not a typo.
we are missing our friends party, (the b family of north adams, hollah). they serve two hearty soups, along with a pot-luck. awesome! except, the children have nasty head colds, which do not need to be shared. hopefully, we can see our friends again soon!
we are home, so we had apple pie for breakfast, for lunch we had brother victor's recipe of potage au juliene du boullion (fancy name for vegetable soup), and for our evening meal, we have slow cooked ribs with polenta on the side.
geaux saints
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Friday, February 5, 2010
fish!
miss n. loves goldfish crackers. they are just the right size for her little hands. and it's a word she knows.
she can't really say many words yet, but she is closer every day.
today she really said "fish!" alas, not on tape....
b and i had talked it over on our date night, and we set up the 29 gallon fish tank last weekend.
i really enjoy keeping goldfish. my best run was 7 years. sam and alice goldfish were tiny 25 cent goldfish from PJ's Pets in dunkirk, ny. they were my college pets, named for the two shows i stage managed that spring, 'play it again sam' and 'alice in wonderland'. a weird spring for sure. those fish survived moving from college house to home, to college, to summer house, et al. while living in a 5 gallon water cooler jug! they were HUGE when they did die, and passed within three days of each other.
so yesterday, we took a trip to the "little zoo" which is what we call petsmart, and after looking at guinea pigs, hamsters and piles of birds, we chose our three tiny goldfish.
they are all settled into their new home, and have two adoring owners. one owner can even say "fish!"
she can't really say many words yet, but she is closer every day.
today she really said "fish!" alas, not on tape....
b and i had talked it over on our date night, and we set up the 29 gallon fish tank last weekend.
i really enjoy keeping goldfish. my best run was 7 years. sam and alice goldfish were tiny 25 cent goldfish from PJ's Pets in dunkirk, ny. they were my college pets, named for the two shows i stage managed that spring, 'play it again sam' and 'alice in wonderland'. a weird spring for sure. those fish survived moving from college house to home, to college, to summer house, et al. while living in a 5 gallon water cooler jug! they were HUGE when they did die, and passed within three days of each other.
so yesterday, we took a trip to the "little zoo" which is what we call petsmart, and after looking at guinea pigs, hamsters and piles of birds, we chose our three tiny goldfish.
they are all settled into their new home, and have two adoring owners. one owner can even say "fish!"
Monday, February 1, 2010
one small change part 3
part three in a series of one small changes to make a difference to the world.
Meat Free Mondays
today we had cereal for breakfast, we'll have sandwiches for lunch, and pasta with creamy mushroom sauce for dinner.
i'll start sprouts again today. i love sprouts! i wasn't allowed to eat them while pregnant (since they COULD have dangerous bacteria on them, according to the most recent wisdom) so i am really happy to be able to eat them again now! plus way loves to watch me rinse them. he likes the part where i swirl them around in the glass jar. sprouts really are easy, cheap and seasonal vitamin rich food.
Tuesday - less power drawn, more power saved
today i will walk around and see just how many CFL bulbs we aren't yet using. we use a lot of dimmers in our regular lights, which DOES save power, but i'll bet there are a few old lamps that i could update if i concentrated on it.
Wednesday - shop local, shop seasonal
http://www.chathamrealfoodcoop.net/
http://www.chathamberryfarm.com/
http://www.sustainabletable.org/shop/eatseasonal/
there is a local farm that is growing greens inside year round. (the berry farm - see link above)
we'll check them out this week. it's sort of on our way to town, just a different road.
thursday - work smarter
http://sundogsolar.net/
i contacted the local solar company. they ARE running a class about how to get into solar as a consumer and as an installer. the bummer is - the class costs $900. not a typo, nine hundred dollars. and you don't get any kind of certification for that. a bit steep, no?
so i'm looking to other avenues to get into the renewable energy field. maybe i'll email obama....
