Repurposing

I am posting over at Homemakers Who Work and touched, briefly, on repurposing clothing.  This inspired me to check out more repurposing and you'll get to see more of that soon!

Stay well.

How big is your between?

We are gathered around the table while waiting for dinner to finish cooking, the wind can be heard outside the windows, the cookstove is hot and crackling.  K14 has just finished attempting to booty pop - it looked more like a chest up and back.  The following conversation is between K14 & A18:

K14:  It was my between.
A18: Your between?
k14:  yeah, the space between your boobs.
A18: I have a between.
K14: Not like mine.  I can fit a softball between my between.
     a piece of paper would fit in yours!

 Yes, nothing is sacred at our kitchen table. 

Of eggs, seasons, and walipini

Deborah, over at Antiquity Oaks, just posted about Winter: the egg-free season.  This post is too well written and has too much information for me to butcher by trying to summarize - definately worth the read.  What really stood out to me was this > 

I've grown to love eating seasonally, and I find a lot of wisdom in it. When we're not doing much physically, we probably shouldn't be eating a lot of eggs. We probably should be eating more dried beans, cabbage, squash and root vegetables that store well for winter consumption and are low in fat and calories.

Intense.  Thought provoking.  Makes me think/wonder about the milk cow or dairy goats.  Their production/dry periods are less in line with day light and more synch'd with a hormonal schedule.  We try to stick with what we have canned/put away for when fruits & veggies are not in season - a goal that I continually try to meet.  Stitching to fruits that are considered local is a bit more of a challenge.  That would leave us with no citrus.  =(  and I do love clementines.  What's a girl to do?  My indoor gardening skills are not what I wish they were (due to a too busy schedule) otherwise I would grow some fruit trees indoors.  What do you do?

While I am on the egg thing, Es*sence posted about her experiment of long term egg storage without refrigeration.   The first link is the beginning and then this one is at the 90 day mark.  Looks to be the answer of how to get through the no egg times.

And then I find this project from Phelan; a walipini.  Oooh, I want one!

Ubuntu

It is amazing what one learns in an anatomy class - computer operating systems!  Ubuntu is a Linux based operating system that is hack proof AND it comes with an office suite, accounting, back up software, etc.  Did I mention that it is free? and hack proof?  Some of the goodies of a MAC without the price tag. 

Our IT guy, Nick, said that Linux is only for the techno savvy - we will see if I have enough of the savvy gene to make this work.  He reminded me that many printers do not have a Linux driver and to check it out prior to making the switch - HP does have a linux driver for my printer - Yipee!  So I am going give it a run, see what happens and keep you posted.

The finance program I am checking out is Grisbi.org and for backup, well, there is much discussion in forums about which is the better program - grsync or flyback.  Anyone out there have experience with these programs?  Or Linux in general?

I was looking at my 'about me' and wondered, how does this techno talk fit into living a more simple, sustainable lifestyle?  My reasoning is this falls into the techno sidetracks; even though the electricity used to run my PC helps to fund 'the man', the information available on the web is of great importance to learning new skills and building solar panels.  =)  Sound good?  

Gardens, chickens and knitting, oh my!

Kathie, over at Two Frog Home, has posted about upcycled jar lids - this is how I am going to mark the garden this year!  

 And while I am on the gardening topic, Matron of Husbandry, in her Grow a Pair post, talks about how male pullets are killed at the hatcheries because backyard flock people only want the girls and no boys (city ordinance thing).  Since the roo's do not begin crowing until 15-20 weeks of age, you can definately raise them for the crock pot.  Young chicken is tender and tastey!  I originally was not going to post about this since the blog publishes to Facebook and yes, Sherry, I know you read it.  =)  And while I am on this rant, did you know that in Bath County gardens are illegal?  So here is how it reads: gardens are illegal, then they post that an exception is made, then at the end they say if there is a conflict the harsher rule applies.  Hmmm.  An attorney really needs to read these prior to publishing.  I've posted both below, in case your up for a fun read. 
Bath County Comprehensive Plan 2007-2012
Bath County Adopted Land Use

*whew*  ranting does feel good.  Now, off to some crafting love; my love of knitting/crocheting is no secret.  Phat Fiber is hosting a giveaway from Twice Sheered for this shawl pin with stitch markers.  Love me some Twice Sheered. 

