I had some time yesterday, while I waited for the bus, to do a little random sampling statistical analysis (sound fun??). I had noticed this lingering fad among the younger college generation of wearing flip-flops; plain-ol’, beach-bum, flimsy flip-flops
I know flip flops have always been around, but I never remember seeing them so frequently. So, I decided to see what the ratio was of floppers to non-floppers. I took a look at the shoes of the next 50 people to walk by and discovered that 33 were non-floppers…that mean that 17 were floppers! That’s 34% of the total!! I find that totally wierd!! What’s the deal with flip flops?? Is it just that this generation is so laid-back that they wear their summer beach attire year round? Plus, how useful is it to wear such flimsy shoes on a college campus, where you walk or ride your bike (yes, there were some flopping bikers) everywhere, AND where the the pathways are made of brick, uneven brick! I mean, gesh, I trip with my hiking boots on!! Maybe I’m just too shoe practical. I should get myself a pair and see what it’s all about. I’ll get back to you with this 🙂
Author Archives: Maria
A Student Again
Well, I am just about to wrap up my second week as a Master’s student. So far, I am really enjoying it. It has been nice to get out of the house and be in a more mentally stimulaing environment. Not that being a mom isn’t mentally stimulating, but you know what I mean. Plus, I am only taking two courses this semester, so I am not away from the little pooper for too long. However, K and Toby are having a rough time with me being away. K doesn’t seem to mind when I leave, but she is a bit more demanding on Toby when I am gone. And when it comes to nap time…forget it!! Yesterday, it took 45 minutes of her crying before she would finally go to sleep (even though he was laying right there with her and reading to her). Poor thing!! I feel so guilty! Plus, Toby is getting very little work done during the day, especially since she isn’t taking her naps. So, we are thinking about hiring a nanny to help out part-time. I never thought I would be someone to have a nanny, and definitely not one who could afford one! But, if Toby could actually work instead of watching K when I go to class, that would be 15 more hours of pay! I know this won’t solve the nap problem, I think only time will do that. But, atleast a nanny could devote her time totally to K…she could take her to play dates and on outings and do stuff that would help her work off some energy during the days. I think this would be a benefit to her. It’s so hard trying to raise a child in this society that supports such seperateness. What I mean is, and I don’t want to sound like Hillary Clinton, but, I should take a community to raise a child. It benefits everyone to have the help of family and friends in caring for the next generation and teaching them right and wrong. So, I guess, we will start our own little contorted community and hire a nanny. We’ll see…
Homemade Butter
I made my own butter last night and it was really pretty simple. So, here’s the recipe:
– Start with ~1 pint of fresh cream. Pour the cream into a quart jar and close the jar, securing well. SHAKE, SHAKE, SHAKE and keep shaking it until it thickens. The butter milk will then separate from the butter…you will be able to see it through the glass when this happens. Shake just a little more. Pour the butter milk into a container and save for future use. I actually poured it all through a strainer and let it drain for a little while. Then, put the butter in a container and, if you want, add a little salt (it will help the butter last longer) to taste. And, Voila, you’re done! Next time, I may add some honey to the final butter, mmmmm.
You know, I’ve never seen goat butter, have you?? I don’t see why it couldn’t be done with fresh goats milk either.
Walkin’ Crawley
Just a quick note for all of you K fans out there: K took her first steps today…3 of them. I still don’t think she will really be walking around well until 15 or 16 months, though. She’s such a mellow child and is very content taking it slow.
