November 6, 2009

Friday Favorites

Posted by Kathie under Friday Favorites, Unburied Treasures
[3] Comments 

Some recent blog favorites, I want to share:

  • Investing in our future retirement is about so much more than 401(k)s and savings accounts.
  • It’s easy to lose focus on solutions and concentrate on the problems, isn’t it?  Sometimes we need to remove the arrows and forget about how the arrows got there.
  • I have a bunch of homegrown cherry tomatoes that I dried in our dehydrator and I’m thinking some will end up as Sun-Dried Tomato Jam in the near future.
  • One of the projects we hope to tackle here at Two Frog Home, next year, is making hard cider.  For now, I’m just collecting information.
  • I’ve never had a real mincemeat pie in my life.  It wasn’t something I ever remember ever seeing in my family growing up or since – maybe its different ethnic backgrounds, or just another lost skill / food.  I think I might just be making some this winter thanks to this great Sweet Meat method and information.

Have a great weekend!

 

November 5, 2009

For the Love of Books & Friends

Posted by Kathie under Books, Friends & Family
[2] Comments 

Some wonderful books have made their way into my life recently and several of them because of friends.  I feel the need to share some of their wealth: 

Encyclopedia of Organic Gardening by J.I. Rodale – An edition from 1975.  This beauty was a gift from Bernadette, a class-mate from “The Artist’s Way” class I’ve been taking.  It’s an amazing book, truly an encyclopedia covering everything imaginable in an alphabetic format.  Everything from insect control to carbon-nitrogen ratio to beekeeping to storage and everything in between is covered in this thick, lovely book.

Complete Book of Composting also by J.I. Rodale and also a gift from Bernadette.  An entire 1,007 pages dedicated solely to the science and practice of composting.  I’ve just started leafing through the book, but let me just say, wow.  Truly amazing (like most everything Rodale did) and something I’m so very pleased to have in my library.  I can tell this will be a well used and often referred to source in this gardener’s home.

Making the Best of Basics: Family Preparedness Handbook by James Talmage Stevens.  The lovely Carla sent this to me some months back.  It’s an amazing book and if you can get your hands on a copy, I’d recommend having it in your library.  The book covers: gardening, food storage, honey, an entire chapter on sourdough, sprouting, cleaning producing, wild game, medical supplies, and much, much more.  Lots of great information including charts with guidelines for storage based on family size, etc. 

These I’ve borrowed from the library:

The Year of the Flood: A Novel by Margaret Atwood.  I’ve just started reading this and so I’m reserving judgment on it for now.  I have a real love / hate relationship with the author.  Some of her books are some of my most favorite and others are a struggle to finish, but I always read them until the end.  I suppose that alone is a testament to her writing prowess.

Garden Anywhere by Alys Fowler.  I picked the pick up off the new bookshelf immediately.  The book covers container gardening, herb gardens, worm composting, pruning, seed starting, etc.  There are many small project instructions including building window boxes and worm bins to name just a few.  I picked it up because I could always use a few more tips when it comes to container gardening most especially.  It’s an awesome book and one I’m going to buy for my personal reference library.

The Transition Handbook: From Oil Dependency to Local Resilience (Transition Guides) by Rob Hopkins.  I picked this up to help give me some ideas on helping my community.  I’m not sure I can “buy” into everything that Hopkins espouses, but there’s a ton of good information in this book and ways to put the information and knowledge into action.  As with everything, I’ll take what I need and leave the rest behind. 

Ok, so what are you reading that I should check out?

 

November 4, 2009

I’m a Knitter

Posted by Kathie under Crafty
[15] Comments 

I first started learning to knit about a year ago now.  I haven’t done a ton of projects, but I seem to keep at least one project on the needles at all times.  I’m enjoying it thoroughly and while sewing will always be my first love, knitting is here to stay.  I believe that I can now say that I am a knitter. 

I finished this scarf a few days ago and I’m fairly pleased with it overall.  I should have taken a better photo to show off the lacey look of it, but I think you can get a general sense of it here.  This will be a Christmas gift and one I believe that will be well received.  I may even make one like this, in a different color, for myself.

I’ve started working on my first pair of socks.  I hope these will be done by Christmas but I’m not holding my breath.  Wow, those needles and that yarn are so small.  It takes forever to see any real progress.  Those of you who make handknitted socks on a regular basis, have always amazed me but now that I’m trying it myself, well consider me intimidated and even more impressed and amazed.

