Homer

I have just read Homer Hickam's book "We are not afraid." In it, he talks about his home town of Coalwood, WV and growing up in the 50's and 60's. He does talk about family life quite a bit, and emphasizes How the family is the most important structure in a child's life growing up. How it gives comfort and stability to not only the children, but the husband and wife too. How it was a privilege to have a family and all that. I won't go into it too much, you can read the book for yourself. I do not agree with the spiritual things he was saying though. The more I read Homer ( Hickam, not the Iliad) I come to think, as is most of his generation, that he is a "gird up your loins" kind of guy. One of his chapter titles is

" We believe in God, but trust in ourselves."

I totally disagree with that. (think I might give that to another post) With growing up too I have learned to read others point of view while keeping to my own. We have met Homer Hickam, and his wife. After reading any of his books, I look up and say to Stephanie, I think if the guy showed up here at the house for dinner, he would be able to sit and talk to us like he'd know us for years. His books read that well. I was talking to Stephanie's Aunt Hazel who is 91 years old, and I was telling her How it would be good to live much simpler like it was in the turn of the century, how I wanted to live like it was back then. She answered with a stern "No, honey you don't. It was a lot of work back then, and I wouldn't want you guys (meaning our family) to go through that like I did." That got me thinking maybe I really don't. Maybe I just think it is better to work off the land, and reap the benefits of that. I do think life would be better simpler.We try to live pretty simple around the farm. although there are exceptions. Satellite internet, heavy construction equipment,Treo 700p and the blue tooth ear piece (work provided that.) Don't hear what I am not saying. I appreciate all that we have and take advantage of in this era of technology.But I find my self not using my phone at all when I am at home, and rarely on the computer when I am at home and almost forgetting about it. So saying all that just to say this: I love trying to live a simple life. I love homesteading. It is the hardest work I have done so far in my young life(31,) but it has been the most rewarding. one bonus reward I've noticed this summer is moving my belt two notches tighter. That is from hard work, not from a diet patch. I told Paul Saturday on the way back from picking up hay, "I wouldn't move from here if someone paid me $100,000 to." Living off the land, and raising my family here in the back woods of West Virginia has been the most rewarding thing so far. I can't get enough of it.

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