There were always animals around while I was growing up. My dad was and is a farmer, but we didn't live on the farm. My grandparents did and we lived one mile south of them, in town. I was always given the impression that our farm animals were more of a hobby for my dad than any real money-making venture, but they were many and ever changing. One summer it would be pigs rooting around in a pen. The next, there would be cows in the barn. There were stories of a short-lived horse before I was born. Always, there were dogs: Newfoundlands and Great Pyrenees. I have the most vivid memories of the goats. The all white one with a beard I named "Grandpa" and the brown splotched one who jumped a lot "Bronco." I was clearly very creative. There was also "Cutie" who was tethered up by the house. She was the favorite of my grandmother and dad used to let the goat in the house to annoy her. I'm fairly certain that Cutie was an orphan, her mother being killed when a giant snapping turtle pulled her into the lagoon. I have absolutely no idea whether this story is based on fact or my imagination.
For all of their presence, my siblings and I were required to do very little (if anything) in their care; or anything at the farm, really. I remember my interactions with them as that of a visitor, not a caretaker. I don't think this was due to a lack of willingness on my dad's part. He was all too eager to acquire me a steer to raise during my very brief tenure in 4-H and I'm sure he would have been happy to include us if we had asked. If anything, I think it has to do with the impulse to have one's children exceed one's own success. I think my father's generation of farmers sought to get their kids off the farm by sending them to college so that they might have a "better" life than the one that they experienced. To get good jobs and buy houses and live in cities. I can safely say that I've tried that and I'm not a big fan. For me, the real success and real freedom is in doing honest, hard work that does some good in the world. Animal husbandry is one of these things.
I'm a bit obsessed with heritage breeds right now. The population of my dream farm is quickly growing. I slipped "turkeys" into a conversation the other day and Steve was not amused. But how could you look at a Narragansett and not think they are beautiful? All in good time.
Second Round of Planting
Steve and I planted our second batch of seeds this weekend.
Left over from last year's Seed Savers Exchange order: Yellow of Parma Onion and Redfield Beauty Tomatoes
New from this year's Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds order: Genovese Basil, Purple of Sicily Cauliflower, Amish Paste Tomatoes, Al-Kuffa Tomatoes (from Iraq), and Nature's Riddle Tomato (from Russia)
In all honesty, I don't know where these seedlings are going to end up. As of right now, the little patch of land that I used as a garden last year is planted in garlic and winter wheat. I have grand plans of building a bunch of raised beds for this year, I just need to get myself outside and get it done. I have some scavenged pallets that I'm going to break down and use to build the boxes and then I need to borrow a truck to get some bulk compost from the landfill. Sounds like a full Saturday to me!
Artsy Clutch
My quest to sew a bag to take to the theatre this weekend was a success!
I used the Artsy Clutch pattern from Amy Karol's Bend the Rules Sewing
, a book I would highly recommend for first time sewers. I checked out five "beginning to sew" books from the library and this was by far the best. The instructions are clear and easy to understand and the projects are fun and contemporary. I was first introduced to Karol through her blog, Angry Chicken, which is also a fantastic resource for patterns and general crafty inspiration.
, a book I would highly recommend for first time sewers. I checked out five "beginning to sew" books from the library and this was by far the best. The instructions are clear and easy to understand and the projects are fun and contemporary. I was first introduced to Karol through her blog, Angry Chicken, which is also a fantastic resource for patterns and general crafty inspiration.
The show we saw was Avenue Q and it was spectacular. It's been far too long since I'd been to a good musical, I forget how much I enjoy them.
Weekend Review: No Impact Man by Colin Beavan
Colin Beavan is a New York writer who decides to undertake a very personal project. For one year (2007), he, his wife, and their toddler-aged daughter will strive to make no net impact on the environment. This means that they will reduce their negative impact as much as possible (create no garbage, use no electricity, etc.) and to offset any impact that they can't eliminate, they will do charitable acts (volunteering to care for urban trees, donating money, etc.). Interested parties could follow along during that year on Beavan's blog and a documentary
and the book No Impact Man: The Adventures of a Guilty Liberal who Attempts to Save the Planet and the Discoveries he Makes about Himself and Our Way of Life in the Process
(2009)were produced after the project ended. He undertakes these things in stages. First he tackles not producing any garbage, then eliminating any non-human-powered transportation. Eating a local diet, not buying anything new, not using electricity, and "giving back" follow. At each stage, Beavan ruminates about how these extreme life changes have affected him and his family and he shares how these experiences reinforced and sometimes altered his worldview.
Throughout, Beavan acknowledges that large-scale change is necessary to make any real differences, but he believes that this has to come from the ground up. People won't invest the time to challenge the system if they first don't experience these changes in their own lives. This can be a very inspiring and empowering message for those who are looking for a way to live more meaningful and mindful lives. By demonstrating the "extreme" end of the spectrum, Beavan hopes to illustrate how these are changes that we all can make.
