Homesteading Part-2

Part-2 Homesteading

The Animals

To read part one the beginning of our homestead journey click here: 

Self Sufficient Homestead

Besides living out in the woods when my husband and I homesteaded, some of our favorite memories were of the animals. 

I have a little yorkie and on the homestead we called him the "Lizard King".  We called him that because that is how he spent 85% of his time, chasing the lizards or waiting for them to come out from their hiding places so he could chase them. I have to tell you, I am not really sure what was funnier, my yorkie chasing the lizards around or my husband chasing the lizards that ran up the trees.  While I watched my husband do that was funnier than hell!!

One early morning while my husband and I were sitting outside drinking our morning coffee, we looked over and seen an amazing sight. This huge mama opossum was walking across our yard with her little babies riding on her back.  Another morning while we were sitting outside, we watched this coyote running through a section of our woods,  like a flash of lightening trying to get to its home before it became full daylight.

We use to put piles of seeds out for the chipmunks that hung out in our yard. It was so funny watching them pack their cheeks, than run to their home, empty the seeds and come back for more.

We use to have a lot of hummingbirds.  They sat on the tree limbs and watched for when the coast was clear, than dash down get some sweetness from their feeders then zip off back to the tree limbs.  These little hummingbirds were so competitive with the feeders.  One of them got hurt and fell to the ground.  My husband gently picked him up and we tried to nurse it back to health, but it ended up dying.  It was so sad, because we watched the life force drain from this beautiful little creature.  All I could do was cry when my husband buried it.  That was the first time in my life I ever held a hummingbird.

At night there were these huge opossums that kept getting into our compost pile.  Oh, my goodness, everything we tried to do to keep them away never worked.  So my husband stacked a pile of small stones on the deck and when the opossums came back, he would throw rocks off in the distance to scare them away.  Oh, it only worked a couple of times, because they kept coming back and nothing was to going to stop them.

A beautiful site we seen one morning was when this beautiful doe was walking down our driveway with her little fawn.  Honest to goodness it melted my heart seeing something that beautiful.

We use to have this deck walk-way that lead from the house to a little shower room. One night while walking across this deck, my husband turned around and yelled for me to stop!! There was a little copperhead snake peeking up through the spaces between the wood on the deck.  Needless to say, I felt my heart leap up to my throat.  Eeekkk, it still gives me the hibbie-jibbies just writing about it.  A few days later, my husband walks up behind me holding that snake so I could see what it looked like up close! That was nothing new with him~my mother-in-law warned me that when he was a small child, he use to bring all kinds of little critters home in his pocket!!!

I believe one of the most beautiful memories we have about animals on our homestead was, one night while we were lying in bed, we looked out our window and watched this deer that was right under our window. Of course not having any electricity the only sounds you really heard were Natures sounds at her best!  We just laid there very quietly, enjoying watching this beautiful creature. Thank goodness it was a full moon night!

It got to the point on the homestead that seeing wildlife became an everyday thing.  But neither one of us ever got tired of seeing or hearing the wildlife especially at night.  We have heard bears in the near distant, my husband adopted a opossum and named him "Gimp".  It was this opossum that began to show up every NIGHT! We knew it was the same opossum because it walked with a limp and it showed up almost at the same time every night.

I believe the quiet and seeing the wildlife are two of the things I miss most from our homestead.  The only sounds you heard were Natures' sounds, and all you could see at night was what the moon light allowed you to see.  We did have flash-lights but we tried tried to save the batteries. Besides, there is something very magical about the night-time when you live back in the woods.

WarWoman Dell

I have always said, if there were ever a picture that could describe my soul it would be this one.  WarWoman Dell is located in the Northeast section of Georgia in a wonderful town called Clayton.  The drive to Clayton reminds me of of the mountains in Colorado, they just seem to be right in front you, calling to you to keep moving forward.

Clayton is located in Rabun County and you will see a little of everything there, mountains, waterfalls, springs, forest, lakes and so much more.  Rabun County is nestled in the southern tip of the scenic Blue Ridge Mountains.  It is a convenient drive from the major metro areas of Atlanta, Georgia, Asheville-North Carolina, Greenville-South Carolina and Chattanooga-Tennessee. 

History of WarWoman

WarWoman was a beloved Cherokee dignitary who voiced the decision of the Council on war and peace. Legend states that each spring this woman visited the Dell to preside over rituals.  

