{Intro}

Welcome to my blog! I'm excited to start another, more inclusive blog to keep in touch with friends, family, and loved ones as I travel and start to live my dream. Hopefully you'll enjoy seeing what I'm up to, trying out recipes I find, and sharing what's up with you as well.

As a general update, for those of you who haven't spoken with me recently, this is what I'm up to right now:

I spent the past several months living at Acorn Community in Virginia. I learned a great deal about running a seed business, growing vegetables, living in community, and where I want to go with my life. Since I left in late December I've been visiting with my grandmother up in Philadelphia. This afternoon I'm on my way to the bus station for a 7-week trip to Oxford, Michigan. I'll be staying with Deanne Bednar and her Strawbale Studio, learning about natural building, and spending a lot of time gathering reeds for Thatched Roofs (How cool?!). I'll also get a chance to meet Jim McDonald, a henna artist and herbalist who lives nearby, and who led me to Deanne and her program in the first place.

After Michigan I'll be around St. Louis, Missouri for a week visiting Micah and Aimee, some very close friends that I can't wait to see again! Once that henna-filled visit is over, I'm jet-setting to San Francisco for the March 7-10 HennaTribe annual board meeting. Be sure to look for pictures after that trip!

Once all those adventures are done I'll be back in Richmond for a week, which I'll spend planting a vegetable garden for my Mom. Let me know if you're in the area and want to help! Once the veggies are all comfortably in place I'm heading back to Acorn to start up two exciting Cob Building projects and enjoy the work that goes along with a full growing season.

I'll update as often as I can with things I'm learning, pictures of my adventures, recipes I learn and enjoy, hopes and plans for the future, and resources for anyone interested in doing the same things I am. Please let me know if you're interested in receiving Snail Mail from me while I'm gone... I'll be sending out henna'd envelopes with similar updates when possible, and would love to get letters back. I can also figure out how to send an e-mail newsletter if you're interested in keeping in touch but won't remember to check a blog.

Thanks everyone :) I hope I can stay in touch with all of you, even though I'm wandering all over the place like crazy :) See you soon!

Comments

Anonymous said…
thanks for the update
Anonymous said…
So Acorn is going to let you do some cob building projects?! Thats really exciting. What kinds of things are in the works?
elaine said…
Dude, you get to meet Jim? That's fantastic! Stay warm -- Michigan is CHILLY in the winter. Most of my extended family lives in/near Grand Rapids. :)
Anonymous said…
Hey, Joan, this is Paul from the Wolves of Vinland. Sounds like things have been really interesting for you...sometimes I wish I didn't have so many things tying me to the area right now! Please keep me posted on all this great stuff, and if you want to send me any letters, my address is
Paul Waggener
1450 Rivermont Ave #1
Lynchburg,VA 24503
I'll send back. Take care, and be healthy!
Minn Heiður er Trunaður!
Anonymous said…
Hey Joanie,
Great Blog. I will be checking it daily.
Love, Mom