Nearly 20 years ago, we set out to create a self-reliant homestead. Now we produce our own food and our own power, and can tackle whatever craziness this wild world throws at us. If you’re ready take back control from Big Pharma and Big Food and feel confident facing Everyday Emergencies, join us.
Common Sense Home Good News Letter 5/10/25
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"A whippoorwill trilled in the twilight. We stopped evening chores to listen. This was the first time we'd heard the call in 20 years. Though they used to be common in the area, the mega farms that now dominated the landscape had left them without a sanctuary - until they found our home." It gives me such joy to hear "new to us" bird calls in the yard. From the early morning light to sometimes well after dark, our feathered guests serenade us with a multitude of songs. So much habitat has been lost that it's amazing to me that they can locate us, but nature finds a way. I've mentioned this before, so it may be familiar to some, but a while back an elderly neighbor was visiting. I could tell he didn't completely approve of the not so tidy areas in the yard, as he keeps his place very meticulous. Then he heard the song of a bobolink, and his whole posture changed. He noted that he hadn't heard them in decades. Since then he's offered a little more grace for our more relaxed style of tending the land. I called him about the whippoorwill and he was very excited about the news. Again, he hadn't heard one in many years. Now we're watching and listening for meadowlarks. I think I may have seen and heard one, but I didn't have binoculars handy to confirm, and it was windy so the call wasn't clear. In related news... We were hunting online for old satellite images of the homestead for Duncan's permaculture certification course, and it was pretty crazy seeing how much the place has changed over the years. You can view the photos here. Sometimes it's easy to forget how far you've come in your journey, and to wonder if what you're doing is making a difference. Paying attention to the little things can be a good reminder of just how far you have come. Helping you create resilience and abundance, Laurie (and August IV, August V, and Duncan) This week's featured articles...Slowly but surely things are greening up around here, so I decided it was time to update another Weekly Weeder article. This week we have the spotlight on Pineapple Weed, also known as Wild Chamomile, which is useful for a number of things, from tension taming to bug busting. I was talking with a friend recently about things slowing down as you get older - including, at times, bathroom visits. I put together this list of 10 home remedies for constipation to help keep things moving, plus tips of when not to use certain remedies. (Side note - the stock photos for constipation remedies cracked me up. You do not want to be on the toilet clenching your fists. That is not helpful. So I chose the image below.) My neighbor, Betty, stopped by to buy some eggs yesterday, so I thought I would share one of my favorite recipes from her - Betty's Buttermilk Rye Bread. This recipe is great for sandwiches and toast. Other popular articles this week: |
Laurie Neverman @ Common Sense Home
Nearly 20 years ago, we set out to create a self-reliant homestead. Now we produce our own food and our own power, and can tackle whatever craziness this wild world throws at us. If you’re ready take back control from Big Pharma and Big Food and feel confident facing Everyday Emergencies, join us.
"They looked other-worldly, almost prehistoric. First one enormous ghostly white shape alighted on the pond, followed shortly thereafter by four more. As they moved closer to the house and were no longer blocked from view by the island, their silhouettes became clear - pelicans! Our main pond is not that large, only about 1.3 acres, so we were surprised to see these large water birds stop in. They stayed for less than an hour, but it was a memorable visit." I also found out that pelicans can...
Like a bubbling brook creating music as it splashes over stones, so the trickle (and sometimes torrent) of flowers creates a panorama of color rippling across the landscape. Spruce buds and hazelnut catkins, honeyberries and apricot blossoms, apple blossoms and honeysuckle, a sea of autumberries, and countless other blooms adorn the yard. Time outside is aromatherapy. (As long as the neighbors aren't spreading manure or chemicals or burning trash, or Canada isn't on fire with the wind blowing...
Moments... There's a lot of focus on "big things" in life - getting a job, going on vacation, graduations (this time of year) and so much more. And big things are great, but what makes them really special are the moments. Like when you walk into your home and smell a delicious dinner that your spouse prepared - or walk in and your eyes start watering because your spouse was making HOT salsa and the air is filled with pepper juice. Or when your seven year old proudly displays three tiny wild...