2013 word of the year

I've been pondering my goals for the year.  I've managed to boil it all down to one word:

CHALLENGE

This is the year I hope to really challenge myself.  

First, this is the year that Justine and I will do Run for Your Lives- the 5K obstacle course complete with zombies- so it will be a challenge for me to get into good enough shape to be successful at this.

Then, I've got the challenge to complete a number of items in time for a March photo shoot and for an April launch of my new business.  I'll be spending quite a bit of quality time with my sewing machine in the next few months.

There is always the challenge of maintaining the garden, made more complicated this year by trying to find a new balance between gardening, sewing, training for a 5K and all the rest of the things I do.  I feel that will be the major challenge of the year... finding balance.  I will need to learn to be much more cautious with how I spend my time.  But I do realize that I also need to have some down-time in there, as well as family time (which I will not give up!).

So, 2013 will be an interesting year.  I hope I'm up to it. I'll be relying on all of you to keep me in line and on track.

12 for 12

Happy New Year to all!

I hope this year has found everyone warm and healthy.  So far for us 2012 has been WINDY!  We've had 20-30 mph winds all day with even higher gusts.  I was out giving the chickens some scratch grains and watching shingles blow off the barn roof.  It has been slowly decomposing since we moved in but this is definitely doing a number on it.  But, I'm not complaining.  We've got the winds for a blizzard but not the snow!  And it has been hovering just above freezing all day.

I promised a look at my goals and dreams for next year.  Oh, I started off doing my usual goal list.  Categories for work, home, garden and personal.  But then, I saw this post by Gina that inspired me to do something a little different.
I always liked the Independence Days Challenge when it was going on, keeping regular tabs in various categories on how I'm doing.  So, after a little tweaking and contemplation, I give you my version of 12 for 12.
In order to make positive change in life, I need to take action.  So, I have come up with a list of 12 verbs that I want to use to transform my life in positive ways.  I'm hoping to be able to incorporate each verb into my life in some way every month.  I'm planning to do a monthly update to track my progress.
Here are my verbs/categories and a little explanation of each (in no particularly significant order):
Create:  To use my brain and skills to make something unique.  To build or construct things.
Dream:  Looking to the future, realistic or not.  To stretch myself in new ways.  Tackling new challenges.
Organize:  I'm not the most organized person in the world (I think I need some lessons from Erin!) so I hope to get my act together a bit more.
Love:  enough said.
Complete:  To finish something large or small... I've got lots of UFOs (UnFinished objects) around the house.
Play:  to have fun- engage with the children or V or anyone else, just for pure pleasure.
Nourish:  both body and soul.  Probably here I'll focus mostly on food and real cooking.
Nurture: myself, others, the land- the possibilities are endless.
Budget:  time, energy and finances
Learn:  whether it's continuing education for work or picking up a new-to-me farm/home skill.
Move:  most likely exercise related- I do really need to get in better shape.
Plan/Prepare:  I couldn't decide which word I liked best but they go together.  Looking to the future and being ready for what may come, good or bad is something I let slip in the last year.

So, there you have it.  I'm hoping it will work for me.  We'll see how it goes.  I'm kind of excited by the possibilities it brings.  Play along if you want.
All in all, 2011 wasn't terrible but I'm not sorry to see it go, there were way too many stressful times.  2012, I know, will have it's share of troubles, but I hope that I'm up to the challenge.

Thanks for coming along for the ride for another year!

Then and Now- Part 7

Looking ahead
I guess I shouldn't really call this then and now since I'm going to talk about some of my dreams for the future and some of the plans as we know it.
The big stuff in the house is mainly done.  Oh, we want to eventually replace the windows for some that are more efficient and in better shape.  Along those lines, I would like to replace the siding on the house as well but that isn't pressing.  Someday we would like to add on a solarium addition onto the southeast corner of the house. This would include a fireplace or wood stove and in my dreams, a hot tub (definitely quite, quite low on the 'green' scale but an indulgence for our mental and physical health).   This area would also allow me to have some potted citrus trees and maybe a fig.
More immediate plans call for the addition of more outdoor living spaces.  We have planned an extension of the deck that will wrap entirely around the addition.  We will replace the west window in the upstairs room in the addition with a door.  Off that deck, we will add a patio between the house and J16's goth garden.  I planted a climbing rose that will grow over an arch as the entrance of the garden.  We will also add another patio area with a fire pit near the south end of the shop, close to the herb/flower garden. We already have the pavers for both of these patios. We purchased them at the end of the summer last year when a local home store was having end of the season sales and they have been stacked until we can get them installed.
The herb/flower garden is in the process of being installed.  The backbone of this bed will be the manchurian apricots and bush cherries I planted last year.  This is also the area where the cranberries will be planted (if it ever stops raining!!)  These will be filled in with a variety of herbs/flowers and I hope to add a bird bath- not necessarily for the birds- but to provide a water source for the bees I'm planning to get. The herb spiral will be near this patio although I still plan to have a bunch of kitchen herbs right off the porch so I can reach them without getting wet if needed.
As far as homesteady additions, we've got chicks and desperately need to get the coop built.  However, it keeps raining.  AAARGH!!   On Monday I'll be attending a bee keeping class presented by none other than Zan Asha of The Renegade Farmer,  a bee keeper extraordinaire from the Bronx. We're moving slowly and deliberately and I've got a rule of only one new species a year.  So this year it is chickens and next spring I plan to add a hive of bees.  I'm hoping to get the hive this fall/winter so I have time to get everything set and learn more before spring when it is time to get bees installed.
Longer term, V hopes to convert our little barn into a passive solar guest house/studio.   He wants a place to make and record music and I would love to have a larger space for quilting.  And it would be nice to have an extra space for guests. With a composting toilet and grey water reclamation system.
My ultimate dream, which may or may not be able to become reality, is to become a small, organic market farm or possibly a small CSA.  Like I said, probably not reality, but, hey, a girl's gotta dream, right?  That would involve probably quitting my job and taking a huge leap of faith.  Oh, and conning everyone else into it as well.  But, we've got a great location and, hopefully the motivation for it.  We'll see... that is many moons down the road.
We've got to work on getting this place under better control and more able to support ourselves before we expand it.  Of course, with me working full time at the moment things are challenging, especially since V is also working, although from home.  I am hoping to be able to cut my hours down to 90%- hopefully by the end of the summer.  If it weren't for college tuition coming up in the future, I'd go to 80% but that would make things a bit more interesting than I am comfortable with at the moment.
Here's looking to the next two years and beyond.
Tomorrow, I'll announce the winners for the giveaway.  Good luck to all.

