Cascadian Woman Seeks Internship

I find myself at a crossroads... the first time in my life my only responsibility is myself and my muppet of a dog. My 6 month lease is up and I've got to move. I can't afford the rent here and have been living hand to mouth, barely surviving. So, I'm packing up my apartment and seeking options. I have a decent job with a good company in Portland, OR. I have great medical benefits and work with amazing people in a locally owned, sustainable grocery store. I have the option to take a 3 month leave of absence, which is one of the best perks this job has to offer. I'm now considering using that perk to further my life skills.

My dream is to live on communal land. But how do I do that with no money and no assets but my own humble skills? Well... I research and seek out similar individuals who have similar interests, then hope for the best. So, here I am. Hi.

I'm in my mid 40s and have spent most my life in the Pacific Northwest. My resume is minimal, unless you count the inhome nurse care I did while raising a special needs child. Many broken bones, many surgeries, many long term hospital stays, many doctors trying to enforce their "care". I was an advocate for my son and know how to stand up for his rights. I have learned patience and can stay focused under extreme pressure. That was my life with my child for almost 20 years. But my son is now an adult and living with his father. I'm not needed for 24/7 care, yet I could be given my son's physical disability.

For many years, I've been interested in sustainable living. I used to obsess about straw bale housing. Now my passion is earthships and eathbag homes. I'd love to combine the two for the perfect sustainable home. As a kid, my family had chickens, ducks, rabbits, dogs, cats, hamsters, lizards, and caged birds. Mom always had a garden and she canned fruits & vegetables & dehydrated many other foods, with her kids at her side helping with whatever they were able. As an adult, I've done a bit of gardening but haven't tackled Mom's other skills. But I'm not afraid to do any of these things.. especially with the right training or books. I hand stitch the strongest patches. I'm also very creative with crafts of other sorts. I'm artistic and have a great eye for detail. I also have many other great ideas on a regular basis. I have some landscaping skills and come equipped with lawn mower, weedeater, and leaf blower. Although, I'm considering selling that equipment because I need the cash. But because I've done landscaping, I know hard work and how good it sometimes feels to be tired and sore. I grew up blue collar and wouldn't have it any other way.

I love music of all kinds but lean toward the slow, heavy stuff. I like blues, roots rock, ambient, old country, punk rock, latin jazz, and funk. I dance when I feel it. I'm spiritual but not religious. I fully believe in energy and try to keep it positive. I meditate, but not as often as I'd like. I'm big on thrifting, reusing, scrapping, and recycling. I haven't had television for 8 months and rather love it. I also love movies... independent films and documentaries are usually what I prefer but can get into over-the-top blockbusters once in a while. I've always been a non-conformist. I'm anti-establishment and trust our government as far as I can throw them. I don't follow mainstream media.

I gave notice to vacate and have til the end of July to do so. After that, I have no idea where I'll end up. But I'm taking my first few steps on my new path and I'm ready for big changes. Please contact me if you have any ideas you want to share with me. Thanks for reading and have a great day.

Donielle
dawnyell.fillups@gmail.com

Summer/Fall Apprentice Opportunity Clear Water Sanctuary A cooperative Permaculture Homestead 20 miles northwest of Olympia WA
An apprentice would experience natural building including earth, cordwood and roundwood construction, reciprocating roofs, integrated greenhouses, barn-building and portable animal shelters, plasters and various earth recipes, off-grid water and energy systems, no-till forest gardening methods, pole-fencing, wild-crafting and a lot more. This will be a well-rounded and intensive learning experience in the sustainable arts. This needs to be a good match both ways. It’s a great opportunity for just the right folks wanting to learn a lot in a short time…by intensive hands-on experience. Here’s what we have to offer: besides the mentorship* (please see to learn more about the mentor) in Permaculture and natural building, a LOT of homestead skills will be in use and taught along the way. We can also offer to share an old-style farmhouse on a 100 acre cattle ranch nearby, complete with electricity, phone, clean hot & cold water, full kitchen and even a small hot tub we can set up. The ranch has a beautiful river that flows by. There’s also camping on Clear Water Sanctuary land, 25 acres of forest in-holding with a large clear, cold, creek that runs through. There’s room for 2-4 folks. The exchange covers the places to stay, a few bulk food staples, and intensive mentorship. Apprentices need to cover most of their own food and basic needs. This can be seen as a great deal because many students are paying lots of money to learn these skills in places that are more established. For a hearty soul eager to deepen their Permaculture design experience and broaden their natural building horizons, this could be a golden opportunity. If interested please contact clearwatersanctuary@yahoo.com 0r try calling 360-249-3166

clearwatersanctuary.weebly.com/‎
directory.ic.org/23389/Clear_Water_Sanctuary

Thanks for the response, Steve! I'll definitely have to come up for a visit soon. Most likely the beginning of August. I'll give you a call soon...

Hi Donielle,
We are a little far from you but we do live in paradise in Leelanau County in Northern MI. My husband, my two small children, dog, nine ducks with 17 new ducklings have a small homestead we are building. We too were planning on a straw bale home but decided to work on a smaller tiny home with green roof and other sustainable features. We have some space, a new large tent ie fairly rustic living. We have just had a young family stay with us while we worked on some larger hugelkultur beds and finishing up on some of our many projects. I wish you luck with finding a great place to try something new! PS I grew up in Portland. Best big city ever!!
Mindy

Thanks for responding, Mindy. Expect a PM soon. I'd at least like to get to know you. PNW bond is always great.