What if we had no more grass?

I'm exploring this idea on a blog dedicated to the topic...

An artistic exploration of Revelation 8:7 "A third of the earth was burned up, a third of the trees were burned up, and all the green grass was burned up."


I was always struck by this verse in scripture. It hit me because of the word "all." For some reason the grasses are picked out specifically for annihilation. Curious indeed. So I began to contemplate what that might mean to us...what would a world without grasses be like?

It is a pure creative exploration as I jump from one idea to the next and give it a toss in my brain. I hope to culminate these ideas into various forms of art.

I miss you

I get lost in my dreams and within ideas that jump like rabbits for attention. Like going into a thicket and traveling from one tree to another then jumping over to a rock. I have no idea how long I've been there or where the road back to reality may be. The magic of the forest, full of pretty things that shimmer and make melody, has enchanted me. I'll have to take account of the time. That time that didn't take account of me while ticking away.

All I'll be able to say is that I was delightfully lost, charged with a mission of thought and in a trance that wouldn't break.  

I'm sorry, I got lost.

So often this happens to me. I wrote this in my journal back on 10/2/10. It is very typical of the way my mind works. I, all the sudden, wake up and realize that months have passed while I've been entranced with a certain activity and have forgotten all else. That is how it has been for me and this little blog space. I promised myself that I wouldn't do it if it felt like obligation and it wasn't wonderfully creative, expressive and free. I learn through my blog(s). For that reason it is entirely self-serving.

I've been missing this little space lately. I have so many wonderful things to share. Life has been marching on, and me with it, still charged with a mission to live more simply and in tune with my environment. As I flutter about I hope to re-enguage here again before I get lost in another spell. That is how it is for me. No blog theories on how many posts per day you're suppose to do. This is fun space and it is wild and free. I'd like to keep it that way in my heart too.

Freegan Foray

Our bike adventures continue! On our trip yesterday my husband decided to peek into some dumpsters at a grocery store. More a curiosity peek than anything. We've known about the idea of freeganism for awhile. Certainly we've had some curb side success with cast away end tables and such but we've never gone so far as food. 


Most people think that it's only the homeless that do this sort of thing. Folks should know that there is an entire movement dedicated to the principles of Freeganism. 


It is a movement that I agree with the principles of. It goes along with the header quote I have listed on this blog from Adbusters. Foraging was an easier concept for me to get on board with. When we buy groceries we tend to buy organic and gluten free. Dumpster diving, in general, doesn't yield those kinds of results but, the name Freegan is a hybrid word of Free+Vegan. You can find tons of fresh produce this way. 


My greatest concern with my husband's desire to go dumpster diving was that he was going to bring home too much junk food & too much non-food junk that would clutter up the house. We live in a small space & I'm an organizaholic / simplicity nut. Wouldn't it figure that I would marry a hoarder? We'll see if this balance can be maintained. It would be good stuff, regardless, even if we just ended up giving it away or donating usable furniture.


20 items gleaned: Our bounty included 4 bakery items (2 strudels, 2 cakes) & a ton of produce. 6 packs of strawberries, 3 packs of cantaloup/honeydew/red grapes, 3 bags of green seedless grapes, 1 tomato in perfect condition, 2 vegetable trays & 1 pretty tin container (empty, maybe unusable due to condition of the inside).  All were sealed, all had SAME DAY expiration dates. The strawberries were in the worst condition. After cleaning and picking through, the 6 packs of strawberries went down to 2.

" Freeganism is an anti-consumerist lifestyle whereby people employ alternative living strategies based on limited participation in the conventional economy and minimal consumption of resources.

Freegans "embrace community, generosity, social concern, freedom, cooperation, and sharing in opposition to a society based on materialism, moral apathy, competition, conformity, and greed."^[1] Freeganism involves choosing to salvage discarded, unspoiled food from supermarket dumpsters, known as 'dumpster diving'."

Most Freegans dumpster dive at grocery stores, packaging stores, restaurants and places like that...not from your personal trash. Consider the bounty and food quality one might find comparing the two resources? Yeah, store gleaning just makes sense.


Several Freegan groups do the work and donate excess. It supports their belief system. You can see that in the videos below. Ginger, a Freegan on Twitter states that she's donated $92,000 worth of fresh food to the needy in 3.5 years. Did you know that most businesses can't donate their food because of liability issues? I worked for a catering company that couldn't even let employees take home food that they cooked and served, themselves, that day. We had to scrape it into the trash. Such a waste. Fresh & delicious food going into our landfill.


At the very least we can have stuff to feed our compost bin. Get some free black gold!


If dumpster diving isn't for you but you're intrigued with the idea then try Freecycle or the free listings on Craig's List.

More info> http://freegan.info/- "strategies for sustainable living beyond capitalism"

The smarts of it...

Check out the bounty on these guys!...

Mewithoutyou
My husband was introduced to freeganism as a movement when he met these guys. He got a chance to record horns for their album & is on this track. They run their tour bus (the size of a Greyhound bus) on veggie oil too!

Hi Ho, A Foraging and Exercising We Go!

Confession time...part of the missing equation for us has been exercise. Sure, we get on kicks where we walk regularly then hot, rainy or cold weather stops us. Actually, about a year ago, I was chased by a pit bull in our neighborhood. We have quite a few non-leashed dogs around here. I never had a fear of dogs before then. I've even had a coyote-hybrid cross within 3 feet of me and that didn't scare me like this pit bull did.

