Two Frog Home

I just finished reading All Together in One Place by Jane Kirkpatrick.  The book is a piece of historical fiction based on the following:

One of the incidents that made a profound impression upon the minds of all: the meeting of eleven wagons returning and not a man left in the entire train; all had died, and been buried on the way, and the women returning alone.
                                           –from the journals of Ezra Meeker,

The book takes you through the journey of a group of women pioneers as they journey towards a new future together.  It’s a great story of faith, hope, adventure, and community.

I came across the book in the library stacks, just wandering around and this book just seemed to jump off the shelf at me.  I’m so glad it did!  I’m hooked and look forward to picking up the second book in the series from the library this evening. 

The book is a story of God and overcoming triumphs, but for most importantly for me, it was a story of the “essential” nature of community.  No matter what happens in life, no matter how much paring down we might need to do to get over that mountain, community should never be tossed out.

In the same vain as yesterday’s Ignorant is Bliss post, I’ve been thinking about frugality.  There are numerous articles talking about a possible recession and/or depression in the U.S.  I’ve been reading many of them with great interest.  The pollyanna that I am sees this as a great opportunity to really see how resourceful I am.  I understand the economic news is devastating for many people, I understand the poorest of the poor will need help, and I’m willing to step up where I can.  I also know that many people are living well beyond their means and for them this is where the blissful ignorance will have to end.  I’m hoping that all this talk will be a wake up call for us as society.

I know people are feeling the pinch, financially.   I talk to many of these folks in a variety of ways, whether its the gal on the cross-trainer next to me in the gym, someone in one of my continuing education classes, or random folks in the grocery store.  I use Jeff’s favorite phrase of “tightening up the belt” often with these folks.  It never ceases to amaze me how that bristles some people’s feathers.  When I taught my frugal living class, I had one student who very much wanted to learn how to live within her means but still be able to go out to eat at expensive restaurants 4 nights a week.  The idea of giving up on luxuries to save or be frugal seems so hard for a society that feels entitled to the “American Dream” of more, bigger, better.

Grandma’s favorite saying of “use it up, wear it out, make do,” is very much a frugal philosophy we apply to our lifestyle here at Two Frog Home.  Imagine what an impact that would have on our environment, our communities, and our homes if that was picked up as modern movement as hip as the current “go green” movement has become.  It won’t become as popular, however; because it doesn’t benefit all the companies going green in order to get your dollars.  You won’t see Walmart using that as a slogan because it encourages you not spend money in their stores, but you will see them hawking cheap T-shirts made from recycled plastic bottles because its hip and it makes them money.

In talking with people, I understand that a lot of people don’t know how to practically apply the “use it up, wear it out, make do” philosophy.  So far in their lives, they haven’t had to be frugal or they’ve used credit cards to spare themselves from any perceived deprivation.  Let me share how we apply grandma’s philosophy and frugal living daily around here.

First, let me share one of my most favorite quotes by Amy Dacyczyn (of Tightwad Gazette fame) “Frugality without creativity is deprivation.”  For me, that’s key.  No one wants to feel deprived, myself included.  The trick is learning to make do creatively with what you have until you can afford, without credit, to buy whatever you want.  I’ve learned that making do for a period of time, generally leads to not wanting/needing the gadget anyway.  I find great satisfaction in doing myself (or asking Jeff to do it) without relying on outside sources and/or conveniences.  Doing for myself and waiting for items, makes that item more valuable somehow. 

Instead of buying the newest fashion trends, why not wear out the old standards in your closet and repair them when possible.  There’s something to be said for wearing something so often that it requires multiple repairs.  It means I’ve worked hard and that I’m stretching my dollar, saving by repairing instead of buying new.  I assign financial worth to that, if I repair of jeans, I put $15 dollars into savings, figuring I’ve paid myself for some future need/want/desire.  I do find immense satisfaction when I have to cut something up for rags, because that means we’ve worn that article of clothing completely out and the pieces that remain will serve us in another way. 

Getting creative with making do can extend into every aspect of our lives.  Instead of running to the grocery store to get one item that’s missing from the recipe, get creative with substitution’s.  Would it really hurt to leave that particular ingredient out?  Instead of running to the store for paper towels, make do with those old T-shirts.

