It's Not All Glitz and Glamour

I had no idea how many folks romanticize this lifestyle from a distance. Obviously, this lifestyle is not as easy as I make it look. So once they get here, of course, they decide change is in order. I've had suggestions that range all the way from me raising and butchering livestock for "everyone," to putting in a swimming pool. All the suggestions have been for what more I can do. I feel like blazing the trail is enough to keep me busy, already! Folks do get a chance to see priorities from a different perspective, but it's so hard to get out of the traditional thinking that is such a stronghold in our society. Most people really have a terrible time getting out of the "more money" and "entertainment" mode. Basic homesteading is so cost effective and entertaining, I don't own a TV and my daughter thought I was a 1 Percenter! In the past three years, I've had several visitors who all have enjoyed late night dinners, rising at the crack of noon to peruse the refrigerator and lounge on the couch, and then have proceeded to tell me what would make this a bit more comfy and inviting. It was after about the fifth individual to attempt that, that I realized I was the problem! I had one situation in which two people on very different schedules wanted to experience the "homesteading life" in the same visit. This is going to sound like an embellishment and perhaps I'm overstating to make my point, but it seemed by the time one finally got up and got moving, got all her phone calls covered and special needs tended to, the other one was ready to call it a day. Now they were both, of course, very devout Christian women, who found my lifestyle to be just a bit unacceptable for their brand of fellowship. I love G-d, I follow HIS Son, but I'm just not into that doctrine of being "so heavenly minded you're no earthly good!" It truly was an enlightening experience for us all, I'm sure. Then I actually got a person who called themselves an apprentice. They knew and I knew this was destined to be a short term gig. It just was not going to be a good fit for anyone, but fit was the proper term. As it turns out, the fits were memorable, actually unforgettable . . . But life goes on. I always try to be gracious, but I'm not exactly a warm chit-chatty kind of person, so I openly admit, I needed to learn a lot before I opened up the invitation and concept of a community, and I'm still learning. Be it by blog, or by book, or hands-on personal instruction, I'm going to move right on into the plan of helping folks get established in homesteading, but . . . Rather than play hostess to those who want a day to play "Little House on the Prairie," I'm going to extend my invitation to those who have already made a certain level of commitment to this lifestyle, or at least are actively saving toward that, and bring enough of an investment to at least share ideas and talents, rather than make suggestions for recreation and offer to advise. Since everyone who has ever graced this homestead with their presence keeps in touch, more or less, I get to stay caught up on their lives through facebook. My tag line at FACEBOOK: "the ultimate in distant closeness." It suits me well and from what I read about everyone who's visited, their lifestyles suit them well. Three years of hostessing has now made me realize, a truly sharing community does not need an advisory committee, a truly sharing community needs people who get up with the sun and roll up their sleeves, ready to embrace the new day. The true glitz and glamour of homesteading is in the beautiful sunrises and the breathtaking sunsets at the end of an accomplished day.