It's hard for me to jump completely on the No Impact bandwagon, however. The bones I have to pick, however, have little to do with Beavan as an individual and more to do with how he fits into the entire discussion around issues of low impact living. As an example, at one point Beavan is offered the criticism that if he "really" wanted to live low impact, he should move out of the city. This spurs him into a long-winded justification of urban areas (which I don't necessarily take issue with) that includes his claim that "city dwellers tend to set the consumption patterns for the rest of the world. People buy what metropolitan people buy" (28). Living in the fly-over state that I do, I find this incredibly patronizing. Beavan is reinforcing the tired old stereotypes of coast-dwellers as the keepers-of-all-knowledge-and-culture and those of us who live in the middle of the country as poor lost sheep who need to look to him for guidance. Even if we grant him the indulgence of the opinion that city folk have dictated what the rest of us consume, why would this mean that we should also look to metropolitan people for examples of how to live sustainably? Instead of looking to a privileged New Yorker who can afford to "slum it" by shutting his power off, maybe we should really be looking to the people who live Beavan's "extreme" lifestyle on a daily basis as a means of survival. I'm sure that the homeless man down the street could teach me a hell of a lot more about what it's like to live in an energy-depleted world. I'm sure the single mother across the way could school me in feeding a family on pennies a day. But, they don't have book deals. I'm not suggesting that Beavan should be ignored or condemned solely because he is popular or even because he is privileged. He's carrying an important message that I, for the most part, agree with. And he's right. Those who have a lot need to learn to live with a whole lot less so that there's something left for those who have nothing.
A second note is a seeming lack of sincerity in his professed goal of demonstrating ways to live with less impact. As part of the "no waste" goal, the family eschews disposable toilet paper. To Beavan's chagrin, the first question out of everyone's mouth is "what did you use instead?!?" A question that he refuses to answer. Here he misses a great opportunity to provide a sustainable alternative for his audience. He claims that part of this project is to inspire others to live lower impact lives, but he never stops to consider that by actually answering this question, he might be giving them the tools to actually do so. I guess one could argue that this is out of modesty, but it seems an odd line in the sand to draw. Beavan invited us into his life and his experiment and as soon as someone asked a real question, the answer to which could be helpful for others, he stubbornly refuses to answer.
I hesitate to be too critical because, again, his goals are my goals. I think we should all be living lower impact lifestyles, regardless of what motivates us to get there. His motivation just doesn't seem to jive with mine.
and the book No Impact Man: The Adventures of a Guilty Liberal who Attempts to Save the Planet and the Discoveries he Makes about Himself and Our Way of Life in the Process (2009)were produced after the project ended. He undertakes these things in stages. First he tackles not producing any garbage, then eliminating any non-human-powered transportation. Eating a local diet, not buying anything new, not using electricity, and "giving back" follow. At each stage, Beavan ruminates about how these extreme life changes have affected him and his family and he shares how these experiences reinforced and sometimes altered his worldview. Throughout, Beavan acknowledges that large-scale change is necessary to make any real differences, but he believes that this has to come from the ground up. People won't invest the time to challenge the system if they first don't experience these changes in their own lives. This can be a very inspiring and empowering message for those who are looking for a way to live more meaningful and mindful lives. By demonstrating the "extreme" end of the spectrum, Beavan hopes to illustrate how these are changes that we all can make.
It's hard for me to jump completely on the No Impact bandwagon, however. The bones I have to pick, however, have little to do with Beavan as an individual and more to do with how he fits into the entire discussion around issues of low impact living. As an example, at one point Beavan is offered the criticism that if he "really" wanted to live low impact, he should move out of the city. This spurs him into a long-winded justification of urban areas (which I don't necessarily take issue with) that includes his claim that "city dwellers tend to set the consumption patterns for the rest of the world. People buy what metropolitan people buy" (28). Living in the fly-over state that I do, I find this incredibly patronizing. Beavan is reinforcing the tired old stereotypes of coast-dwellers as the keepers-of-all-knowledge-and-culture and those of us who live in the middle of the country as poor lost sheep who need to look to him for guidance. Even if we grant him the indulgence of the opinion that city folk have dictated what the rest of us consume, why would this mean that we should also look to metropolitan people for examples of how to live sustainably? Instead of looking to a privileged New Yorker who can afford to "slum it" by shutting his power off, maybe we should really be looking to the people who live Beavan's "extreme" lifestyle on a daily basis as a means of survival. I'm sure that the homeless man down the street could teach me a hell of a lot more about what it's like to live in an energy-depleted world. I'm sure the single mother across the way could school me in feeding a family on pennies a day. But, they don't have book deals. I'm not suggesting that Beavan should be ignored or condemned solely because he is popular or even because he is privileged. He's carrying an important message that I, for the most part, agree with. And he's right. Those who have a lot need to learn to live with a whole lot less so that there's something left for those who have nothing.
A second note is a seeming lack of sincerity in his professed goal of demonstrating ways to live with less impact. As part of the "no waste" goal, the family eschews disposable toilet paper. To Beavan's chagrin, the first question out of everyone's mouth is "what did you use instead?!?" A question that he refuses to answer. Here he misses a great opportunity to provide a sustainable alternative for his audience. He claims that part of this project is to inspire others to live lower impact lives, but he never stops to consider that by actually answering this question, he might be giving them the tools to actually do so. I guess one could argue that this is out of modesty, but it seems an odd line in the sand to draw. Beavan invited us into his life and his experiment and as soon as someone asked a real question, the answer to which could be helpful for others, he stubbornly refuses to answer.
I hesitate to be too critical because, again, his goals are my goals. I think we should all be living lower impact lifestyles, regardless of what motivates us to get there. His motivation just doesn't seem to jive with mine.
This Moment: Signs of Spring
In Soulemama's words: {this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.
I couldn't pick just one.
{Daylilies}
{Parsley}
{Chives}
{Daffodils}
Comfort Food: Goulash
Inevitably, there are weeks when I just don't get around to making a menu and I have to stop at the store on the way home from work in order to get the makings of some sort of dinner. This was one of those weeks. I have a handful of recipes that I know by heart and these are my default. The most popular at my house is Goulash.
