Getting Off The Grid - Yay! Time For Me and Solar Power

Its not often I take out a little time for me, I have to make sure that the people are happy in the rentals and I have to make sure Tony gets taken care of, the animals, the homestead and that leaves me last.

But what some people think of as me time and how I think of me time are totally different.

Some say go spoil myself with nail polish, new clothes and hair styles but to me its about not doing anything for anyone else but what I want. Today I wanted to open the solar power kit I bought a while back.

So I did.

The Homestead :

On Monday I was not sure what the last of the week would be like so I mowed all the grass here, two full acres, in one evening. I should not have because it beat this old body to hell and back.

Tuesday I worked at the old home place cutting up downed trees with the small electric chainsaw and stacking the wood, I am mentioning that here because that will be wood to burn in the future, no live trees taken just what wind already took down. When it gets close to winter I will load it up and bring it home.

Now ...... Its Friday and I did plan to mow the grass round the edges of the house, around trees etc. but I wanted to do something else more, the solar panels.

So I took them outside and set them up on the deck, I do not have long cords so this is perfect for running a couple small things or one major thing.

Each panel connect to the next with a metal bar with a screw and a wing nut to hold it together, easy to do.

I opened the back legs and sat them facing the south. 

I knew they were working when I seen that little blue light shining on each.

Next I hooked up each to a main line that goes into the regulator box. 

Last was setting the battery up, easy as pie! clip the cable onto it and then into the slot for the battery on the regulator. 

I am charging that battery up free with sun/light!

I do need a few more items so to be able to hook the fridge/ t.v.. Tony talked about doing the t.v. since its on a lot just to see how much it would save on the power bill each month, the fridge would be in case of power loss.

I am doing the happy dance! I got it started. Free power.

The Garden :

This week I chopped down most of the greens that was left, since I did not have any time to pick most were going to seed, I did leave one small section because the kale is huge, it`ll make one small meal.

And my favorite time of the year, Blackberry time! As I walked the dogs around the field I seen they are about to bust open into full bloom, a few are already open.

Inside the Basil is doing awesome and I have a wire rack filled with the first picking of this year or drying.

The sage has began to grow once again.

The tomatoes are doing great, but there were a few nights I had to cover them with sheets due to a cold snap, we have one more to go and I hope that is over.

The stockpile :

Since I have not grown anything this year, yet, I have not home canned much but last week I did dry beans and pickled sausages. I was down to one jar of red beans, no pintos and no green baby Lima beans. Although the dry beans keep I home can them for meals on the days I have to work both jobs and I am not able to cook, I open a jar, warm it and I have healthy food waiting. I also cook a large skillet of cornbread and freeze it for those times.

The Learning :

I cant say that I have learned anything much, except how to set the solar panels up, That was a big deal. I was scared and excited but I took my time and got it done right the first time.

By Andria Perry

Photos by Andria Perry

Getting started is not that hard and how life is nowadays its so easy to order what you want online and have it delivered at your front door. Why wait? Even if its just night lighting for the summer, its free power!

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