My Re-Usable Net Bags

One of my goals for this year is to not collect an entire closet full of plastic bags. It's not that I am the greenest person in the world, though I sometimes consider how my activities impact our environment. Mainly, in an effort to simplify my life, I realize that digging all the plastic bags that get shoved in our little broom closet, and hauling them to the recycle bin at my local Safeway or WalMart is a ridiculous use of my time.

I have a number of reusable cotton (or other) bags, which I am not reliable at bringing to the market when I shop. They have been in good use so far this year since they are now hanging by the front door, an easy grab on the way to wherever. An even better idea is to have a few stored in the car for those times I decide to shop without consulting my front entryway. Oh, well.

My biggest pet peeve since adopting the no-more-baggies-in-the-house attitude is what to put the produce in at the grocery. I saw some lovely homemade bags like these on a blog (down-to-earth) and wondered how they would work. Since I didn't have netting in the house, I simply made a mental note.

A couple weeks later I stumbled upon a baggie (ouch!) of netting scraps at St. Vinnie's for 75 cents. They made 9 of these great net baggies, and they were totally easy to whip together. They hold plenty of weight, including tomatoes, lettuce, cabbage, and oranges. I stuffed those not in use into my purse, and found that I did not have to accept a bag from Lowe's when I purchased a bunch of hardware--and it was pretty heavy for the little bag I used.

I am tickled with this latest project. Cheap, recycled, reusable. What more could I ask?

Preparing for Poultry

A lifelong dream has been to have a trio of laying hens, for wonderful fresh eggs. I designed a little poultry pen, but lo, upon pricing I found that I didn't really want to spend the money on it that new materials would cost. I went on Craigslist and looked for supplies and options, and happened upon a bird pen built a few years ago and in the next town. It was just the right dimensions, 4'x8', supposedly fit on the truck, and had oodles of plywood I could use with my own (modified, now) plans.

Above is the photo of the various phases of dismemberment of our birdie pen. Imagine it on the back of our beater truck: Silas and I looked like the Beverly Hillbillies!

Christmas is Here, Bringing Good Cheer

So much is happening right now. Our area has been hit with the worst snow in years; I canned half a ton of wheat and beans in an effort to be prepared for a possible "time of economic uncertainty;" and Silas hurt his thumb, which necessitated a trip to the emergency room and resultant activity-limiting recovery.

The snow is beautiful, and makes the place quiet. We see our neighbors again, who have pretty much been indoors since summer. They are spending some time shoveling out their cars and creating walkways to the street. After a couple days without much activity I dusted off my XC skis and zoomed up and down our semi-flat street, only falling twice. I even created a track from our backyard to the street. There is over a foot of snow in our yard, not counting what was thrown up when Allan cleared out part of the driveway. The snow should be gone by the end of the weekend, when we shall again happily enjoy rain and 40 degree weather.

I had requested the home sealer from our local dry pack cannery a month or two ago, and as my luck would have it it came available Saturday, the 20th. What a time to have 200 cans to buy and fill, all by Christmas! The senior missionary informed me that we could only have it for 5 days. When I think about the last days before Christmas, hanging out in the garage canning bags of wheat and beans isn't my idea of pumping up the holiday spirit! It all worked out great, however, since we were snowed in and it was no longer freezing in the garage. I spent about 7 hours listening to Christmas carols and filling and sealing the cans, just how I wanted to and at my own pace. It turned out to be one of the best things I did this season, and I feel better prepared and tidier.

Later the day of the canning Silas had a few friends over to earn some money splitting and stacking wood. All was going well until Si came in muttering and writhing with blood dripping from his left thumb. "Apply direct pressure!" He was in quite a bit of pain, which is uncharacteristic of him. He is usually mellow and straight faced. After taking a walk to his friend's house and periodically immersing his thumb in a bag of snow, he called and said his thumb was unnaturally swollen and that it was still hurting like crazy. He suggested, uneasily, that we should probably get it looked at. Off we went on the crazy icy-snowy roads I had avoided, to wend our way past the prompt care clinic, closed due to weather, to the Silverdale ER. This was definitely the quickest trip through the emergency room I have ever experienced through the years. The staff administered some type of numbing with shots right away, which was extremely painful, I am told, but brought quick relief. Si was diagnosed with a crush fracture, which happened when he missed the wood with his hatchet but did meet his gloved thumb, just below the nailbed. He is doing better now, with pain meds doing a pretty good job of holding his grumpiness to a minimum.

