Dear Friends,

Dear Friends,

I feel the need to write this, to catch up, to clear the slate for myself creatively. I’ll explain.

A lot has been happening over the last month already. My last post was my new year’s resolution about how I wanted to share 3 things I’m learning weekly or monthly and, like everything else I’ve tried so far creatively, it’s not going as planned. I keep trying to think of ways to mesh my creativity into something shareable, and I’m beginning to realize (maybe 1 thing I’ve learned!) is I might be trying too hard. I somehow paralyze myself and end up not sharing anything at all. I’ve also found I haven’t been filming life as much, and I don’t like that. So, I think for a while, I’m just going to step back and share what’s on my mind and what’s going on with me and the family. Creatively of course. Because there’s a lot going on!

---

In case you didn’t know, I’m working with Uncle Rory now, filming, editing and learning from him. I hope to make a video about this soon. I hope to make a lot of videos about what I’ve been doing actually.

One of the reasons I came to work for Uncle Rory is, last year we talked about launching an OTT platform. Creating a place where we could put everything Uncle Rory has ever made, along with everything we were talking about

making, all in one place. For many reasons. And we did! It’s called The Homestead Channel. We are all really excited about it. I plan to start a series on the channel called “Tall Tales from The Homestead.” I will be publishing on the channel along with my YouTube channel.

It’s really exciting if you think about it. There’s not many places in the world I know about that have a family living close together on a farm and in a community, with a one room schoolhouse, a restaurant, a concert hall, a thriving farm they are all trying to learn how to cultivate to live off of and so on… And, we share our lives too. Eventually the idea is to create more stories around the farm, family and friends that intermingle. It’s pretty special if you ask me, but I’m biased!

---

At home, Hanky and I have been hard at work, trying to keep these chidlers in line. Theo is about to turn 1 on February 7th and we are making plans for a little bear themed party. (Video coming soon!) Belle is doing great, she has been driving all over the planet like a 16 year old should do.

This past Christmas we bought her a big speaker for her trunk called a subwoofer so she could ride with some bumpin tunes. I don’t know about you, but when I was 16 the first thing I did was get me some 6 x 9’s and wired them up in my little Honda CRX with wires going every which way in the floorboard, just so I could sound cool. Olivia has been losing teeth

left and right, the tooth fairy is going to have to take out a loan if she keeps going the way she’s going. But she’s as happy as ever. Hanky is also doing good, she has recently started a venture with a supplement company called Modere. She’s excited about it. It’s probably not your typical homesteader decision, but we like to call ourselves “Hybrid Homesteaders.” And, she’s excited, so to me, that’s all that matters.

A goal of ours this year is to save up a little nest egg of money while trying to pay off some debt and hopefully in 2024 start thinking about buying or building our forever home… We’ll see.

---

Mom is doing well. She’s been working her butt of trying to keep her restaurants open with the rising cost’s of food and employment. But, she’s been at it for a while now so I think she’ll be ok. She celebrated 16 years at the Mealhouse just a few weeks ago. That’s pretty awesome.

---

As for me, well, I’ve been doing what I always do, trying to find meaning and purpose in my life, in everything, and it’s exhausting sometimes. I keep telling myself, eventually God will reveal to me the wisdom I am seeking, I just have to keep searching.

I’ve never been someone who can take things at face value. What I mean is, you can’t just tell me to dig a hole. I have to know how wide the hole needs to be, how long it should be, how deep, should the sides be sloped or not, what will the hole be used for, etc… I’ve always questioned everything, to a fault most times. And so, I’ve been doing the same thing with life, with purpose, with creativity, with all the things.

I’ve been praying more lately, talking to God and giving it to him, I’ve picked up my morning bible study again with Bob Goff. And, I’ve been reading a lot. I just finished Jayber Crow by Wendell Berry and it changed my life! I also started a thing I’m calling, 100 words for 100 days. Basically something that says I have to sit down everyday and at least write 100 words. It’s already starting to help me get out of this rut!

Anyways, I wanted to write this to clear the slate, to catch up a little. My hope is now that I’ve shared a little of what’s been going on, then ya’ll are somewhat caught up and I can move forward sharing life. I know there’s tons and tons I haven’t shared, but I can touch on those things as we go.

Always,

Mikel

---

Proverbs 4:7 The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom. Though it costs all you have, get understanding.

...Check out The Homestead Channel HERE

...See what Hanky is up to with Modere HERE

...Get Wendell Berry's book Jayber Crow HERE