Mr. Fusion
Do you remember in Back to the Future III, when the flux capacitor was powered by Mr. Fusion (a blender that ground up garbage) instead of plutonium??? Well, I am happy to say that our car will soon be running, once again, on garbage!! We have a Diesel VW Jetta and were actually making ‘Biodiesel’ for the car until we moved to Chapel Hill and had to take apart our processor. It’s been hard to have to put nasty diesel into the car after running it on biodiesel, not to mention the cost of diesel!! Well, today we ordered a ‘Grease car’ kit! We hope to have our car up and running on straight vegetable oil very shortly! Basically, we will get waste oil from a local restaurant, filter it, and put it in a seperate tank in the car. The car will be started on regular diesel and once the engine has warmed up (and the vegetable oil is fluid enough), we flip a switch and change the engine over to run on the vegetable oil!! The car actually runs smoother and produces less pollution. The only downside is smelling like french fries 🙂 (Although, I kind of like that smell, but I will probably be hungry all the time.)
Hooping Mama!!
I went to a hoop workshop today put on by Spiral Hoop Dance and had the best time!! It was so much fun to get out there and hoop with everyone. There was an informal question/answer session going on while we all hooped. There was also some drumming going on, which made for great hoooping music. I think I hooped for about a hour straight!
some hoopers
Vivian, aka Spiral of Spiral Hoop Dance
Grow Your Own Sprouts
I remember when I was really young, my mom use to make alfalfa sprouts from scratch. I think she had a kit and you just add seeds and water and wait for them to grow. I’ve always loved the fresh flavor of sprouts and the great nutrition you get from them. So, I’ve been experimenting with making my own. (It’s so much more satisfying to eat something freshly grown!) Basically, this is all I did:
1. Put ~ 1/2 cup of beans (I used green lentils but you can use almost any kind of bean or seed) into a 32 oz empty yogurt container.
2. Cover the container with a cheese cloth and secure the cloth with a rubber band
3. Covered beans with cool water and let soak 2 hours.
4. Carefully drain off the water and place the container upside-down on a plate.
5. Rinse beans with cool water twice a day and return to upside-down position on the plate.
6. Your sprouts will be ready to eat in just a few days!!! Keep in the fridge and use within a week.
kufe
The title was supposed to me ‘Life’…but I am trying to learn to type on a new keyboard and I keep hitting the wrong keys…so, instead of life, we have ‘kufe’. I like it.
Well, it looks like our plans to build an addition are being put on hold. We finally got an estimate from our contractor and he thinks it will cost twice what we were prepared to pay!! I don’t understand why a big hallway and empty room should cost soooo much!! Plus, our original plan was to use recycled materials and build as much of it as we could ourselves. But, getting building permits for alternative building structures is hard to do and our contractor kept pushing for doing it the ‘normal’ way. And with me starting school next week and both Toby and I already feeling stretched thin, I really doubt we could put in much sweat equity. We don’t plan on staying here for more than 3-5 years, so investing a big chunk of money to make this house passive solar wouldn’t pay off in that amount of time. If we know where we were going once I get out of school we could buy some land to build on. But, we’re not sure…any ideas on where we should invest in the meantime? As for heating the house passively, we will probably put some water barrels in the south facing windows to hold the suns heat and make some heavy duty shades to keep the warmth in during the winter nights. I’m not sure what we will do about growing food indoors. Our original plan was to have the solar hallway full of planting beds to grow food all year long…maybe we will build some planter beds on top of the water barrels??? We’ll see….
Asheville
We’ve spent the last 4 days in Asheville visiting family and friends. It’s always nice to go home. I know we have only been gone for a few months, but I really love the place! I’ve never been anywhere else where just driving into the mountains makes you feel more safe and secure. The flora and fauna are amazing, and the people are so laid back and accepting (well, most are). When we moved to Chapel Hill, our plan was to go back to Asheville after school. But, we are really unsure now. We’ve always known that the air in Asheville is getting pretty bad. But, since we have left, it has become even more apparent that you can see the air pollution sitting over the mountains as you drive into the city! I have heard that a lot of the pollution comes from areas west of Asheville, like Chicago, and settles in Asheville because of the way the mountains are situated (Asheville is in a basin). But, I know that Ashevillians produce a lot of pollution on their own. And recently, the asthma rate among children has been skyrocketing…all over NC! Something like 25-30% of the children in NC have significant asthma symptoms! No wonder I started having lung problems when I moved here.