Tomorrow morning will be Christmas. Each year is so different, with children living/not living here, coming from all corners of the earth, or from just the other side of town. Silas spent this evening in his room, not feeling very well. We all opted out of going to see "the worst movie ever made" and stayed in. We built a fire and watched a little movie, after which Allan went over and got Chloe and Justin to celebrate the rest of the holiday with us.

What a year we have had. We are so blessed to spend time with each other, to have good relationships, and to celebrate together. God has blessed us so much, with wonderful prosperity and the ability to meet our needs. May you have a sweet and blessed Christmas, and may 2009 bring you the joy and peace you are seeking.

Snowy Sunday Morning

It's funny what snow can do for a Sunday morning. It creates hope that church or school tomorrow may be cancelled. The world is somewhat hushed into a sort of reverence. It's cold, of course, as well as being so wintry and foreign. Plus, as an added bonus, it makes home seem somehow more cozy and inviting than at other times.

We had our first snow last night. It's the perfect Northwest type, the streets aren't covered, but the grass is. It's rather charming in its temporariness. I love it!

Stepping Away from Sugar

I knew I was in trouble. I could think of nothing but treats! I was at Costco with my friend, Margaret, and needed to purchase Halloween candy for the Trunk or Treat. I grabbed the candy I love best, gooey and chocolatey and oh-so-satisfying. And I knew that if I made the mistake of opening that bag before I gave it to Allan I would be truly sorry--and so would he.

So I made a decision. It was time to stop eating candy and cookies and cake and doughnuts and pie and ice cream and anything else that would feed my addiction to sugar. I have done this in the past around the Christmas holidays, but never as early as this. But it's something that I have needed to do to get my eating back in control.

I haven't missed the junk that much. I have had a few difficult times, including manning the desserts (cake, cheesecake, brownies, shortcake cookies, etc.) at a funeral luncheon. I have withstood it all, and had the wonderful added benefit of daily nasty headaches and sinus problems disappearing. What a testimony of staying away from all that sugar and junk! So far I have gone 9 days without treats, and I am doing just fine, thanks to sugar-free Swiss Miss.

So, come January, when the holidays are over, and the last of the wonderful fudge and See's candy and peanut brittle and shortbread cookies and caramel corn and toffee are eaten up, maybe I will slip back into my old habits. Or maybe, hopefully, I will have found joy in the people I am with and the wholesome food that actually nourishes my body.

It could happen.

Election Time

I have always loved autumn and this time of year, because it brings me home a bit and gives me the opportunity for reflection. Autumn has traditionally been election time, too. This year I have taken the time to contemplate the issues, candidates, and future of my world and THE world. I have an opinion on everything, although it sometimes feels like my opinion isn't very valuable as far as the big picture goes. After the vote on the big bank bailout, I reassessed my feelings and commitment to the values I have developed and espouse.

I believe in freedom. I believe that our founding fathers desired to create a country where men were free to make the choices that would guide their lives. I did some reading of political party platforms, studied the actual constitution and ammendments to it, and pondered and meditated on the issues and candidates. I have also been doing some reading of history, the non-traditional type that brings forth the familiar stories with information, writings, and perspectives that I had not heard of in my traditional American education.

My vote is in. Those children of mine who are voters have their votes in as well. I am happy to live in a country that gives us that chance to cast our ballots for the leaders of our choice, even if the choices aren't the greatest. I am grateful for our ability to gain information and knowledge, and for the power we have to educate ourselves, ponder the matters that have meaning for us, and then follow our consciences and vote accordingly.

Is our system perfect? Certainly not. Do we really know who runs the government? I do not believe so. Are the citizens of this country capable of creating better leadership than we have right now, or may have this next 4 years? Definitely. Are we able to discover and uncover the truth better than we do with the polluted media on all sides of the issues and candidates? Resoundingly, yes. My hope and prayer is that all who are able to make a difference through personal study and education within the family and society do so. Future generations will be blessed because of it.

Fall is in the Air

Well, summer is winding down. This summer has been one-of-a-kind, with Silas being here full time for the first time in years and years. My garden is flailing, but my membership subscription to my local farm is going strong. I need to set a goal around making compost and building my soil better for next year.

My creative projects are growing. I found some sinks on craigslist to replace our old ones in the bathrooms, and I am totally looking forward to swapping those out tomorrow. I am beginning to make Christmas gifts, starting with some sewing and crochet ventures. My health goals continue to be on my priority list, including training for next year's STP and taking off a few more pounds. The surface of our small deck is refinished, and before November I am hoping to restain the rails as well. My walking partners are steady and true, so my mornings have an early, energetic start.

Autumn is my favorite time of year. The fresh crispness in the air and the feeling of a brand new start are always encouraging to me. So forward I go into the new season.