Looking ahead

I've been looking ahead for the new year, thinking about what I want to accomplish.  I've got a tentative list going.  I'll share it here but I'm sure I will add to it as the year goes on.

House/Garden:

• Kitchen Remodel (scheduled for March- oh what fun we will have on Spring Break this year!)
• Finish Upstairs Bath- we need to wait until it is warm enough to cut tile outside with the tile saw (water cooled blade)
• Complete the deck- phase 2 is planned we just need to do it.
• Construct herb spiral - this got postponed from last year due to late septic construction.
• Build 3 bin composter
• Build greenhouse

Personal/Health

• Exercise for 30 minutes 5x week.
• at least 30 minutes of "me time" each week for crafting, dreaming, etc.
• Visit my parents at least once a month- they aren't getting any younger and we were so busy last year...
• Learn a new skill
• Work on cutting my work hours to 90%.

Domestic matters

• Set up new chore rotation for the children
• Aim for 2 vegetarian meals/week.  This means getting more creative so boys will eat them.
• Try for some local components at every meal.  I've tried putting percentages of food and I've tried to focus on specific local meals in the past. I've had trouble with those.  But, I think if I try to incorporate local foods into every meal... That will be easier.  We'll see how it goes.  I'm not expecting to be able to do every meal,  Breakfast is often just cereal and coffee (although Quaker Oats is "local"- we don't eat a lot of their stuff)
• Keep up the usual R's- Reduce, reuse, repurpose, recycle.

Like I said, I'll most likely be adding/modifying these as the year progresses.  I'll have to try to remember to post updates on how I'm doing- if only to keep me honest!

How did I do?

 I promised a goal update for my 2010 goal list.  Some things I did well, others- not so much.
But, here goes:

Home/house goals:

• Sand North wall in the kitchen and paint--  Not done- but we are planning to do the whole kitchen remodel in March- we'll do all the mess at once!
• Finish kitchen island-- see above
• Finish work on upstairs bathroom-- Not done (sigh....)
• Plan and begin construction on deck-- DONE- phase one is complete, we'll continue next summer
• Sort closet and donate clothes to Goodwill-  DONE
• SELL HOUSE IN TOWN!!!-- DONE, DONE and DONE!!!!!  Can it really be just this year that we sold it?  Wow....
• Replace septic system --DONE

Garden/land goals:

• Complete raised beds -- One done for the strawberries
• Construct herb spiral-- Not Done- the septic didn't get done in time for this.
• Draw master permaculture plan- Ongoing
• Plant apple trees- DONE and a pear tree
• Plant apricot and/or cherry trees-- DONE- well. actually, bush apricots and cherries
• Replant strawberries into raised bed--  DONE
• Add another blueberry bush or two-- DONE
• Remove fence between yard and meadow-- DONE
• Build three bin compost pile-  Not done

Personal goals:

• Once again, get in better shape.-- NOPE- I just recently started really giving this some attention
• Learn a new skill or two. OK, I'll confess- this is the knitting goal again- NOPE- I didn't make the time for knitting- but I did learn lots of other skills.
• Complete CEUs. - DONE- my license for the state is done but I have National certification to renew in January.
• Spend more quality time with V. --Actually, we did pretty well.

Food production/security:  At least 2 local meals a week.-- We didn't do too bad at this one-  It was easier in the summer but with more local meat in the freezer makes it easier.  I need to be more conscious of making meals more local but probably some portion of just about every meal is local.

Try our hand at making wine.--This one wasn't a firm goal- good thing because it didn't happen.  

The three R's: I want to continue to repurpose and recycle as much as we can.-- Yup, we are still being quite frugal and try to be responsible in our purchases.

I also had a goal to complete one quilt- yeah, that didn't happen this year.  Oh well, it gives me something to aspire to for next year.

We were extremely busy this year and there were many, many more things we got done this year that weren't actual goals.  The basement is nearly finished- part of the reason the upstairs didn't get done.  The upstairs, while not completely finished, is livable while the basement wasn't.  So, I think that counts.  All in all, not a bad year.

Now to put on my thinking cap for next year.  Hmmm... Kitchen plans are definitely on the table...