So, now what?? I’m torn between living in a place I have know and love and that has amazing memories, and having to fight for my childs right to clean air (while risking her little lungs)!! Or passing the burden on to others and moving somewhere that has better established environmental regulations and cleaner air to breath.
It Was!!
LOOK! It was! Now I have something to blame the chaos on!!
Chaos!
Yesterday was a wild day at our house. I’m not sure what is going on with us.
I was in a horribly foul mood and snapped at everyone (even the dog). Everything made me irritable.
K decided she didn’t want to nap. (This is a child who usually pushes you away from her bed while saying “bye-bye”). I tried to put her down for her morning nap and she screamed and fussed! She would crawl out of the bed and sit by the door. So, Toby finally came in and lay down with her until she fell asleep. (She slept for 1 1/2 hours, so you know she was tired). Then for her afternoon nap, she did the same thing. By the time she actually seemed like she was going to settle down, it was time for her to get up anyway…so, no nap.
And, Toby, well he probably spent about 5 hours on the phone yesterday with customers, family, co-workers, etc. Everyone wanted to talk. (For those of you who don’t know, Toby is a computer programmer, which should take very little phone time!!) He was a little peaved, ’cause he felt like he accomplished nothing! Plus, there was a fussy child at his door.
To end the day, we were expecting furniture to be delivered two days ago. Yesterday, at about 4:55pm, we got a call that they would be at our place in 20 minutes. But, they had an 18 wheeler. So, they wouldn’t be able to fit on our road. We would have to meet them at the end of our gravel drive, put the furniture on the top of our car and drive it back to our house (and I am paying them for delivery why??) So, in 20 minutes we went to the end of the road to meet them (5:15). At 6pm they showed up!! I really did want to spend my evening sitting in the car!
Anyhoo, things seem to have returned to normal today. Mercury must have been in retrograde…I’m not really sure what that means, but I’m sure that’s what it was 🙂
Hooping
OK, I think I may have figured out an exercise I can do.
Twice a week, the local co-op has music and food on their front lawn, and every week the Spiral Hoop Dancers bring lots of hoops and dance to the music. They bring extras for everyone else to try. So, remembering how I won that pre-school hula hoop competition and seeing what a great abdominal work out it is, I decided to get one. It’s a little embarassing to relearn the hoop infront of a hundred people. So, we went home and hooped in the rain last night (that sounds a little obscene, doesn’t it?). I still may start swimming again. But, this way, I can work out (and have fun) at home with out having to drive somewhere or pay a membership fee! Plus, in a couple of years, K and I can hoop together!!
Lammas
Happy Lammas Everyone! Today is the midpoint between the Summer Solstice and the Fall Equinox and has been traditionally celebrated as the first of the three fall festivals (Lammas, Fall Equinox, and Halloween). I was brought up without being a part of any set religion. So, I celebrated the major US Holidays and those of my religious friends. Now that I am a mom, I am trying hard to incorporate traditions and festivals into our lives. I really like the idea of festivals and holidays that help us remember the turning of the seasons and get us a little closer to the earth. So, yesterday, in celebration of Lammas, we made bread from scratch, and today we canned some tomatoes. (Bread was traditionally made on Lammas because the first harvest of grain was usually done around this time; and canning was getting into full swing.) Here’s a picture of the beautiful tomatoes and some pesto that we made from left over basil. Mmmmmm, Mmmmm, good!
Reading
Sorry for the silence lately. I just haven’t felt like sitting in front of a computer. I have been having too much fun reading The Dark Materials series by Philip Pullman. It was a little slow to start, but once I got into it I couldn’t put the books down!
Still trying to get a good working picture of my solar deydrator, but it’s been raining everyday here!
Daily Happenings
Hello! I am Sir Maximus Butthead. But, you can call me Max the family cat! I thought it was about time I introduced myself!