Ok, I believe I am done for the day.  It iced last night and another ice storm is supposed to come through about noon.  Time to break back out the woolen mittens!

Stay warm.

Liquid Soap Recipe

Yesterday there was a big to-do over at the Simple, Green, Frugal Co-op about making soap in a crock pot - something I am soo going to do. Not going to use my food crock though - need to check the Good Will/thrift stores for a crock to dedicate to the soap making process.  During the discussion, Adele posted that she had a recipe for making liquid soap - voila!
Liquid Soap Process
I want to thank Adele for forwarding this tutorial for me to post.

Happy soap making ya'll.  Pictures will follow as soon as a batch is underway.

RELAX

Creative Juice Studios is hosting a giveaway for this reminder - wouldn't you love to own this?  I know I do so I'm blogging about the giveaway.  This would definately hang in the kitchen. Or the bedroom.  Or the living room.  Hmm.  Maybe I need more than one!

Ronnie and I have talked of building a tiny house on his Mom's three acres; we would be close by to help her yet off the grid.  These three acres are zoned agriculture so no fighting the counsel about chickens, or pigs, or a Gernsey.  The garden shed Ronnie is building for me (no a pictures is not yet posted) is 8x6x12- almost the size of a tiny house!  I could sooo live in one of these.  

and then there is the 'hobbit house.  Use the link to see pictures of the inside.  Hey Ronnie, think you could create this?  How 'bout a Tumbleweed home?
You know, if I did not have my house, lived off the grid (at least have solar for my computer), then the only payment I'd have would be student loans. Or auto insurance - that's if I kept the car.  I could walk from where we would build to the Warm Spirit Spa (where I will work). Hmmm.  I could make that $$ with massage therapy.  How tempting!  And yes, I am dreaming for the moment.  =)

Oh, and I won this cool scarf (1x1ribbed knitted Noro) over at the Treasure Goddess.  Yipee!

This weekend did not turn out as I had planned; however, it was a good weekend none the less.  Saturday morning I was supposed to be doing this - attending a Bellydance Flow workshop on layers.  *sighs*  I suffered from an alarm clock malfunction (operator error) and was not up in time to make the 2 hour drive.  =(   It appears that Mira Betz, one of my all time fav performers, will be in NC in August of this year; a workshop I would LOVE to attend.  Here is Mira Betz, in case you are curious.

Instead of dancing I ended up helping with this; digging up the sewer line at the Grist Mill & cutting/splitting firewood.  We really needed the firewood and it was scheduled to rain Sunday (which it did) so everything worked out.  Oh, and Ronnie is holding my new favorite wood cutting tool - the cane hook.  O.M.G.  It was a life saver for those big, round, heavy rounds off wood.

Still.  I would love to have shimmied for part of Saturday.

Blending Families

Today I am posting over at Homemakers Who Work about the challenge of blending families.  Come see!

Garden plans

Our garden spot is still under several inches of snow - a nice white blanket with a bird bath sticking out of the top.  While we wait, Ronnie and I have already begun to talk about what will go into the garden.  What do we eat most?  Well, the potatoes are about gone so those are a must.  We have touched the corn, even the cobs frozen in the freezer so no corn.  Beans are a hell yeah; black, painted pony, and bush blue lakes.  Tomatoes (eating & sauce), brussel sprouts, cabbage (we ran out of kraut early), pumpkins, butternut squash, acorn squash, zuchinni, and yellow crock neck squash.  That's as far as I am for the moment.

In the main garden, I'd like to have raised beds along the perimeter in which to plant some of the pumpkins, herbs and flowers.  It'll also cut down on the grass that likes to grow through the pallet fence.  Sadly, I was not able to get some of the old horse manure from the Homestead stable prior to the snow.   I am hopeful to have a load soon. 

Thank you, Matron of Husbandry, for the inspiration!

