Well, I am actually posting my IDC update (almost) on time this week! Amazing! My updates still are not up to my past years' par, but I hope as the garden gets tilled this weekend and the weather quits being an unpredictable bear, I'll get more done.
PLANT SOMETHING: Seeds (Asian cabbage and greens, lettuce, kohlrabi, beets and arugula); planted a bag of sprouting organic Trader Joe's red potatoes; planted out the brocolli and cauliflower seedlings. Also, bought and planted a gorgeous clematis, basil plants (Thai and sweet), and two lovely purslane plants.
HARVEST SOMETHING: Still just harvesting eggs, but the green onions I planted at the apt are ready!
PRESERVE SOMETHING: I cleaned out one of the freezers last weekend and ended up making min-muffins out of old, stored butternut squash (from 2010!) and frozen bananas. Both turned out yummy and have been restored in the freezer as quick snacks.
WASTE NOT: As mentioned, I cleaned out the freezer and used up older stock of frozen fruits (the muffins and a raspberry buckle were made). Scraps, as usual, went to the chickens, animals or compost. Repotted tomato seedlings into larger pots saved over the years (mainly from MIL's garbage!)
WANT NOT: Thrifted some baking pans, bean storage canisters, and a couple of shirts for me from a yard sale. We are still eating up the older stock before I add to the pantry again.
BUILD COMMUNITY SYSTEMS: Missed both my Permaculture and 15,000 Farmers meetings this week due to my fatigue issues. Need to go get my B12 injection. :(
EAT THE FOOD: Hubby and I ate out last week when he came to visit me in Louisville; however this weekend we ate from the freezer.
SKILL UP: Nada
Saturday, April 21, 2012
Sunday, April 15, 2012
Thrift Share: Pick and Choose
Even though I have been slack to participate with y'all, I have not stopped thrifting. I found a few wonderful things in Alabama, Kentucky and West Virginia just in the past month! I will try to sneak in some of the other finds in the next week. I'll start with the most recent scores...
I am starting with one of the ties for favorites this month: A tourist plate featuring the Mermaids of Weeki Wachee! I have been collecting state and tourist plates for years and I have had to curtail my purchases (and weed out the collection), but this one is one of the best ones I have ever found. I paid 75c for it! I wish I had turned the flash off before I snapped the picture.
This is the other tie for favorite. I've seen this style of lamp in antique stores before and admired it greatly; however, being the thrift junky that I am, I could not justify the large price tag. This one I found yesterday at a yard sale for $3.
Here is another lamp found recently (I wish I could remember where...KY probably). I didn't find it in time for Easter.
A plethora of dolls bought at the same YS as the Gazelle lamp. I really avoid dolls, but these guys were in a Ziplock for a dollar. Unfortunately, I was trying to get the smudge off of the wooden doll with my fingernail and accidentally scratched her pretty red lips right off! :(
I love this sugar and cream set. I love the tulips! They were marked $1.45 each and they came all the way from Ireland to West Virginia
I am starting with one of the ties for favorites this month: A tourist plate featuring the Mermaids of Weeki Wachee! I have been collecting state and tourist plates for years and I have had to curtail my purchases (and weed out the collection), but this one is one of the best ones I have ever found. I paid 75c for it! I wish I had turned the flash off before I snapped the picture.
This is the other tie for favorite. I've seen this style of lamp in antique stores before and admired it greatly; however, being the thrift junky that I am, I could not justify the large price tag. This one I found yesterday at a yard sale for $3.
Here is another lamp found recently (I wish I could remember where...KY probably). I didn't find it in time for Easter.
A plethora of dolls bought at the same YS as the Gazelle lamp. I really avoid dolls, but these guys were in a Ziplock for a dollar. Unfortunately, I was trying to get the smudge off of the wooden doll with my fingernail and accidentally scratched her pretty red lips right off! :(
I love this sugar and cream set. I love the tulips! They were marked $1.45 each and they came all the way from Ireland to West Virginia
I am in Love
I mentioned we have added a new member to our family. Allow me to introduce you to Orca! He is a rescue Boston from Florida (about two years old). He is silly & sweet as honey. He came from puppy mill horror, but you wouldn't know it (perfectly housebroken and perfect temperament). He is such a good little boy and loves everyone he has met so far. My kids adore him and he has as much energy as they do. He will be coming to Louisville with me when I am not traveling.
Saturday, April 14, 2012
The Big Catch Up-IDC 10
Hello.
My name is Gina and this is not a new blog...
I have really fallen short on this blogging gig. Again, swamped by work and travel and just the feeling of not having enough creativity at the moment to make this thing work. I am going to get caught back up though this week (no travel!!) as I have so many new things to talk about these days!
I think I am going to start with an Independence Days Challenge (IDC) update. I can't even remember what number I was on the last one, but it seems we are on week 10 already. I have made tiny progress in the past few weeks, but nothing significant and catching up shouldn't be so hard.