I'm not a fan of gym memberships or organized work-outs. I'd rather be outside or doing something productive. Walking a treadmill seems like a hamster on a wheel getting nowhere. We also don't drive our car every day. Driving into town 20 min. away just to walk for 2-4ish miles wasn't something we were up to.

So, about a week ago we got bikes. We've gone out on three ventures and can ride up to the nearest grocery store. How convenient! Slim pickings on healthy sustainable food options though. That's sad. I'm wondering if we can ride up to the nearest bus stop too? I was always curious about the practicality of alternative transportation for us.

These ventures have been exciting! We're both energized by it and look for excuses to get out and ride our bikes each day. Today it is raining pretty hard...we've been looking for a window of clearing but haven't found it yet.

Our ventures have already been lucrative in building relationships with our neighbors and for foraging. Here are some of the cool things we've experienced...

1) We learned that you can process black walnuts "the easy way." Just collect them (keep away from the squirrels!) & let them blacken. Once the hulls have blackened you can roll them under your feet or roll over them in your car to remove the hull. You then get to cracking (if the car didn't do some of that for you already). Though our process is challenging, I think we're going to stick to it for the green hulls. For the hulls that are blackened, we will probably process them "the easy way."

Speaking of foraging- we scored this used book at Ed McKay's yesterday. I'm looking forward to going on more foraging adventures. Did you know that foraging is also called "wild crafting"?

2) The good walnut advice gentleman above (he's full of wisdom at the youthful age of 70) also had an apple and pear tree. That is what really caught our attention! The trees were loaded with fruit and there was so much of it that had fallen to the ground and was going to waste. We stopped to chat and the gentleman invited us to take anything that had fallen. Yesterday we scored 5 lbs. of apples and 10 lbs. of pears for our first takings. Apple butter & pear butter here we come! Might be juicing some too.

3) We circled around a parking lot where we saw this amazing bike. The owner has it rigged with a motor! I wonder how fast it goes? It's one sweet looking bike.

George Carlin on "Stuff"

So before today I only knew of George Carlin as the person behind this quote: "Your house is a place to keep your stuff while you're out buying more stuff." Call me unenlightened or whatever but I never knew he was a comedian and that this quote came from one of his stand up comic bits. He's full of them! Wonderfully witty, a bit crass (fair warning for those easily offended), but always engaging.

Here is his bit on "Stuff"...




I ran across the full printed version of this (albeit slightly different, probably because he put different spins on it each time he told it) in this book: The Little Big Book of Life. Seems that the video cuts off before the end. Possibly because he stopped there, but in the book, he goes on a little bit more. It picks up from his last spoken sentence like this...

"Just the stuff you hope you're gonna need...

By the way, if you go to the beach while you're visiting the sister, you're gonna have to bring-that's right-an even smaller version of your stuff: the "fifth version." Cigarettes and wallet. That's it. You can always borrow someone's suntan lotion. And then suppose, while you're there on the beach, you decide to walk over to a refreshment stand to get a hot dog? That's right, my friend! Number six! The most important version of your stuff: your wallet! Your wallet contains the only stuff you really can't do without.

Well, by the time you get home you're pretty fed up with your stuff and all the problems it creates. And so about a week later, you clean out the closet, the attic, the basement, the garage, the storage locker, and all the other places you keep your stuff, and you get things down to manageable proportions. Just the right amount of stuff to lead a simple and uncomplicated life. And that's when the phone rings. It's a lawyer. It seems your aunt has died...and left you all her stuff. Oh no! Now whaddya do? Right. you do the only thing you can do. The honorable thing. You tell the lawyer to stuff it."

If you like that & you're an eco-head then you might also like his bit on saving the planet. Just watch with an open mind. In the end he really is saying the same thing but using an opposite spin. He argues that it's not the planet that needs saving but the human race living on the planet that are like parasites on the earth...our race is the one in jeopardy.

Spotted Yesterday: Hummingbird Moth

I saw one of these guys feeding on my oregano flowers yesterday. He was feeding alongside a bumble bee. I thought it was some type of bee until I did some searching online. "Hummingbird Bee" led me to "Hummingbird Moth." It was fat & fuzzy like a bumble bee and had the same yellow & black coloring. Major differences in it's wing span and speed along with having a long feeding tube that it was sticking into all the flowers. It was curious indeed! I had never seen one of these before. It held me in awe until it got tired of my gawking and fluttered away.

I can't recall if mine had a pointed butt (Hemaris thysbe) or a square butt (Hemaris diffinis).







More info:
https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/Hummingbird_moth
http://www.birds-n-garden.com/snowberry_clearwing_hummingbird_moths.html

Lima Beans- worth the space in a small scale garden?

So what do I mean by small scale? I'm meaning more hobbyist level really...smaller than small. We have 3 raised beds that are 5'x8'. In addition to that we have 2 cleared areas, ground level, that are about the same size. Outside of that we have a few small areas dedicated to herbs and flowers. We're expanding, bit by bit, each year.

We grew baby lima beans for the first time this year. My year 1 thoughts...

1) They weren't very productive

We grew 9 plants and thought we would have plenty to keep us up to our ears, at least for a few weeks. The beans are variable, coming to harvest stages at various times. Prior to this week, the harvests have been small...less than 10 beans or so. Certainly not enough to cook with or preserve. Just toss them in a stir-fry as an accent & be happy when you happened upon one in your dish.

So, either our conditions didn't bring out the best in them & we caused low production, or, you just have to grow a much larger quantity of plants to get a decent harvest. I read here that 4-8 lima bean plants per household should be sufficient. I also read that lima beans don't like weather above 80 degrees F but that the bush varieties (indeterminate) will keep bearing fruit so long as weather conditions are right...all the way up until first frost.

