Notes From Jenna's Cottage...

Getting back to your authentic self

2012-01-22T07:32:00.002-05:00

Young children are usually authentic to their personality. They do what they want. If you feel you've gotten off track with your life, think back to when you were little, what things awed you? What type of imaginative play did you enjoy? What games did you play? Ask your parents and older family members what types of things do they remember about you as a child. Its amazing how much you'll learn/remember about what truly brings you joy.

I remember as a child, one of my favorite things to do was play house. I imagined a husband, babies, lots of pets, a beautiful home and garden. My favorite board game to play was Life. I always wanted the big house and lots of kids. I always felt like the game was just starting when I got to the "get married" square. Now, as an adult, I'm playing house for real and I truly enjoy it. It really is authentically me. I know many people don't understand how I feel about it. They always question how I can be happy as a homebody. Because it wouldn't suit them, they assume I'm miserable and think I'm lying when I assure them I'm perfectly content. For me, leaving home takes me away from what I love in life and from the activities I enjoy most. I even asked my Mother what she could remember about me from when I was a child. She said other than my life-long love of the water, she usually found me exploring in the kitchen. Taking care of hearth and home is part of my authentic self.

My love of the water....that is another part of my authentic self. My family often jokes I'm part mermaid because I naturally was drawn to the water. I was born knowing how to swim. I never really had to be taught since it came so naturally to me. There are photos of me as a baby playing in the dog's water bowl. My love of the water goes so deep that the one time I tried living in the desert, I didn't last a year. It was a place of rugged beauty and a wildness that appealed to me but the lack of water was more than I could tolerate. I headed back to wetter climes in short order. Today, I live on a river and would kill for a swimming pool! When my youngest graduates from High School, my husband I will be moving to a different town. When we do, we are specifically looking for a home with a pool or a backyard of sufficient setup that we can put a pool in. I also bring the water world into my home by keeping several planted aquariums and I'm fiddling with them on a regular basis. So water has always been a major component of my life and always will be. Its a part of my authentic self.

Books...I love to read! In my teen years and early 20's when I was career oriented, I didn't do a lot of reading. But before and after that phase, I had my nose in a book quite regularly. I still do! I enjoy reading a great deal. Beyond that, I love he look and feel of books. Libraries feel comfortable to me. If I did it all over again, there's a good chance I would have chosen a career as a librarian. By my estimation, you can never have too many books. No...instead, its a case of not enough book shelves. But, unlike many, if its a book I didn't care for, I don't keep it around just for looks or to remember I've read it. If its a book I didn't care for, I pass it on, sell it, donate it, etc. I don't want to waste my precious little space on books I don't care for. Again, there are stories in the family of how if they wanted me out from under foot as a young child, they could sit me on a couch or chair, hand me a book and tell me to stay put. When they'd come back, I'd still be sitting there with my nose in the book. Books are a part of my authentic self.

Creativity...I like to make things! I enjoy working with my hands and creating new things. My creativity has taken many forms over the years. I've cross-stitched. I've crocheted. I've done collages. I've sewn. I've done interior decorating. I've crafted various items. For me, even sex is a creative outlet. But whatever form my creativity comes about in, its always been a part of me. Without some sort of creative outlet...some way to express myself creatively, I quickly become surly. Creativity is a part of my authentic self.

So, think back to childhood, ask family members, discover bits of your past you may have forgotten and see how they might make you more authentically you today. Don't waste time trying to fit into someone else's mold. It will never bring you the joy that being your authentic self will and I am a firm believer that the more we are authentic to ourselves, the happier we are. The happier we are, the more we have to offer others.

Remaking My Life

2011-11-01T08:27:00.002-04:00

Perhaps its to be expected that at this point in my life (41 years old) that I would start rethinking and remaking things. Midlife "crisis" is something everyone goes through. Whether is a difficult time or not depends on us. Personally I've decided to take this time to remake my life instead of trying to hold on to a past that's long gone. Rather than fight against the inevitable changes, I'm embracing them and using them to my advantage.

I believe the changes really started about 3 years ago. Up until this point, everything in my life had been centered around home, family, children and my marriage. Prior to that it was whatever was wanted and required of my parents, teachers, elders, etc. I even homeschooled my children because I believed it was the right thing to do. The decision ended up being a good one because my children excelled but didn't have many of the emotional hangups that kids are often saddled with because of peer pressure, etc. But 3 years ago we moved to a new house in a new town. My oldest daughter was married and no longer living at home. My son was nearly done with high school. My youngest daughter decided to go to public school for high school. Suddenly a HUGE block of my time was freed up. I kept busy with a wide variety of tasks and activities. But it didn't take me long to realize I was avoiding myself. So I embarked on a journey of self-discovery. I wasn't sure what direction to take or what my destination was. But, at about the same time I'd read an article about stuff...our belongings. The author commented that perhaps we had TOO much stuff and because of it, didn't really care about our things. They likened it to a child. If a child has only a few toys, then tend to cherish and care for them. But, if a child has massive amounts of toys, they are strewn about the area, many broken, uncared for, unloved...not even played with. The author suggested that the more belongings we had, the less time we had to care but that if we pared down to those things which really meant something to us, we'd find more joy in them instead of just being a slave to them. That made SO much sense to me! So, I decided to declutter the house. I went through every closet, drawer, cabinet, box...every nook and cranny of this house. I donated, I had a yard sale, I threw unsalvagable things away. I didn't miss a single item and neither did anyone else in the house. Believe it or not, after that mass purging, we all felt better about things. Since then, we've gone through and purged even more. We've been going through a process of refinement...not to be the type of minimalist that wants to live with only a certain number of items. Its not for the purpose of living a nomadic lifestyle either. We are more interested in being true to ourselves...of removing everything from our lives that distracts us from what truly brings us joy, happiness and love. As my children are slowing leaving the nest, I want to be less a slave to my home and belongings and to enjoy my free time...a pleasure I've never really had before. I still have a love of home and family but I want to focus my time and energy on the aspects that are important to me such as keeping my home safe and more eco-friendly, to cooking healthy food, quality time spent with loved ones and quality time spent with myself. So, I continue to remove from my life those things that distract me from what I truly want. Simplicity is the key...refining my life to put my priorities first and foremost and remove those things that distract me.

Here are a few things we are working on:

- Continually purge and refine our belongings to remove additional clutter from the house. This is usually a family effort so that no one is bereft of anything they cherish or use with regularity. We've done a great deal so far and yet we still feel the need to refine even more. My husband has decided to reduce his hat collection and I'm going to go through my crafting supplies once again.

- Reduced my blogs from 3 to 1. I haven't posted a lot in any of my blogs so rather than keeping track of this blog and two photography blogs, I'm going to put them all into one. I'm on facebook as well and its easy to post short little snippets there for everyone. Plus I have my social network...The Witch's Cottage on Ning. Add to that a few aquarium based forums I'm on. I have plenty to keep me busy online.

- Refining my Google Reader subscriptions. I just LOVE Google Reader. Its tremendously useful in helping me keep track of the blogs and sites I follow and any updates they post. But, I recently realized that many of the blogs I follow haven't had posts in well over a year. So, I've pared it down significantly in the last week.

- Learn how to listen to my heart and be brave enough to follow it. I have to say, this is one of the biggest challenges of all. I'm so used to putting my own needs aside for those of everyone else, I had to strain to hear the faint little whispers my heart was uttering. But, over time, I AM getting better at it! But just listening isn't enough. One has to be brave enough to follow their heart. After all, its who we truly are and what if others were to reject who we really are? Especially those we love! But, I'm a firm believer that if we don't follow our heart, we aren't giving our very best to anyone, including those we love.

My husband confided yesterday that he worried greatly about me and the "empty nest" syndrome. But he says he's no longer concerned about that. Truth be told, I used to worry about it too. That, in part, is why I embarked on this journey of self-discovery. My biggest surprise...how much easier it is to discover oneself by removing distractions. Besides, in most cases, if you remove something that you later find was necessary to your path of self-discovery, you can always replace it! So take the chance! Remove the distractions from your own life based on what YOU find distracting and not what someone else would tell you to remove. Refine your own life. Its well worth the effort!

BOGO

2010-08-21T13:20:00.000-04:00

Its been a bit since I've posted. My desire to write seems to come and go so rather than forcing out nonsense, I'll wait until the mood strikes and then write.

Today's topic...BOGO. What the hell is that? That lovely sale of "buy one, get one" free. I tend more toward the minimalist side of things but when it comes to food and other necessary consumables, I prefer to keep a good supply on hand. My husband works in the grocery industry so we are all too aware of that precariousness of the national food supply. Any given store rarely has more than a 3 day supply of food on the shelves and precious little as backstock. Add to that natural and man made disasters that disrupt our food supply. Russia and the Ukraine supply about 25% of the world's wheat. Both have been suffering heat waves and drought and Russia has had massive wildfires that are destroying the wheat. They've already announced they don't have enough for their own consumption and won't be exporting any of it next year. Additionally, China's wheat crop is being decimated by a fungus. Anything wheat based will be scarce and expensive soon. These types of shortages are becoming more common. Last year near Halloween and Thanksgiving there was a shortage of pumpkin due to crop failures vs. demand. The harsh Florida winter seen a similar situation with the tomatoes earlier in the year. Then we had the massive Chilean earthquake that disrupted their ability to export foods. Things such as blueberries were very expensive and hard to find.

These types of issues are just one more reason its prudent to maintain a good supply of food and other necessary consumables on hand. Enter the BOGO sale. Most supermarkets have weekly BOGO sales that we can take advantage of. I'm not yet set up for home canning so I've been stocking up through BOGO sales. Last week I bought a year's supply of sweet relish on BOGO. This week I've purchased Hunt's tomatoes (in varied flavors) and Barilla pastas (different shapes and types including some in whole wheat). I'd prefer homemade but these will help. I do avoid things such as junk foods though. I'm looking for things that will still be relatively healthy (as healthy as commercially processed can get) for my family.

This says it all...

2010-06-14T12:33:00.000-04:00

"Have nothing in your home or life that you do not know to be useful, believe to be beautiful or know that you will strive to keep in your life forever." ~ Natalie "Alabama" Chanin

For Sale By Owner 2 Shop Link Up Party

2010-06-06T06:43:00.000-04:00

Remodelaholic is having a link up party. Here is the description:

This is mainly for cottage industry shops. Families working at home etc.

A way for people to find what you are selling.

Be sure to check it out and add your link if it applies. I've added my own Etsy shop Suncoast Crafts to the link up.

Shop around and support cottage industry!

Semantics

2010-05-26T07:56:00.000-04:00

Google dictionary defines semantics as "the branch of linguistics that deals with the meanings of words and sentences."

Over and over, in various threads, forums, blogs, posts, discussions, etc. I see people arguing semantics. I've seen people argue over a single word used in a post. Is it really so hard to go with the overall spirit of the post? We can each figure it out easily enough so why waste the time to argue semantics? Does arguing semantics show a lack of maturity? Does it show a person who is simply being argumentative? I can see the point if someone is laboring under a incorrect definition and one were to show the correct definition or correct word.