Plant Something: All of my fruit and nut trees (and plants) arrived the first week of April. This also happened to be the week I was in Alabama on business. I had Sr put them in buckets and I finally planted the last of it today. ASo, let's see...three apple trees (Granny Smith, Winesap, Braeburn); 6 hazelnuts (Jefferson and American); 10 raspberries (Heritage and some unknown variety given to me by my friend in KY); 5 blackberries; and 6 Rugosa rosa (the type that makes big rose hips). Additionally, I planted 2 Japanese maples for ornamental purposes (also given to me by KY friend). I planted basil seeds and a couple of Thai basil plants I obtained in AL and a small amount of onion sets in the flower beds. We are still working on getting the new garden tilled properly for planting (farmer neighbor used his tractor to break up the sod)-I so wish I had more time. Also noteworthy, I transplanted most of the tomatoes and tomatillos I planted a couple of months ago using the dense seed method (I cannot recommend it enough if you are short on space, but make sure you time transplanting to when it is warmer outside) and the plants are big and strong and ready to go out to the garden (just wish this temps would decide where they want to hover!)
Harvest Something: Eggs, lots and lots of eggs.
Preserve Something: Nada
Waste Not: I saved lots of hotel cups, yogurt containers, and other throw aways to use for the transplanting. Scraps were thrown to the animals or compost. Leftovers used as best as possible. Used strips of plastic bags to mark newly planted trees, Recycled what I could.
Want Not: We stocked up on canned goods, whole wheat flour and coffee. Thrifted a really nice metal food scale and some bourbon bottles (for the limoncello). I know there is more for this category, but I need to get better organized. I'll also add here I applied for two jobs up north.
Build a Community System: Sadly, due to hectic work schedule, I haven't been able to go to the Permaculture meetups or the 15,000 Farmers meetings. I do plan to attend one next week and will report later now that I am back on schedule. I took "food" out of this section because I think just building a community is important. I also want to be able to include a bit of bartering I did this week. We added a new family member last week (he will be getting a post of his own) and, immediately following I had to travel. So, I exchanged paying for the water bill at my rental (it's in my name and they generally pay me for it) if my tenants (animal lovers) would watch the little guy. They loved having him (and having a month off of a water bill) and he didn't have to be boarded.
Eat the Food: I am still eating vegetarian for the most part (exception, sushi while in Alabama which I love, but sushi is one of the most unsustainable food items out there. Well, at least the tuna ones. The stuff I had was made with salmon and the other vegetarian). We have been eating a lot of eggs!
Skill Up: I cannot think of anything to add here (so sad!) I haven't even been reading much (although, I did read through the Hunger Games series and I loved them!)
My name is Gina and this is not a new blog...
I have really fallen short on this blogging gig. Again, swamped by work and travel and just the feeling of not having enough creativity at the moment to make this thing work. I am going to get caught back up though this week (no travel!!) as I have so many new things to talk about these days!
I think I am going to start with an Independence Days Challenge (IDC) update. I can't even remember what number I was on the last one, but it seems we are on week 10 already. I have made tiny progress in the past few weeks, but nothing significant and catching up shouldn't be so hard.
Plant Something: All of my fruit and nut trees (and plants) arrived the first week of April. This also happened to be the week I was in Alabama on business. I had Sr put them in buckets and I finally planted the last of it today. ASo, let's see...three apple trees (Granny Smith, Winesap, Braeburn); 6 hazelnuts (Jefferson and American); 10 raspberries (Heritage and some unknown variety given to me by my friend in KY); 5 blackberries; and 6 Rugosa rosa (the type that makes big rose hips). Additionally, I planted 2 Japanese maples for ornamental purposes (also given to me by KY friend). I planted basil seeds and a couple of Thai basil plants I obtained in AL and a small amount of onion sets in the flower beds. We are still working on getting the new garden tilled properly for planting (farmer neighbor used his tractor to break up the sod)-I so wish I had more time. Also noteworthy, I transplanted most of the tomatoes and tomatillos I planted a couple of months ago using the dense seed method (I cannot recommend it enough if you are short on space, but make sure you time transplanting to when it is warmer outside) and the plants are big and strong and ready to go out to the garden (just wish this temps would decide where they want to hover!)
Harvest Something: Eggs, lots and lots of eggs.
Preserve Something: Nada
Waste Not: I saved lots of hotel cups, yogurt containers, and other throw aways to use for the transplanting. Scraps were thrown to the animals or compost. Leftovers used as best as possible. Used strips of plastic bags to mark newly planted trees, Recycled what I could.
Want Not: We stocked up on canned goods, whole wheat flour and coffee. Thrifted a really nice metal food scale and some bourbon bottles (for the limoncello). I know there is more for this category, but I need to get better organized. I'll also add here I applied for two jobs up north.
Build a Community System: Sadly, due to hectic work schedule, I haven't been able to go to the Permaculture meetups or the 15,000 Farmers meetings. I do plan to attend one next week and will report later now that I am back on schedule. I took "food" out of this section because I think just building a community is important. I also want to be able to include a bit of bartering I did this week. We added a new family member last week (he will be getting a post of his own) and, immediately following I had to travel. So, I exchanged paying for the water bill at my rental (it's in my name and they generally pay me for it) if my tenants (animal lovers) would watch the little guy. They loved having him (and having a month off of a water bill) and he didn't have to be boarded.
Eat the Food: I am still eating vegetarian for the most part (exception, sushi while in Alabama which I love, but sushi is one of the most unsustainable food items out there. Well, at least the tuna ones. The stuff I had was made with salmon and the other vegetarian). We have been eating a lot of eggs!
Skill Up: I cannot think of anything to add here (so sad!) I haven't even been reading much (although, I did read through the Hunger Games series and I loved them!)
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