SANDRA CLARKE
  • home
  • about sandra
  • workshops
  • digital art
  • book shop
  • best life
  • past projects
  • travel
  • artist statement
  • c.v.
  • disney
  • school programs
  • patterns
  • press
  • cottage gallery
  • textile arts gallery
  • product
  • Murals + Mockups
  • Evan Clarke
  • Link Page
  • Suffragettes Paper Kit & Ephemera
  • free stuff

Maker + Educator

Please Join The E-mail List for Updates
FACEBOOK • INSTAGRAM • EMAIL

Bumbs, Obstacles, Hurdles, Update

10/29/2018

 
Picture
October 29, 2019.  It appears to be snowing all around our townhouse in the city and at the homestead but no snow in town.  I love snow!  Everything hibernates giving me pause to think and plan for the future.  I'm still unable to do "regular" work.  My health is far too inconsistant for that, but I'm working on it.  After spending almost 2 weeks at the homestead last month, I lost 25 lbs as a result of working on the property.  That's an excellent step in the right direction.  It does get frustrating to have plans and not knowing if the day will be a "good" health day, a "bad" health day, or an "in bed all day in pain" day.  I do the best I can.  Working on the homestead is a labour of love.  It's good that I can work for 20 minutes, take a break, then return to work.  Things go slow and can be unpredicable, but I love it there.  
When I have a good day, I am able to spend time on my laptop writing knitting and crochet patterns, planning vermicomposting, apiary, and garden ideas.
Emily's last cardiac appointment was a little scary.  Her cardiologist is proceeding with the heart transplant meetings.  The plan is to list Emily around February.  Once she is listed, she could be called any time for a new heart.  We are fortunate to live rather close to the hospital (other than the disgraceful Toronto traffic).  We will live life as "normal" as possible.  Emily will continue to go to school, Gary will continue to work, and I will continue to build our nest at the homestead.  If everything goes well, Emily will get a new heart, spend a few weeks in hospital, and then recover at home.  
I receive a couple of emails from Wwoofers who want to help on the homestead and Airbnb, I can't guarantee them work because of Emily's heart health.  (click HERE for Wwoofer info) 
My worm farm (vermiculture) is growing.  It's in my townhouse basment because it's too cold for them at the homestead during the winter.  I am learning everything I can about beekeeping.  Hopefully I'll have beehives in May at the homestead.  I will be starting an indoor greenhouse in the townhouse this winter.  I planted raspberry plants at the homestead and so far, no bears.  The wild blueberries should do well when the bees arrive.  Herb gardens and micro-greens are all ready for next season.  
Thanks for reading my blog.  It's like my "Dear Diary" time.  XOXO Sandra 

Wwoofers Canada

9/19/2018

 
Picture
September 19, 2018
In recent years, I started watching several Homestead YouTubers.  I narrow downed my favourites to: Dirtpatcheaven, Off Grid With Doug & Stacy, and Fouch Family Off Grid.  Through Dirtpatcheaven, I learned about WWOOFers.  WWOOF is an acronym and started out in the early days as Working Weekends On Organic Farms. This changed in time as it was realised that people wanted to volunteer and host anytime. Now various WWOOF organizations use a variety of meanings: World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms. Willing Workers On Organic Farms.  A couple of years ago, when we started talking about formally becoming a micro-farm, we assumed that we would be doing all the work ourselves.  However, both Gary and I have health issues that severely slowed down our progress.  I started to talk about WWOOFers more often.  We have so much knowledge to share.  
  • off grid living
  • tiny house living
  • solar power
  • generator power
  • cistern water system
  • composting toilet
  • outdoor shower
  • indoor shower
  • wood stove heating
  • micro-green growing
  • herb garden
  • trail blazing
  • tipi construction
  • vermiculture, worm farming
  • earth loom contruction
  • gourmet outdoor stone oven cooking
  • and more
Early this week, I applied to become a WWOOF Canada host.  
We are in the process of creating a tiny cabin Airbnb from what was formerly my art studio.  With Emily about to be placed on the heart transplant list, I decided to move my art studio back to the city leaving the art studio cabin vacant.  It's too adorable to leave empty, so we decided to share the experience on Airbnb.  In October, I will be spending several days moving the art studio and designing a tiny cabin Airbnb.  IKEA here I come!  
The tiny cabin will also serve as the WWOOFer(s) home while they are here.
The application process is detailed.  WWOOF Canada and I have been emailing each other all week.  It's exciting and a little scaring to move forward with this.  I am completely confident that WWOOFers will learn and we will have a mutually beneficial relationship.  The scary part is actually seeing our vision come to be.  This could be a "be careful what you wish for" scene.  This will be hard work.  But it's part of our dream.  I'll keep you posted about the WWOOF Canada application results!  XOXO

    Picture

    Archives

    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018

    Categories

    All
    Airbnb
    Algonguin Park
    Apiary
    Art Studio
    Bats
    Bee
    Bee Friendly
    Bee Friendly Flowers
    Bee Friendly Plants
    Beekeeper
    Beekeepers
    Beekeeping
    Birds
    Canada
    Children
    Cistern
    Composting
    Cottage
    Creek
    Earth Loom
    Entrepreneur
    Fish
    Frog Pond
    Generator
    Health
    Heart
    Heart Transplant
    Herb Garden
    Homestead
    Homesteading
    Learning
    Lessons
    Meditation
    Micro Greens
    Minnows
    Momprenuer
    Mosquitoes
    Off The Grid
    Off The Grid Living
    Ontario
    Plants
    Pond
    Skillshare
    Solar Power
    Solopreneur
    Textile Arts
    Tiny House
    Tipi
    Vermiculture
    Wood Stove
    Worm Farm
    Wwoof
    Wwoofers
    Wwoofing

    RSS Feed

© COPYRIGHT Sandra Clarke.
​ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
  • home
  • about sandra
  • workshops
  • digital art
  • book shop
  • best life
  • past projects
  • travel
  • artist statement
  • c.v.
  • disney
  • school programs
  • patterns
  • press
  • cottage gallery
  • textile arts gallery
  • product
  • Murals + Mockups
  • Evan Clarke
  • Link Page
  • Suffragettes Paper Kit & Ephemera
  • free stuff