2) Pest / disease troubles: Rust & Aphids

The rust appeared early. It didn't claim any fruit though I don't know if it decreased production. We treated it with copper fungicide spray. It never went away but it didn't get worse. The aphids were in masses & nothing seemed to deter them. I squished/wiped them off, sprayed off with a hose & used pyrethrin. They were all over the new blossoms and colonies were sucking lima bean pods dry.

3) Don't eat anything but the bean and don't eat them raw!

Lima beans contain dangerous amounts of linamarin, a cyanogenic glucoside (cyanide). It's rendered safe by cooking thoroughly.

Unlike peas, you cannot eat lima bean leaves. Unlike snow peas or sugar snap peas, you cannot eat the lima bean pods.

4) Tips on preservation

We discovered, the hard way, that shelled beans don't preserve well in the refrigerator. If you harvest them, and aren't going to cook them right away, then keep them in their pods and save them, up to a week, in the refrigerator. This may give you time to harvest more so you have enough to do something with. We found that timely harvesting was important. If they are on the plant too long then they dry out (are larger whitish beans). If left too long you may want to consider using those for seeds. Canning and freezing are good ways to preserve bush type lima beans. Bush varieties tend to be smaller. Pole varieties tend to be larger and preservation of those can include drying. I haven't run across advice online that recommends drying the smaller varieties or cooking and eating the ones that age past their prime on the vine.

Buy local online from The Fabulous Gift

Reposting from Greensboro News and Record's Bargain Blog:

"A Greensboro-based online gift shop representing local artists recently opened. The Fabulous Gift includes crafts by local artists such as Brandtridge Jewelry, Keeka Pea Designs, Anni Frohlich and Glow Kouture. Items for sale include jewelry, handmade notebooks, spa sets, metal sculptures, purses and magnets. The online shop also has a custom gift survey form for reminders and tips."

Just thought I'd help get the word out! We know that buying local is a good thing for our economy. Just yesterday I read this compelling quote from Animal Vegetable Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver: "Buying goods from local businesses rather than national chains generates about three times as much money for your local economy."

On a personal note: I bought a really cute button ring from Anni Frohlich a few years back. Since then we've become acquaintances. We both attended a Reuse conference in Raleigh back in late 2010. She even dotted my husband's bald head with sticky jewels (mohawk style) back in June at our local Summer Solstice Festival.

Read more about her in this interview from Skirt Magazine where she describes her work as "Reconsidering found objects that cannot be recycled within the mainstream and giving them a new purpose through art."

DIY & Free Garden Supports

We've made a few structural garden elements this year. We foraged our woods for resources. Our selections were downed branches, strangling vines & stalks of large weeds.

For our tomatoes we used 5 branches/trunks. 4 were cut down to the same length. These became the cross beams for the legs, so choose the hight you want your structure plus 1-2 feet that you'll set into the ground. The 5th branch was cut to go across the top. The top beam was supported by wrapping rope/twine around the 3 branches that met at the corners. We then tied twine in a grid pattern down both sides of the V. I actually used scrap yarn. It seems to be holding up well for supporting the 8 tomato plants we've got on it right now.

For our sweet peas we chose to weave branches between supports. You need sturdy branches cut to whatever hight you desire plus 1-2 feet. Use about 5 branches per side of the support. These will be pushed into the ground to become what you weave through. We used stalks of tall plants for weaving. They had too much water content & dried up significantly. Those were pulled those out & replaced it with vines (I think they call it monkey vine?) that take over our trees. We were able to help our trees by releasing them from the vines. and it provided us with excellent raw material for our supports.

Well said Upton Sinclair

Animal reactions to GMO food, when given a choice...

I had to share this compelling video about how animals reacted when given a choice between GMO and non-GMO food...

IT'S TIME FOR A FOOD FIGHT from NO GMO on Vimeo.

As discovered on http://momsforsafefood.net/

Lemon? Yes please!

Advice I will be heeding from here on out:

Always add lemon to your water

&

Drink a glass of lemon water first thing when you wake up.

Why? 

It "helps flush out the liver and kidneys. That extra squeeze of fresh lemon juice will encourage your liver to produce bile, stimulating digestion. Lemon juice also keeps undigested nutrients from entering the bloodstream, meaning the liver doesn't have to work as hard. Lemon juice is also rich in antioxidants, which remove toxins from the body."

Read more: http://www.naturalhomeandgarden.com/natural-health/cleanse-your-liver-naturally.aspx#ixzz1V9Mh7Lvi

Fresh squeezed lemon juice is preferred. 

Echinacea & Autoimmune Diseases

So, my husband has hashimoto's disease. It's an autoimmune disease effecting the thyroid. It's where the immune system attacks your thyroid resulting in an under-active thyroid. There isn't a cure and you have to be on thyroid hormone replacement therapy for the rest of your life. Thyroid issues run on his mom's side of the family.

I just read today that you shouldn't take echinacea if you have an autoimmune disease. That is all my nutritional healing book said. It didn't go into why.

So, from what I've gathered in reading online, this is a controversial topic and may depend on what autoimmune disease you have and what medications you're on. Autoimmune diseases tend to be where the immune system isn't reacting, in a normal way, to your body...like in my husbands instance where his immune system is attacking his thyroid.

Thinking through this logically, you wouldn't want to amp up your immune system when it's not doing it's job correctly. It could counter the immunosuppressant type of medications you might be taking as well.