friday - pass it on
i struck out trying to get someone to come talk at playgroup about local food. the grange doesn't do this work, and their recommendation of cooperative extension didn't quite hit the nail on the head either. maybe i'll ask at the berry farm AND the co-op to see if there is a nutritionist they could recommend. OR we could do meet a farmer at playgroup. i like that idea.
saturday - play harder
http://richardlouv.com/last-child-woods
http://www.oldchathamcountrystore.com/
we walked outside every day. some days in our woods, and one day down the hill to the country store. the store was closed for most of january when the owner/operators went of vacation. (well deserved!!) we even saw our friends ryan and lee on our walk!
i learned that walking in the country in the winter is tougher than you think, since the area to walk is often filled with snow banks! i was a little smart, i waited until the major snow was gone, but i had to drag the baby stroller over one big snow bank to get out from behind the guard rail by wemples. we must have been a sight...
sunday - enjoy family
we had a nice day at home yesterday after getting home from visiting syracuse. the chickens were happy to see me. we set up the old fish tank and will get some goldfish for the children to watch. they are in love with looking at the empty tank this morning. it has plastic plants and bubbles right now. it is a fun project to take care of together, and maybe in the spring, the goldfish can live in a tank outside. we'll see!
Meat Free Mondays
today we had cereal for breakfast, we'll have sandwiches for lunch, and pasta with creamy mushroom sauce for dinner.
i'll start sprouts again today. i love sprouts! i wasn't allowed to eat them while pregnant (since they COULD have dangerous bacteria on them, according to the most recent wisdom) so i am really happy to be able to eat them again now! plus way loves to watch me rinse them. he likes the part where i swirl them around in the glass jar. sprouts really are easy, cheap and seasonal vitamin rich food.
Tuesday - less power drawn, more power saved
today i will walk around and see just how many CFL bulbs we aren't yet using. we use a lot of dimmers in our regular lights, which DOES save power, but i'll bet there are a few old lamps that i could update if i concentrated on it.
Wednesday - shop local, shop seasonal
http://www.chathamrealfoodcoop.net/
http://www.chathamberryfarm.com/
http://www.sustainabletable.org/shop/eatseasonal/
there is a local farm that is growing greens inside year round. (the berry farm - see link above)
we'll check them out this week. it's sort of on our way to town, just a different road.
thursday - work smarter
http://sundogsolar.net/
i contacted the local solar company. they ARE running a class about how to get into solar as a consumer and as an installer. the bummer is - the class costs $900. not a typo, nine hundred dollars. and you don't get any kind of certification for that. a bit steep, no?
so i'm looking to other avenues to get into the renewable energy field. maybe i'll email obama....
friday - pass it on
i struck out trying to get someone to come talk at playgroup about local food. the grange doesn't do this work, and their recommendation of cooperative extension didn't quite hit the nail on the head either. maybe i'll ask at the berry farm AND the co-op to see if there is a nutritionist they could recommend. OR we could do meet a farmer at playgroup. i like that idea.
saturday - play harder
http://richardlouv.com/last-child-woods
http://www.oldchathamcountrystore.com/
we walked outside every day. some days in our woods, and one day down the hill to the country store. the store was closed for most of january when the owner/operators went of vacation. (well deserved!!) we even saw our friends ryan and lee on our walk!
i learned that walking in the country in the winter is tougher than you think, since the area to walk is often filled with snow banks! i was a little smart, i waited until the major snow was gone, but i had to drag the baby stroller over one big snow bank to get out from behind the guard rail by wemples. we must have been a sight...
sunday - enjoy family
we had a nice day at home yesterday after getting home from visiting syracuse. the chickens were happy to see me. we set up the old fish tank and will get some goldfish for the children to watch. they are in love with looking at the empty tank this morning. it has plastic plants and bubbles right now. it is a fun project to take care of together, and maybe in the spring, the goldfish can live in a tank outside. we'll see!
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
one small change part 2
I feel very, very lucky to live in a little slice of heaven in the country. A place where we have sweet well water to drink and fresh air to breathe.
I want to do what i can to help keep the place tidy for the little kids who live in this house, town, county, state, country and planet.