This is one of the few recipes that I grew up eating that I still make, using a tweaked version of what my mom used to prepare. On many occasions, I made it for my college roommates and it always got rave reviews. One dear friend still makes it for her family and calls it "Courtney's Goulash," which makes me feel far more important and flattered than I probably should. So, for those harried nights when you need a go-to, easy, but warming meal, here's Courtney's Goulash.
Courtney's Goulash (Based on Betty's Goulash)
2 cans tomato bisque soup
1 lb. pasta of your choice (I prefer rigatoni)
1/2 an onion, diced
1/2 a green pepper, diced
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
1 lb. ground beef
Oregano, salt, and pepper to taste
Parmesan cheese
1. You will have three pans going on your stove at the same time. First, start a large pot of salted water to boil for the pasta. Cook pasta al dente according to directions on box.
2. Meanwhile, crumble fry hamburger in a large skillet until brown. Season with salt and pepper.
3. At the same time, melt fat of your choice (I use bacon grease) into another skillet over medium heat. Saute onions, green pepper, and garlic until soft. Season with salt, pepper, and oregano.
4. After draining pasta, return to large pot. Add hamburger and sauteed vegetable mixture. Add tomato bisque. Stir until pasta is well coated.
5. Transfer mixture to a 9" x 13" baking dish. Top with freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 350 for 30 minutes.
Makes 6 or so servings.
When you can't knit, sew!
Instead of knitting...
I worked on sewing some burp cloths. I started with the shaped one, but then quickly realized that I needed more practice with my sewing machine before attempting something so ambitious! Hence, the plain rectangle.
I didn't realize that sewing a straight line would be so challenging. But, I'm discovering the two things I'm sure everyone else already knows--don't try to feed the fabric, just let the machine pull it through, and keep my eyes on the edge of the fabric against the throat plate, not on the needle. These are just 9" x 22" rectangles of coordinating flannel, sewn right sides together and then turned. Very, very basic, but a good way to practice some skills, I thought.
I have grand plans of sewing a new small bag to take to the theatre this weekend. Let's hope!
Hiatus from Knitting
At my chiropractic appointment last night, I was sternly told that if I ever want the tendonitis in my wrists to subside, I have to hold off on the knitting for awhile. This is not what I wanted to hear. I would much rather continue knitting and hold off on the computer work that I do instead. But, that's not really an option and Dr. Jane is a smart lady so I think I'll listen to her.
It seems everyone I know has had some sort of repetitive stress injury related to a job they've had at some point, usually from working in a cubicle farm or a factory. My wrists first started to give me trouble eight years ago when I was living my Hollywood dreams. I worked in a production office typing transcriptions of raw interview footage. My station was in the editing bay, so I was surrounded by a host of creative individuals and loved seeing the raw footage that I worked with transformed into slickly produced shows. But transcription involves lots of "pausing" and "playing" of the video and lots and lots of typing. The pain was chronic and I couldn't sleep at night because both of my arms would go completely numb. I had finally decided to see a doctor about it when life circumstances caused me to leave that job and move back to Iowa. Slowly, the pain subsided and my wrists healed, although the damage was permanent. As long as I didn't try to do repetitive tasks for too long, they were ok. The work I did in the intervening years was more active and varied, which helped. And then I got my current job, complete with ball and chain that traps me at a desk for eight hours a day with little to do and nothing but a computer screen staring back at me.
I don't think that people were meant to sit in front of computers all day long. I mean physically. Our bodies just can't take it. Even with the most ergonomically designed work station, our bodies are not meant to sit upright and sedentary for hours and hours and hours. It is so frustrating to have the things that I enjoy doing--knitting, kneading bread, writing here--be compromised by pain caused by a job that I'm completely ambivalent about. I would get another job, but there are no other jobs.
So, I take a deep breath and I remind myself that it's all to a purpose. I'm working here now so that I don't have to in the future. I'm working here now to pay off our debts so that we can afford to move. I'm working here now so that tomorrow, I can be free.
It seems everyone I know has had some sort of repetitive stress injury related to a job they've had at some point, usually from working in a cubicle farm or a factory. My wrists first started to give me trouble eight years ago when I was living my Hollywood dreams. I worked in a production office typing transcriptions of raw interview footage. My station was in the editing bay, so I was surrounded by a host of creative individuals and loved seeing the raw footage that I worked with transformed into slickly produced shows. But transcription involves lots of "pausing" and "playing" of the video and lots and lots of typing. The pain was chronic and I couldn't sleep at night because both of my arms would go completely numb. I had finally decided to see a doctor about it when life circumstances caused me to leave that job and move back to Iowa. Slowly, the pain subsided and my wrists healed, although the damage was permanent. As long as I didn't try to do repetitive tasks for too long, they were ok. The work I did in the intervening years was more active and varied, which helped. And then I got my current job, complete with ball and chain that traps me at a desk for eight hours a day with little to do and nothing but a computer screen staring back at me.
I don't think that people were meant to sit in front of computers all day long. I mean physically. Our bodies just can't take it. Even with the most ergonomically designed work station, our bodies are not meant to sit upright and sedentary for hours and hours and hours. It is so frustrating to have the things that I enjoy doing--knitting, kneading bread, writing here--be compromised by pain caused by a job that I'm completely ambivalent about. I would get another job, but there are no other jobs.
So, I take a deep breath and I remind myself that it's all to a purpose. I'm working here now so that I don't have to in the future. I'm working here now to pay off our debts so that we can afford to move. I'm working here now so that tomorrow, I can be free.