It made me think of this little blog space because we were going to plant a bed of echinacea this year. We have also been growing chamomile and aren't sure about it either.  I have a ragweed allergy and my husband gets hay fever.  Chamomile is a ragweed relative & isn't recommended for those with an allergy. It's also said that, continual use, can form an allergy in susceptible individuals. If you do take it then you're suppose to not take it over a long duration.

We'd prefer to grow things that we both can enjoy the fruits of. With my many allergies and our differing dietary preferences and health needs, we may have to forgo that desire.

Note: those with thyroid issues should also be cautious of eating too much from the cabbage family. Be sure to do some research on that if you fall into this bucket.

Sewing Project Done: DIY Pads

Awhile back I did a post on feminine products. In that post I shared that I've switched to the Diva Cup. I'm proud to report that I finally got the hang of it! This week I got around to making some pads. I made 5 liners that I'll wear with the Diva Cup 'just in case'. The other 2 are thicker and larger nighttime pads. I haven't had an opportunity to put these to the test yet so I'll have to report back.

There are a ton of patterns online. It really depends on what your preferred shape, thickness, etc. is. If you decide to make your own then Google your heart away & find one you like.  I decided to make my own for a few reasons...

1. The fabric patterns at the store were awful & psychedelic.
2. I'm trying amp up my sewing skills one project at a time
3. I truly heart D.I.Y.
4. I love saving a buck

I made these out of the following scrap materials...

• An old t-shirt (the blue material)
• Left over soft cotton from an eye-mask I made for my husband (the grey material)
• A dishrag with a waffle weave (like these) that I bought from goodwill (the inside layers of the pad)

For each pad you'll use 2 layers of the cotton & 2 layers of the waffle cloth. The waffle cloth gets sandwiched in between the cotton & sewn together. For the nighttime pads I added some extra padding down the center. I sewed a line down the center of the pad to keep it all in place. I was going to leave it unfinished around the edges but the waffle weave kept shedding. The trim, made of scrap strips, fixed that issue.

Mine differ from the norm in that I didn't use a thin liner plastic for the back layer. These are mostly back-ups for the cup so I thought I'd be okay. Since my prior post I hadn't purchased disposable pads. I was using the grey t-shirt cotton just folded up. It worked fine so I think my version will suit my needs.

If I find they don't function well then I can modify the design easily. I'll just cut out a larger square piece from fleece bedding that has a plastic backing (waterproof sheets for kids). I'll sew these pads down that square on the diagonal then affix a snap. That will give me wings and a waterproof layer.

They're not fancy nor will they match my undergarments but they will surely be functional. That's what I'm going for! Hopefully it won't be a routine thing for people to see these puppies anyway!

Organic Farming in India & The Seed Cathedral

I have a soft spot in my heart for India. I was happy to run across this video where they documented Vandana Shiva's efforts to spread organic farming and seed saving in her native country. I love what she's doing & I'm jealous of the space she has for drying seed-heads and storing her seed bank.






Speaking of seed banks have you seen this Seed Cathedral? It's amazing right? For the source of this image, to view more images and for information go here.

Pretty Pretty Seeds

Ah, talk about cathartic. Seed saving will surely slow you and calm you. I don't have any special equipment except my two hands. That was a challenge when it came to saving leek seeds last year. Aren't leek plants gorgeous when they flower and go to seed though? If you haven't seen them then you need to.

So, seed saving is an exploration for me. All of this really is exploration and play. I have to approach it that way because I am sure to have some failures. This approach gives me lots of ability to have fun, goof up & try again.

Below you find some of the seeds I'm saving. I've got to see if the feathery parts on the lettuce seeds need separated. That will be a task!   

I love how beautiful they all are. The wanna-be botanist in me is so impressed with the thin membrane in the brussels sprouts pod. It's so delicate and translucent. I'm wondering if there is a project I can do to display and show off that quality? Also, look at how smart those peas are. The peas develop every other one on each side so they allow for just right spacing. Gets me pondering bee space and fractals and such. Oh nature, how wonderfully intelligent you are!

"Nature does nothing uselessly."- Aristotle

"I am following Nature without being able to grasp her."- Claude Monet 

Chamomile, pea & mixed lettuce seed collecting

Brussels Sprout Seeds & Pods

Pea Pods

Chamomile

We planted (German) chamomile last year and I was surprised to see it come up again this year. Last year it didn't take off enough for us to harvest the flowers. We spotted them in our raised beds in early spring. They have distinctive foliage so they were easy to identify. Hopefully we'll be able to harvest enough this year to dry out for tea. 

Our first chamomile clippings

Good things to know about chamomile:

1) Varieties, growing & harvesting tips:

• There are 2 different common chamomile plants. Depending on where you are and what you read, you'll see people preferring one or the other.

• German Chamomile (Matricaria recutita)- The most common chamomile. Likes 6.7 pH, sandy, well drained soil & full sun to partial shade. No specific zone noted. Annual & it should self seed if you don't harvest all the flowers. Grows 2-3 feet tall.

• Roman Chamomile (Chamaemelum nobile)- Likes 7 pH, light, dry soil, full sun to partial shade & zones 3-4. It's perennial & grows 6-9 inches tall. It was commonly used as ground cover and, once established, it can be walked on & mowed. May also be called English Chamomile.

• Both share the benefits listed below along with some other varieties of chamomile that have different fragrances (from no fragrance to pungent/bad) and different colors (yellow petals & black center). Both common varieties have an apple-like fragrance.

