I’m Somebody!

I am honored to have had my first book signing event at Powell’s City of Books in Portland this past Sunday. When I arrived, I saw my name on their list of author events and my nervousness was replaced with excitement.My mind raced immediately to that scene from the movie The Jerk. Steve Martin’s character gets the new phone book, sees his name and starts yelling “I’m Somebody!!! My name is in the phone book!!!” Well, Powell’s, you had the same effect on me.

My book had been held up in customs as it made its way from the printer overseas to the bookstores in the US. So it actually wasn’t until I got to Powell’s that afternoon that I finally got to hold my finished book in my hands. My smile just got bigger and bigger as I flipped through it.

Over a year’s worth of myself was poured into this book and it felt really heavy in my hands. I covered everything I could think to include in a book about homesteading: soil science, worm composting, seed starting, container gardening, building raised beds, sourcing cheap soil, fighting garden pests… and that’s just the chapter on growing!

The chapter on preserving the harvest covers freezing, drying, canning, and learning to eat fresh. There are simple recipes for making your own green cleaners. And the backyard critters chapter covers chickens, ducks, goats, bees and native wildlife. I tried to include options for renters and home owners a like, so that book can grow with the reader’s lifestyle.

Anyway, it feels like a total whirlwind and I am really excited to be on this fun ride. I started a page on Facebook for this blog and the book. I thought this might be an easy way to update people on future signings we have planned, show off pretty pictures that don’t make it into blog posts, and share tips this growing season. I hope you “like” the page and can share this journey with me!