Well if the world's going to end...

2012. The year the world is supposed to end. Well, if that's the case, I better get crackin'!

Seriously, though, I typically hate new year's resolutions. Why make the commitment to start some new habit on an arbitrary day in the dead of winter when the gloom and doom of the weather is enough to make you stop before you begin? But here I am, thinking about things I'd like to change about myself, both at home and at work, and I am drawn to this idea of making some improvements. Recently, a friend on Facebook posted about some changes she'll be making herself, and someone reminded her (and thereby me) that it takes 3 weeks to establish a habit. With that in mind, here we go...

Resolution #1: Take at least 2 photos a day and blog 2 times a week (probably going to be on Friday and Sunday).
Action: already doing it! Woo hoo! Please--hold me accountable to this. I fully welcome being accosted by friends and family on Facebook, via email, etc.

Resolution #2: Monthly projects to get myself organized and ready...for what? (insert sarcastic voice) Obviously, the end of the world. If we're all gonna die, I'm gonna make sure things are squared away so I can leave this world footloose and fancy free ;-) (in serious tone) Honestly, organizing makes me feel at ease, probably because I'm a bit of a control freak. And although each project will last a month, I'm hoping that some of the habits established in them will continue long after.
Action: List monthly projects and possible tasks. Begin January's project.

• January: Finances
• Organize financial documents
• Create filing system for downloading e-bills, bank statements, etc.
• Revisit budget
• Prepare for taxes
• Create savings plan--retirement, college, emergency fund, etc.
• February: Get moving!
• Increasing weekly goals
• Morning yoga
• March: Eat in month
• Menu planning
• Freezer meals
• Quick lunches
• April: Spiritual Renewal
• Visit different UU congregations each Sunday
• Schedule dedication ceremony for Adela
• May: Reducing energy usage
• New strategies
• Unplugging
• June: Downsizing and reusing
• Going through closets and items
• Only shopping for needed items at reuse places (garage sales, thrift stores, etc.)
• July: Reducing water usage
• August: Christmas gifts
• No new resource use
• Make make make!
• Budget
• September: Eat local month
• October: Credit card free month
• November: Month of Gratitude
• Thank you note, email, or phone call every day
• 1-minute daily reflection every day
• 4 volunteer projects
• December: ???

Since the world is supposed to end in December, I figured I'd wait and see! No, really, I just can't come up with another goal. Suggestions are welcome!

Are these resolutions ambitious? Absolutely. But you know what they say--go big or go home!

Hello 2012. I'm excited to see what we can accomplish this year!

Planning Ahead

I'm beginning to understand the virtue of planning ahead.

Yesterday was an incredibly productive day for me. I got up and made 2 large loaves of pumpkin bread, one loaf of wheat bread, and bread dough. I did 5 loads of laundry. Then I proceeded to spring clean from top to bottom both the bedroom and the bathroom (with the help of my dear husband). As much as I dread spring cleaning--even with my "nesting" instinct kicking in--it feels nice to have 2 of 8 rooms completed. 1/4 of the way there!! I And then I went grocery shopping while he prepared dinner, only to come back and prepare two more dinners for the week.

And the benefits of all this planning ahead are already paying off. I was able to come home today and pop the hot dish I had prepped right into the oven, take Beau for a nice long walk, and return with enough time to do the yoga video I had lazily skipped this morning. Then I prepped some of the bread dough for cinnamon rolls...

which, by the way, smell amazing right now (and okay, I might have had one right out of the oven, smothered in butter--oh so yummy!).

I packed my lunch for tomorrow since it always takes up so much precious time in the morning when I'm constantly rushing out the door. I know I'll be breathing easier tomorrow morning :-)

And what's waiting for dinner tomorrow night? Enchilada filling that I made on Sunday night, all ready to go. Just fill and roll tortillas, top with sauce and cheese, and away we go.

I know in the end that it probably takes just the same amount of time as doing it the day of, but it's nice not to have to think too much about dinner when I come home. I'm really hoping this strategy pays off once the baby arrives, too--because we all know how crazy life's gonna get then.

On a completely and unrelated side note, our dog has decided that he's from the hood. Have a good night!

Spring is upon us!

How do I know that spring is really, truly, finally upon us?

