Joy of Being STORY OVERVIEW FOR JOY OF BEING: Liz and Anne fell in love and moved to Appalachia with notions of getting back to the land. Now they’re falling in love all over again with their son Linden, a highly verbal 4-year-old with a lot of questions. Motherhood is a trip. Especially when you’re doing it bare bones, living in the woods in a half-finished house without electricity or running water. And, as winter approaches, without heat. But when you strip life back, sometimes what you find is the pure joy of being — and the joy of loving each other. CAPTION FOR THIS PHOTO: Liz (making a face) and Anne (at the wheel) horse around in the car on Sunday, November 15, 2015. The couple, now in their late thirties, fell in love 6 years ago and still have a lot of fun together. 4-year-old Linden runs towards home on Sunday, November 15, 2015. The boy lives an outdoorsy lifestyle with his moms Liz and Anne Badger in a half-finished house in the woods in Amesville, Ohio. Liz and Anne share a moment with Linden on Friday, November 20, 2015. Liz gave birth to Linden and the pair share a special bond. While Anne’s name is not on the birth certificate, she is actively involved in parenting Linden, who calls her Mama Anne. Liz tumbles in the grass with LInden on Thanksgiving afternoon, 2015 in Amesville, Ohio. Liz spends most of every day with her son, always willing to get physical and run around. “I wish I had started earlier and had a whole brood. But right now that’s not an option.” Liz cuts a lone figure as she returns home through the woods on Friday, November 20, 2015, having lost both dogs to deer scent on their morning walk. The pre-dawn explorations are Liz’s only chance for solitude, since once her son wakes up, most of her day is devoted to looking after him. Liz helps her dog Barley salvage a bone from a dead deer discovered on an evening walk through the woods on Friday, November 20, 2015. Liz is always ready to leap in to make sure her loved ones — human or canine — get what they want out of life, even if that’s a rotting deer shank. On November 15, 2015 Linden plays on a green tarpaulin Mama Anne has laid down as she prepares to build a section of dry wall. Linden is eager to be involved in all physical tasks. Living with a baby dog and a baby human can be chaotic. Liz momentarily gives up after Linden shoves his head into the salad spinner on Thanksgiving, 2015. The dog Barley would be doing the same thing, but he’s tangled in his lead. Anne cooks sweet potatoes for breakfast by the light of a head torch on Friday, November 20, 2015. The family doesn’t have electricity connected to their house and uses a portable stovetop. Linden flings his arms wide, giving himself up to a moment of bliss as he plays in the stack of logs Mama Anne is stripping to build fencing on November 25, 2015.
