Outside the Box

I've gotten a few recent inquiries as to HOW I am getting the crazy notions that have fueled this blog. Riding around by old fashioned motility, and living a life outside the box...and exactly WHAT is it I do with my life?

I've sometimes tried to answer these questions, but I couldn't say I've got a pin-point answer. I've always been a Jack (or jill?) of All Trades, and while I am sure I've long-since disappointed my parents in that I shan't ever be a doctor, I suspect they'll know I'm happy Outside The Box. In fact, I wonder if I've ever been IN it.

Zan in the Wild and Wooly World

As of now, my life sort of runs like this:

The Animal Whisperer ~ Well, what did you expect? My whole life has sort of been a love affair with every creature on the planet. I've cared for cats and dogs, snakes, rabbits, chicken, sheep, lizards, rodents, hedgehogs, hawks, owls... I've ministered to many of them. I currently still work with them on a limited basis.

The Artist ~ I've been drawing since I could remember (you've seen this in the last post, yes?) I've worked in fine arts, I've worked in performing arts. I would say I've covered ALL of the arts, but I'm a horrible singer (but that's our little secret, right?) When I'm not doing imaginative things, I think about it all day long.
Probably the greatest use of my imagination was first used here: www.chovexani.com (don't faint!) and now I love doing this, as well: vagabondcreations

The Bee Charmer ~ My grandfather owned 40 hives in Hungary. My mother was a beekeeper despite having devastating allergies to bee stings. My mother's stories were a great motivator, as well as the fact that bees are dying in the world. Bees are important pollinators, without them, we would run out of food in 3 or 4 years by some estimates. And it's challenging taking care of bees. It was only a matter of time before I was going to learn how to care for them. We have three hives on top of our city roof. They have been a source of amazement and delight. In many ways they have taken care of me, giving me an education and teaching me to be much calmer and purposeful with my movements.

The Herbwyfe ~ I'll admit it. I haven't always been enchanted by the Wild World. But I couldn't deny that the Universe makes some amazing stuff. The older I got, the more I looked away from the constructs of man, to the simpler, amazing world of Nature. Our ancestors used plants for many things, amongst them medicine. I've been fascinated by this since I was in my twenties, so off I went to become an herbwyfe, which is an olde world (or perhaps reconstructed?) term for a woman who spends her life learning and living with herbs in a practical way. It's been interesting and useful learning, so far.

The Writer ~ Confession number two: I never thought I'd end up writing so much. Which is strange, since I've loved writing since I was a younger girl, and my mother always said I should write. But it was tedious, too tedious for a girl running all about, and for an adult...well, running all about. I hadn't the patience; there was so much to do in life, after all. I had so many stories and ideas rattling in my head, but I'm a horrible perfectionist, and a procrastinator--or perhaps a procrastinator BECAUSE I'm a perfectionist. After all, it'll be better if I learn how to do it better tomorrow. So how I managed to have3 or 4 blogs, work on other people's blogs, and write about farming, I don't know!

The Farmer ~ Probably the hardest of the bunch. In my heart, I know I am one. I've read everything I could get my hands on about the subject. I've traveled to farms, worked on farms, learned first hand. Heck, I've even advised farmers on how to diversify their farms. I've written on the subject to no end. I've done micro farming on city rooftops and abandoned lots. I've applied for farm jobs, to no avail. I've worked with livestock, plants, herbs. I wash my clothes with a washboard, I embroider and knit, and can make homemade butter...I make a mean strawberry pie, even.
I just don't have the land to do this. With as many low paying jobs as I run around doing, in a very poor economy, my wages just won't get me there for awhile. Anyone have any bright ideas?

And so there it is. My world Outside the Box. Interesting, challenging, sometimes frustrating, but never boring. I don't regret one minute of my funny unconventional life. I remember being a little girl and thinking I didn't need a ton of money, I just wanted to have a most unusual life.

Funny how some of our childhood dreams do come true.

The Longest Path...

Sometimes the longest journey is the one back home, to the original world of your family and childhood.

For indeed, doesn't it seem that each visit is like a long unwinding of memories, and the realization of time gone past too quickly, and of paths first started in youth? For all things begin in that place with your parents and perhaps one or a passel of siblings--all dreams, experiments, challenges and discoveries.

And so it is that I have returned from my holiday journey to my parents' house. These trips are fraught with both joy and trepidation, as with the stretch of time, it is always wonderful to see my mother and father even as I worry about the ever forward lurching of Time's affect of their age, health, and appearance. How did these once giant invincible people become so frail, and snow-haired?