Seed Stitch Baby Booties
Finished these up this week.
I followed a pattern from Zoe Mellor's book 50 Baby Bootees to Knit 
and used Lily's Sugar'n Cream worsted in Guacamole.
and used Lily's Sugar'n Cream worsted in Guacamole.
They pair nicely with the seed stitch bib that I knit last month.
Right now, the seed stitch is my favorite stitch. Constantly carrying the yarn back and forth feels so active and engaged. I'm happy with the way this pair turned out and I think I'm done with bibs and am finally ready to move on to bigger and better things. I got a gift certificate to the Crazy Girl Yarn Shop for my birthday and I loaded up on more yarn this weekend. Oh my!
Weekend Review: Hit by a Farm by Catherine Friend
If you're looking for narratives of scrappy individuals trying to start a farm or homestead, a quick library or Internet search will bring you a multitude of people willing to share their experiences. If, on the other hand, you'd like to know what it's like to be the reluctant partner of said scrappy individual and to be somewhat dragged into farming by someone you love, stories are fewer and more far between. Hit by a Farm: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Barn
(2006) by Catherine Friend chronicles several years in which Catherine and her partner Melissa buy 57 acres in Minnesota, build a house, and start raising sheep, chickens, and the occasional goat and alpaca. Along the way, Friend wrestles with trying to balance her desire to return to the city and continue her "normal" life as a children's book author, with her love for Melissa, whose only dream is to live on a farm and raise animals.This perspective is one that I really enjoy seeing and would like to hear more often (Sharon over at Casaubon's Book has a particularly wonderful take and The Pioneer Woman is probably the most well-known example), especially because I often feel a great deal of guilt at all the life changes I've imposed on my own loved one. The content of this book was delightful. These women are all about doing. When they first buy their land they designate a folder as "Wild Hairs;" a place to gather every possible idea of how to make money off their land. They then go through them, weigh the pros and cons and see what they can make work. They end up devoting a small portion of their space to grape vines and the rest to sheep pasture. I find this to be an inspiring way to go about the whole process. Instead of diving in with a bunch of preconceived notions about how or what they want to farm, they find the land first and then they allow that specific place to guide what they do. This combination of extensive research and presence in a specific place demonstrates an inspiring and gentle approach to becoming a new farmer that I'd like to emulate.
While I enjoyed following their journey and even learned a thing or two along the way, there was much about Friend's writing style that grated on me. She uses an over-arching metaphor of "fences" and "boundaries" to describe the physicality of the farm work as well as her emotional states. I found this to be contrived. To me, it reeked of bad college freshman writing. I also found her character development to be repetitive and lacking in any real arc. I understand that this is a memoir and to a certain degree she is "telling it like it is," but nearly every chapter ends with her agonizing with self-doubt about her writing and debating about whether or not to leave Melissa. She came across as indulgent and petulant. That said, this was a very quick read. I finished it in an afternoon. If you can stomach some mediocre writing, the down-and-dirty narrative of two city girls learning how to farm is worth picking it up from the library.
While I enjoyed following their journey and even learned a thing or two along the way, there was much about Friend's writing style that grated on me. She uses an over-arching metaphor of "fences" and "boundaries" to describe the physicality of the farm work as well as her emotional states. I found this to be contrived. To me, it reeked of bad college freshman writing. I also found her character development to be repetitive and lacking in any real arc. I understand that this is a memoir and to a certain degree she is "telling it like it is," but nearly every chapter ends with her agonizing with self-doubt about her writing and debating about whether or not to leave Melissa. She came across as indulgent and petulant. That said, this was a very quick read. I finished it in an afternoon. If you can stomach some mediocre writing, the down-and-dirty narrative of two city girls learning how to farm is worth picking it up from the library.
This moment
Today I feel like being quiet, so I'm participating in SouleMama's {this moment} series.
In her words:
{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.
Ditching disposable razors
For about a year I've been using the same razor, one of those "Venus" numbers, and it's just now getting to the point where it's nicking my legs more than shaving them. I knew that once it came time to replace it, I wanted to do so with a non-plastic, non-disposable option. I wanted a real razor. Obviously, there existed razors before there existed plastic, but I'm lazy and didn't really know where to easily get my hands on one. Enter my mother.
I periodically give her a "look-for list" of things that I would like to find vintage or second-hand and she buckles down and usually finds them for me. As soon as I asked her for a "real" razor she gave me this adorable never-used set. I think it is one of those things she picked up years ago, tucked away in a drawer, and promptly forgot.
I tried it out for the first time this week and I am completely hooked. I was hesitant because I was convinced that I would cut my legs to shreds, but my actual experience couldn't have been further from these fears. I just used regular soap to lather and this razor just glided over my skin. It gave me the closest shave that I've ever had and not a single cut. Like silk. I wasn't even being particularly careful, spending the same amount of time shaving my legs as I have in the past. It's true that this razor does require a little more care. After each use I unscrew the handle, take out the blade, and dry each part thoroughly. But this takes all of two minutes and is a small price to pay for never having to buy a disposable razor again.
Kitty Mischief
This is what I found on my kitchen floor when I came home from work last night:
I'm not exactly sure what the kitties were going for when they jumped up on the counter, but the result was the knocking over of all my onion seedlings. Naughty kitties! I scooped what I could of the dirt back in the bucket and tried to "replant" the seedlings. We'll see if they take hold again. They were still pretty small and delicate; I'm not sure if that means that they will bounce back more easily or if they will whither and die due to the disturbance. I guess we'll find out.
