My Kitchen, My Vice

Errands as a glimpse into my soul.

2012-02-13T13:56:00.002-05:00

Or more simply put: What do your errands say about you?

This morning someone asked what I was planning to do with my time while both girls were at school. "Lowe's, the fabric store, the Asian food store, and hopefully the library."

That pretty much sums up my favorite places to go, at least at this time of year.

Where are you going today?

Hearty Breakfast

2012-02-11T21:32:00.002-05:00

You know how I feel about breakfasts. And cookie cutters. It was just a matter of time before something like this appeared.

Fry-slash-scramble up some eggs. Toast some bread.

Find a cookie cutter that corresponds to the nearest holiday.

Soon you'll have a cute and hearty breakfast, like this one!

Ideas for a trash-free Valentine's Day.

2012-02-05T21:54:00.000-05:00

Normally I'm not a Hallmark holiday kind of girl. But ever since my kids started school (who are we kidding? Ever since forever ago...) I feel like I have to actively find ways to celebrate special days like Valentine's Day without creating trash.

So instead of bags of candy, boxes of chocolate, and flowers wrapped in cellophane, we're doing things a little differently.

Naturally crafty, my daughters are eagerly making simple construction paper cards with delightfully sincere messages, such as, "I like you a lot." We may get ambitious and make cut-out cookies with a fun heart-shaped cookie cutter. Or, we may not.

We'll probably snuggle up by the fire and read charming picture books, such as Cranberry Valentine.

If you are trying to reduce your holiday trash, consider some of these ideas, either for your kids, or your honey.

Instead of a gift, give an experience. Last night, the Music Man and I brought to the forefront our inner Spider-person at the local rock climbing wall. We had so much fun, we're sore.
If you celebrate with a dinner out, consider bringing your own tupperware or glass containers to bring your leftovers home. No need for all those styrofoam boxes!
If you celebrate with a dinner in, try to throw the kitchen scraps in a compost pile. It works even through the winter!
Instead of a card, consider writing a love letter. Even a few sentences can go a long way! One mom I know surprises her children each Valentine morning with a love note under their pillows, like a Heart Fairy.
If it's an outing you're looking for, come on out to Lunasa's Open House Market on Tues, Feb 14th, 4 - 7pm. I'll be there as The Eventual Farmer. Be tempted by some local produce, meats, music, and handcrafts.
Instead of a piece of jewelry, consider a more practical gift, such as, oh, I don't know, a chicken coop. I'm so serious. My new-to-me coop has made me so happy this February!
Break up the winter confinement by going outdoors! Take a walk on a sunny day. Or at least shovel snow together.
Better yet, go to a hot tub place.
In lieu of boxed chocolates and all its packaging, try your hand at baking. Here's a winner of a recipe for Chocolate Marble Bread with Ganache Frosting.

How will you be celebrating this Valentine's Day? Any other fun, trash-free ideas?

Use What You Have (Part whatever): clementine boxes

2012-01-30T14:07:00.000-05:00

Clementine boxes. I want to love them. They are so cute and wooden. A thousand uses should be spilling into my brain. But the only thing that I can think to do with them is to store craft paints.

My younger daughter (who must be part fairy) came up with this idea.

"Get the hot glue gun, Mommy!"

And she proceeded to use kindling (as in, sticks), yarn, and other do-dads to make this little fairy garden.

There have got to be more uses for clementine boxes. Do share your ideas and rescue me from fairyland!

Ice luminaries: a lesson in science and psychology

2012-01-24T20:26:00.002-05:00

After a majorly failed attempt last year, I was determined to get some successful ice luminaries this season. I mean, it falls under my Use What You Have mantra. I have water. I have buckets. I have freezing temperatures. This should work.

That's the science part.

What I wasn't prepared for was the struggle to keep my patience as I tried to keep the glass jars from floating away, pop the ice cylinders out of the buckets, then pop the glass jars out of the ice. And the frozen mosquitos.

What are mosquitos doing in Michigan in January anyway?

Then I got smart and remembered that I have a cleaner, more predictable, more controlled environment right inside my kitchen freezer. And about a day later, 7 ice luminaries were born!