I'm also disturbed by the large proportion of people who argue these semantics in a rude manner. I used to try to understand behaviors like that but someone said to me, "Don't bother. Your mind doesn't work like theirs does so you'll never understand it." Well, that's true enough and certainly wise words to go by. Still, being subjected to it regularly across the internet it makes me wonder what they get out of being rude or arguing semantics. Are they trying to prove their superiority? If they feel a need to prove such a superiority then they are definitely NOT superior. Do they get a surge of power that helps offset feeling powerless in a "real life" situation?

Whatever the case may be, I strongly urge anyone tempted to argue semantics to reconsider. Try to read the spirit of the piece you are reading and respond to that.

The Simple Woman's Daybook

2010-05-25T07:47:00.000-04:00

FOR TODAY
Outside my window...it is sunny and humid.

I am thinking... I've been in a rut lately.

I am thankful for... a strong spirit that keeps me going even in rough times

From the garden... I fertilized with epsom salts to help with blossom end rot on my squash. I'm harvesting a container of green onions and replanting with a cherry tomato.

From the kitchen... I've been making herbal teas and remedies to help my sick family

I am wearing... a nightgown

I am creating... Still working on the crocheted shoulder wrap

I am going... to make a list of essentials to start purchasing like oil lamps, more candles, LED flashlights and other hurricane supplies since the season is upon us.

I am reading... Gift From The Sea by Anne Morrow Lindbergh

I am hoping... I can pull myself out of the rut I'm in.

I am hearing... the Tyra show. My sick daughter is laying on the couch watching it.

On my mind… moving to land of my own!

I have noticed… that I've been fortunate the herbal teas have kept sickness at bay as my family, who refuses to try it, each succumb in turn.

Pondering these words…What we each contribute is distinct, and what we each withhold is uniquely irreplaceable. ~Duane Elgin

Around the house...I'm working on finding more things to purge from my home.

One of my favorite things... good soaking rain

A few plans for the rest of the week: I need to put together more items to sell on my Etsy store as well as continue to purge clutter around the house.

Here is picture for thought I am sharing...

I love this little kitchen!

Enjoy other Daybooks at: http://thesimplewomansdaybook.blogspot.com/

Back To Basics Challenge

2010-05-24T10:42:00.000-04:00

Back To Basics, or Independence Day Challenge, is a challenge I first read about on the blog Towards Sustainability. I like the accountability of this challenge so I'm going to give it a shot!

The categories are:

Plant something
Sow something
Harvest something
Preserve something
Waste Not/Reduce Waste
Want Not/Preparedness
Eat the food
Learn a new skill
Building Community
Future plans

Plant something: I re-planted some Ginger that was growing in an area I did not want it. I planted some edible ginger. I've also planted another cherry tomato. They are one of the few plants that can tolerate our summers.

Sow something: This isn't the time of year to sow much of anything in Florida.

Harvest something: I harvested some more cherry tomatoes, radishes from the Square Foot garden and tons of herbs. I've also harvested the last of the green onions from one of the container gardens.

Preserve something: I froze some homemade chicken broth.

Waste Not/ Reduce Waste: I continue to compost yard waste and kitchen scraps.

Want Not/Preparedness: Trip to the produce stand to buy fruits and veggies not currently ready in the new garden.

Eat the Food: Lots of fresh salads. Today I'm going to make "sunshine in a bowl" with some of the tomatoes I harvested.

Learn a new skill: Nothing

Building Community: Blogging about sustainability, green and simple living. Back to Basics type stuff. Working with City Commissioners to try to get laws changed to allow residents to keep chickens in the city.

Future Plans: Putting together list of necessities and prioritize, put in hurricane supplies, build another square foot garden bed with trellis.Put in blueberries!

Connecting

2010-05-19T07:45:00.000-04:00

I have been feeling VERY disconnected for some time now. I attribute some of it to my taking time away from the hustle and bustle to lick some emotional wounds. But around the beginning of the month I decided it was time to rejoin the living and reconnect with people again. However, doing so hasn't given me that sense of connectedness I was looking for and I've been wondering why. But a series of events that seem random and disconnected have brought me to a moment of revelation. The first is accepting responsibility for the Gulf Oil Spill. Yes, its MY fault! I use fossil fuels therefore I bear some of the responsibility along with everyone else who uses fossil fuels. Let's face it, if we weren't using it, they wouldn't be drilling for it because it wouldn't be profitable for them. WE create the demand. So, that set me on a path of feeling less than moral and ethical. But that feeling opened me up to the article Water, Deserts and Homesteading on the blog Where Simplicity Leads. The author is talking about living dependent on Mother Nature. Here is an excerpt from her article:

Something about that extreme dependency on nature thrills me. How much respect and reverence we would have for the natural world if we lived so dependently. And the truth is, we are dependent anyway, even those of us totally immersed in resource-guzzling lifestyles. We just cling to our various life-support systems and never acknowledge that the natural world even exists--so we certainly don't acknowledge our dependence on it. To allow ourselves to be utterly dependent on nature to provide our water--think how attuned we would become to the natural world. We would learn to pay attention--to the shifting clouds and winds, to the building thunderheads, to the peculiar smell of water. We would regain a sense of reverence and respect for nature and understand our puny place in the scheme of life. There would be no more hubris, but humility and awe instead. That kind of visceral existence is what I desperately crave.

While I don't share her desire to live in the desert, I DO share her desire to live more dependent on nature instead of the artificial realities we have created for ourselves.

I also read a couple of articles about Cottage Witchery and Kitchen Witchery. While these two authors were saying the same thing, for the record I consider them two different paths among modern witchcraft with the Kitchen Witch's focus being more intent on activities in the kitchen and the Cottage Witch spreading her focus more evenly throughout the house and garden. I consider myself a Cottage Witch. Still, both article talked about being in tune with nature, the seasons and cycles of life, living sustainably, honoring Gods & Goddesses of hearth, home, harvest, the Earth, etc.

Finally, I was watching an episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation last night. It was an episode about a colony of Native Americans (or American Indians as they called them) who had colonized a planet that was coming under the rule of a different government. In the episode the people of the colony lived lives in tune with the seasons, cycles, plants, animals and spirits of that particular planet. They spoke of how they felt everything was sacred. Everything from the very simplest task to their rituals was sacred to them.

All these events combined served to show me that the disconnect I'm feeling has more to do with being out of tune with nature. To living in an artificially created life that is quite disconnected from the natural cycles and seasons and rhythms of nature. It's weighing quite heavily on me these days. I can honestly say I've given a valiant effort to connecting to the land and cycles here in Florida. But not owning my land or home and being limited by the rules of the city and landlord prevents me from doing some of the things I'd like to do. That limits my opportunities to connect in ways that are meaningful to me. At some point I'll be able to relocate to a more suitable place. In the meantime I will do what I can to connect here and now. Hopefully those efforts will help speed me along the way to being where I would truly prefer to be. And where is that you ask? On my own land with my own cottage living a natural, sustainable life that lives WITH the natural cycles of Mother Earth instead of struggling against them.

The Simple Woman's Daybook

2010-05-18T15:19:00.000-04:00

FOR TODAY
Outside my window...is the smell of petroleum from the oil that is drifting ever closer to the west coast of Florida.

I am thinking... about what the environmental disaster will do to Florida's already fragile economy.

I am thankful for... having options

From the garden... I've been harvesting cherry tomatoes and radishes. I have a ton of squash on the plants but they get so large then start shriveling up and die. It's frustrating! The new black raspberries and other plants are all doing great.

From the kitchen... I've made several different stir-fries this week experimenting with different sauces.

I am wearing... capri pants and a baby doll top

I am creating... not much this week. Just working on my crocheted shoulder wrap

I am going... to make a list of essentials to start purchasing like oil lamps, more candles, LED flashlights and other hurricane supplies since the season is upon us.

I am reading... Voluntary Simplicity by Duane Elgin.

I am hoping... that BP can get that oil stopped soon and will quit pretending things aren't as bad as they are.

I am hearing... cooling fan on the computer

On my mind… moving to land of my own!

I have noticed… an inordinate number of dragonflies in the garden

Pondering these words…What we each contribute is distinct, and what we each withhold is uniquely irreplaceable. ~Duane Elgin

Around the house...I've noticed a few termites! But then, you can't live in Florida and not have termites

One of my favorite things... afternoon naps

A few plans for the rest of the week: I need to find and crochet some cozies for quart sized jars. Find some recipes for freezer soups, freezer jams and freezer pickles, etc. I have a deep freeze to fill up! Get back on track with my blog posts.

Here is picture for thought I am sharing... Which would you rather see?

Enjoy other Daybooks at: http://thesimplewomansdaybook.blogspot.com/

Back To Basics Challenge

2010-05-17T10:37:00.000-04:00

Plant something
Sow something
Harvest something
Preserve something
Waste Not/Reduce Waste
Want Not/Preparedness
Eat the food
Learn a new skill
Building Community
Future plans

Plant something: This week I planted Black Raspberry plants I picked up off freecycle. I've planted them in containers so I can take them with me when I eventually move. I also planted a Sweet 100 Cherry tomato in a container. Planted strawberry runners in empty spaces in strawberry jar.

Sow something: I've planted a seed from a Kumquat. Hopefully it will sprout and grow into a wonderful fruiting tree!

Harvest something: I harvested some more cherry tomatoes, radishes from the Square Foot garden and tons of herbs.

Preserve something: I froze some homemade chicken broth.

Waste Not/ Reduce Waste: I used an old trash barrel to create another compost container, crocheted a reusable pad for my Swiffer so I don't have to use disposables, composting yard waste and kitchen scraps.

Want Not/Preparedness: Trip to the produce stand to buy fruits and veggies not currently ready in the new garden. Sent off for more heirloom and open-pollinated seeds.

Eat the Food: Used lettuce, radishes, green onions and chives in garden fresh salad. Made pasta and served with blend of tomatoes, zucchini, yellow squash from garden and other fresh produce. Veggies were seasoned with parsley and basil from the garden.

Learn a new skill: Nothing

Building Community: Blogging about sustainability, green and simple living. Back to Basics type stuff. Working with City Commissioners to try to get laws changed to allow residents to keep chickens in the city.

Future Plans: Putting together list of necessities and prioritize, put in hurricane supplies, build another square foot garden bed with trellis.

The Simple Woman's Daybook

2010-05-11T13:09:00.001-04:00

FOR TODAY
Outside my window...it's HOT!

I am thinking... about how devastatingly sad it is that so many people are afraid to follow their heart...to let others see who they are on the inside.

I am thankful for... being willing to go against the grain...to dance to the beat of my own drum.

From the garden... The trellis is built and the beans are merrily climbing up it, radishes are nearly ready to pick from the square foot garden. I've harvested several zucchini and yellow squash already. We're getting cherry tomatoes as well. The biggest woohoo of the week...we were given starts to black raspberries off Freecycle! I'm VERY excited about these since they are already WELL adapted to our area. I'm keeping them in a large container though since they tend to spread. The heirloom seeds are here too!

From the kitchen... I'm making ranch-style potato salad today.

I am wearing... a dress

I am creating... a crocheted cover for my Swiffer so I don't have to buy disposables.

I am going... to Wall Springs in a few days

I am reading... Voluntary Simplicity by Duane Elgin.

I am hoping... that summer isn't TOO bad this year.

I am hearing... a very noisy A/C blasting away

On my mind… my dream cottage and the land that goes with it.

