Allie 
Welcome to our website where we discuss retiring to a small farm, life in general and my hobbies. Also, I’m restoring an old floor loom. Along the way we may also discuss ceramics, climate change, ciphers, fiber arts, recipes and anything else that comes along. I’m also a big fan of preparing for the changing climate. Especially getting a property where we can raise some of our food and set up a heat safe room for heat waves.
Planning to Retire
I’m planning to retire in about 18 months, when I become eligible for Medicare. I recently had a severe health crisis that put me in the ICU for about 3 weeks, with several days on a ventilator. This now makes me not want to wait for 70 to retire. I and my husband, Barry, plan to buy a rural piece of property near family in southwest Louisiana when we retire. We are already looking at property now. Either we will buy some land now or a small farm when I retire. Right now our farm is the back yard. Barry is already retired. Our daughter will start college around the time that I retire.
I Love My Hobbies
I’ve always enjoyed pottery and ceramics. I took ceramics in middle school, high school and in college as a way to have an easier class that I could enjoy. Last year my husband bought me a pottery wheel for my birthday. I have enjoyed learning how to throw some simple bowls. Unfortunately, shortly after I started using the wheel, I had an accident where I crushed the middle finger on my right hand. I was unable to use the pottery wheel for over six months and lost the skills that I learned.
I’m in the process of relearning how to throw pots on the wheel. But while I was waiting for my hand to heal, I became fairly proficient in hand-built projects. So now I’ve been giving family members platters and small plates. I also had a health crisis earlier this year where I have not been able to weave on the large loom I restored, or use the pottery wheel. But I should be able to get in my studio in the next week, as I’m steadily improving.
Working Space for Hobbies
Barry and our daughter built a shed under our solar panels during covid. Now I have a small pottery and weaving studio ready for me to use. The studio is really nice with air conditioning during the summer and a large space header for use during the winter. In the winter, I keep liquids and clay I’m not using in the garage where the kiln is. Barry bought me a small Skutt kiln that I really love. Barry loves to build things and is now starting to garden in the back yard in the raised beds he built for me to use. One of our friends is showing him how to garden.
In addition to a lifelong love of pottery, I have always been working one or more fiber projects. That includes spinning, weaving, knitting, fabric dying and needlework. Fifteen years ago, we purchased a large old floor loom that I have recently cleaned up. I put it together and restored it. I’ll be posting about that in the near future.