Here's how:

First, take a 32 ounce plastic yogurt container. Take an empty jam jar and fill it with dried beans.

Next, put the jam jar in the center of the yogurt container and fill the remaining space with water, leaving the top inch or two of the jar exposed. Carefully put this into the freezer, or out on the porch.

Later, when the water is completely frozen, take the whole thing out of the freezer and let it sit on the counter for about 15 minutes to thaw oh-so-slightly.

Then, turn it upside down, and tap the ice and jar out. Take the lid off the jar and dump out the beans. Fill the empty jar with cold water (hot water may crack the jar!). Let this sit for a few minutes. Then, with any luck, the jar should slide out of the ice cylinder! If the ice cracks, don't worry, take the jar out anyway, and pop the cracked ice cylinder back in the yogurt container, add a tiny bit of water to seal it, and put it back in the freezer for another hour.

Make as many luminaries as you like, remembering to store them in the freezer, not on the porch, until you are ready to light them. I learned this the hard way; a couple of sunny afternoons ruined my entire stash. Winter is just not what it used to be.

When you are ready to light these, drop a tea light or votive candle inside. Light with a long match or one of those long lighters and set outside.

Instant (ok, not so instant) charm!

Girls' Night In, with a purpose

2012-01-21T13:39:00.001-05:00

It's becoming a habit. The Music Man goes out of town. I throw a party.

Last year was tasty with the Heirloom Recipe Party. This year, I decided to up the anty a little bit and bring in not one, but two, guest speakers. They are sisters that work together under the name Clutter Be Gone to help people get organized.

I set up the party,

cake balls, who can resist these?

fruit kabobs

no party is complete without chunky salsa

ice luminaries

delegating the signage to my daughters

People actually came.

And the presenters gave us a serious dose of motivation to declutter and simplify our lives.

Some magnets served as a takeaway reminder of something we learned.

A charity truck came the next morning to whisk away the giveaway items that we had all brought from home.

I know the purpose of the party was not to trade junk, but I couldn't help falling in love with this oddly charming garden post. Do you think snow peas would grow up this?

One group of ladies already planned next year's party for me: a proper clothing/housewares exchange.

What are you doing the next third-weekend-in-january?

extra candy canes?

2012-01-15T20:21:00.000-05:00

If you are anything like us, you end up with several random and neglected candy canes at the end of the holiday season. When I came across this idea for reshaping them into peppermint sugar cubes, I let my morning plans get derailed for a fun 20 minutes.

Basically you let the food processor grind up a bunch of candy canes, some white sugar, and a tiny bit of water until you have sandy, minty granules.

Press them firmly into little cookie cutters.

Let them harden for an hour or two and pop them out.

Save the leftover granules for peppermint sugar for tea, coffee, or hot chocolate. Instant minty hot drink.

Perfect for January in Michigan!

To do? I'm done! A list of 2011.

2012-01-02T07:03:00.008-05:00

Yesterday I sat down to make a Goals 2012 List. I'm not a big fan of resolutions, which usually involve promises to myself that I'm not prepared to keep. But goals I like. In the last few years I've even been so gentle with myself as to start most goals with the word 'consider.' As in "Consider expanding the garden" or "consider doing yoga 3 times a week." Hey, a little bit of thoughtfulness goes a long way, and I figure I should give myself permission to toss some goals aside if they become unimportant or get displaced by something more pressing. Life happens, at least to me.

So as I sat down to make my new list of goals, I came across my list from last year. I was delighted to see that I had either accomplished most things, set some aside for later (this year!), or decided it was unimportant althogether (sew twirls skirts for my girls? Nah.)