I'm still here

Just been busy.  Wrapping up the end of the year.  I guess I'll have to go over all of my goals for 2010 some time soon.  I know there are some I met and some I didn't, some that have been put on hold or altered in some way.  Maybe tomorrow or Friday.  I've got Friday off for the new year's holiday.
My other excuse for not posting here is that I've started a new blog. This one is closed to everyone for now but I may eventually open it to selected readers.  Right now it is sort of a personal log.  Let me explain....
I have spent the past few days feeling rather pathetic.  I know I'm overweight and out of shape. my blood pressure is up and I need to do something different with my life and health- I've known this for a while.  So, for Christmas, I asked, and V got me, an elliptical machine (AKA the torture device).  I was appalled at how out of shape I was and how hard it was for me to do even a few minutes. So, I have begun, in earnest to make some changes in my life, weight and health.  Hence the new blog to use as a record that I can go back to and see where I've been.  I will eventually need some cheerleaders (otherwise known as people to keep me accountable).  I've already found one.  C, a therapist who works for us occasionally when she is on break from her university teaching position, is also wanting to make some changes in her life.  So, last night we had a workout challenge.  We're hoping to keep it up even when she goes back to her real job.
So, this week I've been working, doing the usual household tasks and embarrassing myself with my 'out-of-shapeness'.
On a brighter note- the seed catalogues have been coming in fast and furious.  Too... many... choices... not... enough...time.....
And, after talking to my immediate supervisor, I have to write a proposal about wanting to go to 90%.  I have to detail how I see this working and the impact it will have on patient care.  I've got the option to do half a day every week or a full day every other week.  While time every week would be nice, I'm leaning to the every other week option simply because of travel time to and from work.  With the bus trips, I spend probably an hour and a half commuting every day.  And, I'm thinking that with a full day off, I would be more likely to be able to get larger projects accomplished.  Still, I would LOVE to go to 80% but I know that financially that would never work with as tenuous as V's work situation is.  Freelancing is definitely NOT that profitable- at least not when he's just establishing himself out there...  And, we have to remember that J16 will be a senior in high school next year and is beginning to look at colleges.  sigh....  I'm going to be working until I drop.
Again, I'll try to post a goal update later this week, and I need to start thinking about my goals for 2011.

I don't feel productive.

It seems like it has been a really long week. And it's only Monday. That's the problem with working 6 days in a row. It just makes things seem LONG. But, on a brighter note, this means that I've got a 4 day weekend coming up. WOOT! Of course, we have plans so I won't have much down time but at least I don't have to go to work. And we're planning some fun stuff. Friday the children all still have school but V and I will be home. Hopefully we can get some projects done or at least progress made. One of my goals is to sort my closet this weekend- we'll see if that actually happens. Saturday will be busy. V and J16 have Tae Kwon Do and Kum Do in the morning, there is the farmer's market and then I13 is having a friend come over in the afternoon... A GIRL!!!! Ack. It's bad enough having one interested in the opposite sex, I'm just not sure I'm ready for two. Evidently they have been talking about video games and I13 asked her if she would like to come over and play. And she said yes! Oh how quickly they grow up.

But the highlight of the weekend will be Sunday. We are planning to go to Mt Pleasant to the Midwest Old Threshers and Settlers Reunion. This is an annual event that we have been to multiple times. I've been going since I was a child since my grandfather and then my father were exhibitors of antique tractors. It is SO much fun to watch the old steam tractors in the cavalcade of power every day at noon. They parade around the grounds and every steam engine blows its whistle at noon. They also have teams of draft horses, demonstrations of threshing, veneer making, sorghum making, a blacksmith... you name it... if it was done by the early settlers it's probably done somewhere there. The children love it. It's nice to see them excited about looking at museums of "old time" tools and washboards and (not too) graphic descriptions of hog butchering. They also have a buckskinners camp and last year they had Dexter cattle and goats. I'll be sure to take lots of pictures- I usually do.

Monday- we don't have plans but I'm sure things will be busy around here.

But, it is another Monday and I usually do my Independence Days update. Here goes:

1. Plant something- nope

2. Harvest something- tomatoes (not too many), eggplant, hot peppers, pattypan squash, cucumbers, herbs. I noticed this evening when I was out that I'll have to harvest and process the edamame tomorrow. It was getting too late to start.

3. Preserve something- hmm, not much. Made some refrigerator pickles but that's about it. Things have slowed down enough (except for cucumbers) that we have been able to eat what's coming out of the garden. Well, except for the peppers- we could probably eat hot peppers every day for the next two weeks and still have plenty. I'm waiting for a few more to ripen then I'm going to start drying them.

4. Waste not- nothing out of the ordinary. More repurposing, as usual.

5. Want not- Not much going on here. I've been too busy to do much.

6. Community food- hmm, I didn't get to the farmer's market last weekend and haven't been much of anywhere recently.

7. Eat the food- we're not doing too bad here. Things are starting to get back into the crazy busy evenings with activities for the children starting up again now that school is back in session. I've been pretty lax over meal planning over the summer but V and I were talking this evening that we need to get back into the swing of things and get organized again so we don't end up resorting to convenient junk.

So, my goals for the week- a) plan the menu, b) finish the laundry that didn't get done because I worked the weekend, c) sort my closet (or at least part), d) pick and process edamame, e) register J16 and I for our bellydancing class. Oh, all that and having events for the children both Tuesday and Wednesday. Our class will begin in a few weeks on Thursday evenings so that will make three nights that we need to be places right after dinner. sigh. And so it begins....

