My interest in a "simple life" came about over the last few years. First, I really, really admire the Amish lifestyle and how they can make do in most situations. We live near a small Amish community and my husband knows some of them. He has given them rides on several occasions and uses some of their many services, such as deer processing. One man that he knows grows and sells produce to various markets. When he couldn't make the delivery trip one day, my husband went ahead and filled the orders. He had possession of the book of invoices and we realized what we already knew...the simple life can also be profitable.
It is quite clear that most Amish are raised to be pretty savvy businesspersons. Their businesses may be basic and simple, but they are in pretty good shape financially. I bought my daughter a $15 rabbit from an Amish man one day and he could not make change for a $20 because he only had hundreds!
I could (and probably will) give many more examples of this peace-loving community and their contributions to society, all the while enjoying a happy, healthy lifestyle. It has impressed me for a long while.
I am also a Language Arts teacher, licensed to teach grades 7 through 12. I have always loved to read and have bookshelves full of material for the ages I teach. A lot of recently published work in this area deals with a dystopian future in which many people are very poor and struggle to survive (think "Hunger Games", among many others). Some take place in a much more realistic time period and have some pretty scary scenarios (if you are into TV, think "Revolution"). Some of these books, such as ones written by Susan Beth Pfeffer (Life as We Knew It series) deal with what happens in the event of a global catastrophe, such as the moon changing orbit. There are many more and the catastrophe doesn't have to be that bad. The grid could go down for a variety of reasons, such as an electrical overload, war, illness,...the sky is the limit.
So I began to ask myself what the chances for survival were for my family in such a situation. Realistically, they are better for some than others. I am lucky. I have a husband and daughter who can hunt with a bow or gun. We live in a woods and burn wood. We have a well and a pond. Our chances would be pretty good. (I hope!)
Thoughts like these led me to "prepper" websites and I realized that there is a huge movement in this direction-people who are preparing for what they believe could happen. So I thought about stockpiling and these thoughts are never far away. But, I found myself drawn to truly being able to be self-sustaining, like the Amish.
My first major project was a garden. It had some successes last year (first try) and some failures. But, I have an improved plan in place for this year. The goals for this year also include some needlework. I plan to quilt (not by hand, as long as I have electric and a sewing machine!) and try other handcrafts.
But, it's not all about the grid going down and prepping. It is about the enjoyments of a simpler life, of finding pleasure in life and good health in returning to many of the habits experience not only by the Amish, but by our own parents, grandparents, and other ancestors.
I actually teach in an online, virtual school to students all over my state. I am a lover of technology. I could not be without my laptop, my iPhone, and my Kindles (note the plural). I have a degree in educational technology. I am an oxymoron of lifestyles.
I am on an odyssey to find the best of both worlds. I hope you will enjoy learning about my journey!
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