• Chamomile will re-seed itself. If you leave a few of the flowers unharvested, the heads will dry out and scatter seeds on the ground. You'll have a bounty of additional plants. Plant in an area dedicated to growing chamomile. I made the mistake of not doing this! Sharing seeds with a friend is easy. Cut several heads of spend flowers that have been allowed to dry on the plant. Crumple the heads onto the soil and dust with a light potting mix or compost. You'll see some chamomile babies popping up in no time.

• Harvesting- run your hands through the bush with your palms up. Let the flower head pop off into your hands. Use the flowers as is or dry them out. Harvesting this way provides you with just the flower portion of the plant and not stems or leaves. This lets your plant rejuvenate quickly, producing more flowers. Those that use chamomile to make essential oil may harvest more of the green for their purposes.

2) Common Benefits / Uses:

• You can use fresh or dried flowers & leaves to make a tea. Naturalists believe that repeated drinking of chamomile tea will have cumulative effects.

• Beneficial properties: It's said to be calming and can help you sleep. It's also known to help relieve stress or settle an upset stomach. It may be used as an anti-inflammatory for the skin and mucus membranes to treat various skin conditions. It's also used as an anti-spasmodic for indigestion & menstrual cramps and as an anti-infective for various illnesses. It has blood thinning attributes. Its health benefits lie in its volatile oil (coumarin is the active ingredient) derived from the flowers. The active ingredient apigenin helps one relax after a stressful day. Here's a list of some health ailments that chamomile is said to aid in relief of:

• muscle relaxant
• menstrual cramps
• muscular pains
• digestive issues
• nausea
• abdominal pain
• heartburn
• irritable bowel syndrome
• bloating
• indigestion
• soothing skin burns
• acne
• skin allergies
• diaper rash
• eczema
• insomnia
• nervousness
• stress
• anxiety
• headaches

• Beauty uses: It's a common ingredient in hair products for blondes. It's said to help brighten the hair. Many DIY'ers make their own concoction of castile soap & chamomile tea (or infusion). Some ladies that lighten their hair naturally may spray their hair with chamomile tea &/or lemon juice before going out into the sun. You may also see chamomile used in creams, lotions and perfumes. It's great for people with sensitive skin. Tea bags can be applied to the eyes to help reduce dark circles and puffiness. 

• Historical uses: Agues, malarial chills, headaches, kidney, liver and bladder disorders, flavor fine sherry, freshen rooms, preserve meat by  immersing it in chamomile tea to help eliminate the rancid odor of spoilage, insect repellent. Got the name "Allies zutraut" by the Germans meaning "capable of anything."

Caution: Consult a physician before using chamomile if are pregnant, prone to allergies (esp. ragweed), or are taking blood thinners.

Purse Re-do

So I had this yellow purse that I loved. I took it everywhere. It was the perfect size and the perfect color. I was surprised that it matched almost everything I wore. One day, as vinyl does, it started peeling. I had some separation anxiety and decided to make a new purse from the old one. This would get me sewing- a personal goal. I was also able to use fabric pieces I already had and I didn't have to spend a dime. Um, okay, I had to spend something like $1.50 for thick white thread.

This is my 1st purse sewing project. I reused as many pieces from the original as I could. This reduced the amount of waste created. I reused the zipper for the inside pocket and the snaps that held the top closed. I reused the vinyl panels as batting/structure for the new purse. In hindsight, this was probably not a great idea. It made the final purse look more puffy than I wanted and it made parts very thick and difficult to sew. I had some challenges with the straps. Who knew cutting a straight line could be so difficult? I need some tips and tricks for conquering that in the future.

Enjoy the photos and I'll enjoying my new bag for as long as it will last me!

Cultivating A Sense Of Wonder

"We are so preoccupied with ourselves, the words we speak, the plans and projects we conceive that we become immune to the glory of creation. We barely notice the cloud passing over the moon or the dewdrops clinging to the rose leaves. The ice on the pond that comes and goes. The wild blackberries ripen and wither. The blackbird nest outside our bedroom window. We don't see her. We avoid the cold and the heat. We refrigerate ourselves in summer and entomb ourselves in plastic in winter. We rake up every leaf as fast as it falls. We are so accustomed to buying prepackaged meets and fish and fowl in supermarkets we never think to blink about the bounty of God's creation. We grow complacent and lead practical lives. We miss the experience of awe, reverence, and wonder." 

- A Spirituality of Compassion by Joan Puls, pp 119-20 as referenced in The Ragamuffin Gospel by Brennan Manning, pp 89-90

Last spring, a large coyote was running fast and free down a tree line. I saw it in the distance about an acre away. Continued, bouncing, as it ran. It reached me at the road on my afternoon walk. I stood, jaw gaping, at its majesty. I couldn't move and I wasn't afraid. I couldn't do anything but stand in awe of what I was seeing. He continued without much acknowledgement of me other than a turning of its head, with tongue out and seeming happiness on its face.

Last week, a baby deer was pacing a fence line. It ran about 6 yards, turned around and ran back. It paced like this trying to get through the fence. It was too small to make the jump that apparently its mother just made and I missed seeing. I looked up from gardening and saw this baby frantic to get across. I called to it, as I do all cute things in nature. Surprisingly it responded to my voice. It ran directly to me only stoping in a bush about 1 yard away from me. This knee high little creature was curious about me. Then I moved and it dashed away.

A few days ago, a squirrel was doing its scamper hop on our back porch, right outside our sliding glass door. It sprung up and tried to grab my plastic door frame. The outburst of motion and nail clenching sound surprised me and left me with a smile as I questioned him- "Just what are doing?"

