Brent and I had an anniversary in October. It wasn't a 10th or a 15th or any of the usual "big" years. But we felt like it was time to mark that special day in a big way. We loved our real wedding ceremony which was informal and outdoors on the edge of Otterbein Lake at Brent's grandparents' home. But we felt that we would like to have the experience of getting all dressed up and reminding each other that we would be happy to do it all over again. So we did!
We planned a week long getaway to the Smoky Mountains. I told everyone how excited I was and I don't think anyone really understood why. Brent and I had never spent a week alone ever. I already had kids when we got married and it just never seemed like something we could do. We didn't mind this but we started thinking that maybe it was time. So we lined up grandparents and wrote out schedules. I found great helpers to watch
River Knits for the week. And with much excitement, we headed south! Before we left Brent had secretly put a new message on our car. It took me a while to catch on.
We planned a lunch time stop in Berea, Kentucky and ate at the unique little restaurant called
Papa Leno's. I never knew that it was possible for garlic bread to be called decadent, but this was before I had eaten at Papa Leno's! If you are ever driving by Berea, treat yourself to lunch there and find out why.
While in Berea we saw that there was a solar tour of homes going on. We didn't have time to take the tour but we did stroll around the EcoVillage on the campus of Berea College. This is what apartment living should be like!
We finally went on our way towards the Smokies, made our way through the bewildering assemblage of carnival like tourist traps that make up Pigeon Forge to find our cabin, the
Snuggy Bug. We laughed that the Snuggy Bug was really a lot like our own house. Who else drives two states away to stay in a house that is a lot like home? Apparently we do anyway!
The Snuggy Bug was advertised as being a one bedroom cabin in wooded setting. This was a little bit of a misnomer since it was really a one ROOM cabin. It did show us that you can do a lot of living in a small space. The open beams in the ceiling made it feel spacious and open even though it was about the size of our living room. We loved it!
One of the first things we were looking forward to was our vow renewal. Amanda and Michelle had helped me pick out a beautiful dress. I even had something borrowed--Amanda's cashmere shawl! --to go with the something old, new and blue. I had a true Tennessee experience by having my hair done at a local salon. While I was there Brent rented a tux, bought flowers and waited patiently. It was really fun to have my hair done fancy, but I was really looking forward to seeing my handsome man in a tux. I wasn't disappointed!
Our vow renewal ceremony was simple and short but left me with misty eyes and an overflowing heart. We have a (not digital) picture taken by the photographer that I love. Brent and I are facing each other and he is looking at me with a smile and holding my chin as if he is about to kiss me. There is a special sparkle in that picture that sums up my feelings about our special day.
After our vow renewal ceremony we ate a delicious meal at a neat little restaurant called the
Greenbrier Inn. It was a lodge for travelers long ago, but is now a restaurant overlooking the mountains. Brent found a description in a travel brochure, or we would never have found it since it was at the end of a dead end road that looked like it went no where. I surprised Brent by eating every bit of an enormous steak. The food was good, but the company was better! We strolled around Gatlinburg that evening in our fancy clothes. Well wishers cheered us on and newlyweds held up their new rings in a sign of solidarity. We didn't care that we had been married for years; it felt exhilarating. I especially enjoyed knowing that my husband cared enough to do it all again, and in some ways, for the first time.
The rest of the week was as leisurely and decadent as we could make it. We ate at the
Applewood Farmhouse Restaurant not once but twice because we just couldn't stay away from the apple fritters with fresh applebutter. We toured the Great Smoky Mountain National Park--from Cade's Cove
to Clingman's Dome.
We stepped on the Applachian trail just to say we did.
In fact Brent jumped the Appalachian Trail...
We took a sky lift up the mountains, and I bought a pair of new shoes (that will show off handknit socks of course).
We decided we've seen enough of old farm settlements that are designed to recreate history though. We're ready to blend the best of the old fashioned ways, with the best of the new, so we can do it ourselves! So I made Brent promise that this stop at this farm recreation by the welcome center on the North Carolina side was the last time we really need to see how they farmed in the 1800's. We've seen it all, in every state we've ever been in, and really we've started to figure out that we already know all that stuff and more. How much corn do you really need to look at anyway?
My favorite thing we saw was the Motor Nature Trail, a winding one lane trip through rather dense forest. We saw ruins of old cabins,
dense forest,
primeval mountain streams
and even 3 bears!
All too soon our week was over and it was time to come home. As we headed north, looking forward to seeing our kids and thinking about what a great time we had, we realized that we were getting hungry. We figured we were pretty close to Berea again so the pull of Papa Leno's breadsticks guided our car into town once again. We were pretty used to being decadent by then, so it was an easy choice!