I’m also working on a few hats that knit up very quickly thanks to bulky yarn and size 10 needles.  I hope in the next year to tackle more intricate projects but I still need to get a handle on my tension which is anything but uniform and usually too tight.  Any of you more experienced knitters, have any advice for me and my tension issues?  Practice makes perfect and practice I will. 

 

November 3, 2009

Menu Planning for Guests

Posted by Kathie under 6 Months - No Groceries, Friends & Family, In the Kitchen
[16] Comments 

We’re having some dinner guests on Saturday.  We’re excited to have these folks over and can’t wait to share a meal with them in our home.  This is a couple, I’ve known for years and with whom I have lunch with on a regular basis (their office is just across the street from my day job), but that Jeff has only gotten to meet a few times.  It will be the first time we’ve had them in our home.  I’m excited and of course, I love to cook and cooking for guests is especially thrilling for me.

I’ve been thinking on a menu plan for the last few days.  I’ve had to reign myself in a few times, because we aren’t going to break the 6-month no grocery challenge for this event.  We’ve arrived at a few choices and I’d love to have some other opinions on these choices:

  • Option 1: Individual Chicken Pot Pies served with Roasted Beets
  • Option 2: Potato Soup served with homemade bread
  • Option 3: Pot Roast served with roasted beets & mashed potatoes with gravy
  • Option 4: Southwestern Stew (a spicy tomato based beef stew) served with cornbread

So, dear readers, any of those strike you as especially good?

Dessert is yet be finalized but will most likely be something in the chocolate with coffee cake variety (as all four of us have a special liking to those flavors).  We have coffee, our guests our bringing wine and there will be much good conversation.

I’m sure I’ll go through several different plans between now and Saturday, but the really great thing is – the shopping is already done, thanks to a well stocked pantry.

 

November 2, 2009

Candy & Minestrone

Posted by Kathie under 6 Months - No Groceries, Canning, Gardening, Goal Keeping, In the Kitchen, Independence Days
[5] Comments 

So we finished the first month of the 6 month no grocery challenge and on the last day of the first month, we had to buy something.  We hadn’t thought about Halloween and so we did buy one small bag of candy.  We didn’t expect many trick-or-treaters but we didn’t want to be caught without any candy either, so we went to the dollar store to get some tissue paper (for a something completely unrelated) and picked up a bag of butterscotch candies while we were there.  We had a whopping two kids come by, but still I’m glad I had some candy.  Normally, I wouldn’t consider a “gift” to be breaking the challenge (I’ve purchased some huckleberry candy bars to put in care packages recently – as we didn’t eat them I didn’t feel like we were breaking the challenge), but we’ve munched on the butterscotch and aren’t likely to stop, so we cheated just a bit.

We have been eating really well out of our pantry.  Including a really yummy minestrone made from homegrown tomatoes that were canned with no added liquid (that were pureed with added water for the broth), homegrown & homecanned carrots, homegrown & homecanned green beans, homegrown onions, dried kidney beans, local garlic, herbs, spices, and homemade egg noodles.  The soup was served with some homemade dinner rolls that were super flavorful thanks to rye flour, minced onions, minced garlic, salt, pepper, thyme, and a hint of cayenne.  Honestly, one of my most favorite meals ever. 

Independence Days Challenge – Week 26

Plant Something: Nothing, and that’s not likely to change until March of 2010

Harvest Something: Nothing

Preserve Something: Nothing

Reduce Waste: The usual composting and recycling, little purchasing. 

Preparation & Storage: We covered some lawn near the house with burlap and cardboard.  They’ll be new herb beds next year.  We’re raking leaves into the vegetable garden to help amend the soil for next year’s planting.

Build Community Food Systems: Nada

Eat the Food: See above.

 

October 30, 2009

Never Tiring

Posted by Kathie under Enjoying the Everyday
[7] Comments 

There are certain things I never tire of no matter how often they repeat in my life.  For instance, I can’t imagine I’d ever get tired of hugs from Jeff, no matter how many I get I seem to always want more.  He really is the world’s best hugger.

