The Art of Living

To live off the grid is an amazing experience I would not replace or exchange with anything else in this world. I will never go back to my old life of a city person working from 9 to 5 to pay for rent, bills and stupid things; to be stressed, depressed and sick (lots of health issues and allergies which they are all gone now).

Living off the grid gives you freedom, happiness, joy; you connect with the earth and the food you produce, you connect with animals, with the wind, with snow, with rain; you become a peaceful person, glowing with health and inner peace and satisfaction. I just have no words to describe what I feel and goes through me. All I can say is I've never been this happy, joyful, optimistic, peaceful, content, merciful. thoughtful, humane, sincere as I am now. I just discovered the art of living and happiness.

 But, living off the grid requires a lot of hard work (which I donot mind at all and love). One of the basic rule to be off the grid is to be self-sufficient, growing your own food and preserving it. I had to learn everything by myself. I searched blogs; I bought and read books and I managed to learn from my mistakes. And I can now say that I can can, preserve and pickle anything. I also dry food and on my wishing list is a dehydrator (I have to save and scarp to save up for one but I will do) I need to dry may fruits and make fruit leather.

Anyway, from mid summer till late autumn I metamorphosis into an ant that store food. The preserving marathon starts mid summer and I spend days just doing that. It is hard work but the end result is just amazing. The satisfaction one gets at the sight of these jars that sparkle like jewels is priceless. 

 I can proudly say that my cantina is brimming full with many jars of tomato sauces, different types of jams, different types of chutneys, pickled cucumber and onions, pickled pepper and artichoke under extra virgin olive oil, preserved apricots, preserved pears, other types of salsa, chili, and many more. 

Some of these jars will be given to friends as Christmas gifts and I will enjoy the rest in cold winter nights in stews, tagines or on homemade bread and good organic cheese from the local friend farmer.

I grow most of the veggies myself, so they are organic; and the ones I did not grow, I got from a local organic farmer. The fruits too, all organic. 

Ok, I'm off to crack open a jar of good chutney, prepare a place of some organic savory biscuits I made, load some good organic cheese, sit on my comfy sofa in front of the blazing open fire, put my feet up, stroke my kitties and enjoy :)  Ahh, this is the good life. This is the Art of Living.