An excellent essay with some astute observations: (my bold) https://www.yesmagazine.org/happine...st+Recent+Articles+and+Blogs+-+YES!+magazine)
You know I always enjoy that magazine. I seem to never plan to but end up getting every issue in my hands. Radical homemaking is less scary if your not a single parent. Up until last October I worked about 75 hours a week to keep the homestead running for three children and myself. I was working two jobs while pregnant and at the same time finishing my masters and I ended up having my Babylon weeks early from the stress. She was in the NICU for 8 weeks and is truly a miracle. One day I couldn't do it anymore. I realized I had worked every day since my dad died when I was ten years old. I had about a week off in total having three children. Crazy. I quite one job and we all buckled down. Now I landed a teaching position so I'm home every evening, weekends and all summer and I actually have more time to make this homestead able to help take care of us. I guess in a way I've started to rely on it like one would a spouse. I can talk to the land. It can keep us warm, fill our tummys, and give us a sense of belonging. I feel so lucky I was able to hang on to this place even though it seemed impossible. Homemaking is really a loving gift we can give our families and ourselves.
i'm glad you were able to simplify and have come to appreciate your place. i'm lucky too that i can mostly stay home. i'm quite happy being a hermit who grows things. unfortunately there is no credit here for retirement or savings for doing it this ways, but we'll see how it turns out...