I never get tired of seeing wildlife and when its right in my front yard, that’s even better.  It should be noted that wildlife in the garden is something I do get irritated with, but the fence around the veggie garden seemed to keep them out,  the unfenced flower and herbs bed were a different story.  We watched this flock of turkeys in our yard for a quite a while the other night.  They were separated from the rest of their folk by our neighbor’s fence.  It was fun to watch and listen to them.  They’d walk along the fence, then one would fly over, the rest would continue to gobble and walk around the fence until the next one flew over.  They did this for a while, one at a time, leaping over the fence.  Perhaps we need to get out more, but this was great entertainment for us here at Two Frog Home.

It seems I never tire of hot cocoa on snowy evening either, as we’ve had a cup almost every other night lately.  What never gets tiring in your life?

I wish you a Halloween weekend full of activities that never get old.

 

October 29, 2009

October 2009 Goal Update

Posted by Kathie under 6 Months - No Groceries, Goal Keeping
[3] Comments 

Goal 1 Health: I continue to work-out five days a week.  I’ve been walking 2 miles 4 times a week with Jeff and doing a workout video of some sort 5 days a week.  I’ve also been trying to fit in an evening yoga workout a few days a week – its a 25 minute video specifically for evening yoga / relaxation.  Leaf raking is good exercise, too.  We’ve been eating a lot of nutrient dense soups too, always such a good thing as we head into winter.  I have to say that not going to the gym has kept me healthier than going did, mainly because I’m avoiding the germs other people brought to the gym.  I haven’t had so much as an “off” feeling day and certainly no hints of cold or flu.

Goal 2 Small Business: This month, I did do some bookkeeping and I’m working on a few other freelance articles.

Goal 3 Self-sufficiency: We started our 6-month no grocery challenge this month and so far all is well.  We planted garlic for next year and our raking leaves into our garden to amend the soil.

Goal 4 “Wifely” Duties:  I packed a few surprises in his lunch boxes and I’ve been rubbing homemade Dandelion oil (which is supposed to have some medicinal properties to help arthritis) onto his extremely sore wrists lately.  A doctor visit may be in order for Jeff’s wrists, we’ll take all the healing energy you can send his way in the meantime.

 Goal 5 Community Building: I’ve gotten to know some new folks recently and have been in touch with a few other folks about starting a simplicity circle in January. 

Goal 6 Spirituality: Bible reading and daily morning & night devotionals.  I’ve also been doing some journaling in relation to a class I’m taking (see Goal 7) which has led to some interesting insights and prayerful moments.

Goal 7 Education: Reading, reading, reading books, websites, magazines and more. I’m still taking “The Artist’s Way” class at my local community college, which has been wonderful on a few different levels.

Goal 8 Three R’s: We’ve been eating through our pantry. We compost and recycle as usual, I can’t think of anything that’s really special beyond the norm.

 

October 28, 2009

Gift Giving Ideas

Posted by Kathie under 6 Months - No Groceries, Consuming Wisely, Crafty, Spreading the Love
[7] Comments 

Like, I imagine, every other crafter in the known universe, I’ve been thinking about my Christmas gift giving list a bunch lately.  I had what I now realize was an overly ambitious plan to knit everyone a gift.  My knitting skills are still very much at the novice level and while I am getting the hang of it, I’m still very, very slow.  A few folks will be getting knitted gifts but not everyone like I had originally envisioned.  If I was going to pull off knitting everyone a gift, I should have started back in say January, I didn’t and so we’re going with plan B.

Like in past years, we will be giving away baskets full of homemade goodness.  Unlike previous years, however; we’re cutting back on the number and variety of cookies and other sweet treats.  There are a few reasons for this but mainly its just to keep the sugar level to a minimum in our own home.  It seems like everyone is on sugar overload and we get as much as we give during the holiday season – not to mention all the sampling of what we give away.  I want to avoid the sugar crash, this year so less baking has to be in the plan.  We’ll still be making Potica (the only thing I stocked up on for the 6-month no grocery challenge prior to October 1st was walnuts specifically for Potica making), because now that I’m back in the habit I have a hard time envisioning the holidays without some homemade Potica.  I envision two types of cookies at the very most and probably some cinnamon raisin bread, but that’ll be it for the holiday baking.  There will plenty of gifts in the form of brandied cherries, Jeff’s beef jerky, jams, and other homemade savory treats.

In the baskets, we’ll be including handmade placemats and cloth napkins (I’m not using those links specifically – I just thought they were great tutorials and wanted to share them, instead of trying to write my own).  I have a big stack of napkins already made and all of the placemats near completion.  These were simple placemats in most cases, no patchwork piecing or intricate patterns.  I’m using up fabric that has been in my stash and having fun with the project.  I’ve made some tote bags and aprons to include for a few folks as well.

