A New Plot Line

Boutique garden inspiration in Pohang.

2012 brings new plot lines to light.

This morning I woke with a deep and abiding desire to

truly accept the challenge of living my life in Korea.

As folks might have noticed, I've been regressing back to old habits lately.

I've missed canning, pickling, preserving and living a sustainable life

and its leaking out around me in kimchi and planting pots.

Korean's commitment to its traditions 

was one of the things that drew me here.

For the last year I've let them settle in around me,

but still clung to tastes and texture of home.

Now I am filled with the desire to combining my traditions with theirs.

Using the new tools, new ideas and new ingredients 

to infuse my traditions with a new perspective.

I'm ready to make this leap for three primary reasons.

First, the FTA with South Korea concerns me.  

Global trade is not the solution to what ails the world.  

We do not need to reach further away, we need to draw closer in.

Second, the carbon footprint of imported pesto is too much.

Me taste buds are not more important then the environment.

These things can be easily produced here with local ingredients.

Third, my community is what I make it.

So if I want to live in a world that values locally produced things,

I need to consume and produce locally.

It needs to be my life style.

My inspiration is derived from three place:

First, my family traditions & culture.

My maternal immigrant grandparents culture of a purpose filled life.

My parents decision to embrace this and retreat into the Alaskan wilderness

 to live a primarily subsistence based lifestyle.

Second, the Northwestern sustainability movement.

For almost a decade I was lucky enough to experience the dynamic

growth of the Northwestern sustainable living culture.

At times I found it too pretentious for words,

but I learned a great deal for it and love it's message.

Third, Korean's commitment to their country and traditions.

Being in a country that continues to allow room for 

families to make their own kimchi has give me the freedom

to do many things apartment living in the US would not allow.

So today I double down on the research necessary to build a 

culturally and environmentally sustainable lifestyle!