Last year we battled and lost against shield bugs.  Mother Earth News has available a pest search engine with which I found this little tidbit:

Small boards or shingles placed near plants provide a nighttime gathering place for squash bugs, which can be removed and destroyed in the morning. Other cultural practices which lessen damage from this bug include proper fertilization for a vigorous crop, destruction of crop debris, and growing resistant varieties such as Butternut, Royal Acorn, and Sweet Cheese.

The adults winter over in garden debris.  We were also visited by Harlequins:

 Because adults overwinter in field debris, plowing after the weather turns cold will reduce populations. Weeds in fields and along fence rows should also be destroyed. Varieties which show resistance are: Copenhagen Market 86, Headstart, Savoy Perfection Drumhead, Stein's Flat Dutch, and Early Jersey Wakefield (cabbage); Green Blaze (collards); Snowball X and Snowball Y (cauliflower); Red Devil, White Icicle, Globemaster, Cherry Belle, Champion, and Red Prince (radish)

I had no idea there were so many resistant varieties; makes me wonder how many are hybrids. 

We still have a slew of seeds, thanks to my friend (and landlord), Mr. Bailey, ones I've saved from exceptional produce and then extra seeds from those ordered last year.  Companies I'm looking to purchase some of the resistant varieties include:

• Heirloom Seeds
• Johnny Seeds 
• Victory Seeds
  

If you know something about these companies, good or not so good, please speak up!  

100 things

My 'puter is dead again.  Despite my best efforts to wipe and reload, it now moves slower than molasses in winter.  The molasses in my cold kitchen pours faster than my poor machine.  =(  What this means is I am  unable to post or read from home.  *sighs*  I will make the best of it!  =)  UPDATE: as I was preparing this post, our IT guru, Nick arrived; he opened up my little slimline desktop and decided my 512 mb memory is insufficient to run Vista - not the original operation system but the only disc I could put my hands on to wipe the diseased hard drive (it originally came with Windows XP).  Nick is searching for an additional memory stick that will fit my machine.  For the record, my next computer will be an IMac, 21.5" screen.  These are hack proof and although carry a hefty, initial price tag, will be relatively problem free during the life of the machine.  Oh, and I will need a laptop for massage therapy work (documentation) so it would not be a useless purchase.

Faerwillow, over at ~serendipity~ posted about her list of 100 things she wanted to bring into her life.  Her inspiration came from {the penny has dropped}.  We manifest 'things' into our lives everyday just by thinking on them, wishing them, often and with much passion (energy).  Prayer is the same thing.  Pray and believe.  It is also known as quantum physics.  Now this field is difficult to explain yet Fenton does a great job in this article.  To summarize/quote:

Atoms which once considered as the smallest things ever existed are in turn made up of subatomic particles, which have no solidity at all. They are, quite literally, packets or waves of information and concentration of ENERGY

every event that occurs in the quantum level is at the speed of light (note: light travels at a speed of 299,792 kilometers per second) and which at this speed, it is beyond the capability of our senses to process everything in detail. This phenomenon creates an illusion that makes us perceive thing as solid even though in reality they really aren’t. So what is the reality?  For that, it could be said that the entire physical world that you are in including yourself is made up of nothing but energy that vibrating at different frequencies. What makes the difference between you and me or the chair is the difference frequency that each of us are vibrating

let’s look at Albert Einstein’s famous equation, E = MC². Energy (E) equals to Mass (M) times the Speed of Light (C) squared.  This equation simply tells us that both energy and matter (mass) refers to the same thing only in different forms, energy equals to mass. Everything that’s visible in the entire universe is a manifestation of the energy and information.

This subject is waaay to broad for this blog and it is even included because thought waves can be measured by an EEG.  Thought waves can affect the vibrations of the matter/energy on which one is concentrating.  Be careful what you wish/pray for/concentrate on as you are affecting energy and matter and just may get what your wanting - and all the unforseen that goes along with it.  

Wow, all of that to talk about my list of 100 things that I wish to manifest in my life; this list will appear in one of the left hand columns.  What do you want to see happen in your life? 

