1. Plant Something- Well, kind of... K8's class is studying 'growing things' in science and have been learning about plant life. He is really enjoying it. He came home with a spider plant baby which we potted up and then one day last week he came home with a pre-soaked lima bean which he wanted to plant. So we found the seed starting mix in the closet and planted it into a cup. It's down under the grow lights with my lettuce. It isn't up yet, I just hope it isn't too cool down there for it.
2. Harvest something- we picked a jalapeno pepper off our big potted plant and added it into the chili that I made this week. That was the last pepper on the plant but it now has little flower buds on it!
3. Preserve something- Not that I can think of.
4. Store something- Picked up a bag of sugar at the store this afternoon. It wasn't on my list but they were having it on sale. A good thing since V brought up the last of my stash from the basement this morning. I also picked up a couple of bags of mini chocolate chips since the boys like them in their waffles.
5. Manage reserves- used sugar from stores in basement and then replaced. Ate almost entirely from stores this week. I discovered that my last butternut squash is starting to get a soft spot at the stem end to I'll need to figure that into the meals this week.
6. Cook something new- Not really. I did try a new waffle recipe this morning- I'm still trying to find one that I really like. We've been trying a different one each weekend and making extras for breakfasts for the week. The one I tried to day was OK.
7. Prep something- Ummm... No. I don't think so this week.
8. Reduce waste- used cloth bags, recycled and composted as usual. I need to reprogram the thermostat so it keeps it at warmer temp than 60 during the day. It doesn't get reset in the morning, then V gets cold and cranks the heat to 68. So much for the Freeze Yer Buns challenge.
9. Learn a new skill- Not necessarily a new skill but I've been researching how to grow broccoli. It's something I've never done before and I want to make sure I get it right.
10. Work on Community Food Security- Not really, waiting for my seeds to arrive. I saw a request on Craigslist for someone looking for heirloom seeds. I may respond. I'm sure we will have more than we need and would be willing to share the cost.
11. Regenerate what is lost- I never know quite how to handle this one. I guess in relationships we spent time with our friend Mike who we haven't seen in a year.
12. Behavior change- Procrastination is my enemy! But I did sit down with the calendar and figure out my planting dates. Last year I started my tomatoes too late and they were really small when I planted them out. I'm going to do better this year! I have been putting off starting an exercise program and I can really tell- especially since V has been off work and giving me rides to work when it's been cold. I NEED to get onto that. And I am going to go reprogram the thermostat right now!
I have made myself a really long list of things to get done in order to make the next couple of months go more quickly. I am so done with winter.
ReplyDeleteThis is a recipe for waffles that I made for a Dark Days challenge meal, maybe it'd be worth a shot?
ReplyDelete1 cup flour (mix grains as you like, cornmeal also works)
1/2 Tbsp baking powder
1/2 Tbsp egg replacer
1/2 Tbsp sweetener of choice, I use local honey
1 1/4 cup water
1/4 cup plain yogurt
I combined the dry, then mixed in the wet ingredients, leaving in some lumps. Pour into wafflemaker and finish as directed per the model instructions. I like mine crispy! This recipe makes about 4 or 5 waffles. They are not really sweet by any means, just pleasantly nutty with a bit of sweetness in the background.
You could of course add mix-ins in season like berries, etc, but I use a basic batter so each waffle can be different in the batch by adding toppings. For the challenge meal, I did cranberry preserves on the side for dipping.
On learning - if you find good broco tips, let me know - last year I tried a fall planting that came up, then just kind of went into stasis on Oct - not freezing, not dying, just, well, halting. Weird. I'd love to know what happened....
Thank you for the kind comments. They really do help. I hope your husband finds work soon!
ReplyDeleteStephany- I've also had quite enough of winter for the year.
ReplyDeleteLocalzone- Thanks. I'll have to give this one a try. They sound good. I saw a recipe for cornmeal waffles that may be on next weekend's agenda as well.
Jen- I hope all goes well with your husband's job as well.
Enjoyed your update of the independence challenge. We grow brocolli every year but this will be a first for putting any up. I plan to freeze some and dry some.
ReplyDelete