Engineering

We met with the engineer this afternoon about the new septic system. We have the plan in hand and can now contact the guys who will install it. Woo Hoo, it is finally underway! It can't happen soon enough for my liking. Not only is the old system slowly failing (I'm hoping we get it replaced prior to catastrophic failure) but I have plans for the yard that I can't start until we are finished with heavy earth moving equipment. I found out that we can plant anything but shrubs on top of the sand filter and when I told her I was thinking native wildflowers and herbs she said that was perfect because it wouldn't be something we would be driving the tractor over to mow. I also found out that the "wetland" won't necessarily be a wetland. I can plant anything I want there (again, except shrubs or things with invasive roots- or edibles!) It will essentially just be a very consistently moist area of the property. She suggested iris, which is great since I desperately need to find a home for the iris that are by the house where we want to relocate the deck. So, good news on that front.

I also got my little shrubs today. Another reason we need to get the septic done. I have 3 bush cherries and 2 manchurian apricots that will be planted near the old fence line to provide a screen between the highway view and the outdoor living area we are planning. I figured that if I wanted a screen of bushes, I may as well make them edible! J15 helped me plant them into big pots that we have- left overs from patio gardening in town. But, they won't be able to live in those pots forever.

J15 and I also had a meeting this evening at church since we are both on the social justice committee. We are planning a plant sale for Mother's day as a fundraiser for our local Crisis Center. Hurrah, an outlet for all my extra plants! Otherwise I'll be planting 50 tomato plants again this year since I can't stand to just get rid of them. I hope that heirloom tomatoes and peppers will sell well as well as a few eggplant (I don't need 10 plants). I may also donate some of my wildflowers and herb plants. I'm not sure how many anise hyssop plants I need but I think I've got about 7 or 8! And as many bee balm and echinacea. And that's not even starting on the flowers for J15's goth garden.

But, I didn't get any work done on the raised bed- but I think I'm about ready to try to set the blocks to see how much more I need to dig to get it level. It is a real pain trying to set it partially into a hillside and still keep it straight. Maybe tomorrow night. But I'm definitely progressing toward some of the goals for the year. Some have even been met!

It was time...

For this...

to become this!

Last fall Mom gave us a huge Hubbard squash that has been sitting down in the basement all winter. Today, I cooked it. YUM!! It made probably 4 quarts of squash puree. I'll most likely have to freeze some but I'm seeing squash soup in the near future. Mmmm..

After the snow of yesterday, today was a beautiful day. A great day to work outside getting started on one of my goals for the year: removing the fence that separates the yard from the meadow. First, I really dislike that old fence and it is made from treated timbers that I'd rather not have around. Also, we will be having the septic system replaced this spring and the fence has to be removed before that can happen so the septic guys can get their equipment in and so they can run the new leach field lines out into the meadow. I need to ask them what we can plant over the leach field but I'm hoping to plant wildflowers and my "tea garden" over the leach field. That would keep down the mower traffic and would look fabulous.

V twisted his knee yesterday as he and the boys were moving a log from a tree that he had cut down a while ago. So, he sat on the bench and supervised (and manned the camera) while the rest of us worked.

J15 and I taking out the top row of timbers.

Then the boys wanted to help!

Taking the "rabbit fence" from the lower part of the fence.

It never deterred the rabbits!

Boys and sledgehammers!!

Getting there- an unobstructed view.

Removing the fence is the first step of our permaculture plan. We got about half of it removed today except for the uprights. Now, what to do with old treated timbers. Definitely NOT raised beds. They're all about 6 feet long but not in very good shape.

Another goal

See, I said my master list would be a work in progress. I realized today something else that I would like to do this year.

I got home tonight and was going through my mail. There, along with the Seed Saver's Exchange catalogue (ahhh, more garden porn!) was a flier for a free issue of a quilting magazine. sigh. Up until a few years ago, I got several quilting mags and made on numerous quilts. It has been a while since I quilted. Life seems to have gotten in the way. So this year, I want to try to finish at least one quilt. Yet another goal. Of course, this depends on whether or not we get my sewing room finished. You see, I'm supposed to be getting a room in the basement that is to be my sewing room and the spare bedroom- a queen sized futon is excellent for laying out quilt blocks! However, it is only partially framed at the moment- hence the sigh. I have a beautiful queen sized quilt that I have all done but for one block, then I just need to do the sashing and borders. It has been unfinished for about 2 years but is supposed to be for V and my bed. I know exactly where it is packed and I have the backing fabric, batting and everything. I just need to have time and a place to work. I also have several other tops finished and a quilt for J15 that is done except for the binding. Why haven't I finished them? I don't know- like I said, life has gotten in the way and I've been distracted

But, that is my additional goal for the year- to finish at least one quilt.

It's been incredibly cold here, much colder than normal. We have made one decision, though. We need a new thermometer! We never had one outside while we were in town- well, we had one but it disappeared one night- and the only one we have here is one that the previous owners left nailed to one of the porch posts. It has several problems. First, it is small and impossible to see from inside. But an even bigger problem- the lowest it reads is 0!!! And it has been much colder than that recently. Brrr!

Happy 2010

What are you doing to me!!??

Ticket wasn't too sure about the New Year's Eve celebration last night. The noisemakers and party hats were a bit much for him, poor guy. We spent a quiet evening at home, watching a Three Stooges marathon. It's great to hear the children giggling so loudly.

Another year is behind us and the new year opens up before us like an empty book, waiting for us to write the story of our lives in it's pages. The past year has had it's ups and downs and I'm looking forward to continuing work toward our dreams here on this little piece of land that we have.

