About Us

Who are we? Well, we aren’t idealists, romantics or people out on a journey to save the earth and the world. We are a family in search of a life long dream…to be self-sufficient and in a position to reach out to our greater community. The High Desert Chronicles is our way of recording what it takes for us to have a homestead.

Everyone has different ideas of what a homestead is all about, and we are no different. We aren’t purists with a desire to live completely apart from society, peeing in a hole, bathing in stream, and communing with nature. While I definitely commend those who view that lifestyle as being the ultimate way to live…it isn’t for us. We actually like appliances and certain modern conveniences. Often I’ve looked back at how homesteaders lived in the past and I wonder what I would do to make that life just a little easier? How would we do it differently? What kind of home do we want? How much land? What will we grow and what systems will we put into place to make our homestead extremely productive and efficient? Where do we want to build? These are just some of the questions I challenge our family with.

Note: This page was updated on February 1, 2013

So who are we?

-Dominic

Let’s start with my husband Dominic! What can I say about this incredible man that could possibly do justice to who he really is?

I don’t think words could describe how I feel about him, but I’ll give it a bash!

Dominic (Dom) is the most compassionate, loving and joyful man I know.

Now, its not just because I’m partial to him as my lover, best friend and soul mate, but he is genuinely everything I’ve ever wanted in a man.

He works his ass off, comes home and can make time to do things around the house, spend time with his family, love me long time, and get up and do it all over again.

He has a pioneering spirit, creative soul and a drive to protect us at all costs. I couldn’t ask for more.

His pure heart, gentle ways and bright beautiful smile make each day a treasure.

Dom has accomplished much in his 33 years of life, gaining knowledge and creating for himself a very unique skill set which has served his family well.

He is an artist who works in oil pastel, a vocalist, poet, dabbles in banjo (not my favorite instrument) and guitar, loves drumming and dancing.

He is skilled in natural building, and loves having tools in his hands.

Dom is looking forward to building a large chicken coop, outbuildings, and structures for our other future animals, as well as putting into place more earthworks and water harvesting systems.

Also on his agenda is creating solar panels, a helix wind turbine, magnate motors, ferrocement water cisterns, bio-gas digester, and hot water solar heat.

I truly love my life with him. I am blessed to have such a beautiful, faithful husband and loving father.

He loves spending time with Noah and teaching him about plumbing and building things. Most of all, he loves just spending time with him and sharing his life with Noah. Simone (Simmi) is the apple of his eye, and for Simmi…”Poppie” can do no wrong!

-Angela

OK, well, since I’m writing about myself, I’ll keep it pretty simple and leave the good stuff up to Dom to write about me.

I am an artist and love to do anything creative. From sketching and painting, to sculpture.

I enjoy designing our home and land, and try to be resourceful when it comes to what we need or want.

I am a wife, mother and grandmother, and as the picture to the left suggests, I have always loved being a mother expressing such a desire from a very early age.

Currently I’m enjoying the following:

• Running our small farm
• Developing our business and designing the logo
• Building our business website
• Working on our business model for running an aquaponics greenhouse
• Animal husbandry
• Growing fruits and vegetables in our greenhouse
• Watching our property morph into a real living breathing organism
• I love seeing things grow, change, blossom and rest
• Working on developing different product lines to bring to market

I’m totally psyched about our journey into being homesteaders and I enjoy each and every moment of the whole process.

My other website:

The Alopecian Muse- I have suffered over the last seven years with alopecia which causes the hair on my head and also on my body at times to fall out.

Because of this, I finally made a decision to shave my head and be bald. Right now my hair loss is in remission and growing back very nicely.

Anyway, on the Muse I talk about what ever floats my boat in that moment…family, politics, religion, my personal life, hair loss, and things of that nature.

-Noah

Ah, my son Noah! He is my favorite son (my only son). He has such a wonderful presence about him, and I love how he is growing into young man.

Noah is 16 years old, is a great artist and musician and writer. His passion is playing guitar and he never seems to miss a day of playing.

In September 2012 he will have been playing for 4 years, yet it seems as though he has been playing for much longer than that! He loves school, has great friends and is an all around nice guy.

Noah will be playing football this year, working his first real job and chillin with the family.

He has a great outlook on life, and he has such a beautiful nature. He loves the challenge of digging up tumbleweeds, and looks forward to taking on more projects with Dom.

