My name is Susy, I’m a new writer here at Not Dabbling in Normal. My pen name is Chiot’s Run. I blog about gardening, canning, local living and all kinds of fun stuff over at Chiot’s Run, you can also follow me via photos on my Flickr Photostream. I also write over at Simple, Green, Frugal Co-op several times a month.
I think I was asked to be a writer here because of some of my interesting hobbies. They aren’t the typical hobbies for an early 30′s girl. While many women my age are acquiring shoes, bags and clothes; I’m busy learning beekeeping, maple sugaring, canning, cheese making and other crazy things.
My husband and I own a small business, 2nd Mile Productions and I work for a non-profit as well, Colombian Christian Mission. We both work from home which allows us to spend our time a little differently than many people. I’m able to spend my days gardening and my evening working. When it’s maple sugaring season we’re able to run outside periodically to check the boiling sap, then get back to work.
Over the past couple years Mr Chiots and I have been building a network of local farms for our food supply. We feel very strongly about knowing where our food comes from and knowing the people that produce it. We get raw milk from a wonderful little local farm, with this we make our own butter and cheese each week. We visit the local farmers markets and have developed friendships with many local growers.
We try to source other things we need locally as well, like yarn for knitting and soap for bathing. When we need to buy a product like canning jars, we try to find a small local business instead buying from a big-box type store. If we can’t find it locally we search out small handmade places in other parts of the country. I love knowing that someone put love and effort into the things I’m using.
I hope you’ll enjoy the things I write about. Most people think I’m a bit weird, but I’m sure since you’re reading this blog you’ll be among the few people that find me interesting.
What hobbies do you have that aren’t seen as “normal”?
Very happy to see you join this great cast of characters (or more politely called, group of writers). I read you on your own blog so I am excited to start following here as well!
[...] the other writers do. I’ll be writing a few times month over there. Head on over and check out my introductory post today. You’ll enjoy reading posts from writers such as: Kim from the Inadvertent Gardener (she [...]
And yet another blogger that I read joins NDiN. :>
So what hobbies of mine aren’t normal? I think with this crowd canning apple butter would be considered normal, so I’ll go for something y’all probably don’t do.
I love to go orienteering. In Europe it probably isn’t quite as much a fringe sport as it is in the US. I don’t do it as much as I used to (knee problems don’t let me run anymore), but I still love walking the courses. For ten years I put on meets for the New England Orienteering Club and for nine years ran the Canoe-O (yes you can do it on the water too) for the Up North Orienteers.
Growing up I was a river rat. I loved rafting and had my own raft to row as a teenager. This was in the 70s when rafting was just starting to take off. You could get permits without much effort for most of the rivers. At the time I was probably the youngest girl to row the Middle Fork of the Salmon. In fact it wasn’t very often you found any women rowing at all.
As to all the things you all do to not dabble in normal. I have to say I’ve fallen off the bandwagon from how I was brought up. My mom ground her own wheat; I don’t. She raised ducks, geese, and turkeys; I don’t. My dad hunted; I don’t. Heck they have had solar on their house for decades and I don’t (though in our defense we live in cloudy MA and they live in sunny CO – and if we can ever find a house to move into we will put it on our new house).
Orienteering is a great hobby, how cool. That might come in handy some day. You’re the kind of person to take hiking.
Hi Susy, I’ve been reading your blog for a few months after spotting a feature of yours on Simple, Green, Frugal. I love all the things you mentioned especially chutney making and I’m considered to be the youngster on my allotment even though I’m 34! I’m sure lots of people think I’m bonkers but the more they do the more I know I’m being true to myself and doing what I enjoy. So bring on the nuttiness I say!
Very true, at an auction recently an older gentleman in his 60′s approached me as I was admiring all the canning jars. He said, “You’re too young to be canning!”
I said, “Oh, I enjoy it, it’s a great hobby to get into.”
He said, “I’m so glad to see someone young like you doing it, more people will wish they knew how someday soon.”
Great to see you get recognized like this Susy!
Your site is my favorite.
Thanks Mike, I think you were my first commenter over at Chiot’s Run. You’ve been around since the beginning – THANKS!
I look forward to reading your writing Suzy. The things you do are right in line with what I *want* to do. My actual hobbies are primarily knitting and gardening, with some sewing and needlepoint tossed in.
I *want* my hobbies to include tending chickens, beekeeping, sheep raising (shearing and wool production included), miniature cow raising (for meat, milk and milk products), maple syrup making, and a much larger garden. Right now I’m not able to do these things, so I live vicariously through you folk (until we can move to somewhere more akin to our desired lifestyle and closer to family).
I want my hobbies to include chickens as well, but not for a while. I’ll keep honing my current hobbies while I wait.
Hi Susy, great to see you over here!!! Your blog is one of my favorites and I think your photos are my absolute favorite of any blog on any subject. Glad we’ll be getting more of them.
NDiN is so lucky to have you…welcome!
I sew much of our clothing…not what most mom’s do now a days! Raising a camel is a sort of a hobby…more of a headache, lol!
I can’t wait to see what you have to write about over here.
I guess I’d have to say playing the accordion is my most un-normal hobby. Many of the things I’ve done for years – the garden, canning, sewing, home decor, the chickens and guinea fowl, bees – that people used to ask me “why?” are now the things folks ask me “how?”