not keeping up with the jones

Recently when I visited friends who have a newly remodeled home, I began to feel strange and it wasn’t just the off gassing of the new carpet. I thought my discomfort might be caused by a slight bit of envy. Their home was after all quite lovely with its new hard wood flooring, new wood trim, new windows, new custom made kitchen cabinets, new appliances, new, new, new…But, realizing just how unimportant having the newest and most impressive of everything really is I was confused about my discomfort. I came home and looked around my house…

We live humbly, making do with what we have or can get by with. I have an area rug under my old kitchen table that came from a freecycler. My sofa and loveseat were purchased used (and my cat child Arther has seen to it that the one corner panel of the sofa is tattered, thank you very much brat cat.) The rug in my living room came from my mother in law, as did the wall shelving unit. My used desk was given to me, having earned it, as well as several other pieces of used furniture in our home. I’ve been using the same computer since the mid 90’s, having it upgraded and replacing necessary hardware when needed rather than purchasing a new PC, our TV is a fifteen year old 19" model that doesn't need to be replaced…you get the picture.

There was a time when I had new and thought my house should look like a spread in Better Homes & Gardens. I spent so much time cleaning, coordinating and arranging to make things look exceptional that I never really enjoyed it much. I was a slave to the idea of what I thought my home should be…that came from reading too many of those magazines. ;) Oh believe me, I would still love for my rooms to look like those in magazines, but the truth is, we live in our home and on a minimalist budget and so, even with just the two of us here it’s far from the glossy pages of perfection. The bottom line is it's adequate, it’s clean and functional and the big difference now is, I truly enjoy keeping house, puttering about at this job or that. I find great satisfaction in my home, but it’s not about being obsessive about its appearance or having the newest or the best. These days it’s about how I feel and the things I enjoy while I’m in it and caring for it.

These days I would rather make what I can and purchase the rest the rest of my needed goods used whenever possible. I absolutely love making something from nothing; recycling, reducing, reusing, ya know? I honestly don’t need new and would rather conserve the earths resources and not support the industry of excess and wastefulness. And when I think about it, I know in my heart of hearts that when ones priorities are getting and having, one becomes a slave to their stuff or their need for stuff. I know people who shop every weekend, not for groceries or because they actually need anything, just because it’s become a hobby to them to come home with more useless stuff to fill their home and probably some void in their lives.

I ask myself from time to time, would I trade my life for another’s? The answer is a resounding no. I wouldn’t trade it for anything. My life is my own and I am content and happy where I’m at and living exactly as I do. Priorities differ. So while they’re out shopping, spending their money and time (and bickering about it) in their quest for fulfillment I’ll be home enjoying my life, my freedom and a satisfying, comfortable relationship with my spouse. In the end I believe how we live and who we are is what matters and will define us even after we are gone.

Oh, that feeling I mentioned having at the beginning of this post... I finally realized here at the end that it wasn't envy at all, but simply ruefulness. Inconsideration for the earth and her resources has a tendency to make me feel that way.

Home Pasteurization

Our main milk supply comes fresh from the cow. These days I have been pasteurizing it to kill any bacteria. Most people don't generally have a problem drinking raw milk unless they have a compromised immune system. Then, contracting Listeriosis could be problem. Listeria monocytogenes is a bacteria found in soil and water. It can be in a variety of raw foods as well as in processed foods and foods made from unpasteurized milk. My husband and I have used raw milk without any problems, but, to be on the safe side and for the benefit of anyone who may be drinking a glass of milk from my refrigerator, I pasteurize our fresh milk.

To begin, I make sure I have clean jars ready for the finished product. I use quart canning jars because they are easy to handle from the fridge as opposed to one big gallon jug. Clean lids, a funnel, ladle and thermometer are essential items as well as a double boiler system.
*note-use stainless steel pan for the milk.

I set up a double boiler system with two very large pans, then the milk into top pan, turn the heat on high and stir to distribute heat and prevent any scalding, measuring temp often. You want to heat the milk to 161 degrees and maintain that for about 15 seconds.

Once the milk has reached 161 throughout, remove it from heat and immediately cool it down. I accomplish this by setting the entire pan into my kitchen sink and adding ice cubes and cold tap water to surround the pan. Then I stir, checking temp until the milk has cooled to at least 98 degrees or less. This takes about 10 minutes. (Some say cool to 40, but I allow the fridge to finish the job.)

Once cooled, I ladle into clean jars and place into refrigerator immediately to further the cooling process.

cat nap

It's not easy trying to catch a little r&r...

In fact you humans make it darn near impossible with your lights on, light off...

ahhh,...soft, still warm, this just might work out...

...zzzz....