Knitting Lessons 6
Intarsia! In case you couldn't tell...that's a sailboat in there. I think I'm to the point where I can competently read a knitting pattern and discern whether or not it's a good one. This one was not. The issues of stitch tightness around the changes in color are mine, but the wonky shape of the inset is the fault of the pattern. It was just riddled with really basic errors (like the number of stitches in each row), but I didn't read through it closely enough before I started in order to catch it. Lesson learned. I also probably should have done something more simple (like a square) for my first foray into intarsia. But, those things aside, the intarsia process was fun and I love, love, love what you can do with it!
I'm in love with the yarn, as well. It's from my birthday stash and it's pima cotton. I never thought that the difference between good and cheap yarn would be so striking, but it really is. This was just a dream to work with. Luckily, I still have quite a bit of it left.
Weekend Review: Coop by Michael Perry
Coop: A Year of Poultry, Pigs and Parenting 
(2009) by Michael Perry is a very heartfelt year-in-the-life memoir of a man trying to start a small sustainable farm with his wife, daughter, and brand new baby. Perry goes back and forth between stories of growing up as one of 60-some children (not all at once--his parents fostered many kids over the years) on his parents' dairy farm and anecdotes of his mishaps as he tries to raise pigs, chickens, and a family on an almost zero budget. Perry comes across as incredibly earnest, honest, and funny. I recognized a lot of my own dreams in his recurring tendency to dive fully into his farming/homeschooling/writing goals and stumbling along the way.
(2009) by Michael Perry is a very heartfelt year-in-the-life memoir of a man trying to start a small sustainable farm with his wife, daughter, and brand new baby. Perry goes back and forth between stories of growing up as one of 60-some children (not all at once--his parents fostered many kids over the years) on his parents' dairy farm and anecdotes of his mishaps as he tries to raise pigs, chickens, and a family on an almost zero budget. Perry comes across as incredibly earnest, honest, and funny. I recognized a lot of my own dreams in his recurring tendency to dive fully into his farming/homeschooling/writing goals and stumbling along the way. What was most striking about his journey is the real sense of community that is fostered around him. Buying a homestead that is not very far from the one on which he grew up, Perry is already well integrated into the community. He always seems to "know a guy" who can help him accomplish whatever he has set out to do; whether that be slaughtering his hogs, building his chicken coop, or getting assistance for his wife's home birth. It serves to demonstrate that none of us are really in this alone; we all do need the love and support of our neighbors. He places much value on a sense of family that extends beyond those related to him by blood to include all those whom he works with to build a better life. It seems obvious that these values came from growing up in a family that always made room for one more child in need.
The book ends as his family sits down to a meal that he literally provided for them from start to finish; from the pork to the vegetables, all of it was brought to the table by their own hands. It is an incredible thing. Not only that he is able to accomplish this without driving his wife crazy, but that he does so with such good humor and a real commitment to the idea that what he's doing is carving out a more meaningful life for his two little girls.
Edit: The title of this book for the 2010 paperback edition has been changed to "Coop: A Family, A Farm, and the Pursuit of One Good Egg."
The book ends as his family sits down to a meal that he literally provided for them from start to finish; from the pork to the vegetables, all of it was brought to the table by their own hands. It is an incredible thing. Not only that he is able to accomplish this without driving his wife crazy, but that he does so with such good humor and a real commitment to the idea that what he's doing is carving out a more meaningful life for his two little girls.
Edit: The title of this book for the 2010 paperback edition has been changed to "Coop: A Family, A Farm, and the Pursuit of One Good Egg."
Friday in Focus: Attitude
"Friday in Focus" is my weekly time to stop and reflect on the changes that I've made to live more sustainably, how I came to make those choices, and whether or not those choices are still an accurate reflection of my goals and values. It is a moment to continue in my effort to live deliberately.
Steve and I struggled a lot at the beginning of our relationship. We were two stubborn individuals who had got along quite well doing things our own way and were quite convinced that the other person needed to change to fit into our lifestyle. I'm not sure exactly when that changed or even how. It's not like we sat down and laid out a clear path to compromise. We stumbled our way there.
At this point in our lives, we are just plain happier people than we were back then. I credit this in large part to changes in our diet, but also to this indescribable "something" that clicked within us that prevents us from placing our individual wants ahead of our goals as a couple. We have become better able to see that many of the things we butt heads on are just differences in habit. Steve prefers to have the TV on as background noise. I prefer it quiet. Neither of us prefer these things in a malicious quest to annoy the other. We're just different people who have different preferences and we can find a way to both be happy. I'm sure this all sounds very basic and everyone else already has it all figured out, but coming to this realization as a couple has been amazing.
It has also helped us deal with the multitude of changes that we're making in our lives (or, maybe it's so many changes in such a short span of time that has forced us to learn to deal with one another as rational adults?). We both have visions about what we would like our lives to look like; specific in some areas and foggy in others. I know that I want to be as self-sufficient as possible, which for me means that I want to own more land and raise animals. Steve knows that he will always want and need a high speed Internet connection and doesn't want to be too far from a city. The key is realizing that these don't have to be competing interests. None of them do. Realizing this has been the single most productive thing that we have done on our road to becoming more sustainable and living deliberately. Ultimately, everything is a balancing act and by learning to strike that balance within our own family, we can be more successful in striking that balance in the bigger picture, whether that be in terms of the environment, politics, or whatever.
