New Year - New Adventure

Backstory: I have been living in Eugene to help out my daughter and son-in-law with bringing my grandson - a new light - into the world. After 5 years, I have decided to return to the family property and enjoy looking only at trees and fields, and the ability to see the stars. With that process has come a lot of challenges.

The premise: I intend to create a sustainable farm on the property, in addition to it being in Natural Habitat Conservation. I intend to name it Eden Again Eco-Sanctuary and Retreat. It has been 12 years in the making and will take me more years yet to realize it. As I am physically challenged from a major car crash in 1996, I lost the chance to earn expected income since that time. As a result I live on a fixed income as many seniors do. I purchased a 12X28 portable building, and prepared the 4" gravel pad by digging out the dirt primarily by myself for the most part, spreading the gravel, then leveling it. I did have a dear friend help me in my efforts, still the expense was, of course, mine. I thought I had done my due diligence prior to jumping into my NEW ADVENTURE (I have to view it that way for my own sanity!). Unfortunately, I was not prepared for how long the process would take, and what the real expense would be. I thought I could accommodate it until my trusty Toyota Highlander gave up the ghost at 246,000 miles. It was unsafe to drive so I bought a newer car, or should I say truck. I need a 4X4 to get up the hill in the winter snow and ice, and to aid me in cleaning up the property which has lain fallow since I left. I'd gone into the dealership stating that I needed to stay around a $300 payment. I walked out with a $496 payment as pickups are expensive and the dealer really wanted to get rid of this one. As far as pickups go I guess it is sufficient for my needs, but it does lack some things I wanted. Like a less expensive payment. At any rate my income is very near my outgo. And as a result, the process of moving has been far more complicated than I had anticipated.

I can vividly see the space I want to create. I'm calling my little house "The Crone's Nest". I will be holding songwriting camps, kids nature walks, Forest Bathing (a Japanese way of reconnecting with Nature and improving health), and more. I will be growing as much of my own food as possible, have chickens for eggs and goats to remove the invasive blackberries.

BEFORE that, I have to: get an electrical permit to do the electrical wiring myself as an electrician said it would cost me $1800, and that he would not install it until a better electrical line with 100 amps was installed to the location (the electric that is there is only 20 amps). The electrical provider, PGE, gave me an estimate of $10,800 to get power from the road. That of course is out of the question. I can go off the house below, but that means I have to trench 300 feet through cherry trees, 3 feet down, install conduit, and then have the electric all hooked up by an electrician. Unfortunately, we have mostly clay dirt, and it isn't feasible to trench in the winter. So, I am going to end up in my little house over the winter with a wood stove for heat. I got a great buy only $1400, on the stove, but I also need a permit for that, the floor foundation and the piping and installation - which will probably be at least another $2000. I have the carpeting paid for, but the building has to be heated before they will lay it. I can't finish insulating it until I do the electric. Then I have to install the sheetrock before the carpeting. Do yo see what I mean? It is Agonizing! I'm trying to do a good thing, the right thing for the property and myself, and it seems I am thwarted at every turn!

BUT I WILL NOT BE DEFEATED! Somehow I will get through it. Somehow I will finance it, get the work done and live there by mid February. I'll probably owe back rent in Eugene though... I will continue to work as a home care worker, hopefully some weddings, maybe get a sync or two, some gigs - IF I have any strength left. Oh, and on top of it all I have had strep throat for 6 weeks! Couldn't get in to see my doctor, went to the urgent care twice, but they didn't do a throat swab as I requested. What a mess. But I finally have my anti-biotics. My doctor also put me on a new pain med, hoping it will work better than my last. So, THINGS ARE LOOKING UP, RIGHT?

Once I make a decision, I get it done. It may take a really, really long time. But it will happen! It could happen!!

In the spirit of giving, I hope that my readers will reach out to me in support; an imogi, a kind word, money... I do have CDs for sale, And I still have some of my dad's nationally renown artwork (samples below) that I need to part with at a very reasonable price. You can always go to my Patreon page which I hope to get up and running in January. I'll let you know when it's ready.

Below are some pics of my new Eden Again, while it is still just a thought in my brain.

Don't forget my CDs! Look on my Music page for links to download $10 or send me an email at einen@einensings.com for real life CDs mailed directly to you for @20!

Samples of Carl Hall originals:

These samples are no longer available, but it is a representation of his work, from being the Combat Artist in Okinawa, his early landscapes, and the Alaska influence. We have a lot of sketches, as well as a number of nudes, and a few landscapes. I will post more at a later date.