He wants a “man cave” on the property where he can “chill” and play guitar, write music and record…we look forward to creating that for him!

I’m so blessed to have him in my life. He is an amazing young man. I know that whatever he decides to do with his life as an adult, it will be great.

OK, I’m done embarrassing him…for now! LOL

-Simone (Simmi)

Next up is my little Simone. Simmi brings so much life into the home each day. Everyday is different with her and we never know what to expect from her. She always keeps us guessing.

Simone is 5 years old and loves bubbles, balls and all things round, dogs, horses, giraffes, singing and watching TV.

Simone always needs to have her pens and paper around and is totally obsessed with pens in general! She needs to take her pens and paper to bed with her, and loves to draw on everything…walls, paper, herself, us, her pillow case and sheets. At anytime when we change her sheets, we can be sure to find at least 10 pens under the mattress!

She loves the color pink and also blue, adores Noah, and “Poppie” is her whole life. Simmi loves me too, but I know that as her mama, she does get sick of me and prefers others in the house since she is always with me.

She was diagnosed with Apraxia of Speech, and also has global and limb Apraxia.

She also suffers from a skin condition as well as having life threatening severe food allergies.

Through it all, however, she is a very happy little girl who brings roaring laughter, giggles, a great sense of humor, gorgeous smiles and curiosity into our lives. We love and adore you Simmi Girl!

My Three Beautiful Daughters:

Gina-

Gina, who I affectionately call my ‘boo boo kitty’ is my first born child.

This girl always gave me a run for my money. Mischievous from birth, she made curiosity her main goal in life!

Gina is an amazing woman, intelligent, gorgeous, strong willed and very loving. She is an artist, musician, an awesome writer, and skilled in the art of persuasion. LOL

Right now Gina is in search of her passion. What will it be? Like all young twenty something women, the world is at her feet and I know that whatever she chooses to do, she will do it well.

She has a passion for photography, tattooing, knitting, guitar, flute, painting, yoga, and also a life long dream of helping children with HIV and AIDS in Africa.

Gina has a great sense of humor, can be VERY moody, loves to grow flowers, fruits and veggies and someday would love to build her own strawbale or earthen home. She is beautiful through and through!

Gina has grown a lot in the last few years since moving out here to New Mexico.

She’s very intelligent, and I know she’ll develop her skills and talents, creating a unique niche for herself.

Hannah-

My Hannah Bear…what can I say about this girl that will fully explain her?

She’s a novel, but only part of her book is written.

Hannah is a writer, painter, poet, plays guitar, has a fierce unique singing voice, dancer, drummer, sculptor, animal lover, loves to grow fruits and veggies, and that’s just the beginning. She can be very flamboyant and larger than life if she so desires.

She and her cutie dog Camille live in Albuquerque but come down to see us from time to time. Hannah is very independent, cherishing her alone time. She needs solitude and quiet times to regroup from her busy schedule and lifestyle.

One thing that I really appreciate about Hannah is her willingness to try almost anything that strikes her fancy. She has a courageous and adventurous way of turning both pain and pleasure into life lessons which she deeply reflects on.

As she comes into her own as a twenty something young woman, she has set her gaze inward to discover the most beautiful parts of herself, and as she shares those things with me, all I can do is sit in awe of what a beautiful soul she has…as she reflects on her truths.

Shoshannah-

My Shoshie Girl! My shadow, my little companion when she was just a tiny little thang. Shoshie (she prefers being called Shauna) is my youngest daughter.

At the tender age of 17, she is skilled in playing cello, speaks French, sings, acting in her high school plays, has a passion for children in Guatemala, and loves her family.

Shoshie has grown into a beautiful young woman and her beauty inside and out just gets sweeter by the day. Her heart is filled with love for God, her hands reach out to those in need, her eyes gaze lovingly to the less fortunate with compassion, and with her ears she hears a calling from God. She’s listening. She’s amazing.

My baby girl went to visit a college not too long ago. I’m so proud of her for wanting to pursue a college education. She turned 17 July 2012, and time is just flying by!

She’ll be a senior this 2012, and is looking forward to going to France with her class.

Shoshie will also be returning to Guatemala this summer to work with a mission group.

She has a bright future ahead of her, and I’m glad she’s following her heart, praying for guidance, and living the kind of life she’s always dreamed of.