Because in the heat spell of last weekend, Jake broke the ground in the back garden and sprinkled seeds. Then he created this make-shift hothouse out of cellophane and wood scraps from Home Depot to start seeds in. Only to have it snow the next day.

But it's an exciting time, planning the garden. Jake's been doing lots of research on companion plants and natural and organic pest remedies. It's so reassuring that we might not have to deal with the slugs again if we just apply some iron phosphate to the plants. Thank goodness!

If it seems like Jake has done a lot of the work so far, it's because he totally has. I'm just the sounding board for what he wants to plant and eventually I'll get out there and help distribute and plant the seeds. It's what my slender fingers were made for.

So here's the list of what we want to grow this year:

The smaller plot in back: cool season vegetables, including broccoli, spinach, lettuce, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, beets, turnips, rutabegas, collard greens, shallots, chard (during the hot season)

The larger plot in front: tomatoes, peppers, zucchini, carrots, garlic, peas, cucumbers, beans, eggplant, parsnips.

Ambitious? I can hardly think about it without getting tired. We're already trying to eat down our freezer to make room for the glut it will hopefully produce.

So cross your fingers, folks, that the growing gods are on our side as the season begins :-)

Election Day

Every election day always gets me thinking about politics.  And not just the big questions--which party is going to control the House?  Which races are going to be big upsets?--but also the littler and ultimately more important question about my own politics--What is most important to me about our democratic process?  What do I want my vote to stand for?

My work at Prime Stage Theatre

As most of you know, I'm a theatre arts educator.  I'm a freelancer and work at many different organizations, but the main gig I have going right now is as Education Director for Prime Stage Theatre here in Pittsburgh.

Check out our website here!

Domestic Goddess

I am proud to say that over the last few weeks, I've been a bit of a Domestic Goddess.  I had the loftiest of intentions back in August, looking forward fondly to the days when I could work at home--both for my "jobs" and for general homemaking--and then frankly failing miserably at my goals in September (see previous post for why the failure happened--too much going on!). 

But now, I feel like I can breathe.  I'm starting to get into a groove, and while I know there will be hectic times in the (unfortunately all too near) future, I've at least begun somewhere.

So what does it mean to be a Domestic Goddess (DG),  you wonder?  I suspect that DG's are homebodies.  DG's take pride in doing things around the house, as menial as they sometimes are.  DG's probably have a to do list that they relish ticking off items from as the day progresses.  DG's find ways to save money, to maximum time, and to take a deep breath all in the matter of a moment.  They prioritize.  They create.  They feel joy.

And thus, given that I fit this description to a T (surprise surprise--I created it!), I really love my life right now.  My real jobs are going great, but being a DG is enlightening.  Here's a few things of what I've been up to:

1. Making homemade yogurt (next time when my camera doesn't decide to die on me I promise to document the whole process and post about it).  I used the directions on this page, www.makeyourownyogurt.com/.  They have a wonderful pdf with pictures that explain how to make yogurt with a HEATING PAD!  How cool is that?  And it works!

Heat milk to 185 degrees, preferably in a double boiler to prevent scorching.  Stir often!

Put the pot of milk into an ice bath, cooling to 110 degrees.  At this temperature, "pitch" your yogurt by adding your starter--2-3 Tbls. of PLAIN yogurt.

Plug in your heating pad on medium, cover it with a towel, and set on a cutting board.

Place your pot of milk on the heating pad, cover with towels, and wait 7 hours. At that time, spoon into containers (it will be runnier than store bought yogurt) and put in the refrigerator to cool and set up.  

2. Baking pumpkin and roasting pumpkin seeds

Baked pumpkin for a Pumpkin, Barley, and Sage Soup (it was DELICIOUS!). You can find the recipe in the October edition of Better Home and Gardens magazine, or on their website at www.bhg.com.

But I couldn't let those seeds go to waste!  I found a new recipe at Simply Recipes, and it was the best recipe I've ever used for pumpkin seeds!  Definitely recommend it.

3. Made a reusable grocery bag out of recycled jeans and the leather backing from a belt that came off recently.  I love having scrap fabric and a sewing machine :-)

Sorry for the pictures being sideways, but you get the idea.

4. Baking bread--and failing.  Not quite sure why.  I'm following the directions in the book.  I'm "cloaking the loaf" for a good minute (and no, it's not nearly as dirty as it sounds).  But then it always blows out the bottom (seriously, get your mind out of the gutter).  I think I *gasp* need my husband's help on this one.  He really is the baker in this household.  Perhaps someday my bread won't look like this...

