Greetings and Salutations!

Greetings and Salutations!

This is my first blog. I am starting it to share my adventures with the world, and maybe, along the way I may inspire and encourage anyone out there who may be thinking of starting their own adventures.

I'm currently in a state of chaos in my life, but all is well. Without destruction there is no room for rebirth.

So, here's the scoop...

Six months ago I was the up-and-coming Assistant General Manager of a very high-end tea emporium, I had just moved into a new two-bedroom apartment with my partner, Corey, and we bought a new(er) car.
Then, near the end of January, my General Manager was given a promotion, and I was offered the position as the Interim General Manager of said high-end tea emporium. I accepted, was flown to Atlanta for a sales managers training program, and returned to run the store.
Not long after, I began to feel an emptiness, a void within myself that I wasn't living up to my potential.
But wait.... I was the leader of a dynamic sales team in a high end retail environment... what was not to be proud of? I pondered my life choice and the path I was on, and deep down I knew I was not following my heart. Don't get me wrong, I love tea... and making good money, but something was just not right.

The Universe would soon remedy the situation....

I decided I would feel more fulfilled if I completed my degree program. I took a break after the Spring 2011 semester to focus on my career, and had not returned. With only a few classes standing between me and my degree I knew I had to continue. However, high-end tea emporium did not like the idea of its newest member of upper management returning to school for an unrelated degree. After much consideration I decided that school was a priority and that was that.

During this time Corey had been doing battle with the groundskeepers of our apartment complex. One of the main reasons for moving from our one bedroom at the back of the property to the two bedroom at the front was to get more direct sun for growing. Corey and I wanted to grow our own veggies and I had spoken to the property manager about it. She agreed, as long as they were in pots and mobile. So we planted a considerable amount of veggies, including tomatoes, green peppers, hot peppers, cucumbers, etc. The problem seemed to be that when the sun was shining in the grass and we moved our pots accordingly, the groundskeepers thought they were an eyesore. So back to the patio they would go.
This back and forth exchange became tiresome after a few weeks, and in his frustration Corey began to look for inexpensive property for sale in the area.

About the first week of May, Corey found a property for sale listed at an unbelievable price. We had been discussing the idea of buying land with his father, and they went to see the parcel. It was 5 acres, with a three bedroom, two bath mobile home on it and a connection site for another. There were two wells, cleared farmland, and plenty of trees for cover. Beautiful.

Well... to make a long story longer, we decided to go for it. We made an offer and the seller accepted. And the countdown has begun. We should be able to start moving in around the second week of July.

How exciting! I have always felt a deep connection with nature and the idea that I can grow my own food and generally provide for my family from the land itself is such a dream for me. I love the old ways. Everything from crafting to gardening, even in my eccentric fashion, I keep tradition alive.

That is why I have named this blog "Chickens and Lace". In honor of my new homesteading adventure, sure to include plenty of chickens, and my affinity for Lolita fashion full of classical sensibilities!

Wish me luck!

~~Lolianne Rivercat