We were of course glad to be home but we returned a little different from when we left. We were happier, lighter, and we knew more than ever that we have something very special. Most of all we knew that we won't wait 11 years to do it again!
It was a busy evening. Our daughter's band concert was awesome on this weekday evening, but it meant most of us were hungry after returning home at 8pm. If you've been following our blog, you know we have been cooking and eating local foods for as many of our meals as possible. We had also just picked up earlier today our winter harvest basket from the Cooley Family Farm.
Last week we journeyed to Stelle, IL, a small cluster of homes about 100 miles from Lafayette. A group of folks in Stelle started an effort known as Center for Sustainable Community. They teamed up with the University of Illinois to offer a one day tour of sustainable agriculture and permaculture examples. Beth is shown in front of a herd of sheep that are rotationally grazed on land that borders Stelle. We had an interesting time herding the sheep to a new grazing paddock.
ing. It was good for us to view first hand some of the practices, and we realized that we can do many of these practices ourselves. Mostly it was a great day for Beth and I to be together and learn new ideas for our own Big Good!
In mid-August we joined with other NICHES landtrust members and canoed 16 miles of the Wabash River between Granville Bridge and Attica, IN. The day was beautiful. We stopped for lunch along Black Rock (picture). Prior to English settlement, Black Rock was an important strategic lookout for the Native Americans living in this area. It is now protected as part of the holding of the NICHES landtrust. After lunch we paddled down to the town of Attica. Along the way we spotted four eagles. We also marveled at the many small shacks and campers dotting the south bank of the river. Almost every spot had people camping out, fishing, or boating, and enjoying the summer and the river. Taking this canoe trip helped us realize the beauty of the river and the great natural areas that are near to us. Supporting efforts like NICHES helps to ensure that unique natural lands are protected, and made available for the public to enjoy.
Letting go of things that hold us back help free that space in our lives to be real, new, imaginative, and see life with new vigor. For me it is time, finally, to move beyond the stigma of being known as the local wilderness man, primitive living expert, etc. In the mid 90's for a few years, I lived a mostly primitive lifestyle in the woodlands near the Great Lakes. I did this for many reasons, some seemingly noble, but some because I was also running from my own fears and emotional hurts. The skills I gained from this period are perhaps still good to know...like making a fire by friction methods, or medicine plants, building a shelter, etc. But being known primarily as "the guy who lived in the woods" is not a good thing....especially since this is not who I am today.
10 years. I put them in a huge pile (except a few items we are selling on ebay for helping with land fund and farmer's market fun money), and gleefully burned them. I think it might be the biggest fire I've burned in 10 years. Ah, the release. The new freedom. I'm no longer wilderness man! Instead, I'm really marching forward with Beth on the Big Good Path.
One of our dreams is to build our own home using natural materials that provide energy efficiency, beauty, and elegant design, while allowing us to become mortgage free all in one. We spent two July weekends in a row near Kankakee, Illinois learning the nuances of using straw bales and earthen plasters for walls of building. The workshop was organized by Center for Sustainable Community in Stelle, IL.
Here Beth is shaving a straw bale using a weed whacker to carve a depression so that the straw bale will fit the corner bracing. There was much attention to detail in terms of making sure that all crevices and gaps between the courses of bales were completely plugged.
This is a photo of Brent using earthen plaster to coat the inside walls. The walls will need two main coats and a final plaster coat. With 16 people in the straw bale workshop and the structure being only 13 x 15 there was plenty to do, but sometimes not enough room for everyone to get involved. We learned a lot about plasters and getting a solid, straight, strong wall using straw bales.
An nice benefit to the straw bale workshops is that Beth and I camped at the nearby Kankakee River State Park (sans kids). We ate a lot of good food, rode our bikes, explored the river banks, and greatly enjoyed our company together.
A day before Independence Day, we made our way along Independence Road toward a place we are beginning to call "The Land"; an abandoned farmstead from the early 1900's. In our search for a place to grow, where we can swing into full tilt on our sustainable living plans, we discovered this hidden jewel. We had set out on our little journey to hike the pasture, and the woods that borders the pasture. We were elated to discover that in just about every nook of the farm, wild black raspberries flourished. Along with apples, strawberries, and blueberries to pick and preserve for the year, we very much wanted to find a good spot to pick raspberries for pies, jams, and such.
cobbler. We shared "Independence Black Raspberry Cobbler" with family on Independence Day. We also really hope things work out for us to secure "The Land" and we are saying our affirmations regularly.