Ok, Maria here…
This is too funny not to post! K has decided to start practicing yoga while she nurses! We like to call this one “down dog eating”.
*%!!#&*$ asthma
Have any of you heard of “exercise induced asthma“? Well, I was diagnosed (branded) with this when I was 13 and tried to run track. I could handle the 50 yard dash and that was about it. Anything more and my throat started closing up. My doctor at the time said many kids had it, particularly in the mountains of NC, and many of them grew out of it as they got older. So, I waited, and tried different sports. I wanted to be fit and be one of those girls that could prove herself through athletics…I was Xena Warrior Princess in the making. But, whatever I tried to do, I was hindered by this thing that caused my throat to close anytime my heart rate went up. I tried to tell myself that it was all in my head and I was just branded when I was young…’everyone feels their throat get tight, but since no one ever told them it was a problem, they just keep on going’. Well, I’m !*@#*&^% sick of it!! All I want is to be active with my family! I wanted to go on a simple bike ride with Toby and K today, but I couldn’t even do that!! We went about 2 miles (maybe!) and I had to go home! Any hill and I would be wheezing. I tried to tell myself, “get over it Maria! You’re just pretending ’cause you don’t want to sweat” or “you just don’t want people to see how much you suck at this. Just keep pushing it and it will pass! You can peddle a stupid bike! JUST GO!” But, the next thing I know, I am fighting to take off my helmet because I feel like I am drowning! I hate this!! People seem to have so much fun biking, running, playing ultimate frisbee, whatever!! I don’t want K to miss out on any of this stuff because mom’s got whimpy lungs! And I don’t want to miss out on any of this stuff either!!
I think I am going to go eat some ice cream! If I am going to have to be an un-athletic lump, then I might as well enjoy it!!
Cooking with the Sun
I bought a ton of tomatoes yesterday so I can dry them. (We don’t have any producing plants yet, since we just moved. But, I did buy local!!) Anyhooo, I have a food dehydrator, but I hate plugging the thing in and leaving it running for hours on end…what a waste of electricity. So, today I built a Solar Dehydrator!! I’m very excited to use it! It was very easy and fast to build and if it works well, I may try to build one out of wood instead of cardboard. I’ll post a picture when I have it up and running.
Toby got back from Asheville last night! Yay!! It’s nice to have him home! While he was there he harvested the last of the garlic we planted last Fall. So, we now have 7 different varieties of hard and soft necks originating from places all over the world!! Cool, eh??!! I don’t know too many people who don’t like garlic (actually, I don’t know any)! (NOTE: If you are expecting a holiday gift from me and don’t like garlic, please let me know :-))
Waldorf
Sorry it’s been a while since I blogged. Toby went to Asheville for a few days for work and K and I have been hanging out by ourselves. It’s amazing how creative you have to be to keep a one year old entertained. (I’m not complaining, though! She’s easy going…most stupid things I do will get her giggling!)
This morning we went to the local Waldorf school. They are starting a Morning Garden Time for parents and children (under three) that looks interesting. I have heard such good things about Waldorf style education, I thought a class like this might be a good way to see if this school would be right for K when she is old enough. We really want to raise K to be respectful of the earth and to learn from it. We want her education to be participatory; not just learning from books but also from everything around her…especially when she is young. Waldof education seems to incorporate a lot of dance, music, art, festivals and traditions into their curriculum and I think that is so important. We are way too out of touch with our bodies, with the cycles of the earth and the seasons. We have lost all connection to the natural world around us. I would love for K to grow up in a school that wasn’t just about sitting up straight at your desk and looking at a chalkboard for 8 hours a day!
I have heard some other parents say that Waldorf Schools are more like cults and that the children and parents get sucked into it. And, though I do agree that this type of education is not for everyone, it’s easy to see why parents can get so involed in thier children’s education! Most of us have grown up in an a society that is out of touch and ungrounded. Our traditions have lost their meanings (Christmas-$$$BUY$$$) and all our festivals revolve around beer! So, when these parents see thier kids getting back intouch with their world, of course they want to participate.