Practical things we do that save money and in turn add to our savings:

• We rarely eat out
• We buy in bulk
• We eat whole foods in their natural form, not pre-boxed/convenience foods
• We buy used
• We bargain hunt and wait for the best deal before buying whenever possible
• We freecycle
• We garden and preserve our own foods
• We repair and otherwise adjust our own clothing (take in, shorten, etc.)
• We wear everything out and try to repair everything before buying new (Jeff has alot of mechanical aptitude which comes in handy)
• We pack our own lunches
• We don’t use paper towels, paper plates, etc. (I just see that as throwing money away)
• We use natural and cheap cleaners like vinegar
• When we do have to make a major purchase, we save to buy the best we can afford, because we want quality equipment that will last and not need to be replaced
• We don’t upgrade every time the newest model comes along
• We don’t buy into every toy/gadget that comes along (we still don’t have an I-pod)
• We use the library instead of buying new books

I could go on and on, but I think I’m making my point. 

In the end, I do believe that Jeff and I have been blessed in that we both have jobs that pay above minimum wage and seem to be steady.  However, the rest has been the result of hard work on our part.  We are debt free and have a healthy savings to cover us in case of job loss as well as money saved for property downpayment and repair (looking for cheaper houses means fixer uppers).  We don’t indulge in a lot of luxuries but we don’t feel deprived.  I do feel like a good amount of frugal living is done inside ourselves in that we have to choose what is important and make sure our spending habits reflect those priorities.  We have to choose and learn to be content with what we have and ignore what the “Joneses” are doing.

Finally, a huge thing is getting support from partners, family and friends.  Find people who are choosing to live within their means and learn from them.  The internet is full of frugality resources, and I’d be remiss if I didn’t say the book Your Money or Your Life will change the lives of everyone who reads it, at least it did mine.  Research and learn from folks who lived through the depression, find what works and get creative and maybe whatever comes this way won’t feel as bad as the media makes it seem.

Yesterday, Jeff and I hit the thrift store.  One of the local thrift stores moved recently into a much larger building and we decided it was time to check it out.  It was much better than the old one in that things aren’t so cramped together.  The book section grew quite a bit too, with tables and chairs for folks to sit a spell and look through the volumes.  As we walked by the one table, I noticed a book sitting there as if left just for me to notice, World Sourdoughs from Antiquity by Ed Wood.  I, of course, couldn’t pass it up.  The book is a treasure, though obviously geared by the author to sell his starter products, it is chock full of wonderful looking recipes and lots of tidbits regarding sourdough throughout different regions of the world.  Today, I tried out the Honey Walnut Sourdough recipe, more or less.  I always seem to modify recipes a bit and I used my local whole wheat starter instead of the one he sells that includes white flour.  The bread turned out wonderfully moist and flavorful.  I can’t wait to try a few more of them in the future.

I’ve been working on ways to use up my large stash of scrap fabric pieces in various sizes.  I have a quilt top in process and finished two placemats, this morning.  I’ve been wanting to practice my free-motion quilting skills as well and the placemat seemed a good way to do that.  I used the same fabric for the backing of each placemat and I have enough of that backing to make a few more placemats, this way I’ll have a collection of mis-matched yet matching placemats for all occasions.

I just finished reading Every Secret Thingby Ann Tatlock, and I give it a 5 out of 5 stars. 

The book follows main character, Beth Gunnar, as she returns to her high school to teach English and the many characters in her life.  There is a perfect balance of current events with flashbacks to her high school days.  Characters range from her favorite pupil, Satchel Queen, to her high school friends.

The overwhelming theme is the nagging feeling she’s left with after her high school English teacher apparently committed suicide.  The mystery and its emotional baggage weave throughout the pages drawing the reader deep into the psyche of the characters and how that taints many of their present relationships.  The ending to the book is great too, giving the reader plenty of closure with no nagging loose ends waving in the wind.