I am part of the Avaaz community and the 100 months list. While i may not agree with every point those two organizations make, i do feel like i am a part of a large movement to get beyond politics to try and fix what we humans have done to our world, as well as maintain the good that is out there.
http://www.avaaz.org/en/
http://www.onehundredmonths.org/
So as my January mission to make "one small change", i pledge to do 7 small changes, one for each day of the week. I have been using most of these changes for awhile, but it's great to have a challenge hanging over ones head to not cheat and keep it up! It's much better than a 'new years resolution' to do more.
Meat Free Mondays
http://www.supportmfm.org/
It sure doesn't hurt to have a Beatle supporting your cause. Check out Sir Paul's song! Many people are unaware that livestock production is responsible for 18% of global greenhouse gas emissions – that’s more than the entire transport sector. So just by eating vegetarian meals one day a week can help save the world? We are in!
Yesterday we had fresh eggs from the backyard chickens for breakfast, toasted cheese and hummus sandwiches for lunch, and red beans with rice, organic green salad and homegrown sprouts. Not much of a burden! That was a pretty tasty day of eating!
Tuesday - less power drawn, more power saved
I just went around the house unplugging things, and shutting lights off.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/10/21/save-energy-by-unplugging_n_136625.html
I like thinking that i am a one woman energy vampire slayer.
This week, I will put my coffee in a thermos after it's brewed. I bet the coffee will be better, having not been scorched, and we save a little bit more energy.
Wednesday - shop local, shop seasonal
http://www.chathamrealfoodcoop.net/
http://www.sustainabletable.org/shop/eatseasonal/
The shop local thing is a no brainer. the less distance the food travels, the more nutrients are preserved in it, and the less gas it took to get to me. and me to buy it! so - wednesday is shopping day, as the co-op is open.
the eat seasonal thing is a newer concept to me, and it is a strategy that makes sense. eat what is in season, and your body craves bad stuff less.
we are still eating our 50 pound bag of potatoes from our favorite local farmers, Donna and Stanley Staron. I resolve to buy MORE local produce at our coop, and less at the supermarket, which 'imports' more produce from outside our area.
thursday - work smarter
how can i stay home with these two little kids? should i continue trying to build up a home business? or should i really go for it and become a solar installer?
I contacted our closest solar company in town, and they have invited me to come by to chat over my questions about solar.
http://sundogsolar.net/
friday - pass it on
how can i get other people involved? is environmentalism still seen as the realm of wacky tree-hugging folks? or has it become mainstream enough to get people to work together? congress sure isn't, but does that really surprise us? Have i learned anything of value to other people, that i could pass it on? How does one do that in this media and information saturated society?
saturday - play harder
http://richardlouv.com/last-child-woods
this book made a profound impact on how i want to raise my kids. i just assumed they would get outside to play, as we are lucky enough to have access to a super great backyard. how can i get other kids hooked on fresh air? more outside play dates!! and finding or starting a kids in the woods club?
sunday - enjoy family
the whole reason for working for a better world. just be.
I want to do what i can to help keep the place tidy for the little kids who live in this house, town, county, state, country and planet.
I am part of the Avaaz community and the 100 months list. While i may not agree with every point those two organizations make, i do feel like i am a part of a large movement to get beyond politics to try and fix what we humans have done to our world, as well as maintain the good that is out there.
http://www.avaaz.org/en/
http://www.onehundredmonths.org/
So as my January mission to make "one small change", i pledge to do 7 small changes, one for each day of the week. I have been using most of these changes for awhile, but it's great to have a challenge hanging over ones head to not cheat and keep it up! It's much better than a 'new years resolution' to do more.
Meat Free Mondays
http://www.supportmfm.org/
It sure doesn't hurt to have a Beatle supporting your cause. Check out Sir Paul's song! Many people are unaware that livestock production is responsible for 18% of global greenhouse gas emissions – that’s more than the entire transport sector. So just by eating vegetarian meals one day a week can help save the world? We are in!
