We're Living it, Part 1 (2025 version)

June 29, 2026

We're Living it, Part 1 (2025 version)

We're living it. The Dream.

I have had many an intention to update this through the past year+. BUT, as always, so much is going on. So much transition. So many changes. Life. Loss. ☯ Things moving at a pace that I always have a challenge adjusting to. I am often slow to keep up. Eventually, I catch up and experience whiplash. Reflect. Feel. Release. Lean in. Onward.

Not to mention, a foundational shift in the level of open cruelty & division in this country. Vermont is a soft place to land among the tightening grip of tyranny from our federal government and those who support & enable it. We must resist and resistance comes in many forms.

One of my favorite quotes that is embedded in my being is the following; "Live simply so that others may simply live." (widely attributed to Mahatma Gandhi). Living simply brings me back to myself.

I set an unofficial goal of wanting to see this dream come to fruition before turning 40. Somehow, that happened. We got the yurt up in July 2025. We moved in in August 2025. I turned 40 in October. Keith, shortly after. Our backs are breaking, but we're doing it, step by step.

There are so many things that get weaved into the fabric of life's stories as it goes on. Shortly after (the weekend after, I believe?) that we moved in to our yurt, that we began living on our land, we learned that Keith's Uncle Randy, a great inspiration and supporter of us & this dream, had died. To me, unexpectedly. But it wasn't unexpected, actually. I often am in denial until things smack me in the face and happen anyway. I can't begin to explain the timing of this to anyone who doesn't know or understand our journey to get here. But, that happened. And has been weaved into our journey, in a moving, emotional way, as has Keith's Aunt Vicky, who has continued to support us and has helped us to think of ways to honor Randy as we carry onward. We were able to take a three week road trip to California this spring to spend some lovely-ass time with Vicky, as well as Keith's Aunt Shelly & her family, Keith's mom & family, all who are connected to that storyline as well.

My mom experienced a significant health scare in August of 2025 and that brought attention to other health issues that were going on...which was a blessing in disguise? I guess. Thankfully, with diligence, she has been able to receive the treatment that she has needed, even through the windy road to get where she is now. On our California road trip, we squeaked in some time with her, my sister Colleen & my dear friend Alicia & graduating from college nephew (whoo!), Coltrae, along this journey as well as doing one of my favorite things in life -- visiting new (to us) National Parks (Capitol Reef NP, Bryce Canyon NP, Channel Island NP). Other hopeful visits weren't able to happen this time. Our country is wide, diverse & so so beautiful. It is not lost on me, though, as we traverse this country how much pain exists in the exploitation that has existed since we colonized this place; the people, plants & animals who lived here indigenously. And the damage that has been done since. The pain that has come from what our colonization looked like at the beginning to what the continued colonization looks like now. It is all woven together.

Alas, this trip was a reset for us in many ways. In our past life (pre-COVID, 2020) / (pre-owning land, before 2021), we were used to just taking off & traveling. Now, we are more connected to a place, grounded & intent on putting a majority of our resources toward living on our land and being good land stewards...we will find that balance again once we are more settled. There is something that will always be a bit nomadic in us.

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Back to building -- in the spring of 2025, we finally got our septic in & complete! This was the final step we had been waiting for in order for us to be able to determine where the best spot to build would be. So we figured that out & began planning...

This adventure has been special because we have had support from many, visiting us in person, cheering us on from afar, and local new friends who helped us to literally build this dream from the ground up. 🙏

Keith & his boss at the time swung down to set in the cement piers. Once those were in, we were ready to start building.

Keith's parents came out & helped us move so much heavy wood, start the layout for our yurt platform & burn up a bunch of branches we had piled up, in the way.

Keith & I kept working on building the platform, filling it in with insulation & then screwing in plywood to top off the platform.

My sister, Deana, my nephew, Coltrae, and Keith's friend, Tyler were able to join us for our original planned date of the yurt-build which ended up being delayed due to too many rainy days. They helped us complete the laying of the plywood, mapping out the giant circle that would fit precisely to the 25 ft. diameter of the yurt, & putting on edging around the platform.

We were able to get our well dug & capped off...to be set up at a later date.

Keith purchased local wood from a place in NH for our our flooring. We opted to place the flooring down before setting up the yurt (which was a great decision except that it unexpectedly down poured on it one day while he was working alone on it & that has left some of it a bit wonky...but it's a good thing we like wonky :)) It is beautiful flooring nonetheless.

We rented a U-Haul truck to pick up our yurt from Two Girls Farm in Acworth, NH. Ken & Adriane are are so unbelievably talented, grounded, kind & helpful people. We cannot recommend them enough!! And we love love love our yurt & the magical saplings that hold it up. Some of these parts were HEAVY & I honestly don't know how we did it with just us two. Thankfully, a neighbor swung by & helped us move some of the heavier parts up to where we needed them.

Now came the time to build! We had up to six people helping us out on the two-day yurt-build. A few neighbors, a library patron friend and a protest friend all who are now engrained in our story. :) Very beyond grateful for any & all support we received on these two days 🙏