Month: July 2018

Jul

2018

Bloggus Interruptibus – and My New Loves

It’s been nearly three weeks since my last blog post. I would like to blog about my reasons for not blogging for so long. I’ve fallen in love with Max, Huck, Toby – and a few other furry and feathered friends.

My intention with this trip from the start was to find peace-of-mind, live in nature, and write. When I began blogging, I realized I needed to post photos and video (and learn how) and weeks into it, I noticed that most people were not reading the text in my blogs. They would glance at a photo and a video. I really wanted them to read because I am a writer – not really a videographer, a blogger, or a social media natural.

Being off-grid added fuel to the fire of frustration. My intention to achieve peace-of-mind and live in nature was contrasted with this need to find phone and internet service so that I could post my blogs!

All I wanted to do is write.

The blogger’s need for internet and cell phone connection was really impacting my experience in nature. I really had to think about the reasons I am making this effort to live in nature, off-grid, for an extended period of time. I haven’t stopped writing, but I’ve reverted to using an actual pen and journal!! It feels good. I vowed to not make this blog another job. I want to use this as an expression of creativity, if at all possible – when it feels good and natural.

Who would have thought that a dispersed site in a remote coastal area would offer me the best phone and internet connection I’ve ever had—even in the city? My client has another project for me, and I’ll stay put here until it’s completed to make sure I don’t add that stress of frantic searching for internet back into the mix. My new charmed life just doesn’t have room for knowingly putting myself into stressful situations! I have no agenda to be anywhere but where I am anyway. And I’m in the forest only five miles from the beach. No kidding.

Now for a shout out to my new loves: Max, Huck, Toby, and the Biddies. I am extremely fortunate to have special friends scattered around the globe who have open door policies, and I’ve stopped in on some of them for a few days and been lavished with love, healing, incredible food, cuddles, and a peck or two. I’m recharged, and ready for a full experience of freedom….

My new loves:

Sunny’s biddies gave me fresh eggs every morning! That’s Max with his fishin’ jacket on, Toby on my lap, and Huck in the brown chair…California dreamin’.

Jul

2018

It’s Shower Day – UPDATE (read the text)!

Let’s face it—camping can be grungy. As a working woman, I have not lost my need to feel clean and presentable when I go into public, which will be this afternoon, since I need to find some internet and phone service soon!

I bought this Ivation RECHARGEABLE shower on Amazon about a year ago when I had started planning for this, my first solo camping trip of more than a day or two. When I charged it 3 days ago, I found it had held 90% of its charge for the year it sat unused!

I made a simple conversion from “office-in-the-woods” to “shower-in-the-woods” by using my desk as a vanity for shampoo etc., and removing everything else but for the shower and a large pot of hot water. I wanted to bring a stainless deep turkey fryer and heat the water over my fire, but couldn’t fit that in Sparky this trip. So I use the largest pot I have and heat the water on my Coleman stove, with an extra coffeepot-full at the same time just in case I need more.

I have always loved showering outdoors, but this shower – overlooking the creek and under the shade of huge pine trees, is the best yet. I simply hang the shower head from the center grommet on my screen shelter’s ceiling. Even though I doubt anyone would see me from the road, I ensured my privacy by installing (very easy) two of the wind panels on my shelter, just on the sides that were barely visible from the road. The soft panels, made of the same fabric as the roof, just hook on the top and bottom corners and Velcro across the top and sides of the shelter. When not using them, I leave them hooked at the bottom and just rolled up for easy install next shower time.

This shower-in-the-woods experience beats a 5-star hotel any day. Squeaky fresh and clean, I am! IMPORTANT UPDATE: Some astute adventurers have made a point that, even though I am using mostly Dr. Bronner’s unscented castille soap, it is safe for the ground but NOT for water and aquatic life! I have moved my shower 100 ft. away from the water, even though it was about 12 ft. above on a ledge. Also, I got rid of all cosmetics other than organic, unscented shea butter and Dr. Bronner’s unscented castille, and baking soda for tooth-brushing–as well as unscented laundry detergent. I’m going in to bear country, and one must be careful not to smell TOO GOOD!

DID YOU KNOW?

Emanuel Theodore Bronner was the maker of Dr. Bronner’s Castile soap. He used product labels to promote his moral and religious ideas, including a belief in the goodness and unity of humanity. Wikipedia

Born: February 1, 1908, Heilbronn, Germany

Died: March 7, 1997, Escondido, CA

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Jul

2018

I Stumbled Upon a Spring for Drinking!

If you’ve ever watched or read David Wolfe, you know how good live spring water is for your body. I actually did my own test once, freezing ice cubes from RO water bought at the Glacier machine vs hand-collected spring water. Once the ice cubes were frozen I opened my freezer door to see that the spring water had actually sent stalagmites up to the roof of the freezer! That’s a sign of living water infused with hydrogen, and David Wolfe actually found ormus substances (including gold, I seem to remember, but don’t quote me) by spinning live spring water in a centrifuge.

I decided before launch that one of my hobbies this trip would be to locate springs and collect good water for drinking. Hopefully you won’t recognize me by the time four months is up!

I had looked on findaspring.com to see if there were any springs nearby my camp. Unfortunately, the closest one was about 4 hours away- at least of those that are logged on the website. Then I went for a hike in the mountains, with no thought of it for the time being. About two miles into the hike, I spied this lake being fed by a stream. When I followed the stream uphill, marked by beautiful primrose—it was a spring! This absolutely pure ice-cold water was bubbling up from under a 13,000 ft. mountain. I was at about 10,500 feet and all I had with me was a liter water bottle, so I dumped out the dead stuff and filled it at the source!

It was empty before I arrived back at camp. The next day, I hiked back up with my gallon jugs to fill one at a time. Because of my shoulder injury, I chose to hike in and out twice with one gallon at a time. It was worth it!

Jul

2018

My Charmed Life Found Me – Finally!

I happened upon this dispersed campsite after I decided that I now live a “charmed life”.
(Yes, it was a decision – less angst and more flow.) I never could have imagined I would find a site this stunning, and it offers me the solitude I’ve wanted along with a few surprisingly friendly extras.

Take the wine rack, for instance. I was holding the bottle of wine and thinking about setting up my screen shelter, when – voilà! There it was: a perfect place to stow my bottle until cocktail time! (I’m getting really good at this manifesting thing!)

Two stalwart white pines stand sentry at the front zipper-door of my shelter, guarding my creative space. These trees also sheltered me from strong winds that raged a few nights, keeping all other campers at bay. No matter – even if they had stuck it out, my site is about half an acre, and populated by wild roses, scrub, grasses, pine, aspen, and wildflowers thick enough to camouflage my whereabouts. Worries about rain and flash flooding here are scant; I don’t sleep in my screen shelter anyway! I ran across a wild turkey and her chicks, gobble-gobbling away into the tall grasses. This is the sign of the give-away in Native American lore; I’m feeling the wonder of receiving and making mental notes to give back.

As I gaze beyond the cliff (only about a twelve foot drop to the water) I wander through space and time as butterflies and hummingbirds make their zigzag patterns downstream. It is idyllic. Yes, a charmed life. I like the sound of it. I like the feel of it. Think I’ll keep this going….