often heard the phrase, “Bloom where you are planted”. To some degree, I agree with it. Our lives may be rooted in a lifestyle that was inherited, or just assumed we would follow. In that case, we may not have the healthiest of soil, or the required amounts of water, but we can take what we have and bloom.
Today, we are faced with any number of uncertainties. From food shortages to foods saturated in chemicals as they grow. Toss in pandemics to stock declines and recessions. It only takes one country or world-wide catastrophe to bring us to our knees when it comes to caring for our families.
And because of that, learning to live as simply as possible increases your food security, lessens your dependence on outside sources, and broadens your sense of contentment and joy. It is a lifestyle where you grow your own food, get creative, build with your hands, spend quality time with your family, and get back to the basics of life.
Now that I have put this lifestyle into action, I have a garden, which improves each year. I’ve learned to save seeds and finding a variety of ways to preserve the harvest. I have learned to knit, crochet and weave, in order to make handmade gifts. And I am even learning, slowly but surely, how to use power tools and do minor maintenance on my car and tractors.
These are all things you can do with just a little planning, practice and effort. It is something you can do on your own, or with your family. Even your children can benefit greatly by learning how to provide for themselves, and one day, perhaps their own families.
I went from high heels to rubber boots. From dresses and brief cases to jeans and a shovel. I’ve gone from digging up well-established roots to being transplanted. This Farm Wife is now where she needs to be and is well on her way to becoming the woman she was meant to be in the first place.
And yes. I have become a perennial bloomer. Just check out this new set of roots!
A total lifestyle change such as mine comes with its difficulties, its trials and a side dish of impatience, as well as joys and successes. We have grown up in a world of instant gratification. However, so much of what we have received has either grown boring or has broken, as most things aren’t well made anymore.
As for boring, I strongly believe things grow boring for us because we haven’t worked hard to earn it. We see it. Someone else has it. We want it. We buy it on credit. And long before the bill comes due, whatever it is has broken, fallen out of fashion, or ends up on a closet shelf or under a couch cushion and has been forgotten.
Maybe it is time to take a step back and determine what is most important to us. Perhaps we should examine our wants, and figure out if they are truly needs. Maybe, we need to spend less time trying to keep up with the Jones’ and decide who we are meant to be.
If you find your lifestyle is no longer satisfying, here’s another ‘maybe’ for you – maybe it is time to get back to a Simple Life. A life where we work hard, wipe the sweat off our brow, dig in, and produce the things that really matter to us. One where we can enjoy our life, rather than bending over backward to have more and want more. And then getting into debt trying to pay for it.
To be less dependent on others – whether family, corporations or government. To learn to do as much as possible on our own. One where what we do have and have worked hard for, is more deeply appreciated.
Keep in mind. You cannot make the change all at once. It takes time, effort, and a great deal of thought. Start with a plan and figure out where you want to go and how you want to get there. Take it slow. Learn one thing at a time, then build from there. As you get comfortable with each step you take, your confidence will grow. You may find you love the journey of becoming who you were meant to be.
If you are considering living a more Simple Life, then this book can help. It is designed to give you thoughts and ideas of ways you can begin your journey. Each section offers an overview of what it will take to incorporate that portion into your new plan. Some sections have a bit more information than others. It is written this way to give you food for thought in each area and then allow you to pursue those things that will work for you in more depth.
But before we begin with the details, there is still a bit more you need to consider.
Enjoyed the excerpt? There’s more of the story waiting.