Here's what I managed to eek out in good ol' 2011:

expanded the garden, cleaned out the pond, started the raspberry garden, gave away lots of cheerful sunflowers

visited 5 backyard chicken coops, read several chicken husbandry books

started writing a non-fiction book
put that book on hold to take my sustainability hobby to the public, in the form of a small business with a presence at the local farmers market and food co-op

gave away several bags of clothes, books, toys, household items to charity
took a personal finance class at church to tighten our systems and build encouragement for financial goals
researched, wrote, and partially illustrated a children's book
attended 2 family weddings

helped 2 friends move to happy homes
navigated our family's first school conflict
took advantage of absent children and husband by hosting an heirloom recipe party

incorporated Newberry Award books and classics into our read-alouds and car book-on-cd time

taught my daughters to jump rope

met several more people in my church by joining the Artist Way small group, the Ypsi Social Club, and a couples group
served as project manager for a bathroom remodel

painted my bedroom and my daughter's bedroom
organized the mezzanine (aka, the craft room, the giveaway room, the file room, etc)
made 2 quilts with repurposed fabric

taught Sunday School to toddlers, specializing in memory verses with actions
taught a bread-making class at my church's Camp Create

embarked on several urban, cultural adventures, including the Rembrandt exhibit at the DIA, the People Mover, and the Farm and Food Tour

sowed into relationships with playdates and Sunday dinners

(my husband had to remind me of this one!) managed our home, including daily meals, laundry, carpool, and homework support

Now that I can see how fun and full 2011 was, I'm ready to tackle 2012.

How about you?

Use What You Have, Parts 8 - 12

2011-12-31T20:43:00.008-05:00

There's been some serious elving going on around here, and not only by me! Better yet, it all involves using what we already have on hand. And most of it is rapidly approaching beautiful.

Last week, a classroom full of kindergarteners made holiday candles from some surplus glass baby food jars.

No matter if it's Christmas, Hanukkah, or Solstice that you celebrate, your holiday table can always use a hand-painted candle!

Speaking of glass, my mother-in-law did some creating of her own and used some of our extra syrup bottles to make this snazzy fruit bowl.

Who can resist a clementine when it's so cheerfully presented in this bowl?

Given my weakness for fabric, it was only a matter of time before these charming scraps became something useful. This time it's in the form of burp clothes.

And a throw quilt!

But the most festive display of all this craftiness can be pinned to a visiting friend who brought with him (no lie) wire cutters, ribbon, and a backpack full of creativity all the way from Chicago (thank you, AS!). Here's what we whipped up one afternoon.

Recognize the greens? Some of them are from our yard, bushes around town, and this lovely tree.

I'm still so surprised at how charming leftovers can be!

That was fun.

2011-12-22T21:02:00.007-05:00

A friend sent me the link for these zesty paper snowflakes (thanks, NH!), and we just had to give it a try:

Soon we had a whole pile of snowflakes waiting to adorn our home.

Who knew it could take only 10 minutes to transform a plain wall into a festive display with a little help from the recycle bin, scissors, and an iron?

Here's the basic tutorial. Go!

our upcycled tree

2011-12-19T05:39:00.007-05:00

Over the years, I've had my issues with Christmas. Not the birth of Jesus part, I'm fine with that. It's the consumerism, the crowds, the forced busyness that stuns me into inactivity every year. Last year I did find some solace in focusing on the aspects that I enjoy: music, stories, crafts. I grudgingly decorated and undecorated the tree that Music Man and the kids cheerfully brought home.

This year, the tree just got better. It got upcycled!

Huh? I know, it's baffling.

The story goes like this: a few hours after leaving a playdate, my friend calls me and says "I've got an idea!" Turns out her family celebrates Christmas early (tree, presents, and all), then leaves town for two weeks (bathing suits, dog, and all), not returning till the beginning of January, when her (by then) brittle, shedding tree is not a festive sight. Our family doesn't really get around to tackling a tree till mid-December when the string of concerts is finished.

Her idea was for our family to key into her house,

undecorate her tree,

take it to our home,

and POOF! the tree celebrates its second Christmas of the year!

Slightly grinch-like, but I like it. Hey, the grinch is green, after all.

(Thank you, S and family! I hope you are warm, relaxed, and tan, this Christmas!)

and then I thought I'd never run out

2011-12-18T06:14:00.003-05:00

A while back I inherited a large collection of sewing thread from Music Man's grandmother, and I acknowledged that I never thought I'd own that much thread. But I loved it! All those spools of possibility, lined up neatly by color.

