A more sustainable life

We moved to Ohio because we wanted to have a lifestyle that was still urban, but slower.We wanted to make time for living sustainably- in harmony with the earth, its cycles, and its other inhabitants. You know, like a Witch should!

Since moving to Ohio in mid-February, we have started the following:

We are making our own kefir.
At the rate my son drinks it, it is more economical
and healthy to make it ourselves.
Organic raw milk!
Plus, no more plastic bottles from the store!

Speaking of bottles, in addition to recycling, we are saving
our glass bottles to edge our garden beds.

We have started wildcrafting walks as a family.
This bouquet came from our last walk, where
I discovered delicious sassafrass! 

My library is mostly unpacked...

Herb books, mushroom books, lots of reference guides!

We obviously need to drink more wine.

Seedlings. These are thyme, cilantro, and tomatoes.

This pond will be cleaned and moved into a huge front box
along with morning glories, trumpetvine, and other decorative plants.
It's gonna be so much better than the ugly bushes that are there now.

Rowan on the porch.

Our current wild side yard, which will become raised beds.

Rowan "helping".

Putting the plants debris in the compost pile

Our first cleared out area on our side of the yard.
It was totally overgrown.

This is one of the few heirloom organic seed companies
that isn't owned in any way by Monsanto.
Their stocks go back to the 1700's and are
amazing in their variety.
Order a $5 catalogue to help support their efforts, please!

Seedlings for kohlrabi, peppers, tomatoes,
sweet potatoes, potatoes, peppers.

Seedlings for basil, rosemary, strawberry, echinacea,
parsley, and more.

This awful 1970's era bush is going to go.
It will make room in that huge brick planter box
for a pond, gorgeous vining flowers and trellises.
On the rim will be containers of even more flowers.

The bush, partially cut back, reveals trash. Boo!

My latest order from Landreth Seeds:
lots of herbs and pollinator attractors!

My worm bin has some "tea" to use on my
plants already!

Using the dryer less. When I do, I am saving my dryer lint and
putting it in egg cartons with beeswax for firestarters.
The neighbors have a lovely firepit that they share.

We are using soap nuts now in cotton bags instead
of clothes detergent. We can compost them when we are done.
We have a compost pile in the back, as well as the worm bin.

Worm food!

All over, people are starting to do more sustainably-conscious things. What are you doing?

I am a DRE!

Before moving out to Ohio, I met with my former grad school advisor one last time. I explained that I have not been pursuing a ministerial credential. I realized it was not my calling about a semester into my master's degree. But I was unsure about what I wanted until right before we left. I wanted to work with kids again.*

While I was evaluating my career goals, I volunteered. First, at First Unitarian Church of Oakland (which was so inspirational and awesome that it inspired me to become a member of their church, a first ever for me) in the Religious Education (RE) program. I helped out in the nursery, where my son played and also took on the "Club UU" kids- who were from 4th-6th grade. One RE position led to another as I asked to be a (paid!) RE summer school teacher at Berkeley Fellowship of Unitarian Universalists. It was a one room school house for all ages of kids. Those two experiences helped me decide that working with kids and youth again was for me.

Then we moved to Ohio, and I was delighted to join First Unitarian Universalist Society of Marietta. It is a bastion of progressive religious thought in its area and I was blessed with the 4th-8th graders and we had lots of fun. They were cool with my Witchy self and let me create my own curriculum! This was great, because I have been working on a curriculum for Rowan and it gave me a chance to test some things out.

When we finally made it to Columbus, I wanted to continue to volunteer, become a part of a church, and hopefully find a DRE position one day. I had 4 churches within 25 miles to choose from. I started with North Unitarian Universalist Congregation, as my current grad school advisor (Rev. Dr. Ritchie) is the minister there. When I met with her, I told her that I ultimately wanted to work in RE, and she offered me a volunteer position in the already established teaching schedule. Together, we worked out a grad-school-credit-for-volunteer-DRE-duties arrangement in the fall. Their church no longer had a DRE. Rev. Dr. Ritchie had taken on that role when the last one left, and she had stopped looking for a replacement, assuming one would "fall out of the sky" when the time was right. I was excited about proving myself within the congregation as a volunteer and hoping that they would want me and create a budget for the position one day.

Then Rev. Dr. Ritchie emailed me about a great opportunity at *another church*.

The biggest church in the Columbus area is here in my very own neighborhood- First Unitarian Universalist Church of Columbus. It is on par in size with Oakland's church and is very active. I interviewed there last month to be a summer Sunday School teacher, much like I was in Berkeley (but with a lot more kids!). But a couple days before my exciting interview, I got an email from Rev. Dr. Ritchie- there was a sudden opening in her staff, as her Administrative Assistant (AA) just gave notice. Was I interested?

Well, yes. We are just getting on our feet here in Columbus and a part time job (especially one that can mostly be done from home!) was most welcome. Then she let me know that she was re-crafting the position I would be the AA as well as a DRE- and as the position grew I could get more DRE hours. I had to interview with the Board of Directors of course and get their approval. I was so nervous!

I put on my only suit (a pinstripe skirt number) and reviewed the job description, the church's website and newsletters, and the UUA's guidelines for becoming credentialed in Religious Education. So long story short., I got the job!!!

I start May 14 and that following weekend I head to Pittsburgh, PA for a training in the Our Whole Lives (OWL) program. This training alone is super exciting. This is hands-down the BEST sexuality curriculum around. I wanted to get certified as an OWL educator even before I wanted to be a DRE. (I took a Sex and the Spirit class at seminary where I learned about it and was seriously impressed.)

Flow brought me here to Ohio for a reason. And I am following the Flow and benefitting from it.

---

*I say again because I have been a public school teacher, a youth mentor, a tutor, and a girl scout leader.

General Strike!

Today, I do no Work. No School. No Shopping. No Chores. No Banking.

Won't you join us?