June 18

So... I am currently sitting in the woods behind somebody's house, jacking their internet connection. If they come out and find me... it's going to be awkward. :P

Yesterday I learned how to drive a stick shift. Apparently I picked it up faster than anyone Beth's ever taught (wooh!) and now I can use their car if I ever need to.
I'm mostly over my fear of horses. I fed Baron some grain out of my hand... it was a delicious experience for him, and a ticklish one for me. It was also ticklish when he tried to nibble my ear. The mare, Carmelita, won't have anything to do with him, so he's getting flirty with me instead. :P Unfortunately, we just found out he has worms. So he probably won't like me as much later this evening when I have to hold his head while Beth squirts medicine in his mouth.

Oh, I also learned how to use a chainsaw yesterday. We needed some oak plugs for the mushrooms we're going to grow. Chainsaws are SCARY, but a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do. I also planted our first row of corn yesterday. The Runaways helped me out with that. Man, I don't know what I'm going to do without my ipod! :(

I was bored this morning, so I went hiking down to the creek. I climbed over Split Tree Rock to get there, which is this awesome boulder with a big crack down the middle and trees (predictably) growing out. I waded a little in a pool under a waterfall, but it was freezing cold and there was a big frog sunbathing that I didn't want to bother. He just looked really happy. Oh hey! There is a caterpillar on my laptop. That is really... incongruous... and also nicely symbolic. Anyway, I climbed up the creekbed, which was super rocky. I stopped to watch a spider have lunch, then I climbed over two more big boulders to get back to the house. I ended up on the opposite side from where I started :P

I've been studying my medicinal plants like crazy in my spare time. I only have access to three books on the subject, and they're a little bit dated, so when I'm done here I'm going to try to order one with a complete set of photographs. It needs to cover either typical NY plants or stuff I can find on the East Coast in general (the ones I have are meant for CA).
Someday soon Beth has promised to help me make my own hand loom, and I am ridiculously excited. I'm also looking forward to the arrival of more WWOOFERS-- I think there will be a few new ones within the next two weeks.
Oh yes, so (surprise!) I'm staying here until July 22. I really wanted my mom to be able to come see this place because I think she'll fall in love with it instantly. But she can't go anywhere until summer school is over on the 22nd. Getting me back home was also a financial problem for her, having to stay in a hotel room and all, so this eliminates that problem. If it were just going to be me, Beth, and Mike for the next month, I probably wouldn't do it (I like them, but I need some variety!). With the other WWOOFERs coming though, I think it'll be fine. Especially when I get my updated plant book and can start studying with a greater sense of purpose. I know I promised I'd be back sooner, but I think this is important stuff. Also, I do get this little bit of net access and occasional phone reception, so I can stay in contact with y'all. Letters, of course, are also a great way to reach me.
I don't have anything more political to write about yet, but at a friend's prompting I'm going to watch FOOD INC tonight. I also want to give him a shout out, because he's the one who really made up my mind about the WWOOFing program. Ladies, gentlemen, and those outside the binary, a round of applause for Josh Sterlin! :)

My hands are freezing, so that's it for now. Hope to update soon.
<3