America's first natural born botanist, William Bartram, explored the area in the 1770's.  He documented the plants, climate, geology and culture of the people of this period and paved the way for future development.  A railroad bed was constructed here which would have connected the south and mid-western markets in Cincinnati.  Work stopped suddenly at the beginning of the Civil War and no rails were ever laid.  Unmanageable logging in the late 1800's and early 1900's degraded the forest.  The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCCs) went to work restoring the land by planting trees and controlling erosion.  Enrollees in Company 457  built the original picnic shelters, fish holding tanks, latrine and stonework drains in WarWoman dell. 

I was introduced to WarWoman Dell after attending a  Woman's Ceremony that was held in that general area, many moons ago. The second my feet touched the ground at WarWoman I was in love.  This is a place that no matter where I moved, it always stayed in my heart and has always been considered my sacred sanctuary. 

In 2008 when I visited there shortly after returning to Georgia, my heart sank.  The trails were no longer taken care of.  There were many trees down, the energy was extremely low and somehow it had lost a huge part of its spiritual energy.  Sometimes, I often go there and just sit by these huge hemlock trees often referring to them as my elders.  Those trees have heard many of my stories, my sorrows and stories of my spiritual path.  One of the most favorite times I had at WarWoman was when I was walking a trail and as I looked down to the ground I found a Hawk feather.  Many people that I have gone there with; always tells me the same thing, they say: "Oak, watching you here (WarWoman) is like seeing you walk right out of Nature as if you were a part of it."  To be truthful, often I felt like I was a part of WarWoman.

Many times, I would go there and walk this small trail away from  everything and sit by this tiny waterfall and just play my drum.  I always felt spirit activities there often wondering why I was always drawn to a certain place where there was a spirit of a young girl.  She would always stay at a distance from me but she was always near me.  The stories are endless when it comes to WarWoman Dell.  If you ever visit North Georgia, put WarWoman on your list of places to visit.  I hope you will love it as much as I do. 

2012 Christmas Designs

Every year I try to create something new for Christmas.  This year I have been very drawn to "textures".  I take photos or my artwork and take them into another computer program and add different special effects. I also never usually place "Christmas" on my designs ~so no matter what you call the holiday; the cards can be used.  

The Holidays are Approaching

Christmas Gift Idea's

When it comes to Christmas face it, it is not what it use to be.  There use to be a time when a child was happy finding a piece of fruit in their Christmas stocking.  In today's time chances of a piece of fruit being found in a stocking would get a very strange reaction.

Gifts are given out of love.  When you give gifts, there should not be grief, stress and sadness if you do not have the money to spend on expensive gifts.  I have seen where a lot of the appreciation of giving has lost some of its magic.  For me personally that has become very sad.  Many people celebrate and see the holiday differently and however you decide to celebrate it is your call on your own personal path. 

How many times (truthfully) has someone asked you what you wanted for Christmas? I personally have a problem with that, because like I said in the opening, gifts are given from the heart and should never be out of obligation.  When I think about giving gifts, I look at the person's heart and energy.  If someone loved hiking you would never give them a pair of ballet shoes, right? You would associate that person with Nature and a love they have for it.

Here are a few ideas that could be something for you to consider.

For Nature lovers  

Just about anything with a nature scene on it: 

Do you love baking?  

You can make a wonderful gift from your own kitchen

Places to find great recipes to fill a tin

Recipes From WhiteOak's Kitchen

The Low-Carb Kitchen

Recipes from a Southern Kitchen

Joan's Congo Bars

Back in the early 1990's I wrote this short story about how I see Christmas.  The story is called:  Glorious Christmas

I will be adding to this post throughout the next few days, please bookmark and come back to visit. 

Honoring the Divine Within

When you read the phrase:  "Honoring the Divine Within" what comes to your mind?  There use to be a time when I created a line of herbal products just for this reason.  In today's society, men and women have to manage several different titles at once:  Mother father, business person, wife, husband and so on. One of the main things I have always noticed is how easily it is for a woman to put her needs on the back burner to nurture everyone else.  I am not saying this is always the case, but the biggest majority of women do that. 

When you are raised in a house-hold where the mother and the step father were always top priority above anyone else, what choice is there but to make a nest on the back burner?  I personally have learned a lot throughout my childhood, not about things to do but about things NOT to ever do!  Since I have been out on my own at a very young age, I can tell you, you learn a lot by hand on experiences and you take those experiences to mold how you want your own life to be. Along my path I have had to learn how to ~Honor the Divine Within~ and there are times I forget to do that and often reminded in different ways.

"Be yourself. There is something that you can do better than any other.  Listen to the inward voice and bravely obey that" ~Unknown Author~

When you continuously put your own needs on hold or on the back burner, you are causing a lot of chaotic buildup on the inside. You are throwing yourself in an unbalance situation that can cause low self esteem, low self confidence and low self respect.  Soon you begin to forget your Divine Within and your own identity.