As an avid reader, I don’t know how I made it 33 years old without reading a Willa Cather novel but somehow that’s what happened.  Though that’s changed now.  I just finished reading The Song of the Lark by Willa Cather, my second novel of the year.  It’s a beautifully written book, with characters that are incredibly easy to love and relate too.  The main character, Thea, is magnetic to the other characters and to the reader.  Perhaps the most intriguing is that people fall in love not just with Thea but with her talents and they support her without asking for anything in return except that she use her gift. 

It did seem to take me longer to read this book than many others, but thats more because I’ve been reading several books at once than it is because of the book itself.  This book was a great introduction to Cather’s writings and I look forward to reading more of her American classics in the future.  I give the book 5 out of 5 stars.

I just finished reading, A Good and Happy Child by Justin Evans.  I didn’t love this book.  I had read a review of it, which prompted me to add it to my “to read” list.  When I start a book, I almost always finish it even if I’m not thrilled with it from the beginning.  I tend to think it will get better and in some cases that has proven true (The Poisonwood Bible, by Barbara Kingsolver was one such book for me).

The book revolves around George Davies and his search for understanding in the troubles he’s having adjusting to fatherhood, especially in that he can’t bring himself to hold his son.  George seeks out a counselor who encourages him to keep journals/notebooks that focus on his memories from childhood.  George’s father dies when he’s quite young and the story follows George’s discovery of his father’s experience with demons and exorcism and perhaps his own demonic possession.

I was disappointed in the ending, while the book didn’t instantly grab me, it was well written and made me want to continue reading to figure out George’s story.  In the end, the plot was a let down - the story has great build up with little resolved at the conclusion.  Yes, we understand how George perceives and understands his life and the deeds he committed to get him where he’s at present day, but for me I want more of a real conclusion.  I suppose I like my books to end neatly and maybe that’s more a reflection of me than it is of the book itself.

I’d give the book 2 stars out of a possible 5.

I finished reading The Waste Makers by Vance Packard and wanted to recommend it again.  It was written in 1960 but many of thoughts are very relevant today.

Sound familiar?:

Still, as the sixities have begun with something less than jet-powered take-off, most American citizens are not particularly apprehensive that they would fall into really serious trouble because of thier debts.  They feel that the federal government - whether Democrat or Republican - is emotionally committed to make it safe for them to continue spending.  And it has become increasingly probable that if a notable lag in consumption does develop the federal government will be under massive pressure to manipulate interest rates in such a way that saving will be discouraged and spending encouraged.

He writes in another chapter, something that I continue to worry about and feel that Packard would be even more dismayed about if he was still alive:

A final price that must be considered in assessing the implications of the current drift of American society under the impact of an economy based on ever-mounting consumption is the change it may be producing in the character of the people involved… It is unrealistic to assume that all such pressures are not producing changes at a deeper level than mere spending habits.  For example, a person who finds himself induced to spend beyond his income habitually does not wish to feel guilty about his excesses and welcomes a system of morality that condones such habilts.  Much of the average American’s consumption has been channeled into frivolous or playful or whimsical outlets, which also requires rationalizing… These new pressures are causing ever more people to find thier main life satisfactions in their consumption role rather than their productive role.  And these pressures are bring forward such traits as pleasure-mindedness, self-indulgence, materialism, and passivity as conspicuous elements of the American character.

I could quote on and on but will spare you most of that and say that this is a book worth reading.  It’s not all gloom and doom, Packard does offer some suggestions for hope and change.  He also talks about a movement of the citizens towards change and to me that is obviously the voluntary simplicity movement.  I understand that it’s almost trendy right now to say you believe in simple living; however, I’ve met enough folks in real life and even more online to know that there are good people out there fighting this culture of commercialism and over-consumerism that threatens to ruin so many.

I’ll close this entry with one last quote from The Waste Makers:

The central challenge seems to be this: Americans must learn to live with their abundance without being forced to impoverish their spirit by being damned fools about it.

For Christmas, my Aunt Tish sent me a copy of The Waste Makersby Vance Packard.  The copyright date is 1960 and the book is amazing.  If you have the opportunity to read it, I think for the most part you’ll be impressed with his thoughts written some 47 years ago and horrified that we as a society are still dealing with these problems in an alarming fashion.