Slowing Down: Picking Grapes

I realize that I write enormously long posts.  To help off-set that, I'm going to start a series of posts called "Slowing Down" that will be interspersed with my more verbose writings.

Picking Grapes on the Melby farm

From the windmill, vines high and low

Into the egg basket

For some homemade wine!

The Value of Value

Frugal, green, thrifty, "locavore," coupon-clipping, shop the sales--while all of these ideas are something I aspire for, I feel that often these ideals conflict with one another.  What to do when your values are odds with the value of a dollar?

Take my recent food shopping for example.  Yesterday, in preparation for a "trailer trash" party we were hosting (classy, I know), I went shopping for food at our local Giant Eagle.  For a mere $20 and shopping strictly on the generic value brands (except the Oreos, which were one sale 2/$6), I bought:

• (2) 8-ct. bags of hamburger buns, 
• (2) packages of Oreos, 
• (2) small cans of mandarin oranges, 
• (1) container cool-whip, 
• (3) 2-liters of soda, 
• (1) half-gallon buttermilk, 
• (2) boxes of instant vanilla pudding, 
• (1) bag of potato chips, 
• (1) frozen orange juice concentrate, and 
• (1) box of Lean Cuisine pockets.

As it turns out, this is quite a bit of food for only $20!

Then this morning I went shopping at our local food co-op, the East End Co-op.  We just recently joined in an effort to support a smaller, locally run operation which has lots of local and organic food.  We had been going to Trader Joe's throughout the past year and really like that as well, although there's something about the lack of transparency with where they get their food that sometimes irks me.  I will likely continue to go there to stock up on stuff as they have good organic and green products (we love their toothpaste!), but we're trying to spend our money more wisely these days.  So with our 10% member discount on "member day" at the co-op, I spent $70 and bought:

• 5 lbs. of bulk rolled oats (on sale)
• 3 lbs. of bulk yellow popcorn (on sale)
• 3.2 lbs. of bulk garbanzo beans (on sale)
• 1.6 lbs. of bulk raisins (on sale)
• 2 lbs. of pearled barley (on sale)
• .25 lb. of bulk ground cumin
• (1) 12 oz. package of Bike Fuel Coffee (on sale)
• (1) 32 oz. blueberry blend juice (on sale and used coupon)
• (1) jar of organic peanut butter (on sale)
• (4) boxes of Annie's Mac and Cheese (on sale)
• (2) lbs. of bananas
• (1) 32 oz. bottle of Extra Virgin Olive Oil (on sale)
• (1) 8 oz. frozen blueberries (on sale and used coupon)
• (1) Seventh Generation dish soap (used coupon)
• (1) 1/2 lb. block of pepper jack cheese
• (1) 32 oz. container of plain yogurt
• (1) loaf of wheat bread from a local bakery

You'll notice I shopped the sales and used what coupons I could find, but even then--it's kind of expensive to eat healthy, green, and local!  We routinely pay an extra 20 cents for a gallon of local milk, $1 more for local eggs, and the list goes on for local things, which is so ironic because if it's local, it should cost less because there's no shipping involved!   

We've also been going to the Farmer's Market in East Liberty every Monday since the beginning of the summer.  Each week we bring $20 and hope to try new things, but frankly, once we buy peaches, half our budget is blown (but they are oh so sweet and juicy and absolutely worth it!).  So even shopping at the Farmer's Market, too, has put me into more than one conundrum.  Pay a little more for something we know is organic, or go to one of the bigger producers that is selling cabbage 2/$1?  Now that we have our garden, it's been easier to make those decisions, but they are decisions nonetheless that reflect what I as a consumer feel is important. 

Over time, I've noticed our move towards local and organic food start to add up.  So what am I supposed to do?  It's hard to put a price on the importance of eating local, supporting local business, attempting to buy bulk, and being more green, and at this point, I am willing to pay extra for making what I feel are more ethical spending choices.   On the other hand, it's amazing all the food--albeit nutritionally bad food--that you can buy for just $20!  It's really no wonder that our country has such a weird relationship with food once you begin to crunch the numbers.  And while Jake and I have both lost weight because of our consumption of more vegetables and less food overall, man those oreos are delicious! 