I have noticed… there seem to be an inordinate number of big earthquakes so far this year.

Pondering these words… Excellence is the result of caring more than others think is wise, risking more than others think is safe, dreaming more than others think is practical, and expecting more than others think is possible

Around the house...fighting the war against dog hair. LOL

One of my favorite things... fresh baked bread hot out of the oven

A few plans for the rest of the week: I need to find and crochet some cozies for quart sized jars. Find some recipes for freezer soups, freezer jams and freezer pickles, etc. I have a deep freeze to fill up! Get back on track with my blog posts.

Here is picture for thought I am sharing...

I love that pantry!!!!! I would really like to have something similar.

To participate in the Simple Woman's Daybook visit her blog.

My Square Foot Garden w/trellis

2010-05-08T08:05:00.000-04:00

Journal Entry

2010-05-02T15:30:00.000-04:00

Its been something of a slow week for me. Well, actually I'VE been slow this week. I've spent much of the time stumbling around with very little energy to do anything. I did manage to keep up with my garden watering. Its very important with the temperatures soaring.

I finally got around to finishing the reusable tea bags. Make a few wouldn't be a big deal but I made dozens since a local health food store is interested in selling them in their store.

The best news of all, the camera and gear is here!!!!! A friend of mine decided to change directions with his photography and donated all his gear to me. Its an amazing Nikon digital camera, several amazing lenses and a lot of other equipment. I'm just floored by his generosity! How do you thank someone for such a gift when words are entirely inadequate? I keep trying but somehow nothing feels big enough to articulate how I feel about this gift.

Wait!! It's tradition!

2010-04-28T08:45:00.001-04:00

"Mom, why do you cut the ends off the ham before putting it in to cook?" asks the little girl. Mom responds, "It's tradition. Grandma always did it." The little girl asks, "But WHY do you do it?" The Mother tells the young girl to call Grandma and ask her why. *ring ring* "Hello," Grandma says. "Grandma, why do you always cut the ends off the ham before you put it in to cook?" asks the little girl. Grandma says, "Honey, Great-grandma always did it so I did too. It's tradition!" The little girl was not to be put off. She asks, "But WHY?" Grandma suggests she call Great-grandma and ask her. The young girl did just that. Great-grandma answers her phone and the little girl poses the question, "Great-grandma, WHY do you always cut the ends off the ham before you cook it?" Great-grandma answers, "Because it was too big to fit in the pan."

Don't follow tradition blindly and question EVERYTHING!!!!

The Simple Woman's Daybook

2010-04-27T08:02:00.000-04:00

FOR TODAY
Outside my window...the sun is shining and it will be a beautiful day!

I am thinking... about a nap already! LOL

I am thankful for... Ben's generosity!!!!

From the garden... Radishes have sprouted. I made a month-by-month list of what to plant since Florida's gardening schedule is different than most other places. I've planted ginger and a loquat. My jasmine is starting to bloom!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

From the kitchen... I'm trying Indian food this week!

I am wearing... my nightgown still. I haven't felt like getting dressed yet. hee hee

I am creating... reusable teabag. I still haven't finished them.

I am going... on another photo shoot Thursday!

I am reading... Voluntary Simplicity by Duane Elgin.

I am hoping... my seed order will come in soon.

I am hearing... birds singing

On my mind… focusing on what I am after.

I have noticed… that most people use others as an excuse to justify their own lack of action.

Pondering these words… Be the change!

Around the house... doing laundry today.

One of my favorite things... the power of a thunder storm

A few plans for the rest of the week: Finish the book I'm reading, finish the tea bags and keep working in the garden.

Here is picture for thought I am sharing...

To participate in the Simple Woman's Daybook visit her blog.

Sunday's Journal...a day late again

2010-04-26T10:56:00.000-04:00

Another week come and gone. I spent quite a bit of it involved in my usual tasks of cleaning, cooking, gardening and crafting. I tried out a new recipe for Indian food. I've not tried a lot of it so I wanted to experiment a bit. It was a dish involving rice and lentils. Yummy good stuff! The radishes are up in the square foot garden. We had a heck of a storm last night so I was concerned some of the seeds might have been shifted about. Especially for smaller things like lettuce and onion seed. (crosses fingers) Time will tell I suppose.

I found out the local Home Depot has Strawberry jars/pots. Short of making an entire strawberry barrel, this is the next best thing. I'll have to pick me one up along with the potting soil and a few more plants. I have 5 strawberries and the jar holds 9 PLUS the top of the container so I'll be buying about 5 more plants. Eventually, as they put on runners, I'll buy more jars. Fortunately they are clay so they'll last a good long while.

I'm still searching for a dresser or buffet/credenza for the dining room. Maybe even a long, low bookshelf would work. I'd prefer drawers but if I have to get some decorative baskets or boxes to put things in, that'll work too. I just want to get my craft items put away and still have a small place to hang my grow light for seed starting.

I finally figured out a good way to get the holes in the muslin for my reusable tea bags. I'm going to work on sewing them up later today. I should have several sets ready to go!

I learned a big lesson. People just don't care what other people are doing. I've noticed my son and I both show a great deal of interest in what our friends or loved ones are doing. We do it because we are interested in their lives and care. Maybe that's a Virgo thing. But my youngest daughter asked my son, "Why do you always ask about my character? (in a game) I don't really care what you do with yours?" She wasn't saying it in a mean way. More that she was trying to figure out why he was so interested in her's. It came as such a surprise to me. I thought...well, if you care about someone and share an interest with them, why WOULDN'T you take an interest in the other person's activities? To me it was just a part of loving that person. It's the same for my son. He loves his little sister, they share an interest in the game and therefore it meant caring what was happening with her's. Evidently not everyone sees it that way. Is it because other people are so focused on themselves? I know my youngest daughter loves her brother so why isn't she interested in his activities? I admit to being VERY confused on this subject. It doesn't just pertain to a game but I've noticed that in many aspects of our lives. My son and I always show a care and interest in our loved one's business. Its just a part of showing we care. To show interest, concern...to be helpful if possible. So, I'd be grateful if someone could explain the other side of the spectrum to me. Perhaps you care, maybe even love someone. If you share the same activity/hobby/whatever, why do you not show as much interest in theirs as they show your side of it? This is something I'd truly like to hear opinions on!

I love this quote!!!!

2010-04-25T11:09:00.002-04:00

“Nobody sees the obvious, nobody observes the ordinary. There are more miracles in a square yard of earth than in all the fables of the Church.” Robert Anton Wilson

Project of the Week

2010-04-23T06:55:00.000-04:00

Build an All-in-One Outdoor Oven, Stove, Grill & Smoker

For only $300, you can build this versatile and durable outdoor cooking unit.

For the complete article, please visit Mother Earth News website!

Generosity

2010-04-23T06:29:00.000-04:00

I've fallen behind in posting yet again! It isn't because I don't enjoy it. Its more about not always having something to say. However, today I've been inspired by a post on another blog. At The Non-Consumer Advocate, the author had been labeled as miserly by another blogger for selling her old washing machine on Craig's List. While that doesn't smack of "miserly" to me, two things really struck me...

Fox from The Tiny Ouroboros commented: I definitely don’t buy (pun intended) into the trendy green thing. Not everything can be solved by throwing money at it, and that goes double for the environment. Personally, I think that buying oneself green is a cop-out. It’s too easy (for most people, anyway) to just buy all the nifty “green” gadgets that everyone tells you to, and leave it at that. It’s much harder to make the lifestyle choices (like simple/tiny/non-consumerist living) to truly *be* green.

That really stands out to me as being truly profound. With all the new green products available, people are rushing to jump onto the green bandwagon. How much of it is because these things are the "latest and greatest" in the game of "Keep up with the Joneses"? As Fox points out, the REAL name of the game is to be simple/tiny/non-consumerist. Let's look at a few reasons:

1) Simple: Study after study has shown that a fast-paced life full of one distraction after another is stressful. We also see that the most content, happy and fulfilled people are those who lead simple lives. Recognize what it is in your life that complicates and simplify. Choose 4 or 5 things in your life that bring you contentment and fulfillment and get rid of everything else. Easier said than done of course but WELL worth the effort.

2)Tiny: It doesn't matter how "green" the item is you are purchasing. It still takes up resources and space. Tiny living allows you to reduce your footprint on our beautiful planet. It frees up time, resources and one's self from the rat race.

3) Non-consumerist: Honestly, do you REALLY need it? Is another pair of designer jeans going to make you happy when that closet full hasn't done it? We've been trained to be consumers. They government/bankers/television doesn't even call us people. We're "consumers". All that consuming uses resources. Period!

The second thing is that a very generous friend has bestowed on me a wonderful gift. This friend and his wife are making changes. They too are simplifying their lives. They are getting rid of the things in their life that aren't their top priorities. For him, that means getting rid of camera equipment he rarely uses anymore. He knows of my need and enjoys my photography so he's sent the equipment to me. There are few gifts that would mean more to me than something like this. His overwhelming generosity is astounding but thinking of it, two things have happened. The first is that he was letting go of the past. He was letting go of the things that cluttered his life and served as anchors. Secondly, he chose to gift those items to someone (me) that was in need and that it would serve one of my passions in life.

While I'm hard pressed to find any way to truly thank him, it fits with this situation. Think of the harried mother with 3 kids and no washing machine trying to lug it all to the laundromat or washing it in the bathtub. If selling your washer for $20 on Craig's List or giving it away to someone on Freecycle helps you and them, then that isn't miserly. That's GENEROUS!

The Simple Woman's Daybook

2010-04-20T09:15:00.000-04:00

FOR TODAY
Outside my window... there is a light fog and we're expecting rain this afternoon.

I am thinking... about having my own small homestead.

I am thankful for... that my husband is feeling better today.

From the garden... (I made a wee change there) I built my first Square Foot garden bed and I love it! I plan to convert all my garden beds to these. My first zucchini are nearly ready to be harvested!

From the kitchen... Last night's lasagna was a huge hit. So were the applesauce oatmeal muffins I made earlier in the day.

I am wearing... my nightgown still. I've been slowing getting motivated today.

I am creating... a crocheted wrap that is perfect for spring and autumn temperatures. (still working on it!)

I am going... to make some reusable tea bags from unbleached muslin

I am reading... Voluntary Simplicity by Duane Elgin.

I am hoping... my seed order will come in soon.

I am hearing... a pair of blue jays fighting

On my mind… my dream homestead and cottage.

I have noticed… that my dining room looks better without the huge desk in it!

Pondering these words… Simple pleasures are best!

Around the house... I need to scrub the floors again.

One of my favorite things... is hearing my windchimes tinkling softly in a light breeze.

A few plans for the rest of the week: Plan my Square Foot garden planting scheme and get the bike out and fix it up.

Here is picture for thought I am sharing...

To participate in the Simple Woman's Daybook visit her blog.

Sunday's Journal Entry

2010-04-19T14:37:00.000-04:00

I've been having a tough time keeping up with the posting schedule I've set for myself. That's more my fault than anything. Being the kind of person I am, I have to integrate something into my routine for it to stick. I've yet to figure out exactly how to fit my posting into my routine. Once I get that in order, it will go far more smoothly.