And now with my latest blitz of markets, I've been having a 5am date with my sewing machine, a 1pm date, and an 8pm date, squeezing in a hour or two of creating when the kids were sleeping or at school. The biggest surprise in all of this elving, was how much I loved it! The hum of the sewing machine when all else is silent......ah....

The second biggest surprise was how much thread I was using. It seems I was always using up a spool and needing to replace it. I quickly tossed the empty spool aside and grabbed a replacement. After awhile, I noticed a growing pile of empty spools. The kids counted 15 used spools of thread!

Then I did some math: 15 spools of thread, at about 300 yards each, is 4500 yards, which is 13,500 feet, which is about 2 and 1/2 miles!

I've used 2.5 miles worth of thread.

I'm not quite sure what to think of that. But now I'm feeling the need to put those adorable empty spools to good use. Any suggestions?

Redeeming the space

2011-12-16T13:32:00.006-05:00

I love it when people turn something old, broken, and vacant into something warm, full, and darn near magical.

That's what MIX is doing. They are redeeming the space.

The edgy, empty space in our city's downtown that used to hold the Mongolian Grill (which, by the way, provided our family with a few tasty and healthy meals over the years) is being invaded with some jazzy new ideas from the ladies that run MIX and a handful of other local thinkers with a heart for cottage industries, local food, and creative fun.

It's called the Mix Marketplace.

Picture an indoor market, with snazzy lighting,

jazz piano music,

crepes,

jams,

honey, jewelry, green gifts,

sweets, pork,

and a whole lot more. Very eclectic, as I happened to notice what the vendors were wearing: galoshes, bow ties, yellow gingham aprons, high-heeled boots, knitted berets, suit vests, earrings made from dried tomatillo casings, upscaled sweatshirts.

What a fun evening! Oh, and the ticklish tidbit that I overheard one vendor say to a customer: "They are such smart animals! Have you seen them with a bowling ball?"

After this blitz of holiday markets is over, I'm excited to see what settles into the space. I'm staying tuned!

Got gift bags?

2011-12-14T07:55:00.004-05:00

(photo courtesy of Abi)

If you are trying for a simpler, trash-free holiday like I am this year, bop yourself on over to 29 diapers for a chance to win a set of 3 Fabric Gift Bags. My friend Laura (of 29 diapers) is hosting an online giveaway bonanza this season and is featuring The Eventual Farmer today!

I've been elving like a crazy woman in the past weeks, getting ready for some fun seasonal markets, but hope to catch my breath soon, and post updates of all of our non-market related adventures (bathroom remodels, thread usage, and our cheerful Grinch roleplay). More in the coming days, I promise!

Really? An online farmers' market?

2011-12-07T19:59:00.006-05:00

Yes! It's called Lunasa, and their mission is to make local easy.

And it's super easy.

Normally you have to be a member to purchase goods from their website, but they also have a handful of Open House Markets for anyone to come, feel, taste, and buy.

The most recent one was last night, and I was there as a vendor, wearing my Eventual Farmer hat, er, ... apron.

The goods are available online for pre-purchase. Or you can just come to the market and make your choices then.

The market is held twice monthly in an aging warehouse, which, despite the semi-truck loading docks

and decrepit doors,

added to the overall charm of the event.

Lunasa exists because people believe in it. Oh, and did I mention the beautiful apples,

hardy root veggies,

enchanting cutting boards (from reclaimed urban lumber, I might add),

fragrant samples,

notecards hand painted with Michigan wildlife,

Lithuanian bread,

mittens in the shape of my home state,

and live music?

But I think my favorite moment of the event happened just a few minutes into it, when I heard the vendor behind me say to a customer, "I'm sorry but I only have seven varieties of hummus here tonight."

Keeping your dollars local just got easy.

I'm dreaming of a green Christmas...

2011-12-05T20:32:00.001-05:00

Green Christmas

(adapted by The Eventual Farmer with the help of facebook friends)

I’m dreaming of a green Christmas,

Just like the plants I plan to grow

Where the compost’s hissin’ and children listen

To hear Al Gore’s scary show

I’m dreaming of a green Christmas

With every Christmas e-card I write

May your gifts be local, trash-free

And may all your Christmases be green.

