
In 2010 and 2011 I learned to knit, cook, bake, raise my own chickens and ducks. I bought a used sewing machine. I started to thrift shop more and retail shop a whole lot less. I fell in love with vintage. I planted more food grown in my own little garden, I became more clearly committed to helping the environment by simple, conscious everyday choices with food and general consumption. I began to truly enjoy the movement of the seasons, AND I found a "style" for my home that I liked after almost 40 years of not having any heart-directed sense of home style. (The style of my home? A little to the tune of bohemian flea market, of course.) All this, of course, in root was inspired by my kids and the desire to be a "rad homemaker."
Because I'm an songwriter by career, I have always been open to the creative. I always made things, quilts, gardens... But....it was almost as if I needed an affirmation saying TO me: you CAN do more. You can go deeper. If you want to, just dive in and DO IT. Amanda Soule's blog certianly helped. And many other bloggers out there. Also: inspiring books, rad local thrift stores, supportive parents, appreciative kids, a patient husband.
And so... I am slowly getting better at all of it. When I started my blog about 400 posts ago, I was crying over knitting and throwing my needles. Burning food. Making bread that looked and tasted like bricks. Bringing home a lot of things from the thrift store to The Brad's disapproving look, then a few months later taking them right back to the thrift store (I've found having an eye for interior home design isn't a natural born quality, but getting in tune with the heart is.)
I've made progress. I've continued to follow my heart. And into 2012 I go, following it all the more. Going deeper. What lies waiting?
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We have a chicken who was very sick for a long time. She never was a good layer, her pretty blue eggs broke inside her. We tried everything to no avail and figured her sickly. As you may or may not know, in late Fall and Winter, when daylight is more scarce, chickens don't lay much if at all (they need a certain amount of light to lay an egg!). This is exactly the time, when all our other chickens stopped laying and our gal, named Lily, began laying perfect pale blue eggs almost everyday.
This is why I have chosen this path. The path of a little more hard work and a lot more gratification. Because one day when you least expect it, on the exact day you never should, you start getting beautiful perfect blue eggs.
Yes. A little more work, and a lot more gratifcation. I'm glad I made it past the starting gates, because learning new things is never easy. But the thing is, you get better at it. And there is always further to go.
I have other visions too for the New Year- ones that are career based. But somehow they seem secondary to what I do in my home and with family. Perhaps these career dreams are not secondary, and the misconception that they are prevents them from fruition. Rather, I choose to now think: all if it is part of it. (Hint: I would love for 2012 to prove that to me.)
Much Love to you and I will be seeing you in the New Year.
(By the way- I just found out several of my albums are available on Spotify. I can't figure out how to send you the direct link to my music..but if you go to Spotify and search "Cory Sipper" you should get access.)
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