I've been giving lots of thoughts to what I want to accomplish in the year (and decade) ahead. I've got some goals for the coming year, some broader and more vague but most very specific. So the format will be a bit different than last year. I bet you're dying to hear what I've got in mind for 2010, aren't you? Here goes:

Home/house goals:

• Sand North wall in the kitchen and paint
• Finish kitchen island (V's mother sent us a gift card that we are to use for the countertop!)
• Finish work on upstairs bathroom
• Plan and begin construction on deck
• Sort closet and donate clothes to Goodwill
• SELL HOUSE IN TOWN!!!
• Replace septic system (dependent on selling house)

Garden/land goals:

• Complete raised beds (at least 2)
• Construct herb spiral(s)
• Draw master permaculture plan
• Plant apple trees
• Plant apricot and/or cherry trees
• Replant strawberries into raised bed
• Add another blueberry bush or two
• Remove fence between yard and meadow
• Build three bin compost pile

Personal goals:

• Once again, get in better shape. This isn't as much about weight as it is about health. While I've always been in pretty good health, my parents both have trouble with blood pressure and the extra weight I'm carrying has been causing mine to creep up. That NEEDS to change.
• Learn a new skill or two. OK, I'll confess- this is the knitting goal again- and this time I'm going to make it happen.
• Complete CEUs. My professional license is due for renewal in June. With the craziness of the last year, I really need to get going to complete all my continuing education for that.
• Spend more quality time with V. We have been so busy and working so hard that it seems like most times we have a chance to sit down on the couch together one or both of us fall asleep. I'd like to have more focus on our relationship. We went through really tough times a few years ago, mainly because we didn't communicate well with each other and I don't want to fall back into old habits.

Food production/security: I'd like to aim for the 50% home or locally produced goal again but I found that it was so hard to determine that percentage. I think that rather than aim for an overall percentage that is hard to gauge, I'm going to go for at least 2 local meals a week.

The other thing I'd like to do is try our hand at making wine. We tend to drink quite a bit of wine and, while we have made some in the past, it is something that we haven't done for years. Maybe now that we have more space we'll need to get back into that. But not a firm goal for this one.

The three R's: I want to continue to repurpose and recycle as much as we can. We still need to be aware of our purchases and be more deliberate about where our limited finances are going.

I'm sure this master list will be morphed over the year. I've got it typed into my ipod so I can keep modifying it as I go.

What do you think? Am I being reasonable with myself this year?

And what goals do you have for 2010?

The year in review- 2009

It's almost New Year's Eve! EEEK! Where did the year go? It seems like just last week that I was setting goals for the year, now it's time to take stock of my progress and think about what I want to accomplish next year.

This has been a HUGE year for us. So much has happened and our lives have changed, for the better, I think. But how did I do on the goals I set last January? Let's see:

1- Food production- plant, weed and harvest a garden. Well, it was planted and harvested but the weeds were an issue this year. The combination of having no time and the unusually wet weather sabotaged my efforts to keep up with the weeds- but all in all- I didn't do too bad. The fact that this was the first time this land had ever been worked was definitely NOT in my favor on the weed front.

2. Food security- I had hoped to reach 50% of our food produced at home or locally grown. I don't think I made this one. We still do a much better job of eating locally than many around here do but I'd like to do better. We're probably at about 30% for local foods but honestly, things have been so crazy this year that this is one area I let slide.

3. Home Front- find and purchase our acreage. This one is a big definite accomplishment. There are still days that we wonder if we bit off more than we can chew with this house and how much work it needs but we keep plugging along. Having our own land is such a sense of security, now we're looking at the overall plan for developing it to it's fullest potential.

4. Health- Well, this one was hit and miss. I definitely am physically stronger than I was. Working on the house has helped that one along. I did not manage to lose any weight though, In fact, with the decrease in exercise that I'm getting since I no longer walk to work, I have put on a few pounds since we moved. grrrr...

5. Learn something new- well, I didn't learn to knit but I have learned several new skills. I can now add dry walling, tiling and framing to my list of skills. Not too bad.

6. The three R's- we have been really good about this one. We've become much more deliberate in our purchases- partly due to finances and partly due to being more conscious about it. We have also been good at reducing waste while we worked on this place. We have repurposed as much as was feasible and have scrounged many of the things we needed when we could.

All in all, not too bad of a showing for this crazy year. Now, we're looking down the barrel of a new year and a new decade. But more on my plans for the next step later.

Have a happy and safe New Year's Eve celebration. Welcome the new year.

Christmas photos

These are not in any particular order but are images from the last two days.

We had a wonderful holiday. The weather held out long enough for us to get to my parents briefly yesterday. One sister was there (from Maryland). My other sister, from Colorado didn't make it due to the storm. They opted to stay home where it was safe. My brother is in Argentina. We had a smaller Christmas than usual, partly because of economic conditions, partly because we just don't need as much stuff.

The boys each got Mythbuster's science experiment kits. K9 was experimenting with his today.

Baking soda and citric acid in water, blowing up a balloon.

It's fun.

He's a bit more apprehensive as the balloon gets bigger!

We had 2.5 inches of rain Thursday into Friday morning. The creeks were running high- but it was beautiful. It still didn't manage to wash away all of our snow.

Our tiny pond is a bit bigger than usual.

V was surprised by his big gift

And later at my parents, Dad came through with a companion gift-

Chain oil!

We did get about 4 inches of snow overnight, enough for V to really use the snowblower. My parents were pleased that we got something that we can really use with their gift.

It's one powerful machine!