I think there is a danger in trying to be too "pure." In my fantasy world I am able to gather all the raw materials I need and I have all the time and skills to transform them into the things that my family needs. Not only is this not realistic in real life, I don't think it's even really desirable. This doesn't mean that we shouldn't have standards or that we shouldn't have lines across which we do not step. I won't eat factory farmed meat. That's one of my lines. Others have different lines. I hate the Voltaire quote "The perfect is the enemy of the good," but it is apt. We all have to start where we are, do the best we can with what we've got, and make compromises when necessary.
Too Much Stuff
An incredible sense of comfort and calm washed over me as I settled into bed last night. We're refinancing our mortgage and in preparation for today's visit from the appraiser, Steve and I cleaned the house from top to bottom. Everything was clean, all was in its place. My mind was at rest, coming from a productive day and this sense of order.
I'm trying to find a balance between letting go of the "stuff" we don't need or use and not living a disposable lifestyle. Part of living sustainably, I believe, is taking full responsibility for all the stuff that comes into my life. This means that when I no longer need or want an item, I need to either refashion it to serve another purpose for me or find someone who does want and need it. This takes time, meaning that the flow of stuff going out of the house is barely at a trickle. All salable items get donated to Goodwill and all other stuff goes on Freecycle. I have been consistently surprised and delighted at the random things that I offer there that find a happy new owner.
Last night's feeling of tranquility has shown me that I need to redouble my efforts. I have a 30 year backlog of stuff that I'm trying to deal with and it's time to just let it go.
I'm trying to find a balance between letting go of the "stuff" we don't need or use and not living a disposable lifestyle. Part of living sustainably, I believe, is taking full responsibility for all the stuff that comes into my life. This means that when I no longer need or want an item, I need to either refashion it to serve another purpose for me or find someone who does want and need it. This takes time, meaning that the flow of stuff going out of the house is barely at a trickle. All salable items get donated to Goodwill and all other stuff goes on Freecycle. I have been consistently surprised and delighted at the random things that I offer there that find a happy new owner.
Last night's feeling of tranquility has shown me that I need to redouble my efforts. I have a 30 year backlog of stuff that I'm trying to deal with and it's time to just let it go.
Singing the Praises
I just have to take a moment to sing the praises of a time honored, but oft neglected kitchen implement: the cast iron skillet. Here is where I would normally insert a picture of our cast iron beauty, but it's still showing the crusty remnants of last night's dinner, which is not something I think anyone really wants to see. But, picture in your mind a smoky black number. Warm and slick to the touch and heavy in the hand. Like an even-tempered friend, she heats up slowly and evenly, cradling and nurturing the food within her. Steve brought our skillet home; buying it at the beginning of our relationship. He wanted to cook dinner for me to celebrate our anniversary and a friend told him that the only way to cook was in cast iron. He used it that one night and then it sat, neglected, for at least three years before either of us picked it up again. I didn't realize what I was missing out on. Now, we use it all the time. I'd use it even more often if it were larger.
It's easy to feel that there is no "perfect" pan; that all of them compromise something. Our large Teflon-coated skillet is so easy to use and clean, which is why it's been our go-to pan for pretty much all of our stove-top cooking. But, it releases toxic fumes when we use it, so I've been trying to wean us off of it. Aluminum is cheap, but there are some studies linking exposure to it with Alzheimer's. These findings are controversial, but I generally like to take a better-safe-than-sorry approach. Stainless steel is safe and durable, but can be hard to clean. But, cast iron...cast iron is all of the good with none of the bad. From a culinary point of view, it's perfect for frying and searing because it can withstand high heats. Its ability to provide even heating makes it perfect for braising. It easily goes from stove-top to oven. The seasoning process gives it a non-stick surface and, unlike aluminum, our bodies actually need iron. So the minute quantities of iron that are transferred to food cooked in cast iron can actually be beneficial for us.
Cast iron skillets turn up frequently at Goodwill, with large ones going for as little as $12. I've never bought them because I've been intimidated by the whole seasoning and care process. But, as I become adept at using the pan we already own, I yearn for more.
It's easy to feel that there is no "perfect" pan; that all of them compromise something. Our large Teflon-coated skillet is so easy to use and clean, which is why it's been our go-to pan for pretty much all of our stove-top cooking. But, it releases toxic fumes when we use it, so I've been trying to wean us off of it. Aluminum is cheap, but there are some studies linking exposure to it with Alzheimer's. These findings are controversial, but I generally like to take a better-safe-than-sorry approach. Stainless steel is safe and durable, but can be hard to clean. But, cast iron...cast iron is all of the good with none of the bad. From a culinary point of view, it's perfect for frying and searing because it can withstand high heats. Its ability to provide even heating makes it perfect for braising. It easily goes from stove-top to oven. The seasoning process gives it a non-stick surface and, unlike aluminum, our bodies actually need iron. So the minute quantities of iron that are transferred to food cooked in cast iron can actually be beneficial for us.
Cast iron skillets turn up frequently at Goodwill, with large ones going for as little as $12. I've never bought them because I've been intimidated by the whole seasoning and care process. But, as I become adept at using the pan we already own, I yearn for more.
Knitting Lessons 5
This little pair was completed last week. I used the easiest pattern in 50 Baby Bootees to Knit; a simple garter stitch the whole way that I was able to finish in two evenings. This was my first time sewing up seams. They turned out a little messier than I'd like and I'm not happy about the shaping around the toe. The pattern said to "gently ease the fabric around the toe area." I'm not exactly sure what that means.
