Posted in Locally grown, Moderation and Economy, Uncategorized, Working the earth/harvesting its bounty on Mar 10th, 2010
Seems like we’ve been living in our wellies this week as we spent most of our time planting in the garden. This week we’ve started:
Peas, round two, this time in the front yard – Little Marvel, Tall Telephone, and Oregon Sugar Pod II.
Potatoes, in three beds in the backyard, near the larger coldframe – German [...]
Posted in From my kitchen, Moderation and Economy on Feb 25th, 2010
Little Hen and I made this recipe for spiced pulled-pork (from Sunset Magazine) for dinner two nights ago. I have yet to find a Sunset recipe that is a dud – there are always keepers in ever issue -but this one was a cut above. Oh my goodness, the allspice and thyme combined with the [...]
Posted in Books and Reading, Crafting, Giving, Moderation and Economy on Dec 9th, 2009
The weather here has been bitterly, bitterly cold (we are eagerly anticipating our annual Christmas trip to Florida next weekend!!). The past few days, we’ve built a big fort out of chairs and blankets in the living room. We’ve been spending our mornings snuggled under it, reading Christmas stories (like this collection of short stories, [...]
Posted in Crafting, Giving, Moderation and Economy, O Come, O Come Emmanuel on Dec 5th, 2009
The girls are reaching an age where they really enjoy being able to participate in making Christmas gifts. So, for their cousins (ages 5 1/2 and 3 1/2), we put together little paper-crafting kits, so Aasha and Ruby can enjoy an afternoon of Christmas crafting.
This is a very frugal gift, costing us less than $1 [...]
Posted in Moderation and Economy on Nov 12th, 2009
My husband had Veteran’s Day off of work, and stayed home reading the last book of The Chronicles of Prydain to some sick little kiddos. I took the opportunity to make a quick run to the thrift store and the craft store.
PACS is hands-down the best thrift store in Portland. I am never disappointed when [...]
Posted in Knitting, Moderation and Economy on Nov 2nd, 2009
Sigh… I’m getting a bit repetitive in my blogging and my knitting both, but I can’t stop knitting candleflame shawls!! I think this pattern is this fall what Toasty was for me last winter (and I’m still cranking those out for Christmas gifts again this year). It’s easy to memorize, easy to knit while doing [...]
Posted in Changing Seasons, Locally grown, Moderation and Economy, Outings, Working the earth/harvesting its bounty on Oct 30th, 2009
Some pictures from the cider pressing party last weekend. It was also my husband’s birthday – I’m so glad he had a great time! (We all did!)
Most folks brought apples from their own trees and also gleaned many from abandoned orchards along country roads.
Apples were washed, wormy parts and bruises removed, and then cut in [...]
Posted in Changing Seasons, Moderation and Economy, Mothering tool kit, Our home on Sep 28th, 2009
Some friends recently asked how we share sleep with our youngest while he’s in cloth diapers. Overnight leaks are a worry, even with doublers and the “good covers” saved for night time. To safeguard the mattress, we don’t use expensive wool mattress pads (which sound fabulous, but are way out of the budget) or those [...]
Posted in Crafting, Learning, Moderation and Economy on Sep 21st, 2009
Like most children their age, the girls are prolific artists (esp. Little Hen, who loves her water colors). Our living room was looking pretty bare, and despite amassing a substantial collection of their artwork, it’s just not in the budget to get anything professionally framed right now. Why should that prevent us from displaying their [...]
Posted in From my kitchen, Giving, Moderation and Economy, Outings on Sep 12th, 2009
Today Firecracker and I are attending our church’s fall kickoff of our monthly Ladies’ Breakfast. The pastor’s wife is hosting at her house, so we thought we’d take her (and her daughter – Firecracker’s friend) a little hostess gift when we go.
Earlier this week, we went to to the thrift store and picked up a [...]