School days

I was excited about class last night - and I am still excited about the class.  =)  They did not scare me away.  Nevermind that I am 2 decades older than any of the other 4 people in the class.  At least the instructor, Mr. Meadows, who is a physical and massage therapist is older than me.  The other four people in the class have been in the program for about a year. 

Now, I did hold a personal training certificate for about a year prior to leaving the hospital to work where I am now. This was three years ago.  That certificate expired.  While working for the hospital I 'assisted' the physical therapists with whatever they needed and then transcribed their notes; you would be amazed at how much you pick up, without realizing it, when in close proximity to all that knowledge. 

All that was shared to lead up to this - Mr. Meadows began the class with a 110 question test to see where we were in our knowledge base; a benchmark as it were.  This test was multiple guess and many of the terms were familiar from working with the PT's but that was about it.  Would you believe I did not do any worse that my classmates?  Or at least the paper I graded (which was not my own).  Made me feel good about myself.  =)

Last night and periodically today, I have been reading through my book and refreshing on the planes of the body (sagittal vs frontal or transverse) and directions and positions.  Once that is down I will 'consume' movements (extension, flexion, etc).  Then there is refreshing on the skeleton.  It is all very exciting.  No, I do not feel intimidated, which is refreshing!  Oh, and the book shown here is the one the school bought for our class and it is the wrong one; this is the instructors guide.  LOL  I just ordered the student handbook as it has sample tests that I will need for study.  *whew* 

Some class

I would love to learn to spin my own yarn - not a project for the moment.  While researching that skill, I began following a blog, Phat Fiber.  They are hosting a giveaway for this hand sewn bag from Blue Mountain Handicrafts.

Then I took this test to find out what font type I am - Dot Matrix!  LOL If you wish to take the test, the password is character.  You'll need sound for this one. 

I am still catching up on weekend blog reading - not gonna happen tonite; it is the first night of anatomy class - wish me luck!

The three P's

Pounding, purple, and plump.  These three words described my right index finger over the weekend.  It is the result of pinning one's finger between one heavy a$$ log and the door rim of the outside furnace.  Unfortunately, most of the purpleness is not in the nail so I cannot pierce it to relieve the pressure (though I did try).

In other news, the built in cabinet is finished and wow does it look good!  Now the vacuum cleaners have a place to live other than propped up against the wall somewhere.  I have a picture of that but could not get it to load before leaving for work.  Since the computer crash and the installation of the protective software, the computer runs much slower than it once did.  I was, though, able to load up a picture of the additional lighting that Ronnie installed.  Prior to this track, there was no lighting over the sink; you would have to stand to the side so the one center ceiling light could illuminate what you were doing.

Yipee!  I love this new lighting.

When computers fail

Then what.  I just spent this evening wiping and reinstalling software on this computer 'cause I caught the we-are-going-to-pop-up-porn-and-other-you-are-infected-messages-until-you-buy-our-software virus.  This is the second time it has happened.  Makes me want to pick this machine up and throw it.  Then I want to strangle those individuals who create this deviant software; there is a special place in hell for minds like that.  Did you that an old style Compaq desktop tower will bounce three times in 3" tall grass when launched from a door stoop (that was about 7 years ago). 

*sighs*  I did loose some schtuff, like pictures, because I did not back up my hard drive.  It is ironic cause today I just finished talking to our IT guy and he recommended I use a program called syncback (which I am installing).  I also purchased AVG - the freeware was great until these last two cooties.  *sighs*  Makes me wonder if I am too dependent on this piece of hardware.

I've just come in from loading wood stoves - the snow is falling and sounds crinkly.  2 inches so far and still settling. 

Nite!

It's just nasty.

Earlier I posted about having a sore throat.  Well, it got so bad that swallowing was torture and there were other nastiness that made eating, drinking, talking extremely painful.  I drove 2.15 hours to my doctor in Charlottesville and she was shocked at what had happened.  It is not strep though she said it was viral in nature; not something they can treat though she did write a script for antibiotics (not going to fill) for just in case and a mouth wash to make healing a little more comfortable (not filling).  She said it needed to run its course.  *sighs*  Knowing that it is not bacterial and there is nothing that really can be done other than waiting seems to make it better, for me anyway.  I took several ibruprofen (which helps on the pain) and plan to just take it easy. 