; a simple garter stitch the whole way that I was able to finish in two evenings. This was my first time sewing up seams. They turned out a little messier than I'd like and I'm not happy about the shaping around the toe. The pattern said to "gently ease the fabric around the toe area." I'm not exactly sure what that means.
But, now I do have a cute little set. Now I just need to find a baby to put them on!
I was feeling down this morning about how foggy, dreary, and wet everything is. But, then I stopped and listened to a pair of cardinals singing up in the trees. They were just so joyful; it made it impossible not to smile.
Community
Steve and I ventured out into the world of being social by going to an Oscar party last night. We saw old friends whom we haven't seen in awhile and shared laughs while making fun of the pomp and circumstance that is the Hollywood machine. Good times were had by all; although being out and about made me realize just how rarely we do so.
I know that being an active part of a community is important in living a sustainable lifestyle. As much as we'd like to be completely self-sufficient, there do come times when one needs to rely on one's neighbors. We can't do this if we don't know who our neighbors are. So, it's important to do the work to forge meaningful connections with those around us. For Steve and I, this is difficult. I can be painfully shy and both of us just prefer to hang out at home. We like things quiet and low-key and it's hard to get more low-key than sharing evenings home together.
Another thing "to work on" I guess.
Weekend Review: Everyday Blessings by Myla and Jon Kabat-Zinn
When I talk about being "mindful," I've noticed that some think I'm speaking in very general terms and then there are others who smile and nod and say back, "ah, yes, mindfulness." I, myself, didn't really have a specific grasp on the term and its journey until I read Everyday Blessings: The Inner Work of Mindful Parenting 
(1998) by husband and wife writing duo Myla and Jon Kabat-Zinn. The concept seems so simple in theory, but can be so difficult in practice. The basic idea is to slow down, be aware of each and every moment as it's happening, and to not allow judgment (positive or negative) to color that awareness. This book couples this larger life goal with the specifics of parenting and how practicing mindfulness can help us to be more compassionate, gentle, and respectful of our children.There is a meditative quality to reading this book, that makes me want to add it to my personal library so that I can revisit it again and again. They come back to the same or similar points repeatedly, making my reading experience feel circular and flowing. The Kabat-Zinns interweave narratives from their own experiences of raising children, narratives of others, and traditional stories together to explore the larger idea of being mindful. This is not a list of "things you must do to raise a good child." They set no rules and impose no constrictions on the reader. Rather, they gently encourage the reader to explore how mindfulness can work into their own lives and how it can be used to buttress their own values and goals.
Some might find this frustrating. I did at times. What this book is promoting is really a way of living, so if one is looking for hard and fast one-size-fits-all answers to how to parent, this book may feel like a letdown. My desire to read it came out of my desire to raise children who, above all else, are ethical, respectful, and kind. This book did set me on a path that I think can help me achieve those goals and I'm glad that I read it before I have children as I think I need a lot of practice. In our society there are few if any rewards for taking our time. At every turn we are encouraged to multi-task so that we can get more done faster. But if we are constantly allowing our minds to wander to the next thing we have to do, we miss out on the small joys of what is happening right now. So often I find myself at the end of another week and it's all a blur of getting up, going to work, making dinner, and going to bed. It makes me sad to think of my life in terms of such a routine. What about the way the sun reflected off the ice as I walked to work? What about the way the sausages sounded as they sizzled in the pan? What about the way Steve's hand feels on the small of my back when he hugs me "hello?" I think these small moments are important and they are worth noticing and they only become moreso once children enter into the picture. Children are small for such a very short time and our influence on them is so very great. I don't want my parenting experience to be one of automatic routine. I want to notice the small moments and relish them.
Friday in Focus: Reusable Water Bottles
"Friday in Focus" is my weekly time to stop and reflect on the changes that I've made to live more sustainably, how I came to make those choices, and whether or not those choices are still an accurate reflection of my goals and values. It is a moment to continue in my effort to live deliberately.
I have never really had a "bottled water habit," per se, so making the decision to give it up was an easy one for me. As in many other of my life's decisions, I had more-or-less been making the sustainable choice all along for reasons of frugality. If money is the only motivator (and for me, it was for awhile), then the cost comparison between tap water and bottled water is enough to choose the tap. My decision to completely swear off bottled water, however, was motivated by concerns that are related to health, the environment, and human rights, in addition to my pocketbook.
Health: Currently, I am very lucky. We have a neighborhood well and our water is exactly what water should be: cold, wet, and devoid of any weird flavors. I have not always been so lucky. I have lived in several different cities and many (if not all) of them have had horrible-tasting water. Usually a water filter remedied this, but I still worried about contaminants that might be in my city water. Like many people, I assumed that bottled water was somehow more pure and therefore better for me than what came out of the tap. Such is not the case. Tap water is regulated by the EPA, whose Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water has issued extensive regulations on the production, distribution and quality of drinking water, including regulations on source water protection, operation of drinking water systems, contaminant levels and reporting requirements. Bottled water, on the other hand, is regulated by the FDA, because it is sold as a food, which has far less stringent testing and reporting requirements. Bottled water companies are not required to test their water for contaminants nor are they required to disclose their findings if they do choose to test. Independent testing has shown that bottled water contains all sorts of chemical pollutants. Many times, bottled water is just tap water that is put into a bottle and then sold to you at a 1,900% profit.
Environment: Close your eyes and call up an image of your bottled water of choice. Imagine filling it up seven times with water and filling it one third full of oil. That's only part of the resources that it takes to make that one bottle of water. Seventeen million barrels of oil per year--enough fuel for more than 1 million U.S. cars for a year--go to making single-use, disposable water bottles. What a waste.