I started work on my first Square Foot Garden bed. I started it late Saturday evening but had a rain delay on Sunday. But, I finished it up today. They are insanely easy to build and set up. I haven't planted it yet because the seeds I'm going to use have arrived yet. I ordered heirloom seeds so I can save them from year to year. As for the garden bed itself, I love the orderly look of it. It qualifies as a Square Foot Garden BUT, I didn't use the official "Mel's Mix" for it. I just couldn't find any local sources of vermiculite and I refuse to drive for hours to buy some at a random place a hundred miles away. What I did use is a combination of Miracle Grow and Lambert's ORGANIC garden soils. I think its a wonderful combination and plan to use it regularly in my beds until/unless I can find a local source for the vermiculite. The Miracle Grow organic soil is a heavier soil and by the smell of it, it has manure in it. The Lambert's is lighter and looser. It has peat and ground up algae in it. So a blend of the two works VERY nicely. I do look forward to when my own compost is ready to start using. By the time I'm ready to harvest my first crops from this bed, the compost should be ready to add in a scoop or two. Based on looks alone, I plan to use this method to replace all my beds asap. It's just SO much neater than other methods I've seen. I wish I had a huge backyard suitable to building these beds in. As it is, I tuck them in wherever I can.

I Freecycled that behemoth of a desk out of the dining room. It was just SO massive and took up too much floor space. For the moment I have a small bookcase in its place and the rest of my craft supplies in a large tote. Eventually I want to get a dresser, credenza or buffet to place there. I can keep my craft stuff in the drawers and still have a display area on top.

Other gardening news, my squash has REALLY taken off. I'm quite sure the killer plant, Audrey, from Little Shop of Horrors MUST have been a squash. Ours seems to have plans to take over the neighborhood...potentially the world! LOL I should be harvesting the first 2 zucchini any day now. We've already gotten 2 strawberries off our plants. Though, I AM going to replant my strawberries. Strawberries don't enjoy laying on the ground. Putting them in containers will allow the berries to hang over the sides so they stay nice and dry. That will really help here in Florida where we get a great deal of rain. Something else I'd like to try....a strawberry barrel. I just read about them for the first time yesterday. Hmmmm....there is a winery nearby. Perhaps they have a leaky barrel I can buy. I'll have to give them a call.

Saturday's quote of the day

2010-04-19T14:20:00.000-04:00

I've fallen behind on my posting schedule again. So, here it is....

Saturday's Quote:

"Through the flower, I talk to the Infinite...

It is the invisible world. It is that small voice that calls up the fairies."
George Washington Carver

Photos of the Week: People...The girls

2010-04-16T15:03:00.002-04:00

View the Photos of the Week on my photography blog Jenna Ann Martin Photography.

Project of the week: Reusable Tea Bags

2010-04-16T14:43:00.000-04:00

I love herbal tea! This time of year it mostly consists of dried nettles because I suffer so badly from allergies. I have to admit, the nettle tea is doing amazing things for me. However, I don't like using disposable coffee filters so I decided to check my local health food store to see if they carried them. Nope! No luck. Another store carries the metal balls that are reusable but my oldest daughter said her's leaves a slightly metallic taste to her tea. That won't do at all so I decided to make my own tea bags. I purchased some unbleached muslin for the job and found a great template online at Craft Leftovers. So, forget disposables. Forget the tea balls. Make yourself a few of these beauties. You can reuse them over and over. To keep them clean, wash them with a bit of your favorite environmentally friend soap and let them dry.

I have camera of the brain!

2010-04-15T14:15:00.000-04:00

Lately I've been absolutely consumed by the thought of getting a new camera. If I wish to continue on as a photographer, I really need to upgrade my camera. That came to the forefront when I recently tried to get some particular photos and they turned out less than ideal because the camera's lens just wasn't powerful enough to do the job. So, I've been wading through a plethora of cameras, reading reviews, comparing prices and comparing features. This is another one of those situations in which I feel quite overwhelmed and like there are just far too many choices out there.

I don't yet have the money to buy my dream camera. That would run over $1,000. So I have to content myself for a middle step and use that baby step forward to help finance the next step. My plan is to buy a camera that's a step or two up from mine. With the improved quality of the photos (resolution, megapixels, etc), I can then open up more options for selling my photography. Those increased sales can then finance the purchase of yet a better camera. It goes against the grain to do this. In most cases I'd simply save until I could get the higher quality item. However, in this particular instance, it just seems to make sense to take this middle step. Fortunately, my older camera won't go to waste. Others in my family are interested in trying their hand at photography. My current camera would work very nicely to give them a chance to test the waters. Later, when I upgrade to my dream camera, I can pass on the mid-range camera I'll soon be purchasing...

....IF I can decide on one. (sigh)
Another option I'm considering is rent-to-own. Normally I'd advise against rent-to-own because they tack on so much interest. However, a local store does have a camera I'm interested in and they have a "90-day same as cash" option. I can make a single payment, try the camera for a month. If it turns out to not be sufficient, I'm out the single month's payment as opposed to the entire purchase price. If I like it, I'll just pay it off prior to the 90 days.

The Simple Woman's Daybook

2010-04-13T12:03:00.002-04:00

I came across this neat thing that I want to start doing. Because of it, I'm going to revamp my posting schedule a wee bit. From now on, Tuesday will be a posting of The Simple Woman's Daybook. The idea comes from a blog of the same name. Without further ado, here is my first weekly posting:

FOR TODAY
Outside my window... the sun is shining, there is a light breeze blowing, our high is supposed to be near 80F and its going to be a beautiful day.

I am thinking... it would be lovely to take a cup of herbal tea outside, sit in my favorite chair and read for a bit.

I am thankful for... my son's quiet company today.

From the learning rooms... I don't have any specific learning intentions for myself today. I'm just going with the flow.

From the kitchen... I made a wonderful chocolate cake yesterday. There is still plenty left and leftover chicken and veggie soup. Yum!

I am wearing... a green a white checkerboard dress with HUGE pockets perfect for working around the house in.

I am creating... a crocheted wrap that is perfect for spring and autumn temperatures.

I am going... to make plans for Saturday when hubby and our son will be gone for the day.

I am reading... Voluntary Simplicity by Duane Elgin.

I am hoping... my seed order will come in soon.

I am hearing... the birds singing and my wind chimes in the breeze.

On my mind… is wondering what else I can do to make my family and home more self-sufficient.

I have noticed… that people will sit around waiting to be rescued to their own peril.

Pondering these words… Instead of asking "who will let me?" Ask, "Who will stop me?"

Around the house... I have laundry hanging on the line. I put in recycled plastic bottles for watering my garden beds. The squash is already large enough to hide them.

One of my favorite things... is writing in my journal.

A few plans for the rest of the week: General household work, helping a reporter who is doing an article on the upcoming vote to allow residents to keep backyard chickens, researching which camera to buy.

Here is picture for thought I am sharing...

Review of the Week: Hershey's Especially Dark Chocolate Cake

2010-04-12T19:36:00.000-04:00

This is an outstanding recipe for chocolate cake. It's horrible fattening and sweet but OH so good!!!!!

HERSHEY'S "Especially Dark" Chocolate Cake

Ingredients:

2 cups sugar
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup HERSHEY'S SPECIAL DARK Cocoa
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water
"ESPECIALLY DARK" CHOCOLATE FROSTING(recipe follows)

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round baking pans.

2. Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin). Pour batter into prepared pans.

3. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely. Frost with "ESPECIALLY DARK" CHOCOLATE FROSTING. 10 to 12 servings.

"ESPECIALLY DARK" CHOCOLATE FROSTING

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine
2/3 cup HERSHEY'S SPECIAL DARK Cocoa
3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Melt butter, Stir in cocoa. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating to spreading consistency. Add small amount additional milk, if needed. Stir in vanilla. About 2 cups frosting.

I'm so excited!

2010-04-12T18:17:00.000-04:00

I should be writing a review today but instead I'm going to babble a bit. Today I was interviewed by a reporter who is doing an article on our city potentially allowing residents to keep backyard chickens. I truly hope the city commission will allow it this time. The article's aim is to support the idea so I was quite happy to contribute. Cross your fingers for us!

April 11, 2010 Journal Entry

2010-04-11T13:32:00.000-04:00

My week has been mostly typical with a few steps outside the bounds of good sense. I managed to keep up with my daily chores around the house and garden (which is doing really well so far).

I got to go on a photo shoot yesterday. That in itself was odd. We were parked several feet from the car in front of us. Yet, when the owner came out to get in her vehicle she began ranting like a mad woman about not being able to get to her trunk. Wow! Since when is 2 entire feet NOT enough to get through? Besides, she only had 1 small bag in hand. The woman screamed, cursed and shouted in Greek and said she would call the police. I shrugged and told her to be my guest. Obviously there was no wrong doing on our part. She was just bent on raging so I let her babble on and went back to my book that I was reading while awaiting my husband's return from the store. She got into her vehicle, honked a lot, shouted and cursed some more, flipped me the bird and drove away. I sat there for a moment just utterly shocked about how anyone could get so angry over how another vehicle was parked. It seemed to me this woman was either seriously unhinged or generally stressed about life. So, I shook it off, chalked it up to her being a psycho and went back to my book. Five minutes later I hear shouting and honking and look up from my book. The crazy lady was back! She was sitting in her car in front of me again yelling and cursing in Greek and flipping me off again. It was all getting rather annoying because she was interrupting my book again. Grrrrr....so, I shooed her away like an annoying insect and went back to my reading. In truth, I think that her inability to upset me made her more angry than anything. Rage is bad enough but impotent rage seems FAR worse. I can't help but wonder if she ever throws that sort of fire and passion into anything positive?

I did finally get to take some photos. Most of the plans I had for the day didn't pan out with regards to my photography. The best part was stumbling across an Osprey nest. I took some amazing photos but was so disappointed because the light was awful and I just don't have a proper camera to do long distance shots any justice at all. I was so upset over that! I was nearly in tears about it. My photography means SO much to me. I know the talent and vision doesn't come from the camera. It comes from me. However, a concert pianist, no matter how gifted they are, still won't sound like a master using one of those little child's dinosaur pianos. I am resolved to getting a FAR better camera with proper lenses and SOON. It is my most important short term goal.

I really can't describe the way I feel when I'm shooting photos. Its typically the most hyper-aware moments of my day. I'm so aware of every sight, sound and smell around me as I'm on the look out for another amazing moment to catch on film...err...memory card. I see things in an entirely different way. I suppose this is how artists feel when they are creating or a musician feels when they are making music. I hope everyone has something in their life that moves them as deeply. Life would be lacking indeed without it!

Venting...beware!

2010-04-10T19:51:00.000-04:00

I know that people can do amazing things with "substandard" equipment and for the most part, I do that with my camera. I have no compunction at all saying I'm a damned good photographer and I'm proud of that. However, sometimes the equipment just isn't up to the job. This evening I got some fantastic photos of some Osprey. Compositionally they were awesome and the subject matter was awe-inspiring. But they turned out too grainy because the lens on my camera is simply inadequate to zoom in that close and maintain quality.

I will go back and try to reshoot on a sunny day. They aren't going anywhere with the nestlings still being young. Better light quality will improve the shots some. However, the only thing that will make up for the grainy-ness of the photos is a camera with higher pixels AND the right lens! So, I have to get a better camera. That's all there is to it.

