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[Gloria Morris <gloriamorris59 AT gmail.com>]

On Fri, Feb 5, 2010 at 5:52 PM,  <Clansgian AT wmconnect.com> wrote:

> It makes more sense to me to become fascinated over machining or forging my
> own tools, weaving my own cloth, cobbling my own shoes,
> carding-spinning-knitting my own socks than to make my own electricity.  I 
> find it more freeing
> to cut wood, plow a garden, and put up hay without IC engines than I would
> runnng an electric light off grid.  I'm not doing all those things (some of
> them) but the romance of being off-grid is far below all of them on my list
> of what makes me self-sufficient.
>

Of course, these are my hobbies, so I view them as far more
fascinating than banks of batteries. But there is something wonderful
about taking wool from a sheep, cleaning it, carding it, spinning it,
and then either knitting or weaving it. And there is something very
wonderful about planting a garden ... and harvesting, and cooking with
yummy fresh vegetables. No, banks of batteries and the other gear
cannot compare to those things!

I confess a geeky side, however. The study of the alternative energy
system was undeniably interesting. It just did not grab me
sufficiently to inspire me to figure out how to finance a system. I'd
rather play in my garden than have several jobs to pay for high tech
toys. :)

Gloria