I am not saying this is always the case, I am just speaking from own experiences in life and remembering several conversations I have had with many other women and men.  Don't get me wrong, when I turned my life completely around after getting custody of my brother and sister, I have no regrets.  I gladly put myself on the burner because I have always had this Fairy Tale image of what a mother should be.  In my case; if I had the chance to change a few things I think I would~only because I actually lost a part of who I am (or was) when my brother and sister grew up and moved out on their own.  I made the mistake and built my world around them. Finding myself again became a very strange, very hard yet wonderful journey on my path.

"Only as high as I reach can I grow,  Only as far as I seek can I go, Only as deep as I look can I see, Only as much as I dream can I be"

~Karen Ravn~

During my healing process of finding my Divine Within, one of my journey's was finding my "child within".  The child that remembers all of the fun things in life, the child that likes to treat herself, and the child that remembers all of the beautiful things in life~often however it is not a matter of remembering all of the wonderful things in life, often it is learning how to find them.  The Child Within

"What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us"

~Ralph Waldo Emerson~

~Take a few moments each day just to be with you

~Relax in a warm tub or take a warm shower using your favorite scent

~Buy yourself a treat, it does not have to be expensive

~Take a few minutes out of the day and smell a flower or better yet, purchase a fresh flower and set it next to your bed (when I was single I did this every payday!)

~Put on your favorite song and DANCE

~Remind yourself that you love who you are and you are proud of all of your accomplishments because you are worth it!

The Elements Fire and Air

The Elements Fire and Air

When you are walking through the woods,

where the mighty one's once stood,

Listen to the crackling fire's sound,

that circles you all around.

Listen to all of the sounds in Nature,

and how her rhythm becomes even greater.

Listen to the Air,

and the roaring power of fires flare.

As the air dances across the water,

leaving ripples that move like a performer,

the air flows soft and slow~

and intertwines with fires glow.

As air flows through the branches of a tree,

and entwines with the leaves,

they have completed their dance to air's sound,

now it is time to meld into the ground.

Every element has a special chore,

as does the ocean waves as they touch the shore,

as you sit with a chill from the air

just imagine fires flares.

As the air flows all around,

like the rhythm of the drums sound.

Keep your heart warm by the fires heat,

and enjoy this moment before it fleets.

I have always said that poetry is a way for a writer to express things that often cannot be spoken from the mouth.  Yet, it can be expressed through metaphors. Since everyone speaks on different levels most of  the time, metaphors are often spoken as the universal language. Of course not everyone with agree with this and that is perfectly okay. 

Many people get sad and close down during the colder months.  When they see the bare trees, and all of the leaves on the ground, they see a huge chore that needs to be done.  Raking leaves is hard work no doubt.  I love to rake for several reasons, but mainly because I know the leaves I rake up will soon become wonderful material for your garden.  I love to watch how the leaves meld into the soil and how it makes soil richer. I do not see  autumn as doom and gloom, but instead I see autumn and winter as a time to rest and rejuvenate for preparation for a new beginning.  

Metaphors to me, is very much like the music from Enigma.  They may be singing something but when the words travel through your ears to your spirit~they become something totally different.  Listen and you tell me what you think. 

Cleansing Your Energy

Cleansing Your Energy

One thing that many people do not think about is cleansing their energy.  Cleansing your energy is as important as smudging your home when you feel negativity lingering around.

When you are out in public, whether it is at your job, in a local store, visiting friends and/or neighbors; it is very easy to also pick up energy that does not feel good.  It can make you feel as if you have something clinging to you, weighing you down and this does not do your spirit any good.  I have found especially being empathic or a sensitive empath, chances of your energy collecting negativity is a lot greater than the average person. 

Signs that are given to  you when your energy is screaming to be cleansed are given in all different ways.  Often you will feel drained and uneasy almost like all of your energy has been taken from you. (Very similar to a Psychic Vampire attack but not as strong).  You will feel as if you lost all interest in everything and you are not motivated to do anything.  Often you will get bad headaches and feel like sleeping a lot.

I wrote an article "Spiritual Protection" which talks about ways to shield yourself from psychic attacks and how to build shields, but cleansing your energy is different.  It is things collecting and/or attaching to your energy-your aura for no apparent reason.  It would be similar to a filter in a clothes dryer and it catching the lint.  Negativity is definitely one of the main things that attaches to your aura.

So how do I take care of cleansing my aura?

For many years I made herbal body care products and I use to make an exclusive line of products just for cleansing your energy.  There are two ways of doing this-either in the shower or soaking in the tub.

