A tapestry of frogsong rippled through the twilight, flowing from the ponds and marshes in through the open windows of our home. The sound filled the senses, leaving no doubt of the vigor and abundance of life on our little oasis.

When we moved here over 20 years ago, it was all one abandoned pasture, mowed annually by a neighbor - and it was much quieter. While we still maintain some areas covered in meadows, we've also added a variety of other microclimates. There are ponds, marshes, evergreen thickets, shrub thickets, young woods - and the wildlife has responded. Every year I notice new birds, and sometimes new frogs. New plants show up randomly, too.

Sometimes it can be challenging, as predators have moved in along with prey, like the fox that's taken several of our ducks. You'd think that the abundance of rabbits would be ample fodder, but sometimes nature doesn't respect boundaries. We will find a way forward.

In other news, we had a double dose of frustration with our heating system this past week. We have a boiler system for in-floor heating and water heating that is preheated by a solar water heating system.

When we installed the boiler, though it was more expensive than our previous system, we were told that it should last 20-30 years, so we figured it was worth the expense.

Instead, the ignition started having problems at around 10 years (we had that cleaned twice, then replaced) and now at 13 years, the built in storage tank is leaking. The company has also gone out of business from a massive recall in 2025, so no parts are available. This leaves us with a big unexpected expense as we are faced to replace the entire boiler.

For the cherry on top, while I was checking on the boiler, I noticed that something seemed off with the solar water heating system sitting next to it. It was sunny outside, but the controller wasn't lighting up and activating as it should be.

After more investigation, I determined that the pump worked, the system was holding pressure, and if the controller was switched to "on" instead of "auto", it turned on the pump. Checking the collectors outside, I found the problem. During one of our winter storms, the sensor at the top of the collector had pulled loose. My son attempted to get it reseated and stabilized, but as of this writing, no luck. It's been storming today, so we couldn't attempt to take it apart for a closer look.

I suspect it's been out of commission for some time, as our propane use was higher than normal this winter. I'd attributed it to more laundry, since we've been washing a lot of extra sheets with Duncan in massage school, but now I think we had no solar heat for some time as well.

Why am I sharing all this? Because it gets back to the old saying, "Two is one and one is none", and the importance of savings and regular system checks.

If the boiler stopped working completely, we could have used the solar for heat and hot water. (It's still possible if I work the system manually.) We also have the masonry stove for backup heat, as it's supposed to drop back into the 30s this week. We have several options for covering basic needs.

The expense of the boiler is a lot, but we've been saving for other projects, so we can make do. I'm kicking myself a little bit for not checking on the solar water heating system sooner, but it's a good reminder to not take things for granted.

I check on the solar electric system a couple of times a week, because it's interesting to see how much power it's producing. The solar water heating system is in a more out of the way part of the basement, and has a more basic display. I noticed the lights were on so it seemed okay, but I'm usually in that part of the basement in the morning or evening, when it's less likely to be operating. Now I know better.

This Week’s Resilience & Abundance Boost

• Check your systems before they fail. Walk through your home, homestead, or routines with fresh eyes and look for small issues before they become expensive emergencies.
• Build layers of backup. Heat, water, food, savings, skills, and community support all work best when there’s more than one option available.
• Don’t mistake “quiet” for “fine.” A system can appear functional while slowly drifting off course. Periodic hands-on checks matter.
• Learn how your systems work. Even a basic understanding of pumps, sensors, valves, or switches can make troubleshooting far less intimidating.
• Notice the abundance around you. Frogsong, birds returning, blooming plants, and healthy ponds are reminders that life persists and adapts, even when things get messy or complicated.

Resilience isn’t perfection — it’s creating enough flexibility, awareness, and redundancy to weather the inevitable surprises of life.

All our best to you and yours,

Laurie (and August IV, August V, and Duncan)

This week's featured articles...

Speaking of resilience, I figured I would talk a little more about what being resilient means to me.

And though we enjoy all the dandelions at our place and make use of them for many different things, I know not everyone is a fan, so I put together an article on how to get rid of dandelions without chemicals.

The rhubarb pudding cake post is hopping this time of year, but adventurous folks may also want to try some rhubarb cherry wine, naturally sweetened rhubarb spread, or rhubarbade.

Buy me a coffee...

or pitch in towards the boiler repairs here - https://common-sense-home-llc.kit.com/products/newsletter-tip-jar​

or grab your copy of the Resilient Gardening System.