Food-the ultimate global weapon

Fellow blogger Robbyn at The Back Forty-over the hill homesteading has posted an eye opening editorial on Monsanto's (whom I like to refer to as the axis of evil) terminator seed. I urge all my readers to take the time to read through her commentary.

Like me, maybe you knew about Monsanto's Frankenfood technology and the terminator seed, but did not realize that our very own government was behind it from the very beginning, according to this article from 2006 at globalresearch. ca. , the center for research on globalization.

hodge podge

We recently learned that our Amish friends, Sam and Fanny are expecting their first child. They have been married seven years. We found out through the grapevine….news does travel relatively fast in our rural community. Last week when Coop stopped by their home to get eggs and milk, he congratulated Fanny. She happened to have a young girl of about 13 with her, helping her out around the place since she had not been feeling well. She spoke something to the girl in German and the girl left the room. Once the girl was out of hearing range, Fanny explained that they do not speak of such things around children or those not yet married. Coop of course apologized, but Fanny said there was no need for that since he hadn’t actually made known what he was referring to. Having lived around the Amish and taken their presence for granted the better part of our lives, Coop and I both have developed a bigger interest in their ways. Again, something new we’ve learned about their customs.

Yesterday I cooked up a pot of rice and veggies in chicken stock. Nothing better on a damp, windy day than a bowl of hot soup and a chunk of wheat bread.

There are no hard and fast rules to making this. Just start off with a pot of chicken stock, add some chopped celery, onion, carrots, and cook, seasoning with a little parsley, savory, adding salt or bouillon to suit your taste. Add some brown rice (we like Basmati best for its nutty flavor) last and cook until tender.

Today is a beautiful day and much of it I have spent outdoors. The past few days have been windy and wet, keeping me from planting my lettuce patch. I decided that instead of flowers in the bed at the front of the porch I would grow my lettuce there…very convenient. So today I seeded that bed with Cimarron, an heirloom red romaine.

Coop has tilled up what many years ago used to be the area where we grew the root vegetables, and then later a strawberry patch. During the years since we’ve been away from this place, Arnold (the previous tenant/owner) had turned that area back to yard. I believe now that it is additional garden space I will plant my beets there and perhaps some cucumbers or squash.

I also spent some quality time today with my seedlings by transplanting the extras. Some pots had one or two additional seedlings that came up so now they are all in their own pots. Total plant count is as follows:

39 Brandywine tomatoes

24 Purple Russian tomatoes

20 Duggin White tomatoes

6 Green Sausage tomatoes

16 (or possibly 24 since I’m not sure if the other 8 are the same or not!) King of the North sweet peppers.

12 Romanian Hot peppers

15 Jalapeño peppers

Keep in mind I’ll be sharing some of these plants with my daughter…who by the way, seems to be doing extremely well on her natural path to overcoming c. diff. Yay! More on that in due time.

Coop busied himself this weekend putting together a work bench in the garage. The top part came out of the ranch up the road. The rest he constructed from scrap lumber. Photo was taken yesterday before he finished things today by bolting two vises to the top, one on each end. Why two? Simply because he had two. :)

So, how has your weekend been?

I'm sew crazy

I have a whole slew of things I want to share...eventually...you know, projects I've completed over the past few weeks. But they will have to wait until I have more time to write about them. In the meantime...

I've been drawn to sewing lately rather than my other usual creative outlets. I completed another new apron the other day. I think it’s a very vintage looking piece of fabric, turquoise blue gingham with butterflies all over it. It just seemed the perfect piece for an apron. This one is a little different as I made a triple pocket across the front and ran the neck ties through a pocket at the top of bib. I have another in the works and eventually will put a couple on my etsy store. In the meantime, if you have an interest in purchasing an apron similar to this, I can make you one for $18 plus $5 shipping. Just holler at me by leaving me a comment somewhere on this blog and let me know your color preference.

enchanted

"I am always happy when we're done and heading home." Those are the words I spoke to my husband this afternoon on our way home from running errands in town. Fact is, I'd rather be home than just about anywhere else. When I get home it's like breathing a big sigh of relief. No more hustle and bustle, no more sensory overload. Right now in this moment all I hear is the wind moving outside, the chimes tinkling and the sound of my fingers tapping out the words you read. If I need more than this I'll crank up some Dylan or Clapton on the stereo. That's always good.

Yesterday I took a walk around the property and down the road. Sometimes I just have to go out and breathe it all in, the green, the blue, the blossoms. I don't take it for granted...where I'm at geographically or philosophically. I am enchanted you might say.

The sky was killer blue...and clusters of spring beauties bloomed all around me...as I walked on a carpet of violets...I came upon the gateway to a gullyand entered...

to find 'neath a tree by a nearby brook, this cairn.
Following the brook I chanced upon what surely must be the dwelling place of some woodland fairies...and then found bluebells at my feet.

Oh so many reasons to be thankful.