A few days ago I was out running an errand. I found myself standing on a sidewalk where large black ants were frantically running around near our feet. Its frenetic activity bothered me & I tapped it with my shoe. You hear this little pop sound as you squish an ant. I wondered why I did that. I don't like killing anything, not even bugs in my house if I can catch-and-release without them touching me. I had immediate guilt and I looked sheepishly at the others standing near me. I wondered if they noticed or considered my actions.

A few nights ago, a lizard was trapped in our bedroom wall. Right behind the head of our bed. Every half-hour or so it would jump up, hit the inside of the wall & you could hear its nails against the wall on the way down. It managed to rouse us from sleep a few times.

Sigg Bankruptcy

So, in August of 2008, Sigg secretly switched out its BPA containing liners. Mid to late 2009, the news finally got out to the public. The company agreed to switch out bottles for the new ones. Now news is being released that Sigg is going bankrupt.

We bought our Sigg bottle for my husband a few years back. He's a road dog traveling musician and our desire to not use plastic water bottles has continued to grow. He stores extra water, for long weekends, in an old glass apple juice jug and re-fills his bottle as needed.

We were shocked and pissed at the news and, frankly, I'm a bit disappointed in myself for not being a more savvy consumer. I know, what rock were we living under in 2009 to have missed this news?  Who knows, any number of rocks to be honest.

So, we needed to find out about the test. I can't remember when we bought our Sigg so now, how can we test our canteen to see if it was the old version or not?  That's when I came across this...

Our results: YES, we are in BPA liner land. It's extra discouraging because of the battered and bruised shape that my husband's water bottle was in. I took these pictures today. You can see all the dents from road ware. You can see where the copper rubbed away on the rim and you can see the tell-tell copper lining the inside.

Resource links:
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2011/07/siggs-american-water-bottle-distributor-bankrupt.php
http://consumerist.com/2009/08/sigg-will-replace-bpa-containing-bottles-for-free.html
http://news.discovery.com/human/bpa-plastic-food-hormones-chemicals-110715.html

Bok Choy Harvest!

This week we harvested all of our Bok Choy (aka Pak Choi, chinese cabbage, & more). My husband sowed WAY to many seeds with the intention of thinning. He can't ever bring himself to actually thin things though ("they're perfectly good"). Can't say I blame him. Overall the crop grew easily and without fuss. The great thing about bok choy is that you can pick it in its baby stage and use it. It has a more mild and sweeter taste than the grown up version.

Harvesting took longer than we thought possible. We pulled them up then picked through the pile separating the good from the bad while picking off nasty harlequin bugs & caterpillars that decided to infest our garden.  Random note: have you ever smelled caterpillar poop on your brassicaceae plants? You will never forget it. It will turn your stomach sour & make you wash your plants extra good!

The remainder was taken to the kitchen and washed thoroughly. The bulk of the harvest went to make kimchi. Several of the leafy parts were blanched & frozen (use like spinach) & a bit was saved in the fridge for stir-fry. We had to soak & process the cabbage in a large storage bin. Nothing in our standard kitchen could possibly hold that much!

Sharing a few bok choy recipes with you:

1. Kimchi (my husband used this one primarily but made modifications to suit his tastes)
2. Umeboshi Kimchi (I made a small batch of this to try. I was looking for a way to use my Umeboshi plum paste)
3. Creamed Bok Choy
4. Deep-Fried Bok Choy
5. Bok Choy Chicken Soup
6. Greek Greens
7. Raw Chop Suey
8. Surprising Vegetable Soup
9. and several others

Damn harlequin bugs. Getting their sexy on even!

The pile of good stuff!

Our kimchi in 1/2 gallon jars

Umeboshi kimchi & blanched greens

Honeysuckle Wreath

Yesterday I made a honeysuckle wreath to adorn the front door. The fragrance is delightful!

Honeysuckles grow rampant around here and their vines strangle young trees. I assembled this wreath with nothing but a 3" piece of natural twine. So easy! Here's to free and environmentally friendly decorating. No plastic wreath frame, wire or other items to be tossed or take up storage space later. I'm going to try spritzing it with water to get it to stay fresh looking longer.

Book Recommendation: Seed to Seed by Suzanne Ashworth & Kent Whealy

If you'd like to save your own plant seeds year after year then this might be resource for you to check into.

This book came highly recommended to me. It is very comprehensive. It can speak to you at whatever level of expertise you might be at, from beginner to expert.

Amazon link here.

Also, there are a ton of free online resources available. If you type in "Seed Saving PDF" in your web browser you'll find all kinds of goodies.

You also might want to check out the Seed Saver's Exchange.

Thank goodness I didn't exchange seeds this past year! I'd have had some very unhappy recipients of hybrid seeds I saved. I just have to laugh at myself sometimes!

Seed Saving- FAIL

Well, learning how to do anything requires more failures than successes, at first, right? Last year I started saving some plant seeds. I had several successes...dill, basil, leeks & 7 different kinds of hot peppers (we hope!).

So here is how to learn from my mistake: DON'T SAVE SEEDS FROM HYBRID PLANTS!

Yeah, that's what I did. I had this amazing little tomato seed saving set-up from last year. You've got to ferment the seed to dissolve it's protective gel sack around the seed. You mix with water, stir often, watch for the film on top of the mix to turn. I had a little schedule and labels. It was so cute & organized. I saved Better Boy & some cherry tomatoes along with  some Ambrosia Cantaloupe (you don't have to dissolve a gel sack around those, they were easy to save). I'm glad I saved the plant tags from last year...all three were HYBRID!