BEWARE!!!!! Shameless begging beneath this point...

If you are so inclined, I would be grateful for ANY sized donation toward the purchase of my new camera. The link to my paypal is to the right ----->

Thank you for listening and a double thank you to anyone who contributes.

The Invitation

2010-04-09T20:26:00.000-04:00

The Invitation

by Oriah Mountain Dreamer

It doesn't interest me what you do for a living. I want to know what you ache for, and if you dare to dream of meeting your heart's longing.

It doesn't interest me how old you are. I want to know if you will risk looking like a fool for love, for your dream, for the adventure of being alive.

It doesn't interest me what planets are squaring your moon. I want to know if you have touched the center of your own sorrow, if you have been opened by life's betrayals or have become shriveled and closed from fear of further pain!I want to know if you can sit with pain, mine or your own, without moving to hide it or fade it, or fix it.

I want to know if you can be with joy, mine or your own, if you can dance with wildness and let the ecstasy fill you to the tips of your fingers and toes without cautioning us to be careful, to be realistic, to remember the limitations of being human.

It doesn't interest me if the story you are telling me is true. I want to know if you can disappoint another to be true to yourself; if you can bear the accusation of betrayal and not betray your own soul; if you can be faithless and therefore trustworthy.

I want to know if you can see beauty even when it's not pretty, every day,and if you can source your own life from its presence.

I want to know if you can live with failure, yours and mine, and still stand on the edge of the lake and shout to the silver of the full moon, “Yes!”

It doesn't interest me to know where you live or how much money you have. I want to know if you can get up, after the night of grief and despair, weary and bruised to the bone, and do what needs to be done to feed the children.

It doesn't interest me who you know or how you came to be here. I want to know if you will stand in the center of the fire with me and not shrink back.

It doesn't interest me where or what or with whom you have studied. I want to know what sustains you, from the inside, when all else falls away.

I want to know if you can be alone with yourself and if you truly like the company you keep in the empty moments.

Photo of the Week: Purple

2010-04-09T09:05:00.002-04:00

To see more of my photography, please visit my photography page.

Project of the week: Reusable shopping bags

2010-04-08T08:54:00.001-04:00

Reusable shopping bags are all the rage right now but this one actually makes sense. When we go to a produce stand, health food store, butcher shop, co-op or standard grocery store, we still need a way to transport our purchased goods back home. Having a reusable bag keeps us from having to make that oh-so-unpleasant choice of "paper or plastic"...if the store even offers a choice. Reusable bags make more sense and even offer a sense of style. Most people are so concerned with style and appearances that it amazes me more people haven't transferred that need to their shopping bags. Whether for style or for sense, here are a few ideas to help you make and/or customize YOUR shopping bags.

Crocheted bags
http://suzies-yarnie-stuff.blogspot.com/2008/05/june-go-green-market-bag.html
http://www.coatsandclark.com/Crafts/Crochet/Projects/Accessories/WR2030+Mesh+Market+Bag.htm (click on pdf link)
OR
http://www.coatsandclark.com/NR/rdonlyres/AF64B1DF-08D0-4EC7-BE61-0A3F80A2E10A/141750/WR2030.pdf

List of 35 reusable grocery bags you can make
http://tipnut.com/35-reusable-grocery-bags-totes-free-patterns/

You can choose your favorite crafting medium to create bags that suit your style but there ARE options for people who do feel quite so crafty. You can buy pre-made bags and decorate them using stamps & ink, sewing on patches, using iron on designs, sewing on trim, beads, buttons and appliques. You can trade something with a crafty friend who will spruce up your bags for you or perhaps even make them entirely. Other options would be to buy stylish reusable bags. Try Etsy for ones directly from the artists who created them.

Your options are limited only by your imagination so there really isn't any reason one can't use eco-friendly reusable bags that look awesome to boot! Remember the old saying, "Don't make anything unless its both practical and necessary. If its practical and necessary, make it beautiful."

REDUCE, reuse, recycle

2010-04-07T05:42:00.000-04:00

Most of us have heard the motto "Reduce, Reuse, Recycle". It's plastered everywhere we look these days. Today I'll examine "Reduce". There is a reason it was listed first. Its our first line defense against exploitation of people, depletion of our resources, pollution, many economic crises, health care issues and more.

You might be asking how this comes into play for a Radical Homemaker. But as I'll often say, "More than charity begins at home!" The vast majority of the stuff we purchase is for our homes, used in our homes or to "benefit" our homes in one way or another. We purchase items to make our home and selves prettier, more up to date, more convenient and stylish. We buy the latest and greatest of nearly everything. To do so, resources are taken from nature, people (typically indigenous groups) are used to produce these items at super cheap prices. Unfortunately they are not paid well and worse, they are often treated as slaves. Our great planet is being raped of all her resources so produce more and more items that will eventually end up in a landfill.

The next time you think you need something, stop and give it some real consideration. Is the reason you think you need that thing is because it's "cool"? Do you really need a new pair of jeans when you already have 10 pair in your closet? Why buy another lipstick when there are a dozen tossed in a drawer at home? How many wooden spoons do you really need and use? Instead of buying a new appliance, can the old one be repaired? We really need to rethink these issues and many, many more. We've been dubbed "consumers" by the media and corporations. However, its time to get off the consumer bandwagon. We need to reduce what we purchase to begin with. Though there are many things that fit well with our lifestyles, things that we can use and often need. But there are far more things that we could easily do without.

Here is a quote that I believe came from the Quakers.

"Use it up, wear it out. Make it do or do without."

Another...this I believe was from the Amish or it may have been the Shakers.

"Do not make anything unless it is both practical and necessary. If it is practical and necessary, make it beautiful."

We don't have to live a life of stark blandness unless we prefer it. Our homes and life can still be beautiful and comfortable without vast amounts of clutter.

Quote of the Week

2010-04-06T11:27:00.000-04:00

Make some time to spend with the people you love. God will eventually take them away, and he never calls ahead of time to let you know.

I was reading the post Reflection over at The Simple Llama and just had to share it as my quote of the week.

Review...Biscuit recipe

2010-04-06T11:21:00.000-04:00

I've been searching and searching and searching for a REALLY good biscuit recipe. I'd already tried many, many versions and was never quite satisfied. Recently a "friend" on Facebook shared this particular recipe and it's the closest I've come to the "perfect biscuit" so I wanted to share it here...

Drop Biscuits

preheat oven to 450 F.

2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1 Tbsp baking powder (this is not a typo, it takes a tablespoon)
1/4 tsp baking soda

3 Tbsp shortening (I use butter, tastes better)

1 cup milk
1 Tbsp lemon juice

Sour milk by stirring in lemon juice (or substitute 1 c plus 1 Tbsp buttermilk).

Mix dry ingredients together; cut in butter till particles are evenly sized. Stir in soured milk or buttermilk.

Drop on ungreased cookie sheet, bake ten to fifteen minutes until lightly browned on peaks. Split and butter.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I like to change this one. It truly doesn't need so much salt, so I've substituted garlic or onion powder for half the salt. I've also seasoned it pretty strongly with garlic, pepper, and Italian seasoning, then stirred in a cup or so of shredded cheese. You have to adjust the baking time when you do that--but biscuits benefit GREATLY from an attentive baker anyway, and until you've made them a couple times, you might wish to check them at nine or ten minutes and again every couple of minutes until they're done. Every oven is different and some run a little hot, yanno?

Also, if you make a dozen biscuits rather than nine, they'll get done sooner because they'll be smaller.

Personally I prefer the buttermilk version and I roll out the dough and use a biscuit cutter. But this is by far the favorite of all the biscuit recipes I've tried so far.

Sunday journal

2010-04-05T07:45:00.000-04:00

It's been an interesting week. Having discovered the "Life After the Oil Crash" website and sharing it with my husband, he's truly beginning to see where my concerns are and why. Its a relief to me that's he's getting on board with this. Overall, I just want to make sure our family is cared for no matter what trials might come our way. In my mind that means the mainstays of survival...food, shelter and water. So that's where the majority of our "preparation" focus will be.

The garden is really taking off. I'm having a hard time finding some of the heirloom and open-pollinated fruits and veggies locally. I'm going to have to order those online. Seeds of Changes is kind of expensive so I'm going to continue to look.

I'm continuing on with my food experiments. I'm getting very proficient with using my rice cooker/veggie steamer but I want to learn to cook more of these foods in a pan on the stove and maybe even over a fire. I'm also wanting to try various "stoves". During hurricane season its possible to be without power for weeks on end so I want to have non-electric alternatives. One I'm going to try is the "hobo stove". I'm also going to build and use a solar oven. Today I seen the idea behind the "redneck rocket stove". I'll give them all a try and see how they work. Fortunately rice is cheap and if I can cook rice on one of these, I'll be able to cook nearly anything!

I've also decided on a posting schedule for this blog.

Sunday - journal entry (I know, I'm a day late but I'll do better next week!)
Monday - review (book, website, product, place, etc)
Tuesday - tips, quotes, forwards, etc
Wednesday - article (how-to or self help type...something useful to guide others)
Thursday - Project (recipe, homemade item, natural cleaner, garden item, etc.)
Friday - Photo (my own photography)
Saturday - Discovery of the week (anything awesome I discovered and want to share with others)

So, that's the schedule. I need to get it posted.

Finally, Monday is mine! I get a few hours to myself today. I'm very excited since I rarely get that. So, I'm off to enjoy my time alone. This is going to be a FANTASTIC week!

Discovery of the Week...LATOC

2010-04-03T12:49:00.000-04:00

Matt Savinar's website Life After The Oil Crash is disturbingly enlightening! Generally speaking I prefer to focus on the positive but that doesn't excuse one from facing reality. We cannot simply ignore things and hope they'll go away. As many proponents of focusing on the positive will tell you, that focus MUST be followed up with action. All the positive thinking in the world won't do you any good without action. While the subject matter of Mr. Savinar's website isn't roses and rainbows, its information that everyone should read. Obviously everyone has the right to make their own decision based on the information presented (complete with sources for every study, speech, article, survey and interview mentioned). But do yourself a favor and at least read what he has to share.

Photo Friday

2010-04-02T08:00:00.000-04:00

I'm going to post photos every Friday. Here are two from my older stuff.

This super cell cloud was actually a scanned in photo so the quality isn't so great but the subject is too cool to pass up!

Super Cell

The Mushroom

Project of the week

2010-04-01T09:33:00.000-04:00

I seen this idea several years ago in a magazine. For the life of me, I can't remember which one though. I'd love to give proper credit where it is due if anyone can point me in the right direction.

Herbs in a pot

Most herbs will grow quite well in a 6 inch container so for this project, gather herb plants or seeds, 6 inch CLAY pots with saucers, potting soil, a paint brush, chalk and chalkboard paint. When you choose your containers, opt for the ones with the larger rims around the top. Paint those rims with the chalkboard paint (it may take more than one coat) and allow to dry. When they are fully dry, fill the pots with soil, plant your seed/lings. Then with the chalk, write the name of the herb on the chalkboard area of the rim.

This is a simple little project with a lot of character! Enjoy!!