The time home is always an interesting venture through memories, and a good way to observe how my younger self affected the person I am today. I dare say that the little girl I was is not much different than me, though I do love the girlishness of her. Overall though, there are some very familiar tendencies that could have foreshadowed the present...

I used to keep giant bulletin boards stocked with all sorts of inspirational materials, gleaned from everywhere. The world inspires me in countless ways, even now. Here, you can see these boards heaped with all sorts of magic:

(click to enlarge)

Note the Victorian engraving replica, Goya painting, various colorful and worldly cards, postcards of Klimt....

...my own picture of a fairy (top), various Disney trading cards (I was going to be an animator, I tell you!), cute and various Christmas cards, old fashioned farm-y pictures (which probably hinted at my farm-loving tendencies).

And even my nightstands could have foretold of a kaleidoscopic array of interests I had:

Various antique boxes, glasses, and Alice's White Hare......

Old dried flowers, dried bouquets, more boxes--these of wood, and peacock feathers..

Here is my first marionette puppet. He would start a life-long affair with this unique entertainment/toy form:


And way up, at bird's-eye view....

Here are fancy hats, for when "I was going to be a lady"

I also brought home with me these drawings which I did as a teenager, and in my twenties. For awhile I had a short career as an illustrator with a "boutique" firm here in New York. We had clients in New Orleans and I suppose the exotic subject matter affected my drawing (or vice versa?)

This art was done for a client in New Orleans...

This one was for a pharmacy in New Orleans.

This drawing was done in my teens....I was surprised when it managed to be chosen for an art show

This drawing was mixed media, and also made it into an art show

And there you have it, a small gleaning of my journey home. What is your path home like?

BY THE WAY FRIENDS, stay tuned for a giveaway, here...SOON!

New Journeys...

Hello Friends!

Thank you for joining up with my ramblings!

Perhaps you are like me, still star-filled with the possibility of the New Year, or perchance looking to make a fresh start, to challenge yourself, to change some aspect of your life.

For me, these aspects begin not only with this blog, they continue with various other endeavors that seem to cobble a wonderful path forward.

Firstly, you may or may not know that I have a little art site once known as Wild At Heart Art. There, you could find my fine arts, art dolls, and various other musings. This has been moved to Vagabond Creations, which I am still in the process of updating.

Next, I have been honored lately, to find myself profiled in the February/March Edition of Mary Janes Farm magazine, which you can pick up at your local Barnes and Noble or newstand.

There you can find my musings on bees, dolls, and other things close to my heart (including farming, of course!)

And finally, a new-but-old endeavor, bringing back an old love of hosting radio shows and combining this with farming. Yes, I have started a radio show all about farming called The Renegade Farmer, and you can see both the blog and radio show HERE.

Speaking of which, next Sunday, I am pleased to say we are hosting popular blogger, farm-woman extraordinaire, and romance novelist Suzanne McMinn of Chickens in the Road.

You can tune into the show on Sunday January 17th, at 6pm Eastern Standard Time.

If you are interested in old-fashioned living, farming, and other romantic novelties, feel free to subscribe and/or follow The Renegade Farmer, as we have a whole slew of wonderful guests lined up!

In the meantime, other goals I've set for myself this year:

Finally learning to knit (properly)
Learning to play my gathering-dust-in-the-corner violin
Learning to quilt
More writing
More doll-making
Saving up for this little horse drawn endeavor of mine
Horse driving lessons
Continue gardening
More bee charming and animal whispering...

So what about you? What are your goals and dreamy-eyed notions? I'd love to hear them!

Each Journey Begins With A Single Step

So, now that the shock of my last announcement has worn off (or has it?), you may find your self asking: how exactly how does someone decide to pick up and drive cross country in a horse and travel wagon--especially since America has no more suitable roads for horse travel? Is it sheer madness?

Oh, most definitely. But it wouldn't be the first improbable idea I've ever had. I've always loved animals, old fashioned living, the wild world, and a good story. I've loved arts and lore. Somehow, they have all managed to come together in a most remarkable way, and by sheer luck, I haven't become homeless (yet!) from pursuing these whimsical ideals.

Now, I want to be CLEAR. While this project is a part of this blog, it isn't the ONLY part. Perhaps it's the most exciting part, but it's not the only part of this blog. Perhaps, not even a huge part. It's an ongoing project within a larger narrative of farm and urban farm living, crafting, and enjoying the large natural world. Such is my life....

I moved along from a very crazy career in the arts to a much more subdued art life--which in turn allowed me to reclaim my smaller simpler love of..well, the small and simple things in life. I've always held a special place in my heart for farmers and explorers, especially the wild wooly women who dared to break out of the molds expected of them.

