When I reflect on my life, I see that even since just a year ago, there has been tremendous internal and external change. I wonder which came first? A year ago, I lived in my little cabin as a bit of a recluse. I did not want to go out much, even to buy groceries or have dinner with friends. Somehow, this felt right for a few years though it was a small little life. There was most definitely a sense of agoraphobia mixed in as well. Going out too much, except for going to the barn to ride or going to teach, provoked some anxiety.
Now, life feels so expansive and full here! I love my farm. I still don’t want to go out much I realise but staying home is a spacious, social and rich experience. Who would want to leave?!
And I love my community with such gorgeous animals and my astounding daughter, friends and my mom. People come by in a regular and pleasing stream.
Yesterday I went out foraging with Danielle. Look what we found on a one hour hike! In this pile there are two inedible boletes but there are also 8 varieties of edible mushrooms!: bicolor bolete, old man of the woods, painted bolete, oyster, black trumpet, chanterelle, black velvet bolete and honey mushrooms.
What fun! I cooked up a rice pilaf with the variety. Zoe made a delicious eggplant dish from the cookbook Plenty and we had rosemary haddock. This was a forest and farm to table meal.
Our front yard has some wonderful shade trees and the lawn slopes west to look out over the pasture and the horses. 
We had a meal with good friends Anne and Sita, sitting out with candle light well into the evening. We celebrated Anne’s birthday, giving her a copy of the book Plenty.
This place lends itself so beautifully to gatherings with friends. The kitchen is big and is made workable by the huge pantry. All of the kitchen cupboards can be used for cooking utensils because so much of the food can be stored in the pantry. Tonight we are cooking for Joan, Josette and Edwina. It is a true pleasure to spend time in this old country kitchen. I’ve eaten out just once since moving here 2 1/2 months ago. You can call it agoraphobia, but I like to think of it as Agri-Myco-Equi-philia.