Hybrid: Seed that is a result of crossing or breeding two varieties of plant in order to gain offspring that display the desired qualities of the parent plants. Seeds taken from hybrid plants should not be replanted because they will be either sterile, fruitless, or they will not germinate true to type. The resulting plants could be like any of the parents; therefore, new seed must be purchased every year.


Guess it was best that I discovered this before I potted the seeds and wondered why nothing came up or why we got crazy fruits!

We've tried our hands at a heirloom variety a few years ago. We didn't do very well. It was a challenge to our skills to buy and grow all heirloom and organic varieties this year. We'll see how it goes!

September 2010- Tomato Seed Saving Process

My beautiful failure- seeds from HYBRID plants

Maybe I can dye the cantaloup seeds and make some jewelry. Otherwise they're just fit for the trash :(

GMO & The Future of Food

I have a movie recommendation for you and you can watch it for free...streamed right from your computer. It's available on hulu here.

Movie: The Future of Food
It's a little dated. It was released in 2004 but all of the topics are still surprisingly valid. I knew Monsanto was diabolical but I really didn't realize how far reaching their greed was. Probably 100% of Americans have been negatively impacted by this company...really 100% of the globe with direct threats to a vast % of its population. Wow, one company did this much damage. One company.

"THE FUTURE OF FOOD offers an in-depth investigation into the disturbing truth behind the unlabeled, patented, genetically engineered foods that have quietly filled grocery store shelves for the past decade."-imdb movie database


So, I want to ban all GMO (genetically modified organism) / GE (genetically engineered) foods from my kitchen. I'd love to ban all Monsanto products too. I don't want to support that kind of evil. I'll have to do some research. I'm going to watch this movie a 2nd time and take some notes. There is a list of the seed companies they own that scrolls at the end. Probably a list online somewhere too. I think, as of today, GMO labeling is still not required. Some companies (like Silk milk, I'm staring at my carton now) do voluntary labeling. If you buy organic then it is certified to have less that 30% GMO. If you buy from local farmers you are probably pretty safe too. You can always join the movement of people that are growing their own food!

Here are some great articles:
http://www.wikihow.com/Avoid-Genetically-Modified-Foods
http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1599110,00.html

Here is a great little tip from the wikihow link:
Recognize fruit and vegetable label numbers.

• If it is a 4-digit number, the food is conventionally produced.
  
• If it is a 5-digit number beginning with an 8, it is GM. However, do not trust that GE foods will have a PLU identifying it as such, because PLU labeling is optional. ^[6]
  
• If it is a 5-digit number beginning with a 9, it is
  organic.^[7]

Mystery flower identified! I have a tulip tree

...and I thought it was a poplar all this time! I could never see these flowers up in the trees. I kept seeing them in our yard and in the driveway though. For some crazy reason I thought that animals (bats maybe) were dropping them. I don't know why, maybe because they think I'm beautiful and want to throw flowers at my feet. Yep, that really must be it!

"A valuable timber and shade tree, it's fast growing and the tallest of the eastern hardwoods. A lightweight wood, it was used to craft canoes by Native Americans and to build shelter and other structures by early settlers. Today the easily worked light yellow wood maintains a high commercial value because of its versatility and as a substitute for scarce softwoods in furniture and framing construction. The tulip tree is also valued as a honey tree, a source of food for song and game birds, rabbits, squirrels, mice, and whitetail deer. The tulip tree is also referred to as the tuliptree, tulip magnolia, yellow poplar, tulip poplar, white poplar and whitewood as well as hyphenated variations on those names." It also happens to be the Indiana state tree. Source link of this blurb: here.

How about that...it is a poplar! I always thought these stunning flowers that graced the ground were so striking...that neon orange, buttery yellow and chartreuse! Now, we have a baby tulip tree that has grown rapidly right under a power line. Trying to convince the man to cut it down. Maybe I can convince him to use the wood to craft something. Maybe a wood sliced floor for our hallway? Awe, shucks, that might would be purdy.

Holes in my roses- who is the culprit?

I want to grow up to be a good gardener. I have a lot to learn if I want to grow most of my food! Well, let's start being obedient with the little things that I have around me today...my roses.

Inspection: Sat. 4/30/11 @ 7:45 PM

Plant: Roses ("Salmon-Pink J&P Climber" & "Coral-Orange Hybrid Tea")

Garden Activity: Pruned about 4' of cane from one 8' section of the climber rose. I think you're suppose to prune in Jan-Feb & NOT now! Well, I wanted to leave it alone but any more growth would have drug this unsupported rose down to the ground. As it was, it looked like a giraffe reaching out to bite people. I needed to prune this earlier but my shears broke & it wasn't until recently that I replaced them. All the other canes were trimmed except this one that was too big in diameter. I culled the roses from this bountiful cut section for a little arrangement in the house. Maybe I should trellis these guys and let the climbers climb. Hmmm.

The Damage

Noticed: Perfectly circular holes bore in 90% of the roses that lead straight to the center. Some buds were damaged, possibly by something different since 1/2 of some of the buds were eaten & they didn't have this exact same diameter cut that was on all the others. On some of the open buds I noticed black ants in the center & another type of wingless wasp or stinging ant. It had a pointed butt with small stripes and large mandibles. He/she didn't look like her friends.

Who is the culprit and how do I treat it organically? This is the journey I'm currently on...