Keeping a Journal

2010-03-31T08:59:00.000-04:00

A diary, a journal, whatever you might call it, keeping one is a tool that many people make use of. While there are no hard, fast rules in journal etiquette, here are some thoughts to ponder when considering keeping a journal.

What do I use as a journal?
There are many options for journals. Nearly every book store carries black journals or blank books with, or without, lines in them. Some have dates, others do not. A simple and cheap option is to purchase a spiral notebook and write your entries in it. For the very creative, perhaps you'd prefer to make your own journal through various bookbinding techniques. One option I enjoy is buying the hard-covered composition notebooks. I buy decorative papers to dress up their black and white covers. The technique can be seen here. (Note: I also keep a small, spiral notebook and pen in my bag in the event I feel the need to commit something to paper when I'm out and about.)

I would also recommend purchasing a special, refillable pen. Find one that comfortably fits your hand. It really takes the journalling experience to a whole new level!

There are also those who prefer to journal online. Most email formats as well as social media networks offer journal/privacy options if you prefer to be paperless. Personally I love the tactile experience of putting pen to paper.

How much do I write in my journal?
It's YOUR journal. Write whatever you want. If you feel like writing a sentence or two one day and 6 pages another, that is fine. There are no rules. Some days you won't feel like saying much and other days you will have plenty to say. Some people like to commit to a specific amount per day. In the book, The Artist's Way, the author recommends one write three pages per day even if you can only write "I don't know what to say." Personally, I go with whatever I feel like that day and even skip a day here and there if I don't feel up to it.

What do I write about?
That is entirely up to you! Some people write in their journal as if they were talking to a trusted friend and confidante. Hence, they fully disclose everything on their mind. It often helps them to talk through problems and issues with themselves. It can be very therapeutic to get it all out and on paper. Other people opt to focus on the positive in their journal. They use it to point out only the good things that happened so they are reminded of how much positive and good they have it their lives. Some use it to chronicle their day, others use their journal to plan their future. Still others use it for both or something entirely different.

What do I do when I fill a journal? Most of the time journals are a very private thing. Its where we write about our deepest secrets...things we just don't feel comfortable talking to others about. Because of this aspect, what to do with your journal when it's filled can be a very personal thing. I know people who keep every journal they've ever written. They refuse to destroy them and often go back through them to look for patterns, to reminisce, to see how far they've come or how far they have fallen. On the other hand, there was a story not so long ago about the family of a famous person who was trying desperately from keeping their dead loved one's journals from being published. They feared how others' view of him would change if they read his journal. I opt to glance back through my journal when I fill it. I look for patterns, things I want to be sure to remember, etc. I make notes and then destroy the book. I destroy it because I often write about sensitive matters (fears, desires, frustrations) that I have opted not to share with others for a reason. I wouldn't want them to read them at a later date. I am fortunate that my family respects my privacy and doesn't read what I've written but one can't always assure that.

A note for those who opt to journal online or on their computer...Your entries can, and should be, password protected. However, please remember that computers and passwords can be hacked and anything you've written can be made available to anyone and everyone.

Where do I keep my journal? That depends. Will you be writing very private information? How well do you trust your family/friends/housemates to respect your privacy? Some people keep their journal in a desk drawer, others keep them on/in their bedside stand. Some keep them hidden or under lock & key and others leave them in the open. Again, this depends on your and your situation.

Keeping a journal is a very personal experience. Personalize the experience as much as you can. You can even form rituals around your journalling if you choose. I have a small writing desk in my room. There is where I journal most of the time. I have a candle and small incense burner there. I light both each time I sit down to journal. The ritual helps to shift my consciousness into the mode of writing, of letting loose and getting things down on paper.

Tell us of your journal/diary keeping experiences, choices, etc.

Sharing a few photos

2010-03-30T20:38:00.000-04:00

Book Review: Radical Homemakers

2010-03-28T09:58:00.000-04:00

Radical Homemakers: Reclaiming Domesticity From a Consumer Culture by Shannon Hayes

I'm VERY impressed with this book! The author has done an incredible thing here. Through careful exploration she has shown how society went from people working hard and gaining a direct benefit from their labors to today's model of corporate greed, rampant pollution and modern day slavery. Hayes does an excellent job of showing how people are reclaiming the right and the pride for being homemakers that was lost through the years. Her book is simply mind-blowing when one realizes just how far the manipulation of society has gone, why we think about things the way we do and what we can do to change our own lives. This book isn't just for stay-at-home Moms. This is for every man and woman who is tired of the rat race and wants to find another way. I recommend this book to all audiences and would even go so far as to request everyone purchase an extra copy and donate it to your local library if you can afford to.

You can purchase the book at your favorite book store or directly through the author at Radical Homemakers.

Two Wolves

2010-03-25T07:52:00.000-04:00

A Cherokee Legend

An old Cherokee is teaching his grandson about life. "A fight is going on inside me," he said to the boy.

"It is a terrible fight and it is between two wolves. One is evil - he is anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego." He continued, "The other is good - he is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith. The same fight is going on inside you - and inside every other person, too."

The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather, "Which wolf will win?"

The old Cherokee simply replied, "The one you feed."

Satisfaction Guaranteed!

2010-03-21T17:44:00.000-04:00

Today was something of a busy day. I had several chores and projects to do around the house. I managed to mark off several things on my "to do" list.

I did 2 loads of laundry with my homemade laundry detergent. Its a dry detergent as opposed to the liquid variety. I'm not at all fond of the homemade liquid ones. They don't seem to keep the smells out of the clothes over the long haul. So, I'll give this one a try to see if it works. I'll be reporting back on that in the future.

I switched out my small purse for a small backpack so I can carry more in it. This seems counter-productive to simplicity. However, when we went out, I usually carried my small purse, a reusable water bottle and carrier, whatever current book I'm reading and something healthy to snack on in the event my blood sugar starts falling. With the small backpack I'm able to keep my money in a small zipper pocket, my debit card, ID and emergency contact number in a pouch inside the same zippered pocket as my keys and ink pen. That leaves the main body of the bag to hold a notebook (for random thoughts and ideas), book I'm currently reading (Radical Homemakers by Shannon Hayes), a folding fan )for random hot flashes), a reusable container for a healthy snack (so I don't have to stop and buy something potentially UNhealthy), my small tape measure (yes, its come in handy MANY times) and my mini first aid kit. One mesh side pocket holds my pocket knife and the other is perfect for slipping my reusable water bottle into.

I did several other small projects as well including printing an ebook (which I don't normally do but I'll need the instructions that are in this one) and putting it in a binder I recycled, grinding up salt and baking soda for use in my neti pot, cleaning out a small bucket to collect water from faucets while waiting for it to get hot, etc. I even had time to read a chapter in my book today.

My daughter helped me cook dinner. It was a pleasant surprise to have her volunteer to help. We had a lovely dinner with Linguica on homemade whole wheat bread and a salad with lettuce, tomato, carrots and sprouts with vinaigrette dressing. After a family dinner, the kitchen is clean, the food put away and I'm snacking on granola and raisins. After I'm done blogging I'll sit down to work on my crochet project while turning on the tv for the first time today.

This was a damned good day! I know others would see this as drudgery but my passion is taking care of my family and home...for living naturally and fairly simply. What I realized was that when I spend my day doing things I'm passionate about, things that mean something to me, at the end of the day I'm filled with a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction. I am happy and content. When my time is continually consumed by activities outside my area of passion I become stressed and unhappy. Oh, certainly we have to deal with other things from time to time. There are trips to the market, dealing with insurance companies, going to the DMV, standing in line at the post office, etc but those we deal with as they come. I'm talking about the stress and dissatisfaction of those working at jobs they abhor, stretching ourselves too thin by having too many things going at once on a continual basis, etc. These bring stress, unhappiness, illness and apathy. Break out! For you, for those you love. Find out where your passions lie and start working on them. You will be so much happier and that happiness will spill over into other areas of your life. You may find your job isn't so miserable after all or you may discover an entirely new career path. But when you are indulging in your areas of passion, you'll find true satisfaction. I won't be without its frustrations but satisfaction is guaranteed!

Sunbeams

2010-03-20T13:57:00.000-04:00

Losing My Religion

2010-03-18T08:53:00.000-04:00

Here it is!

2010-03-16T20:41:00.000-04:00

My big goal in life. We are told to throw it out there and to be accountable for it. To start taking steps in the right direction. To not think negatively. Well, my goal is to own a piece of land, a small home and grow the majority of my family's fruits, veggies, meats, etc. I want to cook, clean, sew and garden. In short, be a Radical Homemaker. I've wanted to do this for SO long. Indeed I've wanted it for nearly 20 years now. Why haven't I achieved it yet? I was waiting for someone to hand it to me. But, lesson learned. It's my dream therefore it's my responsibility to make it happen.

Toward that end, I'm learning all manner of natural and frugal ways to take care of my home and family. I use simple, natural cleaners like baking soda, vinegar, borax, salt, lemon juice, etc. I use simple toiletries like baking soda shampoo and vinegar rinse for my hair. I use baking soda and corn starch deodorant. I use things such as honey, sugar, salt, milk, soap and olive oil for skin care. I'm learning to cook even more foods from scratch including our own breads. My husband and I are starting to grow more of our own fruits, veggies and herbs. I've even recently emailed our mayor-elect to discuss backyard chickens which are currently illegal in our community. So I am taking baby steps. The more frugal and the closer to nature we live, the cheap life is for us and we are able to save more money toward that dream.

Now, having said all that, I'm also not above asking for help. So, if you feel like helping out, feel free to click on the donation link over there ------> in the right side bar. I'm more than happy to apply any donations toward the purchase of land for our future homestead. Just like other aspects of my Radical Homemaker endeavors are being chronicled here, so will our journey to becoming land owners and homesteaders.

By the way, make sure to put a note in that the money is to be used for the homestead or whatever other purpose you prefer. That way I'll know just where to stash it away for proper usage.

Thanks!

Miss Minimalist

2010-03-15T08:38:00.000-04:00

I am this week's featured minimalist on the Miss Minimalist blog. Don't forget to check it out and when you're done, stick around to check out her archives and subscribe.

Monday quote...

2010-03-15T06:15:00.000-04:00

The ordinary arts we practice everyday at home are more important to the soul than their simplicity might suggest.

~Thomas Moore

Living the Real Simple Life

2010-03-13T04:01:00.000-05:00

This video clip is about a family in Pasadena, CA.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W51JRTjoI1A

You can also learn more from them on their website at http://urbanhomestead.org/ . It really doesn't get much more real than this. A father struggling to care for his family in the best way he can while daring to live the dream. Its an incredible story of working with what's at hand and making the very best of it with hard work. At the end of the day I would imagine the whole family is exhausted but they must feel amazing about what they are doing. I certainly would in their shoes. I find them to be very inspiring so wanted to share.

Wake up call

2010-03-11T09:12:00.000-05:00

In speaking with a friend of mine we began noticing how so many people seem to be waking up. We'd long lamented the fact that the majority of the population seemed to be suffering from soul sedation. They were like zombies. Stand here. Do this. Say that. Eat these. Wear this. But lately things seem to be changing. Fewer people are dying their hair. Women are having their breast implants removed. People are starting to appreciate practical skills like the ability to cook a meal or wash laundry. Men and women alike are looking for more than ornamental relationships. People are wanting more than the extremely superficial these days. What's going on? Has the economic crisis begun to bring people out of their fantasy world? Have they begun to realize that Hummers and closets full of 300 pairs of shoes aren't much more than affectations? Will more people begin to understand that simple pleasures are best? Have they discovered that all these other things are distracting us and is one of the direct causes of the soul sedation most suffer from? Most important, will this trend continue to spread?

