I’ve been thinking a lot about the past, how people throughout history have continued to live during times of war, famine, innumerable human atrocities. When I was kid I always wondered how anyone would be capable of happiness or even normalcy during such times. Now, I think, it’s starting to become clear.
The push-pull between despair and joy feels a lot less cushioned these days. If we were playing tug of war, this would be the part where the flag hovered dangerously on the line between two grunting, sweaty teams. Both personally and in the world at large, circumstances have felt much harder than usual: folks are angry, money is tight, freedom is limited, our neighbors are being harmed. Anyone with a brain stem is tapped into the collective pulse of Plutonian reckoning.
In the smallness that is my day-to-day life, however, I’ve managed to find some quiet pockets of joy, not the least of which is spending less time endlessly scrolling through instagram story after instagram story. (Don’t mistake me—I’m not a saint. I’ll be back to my addiction eventually.) So, though I could wax on about The Horrors, I present instead a little sampling of things that are balancing the emotional scales for me, in the hopes that you too are taking moments of respite amidst the chaos.
Garden prep!
My first real attempt to grow food since moving into my house in 2021 has me every weekend morning with a shovel in hand and gloriously sore muscles by sunset. Dessa (being the brilliant architect that she is) meticulously mapped and planned our beds while I’ve been tending to the seedling grow station in my living room. We also joined the Compost Now train, which feels like a positive, albeit small, step towards more sustainable living.
Sourdough!
Loaves, Focaccia, and soon, bagels! If you’re saying to yourself, “Wow, Ames, gardens and sourdough? What is this? March 2020?” I would reply MAYBE (mostly because this post is supposed to be positive, so I’m avoiding talk of bird flu) or perhaps this is what life could be if capitalism wasn’t our taskmaster—but I digress. Bread!!!
If you’re also on the leftist homesteader track, I really recommend:
Ducktok as a concept—ducks that run around and eat slugs and lay giant eggs? Adorable and practical.
Beloved Cabin: a couple with property up on Lake Oconee who are serious DIY homesteaders—they even have system that turns their poop into cooking gas. I’m eons away from that life, but I’m fascinated and inspired nonetheless!
These inexpensive shop lights in place of insanely priced “grow lights.” These bad boys do the trick for less than half the cost.
Guitar lessons continue! I will not be playing the Pink Pony Club solo anytime soon, but I have dreams.
A smattering of other good things: Mardi Gras themed gatherings complete with mudbugs and masks, the perfection that is Ria’s brisket breakfast, finally getting rid of our Christmas tree (holy fire hazard), and gender affirmation in the form of Scrappy Do.
As the age-old internet meme says, the horrors persist, but so do I. The despair washes in and out like waves on the shore, but in the moments between may we all find a little peace.
Take care of yourself and maybe take a tomato plant off my hands. Godspeed.
This is EXCITING! Go you!