Human Rights: You would think that on a planet that is 2/3 water; there would be plenty to go around, right? Well, sure, if you dig drinking salt water. Only 3% of Earth's water is fresh, and 69% of that water is frozen in ice caps and glaciers. The tiny little sliver that is left is all we've got to work with. It's precious. We can't afford to waste it. We all need it to live, which is why I think access to water is a human right. The instance of Coca-Cola using scarce water in India to make soft drinks while local farms dry and whither illustrates how luxuries are being given priority over necessities. That's not something I support and I express that opposition by refusing to financially support those business practices.
So, for all of these reasons (and then some) I bought myself a reusable stainless steel water bottle. I use it every day, all day. I refill it out of the tap at home and out of the water fountain at work. An unforeseen benefit has been the dramatic increase in the amount of water that I drink, which has made me a healthier person. I went from drinking maybe 8 ounces of water a day to drinking 75 ounces. Many people cite convenience as their reason for buying bottled water, but what could be more convenient that always having a bottle of water with you? My water bottle comes with me everywhere, so it didn't take long for me to get in the habit of always having it filled and ready to go. My goal for the future is to keep on keepin' on, but also to be more supportive of Steve in his efforts to fully make the transition too. For about a year he had a Sigg, which he used occasionally, but he still took the free bottled water that was available to him at work. The Sigg exploded when we forgot it (full) in the car on an icy winter night. Maybe that's something I should do this weekend...get him a new replacement water bottle and a kiss for encouragement.
What about you? Have you ditched the water bottle habit? Have you found a reusable water bottle that you really love?
What about you? Have you ditched the water bottle habit? Have you found a reusable water bottle that you really love?
Sewing notions
My parents came to visit this past weekend. Among the things that my mother brought (she rarely comes empty-handed, much to Steve's chagrin) was this wall-mounted thread organizer and her collection of thread. What a wonderful gift for a new sewer, no?
The wooden shelves were originally a Rit Dye store display and she purchased it many years ago when a small business in our hometown was closing. When I was young, my mom had a small sewing room off the bathroom and I remember this hanging on the wall there, filled with thread; probably these very same spools of thread (mom doesn't really sew much). Now it hangs in my sewing room. I like that.
Just starting
The sun is shining, the snow is melting, and my first batch of seeds are (hopefully) germinating.
I stuck to my seed-starting calendar and planted 5 sets of seeds this past weekend. Almost all of them were from this year's Baker Creek Heirloom Seed order, except for the Bull Nose Bell Pepper, which were left over from last year and came from Seed Savers Exchange. I started: Bronze D'Amposta onion, Craig's Grande jalapeno, Diamond eggplant, and Thai White Ribbed eggplant. Hopefully they'll make a good show, as none of these worked out well for me last year. Last year's peppers shriveled shortly after they sprouted, my onions never got bigger than scallions, and my eggplants (which were given to me as seedlings) came back after being eaten by rabbits, but never produced any fruit. No matter what happens, it can only be an improvement.
I tried re-using toilet paper rolls as seed cups, which is what I did last year, but it just wasn't workin' for me, hence the ice cream buckets. I hate using plastic, but I already had these on hand and they're just so much easier in my current situation. If I had more space or perhaps a greenhouse, I might go back to the individual biodegradable seed cups. But, for now, buckets it is.
Knitting Lessions 4
Here is the dinosaur bib.
I followed this pattern and used Lily Original Sugar'n Cream worsted weight cotton in Red. This was my first project with a stockinette stitch, but it also allowed me to practice some other new skills: increasing and decreasing rows, seed stitch, and I-cords. I have to say, I really struggled with this one. I think that reading patterns, in and of itself, is a skill. It seems that, at times, the writer assumes the reader knows things that aren't made explicit in the pattern. I'm sure this is fine for a more experienced knitter, but for a beginner like me it can be incredibly frustrating. For example, I know that in seed stitch you start every row with a knit if you have an odd number of stitches on a row and you alternate starting with a knit and a purl if you have an even number of stitches on a row. But, I found myself getting very confused on this bib because I was constantly adding and subtracting stitches and wasn't really sure how to start each row. I also struggled with casting on additional stitches in the middle of a pattern. I have been using a backward loop cast-on in these instances, because it's the easiest, but my edges ended up looking very messy and uneven. Now that I've learned how to knit-on, I think I'll use that instead as it seems to give a much more finished-looking edge.
Next up? I have a simple intarsia pattern that I was hoping to try, although I may first do another garter stitch bib with stripes so that I can practice changing colors. Eeek!
Savoring the journey
Tardiness was a big problem for me in elementary school. The challenge started from the moment I dragged myself out of bed and continued right on throughout the day. I used to play all sorts of games with myself in order to drag out the time it took me to walk the 4 blocks from my house to school. This may have been because I really hated school (I was always incredibly bored) but I also think it was because I liked to savor the journey. In the fall and spring, I'd find a small rock and try to kick it the entire length of my walk, which sometimes took me far outside the most direct route. In the winter, I was intent on stepping on and breaking all the ice along the way; I loved the brittle cracking sound that it made. I find myself doing these same things now as I walk from where I park my car to my bus stop on my way to work in the morning. The situations are so similar. Although I try to fill my down time with writing and planning for the future, I am so bored at work. So, I'm finding it better to focus on my journey, realizing that this is but one step in my path. Because ultimately, it's all just a series of stones we kick along the way.
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