Jake reminded me the other day that although we're making this move towards more local, more organic, we still shouldn't forget to look in the sales ads that overtake our mailbox every Monday.  With our freezer and dehydrator, we can stock up on veggies and fruits while they're in season, and take advantage of other sales for things we use every day.  He's got a good point.  And certainly the least I can do is at least look at all the paper the ads waste each week.

I am certain this debate will not end soon.  I'm going to continue to struggle with this as I make more of a concerted effort to manage our finances, structure the meals of our house, and stay true to our values.  So in the meantime, I'm going to go enjoy those Oreos while they're around and before Jake gets to them :-)  Oreos with local milk, anyone?

Bring on the Apron

I couldn't believe when I took my students to the library on Tuesday how many large brown leaves from the 100+ year old oak and maple trees there were scattered all over the sidewalk.  The cicadas have started their nightly humming, a drone that almost lulls you to sleep, until you remember the old folk wisdom that once you hear them, only 6 weeks til the first frost.  Some would say this the sad part--summer coming to an end--but I welcome the fall with open arms.  The warm days and cool nights, the color of a different hue and deeper lushness, the smell of crispness, and all the wonderful comfort foods that come with it.

But it's not just the change to fall I am excited for; this year, fall is bringing changes to me.  Next week I start my foray into the freelance teaching artist world with my part-time job as Education Director with Prime Stage Theatre holding me somewhat steady.  I'm excited for what this next year will bring--and terrified at the same time.  But if I wasn't, I'd be worried.

I am also bursting with anticipation at the thought of being able to be home more.  I am undeniably a homebody.  I will take a movie on the couch or a fire out out on our back porch before a night out on the town any day.  When we first moved into the house 3 years ago, I was all into "keeping a good house" for my first "real" home--keeping up with cleaning, cooking, etc.--that I thought I was "supposed" to do.  And then graduate school came and that all went right out the window.

But now I find myself with another opportunity to reconnect with my home, all the changes it has gone through since we moved here three years ago.  Physically, the kitchen and back porch remodel, the switching of the rooms upstairs, and all those added details we've brought in piece by piece.  Emotionally, our connection to our dog, Beau, and to each other as married partners.  I am learning to value my home in an entirely new way.  It is not just that I feel as if I am supposed to keep a good home, but now I genuinely want to and am looking forward to having the luxury of time to be able to do things my way.  I want to get on a routine of homemaking activities, including cooking, cleaning, laundry, baking my own bread (oh I can't tell you how excited I am to endeavor down this road!), organizing paperwork, and other little projects around the house, like fiddling with the sewing machine, working in the garden, making natural products, etc.

Underneath it all seems to be a strong desire to be self-reliant.  I remember looking at this old Reader's Digest guide to Homesteading (or something like that) which my Dad had lying around his house.  In it was every kind of activity you could imagine, from dying your own yarn, to building a smoker, to raising livestock, to home preservation, to maple syruping.  And even then I remember thinking--how cool would it be to be able to do everything for yourself.  Cool and unbelievably hard.  I don't know how those pioneers did it, but dang--I want to give it a try. Couple my desire for self-reliance with how much I like to be thrifty and green, and I'm feeling really good about my potential success at this whole "homemaking" adventure.  On a tangentially related note, a friend asked us a while back if we wanted to "go off the grid."  No, not entirely, but wouldn't it be cool if in 2010 you really could?  Think about out society today--consumer-driven, lacking in hard-skills, disconnected from food and energy sources--and to know there's some people who are actually doing it?  It amazes me.  While I don't think I would want to distance myself from mainstream society that much, I definitely empathize with their motivations. 

Perhaps all this makes me sound like I want to be a 50s housewife (or a hippie radical--take your pick).  While I do not want to have the inequality that went along with the 1950s (Jake will still be expected to do his share of dishes!), I do want that sense of deep connectedness to the place I call my home (and the pearls, if possible).  I will admit--I am proud of all we've done with our home and all we continue to do with it.  Just like Home Improvements are never done, neither is Homemaking--there's always things to do and things to improve.  And if saying this makes me sound like a 50s housewife, then bring on the apron (and if it be of the tie-died variety, I shall not complain).  I'm not ashamed to admit that I am choosing to make my home and everything I do to make it a home a top priority.  Because as it changes and grows, so do I :-)

Honey honey!