I’m dreaming of a green Christmas,

With consumable or homemade gifts to give

May you choose a replantable tree

And may all your Christmases be green!

Tile that I'm trying to love

2011-11-29T20:54:00.003-05:00

Our house is weird. It has several floors. The corners are round. The yard is triangular, kind of. There is a lot of light in most rooms, except for the dark ones. There are glass block windows in odd places.

And it has strange tile.

Interesting at first.

But then you live with it for a while.

Trying to love it.

Then realizing you don't.

And that's okay.

Yikes, I've been absent for way too long here...

2011-11-18T18:34:00.011-05:00

I've been absent for way too long here.

And I'm going to blame it on my camera.

It finally breathed its last slow breath a few weeks ago when it started taking pictures like this

and this

Kinda cool in a 70s, faded sort of way, but not what I was going for.

It's a good thing grandmas are around to capture the recent cuteness, as in someone's first lost tooth

(yes, that mouth is blue from her first/last taste of cotton candy)

And someone's flute recital.

Today I just purchased a new-to-me camera on craigslist (hooray for affordability and no trashy packaging)!

I was able to capture the schoolgirls themselves, taking a luxurious bath in a cardboard box.

This camera is similar to my old one, but I suddenly figured out how to make the flash less obtrusive.

While I haven't been taking many pictures lately, I have been sitting here

making loads of these.

See the Eventual Farmer facebook page for details of the upcoming Holiday Markets that I'll be at.

Eight is great!

2011-10-30T21:34:00.005-04:00

Eight is a great age to be! So let's celebrate with an artist-themed party, shall we?

Cupcake painters palettes for the kids party.

A whole cake palette for the relatives the next day.

I guess I didn't learn my lesson about rainbow frosting from last year's mess, because oops, I did it again.

Here is the birthday girl and her sister in the calm before the guests arrive.

Supplies for our crayon melting project.

All it takes is a canvas,

a pack of crayons,

a hot glue gun,

and a hair dryer.

Pretty impressive. And oh-so-simple.

Who doesn't love a fruit kabob?!

Remember all those spray painted frames? They made a silly time of group photos.

All in all - a great time for being eight!

Have you been to the Ypsi Food Co-op recently?

2011-10-27T13:45:00.005-04:00

I really need to get there more often. They have local ... everything. Well, almost everything. And fun alternatives to the automatic way we've been doing things. Like plasticware. They have some that's made of corn and is compostable. Not exactly my style, as I'd rather just bring my own silverware from home when I go a-picnic-ing. But I'm thinking school cafeteria here. Field Day. Class parties. And the like.

Anyway, I'm pleased, proud, and downright giddy to announce that some of my products are available for sale at The Ypsilanti Food Co-op! Swing by their location on River Street in Depot Town to pick up a Snack Pack, a Sandwich Wrap, or some Fabric Gift Bags!

As you know, all of my stuff is made from repurposed materials.

So use this as an excuse to get thee to Ypsi and visit the Co-op. With Depot Town around the corner and the Firehouse Museum just down the road, you could make a little trash-free day of it.

Email Option!

2011-10-24T13:57:00.005-04:00

Hey, all! If you would like to avoid checking here each day to see if we've planted, pureed, or spray painted anything new, I encourage you to subscribe via email. See the sidebar to the right.

What's new lately? Well, someone had a birthday, but that was so fun, I'll have to write about that separately.

I will share that a couple of weeks ago, we were hit with a silly virus that consisted of us having a fever high enough to make us feel rotten, but not high enough to make us sleep all day.

Solution: pretend that we homeschool.

The teachers sent homework home, and we got busy.

Judging from the smiles, they didn't mind a bit :)

we were framed!

2011-10-21T13:31:00.005-04:00

Anyone else have mismatched picture frames, hanging around the house, engaged in idleness?

We had several.

Inspired by this post, I bought some spray paint. I wasn't brave enough for anything beyond black, so that's what I bought. Next we hauled the frames to the sidewalk.

Then, the fun began.

After the paint dried, the frames came back inside and we gathered some of the many random works of art that were floating from counter to wall to counter, not really knowing where to land.