“It could be asserted that most Americans are becoming waste makers…Historians, I suspect may allude to this as the Throwaway Age.”

In discussing growth for the economy’s sake, he writes:

“Few have considered that while some selective kinds of growth may well be needed in the United States, other kinds are undesirable or would produce only surfeit.  It is just assumed that any growth is good.  Growth is fast becoming a hallowed word alongside Democracy and Motherhood.”

I’ve read several recent economic books addressing just this issue.  Their thoughts echo Packard’s in more modern terms but in essence are very much the same.

In another chapter, Packard writes:

“Another general tack the marketers took was to try to induce people to get rid of the products they already owned.  In its broadest form this took the form of encouraging people to throw things away.”

That particular thought really struck a cord with me in light of two TV commercials I saw recently.  One was for Toyota, I think, and it showed a man transporting a huge steel beam with a crane who purposely misses the dump truck in order to smash his vehicle in order to buy a new car.  The other was for an appliance manufacturer.  It showed a woman gazing in a store window longingly looking at a new refrigerator with the announcer saying “The only thing standing between you and a new {Name Brand I don’t remember} refrigerator is your old refrigerator.”  The next scene shows the woman throwing her refrigerator over a cliff.  Oy, I think of both cars and household appliances as things to be used until they no longer work and if at all possible repairing before purchasing new.  These are sad things about our society, in my opinion.

I know we all want nice things.  I’m one of those people.  I like having a comfortable home and I realize that I have way more luxuries than most of the world.  Wouldn’t it be nice if everyone did stop consuming less and had to work less and could enjoy family more?

Maria asked about my favorite canning resources.  Here are my favorite books:

Stocking Up: How to Preserve the Foods You Grow, Naturally - This is a great resource on everything from canning, root cellaring, drying, and more.  Its not a book I use constantly but it is one I refer to often and honestly I can’t imagine my bookshelf without it.

Putting It Up With Honey: A Natural Foods Canning and Preserving Cookbook - For anyone interested in canning without using sugar this is a must have.  The recipes are great and the practical advice, like charts with processing times, is invaluable.

Art of Preserving - This is a gorgeous book, the photos alone make it worth owning.  The recipes too are grand!  Lots of jam/jelly recipes in here.  However, this is not the best book for beginners in that the author doesn’t talk alot about processing times, etc.  It’s a great book for gifts ideas and unusual recipes - the author talks alot about making things and simply refrigerating instead of processing for long term storage.

Ball Blue Book of Preserving - The home canning classic, honestly no canner should be without this book in my opinion.  You can usually find it at thrift stores and yard sales relatively easily and in general is just a great resource on the basics of canning.

Putting Food By  - A great resource full of wonderful recipes, hints, etc.  Again this is just a good resource to have on your shelf.

My favorite canning resource, however; has to be other canners.  If you can find someone to actually go through the process with you, it’s a wonderful educational experience on many different levels.  I think the things most people fear about canning really can’t be overcome until they get hands-on.  Reading books on the topic are very helpful and should be used as a reference, however; the thing I’m learning from the canning classes I’ve been teaching is that until students actually go through the canning process themselves, they are afraid of poisioning their families.  Its not until after the jars they’ve filled have come out of the canner and sealed that they really start to feel comfortable and it really helps if they have someone to ask questions too that may not be as easily found in books.

Since I showed the start of my day yesterday, I thought I’d talk about the end of my day today.  Most late fall / winter nights end with a cup of herbal tea and a good book on the couch under a quilt.

Last night, we had hot cocoa spiked with peppermint schnapps instead of tea, but the general concept is the same.  I’m curled up here with an old quilt that my grandmother made: the top is pieced from old wool coats and the back is made from flannel.  It’s handquilted and oh so warm, though it is beginning to show some wear.  I’ve had this quilt forever, I know it kept myself and my roommate warm at a few football games in college too. 

I love having my grandmother with me every night as I read.  She instilled a love of reading in me from a very young age.  I fondly remember sitting on her lap as she read me stories then taught me to read to her.  She was always one to buy us books as gifts and I’m quite sure she bought me every single one of the Bobbsey Twin books, that I adored as a child.