I've been living on this piece of land for just over a year now with my three girls. This past week, it has been raining almost non stop. When I arrived, I intended to park our home, next to some olive Trees near the entrance, but when the owner arrived, he suggested we park in the far corner, as we would be more out of sight. That seemed like the best to be honest, although there are quite a few people living in trucks and such in this area, the local council aren't really a fan of it, so out of sight is good. Plus I want to continue to live out of the system as much as I can.
Where I live now, minus all the rain, this is how it looks on a sunny day.
It's been pretty good up until now, you can't see my home from the road, even if you look in the gate it's not that easy to see. But after seven days of rain, living in the corner of land that naturally slopes, well it was going to become a bit of a challenge. This morning I woke up, to a flood outside our home. Indeed all the land close to us was under water. Luckily our home, is heavy, so I didn't worry about getting washed away. But I had to get up, go out and begin to dig channels for the water. First thing in the morning. With a shovel in hand, off I went to redirect the stream of water that was flowing down towards our home.
One of our outside spaces that I created mostly from recycled materials and furniture that I found on the side of the road.
That's how it is when you live a life that takes you to different places, you get to learn the lay of the land and have to adapt in order to live there. Shade is important, especially having some close by, but not too much , as I need some sun to reach the 6 solar panels, that are atop of my housetruck. When we first arrived, I had to build a compost toilet for me and the girls to use, as well as create an outdoor living space. Living off grid, is not for the faint of heart. Especially when you have to move from time to time and like to park up in more wilder spaces.
You have to be able to embrace nature and all the little creatures that will come inside of your home to investigate it. Lots of insects and of course there are the mice and rats, that eventually make their way, which you have to deal with. Then, there was that time last year when I awoke late in the night, after being bite by a scolopendra, which had somehow found it's way into my bed. It gave me quite the nasty bite in my leg. In my sleep, I thought I was being stabbed, that's how much it hurt, I woke with such a jolt. But that's just how it is, when you want to connect with the environment that surrounds you. When you want to live in a way that keeps you connected with the seasons and the natural flow of life.
Where I birthed my second daughter, at the beginning of November in Ireland, in a bell tent, where the birthing pool was situated.
Yes living simply, but also a bit more dangerous and certainly more rough, but that's a part of the attraction for me, I like to be challenged. Don't get me wrong, I like my comforts in life, like anyone else, but they are not a priority. What's important to me, is that I take responsibility for the life I live, for the resources I use and the medicine if any that my body or mind may need. I am very driven by this desire, by my tenacity to live this way of life. It's a calling within me, one that I am only too happy to follow.