My gift from V

I also got two silicone baking mats, Ethel gloves (OK, I'll confess, I got those for myself for a stocking stuffer when J15 and I discovered them on the discount rack for $5 a pair!) and a new wooden spoon. I also ended up with a video game for the XBox. In all the years that we have had it, I have played exactly one time- but I still got a game for Christmas (Assassin's Creed)- I think really because V wanted it for himself.

The boys got their science experiments, some clothes, books and a couple of video games. K got his pocketknife. J15 got earrings, an art supply organizer/box, books and a game. Even the pets got gifts, Tick got a new chew toy and the cats got a scratching post that we attached to a corner of the kitchen island where they seem to think they want to sharpen their claws.

More seed catalogs arrived today. I'm now up to 7. Fun for dreaming of the spring and making plans... I really want to do some serious permaculture on this land. We were joking around at inviting an old friend from Virginia to come visit us and give us tips. She has her own landscape design business.

We're also working on designing our new deck which we hope to build wrapping around the addition. We're in luck that my Dad has some lumber that he's willing to give us. Dad is a scrounger (I come by it naturally) and a number of years ago, when a tornado came through and took out the airplane hanger at the neighbors (he has a crop dusting service and landing strip) my Dad salvaged a bunch of lumber. He has a stack of treated 6x6 beams, the longest of which is 26 feet. That's waaay longer than we will need or will be able to transport- but we now have support posts for our deck at no cost other than transportation from my parents.

Now that the holidays are past and we are into the depths of winter, we can do some serious planning for spring/summer projects and next years goals.

Is it too cold for goals?

It's COLD!!!  I woke up this morning to -22 F outside.  Tonight is to be as cold or colder.  ENOUGH ALREADY!!!  The children are ending up with a 6 day stretch of no school.  They cancelled on Wednesday because of the 6.5 inches of snow and today and tomorrow were called off due to the extremely cold temps and Monday is a holiday.  The wind chill this morning was somewhere around -40 F.  I did make V give me a ride to and from work today.  Even I'm not that crazy! I walk when the wind chill is in the negative numbers but this cold- no way.  We had a high of -6 this afternoon.  Even the dog is reluctant to go outside and wants in quickly again. I would be fine for spring to arrive now.

But we're 15 days into the new year.  Wow! where does time go? I thought I might check in with my goals for the year.  I'm not feeling very productive so maybe this will help.

1. Food Production-  I'm meeting with Roger on Saturday afternoon to finalize the garden plans.  I have my list of what I want  to plant and  what seeds I will need. I don't want to place my order until we have had a chance to talk about it because I don't want both of us to order the same things and then end up with holes and have to find seeds at the last minute- even though we have several great local places to get seeds.  The lettuce in the basement is looking fabulous.  I'm thinking a fresh salad may be in the works this weekend.

2.  Food Security- We've been eating out of the pantry and freezer a lot recently.  We should have our half of local beef very soon (possibly the end of this week- tomorrow?!).  I do hope we get it tomorrow or Saturday- I plan to do a thorough inventory of the freezer when we're reorganizing. I have been realizing how easy it is to forget things in the freezer (How many packages of cherries do we have!!) and not using them up like we should.  V and I collected a few small dry erase boards that we have magneted to the side of the freezer on which we will keep a running tally of the contents- I hope.  My new canner lid arrived yesterday.  I plan to can some beef when it arrives, just to make sure this one works!

3. Home front- no progress here.  I noticed that a house that I called about last fall is back on Craigslist- but now it is advertised as an  estate auction of the house and land.  Oops- that may explain why the messages I left were never answered.  The auction is to be on Feb 19th with a requirement of 15% on the spot and the remainder due in March.  There is no way we could do that- especially since they are now dividing the land differently and are now auctioning the house with 40 acres.  We can't afford 40 acres of prime Iowa farm land.  Four or five- maybe even up to ten- but 40,  Nope, not at the going rate for farm land here.  Sigh.  There will be others.  The foreclosures are up here but I want to make sure we can afford something so we don't end up a foreclosure ourselves.  Hopefully V will find work but otherwise we will need a few months to see how the finances shake out on only my salary before we try anything. V also plans to use the time to tackle some of the repair/prep work on this house.  If we could find a buyer for this place that would make buying somewhere new quite doable since we no longer have a mortgage on this house.  A few years ago the owner of one of the nearby rental properties asked us if we were willing to sell- I wonder if he's still interested.

4. Health- haven't made much of a dent in this one either.  With the cold weather and V being off he has been giving me rides to work more often so I'm not even getting the exercise I am used to getting.  One positive is that I didn't gain any weight over the holidays and have actually lost a pound in the last week.  I have been trying to eliminate mindless snacking.  The grapefruit peels actually do help- I have no desire to eat anything with that much grapefruit taste in my mouth.

5.  Learn something new.  Not really- I will honestly say I haven't picked up the knitting since the holidays. I have been doing a lot of research in my garden and food storage books recently- which to some extent counts. Well, I guess I did learn something new- I made candied grapefruit peel.  That was definitely something new!

6. The 3 Rs- While not really reducing, since it was a purchase- we got a waffle iron last weekend that will eliminate our purchase of Eggo waffles for the boys for breakfast.  I remembered the cloth bags every trip to the store and we still add things to the compost pile- as frozen and snow covered as it is.  

I guess all in all, not a bad start.  But I do have a few areas in which to improve.  I just can't wait for the weather to warm up so I can get the garden started. I've figured out my seed starting dates but even they aren't until March.  (sigh) So long to wait!