Yesterday we had fresh eggs from the backyard chickens for breakfast, toasted cheese and hummus sandwiches for lunch, and red beans with rice, organic green salad and homegrown sprouts. Not much of a burden! That was a pretty tasty day of eating!
Tuesday - less power drawn, more power saved
I just went around the house unplugging things, and shutting lights off.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/10/21/save-energy-by-unplugging_n_136625.html
I like thinking that i am a one woman energy vampire slayer.
This week, I will put my coffee in a thermos after it's brewed. I bet the coffee will be better, having not been scorched, and we save a little bit more energy.
Wednesday - shop local, shop seasonal
http://www.chathamrealfoodcoop.net/
http://www.sustainabletable.org/shop/eatseasonal/
The shop local thing is a no brainer. the less distance the food travels, the more nutrients are preserved in it, and the less gas it took to get to me. and me to buy it! so - wednesday is shopping day, as the co-op is open.
the eat seasonal thing is a newer concept to me, and it is a strategy that makes sense. eat what is in season, and your body craves bad stuff less.
we are still eating our 50 pound bag of potatoes from our favorite local farmers, Donna and Stanley Staron. I resolve to buy MORE local produce at our coop, and less at the supermarket, which 'imports' more produce from outside our area.
thursday - work smarter
how can i stay home with these two little kids? should i continue trying to build up a home business? or should i really go for it and become a solar installer?
I contacted our closest solar company in town, and they have invited me to come by to chat over my questions about solar.
http://sundogsolar.net/
friday - pass it on
how can i get other people involved? is environmentalism still seen as the realm of wacky tree-hugging folks? or has it become mainstream enough to get people to work together? congress sure isn't, but does that really surprise us? Have i learned anything of value to other people, that i could pass it on? How does one do that in this media and information saturated society?
saturday - play harder
http://richardlouv.com/last-child-woods
this book made a profound impact on how i want to raise my kids. i just assumed they would get outside to play, as we are lucky enough to have access to a super great backyard. how can i get other kids hooked on fresh air? more outside play dates!! and finding or starting a kids in the woods club?
sunday - enjoy family
the whole reason for working for a better world. just be.
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
one small change
http://hipmountainmamablog.com/one-small-change/
so i have been thinking more and more about making some changes to do my little part to save the planet for my wee ones. it really makes me more aware when i look at their little faces.
and maybe i could win a prize? sweet! game on!
so i have been thinking more and more about making some changes to do my little part to save the planet for my wee ones. it really makes me more aware when i look at their little faces.
and maybe i could win a prize? sweet! game on!
playgroup!
i think the little ones want to go to playgroup today.
it's in a really great building in downtown chatham.
the morris memorial building is a late victorian brick building with an old gym, game rooms, (retired) bowling alley, running track, and large meeting rooms, one of which is the site for the chatham playgroup.
i better get them dressed if we are going.
afterwards, we'll probably go to agway and get birdseed and start looking at spring gardening ideas. and of course visit waylon's favorite cat. "fat cat" is the agway mouse catcher. she a chunk. plus she thinks she should sit on you if you croutch down to look at a lower shelf.
maybe the supermarket, if i am feeling daring. imagine two tired kids staying happy while sitting through the supermarket. i hope we make it out without another temper tantrum. oh well. i guess that's the age.
the thing that makes me happy is that we may see sun and temps above freezing this week. joy!
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
beer
brewing up my second batch of beer today.
it's a lot easier than the first batch. i feel a bit more confident this time. i did spill a little on the stove, but that needs a big clean anyway!
the wort (the first soupy stew of the brewing process) is sitting out on the screen porch cooling.
next it all goes into the fermenter tank, i add water, measure the OG (original gravity) or level of dissolved sugar, seal it up with a bubbling airlock and shove it under the desk for a few days.
i call my endeavor "the under the desk brewing company"
the first batch, 'soltice brown', is all gone. i was kind of surprised how quick that went. but then i remembered we did have a bunch of people here over Christmas who did help drink it. and it did last more than two weeks.
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