There will be a few gift cards and books for the teens and children on our list, but for the most part that’s it.  We don’t overspend or go overboard on the holidays, ever, and this year won’t be any different.  How about you?  Have you started crafting for you holiday gift giving needs?

 

October 27, 2009

Recipe Testing

Posted by Kathie under 6 Months - No Groceries, Cottage Industry, In the Kitchen
[11] Comments 

I’ve been working on a freelance writing assignment, the theme being cupcakes for adults.  Not those overly sweetened, highly colored varieties loved by children, but rather cupcakes with complex flavors, subtle sweetness, and velvety textures.  It’s been tough work, baking and sampling these recipes, but someone has to do it (obviously written with tongue firmly planted in cheek).  We’ve been sharing the spoils with friends, classmates, and neighbors to get opinions and save our waistlines. 

Chocolate Almond Cupcakes with Coffee Frosting

All of this baking has me re-assessing our 6-month no grocery challenge.  We’ll still be doing the challenge, but now that I have a few freelance writing assignments, I may need to purchase items to write those articles and photograph the results.  We’ve decided to chalk those purchases up to business expenses and only use them for writing assignments.  Basically, we’ll only buy exactly what we need to test the recipe and no more.  This wasn’t something we had planned in our challenge, but it is a blessing.  I’m enjoying the several assignments I have (not all are sweets, in fact most aren’t but all are food related currently) and I don’t want them to go away.  I don’t envision a ton of purchasing, and so far it hasn’t been necessary as I’ve had everything in stock, but that might change and it might not – only time will tell.  We did have to purchase some milk, coffee, and eggs this month but those were always on the exception list so that’s not a big deal.

Speaking of freelance writing, my recent article in Mother Earth News, is now available on their website.  If you didn’t check out the printed copy, I’d be honored if you check out the online version.

Coconut Vanilla Cupcakes with Maple Frosting

Tell me what’s your favorite cupcake flavor?

 

October 26, 2009

Leaf Raking Season

Posted by Kathie under Crafty, Gardening, Goal Keeping, Home, In the Kitchen, Independence Days, Thrifty Score!
1 Comment 

It’s officially leaf raking season here at Two Frog Home.  We had that freeze a few weeks back and its been warming up since, I fully expected the leaves to just drop once it got back into the 60 degree temps.  Well, they haven’t all fallen, but they are certainly falling in big loads.  We spent several hours raking leaves and dumping them onto our garden.  We’ll rototill the leaves into the soil just slightly before the snow starts falling in earnest.  It’s our own version of “lasagna gardening” – it seemed to work well last year and its something I think we’ll continue to do.  The leaves mostly break down by the time we till the garden in the spring and what remains only serves to loosen and feed the soil more, in my opinion.

We save a big garbage can full of the leaves to throw into the worm bin throughout the winter as well.  The worms seem to like them, and it gives me extra food to give them when we aren’t eating as much fresh food from which to give them the spoils.

Other than raking leaves I spent some time finishing up a quilt.  One of my oldest and dearest friends is expecting her fourth child next month.  I’ve made a quilt for each one of her three boys and wanted to make sure the newest addition to her family (and my extended family) had a quilt of their own as well.  I used up my scrap pile to make this quilt.  The pieces are three inch wide strips of cotton in varying lengths and sewn together.  The back piece is one solid piece of fabric – the same color as the binding.  It was quilted in a pale yellow thread in free motion.  The “batting” is a piece of a high-quality thrifted flannel sheet that makes the quilt warm without being overly heavy.  I’m pretty pleased with the quilt, overall, and think the recipients will be too.

Independence Days Challenge – Week 25

Plant Something: Nothing, and that’s not likely to change until March of 2010

Harvest Something: Nothing

Preserve Something: Nothing

Reduce Waste: The usual composting and recycling, little purchasing.  Mended a pair of Jeff’s sweat pants and one of his sweatshirts.

Preparation & Storage: Found some jars for storing dehydrated goods at a rummage sale.

Build Community Food Systems: See my canning class announcement on Friday’s post.

Eat the Food:Carrot & Rutabaga Soup, Roasted beets, eating fried potatoes that we canned from our garden,

 

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