In other news, since I was off for the day , I went by the 'local' community college and finished registering for two massage therapy classes that will start on Monday; health and anatomy - assuming my financial aid comes through.  Neither class causes anxiety as I had to pass anatomy to get my personal training cert so this'll be a nice review.  The anatomy is Mondays and Wednesdays 6-8:50 pm (includes a lab), intro to massage therapy (health) is on Friday's at 5:00 pm.  Why am classes?  Currently all my eggs are in one basket.  If something happens and my job is no more, I have nothing to fall back on other than waiting tables.  While waiting tables is good money, it is not as marketable as massage therapy.  Massage therapy is more inline with my dance/creative side.  I've noticed that since taking on more cerebral work and being outside and dancing less, my health suffers - see opening paragraph.  I have never experienced something like this before.   

I'll keep you posted on that track.

Release

I have seen many bloggers write about choosing a word for their new year's resolution.  For several days now I have resisted the urge.  There are so many things I want to do that a word really seems inadequate; that is until I read Julies post about less.  Following links back I finally got to the blog that started it all - Resolution Revolution; the original post was written in 2007 yet still touches us today.

Sadly, I cannot remember exactly how many and who posted their one word for the year.  After reading the Resolution post, I decided on my word for 2010: Release.  This represents not only a release of all those things that live in my house that I do not need or use (but am keeping for some odd reason) but also a release of ideas, feelings, habits that are no longer useful or are counterproductive.

Resolution Revolution offered these words as a springboard:

Compassion
Delight
Generosity
Effortlessness
Wealth
Gratitude
Abundance
Creativity
Willingness
Change
Growth
Freedom
Mastery
Kindness
Health
Presence
Acceptance
Courage
Confidence
Self-Love
Action
Forgiveness
Forgive
Release
Trust
Knowing
Patience
Friendship
Fun
Grace
Laughter
Love
Expansion
Exploration
Adventure
Openness
Discipline
Awe
Awareness
Risk
Gentleness
Choice
Spirit
Prayerfulness
Power
Allow
Artfulness
Attention
Beauty
Joy
Focus
Ritual
Heal
Order
Clarity
Pioneer
Peace
Laziness
No
Yes
Deliberateness
Commitment
Savor
Integrity
Listen

So, what's your word?

And to add some laughter, here is a hint of crazy from this evening.. ..K14's bangs gone wild and then K14 sharing some of her hair with Ronnie.  LOL  Somehow I just cannot picture Ronnie as a light brunette.  *snickers*

When fear becomes real

Not the boggy man and we all see what is happening in the economy; the fear I refer to is when your major helper, chain saw operator, wood splitter helper and all around handyman goes down in his back.  Phelan has written many times about the need to learn certain skills necessary for homesteading.  Right now I am wishing that I had asked him to teach me sooner!  When Ronnie is healed, he is teaching me how to use that chain saw. 

Ronnie has been sore in his lower back for several weeks; we attributed that to needing a new mattress.  Yesterday we went out in, as it turns out, below 0 windchill to bring in some much needed furnace wood.  Now we have enough wood to last this week - that is stretching it.  Back to my story.  Tree felling went without a hitch and Ronnie was helping me maneuver a chunk to the wood splitter when he felt the pull in his lower back.  We were done.  He was able to hobble to the truck and sit.  That was about it.  Thankfully I had left the wood splitter attached to the truck so I didn't have to maneuver that by myself.  Once loaded up with the other goodies (saw, gas, etc), we headed home.



Saturday and Sunday Ronnie has spent either in bed or a chair, moving very slowly, taking ibuprofen and icing his back.  We've watched several old movies, like Clash of the Titans and Sinbad's Golden Journey.  I've crochet 3 potholders and finished another mitten.  Quiet times.  Considering it has been so cold, I am glad to have enough wood for now and to be in out of the cold.

