The modern pioneer.

I got roped into watching a Clint Eastwood western last night.  The beautiful sweeping western vistas helped take your mind off the fact that someone was getting shot every couple of minutes.  After all, the movie needed a plot and why hire Clint Eastwood unless you seriously wanted something to go down.  Despite the plot struggles, they were pioneers; makers of their own destinies, exploring the unexplored, all with the grit of sandpaper. Our population was full of people like this, paving the way for future couch potatoes. Over the past weekend, I met two modern day pioneers. These peaceful pioneers effortlessly wield cooking utensils and what they gather from the good earth as a way to forge forward.  From what I’m told, the food they prepare is paving the way towards healthier living,  fashioned from sustainable energy sources. I met Mark and Ami Shadle on this weekend’s photos hunt. I was hoping once again to capture some insight about the dwellers of the home, simply by exploring the land they live on. In my book, it can be said that one’s character, one’s beliefs and one’s dreams are on display in their home.  I felt an immediate kinship with Mark and Ami.  Perhaps our mutual affinity for cycling or the fact that their home is as old as our own helped in making the immediate connection.  Furthermore, their intense desire to bring their modern pioneering lifestyle to the forefront was nothing short of fascinating.  The photos from outside their home would provide a peek-a-boo into their core beliefs. Modern solar panels would cover the roof of the home built back in 1730.  I would be lucky enough to get a glimpse into the interior of their home and leave wanting to know more.  I would hear about G-Monkey, “The Nation's Very First All Vegetarian/Vegan Mobile Eco- Friendly Kitchen” and of another new restaurant they opened in Branford called G-Zen. Call it pioneering or entrepreneurship, Mark and Ami seem to live life on their own terms. I look forward to seeing and hearing more from them as I know they have so much to share from their experiences.