A humble start to the Wild Ride Homestead

Patio garden design!

I recently started to design a patio garden for Michaela and my flat over here in the UK. I have been reading about Peak Oil for about three years or so and Climate Change for over ten. I think in many ways I have been stuck on the problem and not making the steps towards taking action and solutions. Michaela and I have made some changes in our lives and cut our consumption a lot but it feels different now. Partly because while we had cut our consumption a lot relative to the average American we were still only about equal to the average UK citizen. We had still not truly challenged the structures that our society is built on. Well now I'm hoping to not just bend the rules but start breaking them.

I have been watching videos from the Peak Moment TV online program. Through this I have seen many examples of real community based solutions and heard people's stories. This has inspired me to move out of my comfort zone. The first step is starting Michaela and my Wild Ride Homestead!

Beautiful morning in Lewes

We woke up to a very lovely morning today with the sun just shining on the English countryside with a small band of fog hovering amongst the houses and parks.

The change in the weather is very much welcomed. The past several days have been cloudy and grey with some rain and a near constant wind strong enough at times to almost shake the flat.

Spring is slowly arriving here in Lewes. Spring bulbs are starting to show up and even a few spring flowers. Still getting below freezing at night though from time to time. It will be very nice once the weather warms and sunny days become the warm days.

We did have a nice day though walking through the English countryside about a week or so ago. It was a nice sunny day and crystal clear. We walked along the River Ouse to a small old church that even to this day is still in service (expect in winter).

On our way back though we did have a little adventure with Shelob. Luckily it was only Shelob's webs but we kept our eyes open and moved a little more quickly home.

Even the rain and wind though still does not ruin the day. We went out to the farmers market and a seed swap a couple days ago. It was very blustery and misty day but still a lot of people showed up to the seed swap. We bought some yummy English Apple Juice and some carrot cake n brownies as a treat.

The seed swap was hosted at a the Lewes Grange. It is a very beautiful place with gardens and a stream flowing through the gardens. There is also a crafter's guild there that has arts and crafts produced by the guild members. Its very nice and we are looking forward to going back once the flowers are all in bloom.

Lewes is a very lovely magical place. Seems like every day we are discovering some new secret passage way to a new adventure and sights unseen. *more pictures after the break*

Remember remember the 5th of November

I see no reason why the 5th of November should ever be forgot... If you have ever seen V for Vendetta then that line should be familiar to you. In reality though that line is reference to Guy Fawkes Night also known as Bonfire Night.

Welcome to Lewes

Looking down a side road from High Street

I discovered while working on this blog post that I need more pictures of Lewes. Lewes is an fantastic town that really feel like a small old European town.

As you walk down the main street of town called High Street you see small shop after small shop with restaurants and flats mixed in.

High Street is the main road for traffic through Lewes and yet for the part through the middle its only has one lane and uses traffic lights to keep everything moving smoothly.

One day while walking down High Street I noticed something that surprised me a little. There was a little plaque on the wall of one of the buildings called the "Bull House" and it stated that this was the home of Thomas Paine.

Six clothes for one month

So today was the first of August and that means I get to start my Six Items or Less challenge. I am actually looking forward to this challenge. Not only is it a great way to help break my own addiction to consumerism but it is also means less laundry! I really hate folding clothes so this will be great for me. But back to seriousness after the break.

Six items or less

Michaela recently showed me this awesome site www.sixitemsorless.com. Starting on June 21st according to the site:

... "a group of people from California to Dubai are going to take part in a little experiment: each participant gets to choose six (and only six) items of clothing and pledge to wear only these six items of clothing for a month."

What is really awesome about this is that everyone who is taking part is encouraged to share their experiences over the course of the month on the Six Items or Less blog.

Chronicles of a wild ride

Welcome to Michaela and Daron's Wild Ride!

For those of you seeing this on facebook we setup our blog so that all posts made by me (Daron) are also posted on my facebook wall and all posts made by Michaela will be posted on her wall. Make sure to click the link and check out our blog!

As some of you know Michaela and I are heading off to Great Britain in September. Michaela applied for and received the Fulbright Scholarship to start her masters studies at the University of Sussex. This blog is our way to help keep in contact with our family and friends in the states and to share our wild ride through life.