The Good, the Bad, And The Ugly
As I got into my car yesterday, I noticed a green bug near the trunk. I figured it would fly away when the car started moving. I didn’t think about it again until an hour later when I got back in the car (after running some errands and driving at speeds up to 60 MPH!). It was now on the windshield! Well, this time, I really figured it would fly away when the car started moving, since the wind was in its face. But, as I started getting up speed, it settled in and held on as tight as it could! Before I got on the highway, I even pulled off the road to try to get buggy to move! But, no dice! So, I started up again, this time a little more concerned for my green friend that might be pavement food if it couldn’t hold on until we got home. So, I started driving a little slower and paying more attention to buggles than I really should have. I pulled over again and tried to pick him up and bring him inside! But all he did was turn a little (I couldn’t get a good hold of him…well, I was a little too squeamish to try!). So, I got back in the car and started cheering bugglesby on!! “We’ve only got four more miles! Come on, you can do it!! We’re past the worst part now, hold on tight!!” I must have looked pretty stupid bouncing around in the car, cheering on this bug on my windshield while driving at least 10 below the speed limit. But, I figured, after all that effort, the poor thing needed to get back home and have a good meal and sleep a little!! And I couldn’t give up on him! (You’ve all seen “A Bug’s Life”, right?) So, we finally made it home…tired and worn out! I didn’t know what kind of bug it was, so I brought it out some spinach hoping it would like a good green leaf. After doing a little searching, I discovered that my friend is a female Katydid (with amazing muscle power!).
So, since we are on the subject of bugs that I can’t identify…I found this crawling up our window screen the other day!! Anyone have any idea what it is?? It looked like a type of catepillar, but stuck on it’s back half was either a curled up leaf, or part of a pine cone, or something….really wierd!! (sorry for the blurry pic.)
OK, for those of you who are still with me, the pictures are getting better!! I took this outside the house yesterday morning…
OK, this is for all of you who endured the bug pictures!! This is Max, taking full advantage of the sun coming through the skylights!! He’s so deprived!
Sustainable Living
Many of you know that we are trying to live our life and build our home more sustainably. We have converted our Jetta to Biodiesel, we are composting all our food scrapes with worms, we are working on making our house passive solar…So, I found this great site today, Path To Freedom. It’s run by a family that is trying to live a sustainable life in urban California. “Our objective is to live harmoniously and sustainably as possible in the midst of the city. On our urban homestead project incorporates many back-to-basic practices, permaculture methods, and appropriate technologies for our present circumstances. We minimize our car use, buy in bulk, prepare seasonal meals from our garden, and much more! We enjoy sharing our knowledge and helping others develop along their journey.” The website also has links to all kinds of do-it-yourself projects that anyone can incorporate into their lives. You should check it out! It has some fantastic information.
Pretty Bird
I was driving home today from getting the dog groomed when a bright red robin flew out in front of me. I didn’t hit it, but it made me think about how male birds are so vibrant and colorful (and easier to see from a car) and the female birds are not. There are two reasons for this. One is so the female doesn’t attract preditors as easily and blends in with her surroundings…since she is the momma and needs to tend to the eggs. The second reason male birds are more “attractive” is so that they can attract a mate. (Females always get to do the chosing.) They even have special mating calls to lure in the lady birds. In fact, there are many living creatures that have a more “attractive” male. But not humans. Why is it that females of the human species are the ones who feel they have to paint their faces, shave their legs, dye their hair and always look their best? A man can go out in his ripped, old, smelly tank top and stained shorts and it’s ok…he’s just been mowing the lawn. But women are made to feel like they have to shower, do their make-up and hair, put on nice clothes and freshen up before running that errand to the dump. I vote we all stop shaving and wearing make-up. Let’s let our hair down and just be what nature intended us to be. If we blend in like the lady birds, I’m ok with that. I like the way nature looks. Men, it’s your turn to do the attracting and work on those mating calls. I will gladly give my make-up kit to the first man who asks and I will even teach you how to use it! Anyone want a gift certificate to get your legs waxed. It really doesn’t hurt that much! Oh, and “Hey, Sexy Chica” is not the mating call I’m talking about!