Saturday, prior to Ronnie's back going out, we had invited my Mom to come up so we could exchange gifts; she was visiting my sister in Bogota over the holidays.  We had much fun and received some amazing gifts.  I'll blog about that later, and include some pictures.

Do not put off to tomorrow learning a skill that you need.  When the teacher is no longer available, it is too late.

You ate what?

This evening we all spent a pleasant evening around the kitchen table, wood stove crankin, while K14 & M14 were using M14's touch ipod to play truth & dare; only dares were choosen.  I don't believe we could have handled the truth.

Some of their dares involved eating a sandwich made of ingredients that we all picked out; we each picked one.  Poor K14 ate a pickled carrot, collard green, lime juice and yogurt sandwich.  *bleck*  Other dares were drawing on the other person while blind folded, licking your own foot, standing on your head for 1 minute, and singing everything you needed to say to the happy birthday tune.  LOL

I hope your evening as as full as laughter as ours. 

Spinning a yarn

In addition to the fab book about Living with Goats, another timely publication arrived last week - a trial copy of Spin Off magazine.  We do not yet have wool producing animals, however I still found this edition an interesting read.   There was one article, in particular, that caught my eye, and it was about Polwarth Fleece and the process Robin Russo (the author) went through from washing the wool to eventually spinning. 

I have read on the net that when people say they are allergic to wool it is not the fiber that creates the allergic reaction but the chemical process that is used to remove the lanolin (greasy coating) that makes wool workable.  Robin mentions that she uses Kookaburra wool scouring formula to clean the wool.  I like this part of the product description:

This plant based, non-ionic cleaner is an earth friendly option for wool processing. Rinsing is optional.  Scour contains no peroxide, alkali, phosphates, or enzymes so it is safe for all septic systems and the environment.

I have to wonder if the "plant based, non-ionic cleaner" is a selling point for this product, do commercial processors use non plant based, ionic cleansers and is that what creates the itchy in wool?  Things that make you go Hmm.

In researching the above question I found that fleece can be 'damaged' by everyday particles like dirt, hay, straw etc.  The University of Maine has a great article, Handling and Marketing Wool, that discusses how wool is valued and its grading and classification.  Gleasons has a great article on cleaning wool fleece using your washing machine!  This is all an interesting read yet it still begs the question of why wool is itchy.  Then I found this which addresses the carbonization process of scouring wool and now it roughens up the fiber.  Roughened fibers could definately make someone itchy. 

Another popular thought is that the itchiness of wool is based upon the diameter of the fibers. Sheep 101 states that if more than 3-4% of fibers are more than 28 microns thick, it becomes uncomfortable to wear.   So what about in the 'olden days' when wool was it. The schsnizzle?.  Were all those people walking around wearing itchy stuff?  I need to ask my grandmother.

A Fresh Start

I have been a bad follower - not reading your updates in a timely manner.  Well, this morning, as Ronnie is snoozing (he was up wicked early to check the wood furnace and make some breakfast), I am catching up.  The peeps are read are some amazingly talented, witty people.  Anyway, many of the last few days posts have been about the Blue Moon (and partial lunar eclipse - a big thank you to Ride a Good Horse for the detailed info!) and goals for the new year.  Goals?  I am supposed to make a list of goals?  Oy.  *shakes head*  Kathie has a sweet idea on how to post and keep hers visible.  D. Suplicki over at Whimsical Cottage caught my eye with this phrase, 

Tonight however, isn't just the close of a year, but the close of a decade. A decade that held so much growth and change for me.

A decade.  10 years.  I try to live life one day at a time and this morning that phrase just really struck a cord for me.  This past decade I

• divorced my first husband
• married and divorced a second 
• met and now live with Ronnie (marriage is the leading cause of divorce, did you know that?)
• am living the life that was just a dream 10 years ago
• have moved 6 times (3 in one year alone)

While each experience was a time of learning, my intention is to fill this next decade with learning of the less traumatic type.  Happy New Year, everyone.  Many blessings are headed your way!

(it would be nice if I could catch all the typing, grammar, and missing word bruhahas prior to publishing! Oy.)