michael and i decided to go for the rental - january first, we're moving in... our amazing "landlords" have given us free reign to experiment with solar things, gardening things, water things, whatever, just as long as we don't burn the house down.

if'n you're feeling like a vacation, it's a bit out of the way, but it IS warm and sunny here, at least in the daylight hours. we could use some help getting our green starts going.

lots of other news, of course, but right now i'm in the middle of a break from a welding class at Holy Scrap Hot Springs here in Truth or Consequences - imagine, if you will, what happens when you unleash a buncha new yorkers on a small new mexico town... booyah! this little gathering keeps getting more and more amazing as people show up - there are a total of 25 of us here from all over the country (not just new york), all either getting ready to or currently homesteading and most who are planning to do it in the land of enchantment (entrapment! - apparently we, so far, have been the most successful, lol - considering we just walked into that, i'd say it's more serendipity than success, but hey...) there's a couple here traveling across country via two welded-together recumbent bikes, shooting a movie about sustainable communities they visit. i'll have lots of URLs etc. at some other time.

suffice it to say, after quite a long time of "what the fuck am i going to do i need a passion" angst, here it is. god it feels good. i might have forgotten to mention that crystals shoot out the sides of mountains here, so add rock-hunting to your list of things to do when you come visit.

anyway, sorry if i haven't returned phone calls, as i've been severely rapped up in the present state and location. i promise to be a better friend once i get settled into my isolated country life.

today i've discovered this - i'm totally in love with the plasma cutter.