Today’s rant
So, today I heard on the radio that New Jersey is now the 5th state in the union to recognize same-sex domestic partnership. That means that in only the past 8 months 1/10th of the union has voiced that homosexuals should have the same rights as heterosexuals to make their committed relationships legal and to have the benefits that go along with that legal committment. So, President Bush has decided that we need a new amendment to the constitution that over rides these state laws. He said if judges are making inappropriate choices and forcing their views on the people of the US by making same-sex domestic partnership legal, we have to step up and amend the constitution. Wait, isn’t that just George forcing his own views on me?? And, isn’t the voice and views of the people the reason why these states are changing their laws in the first place?? Plus, it doesn’t matter what his view is of the ‘sanctity’ and ‘holiness’ of marriage. Because, if he gets his religious views out of the way (seperation of church and state, right??) what’s left is whether a committed couple (gay or straight) should be able to legally recognize their union. That’s what it is…a piece of paper that says we can now share health insurance, bank accounts and responsibility in each others lives. So what exactly does the Prez. have to lose by allowing this? So many politicians (many of whom have mistresses) talk about the need in America to preserve the nuclear family. Baloney!! How many of you know anyone in a “normal” nulcear relationship anymore? What’s “normal” now is whatever you want it to be…single parents, married with kids, married without kids, divorced, step parents and yes, gay relationships. And I would much rather my daughter learn to accept love where she finds it and love well, than to ever stay in any un-loving relationship just because her government says that she is wrong to love in any way but the way they deem constitutional. That’s my rant…I’ll get off of my soap box now.
PS. in a couple of days, congress will vote on an amendment to the constitution to permanently deny marriage equality to same-sex couples. Please voice your opinion before it is too late.
Blueberry Fever/Shellby Update
K and I woke up early and took a drive an hour south to a pick-your-own blueberry farm. Jean and Daniel came with us and we had a blast. The bushes were covered in berries. I put K in her backpack so I could have both hands free to pick berries and while I picked, K reached around me and picked some of her own! The berries were only $1 per pound!! There were also black berries and tomatoes and fresh honey! I am definately going back soon!!
Oh, I also called the rescue center about Shellby and they said she is doing well. Her shell is healing over and will eventually grow back.
And for those of you out there who need a comic relief break. vrrrooooommvrroommmm
Heat Kills!
Ice Cream! Popsicles! Cold water on my head! Something!! It is So Freaking Hot here!! YES! I said FA-REE-KING HOT! I almost melted walking out of the front door! I took my 1 year old to campus to run some errands (we decided to ride the bus in just to see how long it will take when I start school…bad idea) After waiting in the sun for the bus to arrive, K had already started to wilt. By the time we got to campus, it took every ounce of energy for her just to keep her head up. Poor thing! I ran one errand and decided to call it a day. I’m ready for a little cold snap! (or for Ben and Jerry’s to give me a lifetime supply of ice cream to help me through my summers here…whichever comes first I guess.)
I did run out later to get some groceries. I use to like grocery shopping, but it seems like we have been spending a fortune lately. I am trying to be more health concious and buy organic foods, but the prices are outrageous!! I just don’t get why adding less to your crops justifies charging more for it!! Yes, I understand that there are a lot of things that organic gardeners need to do to get good results with their crops, but $2.97 for a FA-REE-KING avocado?!?!? We use to sell our avocados for $0.20 each when I lived in Miami…and yes, they were organic! I’m going to start growing/making as much of my own food as I can, starting right now! I’m off to make some bread!