No, this post is not about my personal honey (Jake), nor is it about the deliciousness of honey, although certainly I would never dispute this fact.  This post is instead on the wonders of "honey honey" for the body.

The health benefits of honey: honey is a rich anti-bacterial and anti-fungal, and has been used for centuries as a natural first-aid treatment.  People who eat local honey are less likely to develop allergies as their body ingests local pollen, thus building a tolerance for local plants.  Honey acts as a natural diuretic, is easy for the body to digest as it contains an equal amount of fructose and glucose in it, and is often used to treat throat and chest ailments in combination with other herbs.  Honey is also a great skin softener when used in conjunction with milk.  (*caution: while honey is great for children and adults alike, it should not be given to infants under the age of 1 due to the potential for infant botulism, while rare and can also be found in dirt and dust spores, can be debilitating*).

For these many reasons, I have tried to incorporate more honey into my life.  For over a year now, I've been making my own face wash made from honey.

3 simple ingredients:

• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/2 cup vegetable-based glycerin (a natural humectant and skin softener)
• 1/8 cup castille soap (I use Dr. Bronner's unscented "baby" soap)

Honey, Castille Soap (in a reusable bottle), and Vegetable Glycerin

With 3 simple materials:

• Measuring cup
• Small rubber spatula
• Pump container (I used an old Neutrogena face wash bottle)
• funnel (optional)

Pump container, funnel (optional) measuring cup, and rubber spatula.

Combine all ingredients in measuring cup, stir well with spatula, pour into pump container, and that's a wrap.

The gunk on the outside is from the old label.  Boo for glues that won't come off!

Another use of honey that I just recently tried was as a first-aid treatment.  On Thursday night, I burnt my hand.  Sheer stupidity on my part--I reached for a plate that was sitting on the stove, next to a hot burner, thinking that there couldn't possibly be that much residual heat.  Wrong!  It stung and hurt like a you know what!  I immediately ran it under cold water, and for 10 minutes held an ice cube wrapped in a washcloth in my hand--all the while trying to complete dinner!  Then, I put on 3 drops of lavender essential oil.  Lavender has been used for centuries to treat burns and in general it is very soothing to all skin types.  It is one of only two essential oils (the other is tea tree) that can be used undiluted on the skin without trouble for most people; otherwise, essential oils should also be diluted in "carrier oils" or in a water-based solution.

After the lavender, what did I put on next?  You guessed it--honey!  I slathered it on, licked the stuff of my fingers that ran away from my palm (an added bonus amidst the pain) and then wrapped it in gauze.  Perhaps my burn wasn't as bad as I thought it was, but this burn healed almost overnight with no problem.  I also believe that the honey helped to soften the skin that had been burned, making it more pliable and not so stiff.  If you've ever burned your hand before you'll know it's not always easy to move your fingers and such with a burn!  I will definitely be using this again for the next time I get burned, which is ultimately more often than I would like to admit.  You think I would learn :-)

Attack of the Zucchini, pt. 3--getting creative!

I'm taking creative license here. I'm including yellow squash in this post.  Please forgive the culinary transgression.

I'm happy to report however that we have even more summer squash of both varieties.  So let me count the ways we've dealt with this lovely turn of events:

1. Freeze it--in slices and grated.  We are making Ziploc one very happy company this summer.
2. Pickle it--yummy zucchini pickles loaded with ginger--sounds delicious!  Can't wait to try them.
3. Pasta it--every kind of way you can imagine, including a surprisingly simple and easy linguine with zucchini, raisins, walnut, and Parmesan cheese.  Delicioso!
4. Grill it--oh, what a little extra virgin olive oil, salt, and pepper can do to bring out the flavor.
5. Load it--sadly I don't have picture for this one, but two weekends ago on our ill-fated trip to see the Preservation Hall Jazz Band at Arts on the Allegheny (in Kittaning--it got stormed out...boo...), we had a great picnic before hand consisting of a pseudo Tex-Mex dish.  Use thick zucchini slices as your base, top with a black bean spread, avocado, tomato, pepper, and pepper-jack cheese.  Surprisingly, this was scrumptious, if messy.  The only thing missing was tequila in our lime juice.
6. Bake it--very tasty muffins and bread!