Possible culprits: are the ants doing this? I don't have aphids yet though they are a typical problem. They say aphids and ants work hand in hand. I think it's to early around here for aphids. Maybe it is a rose weevil and it certainly could be a caterpillar. The leaves look fine on the affected plant. There's no other munching going on, it doesn't seem.

Suspects

Well, I'll be planting some over-ripe sprouting garlic at the base of my rose bushes. I don't think ants like garlic & they are suppose to be great companion plants (along with parsley). I also hear that they don't like cinnamon or mint and it will mess up their scent trail. Another thought is that I find some eucalyptus mulch. The strong smell might deter them. I'll keep looking out for my evil caterpillar enemies. They're not off the hook yet.

Why I'm Rejecting Castile Soap

I think I may now hate castile soap. I know, hate is such a harsh word! I tried to love it. I certainly love the idea of it...so many products all stemming from one! Ahh, dear castile, I wish I could love you but I must admit that it was a sweet reuniting of me and Method's grapefruit dish tabs. Okay, this post is about castile but can I tell you that I think these tabs are amazing? I even cut them in 1/2 because a full tab seems too strong! I feel kinda the same way about Method's concentrated laundry detergent. 3-4 squirts per load & that's it. This stuff lasted me over 6 months. I can't even remember the last time I had to buy laundry detergent!

Okay, anyway, back to castile. I will give castile the benefit of a doubt. We have well water & also hard water. Everything I read said that it just doesn't work well under those conditions. If you're a fan of castile or at least want to form your own opinions then I have some great reference information for you posted here: http://30daywaste.blogspot.com/search/label/Castile%20Soap

I posted 15 different uses for castile soap. Below I'll share with you my ratings for each use...


☑ 1) Body Wash- Neutral to positive results. Worked fine. Didn't suds up but that didn't really bother me. I may have used more product than needed due to the no-suds factor. I'm using handmade bar soap now due to less packaging & processing waste. Even though I refilled my castile bottle from the bulk bins I was still contributing to the store having to throw away their jumbo sized bottles once they were empty.
☑ 2) Face Wash- Neutral to positive results. Same comments as body wash.
☒ 3) Eye Make-up Remover- Wouldn't use due to lye getting in your eyes. My preference is to use olive oil on a cotton ball to remove my eye make-up.
☒ 4) Shampoo- WAY to complicated and not effective. It made my hair appear darker (I'm a blonde) and greasy. The use of a vinegar rinse didn't seem to help much. I prefer using baking soda rubbed into my scalp & hair then rinsed out followed by the vinegar rinse. My hair comes out fully clean, bouncy & healthy looking even though combing through your hair after a vinegar rinse can be a little challenging.
⚪ 5) Hand Soap- Neutral. Worked just fine though I'd prefer to use handmade bar soap due to less packaging & processing waste.
☒ 6) Dish Soap- Blah. It was okay, on the bad side of okay. I don't like the smell of castile soap (fragrance free gentle liquid). It doesn't suds well which led me to using too much of it. Not really a fan of it's grease fighting power. I've been using my bar soap here too. I haven't heard of folks doing that but if it's strong enough to clean your body then why not your dishes?
☑ 7) Shaving Cream- Neutral to positive. Works well. Use whatever soap you have to give yourself a lather. I've never fully understood the necessity of shaving cream.
⚫ 8) Laundry Detergent- Didn't try it. My failed automatic dishwashing detergent attempts made me not even want to try it on our LG washer/dryer all-in-one unit. It's already fickle. I'm sticking to Method's super concentrated laundry detergent. The bottle has a narrow profile & it lasts me well over 6 months.
☒ 9) Automatic Dishwashing Detergent- Hated it. Hated it. Hated it. Black film on my dishes, yuck castile smell from the steam, food left intact. Just not a fan. I even increased the acid content in my mixture & tried several different recipes & used vinegar as a rinse agent. We used it until we ran out but having to hand wash behind my dishwasher wasn't fun.
⚪ 10) Floor Cleaner- Neutral. Use borax diluted in water or vinegar, lemon & baking soda. It all works just as well. Take extra care on natural stone. I think vinegar is a no no there.
⚪ 11) All Purpose Cleaner- Neutral. Same comment as the floor cleaner.
⚫ 12) Soft Scrub- Didn't try it. At least I don't think I tried it. If I did it wasn't memorable.
☒ 13) Toothpaste- Hellz to the no! Yuck. Okay, you try it! Wash your mouth out with soap- literally. You will never be able to handle even the smell of castile soap if you try this once! Maybe you will but I can't. Just use baking soda if you're looking for a natural & inexpensive alternative.
⚫ 14) Pet Shampoo- Didn't try. No pets at this time.
⚫ 15) Insecticidal Soap- Didn't try. All this testing happened in the fall & winter. No garden insects to fend off during this time.

Learning to sew: hemmed 2 pair of jeans

One of my goals for 2011 was to dive into sewing. I began by pulling out all of my fabric scraps and organizing them by color. Also sorting all of those clothing items that were put in a project bin and forgotten about. Amongst those items were 2 pair of my husband's pants. Well, a good place to begin!

Hemming was much easier than I thought it would be. I was nervous that I'd create some high waters! Ahh, well my model was cooperative during the 1st step...measuring. I had him put them on and fit them on his waist comfortably. I folded them up and pinned them. I then measured down 1" to give me two 1/2" fold under's for a finished hem. Then iron iron iron. After, I matched the thread color and length to the other stitching on his jeans & straight stitched away!

The picture is of my finished hemming on 1 pair & a "before" picture on the 2nd pair that needed adjusted.