Independence days- week 5

Dinner to be...

Today has been a good day.  Well, for the most part.  I11 finally succumbed to the stomach malady that we have been sharing and was up most of the night and early morning vomiting.  He is feeling much better by now and has managed to have some soup for dinner. It has now made it's rounds of all of us so we should be done with that phase of our lives.  I11 had soup-The rest of us had roast pork loin with winter veggies.  I rubbed the loin with a little bit of 'magic dust' prior to roasting it. Magic dust is a dry rub that I discovered online a while ago.  We use it for smoking ribs in the summer but a little goes a long way. I also use it on pork roasts and chicken. It adds a lovely, complex spicy flavor.  The butternut squash was the one I needed to use because it was beginning to get squishy toward the stem end. I used one of the last of our fresh onions and the first of the organic garlic that was a gift from my friend Jim (it's HUGE!!).  A little olive oil, fresh pepper, sea salt and rosemary and you have a feast.

Tomorrow is back to school and work, except for V who starts his enforced vacation.  I really hope this doesn't trigger a relapse of the depression that he struggled with in the past few years. We talked about goals for the year today on our way to Best Buy. I know- we're trying to cut down on spending and we're going to buy electronics. Well, the surge protector on the main computer system in the house finally gave up the ghost.  It is probably about 10 years old and went through lots of rough weather this year.  It isn't an expense that we anticipated but replacing it will preserve all of the other equipment plugged into it- including V's computer with the household server. This far into the year and we're already spending money we didn't want to. Grrr.

Well, on to the business at hand, Independence Days:

1. Plant something- No- Still dreaming and sifting through seed catalogues.  I did buy some seeds yesterday.  We were out and about running errands and to the grocery store.  A local store had the 2009 seed displays up already at 40% off!  I'm not sure what varieties I want to plant but I did pick up some sugar snap peas and chard seed.  Briefly talked to Roger today and we're trying to plan a time to get together to plan the garden.

2. Harvest something- Well, kind of...J, V and I each had a little 3 inch leaf of lettuce from the planter in the basement- WOW!  it was tasty. Hopefully soon we can supplement the organic Romaine I've been getting with home grown leaf lettuce. I'm not hopeful that we will ever have enough for salads for all of us from this, but it tastes SO good.

3. Preserve something- Nope.

4. Store something- No, unless you count the pound and a half of macadamia nuts from my sister that finally made their way into the fridge drawer with the other nuts.  Oh, I did get a great deal on an 18 lb. bag of red grapefruit that are now sitting in our fridge fruit drawer.  J14 and I are the only ones who eat them so they will last a while.  Definitely not local but seasonal and Oh so good.  I need to look into candying the peels.  My Dad has done that and they're really yummy.

5. Manage reserves- Brought up and ate the butternut squash that was getting squishy (see above). Still have 4 sweet potatoes that need used before they get much worse.  I have 4 apples left in the fridge from my parents.  They are the least pretty of the bunch.  I plan to dice them and cook them in sugar syrup and spices for on top of oatmeal for breakfasts.  V has discovered the spiced apples I canned this fall and has been devouring them.  I'm glad he likes them but I had hoped they would last a bit longer.  Note to self for next year- can more than 6 pints!

6. Cook something new- Not this week.  

7. Prep something- You are all going to think we're candle crazy around here (well, I am) since I've talked about stocking up on candles before-  but when V and I were out yesterday we picked up some pillar candles and tapers that were 50% off after the holidays. We like to light the oil lamps and a few candles in the evenings and can pretty much heat the downstairs with them. Since we don't have a wood stove or fireplace, they are our alternative heat source should we lose power. Not ideal, but it will keep us from freezing to death.

8. Reduce waste- composted, recycled and used cloth bags as usual.  Boxed up the ribbons, etc after the holidays and finally got them stored again. In the process, I discovered another box that I saved last year.  We won't have to buy ribbons for years!

9. Learn a new skill- Not really.  Didn't make time to work on the knitting this week.  Between holidays, illness and trying to get organized for the new year, it didn't happen.  I also have been spending too much time with the garden porn (seed catalogues).  

10. Work on Community food security- didn't do much with this one either. It was a strange week with the holiday madness.

11. Regenerate what is lost- Hmmm, not sure. I still struggle with what this category means to me.  It would be so much easier to give back when I have a chance to nurture my garden and yard.  I guess I did have a chance to work on some family relationships at my brother's party.  We had a chance to chat with my nephew and fiancee and one of my cousins and her husband. This was my first chance to meet Tim's fiancee. She is very sweet.  She is pursuing graduate work in neuroscience and is studying bee brains of all things- trying to figure out how they form working memory.  We had an interesting chat about Colony Collapse Disorder.

I will try to figure out a good time during the week or month to update my personal goals.  I'm not sure how often I want to report on them.  There is something about reporting weekly that seems to keep me more accountable but I'm not sure they are things that will go that quickly that there will be much to report. Monthly seems so far apart, I don't know.  I'll figure it out.

Hickchick asked about drying laundry in the basement so I'll post on how we do that tomorrow. I'm definitely not an expert but have been doing it for a number of years.

Peace and joy to you all.

Goals for 2009

I have never been good at new years resolutions.  In fact, I once joked that the only time I kept a resolution was when I resolved to never make resolutions again! I think part of my problem with them is, if you want to make a change in your life- do it- you don't need to wait until the beginning of a new year.  That being said, I do think the new year is a good opportunity to reflect on the old and plan for the future.