Artwork, you have a home now!

And the extra frames are always fun for photo shoots!

7am = Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner time!

2011-10-14T20:32:00.008-04:00

With the shift to the school year schedule, I noticed that 4 pm is not the best time to start dinner. We're tired at 4pm. We're in need of a snack. We're about to tackle homework. We're letting the dog out, answering the phone, and getting the mail.

Is 4pm like this at your house?

As much as I love dinners, I would really rather not think about it at 4pm.

So, I think about it at 7am, with the help of my crockpot!

First, I get breakfast going, usually pancakes or waffles (from a giant batch I make on the weekends), or some fast eggs. Then, the boxed lunch. I kiss the older child goodbye, then (ideally) enlist the younger child to help toss dinner in the slow cooker. By this time, it's barely 8am, and dinner is happily making itself.

We've tried several oldie and goodie recipes, as well as some fun, new strange ones. Here's a recap:

Chicken and Rice (before)

(and after, with sweet potato chips). Note: no recipe should be allowed to call for 3 cans of cream of whatever soup.

Beef Stroganoff (before)

(and after, over egg noodles)

Mile High Enchilada Pie (see Comments for recipe below)

We enjoyed saying this more than eating it.

Mediterranean Stew (before, how fun to put a half-lemon into the middle of it!)

Stuffed Garden Peppers (before)

Moroccan Stew (I loved all the flavors here!) (see Comments for recipe below)

And some Spiced Apple Butter. (This was surprisingly too flavorful for me. Next time I'll stick with a traditional apple butter recipe.)

Not pictured, but enjoyed anyway: Cashew Curry Chicken, Ceci/Garbanzo Soup, Black Bean Soup, Shredded Chicken Tacos.

I still hope to try Beef Barley Soup, Sauerkraut, and an Indian Bean Stew.

If y'all have some really great crockpot recipes, I can assure you, I'll try it. Send it my way!

Fall is fun.

2011-10-10T21:01:00.003-04:00

Here's a peek into our living room this fall:

What does fall look like for you?

By The Pound, Part 2

2011-10-06T13:48:00.006-04:00

Well, once I discovered how fun, frugal, and fine it can be to buy goods in bulk, I didn't waste any time getting back to By The Pound.

This time I brought more jars and an empty oats container.

And I bought weird stuff: a chinese crunchy snack and dried vegetable chips. Sorry, no picture because they were gobbled up before the jars made it home.

I also bought normal stuff: oats, popcorn, falafel mix, tapioca, and pearl barley. Okay, maybe those last few items aren't totally normal, but at least I had heard of them before.

And aren't they pretty?

Once again, I thought how beautiful a few dozen jars would look lining my kitchen shelves.

I know what you're thinking: "Is that the Eiffel Tower I see peeking through the tapioca?"

Yes, it is.

Sometimes I see ideas online (like this Paper City Paris) that are meant for homeschoolers and we try them out. Why should homeschoolers have all the fun?

textiles were calling us

2011-10-05T06:46:00.006-04:00

My kids love to forage in my craft stash when they are bored and looking for a project.

Oh, wait, maybe it is *I* that loves to forage there.

No matter, we were all tickled to find a pile of burlap pieces that I snagged at a yard sale over the summer.

(Note: I'm not one of those hardcore yardsalers. I go to one yard sale a summer and hope for the best. I have friends who are self-proclaimed hardcore and I have been known to hand them my list and depend on the power of bartering later. Thanks for putting up with this, SL!)

Burlap, combined with plastic needles, yarn, and a bit of childhood inspiration yields quite a bit of beauty.

I love watching little hands working to put a plan into action.

it was high time for high efficiency over here.

2011-09-22T13:04:00.007-04:00

While we weren't quite to this point, we were quite willing to upgrade our laundry system when our old washer needed replacing.

Oooo. Shiny.

And it doesn't put rust spots on our whites, which is always nice.

At first I was hesitant because the wash cycles are so long, but I'm finding that the spin cycle is so thorough, the clothes require less drying. Score!

Plus, each wash only uses 1 tablespoon of my homemade laundry soap, which costs mere pennies.