I've always been aware if the need for more natural farming and environmental initiatives, as well as self sufficiency. My concern particularly was for the "old-time" farmer, who was slowly being squeezed out by huge corporate and factory farms, and an ever volatile government which favors such corporations. The old ways are a-changin' folks, old time crafts were giving way to foreign, mass produced goods, ethical food and clothing production was giving way to far less than that.

In the process, tons of people are losing their jobs. I'm one of them. I left a high stress job after several years of loyal service there, and it was impossible to FIND another job once that happened. I can count myself lucky that I have other freelance opportunities, but it barely pays the bills.

While I could probably let this sort of out-of-control situation cripple me, I felt more free to pursue any number of unorthodox ideas that I've had for a long time. If life was going to throw me a curve-ball, I'd do something equally as surprising, and manifest equally interesting answers in my pursuit of that question: "What is (my) meaning of Life?"

Several years ago, I was lucky to interview Tasha Tudor's family for an article I did for my short lived Magazine Big Town Farmer. Ahh, didn't I tell you I was a writer? But that's a story for another time. Anyhow, the idea of living in a very old way, despite what the world was currently doing--to be totally self sufficient--intrigued me. And then, the day I was doing research on why horses were being turned loose to fend for themselves because of this horrible economy solidified something for me.


Like these poor animals, I felt (and think that many of us feel) that so much was obsolete. People were becoming obsolete--or rather, their USEFULNESS was becoming irrelevant. There are so many educated, imaginative, able and willing people who have been thrown away from their jobs and lives, like so much trash. Horses once were used to TAME this land, the entire country once depended on literal horsepower to lug them, and their things, from one place to another. Now, with so much technology, horses are just another expensive luxury, discarded for lack of money. There are no horse drawn paths for horses, and there are fewer paths for people on their journey.

How to make this work? How to showcase "the little guy"? Without hesitation, the answer came to me --why not revive a dying art by driving a horse from one end of the country to the other?

I think this is a fantastic and important project. Do I know if it will come to fruition? I can't be sure, as it's more complicated than anything I've ever taken on. I think I'm a fairly good outdoors person, but I've never lived in a wagon. I can ride, but I've never driven horses. This might just be an ambitious dream, but I hope to shed light on the honest America that I love.

In the meantime, I'll mix in some practical urban farming and farming advice, anecdotes and the strange and funny tales of my life.

Join me, won't you?

Welcome to the Journey!

I am a Dreamer, just like You....

This is a line I frequently use to describe myself in the various incarnations I've taken online, and in life. And, it rings true.

You may already know me from my varied personas: dance artist and company director, Doll Artist and crafter, urban beekeeper, herbalist, animal caretaker and renegade farmer. Writer and interviewer. Halloween Lover, baker, and, above all...well, Dreamer.

I've never been one to shy away from unconventional notions, and this blog is another testiment to that. You may already know about my earlier career in the arts, and my gradual moving towards simplicity, self-sustainability, farming, and appreciation for the green, WILD world. In fact, this blog is the continuation of it's farming predecessor...

But there's a twist, one that's secretly been brewing for months, based on the love of caravan lore, horses, and much more, that I've had for years...and which ties up my love of horses, farming, green living, activism, old world living, art AND storytelling perfectly...

Because I am a fan of lore, I suppose the best way to explain what I am doing here can be had in the form of a tale:

Once A Very Long Ago time, a young child with a wild imagination learned to love art, animals and the untamed world. Nothing was off bounds, as long as it involved imagination. The "WILD" of it all, fascinated her.

This little gypsy-hearted child soon grew into a wild haired artist, who performed dance and acting, and eventually settled back into her roots as a visual artist. She also continued her work with animals...she whispered to doves, charmed bees, and all other manner of the animal kingdom.

She also worked with herbs, sat in vacant fields, and learned to deeply appreciate nature. It helped that her mother was an old-time Farmwoman, and the stories of her parents' self sufficient lives had always served as great motivators. So she learned to live simply, and help others do so, as well.

And because she was such history buff and lover of all things old-fashioned, she decided to include that in her little mix-up of a dream...

What is the dream? And what are the musings of this blog, then? It is to highlight urban farming, to spotlight old-fashioned living and those who live it, to showcase old world crafters and ALSO, to follow me on this new journey of....

JOURNEYING in a HORSE DRAWN WAGON across the country.

Yes, you read that correctly. One aspect of this journey, besides dealing with farming, has your friendly neighborhood urban farmer and artist looking for horses, learning to drive them, outfitting a journey wagon and taking to the highways to highlight a simpler time.

How is she doing this? When is she doing this? What possessed her to do this?

These, and more, shall be answered in my next post!