Put za zucchini in za batta and a stir stir stir (until just moistened).

Final product: 6 muffins and 1 small loaf.

7. Stuff it--finally cool enough to turn on the oven, we decided to give the stuffed thing a try.  So glad we did!  I sort of mashed a bunch of recipes together, and here's what I got:

3 zucchini or yellow squash
1 lb. ground beef
1 cup quinoa, cooked
1 medium red onion, diced
3 small peppers, diced
3 large roma tomatoes, deseeded and diced
Parmesan cheese, finely grated
Fresh cut 1/4 cup basil and 1/8 cup oregano
Salt, pepper, and other seasonings to taste
Broth if the mix seems too dry. 

Slice open the squash (if using yellow, will have to deseed).  Scoop out pulp onto a cutting board until you have a 1/4-1/2'' left int he shell.  Roughly chop up the pulp and put into bowl.  Cook the zucchini halves in the microwave for 3-4 minutes.  Place in a greased pan that tightly fits the halves in it (you don't want the stuffed halves to be rolling all over the place, do ya?)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Bring 1 cup quinoa mixed with 2 cups of water to a boil; cover and simmer on low for 15 minutes.  Brown hamburger together with onion and peppers; drain if desired (I didn't--it was pretty lean and added good moisture to the dish).  Mix quinoa, hamburger mixture, pulp, herbs, tomatoes, and seasonings in a bowl.  Mix thoroughly. 

Scoop your filling into your halves.  Press down firmly to fill as full as possible.  Sprinkle liberally with parm cheese.  Bake for 20-30 minutes until "crispy" and the cheese is browning on top.

Finished product:

I like to think all the fresh veggies cancels out the burger and cheese.

Oh, and did we forget to mention the double zucchini?

Please share below what you think this looks like ;-)

Don't see this every day! 

Homemade Laundry Detergent

On our move towards more green, more healthful, more simple living, we decided to start making stuff.  Lots of stuff.  From beauty products, to cleaners, to food preservation, we're trying to do our part little by little.  What I've been amazed about in my research into natural products is how a few key staples--vinegar, honey, olive oil, baking soda, borax, glycerin, castille soap (like Dr. Bronner's)--can provide so much of what we need and use everyday.  And the best part--if you make it, you know what goes into it.  As I make new batches, I'll post the products along with their recipes. 

I started making homemade laundry detergent last year.  Even Jake can't say that it doesn't get the clothes as clean as any commercial cleaners!  Occasionally I've gone back to Trader Joe's for some of their laundry detergent (phosphate-free, of course; phosphates are very harsh on the water supply), but what I love about this recipe is the sheer simpleness of it.

• 1 bar of Ivory soap (or Fels Napatha soap), finely grated
• 2 cups Borax
• 2 cups Washing Soda

Mix all together. 

 And done.  2 Tbs. to a warm or hot wash.   Stir it up in the water a bit to break up soap clumps before adding clothes. 

Frequently asked questions:

But why make your own laundry detergent?
1. Better for the environment.  Not only are you not using harsh petrochemicals, but you actually don't need as much as the commercial detergents call for (unless you have a very soiled or very large load).  So a little does in fact go a long way!
2. Cheaper--I haven't done the math precisely, but estimates on the internet are anywhere from $.05 to $.10 per load.  The average commercial detergent is approximately $.20 per load.  Not bad. 
3.  Time--It takes 5 minutes.  Think of all the time you can save by not figuring out what detergent is on sale, what detergent has the new hot scent, etc! 

What about the information that says that Borax and Washing Soda are toxic?
Well, yes--don't eat it.  You will get sick.  But they are certainly far better for you than the other chemicals in commercial detergents.  Some people have experienced skin irritation if it comes in contact with the skin.  Wear gloves if you'd like extra protection, otherwise just use a spoon to stir it up.

What about fabric softener? 
Guess what??  The answer is another staple--vinegar.  It does the trick.  Add a half cup per load during the rinse cycle and dry on the line or in the dryer as normal.  If it doesn't get soft enough, add 1/3 of a fabric dryer sheet to the dryer.  You don't need any more than that!

Where do I buy Borax and Washing Soda?
Borax can be found in most supermarkets, Target, Walmart, etc.  Washing Soda is a bit more difficult.  I can't find it anywhere in Pittsburgh except a very small chain, Kuhn's.  So check out at the smaller chains or independent grocers in your area.  If you can't find it there, though, washing soda is also called "soda ash," a chemical used in the pool business. 

