[Women] April meeting

Tue Apr 7 10:06:19 CDT 2020

What a great topic!  I started over (a farmer's wife) in 1981 by hiding 
in a battered women's shelter and leaving everything but my 5 year old 
daughter behind.  I re-invented myself after that so that I graduated 
college, founded 22 battered women's projects/3 women's funds/17 women 
freed from prison who acted in self-defense, and created lots of 
cultural/social change through that work.

Next time I re-invented myself was in 2002 when I left the US with 
nothing but our 6 year old granddaughter that we'd raised from birth.  
It felt like someone had taken a giant eraser and wiped out my career, 
my friends, my goals but I'd promised Catlyn we would be there for her.  
During the 3 1/2 years we fought in court for her I stumbled often but I 
found my way by writing for a newspaper about life in a small town 
(first France and then England) as a way to protest the invasion of Iraq 
after 9/11.  I volunteered at Catlyn's school to teach English to French 
5 year olds, and I translated the SOS FEMMES' prostitutes health and 
safety "Little Blue Book".  I grew an amazing garden, made friends, 
traveled everywhere imaginable, and tried not to loose my mind as I 
mourned the life I left behind.

When we returned to the US in late 2004 I re-invented myself again as 
the builder of an Earthship, the first one east of the MS.  I learned 
how to use the Internet and social media, won custody in court of our 
granddaughter (that's a whole other story involving the grand jury 
indicting us and more), and learned to be a goat herder.

Reinventing is a miserable experience - it's like being birthed into a 
new reality and trying to make sense of what works, and what doesn't.  I 
had hoped not to do it again, but I find myself there right now with our 
need to push our business online.  We'd been doing that a little at a 
time, but now we have had to push all of our classes and workshops to 
the fall with the hope that things will improve for our country's 
health.  While we'd had a plan to speed up the process of the transition 
in late 2020 we find that we must let go of everything else and just 
focus on this one thing for now.   Perhaps the most nerving for me is 
the separation physically of those I love deeply.  It is growing 
difficult as the days pass with no physical contact with people like our 
granddaughter, who is married and lives an hour away with poor 
transportation.  Jay and I have agreed we will sequester here until it 
is safe, which  means no visitors.  It is especially difficult to say 
"no" to former interns who would like to be here with us since they are 
not going to work everyday, but if we are to remain reasonably safe we 
need to honor our agreement to each other.

Perhaps there will be one more re-invention as I grow older and have to 
stop being a goat herder, and a farmer.  That work sustains me so I am 
making plans for how I can continue to hand on to that part of my life.  
But then the best laid plans often are not how things turn out.  I hope 
to hear more stories from each other you.  Annie

On 4/6/2020 9:10 PM, Rebecca Phillips via Women wrote:
> Great topic!
>
> "If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need."-- 
> Cicero
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> *From:* Women <women-bounces at fuusm.org> on behalf of Gillian via Women 
> <women at fuusm.org>
> *Sent:* Monday, April 6, 2020 8:04 PM
> *To:* A List for the Women of FUUSM <women at fuusm.org>
> *Cc:* Gillian <gillianabbo at gmail.com>
> *Subject:* [Women] April meeting
> Hello
> As the host for the now cancelled April Women’s Group meeting it was 
> suggested that I still pose a question for discussion as we do at our 
> gathering. We can email any response that you may wish to share. I was 
> talking with Caitlin and it is her topic.
> Hugs Gillian
>
> Women’s Group Topic of Discussion:
> Though these are strange and difficult times, a promising future still 
> lingers on the horizon. The sun is shining its face, the birds are 
> singing in their choirs, and the flowers are beginning to stretch 
> their arms skyward. Spring is upon is. And with it comes rebirth, 
> renewal, and hope.
>
> This leads me to my topic of conversation for the week. When was a 
> time in your life where you had to start again? Find a new beginning? 
> Start a new chapter in your life? Was it through circumstance forced 
> upon you, or was it perhaps  spurred through your own free will?
>
> There are many such occasions in an individual’s life, but I hope that 
> we can focus on the positive. In these difficult times it’s good to 
> remember how much we’ve already overcome and how we’ve thrived 
> regardless. Like a dandelion through the pavement’s cracks, we will 
> all see the light again.
>
> _______________________________________________
> Women mailing list
> Women at fuusm.org
> http://fuusm.org/mailman/listinfo/women_fuusm.org

-- 
Annie Warmke
Farmer, activist, consultant, writer
Blue Rock Station/Warmke Farm LLC
www.bluerockstation.com
(740) 674-4300 or (740) 252-6295 Mobile

Radio: When the Biomass Hits the Wind Turbine
WOUB Digital Wednesday 9 am
WGRN Digital Friday 11:30 am & Saturday 8:30 am

Publications:
The Business of Goat Herding (BRS Media)
The Journey Toward Nothing (BRS Media)
Naturally Healthy Goats (BRS Media)

Podcasts: bluerockstation.com
When the Biomass Hits the Wind Turbine
Arriving at Blue Rock Station

-- 
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