Starting To Fit In
I’m so excited! I found an organic pick-your-own blueberry farm in the area. Actually, I found a bunch of them. I thought I had missed blueberry season here. It’s also only $1 per pound!! MAN! I could go for 20 or 30 pounds in my freezer!!! Anyone up for a smoothie??
I have also met another natural-earth lovin’ mama and her 14 month old son! I have been feeling kind-of lonely since we moved and I lost my support group of other moms. So, it is extremely nice to hang out with J. and be able to share stories, concerns, and care. She also clued me in to this great website, kneebouncers, that lets kids bang on the keyboard and change images on the screen. It’s really cute! Although, somehow K figured out how to put my computer in sleep mode while she was banging on the keys 🙂 She’s such a cutie!
Turtle Parents
Well, today we became parents to “Shellby” the turtle for the day. Our little turtle friend returned to the back yard and was found by our dog again! Only this time Suki did some damage. She chewed off part of the back shell and Shellby was bleeding. So, we brought her in and cleaned the wounds (I used a homeopathic that I was given after giving birth. It is supposed to be good for injury). Then I put on a triple antibiotic. We put her in a big tupperware bin with some food (fruit) and water. I found a turtle forum where everyone agreed that we should get her to the vet ASAP. The only problem is, it’s the 4th of July and no one is open. Long story short, I ended up learning about a wildlife rescue while at a festival this afternoon. The Piedmont Wildlife Center takes in native animals for rehabilitation and was more than happy to help out Shellby. They didn’t even ask for money. (I gave them some anyway! What a great cause! And it is totally run by volunteers.) So, now, Shellby has a case number and I can check up on her early next week to see how she is doing. Once she has recovered, she will be released in an area with some of her box turtle friends, away from cars and dogs, and hopefully have a happy, healthy future. 🙂
Worms and Turtles
OK, the worm composter is officially going. We got some worms from a friend but needed to buy even more. We produce so much food waste it was overwhelming the little suckers. It’s pretty amazing how they immediately go to town on the food. We have a lot of ants that are trying to start their own farm in the composter, though. So, I am going to have to figure out how to get rid of them. I may try some vaseline around the legs of the box so they can’t get in.
My dog, Suki, found a turtle (I think it is a box turtle) in our back yard a few days ago. It would be no problem, except she has decided to use the turtle as a chew toy. Luckily she didn’t harm him. So, today, I brought him to a new area on our property and left him with some treats (greens and a strawberry). Hopefully he will be OK.
Playing Catch Up
OK, the baby is sleeping, the husband is out with the guys. It is time for me to catch up on my blogging. The past few weeks have been hectic. Since moving, my husband has started working from home. So, I spend my days being mom to K, playing with her and entertaining her while she is awake. And when she is asleep, I run frantically through the house trying to get things accomplished. There are so many projects to be done…paint the baby’s room, get the composter going, plant an herb garden, plan out the house renovation, blah, blah, blah. Still, we have found a great house on a beautiful, peaceful piece of property. After living in the middle of the city, I hope I won’t feel too isolated out here. We will just have to have lots of parties to get people over!
As with many of you, Toby and I are feeling a bit of frustration with our current government. So, to relieve some of that frustration, Toby has started a political T-shirt business through Cafepress. It’s called Politicotton. Check it out! We have lots more ideas, we just have to get them designed. So, keep checking.
Worm Composting
This past winter, my brother-in-law made our family a worm composter. I’m not sure where he got the plans, but it is really cool! It is a 4 x 3 x 2 wooden box with a screen underneath to sift out the castings once the food scrapes has been ‘wormified’. It also has a heater built in to keep the worms warm in the winter. I am finally getting around to setting it up and will be getting some worms next week!! I can’t wait to start recycling my food scrapes instead of throwing them away!
The last link is how I found my worms! The woman I spoke with in the Education and Outreach Dept. has worm bins herself and said she would let me have some of hers!! She is also coming out to see the bin that my brother-in-law made, because she has never seen anything like it.