Can I make liquid laundry detergent?
Absolutely.  I just personally the powder is easier to do.  But if you'd like more information, check out the following websites:
http://tipnut.com/10-homemade-laundry-soap-detergent-recipes/
http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2008/04/09/making-your-own-laundry-detergent-a-detailed-visual-guide/
http://www.domesticcents.com/saving-money/homemade-laundry-detergent/

Attack of the Zucchini, pt. 2--freezing

Last year we froze grated zucchini for zucchini bread and muffins.  This year, we decided to freeze slices. 

We started by washing the zucchini and slicing it into 1/4''-1/2'' slices.

Then we steam blanched them for 3 minutes.  Put the cover on the pot and let it boil away.  I prefer this method over the traditional water bath blanching method only because getting them out is super easy--just pull up the steam tray!

Next, we plopped the zucchini into an ice bath.  If you really get going at a good pace and you have enough ice to keep the water cool enough, you can start a little processing line!

After that, we had to try and remove as much moisture from the zucchini as possible.  Moisture on frozen foods = freezer burn and even mushier vegetables = yuck!  We did this in a two phases--one, draining in a sieve, and second, patting them dry with a towel.  Low tech, and we love it that way.

Last but not least, it was time to package those little zucchini slices up for good.  First, before there's anything in them, we labeled the heavy-duty freezer bags!  I can't tell you how many things I've pulled from our freezer with no identification on them...I've learned my lesson for good now!

Then we put them all in the bags.  I typically just shove them in, but my husband went for the aesthetic approach.  Lovely job dear!

Some 10 bags later, we called it a day.  That, and we didn't have any more ice.  Perhaps it was better that way.

...is new again!

I have always been a lover of old things, my grandmother notwithstanding (and especially her cinnamon rolls).  I was given my first cup and saucer of the depression glass collection, "Cameo, or Ballerina Girl," when I was 8 years old by my Auntie Barb.  I was hooked.  I visited antique stores with a zeal and relish that made store owners leery until they discovered I wasn't in the store just to wreak havoc and break something.  I read all the "American Girl" books, particularly Felicity and Kirsten, and you got it: Laura Ingalls Wilder topped my list to.  I became entranced by the PBS series, Frontier House, Colonial House, and Manor House. I insisted on learning my genealogical past from the ripe young age of 9, dragging my bewildered parents to the Brown County Historical Society in New Ulm, MN.  I now have two 3'' binders filled with old family photos, letters, and of course the family trees.  I have both of my grandmother's wedding dresses and was just recently given at my wedding shower a vest that was worn by my great-great grandmother on the boat from Germany. I was a sobbing mess.

And the list could go on and on and on about my fascination with "old things."  But in particular, what has perhaps fascinated me most, was simply how they did it.  How did they churn butter in those things?  What did they do when they had a raging headache and couldn't pop an ibuprofen from a plastic bottle?  You mean they had to wash laundry BY HAND?  Then there's everything that I can't even begin to pronounce on the back of a commercial shampoo bottle that has often left me standing in a pool of water in my bathtub as I struggle to pronounce the number-number-polysyllabic-number word.  What did they do before the advent of petrochemicals, I ask myself?  Not to mention what is in our food and water supply.  Frankly, I don't trust the FDA.  I remember when the campaign was all for margarine, but now they're saying the trans-fats are oh so bad.  Get your story straight, please.  I'm sticking with food I know hasn't been tampered with and has been grown/developed/processed in a way that would make our forefathers happy, like the vegetables from our garden.

 

So  it's most definitely the independent person in me who says, "Well if they can do it, so can I!" I'm giving it a shot, this whole "what is old is new again" thing.

The mere fact that I proceed to document my journey towards a simpler life via a blog seems an instantaneous oxymoron.  Yet with all the other "simple life" blogs out there, and with my mother more likely to be able to check the blog at work and thus stay more informed of our activities, I figured why not?  Plus, let's face it: friends have been urging me for a while now to do it, so to you dear ones--your wish has been granted.

It'll take every ounce of power not to post a gazillion things right away.  One bit at a time...

But if anyone has something they'd like to know about right away, let me know!