2008 was tough on us:  Job stress, changes and loss, illness, floods. I don't want to try this one again.  But it has also been a year of growth.  We started looking for an acreage last year in February but didn't have much luck finding one we could afford or that we liked.  One the land was perfect but the house needed a bulldozer, another was too far away, another had a great house but not much useable land.  Another for sale by owner house we wanted to go look at, the guy just never called us back.  But I have managed to bring V on board with the whole thing.  He was very interestedly looking through the root cellar book since that is something we decided we wanted even before we got the book.  I have been working on my food preservation skills and we made much more of a concerted effort to be sure where our food came from.

Yeah, the good and the bad.  But 2009 is a fresh start.  So much of what I want to accomplish this year is dependent of V's ability to find a new job.  That said, here are the goals for 2009:

1. Food production-  Plan, plant, weed and harvest garden.  Last year with all the flooding the weeds got out of control in a large section of the garden so we'll have to try extra hard to keep on top of it this year.  I need to make getting out to the garden more of a priority.  The biggest problem is that I have to drive a few miles to get to the garden so it turns into an expedition rather than being able to take advantage of little bits of time that I may have.

2. Food security- By the end of the year, I would like to have at least 50% of our food be either grown ourselves or locally produced.  I hope for a higher percentage but I'm going to keep it realistic.  Even 50% is better than the average person.

3. Home front-  Find and purchase our homestead acreage.  This one really depends on V's job situation.  This also entails getting our house ready to sell so V has a list of projects that he is going to work on while off work.

4.  Health-  I want to get into better physical shape.  Some of that involves shedding a few of the extra pounds I have acquired over the years but also just getting back into shape.  I do walk back and forth to work but it's easy to use that as my exercise and ignore all the other components. Being able to spend more time in the garden will help but I need to come up with an exercise plan I can stick with.

5. Learn something new-  I want to learn to knit.  I haven't been making time for it lately and I am determined that I'll figure it out.

6.  The 3 R's- I want to reduce more waste at home- both of stuff and money.  We need to be more deliberate about our purchases and decide if we REALLY need something before purchasing.

I hope these are all things I can manage in the year ahead.  They don't seem unreasonable to me.  Granted, finding the homestead will be the biggest challenge.  I'm just glad that I don't have to worry about planting my garden and then moving since we don't garden at our house anyway.

Independence days- week 4

Thanks to Matriarchy for the words of encouragement for winter beginners of Independence Days.  In some ways I am a beginner, but in other ways, I have been doing this challenge for years, just not tracking it as such.  The world of producing and storing my own food isn't new to me.  I grew up in a farming household where we grew much of our food.  The hard economic times we find ourselves in have made it more of a priority for me now. 

I have been in a funk for the past few weeks.  The holidays helped to cheer me a bit but now, with V almost out of his job and nothing new insight, the winter doldrums have begun to take their toll again.  Actually, I find the Independence days challenge helpful for making me see what I have managed to accomplish.  Matriarchy pointed out that Winter is the season of rest and planning, getting ready for the push in the spring.  This year, I will definitely be more deliberate with my gardening.  In the past, it was something that I did because I enjoyed it and loved having our own food.  Now, I fear, we will be more reliant on it for subsistence.  

I am working on my goals for 2009.  So much of what I want is dependent on V finding a job but we will plan for the contingency that he won't.  I may take a hint from Gina and organize my goals for the year Independence Day's style.  But on to the business at hand:

Little lettuces

1. Plant something- No, but have been studying my seed catalogues and the books I got for Christmas, particularly the Root Cellaring book, for ideas of what to plant this spring.  My little lettuces in the window box in the basement are doing well.  They are happier that I hung the second bank of lights and are growing nicely.

2. Harvest something- No, see above, I'm hoping that in a couple weeks we can have a few lettuce leaves.  The Christmas Jalapeno is still on the plant, I was planning to use it for our dinner party that didn't materialize.  We hope to reschedule soon and I really want to have a fresh pepper.

3. Preserve something-  Woo Hoo!!! I used my new pressure canner to can turkey and stock! 

4. Store something- picked up some chocolate on sale after Christmas to add to the stash.  We've got enough chocolate chips and baking goodies to feed a small army.

5. Manage Reserves- Working to use the oatmeal from the freezer.  Cooked one of our bargain turkeys (one to go).

6. Cook something new- not really, although pressure canning is kind of a new way to cook/preserve something for me.

7. Prep something- V picked up a box of 8 taper candles that were at a deep discount.  We don't use tapers often but they're nice to have around if we needed them.

8. Reduce waste- Recycled, composted and used cloth bags at the grocery.  I wasn't very good about using reusable wrapping paper for gifts so I feel a bit wasteful this time of year.

9. Learn a new skill- YES!!! I conquered my fear of pressure canning and had a successful first attempt with my new canner. It will take me a while before I feel comfortable doing it and to really figure out how to adjust the heat for optimal pressure maintenance, but I feel good that I did it. I'm glad I tried it now so we can get the lid replaced before I really need it.

10. Work on community food security- Not really, although I promised my friend Jim that I would teach him how to can in a hot water bath.

11. Regenerate what is lost- I struggle with this category. Although composting is a way of giving back to the soil, I don't feel like I've given much back to anyone this week. I've been pretty crabby lately.

I feel pretty good about this week, even in the depths of winter, I've been working on my life and my dreams.  I'm frustrated that things are on hold but I'll survive.  Now, back to my garden planning....

Have a peaceful and productive week.  Here's wishing good things to everyone.