Passion

2010-03-10T07:29:00.000-05:00

Photography is a true passion of mine. For me, a day behind the lens is always sheer joy. Its a day of discovery and intensive awareness. It allows me to be open but focused. One day I'm zooming in on the beauty of a single blossom and the next I'm photographing water spouts on the Gulf of Mexico. I may be photographing architectural features in the morning and enjoying a photo shoot of a person in the afternoon. I can't say I really have a niche when it comes to photography. I go wherever I'm inspired to at the moment. But wherever it may lead me on a given day, I love the focus, the awareness and the joy I get from sharing my vision of the world through the lens of my camera.

What about you? What activities do you engage in that when doing so, time slips away? What brings on an intensity and awareness that little can distract you?

New Beginnings

2010-03-09T08:36:00.001-05:00

I love this quote!

2010-03-08T07:13:00.001-05:00

“The master in the art of living makes little distinction between his work and his play, his labor and his leisure, his mind and his body, his information and his recreation, his love and his religion. He hardly knows which is which. He simply pursues his vision of excellence at whatever he does, leaving others to decide whether he is working or playing. To him he’s always doing both.” -James A. Michener

Rebel With A Cause

2010-03-07T08:11:00.001-05:00

Recently I was on the phone with my Mother and she and my husband were having a particular difficulty with an online app. I was having an entirely different problem with the same app. I made the comment, "Oh sure! You and Chris have your glitches together. I'll sit over here in my alternate reality and have a glitch of my own." It was all said in jest but my Mother responded with a very serious, "You always were a rebel." She didn't say it with anger and frustration. It was said very matter-of-fact. Still, that little comment stuck with me all day as those types of comments tend to do. I never realized my family viewed me as a rebel. In fact, I was quite shocked by that revelation and I wasn't at all sure how I felt about it. I admit to previously acknowledging that I'm not a conformer but a rebel? I viewed it as more of doing whatever I felt was the right thing to do and didn't worry so much about society's rules and edicts. Still, for an odd reason it bothered me so I asked my husband about it. He agreed with my Mother but said it as, "You've always had the courage to dance to the beat of your own drum." Courage? Is that how he saw it? I always felt lonely out on some random branch hoping someone else would crawl out there with me so I wouldn't look so insane by myself. I had often considered these aspects of myself...of never fitting in, of never seeing things from others' point of view, always doing things in the way I felt was what SHOULD be instead of what actually WAS.... as flaws. And yet, here were some of my nearest and dearest PRAISING me for it. I still have a difficult time assimilating that. I still get lonely out here on my branch at times. But its more comforting to know that my particular brand of "rebel" is appreciated and accepted by my family, even if its often frustrating for them.

Drifter

2010-03-05T11:53:00.000-05:00

My favorite house design!

2010-03-02T07:10:00.000-05:00

This lovely little cottage was designed by Ross Chapin Architects. Hilltop Cottage has a total area of 729 sq.ft. Here are a few photos of one of these lovely homes already built as well as the floor plan.

Please stop by their website to check out this plan and many others! They do have a lot of truly lovely little homes.

http://www.rosschapin.com/index.html

Minimalism and staying put

2010-02-25T08:02:00.000-05:00

I read a lot of wonderful minimalist blogs. I note that many of the authors have a passion for travel and location independent lives. They recommend reducing your belongings to free your time to follow your passion. I'm a very different type of minimalist (or shall I say budding minimalist). I love home! I love being at home. I love taking care of my home. I love making home comfortable for myself, my husband, our children and guests. Though I wouldn't mind taking a trip now and then, home is still where its all at for me. It IS my passion. So I've searched for ways to be more minimalist and keeping the house comfortable for me and my family. Toward that end, I've spent the last 6 months purging and re-purging our belongings. I still spend time cleaning every day but that time has been reduced considerably since there is less to clean. I used to spend a lot of time organizing. I still organize and reorganize regularly but it doesn't take nearly so long. I held 2 yard sales over the summer and donated the left overs to the local Hospice thrift store. I'm regularly posting items on Freecycle. (I have 2 up currently). Just yesterday I took another load of things to the thrift store to donate. I've whittled my clothing down by about 80% and so have my husband and children. I'm currently helping my son purge his room. Like many other people decluttering, we don't miss any of the items we've donated or thrown out. However, the change in energy in the house is VERY noticeable. Its so much lighter...fresher. Like throwing open the windows for the first time in the spring after the house being closed up all winter and those wonderful, warm breezes flow through to blow away the stagnate air.

Like other minimalists, reducing our belongings does indeed bring a sense of freedom and the ability to enjoy more of the things I'm most passionate about. I have more time to read. I have more time for my photography. I have more time to cook for my family. I have more time for my crafts. I have less frustration when it comes to cleaning and finding things. We can all enjoy the items we have more now since we aren't inundated by too much. Each item is more appreciated this way. Even then, we know not to be too attached to these things. Living in hurricane country tends to do that to a person. We live annually with the threat of losing our belongings to a monster storm. They are things. They can be replaced. We own them. They do NOT own us!

So, while many of our minimalist friends choose the option of traveling around to see more of our beautiful planet, I opt to stay right here and make my little corner as cozy, beautiful and free of clutter as possible!

Stairway to Heaven

2010-02-21T17:48:00.000-05:00

How do you eat an elephant?

2010-02-05T18:35:00.000-05:00

One bite at a time! That's just what we are doing with our elephant named "Debt". For years now its just seemed too much. How do you live and still pay the debt when you are barely making the standard bills? We didn't have the huge amounts of money to work with. We are a 1 income household with kids, bills, etc. It seemed to large when contemplated so we did the worst thing we could do. We ignored it and consequently destroyed our credit rating.

So, here we are, quite a bit of debt, some very urgent, some old and moldy on the shelf of our finances. But my husband and I recently made the conscious decision that we wanted out. We wanted to get away from the worry, from the crushing feeling of that debt. Being considered "low income", we had some tough choices to make but we dream of one day owning our own home. That leaves us with one option. Pay off the debt, save some money and rebuild our credit rating. There's that damned elephant again! He's so HUGE!

Because of our low income status and the fact that two of our kids are still at home, we got a fairly large income tax return (Thank the IRS for EIC!). We wanted to be smart with our money. The first thing we did was put a large chunk in savings for emergencies. After all, an emergency fund is said to be THE most important financial tool one could have. Next, we paid off our vehicle. We only owed 3 more months on it. So now we don't have to make that payment anymore. (Damn that feels good!) Our next step was to pay off a relative that had helped us out. That was very important for us because in emergencies, when you NEED help, family are the ones you have to turn to when you can't go to the bank. But, with that new emergency fund, hopefully we won't need to ask family ever again but its nice to know they are there if needed. We bought a small deep freeze and stocked it and our pantry so we can start taking advantage of sales for keeping our stock up. We rent so we can't do any permanent landscaping so we purchased containers and bags of soil and have planted vegetables and herbs to help with our food budget. We've also spent some money weatherizing a bit to help reduce our electric bill. Now, we are starting to take bites out of that elephant named "Debt". We've paid off a few of our smaller debts and with the money that would have went to our vehicle payment, half goes to savings and half goes to debt reduction. We are using the snowballing effect for the most part. We quite literally pay toward a bill and as the bill is dwindling, we place the left over money in an envelope toward payments on the next bill. We've also started a "house fund" with the threat that money is not taken out unless lives are at risk.

Its slow going but we are eating our Debt elephant one bite at a time and the more we do it, the better it feels! Each time we pay off a debt and start on the next one, we get a boost in spirits. Its really making a difference! Its also encouraged us to make better choices. We had been looking forward to starting Netflix again once we paid off our vehicle. But we opted not to. We don't watch tv as much as we used to so Netflix just wouldn't be a good choice for us. On the very rare occasion we want to catch a movie, we can get it on demand or go to the video store.

I'm sitting here able to say that its possible for ANYONE to work their way out of debt! It IS possible! The best thing to do is just start taking small bites. Even if all you can do is put $2 a week in an envelope. Many places offer free money orders these days. Anything helps. Just get started and it will add up over time.

Jenna's Little Shop of Horrors

2010-01-18T17:28:00.000-05:00

As part of my desire to live a more natural, sustainable life I realize my family and I have to eat healthier. For me, that means more naturally. I do fancy myself a damned good cook and my family will agree. I decided it was time to learn to make fresh bread. I'm not going with the standard yeast bread. I opted to learn how to make sourdough bread. After all, yeast must be bought while sourdough can be created with flour and water. I was telling Michele (my best friend) about my sourdough starter. She laughed and said it sounded like a monster with all the talk of feeding it and such. I said that I'd read how it is rather like a pet that has to be fed and cared for but I also pointed out that some sourdough starters have been going for well over 100 years and like fine wine, get better with age. Of course, I added in the part about where I thought it was going to eat the kitchen at one point. Being the smart ass she is, she said she was going to get me a sign for my kitchen that says, "Jenna's Little Shop of Horrors". I love that woman! She is the best! My family was just as tickled about this as I so my kitchen has been officially dubbed "Jenna's Little Shop of Horrors" and when I cook, they say I'm experimenting.

My latest experiment with the sourdough has so far met with EPIC failure despite using a tried and true recipe from someone who makes and sells sourdough commercially. The starter gets going fine but when I go to use it, it never leavens the dough. (I actually tried cooking one of those unleavened messes. Take my word for it, DON'T BOTHER!" The pans are still soaking in the sink.) Out of frustration, I started another batch of starter using a different recipe. But, I refuse to accept defeat! While attempting to clean out the pan, I discussed matters with the remaining starter and I think I know where I went wrong. The recipe says that after 2-3 days the mix will start bubbling. At which point one is to stir it, feed it and wait a few more days until about an inch of foam appears. Then I'm supposed to feed it again and use some of it. I was following the recipe too closely I think. After 2-3 days, it was WAY beyond "bubbly". It was even beyond "an inch of foam". But, I stirred and fed at 2-3 days and waited....After the prescribed 4-5 days, nothing had happened. It just sat there looking at me. I believe where I went "wrong" was in the fact it had worked TOO well. By the time I was feeding it (when it was already beyond an inch of foam), it was already dying of starvation. The starter was past its prime. So, today I'm starting a new batch and this time I'll watch it more closely. When it gets "bubbly" I'll stir and feed it. When it gets to the "inch of foam" stage, I'll start using it regardless of how many days have passed.

I'm keeping the second starter I created. Its made in quite a different way (though neither recipe uses store bought yeast) so it might make a better loaf of bread. I'll try both ways to see what my family and I like better. I'll be sure to keep you all informed of the latest efforts.

The next experiment....Amish Friendship Cake! I started the starter for that one just this morning.

Yours truly,
Dr. Frankenstein
(Or should that be Seymour Krelborn?)

