23 June, 2026
Happy Solstice! My corner of the Pacific Northwest welcomed midsummer with unending days of sunshine and heat advisories. Yes, in some parts of the world 85+ degree weather deserves a heat advisory!
Writing has been going well, but I don’t have very many (interesting) updates.
- There’s a new essay over on Medium. If you want to learn the secret of life, you can read about it here (no subscription required).
- I completed about 4500 words for The Ragman.
Summer is hard for writing, because I have so many other tasks I must tend to so we can cope with late stage capitalism nonsense. We have also had a few new responsibilities on our plate for this beautiful homestead that we are able to call home, as the owner has been dealing with a few emergencies and we are helping all we can. Thus, although the writing isn’t too difficult, finding the time is.
I have set a personal goal to publish on Medium once weekly(ish), and to keep up with Tuesday updates here on the blog. Otherwise, my limited writing time will be dedicated to churning out around 5,000 words on the Ragman project every week. I’m not going to beat myself up if I don’t achieve these goals every week, but I am going to try to stay accountable via this blog.
As for daily life:
Today, Mozy and I bottled the rhubarb wine. It needs to age for six months, so it will be ready to drink around the winter solstice. I foresee breaking open a bottle for the holidays!
We also transferred the cherry wine from the fermenter into a carboy fitted with an airlock. We will rack it again in two months, as cherries need a couple of rackings for clarity. After four months of further fermenting in the carboy, we will bottle it and then age it for one year. Yes, cherry requires a bit more work and time compared to rhubarb. It will be ready in October 2027.
Everything is clean and sterilized, ready for whatever we brew next, I’m not sure what, quite yet, but will update once we decide!
Cherry and strawberry season is also upon us. I spent the morning hulling and slicing 8 lbs of strawberries. They are in the dehydrator. I’m debating on whether or not to make strawberry jam. It is the least popular jam in the house and for gifting, and we still have 10 half-pints left from last year. The dehydrated strawberries are excellent for snacking, and I also use them for making dessert toppings and in baking throughout the winter. I may do some more, if the patch produces more than we are able to enjoy fresh!
As for cherries, right now there are 30 lbs in the fridge in need of pitting and preserving. These will become both cherry jam and pints of plain cherries (for use in pies or simply eating as a side, like one would with canned peaches). I have a couple jars of each left from last summer, but we go through a lot of cherries. Possibly because they are my favorite fruit!
Otherwise, life is quiet. We do the usual chores of a household trying to live minimally off the broken systems that rule our current world. We garden, forage, and tend to the property. We bake bread a couple of times a week, and do it ourselves with found objects as much as we can. We look out for our neighbors, help those whom we can, and commiserate with those whom we can’t.
Life is hard, but that is no reason to compromise on the values that make you a beautiful and unique person. Yes, we all make mistakes and sometimes allow circumstances, rather than what we believe in, guide our choices. I know I do it sometimes. That doesn’t mean we make excuses for it — part of being a part of the solution is accepting responsibility for, or at the very least acknowledging, our mistakes. We simply accept our fallibility and try to do better next time.
Two steps forward and one step back is still progress. We all must do our best, especially when it is hard. The good news is, we don’t have to do it alone. I got you!
Always yours in hope,
Jenny Wren 