Hi friends

I felt like starting a new journal. It feels like I am turning a new page in my life.
It all started right here in this forum in this community approx one year ago; I came here totally confused with life, insecure, anxious, angry and thanks to your support and my diligent daily Shamatha (calm-abiding) practice I am at this "new page" right here.
It all started with Calm-abiding, day by day ... slowly but surely the body started calming down and the mind with it. New horizon opened up in front of my eyes

I could see many things as they actually are. One insight followed another on their own accord.
I can see now how wrong city life is and how it effects this human society, turning it into a consumerist beast not knowing when to stop, indulging in everything. I can see now clearly all this as it is ... but what then?! Just observe it and let it be as it is or be the change you are willing to see in this world?!
I decided to be that very change and take a new path, path of living mindfully as close to the natural as possible. I decided together with my wife to live as self-sufficient as possible.
Anyway, running into such realisation with the egotic self can and will create only more confusion, so it is of great importance one approaches this realisation with mindfulness and calmness.
We are looking to join an Eco-village here in Sweden or to simply start our own little farm. This can happen in about 2 years not earlier.
Until then we will grow vegetables in our summer house which is only one hour drive from where we live at the moment. I realised how little I know about growing veggies and about nature in general

when I needed milk or carrots I would go to a nearest shop to buy them and now I am to grow them

I will use this time to learn how to grow vegetables and even start a beehive or two.
The actual learning curve started last week and I could feel how tough it is working land (it sure is much easier going to the shop and buying milk and carrots), my back hurt and massive amounts of thoughts rushed in like a massive wave.
Early morning meditation did invoke some calm but while working extra awareness was necessary.
The ego wants all this to happen in a second, the ego self wants a BIG FARM at once the ego is impatient and so on ... so calm-abiding is of great importance to slow down the self and stay with each digging moment, one after the other...
At the beginning of preparing the "deep bed";

It took me two days to finish two deep beds (very bad physical condition indeed)

In about two weeks I am starting to seed the carrots and onions and some strawberries as well as some herbs. There is one more patch to dig over using the deep bed method.
We even started our first composting and considering to compost oak leaves.
It felt right working the land no matter how tough it is. There is a huge difference between working in the shop all day and working the land all day

the sound of birds and horses, the smell of manure and soil, the very quite night.
Geese returning back to North;
Duskob - e166354b.mp4Friendly Che