Blank Slate

2010-01-13T09:13:00.001-05:00

I feel as if 2009 brought an internal earthquake. All the structures of my life were shaken to the ground. I'm picking through the ruins to see what is salvageable and what needs to be let go. While I've cleared away much of the internal, and consequently the external, rubble, there is still much to be done. But I'm nearing the end of that clearing away process and I find myself in the position of seeing my internal landscape as a mostly blank slate. I've spent a great deal of time and energy devoted to homeschooling my children. My oldest two are graduated now. My oldest is now a licensed professional, married and living her life. My son is about to start college but will still be living at home. My youngest has opted for public school for high school because of a specific program the local high school offers that is along the lines of her plans for her future. So, now my life has literally been taken down to the foundation and I find myself in the position of having both the time and the need to re-write my life. As I continue to clear away the rubble of my previous life and simultaneously try to help my children on the next leg of their journey, I wonder what new experiences, what new opportunities will come my way. What new passions will I discover? Will an old passion re-assert itself? There was a time I would have been overly anxious to get on with things but strangely enough, this time I'm content to wait to see what's going to happen. To let things evolve in a more natural way instead of trying to force them.

Go against the grain!

2010-01-06T02:47:00.000-05:00

Sometimes you just have to go against the grain. We are trained from birth to conform, to be individuals as long as its within the bounds of society. But sometimes you make a decision for your life that others view as stepping outside the box. You've decided to put in a food garden. If you say its for the joy of gardening or better tasting food, people accept that. If you say its to be organic, to have a smaller carbon footprint, to save money or even that you don't trust big business then you are crazy. Voluntary simplicity? Sustainability? Simple preparedness? What do you mean your storing food and supplies just in case? That's nuts! You're a Burt Gummer wannabe! You want to homeschool your children? That's not how things are done!

Well, sometimes you just have to go against the grain. You have to be willing to do the thing yourself even while others clearly believe you've lost your mind. You have to do what's right for you, your life and your family. Don't be afraid to step outside the box. So often we lack faith in ourselves but those who are willing to try it are the pioneers. They are the ones willing to make the mistakes. They are the ones willing to build the better mousetrap. Never let the fear hold you back. Never let the naysayers have their way. You are your own person. Know your limitations but never fear trying. Yes, you might fail. But truly its not a failure unless you don't try or unless you quit. A failure is nothing more than learning a way it does NOT work.

Sometimes you've got to go against the grain!

Happy New Year!!!!!

2010-01-01T15:21:00.000-05:00

I'm looking forward to 2010. I believe it will be a year of great change. But to reach those changes, we're going to have to tear down systems that no longer function effectively. We'll recycle the scraps and build a better way of living. We'll no longer be "consumers". We'll be people, friends, neighbors, parents, children, spouses, lovers...we'll be humans again! We'll make good choices knowing that our every dollar is a vote for a way of life. More people will understand that they can't buy happiness at the mall. That hippest SUV won't get them what they seek. They'll start realizing that all these distractions are just that, distractions leading them to a life of soul sedation. Yes, 2010 will be rough but because of it, we'll snap out of our collective zombie realm and start building our lives in a way that is durable, lasting and sustainable full of joy and love.

New Year's Resolutions

2009-12-09T05:25:00.001-05:00

Its December and for many, thoughts are turning to the fresh start the new year tempts us with. To that end, we make resolutions....plans to do or behave in a certain way that is different from our current habits. Below is a list of possibilities. What suggestions might you add to the list? What are you planning to do? What resolutions have you heard others mention?

*New Year's Resolutions
-The compact (only buying necessities for a year)
-Choosing one new green activity each day, week, or month
-Following the program in Your Money or Your Life
-Going on the 100 mile diet
-Going vegetarian
-Going organic
-Starting your own victory garden
-De-clutter your home
-Set out on a journey of Voluntary Simplicity
-Begin recycling at your home
-Recover from cyber-packrattery
-Save money (specify amount...you can save more but not less)
-Pay off your debts
-Make the switch to green cleaning
-Commit to purchasing energy star appliances (Only if you have to replace an appliance anyway)
-Commit to shopping for non-consumables at thrift stores and yard sales only
-Commit to switching your toiletries to healthier and eco-friendly alternatives
-Commit to more eco-friendly commuting (walking, biking, public transportation) whenever possible
-Commit to going paper-less (online bill paying, e-statements, reading newspapers and magazines online, etc)
-Commit to shopping at Mom & Pop stores whenever/wherever humanly possible
-Commit to volunteering at animal shelters, soup kitchens, Habitat for Humanity, etc.
-Commit to transferring your self, family and household to a petroleum free zone
-Determine what is enough for you
-Choose to learn something new and to do something that scares you every day
-Each day wake up and decide that you will be the best person you can be today
-Commit to downsizing your life and possibly even the size of your home
-Make time for family and friends. They ARE the most important things in our lives.
-Help with the grass roots effort to get homemakers back on the map and out of the category of "second class citizens"
-Commit to being the change you want to see in the world
-Learn and understand your true vote is with your money and how you spend it. Make every dollar/vote count for green, sustainable, quality over quantity, etc
-Get a membership to your local library. Check out books instead of buying them. If its a book that you truly love, then by all means buy it
-Join Paperback Swap
-Choose your cause and start supporting it through financial donations, volunteer work, education, etc. (This could be anything.)
-Decide what you want people to say about you at your funeral/death. Then start living that way immediately.
-Live more effectively. (Arranging your life in such a way to bring about your goals, no matter what they may be.)
-Get healthy! Our health, and any issues involving it, affects our lives and the lives of our loved ones. Be as healthy as you can!
-Live according to the Earth's natural cycles and seasons. Ramp up outdoor activities in the summer, sleep more in the winter, cook seasonally available foods, etc.
-Remember, family is the building blocks of civilization. Remind yourself of this every day and bare it in mind when there are problems.

Small Space, Big Style

2009-12-02T06:06:00.000-05:00

I was first introduced to the concept of living in small homes from a show on HGTV called "Small Space, Big Style". Often times these were tiny, city apartments that people made the best of. Other times they were small homes that people bought and remodeled to suit themselves. Some were rentals that required doing things in a way that was temporary. The show was truly inspiring! I seen a multitude of innovative solutions to problems of space management and done with tremendous style and personal flair. Prior to that, I'd always wanted a large home. The bigger the better I thought. But those small space pioneers actually CHOSE to live in smaller homes. How intriguing!

My next step into the world of small spaces came from discovering the site for the Not So Big House. There were several incredible homes shown there but many of them would still be fairly large by my new measurement of small being anything under 1,000 sq ft. But it still allowed for a home I'd fallen in love with that was nearly 1,800 sq ft. I thought it was justifiable considering we still had two children at home. But lately I've been reading several blogs on Tiny homes and really small space living. There are even those who choose to live in less that 100 sq ft (no, that is NOT a typo). Truly, that is too small for me. I would feel too claustrophobic but it put me back on track to looking at small homes of 1,000 sq ft or less. Our son is still living at home but will soon fly the nest. We have a younger daughter who is in high school now. A few more years and she'll be off to college. That will leave my husband and I along with a few pets. I look around at our current 1,000 sq ft and think it will be WAY too big for just the two of us. Even now, after my beginning efforts to de-clutter our lives, we aren't using all of our kitchen cabinets. So the hunt continues for the perfect SMALL dream home.

I recently re-discovered the Katrina Cottages. There were a few that I found appealing but the ones I liked the look of were too small or had layouts I didn't care for. Others, with layouts more suitable to our lifestyle were two large or didn't suit out tastes. I'd also learned of Ross Chapin Architects. Hilltop Cottage (http://www.rosschapin.com/Plans/Cottage/Hilltop/Hilltop.html) is my favorite with Betty Lu (http://www.rosschapin.com/Plans/Cottage/BettySeries/BettySeries.html) coming in second. Fortunately my husband feels the same way. So, until/unless we find something we like better, our future small space with big style will be the Hilltop Cottage by Ross Chapin Architects.

Black Friday

2009-11-25T19:26:00.000-05:00

Its likely you've read this over and over in a dozen different places but I think it bears repeating here as well. For many reasons I will NOT be shopping on Black Friday (the day after Thanksgiving). My number 1 reason is that I'm trying to work toward a more simple life. Buying more things would not be conducive to those efforts. My number 2 reason is that I refuse to support the vicious cycle of mass spending because some corporate suits told me it was the biggest shopping day of the year. I've already decided that this holiday will be far different for our family. Rather than each person buying each other person in the house gifts, we'll be trading names. Each person will get one well made or well chosen present. Perhaps your family will also consider skipping shopping on Black Friday. Find something more productive to do or just stay home and spend time with your loved ones baking cookies, going to a park or playing a game.

More steps toward simplicity...

2009-11-18T12:11:00.000-05:00

We've been helping family move to a new town a few hours away. My own efforts at decluttering our lives was really emphasized to me by helping them. Granted, they had done much to get rid of their own clutter. After all, there's nothing like a move to convince one that we often have things that just aren't worth lugging from one place to another. But, helping them pack and move has shown much just how much farther I still have to go. I'd already gone through much of my belongings and had a yard sale. What was left was donated through Freecycle and related groups and to the local Hospice Thrift store.

I honestly expected my craft supplies to be difficult to go through but when I kept in mind which activities I actually engage in, it wasn't hard to weed out much of those items I really don't need. I was able to clear out the full sized hutch and buffet (china cabinet) and put everything except my yarn into a roll-top desk. That really is a wonderful boon for me because it affords me a crafting work station as well as all the supplies right there. Recently I've gone more from cross stitch to crochet as my favorite craft. Cross stitch is enjoyable and beautiful but then you have to frame it and most often it just hangs on your walls looking lovely. There's only so much wall space after all. :) But, with crochet, I can make items that are both practical and beautiful. Even then, I had WAY too much yarn and much of it acrylic yarn. I typically prefer working with natural fibers so 10 large trash bags worth of yarn and crochet thread were picked through. I kept enough to fill a single, large plastic tote. All the rest were donated as well.

I expected my beloved books would be another sticking point. Amazingly they haven't been. I find that the more I lighten the load, the more free I feel. The more free I feel, the more I want to purge and lighten the load. With every book, skein of yarn, article of clothing I ask myself, "Is this a treasure or an anchor around my neck?" With each task I ask, "Is this a joy to care for or is it a chore?" My freshwater aquarium is a joy. The reef aquarium was a chore. The decisions, when asking myself these questions, are much simpler than I expected.

So, onward I go. I'm continuing to purge and clear things out. I know that our current home is only temporary. When our youngest child leaves home we plan to downsize to a smaller home. Any efforts made to clear out the clutter now will make the move to a smaller home much easier later.

Welcome!

2009-11-12T12:08:00.000-05:00

And so it begins.....

Its a bit cool today...at least it is for Florida. I sit here sipping a cup of chicken noodle soup and thinking about what to do with this blog. I spend a great deal of my time on the internet at the Cottage Witch Society. Its likely this blog will be along similar lines, at least with regards to content. You see, I'm a VERY proud homemaker. Its a dying art that I'd like to see rejuvenated. I get a great deal of inspiration from the Cottage Witch Society and from numerous blogs, online articles and other sources. I'm hoping that I too can be an inspiration to others. I plan to share my ideas about sustainability, spirituality, simplicity, housekeeping and a variety of other topics.

So please join me as this journey begins!