The Adventure Begins

The ideas propelling this blog have been stirring for several years.  I am on a journey to get back to the basics in life.

I’ve always been a city girl at heart.  I boast in my ability to hop through public transportation.  I gush over Starbucks.  I like fast internet.  I relish varied cuisine at my fingertips.  And to top all that off, even though I want to garden and I make a loving attempt at it every year, I have the thumb of death.

However, I am going to hike up my city britches and wade through the seemingly confusing (to myself) simple life, or as I like to think, primitive life.

I have a deep hankering to figure out how to be self sufficient, not just in navigating a big city, but sowing life and reaping a real harvest.   I want to garden, I want to be able to survive without big industries, and if I ever have to get dropped off at a deserted island (or an open span of wilderness abounding in natural goodness that I currently have no idea how to harness), I want to be able to thrive!  I want to get back to mankind’s primitive roots, and be the “fittest” to survive.

The tiny embers were first  laid in my heart about two years ago.  I joined Pinterest and discovered all sorts of neat crafts that those crafty people do.  I wanted to try my hand a being creative, and I also was in search of some good products.  I stumbled upon soap making and never even realized soap could be made in my house.  I made a genuine attempt at the process, and I did not get any exciting outcomes.  In fact, I would say my first endeavors (that I had the brilliant of idea as gifting as Christmas presents) were a big flop.

So, soap making wasn’t for me.

I then stumbled upon some other “homemade” adventures.  I have always felt rather capable as a cook, and I am pretty brave and successful when it comes to trying weird and difficult recipes.  In spite of the fact that I am not a nature girl, my mother cooked great meals for the family all the time and we never ate frozen or box-prepared dinners.  As part of a science lesson one year I decided to make yogurt.  It was so simple and it made sense to me since I am a biology geek.  I didn’t bat an eyelash at my amazing and successful feat.  However, I had and have much to learn.

Lastly, what has most shaken my world was a casual comment a friend made a few weeks ago.  We were talking about food, and probably expenses and our likes, and he said something simple like, “Yeah, well you can always just make your own cheese,”

Pause.  Make my own cheese?

I had absolutely no idea cheese could be made at home (can I blame this on being a city girl?  Or the fact that I am young?).  That night, I went home and researched a bit and became very determined to make my own cheese.  I haven’t done it yet, but it is on my to-do list.  In the past few weeks I have been having grand revelations.  Everything I consume I wonder if I can make it.  These musings, paired with some other background ideas of wanting to get back to primitive foods for health reasons have spurred this commencement.

I ate some pizza and asked myself,  Can I make this?

I I saw some yeast at the store and asked myself,  Can I make bread with this?  Without a bread machine?

I drained the last drop of my half and half cream and couldn’t get to the store for my next cup of coffee and I asked myself, Can I make this?

I scraped the bottom of the sour cream container today and asked, Can I make this?

I drank some almond milk last week.  I immediately asked myself, Can I make this?

I then entertained a related question of, Can I make almond butter?

I might end up getting all crazy and buying a cow to milk in my backyard.  I’ve even contemplated researching the Amish people (the name of my blog could change later to something like, “Becoming Amish”)

I’m getting back.  I’m getting back to how we were intended to consume foods (and let’s not forget healing herbs and antibacterial foods, etc).  I’m getting back to these roots to enjoy my life fully, and to help have a whole life.

So my adventure begins.  I will be blogging my attempts at my heart’s desires in hopes that I can make the unknown known to others out there like me.

I have lots of ambitions for this week, like making yogurt, making almond milk, making tahini for homemade hummus, and canning jam.  We will see how the adventure goes.  I am sure at many times it will be humorous.

Cheers to the journey.