So long, and thanks for all the fish!
This blog is no longer being updated, but I have left it open in case anyone particularly wants to read something I wrote! For relevance, I will let you know, we live in Canberra, Australia, on a slightly larger than average suburban block, which is what we call our 'urban homestead'. Our family is me (an Australian woman in my late 30's) and my husband, whom I call The Bowhunter, and our two young minions (kids), plus 6 pure breed chooks, and one warre beehive, lead by Queen Bella. We both work 'outside the home', are active in our community, and our hobby is developing our urban homestead (and The Bowhunter also... hunts!). We both believe that the future is going to be tough, for us, and more so, for our children. That is why we call ourselves Survironmentalists, and this blog covers short-term and long-term be prepared plans, trying to live a lower impact & more ethically-aware lifestyle, and live more frugally too.
What is Survironmentalism?
A term we came up with to describe how
we live our lives. It is for people who base their beliefs and actions on a
balance between Survivalism and Environmentalism. Those who want to be prepared
for an uncertain future, to be able to provide for and protect their loved
ones, but still support the Earth & it's inhabitants now. Healing the
planet we call home, hoping for solutions and changes to restore balance, but
being ready for hard times, if we cannot.
Why did you start blogging? How did your blog get
it's name?
dixiebelle, is a name I wanted to call my goat. I don't have
a goat, never have, but in my goat-keeping fantasy, her name is dixiebelle. In
the mean time, when I was pregnant with my first child, I joined an online
Parenting forum, and my username became 'dixiebelle'. I was right into cooking,
especially budget & easy recipes and ideas, in those newborn/ baby
days. I spent a lot of my time (way too much, really) posting and re-posting my
recipes & ideas & links to other people's recipes, on that
forum. I was given the idea to start a blog instead, where I could post as much
(or as little) as I wanted to, and if people were interested they could find me
there. I started with my first post on April 19th, 2008. Now, as to why I
called the blog such a strange name, well, I wanted something different, and
when I had spent a little time in Alabama, I'd been
to a restaurant called Joe's Crabshack. It had a huge arrow sign on top that
said, "Eat at Joe's". I loved it, so obvious and simple! Over the
years, as the direction and diversity of my blog topics has grown, I have
thought about changing the name, but well, it's unique, it relates to my
passion for food & food security, cooking & real food, as well
as growing it.
Why did you stop blogging?
I spent almost 5 years blogging, developing the content, the style, and the attitude over those years to reflect what was going on in my real life. It started as sharing my cooking tips and recipes, became more about our journey towards sustainability, then metamorphised into an urban homesteading and being prepared blog. I put a lot of effort into it, because that is the sort of person I am. I love to research, to know everything I can about what I am doing, and to share what I have learnt, especially if I think doing so could help someone else. Although I went through up's & down's, with waning mojo, and plenty of 'stuff it' moments, I really enjoy writing and having a voice, I enjoy sharing, I enjoyed being part of a community of like-minded bloggers, it was an easy hobby when my kids were little, it was a way to debrief, and a way to share my interests with like-minded folk. But due to the amount of stuff going on in our urban homestead and lives, combined with a lack of reader feedback, meant I wasn't motivated to make time anymore. Also in late 2012, I went through a period of feeling taken advantage of, in the real world, and even via my Facebook page and blog. It seems a bit melodramatic, but I felt exhausted, and sick of giving, like I was putting too much of myself out there, but not getting enough back to balance it out. I know there were many positive and supportive, grateful people in my life (still are), and I don't want to be the grumpy, bitter, snappy person, who isn't appreciating what I have. It was better to find a new focus, which I have done!
Hope for the best, plan for the worst, and live each day like the blessing it is...
