For the last several years I’ve been thinking and planning and waiting. It looks like now is the time. It’s now or never… not really. It’s now or I just keep putting it off for one reason or another. The old obstacles are gone, replaced by what could be new obstacles- but only if I let them. Instead I’m going to choose to only see the dissolution of the old and the opportunities in this new phase of life.
Roughly 4 months ago I graduated at the age of 36, finally earning my BA in Environmental Studies. This was no small feat for me. As a single mother going to school part time, the four year degree took me 6 1/2 years of near constant work and distraction. It was 6 1/2 years of me working on too many things at once, never really excelling at any one thing- just trying to keep my head above water. When I started school, it’s fair to say, I had no idea what I was getting myself into. Quitting in front of my children was never an option and as a result, all of our lives have been enriched beyond measure. During that time, we also moved 3 times.
Now, speaking from a point of extreme optimism, my family and I are finally, (hopefully), in a position of moderate security and stability. This means I am in a position to work on building the life I want instead of just surviving.
We have lived in our house for nearly 3 years now. During this time I have dreamed up in my head about a million ways to make this ~2 acre lot a functioning, self sustaining homestead. This vision will obviously take many years to reach fruition but I think it’s time I get started.
This house and this property belonged by my maternal grandparents, the house was built by my grandpa. As a child, I remember a large garden where there is now yard, I remember snapping beans with my grandmother on the back porch. As a geographer, I understand I’m suffering from a serious case of place attachment. But isn’t that a beautiful thing? Isn’t our attachment to the land exactly what fosters a sincere desire to protect and care for it? Anyway, this is family land, this is the attachment I want my children to share and understand. We are in the middle of a, gross, suburban, new city, strip mall, plaza, chain-restaurant, nightmare, young city. But it is my hope that we can enjoy this connection and learn from personally experiencing natural systems, even on a small scale.
This is going to be a learning experience for all of us. It’s going to be a lot of guessing, experimenting, a lot of science and discovery. I’m excited for every step of this journey and endlessly grateful for it.
the davis family suburban homestead 