Still more changes

We first moved to "the farm" in March 2011. It seems like a lifetime ago. It is interesting how our current life fell into place. Call it providence. Call it the universe in action. Call it just dumb luck. Whatever it was, whatever you want to call it, the opportunity presented itself and we jumped on it ... but not without some trepidation. King had just retired from the Alma School system as an administrator. I was still working for newspapers. We wanted to move back to West Michigan to help my sisters with our aging parents. While looking for housing I came across an ad in "The Caretakers Gazette" for a caretaker in South Haven -- free housing and utilities in exchange for taking care of a hobby farm for a couple from Chicago.
It was a scary proposition. Was this for real? Would it work? Would my city-slicker husband be able to handle this? We answered the ad and in a few days found ourselves traveling from Alma to South Haven to meet the owners. We were offered the position on the spot. Secretly I think it was because we were the only people to apply. Our gamble was a resounding success.This is our eighth summer here. King has learned to split wood, tend chickens, turkeys and rabbits. He can repair tractors, lawnmowers and rototillers. He has discovered he pretty much stinks at pruning fruit trees (we hired it out this spring), and he is fastidious about weeding and watering the gardens. He spends days weed wacking (is that a word?) and mowing the expansive yards. I have played in the greenhouse, planted gardens, weeded gardens, harvested, saved seeds and canned produce. For me, as a fan of "Mother Earth News" during the 1970s, it was a dream come true. Mom always said I was born into the wrong generation. She may have been right, but I don't think I could make do without electricity and indoor plumbing. But we are not getting any younger. We have been discussing for some time, "Should we stay or should we go?" We have not kept it a secret from the couple we work for -- we have discussed it with them quite a bit. It came down to "one more season" at least twice. Two summers ago we purchased an old travel trail and spent several months making it road-worthy. Our first foray into long-term traveling was an awesome adventure and we are ready for more. The ongoing debate -- can we do this full-time? And then things changed. Last week the owners listed the property for sale. If it sells we will certainly be moving on. If it does not... we will travel this winter and have "one last season on the farm" next summer. Perhaps it was our own wander lust that sparked our employers' desire for changes of their own. King and I are considerably older than them. I am sure they look at us, shake their heads and wonder "How can a couple that old be so unconcerned with their future? My goodness. They live paycheck to paycheck." Truth is, it is EXACTLY that -- concern for our future -- that sparks the desire to explore, have an adventure and see what else is "out there" before the coulda, woulda, shoulda takes over. I am filing for Social Security this month and more than ready to hit the road and never look back. King is not ready to give up summer golfing with our sons. We will find a compromise along the way -- be it a summer rental somewhere in the area or buying a bigger travel trailer and living in a park for the summer season. We will figure it out and change our minds at least 12 times before it is all over. Our discussions are not always harmonious. We have, after all, been together a long, long time. If you ask King, he will tell you he does the most compromising. I know for a fact he is not correct. But we WILL figure it out. It's part of the joy of living life to its fullest. Below are scenes from "the farm." Will I miss the beauty of it? I am sure I will. But I also want to visit the Worlds Largest Ball of Twine, and see the Ernie Pyle museum. It's a trade off.