Girl’s Life Out

Where I’ve Been

I’ve been sweating. And stinking. I’ve been cleaning up chicken poop and brushing mud off of melons. I’ve been hucking rotting tomatoes and shoveling rotten pumpkins (and if you’ve never smelled a rotting pumpkin, count yourself as lucky). I’ve been washing sheep, who really washed me. I’ve been cursing the world of rural internet and loving the break from the buzz. I’ve been filling a pantry and then some with canned goodies. I’ve been eating said goodies.

This is where I’ve been since you last heard from me. I thought some pictures might be a good apology offering.

Oh yeah, then when the farming ended I found myself accepting a full-time editing contract. I work from home, but somehow I’ve landed myself in front of a computer 8+ hours a day now. Forgot to mention I also took on a job for the Outdoor Writers Association of California. Did I mention that I talked my dad into selling beef at the farmers’ markets? I also offered to sell it for him. Add that up – it’s a lot more than 40 hours a week. The farm is right outside the window, and luckily it has been raining since approximately November 1, so I’m not missing the outdoors too much.

Oh yeah, and then somewhere in there I also managed to get myself engaged to a pretty cute boy. So when I’m not editing, Outdoor Writing, or explaining that oxtail is actually beef to a bewildered local meat buyer, I’m planning a farm wedding for the spring.

I’ve missed you. Glad we caught up. I hope to get in touch more often in the coming months, but don’t hold your breath.

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January 3rd, 2011 | Category: Uncategorized | 2 comments

The Art, and Heart, of Blogging

Hello Friends. Let’s start with the obvious: it has been months since I’ve written. After starting this blog with a bang, building an online travel writing community, and pouring my heart and soul into it for six months, everything changed in my life. I went from being a desk-job editor to a full-time farmer. I started a new blog. And I went from urban internet-addict to a farm with slow, unreliable internet and far too much to do. Somehow that combination spelled the end of my regular blogging days.

I have considered quitting this blog, for real, many times. How could [...]

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September 11th, 2010 | Category: Abstract | 4 comments

MissAdventures in Paradise

About an hour ago, after a perfect morning of driving through Baja California and stopping (and shopping) in tiny beach towns, I arrived at my next destination. The writer’s conference I’m attending provided the option of post-conference trips, and since I’m down here I decided to go for it.

I already loved Pescadero driving into it, as it’s one of the biggest agricultural areas of Baja. There are fields and fields of basil and cucumbers and lots of other crops I didn’t get a close enough look at to be sure of. I felt curious and nostalgic for my own farm [...]

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May 20th, 2010 | Category: Uncategorized | Leave a comment

The First Day of Traveling Again – Random Musings

One summer when I was a wildlife biologist I decided I wanted to spend a year in Mexico. I don’t know where the dream came from, only that suddenly I was fixated on when, how and where I would do it. I would learn Spanish. I would live with a family in a compound with babies and grandmas and macho men and gossiping women. I would learn to make rice and beans and tortillas and less cliche foods. It would somehow be lush and green and dry and sweaty and everything I imagined Mexico to be.

I don’t think I’ll ever [...]