The Shower:

Take some sea salt and place it in your wash cloth.  Add some lavender, rosemary and sandalwood essential oils.  Since I work in three's, I would add three drops of each oil.  As you slowly begin to wash yourself, see the negative energies coming off of your skin and going into the bath tub.  As it goes down the drain, see it vanishing leaving your energy fresh and clean.

The Bath Tub:

When I do this in a soak:  I will use both the herbs and the oil.  You can use a muslin bag and add some rosemary, lavender and sandalwood chips.  Place the bag and about three tablespoons of sea salt in your tub, along with three drops of the same oils.  Light a while candle and lay back in the tub seeing everything negative vanishing off of you and going into the tub.  After you have soaked for as long as you want, let the water out of the tub and watch all of the negative energy vanish down the drain.

You can use which ever oils you would like for purification and cleansing your energy.  Here are just a few suggestions that you may like better than the one I gave.  I am also sure you can find many more with just a little research.

Oils:  Anise, Calamus, Chamomile, Cedarwood, Eucalyptus, fennel, frankincense, lavender, lemon, lemon verbena, peppermint, pine, rosemary, sandalwood, thyme and vervain.

Herbs (for soaking in tub) Anise, calamus, chamomile, eucalyptus, lavender, lemon verbena, mimosa, peppermint, rosemary, thyme and vervain.

The objective is to wash off all of the negative energies and see them vanish down the drain.

Between the Worlds

Beyond the views of our mind, there is a place between the worlds, in another dimension.  It is a place where life is completely different, it is a place that is truly pure, fresh and free.  It is there for everyone to experience, unfortunately very few do.  This place between the worlds is a place where there are no restrictions or demands.  The freedom is not like we are use to in this world, it is a pure freedom that does nothing but lifts your higher self to a point where everything in life has been lifted and taken away from you.  Every fractions of your spiritual being is cleansed and filled with a light that is warm, clean and bright.  You meld with every energy that life has to offer.  You are connected but not caged and bound, you are part of something much bigger, you are connected directly to the "Source".

Between the Worlds

(c) 2012 Eva WhiteOak Thomas

The dimension between the worlds,

is encased like a fine pearl.

It is so different and alive,

yet it only takes a second to arrive.

The dimension between the worlds,

is wonderfully warm and never cold.

As you breathe in the freshness of the air,

your senses are wide open, like an animal's lair.

The dimension between the worlds,

is a place your spirit can swirl.

You can see forever, but without sight,

and feel how the stars burn so bright.

The dimension between the worlds,

have paths that twist and twirl.

Listen closely you can hear beyond words,

in the dimension between the worlds.

The dimension between the worlds,

has a legend that has always been told,

everything you feel is without touch,

but yet you realize what it is very much.

The dimension between the worlds,

is a comforting place, yet so old.

If there were no eyes to see,

your senses is what you have to believe.

The dimension between the worlds,

where nature contrasted and always bold,

you are able to see the true life,

that emerges straight from the source.

Rock and Roll Music

Since I was a very small child I was raised with music.  The thing about music is it touches your soul, it reacts with your spirit on a very deep level.  Music often carries a lot of emotions, it reminds us of things we went through in earlier years. It has helped me through sad times, happy times, times when I was lost and times that were very bad.  For me music is a way to escape-I can go anywhere I want to by listening to music. Music takes you to a place within your mind that allows you to sing along regardless if you carry a tune or not, you can dance in the fields however you want and you can cry if that is what you need to do. Music is freedom for your soul.

Often someone who truly loves music will like a very wide range of it, Old Rock N Roll, Psychedelic Rock, Pop Rock, Folk and Blues, Country, Blue Grass and so much more.  Myself, I cannot get enough of that Psychedelic, Pop, Folk Rock music.  Take me back to the sixties and drop me off and I would be one happy trooper. Lock me in time with, Jefferson Airplane, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Cream, The Doors, Bob Dylan, Cat Stevens, Moody Blues, I promise the list is endless, and I would be one happy person.

I wrote a page years ago called 1960's Music  which of course is related to the Woodstock Festival also known as the Summer of Love.  Although I was a young teen at that time, I still heard of it and would have given anything to go to it.  

When it comes to having a favorite song I honestly could never just pick one.  But I do a few I can listen to many times and never get tired of them.  Wild Horses is one of them.

Wild Horses-Rolling Stones

Morning has Broken

   

The Story in your Eyes

If you are ever down, depressed, sad or want to escape for a while-Turn on your favorite music, sit back, close your eyes and listen to the music, allow it to take you where you need to go.