Someone is happy around here.

Extra bonus: I asked the delivery guys if they had any extra boxes, and they left us this one from a refrigerator!

Two someones are happy around here!

And into the city: A Farm and Food Tour of Detroit

2011-09-19T13:45:00.012-04:00

Farms. Urban. Food.

Those are three of my favorite words.

Put them together with a charter bus; some smart, sweet friends; and a crisp autumn day; and I just might start to purr.

This past Saturday, I had the pleasure of participating in a research project for a Wayne State University urban studies/environmental studies student in the form of a tour of four different food sources in Detroit.

The first stop was a non-profit fruit and vegetable store called Peaches and Greens.

Its owner was as cheerful as the store's bright yellow and green interior, and her sweet and strong spirit was catching.

Despite being surrounded by broken down homes and liquor stores,

Peaches and Greens is thriving.

It even operates a fruit and vegetable truck that makes its rounds similar to an old-fashioned ice cream truck.

Next stop was an extensive urban garden tended by Earthworks.

I'm not sure if I was more impressed by the charming winter squashes hiding under the vines, the massive compost pile, or the person wearing plastic bags for pants that was handed a hoe and told where to start weeding.

I'm sure the main gardener was saying really wise things to the rest of the group (I did catch a couple of "sustainability"s and a few "cold-hardy greens"), but mostly I just couldn't help but gaze upon the rows and rows of food growing right in the middle of blight. I mean, we passed the Heidelberg Project, twice.

Our third location was next door at Gleaners Food Bank.

We learned that hunger in the area is so pervasive that despite distributing more than 36 million pounds of food in 2010, only 12% of the hunger need was met. Yikes. I know how hunger can make people cranky. We walked on the pristine floors of the food bank, stepped inside its 2 degree freezer, and heard about their educational programs. Good stuff.

Lastly we headed over to Eastern Market.

I would have been overwhelmed had my lovely family not just taken me there for my birthday.

I love all the sights, sounds, and smells.

As all this talk of gardens and food deserts was making us hungry, we quickly found a soup cart and were delighted with the Moroccan Chickpea Soup it offered. This warm soup counteracted the cold facts that despite being in the Motor City, only 1/3 of Detroiters have a car. And because 500,000 of Detroit citizens live in a food desert (meaning it takes twice as far to reach a full grocery store than a fringe store, such as a liquor or convenience store), that makes it hard to get to healthy food. That, combined with the colder reality that many African Americans worked closely with food production (plantations) and preparation (kitchens) during their history in the South, and now are very removed from food in its natural state.

That just doesn't make sense. You know how I love solutions that make sense and the idea of using what you have on hand. So the fact that there are about 1600 urban gardens around town just tickles my heart. Detroit has vacant land. Detroit has hungry people. It just makes sense to plant a seed and grow your own lunch.

I love this idea so much that I've got a little project brewing over here. Within a month or two, I'll be able to share more...

Stay tuned!

Out of the garden

2011-09-15T13:32:00.007-04:00

Shade. Weeds. Bugs. All these banded together to make a less than stellar growing season in our little backyard.

Or so I thought.

Despite all that, look what my trusty little garden is gifting us these days:

A bit of backyard protein, soybeans!

Some volunteer gourds, and cheerful sunflowers.

Scarlet runner beans, pink girl tomatoes, green zebra tomatoes, bell peppers, and basil

These paired up with some smoked mozzarella from the market to make this surprisingly gourmet array of foccacia.

And who says you can't have foccacia for dessert? That last one is covered in apple butter!

Thanks, garden!

By The Pound

2011-09-12T20:37:00.006-04:00

A couple of weeks ago, I noticed that summer was racing to a close and, even though we had done some very summery activities like the waterpark, the Alpena trip, the bus ride, Camp Create, and berry-picking, there was still one field trip that remained on my Summer List.

By The Pound.

In my quest to reduce our trash and recyclables, I had come across the recommendation of a little mom-and-pop bulk store called By The Pound. It's in the next town over, not particularly on the way to anything in my day to day, so I really had to make a point to get over there.

But it was worth it.

I took my own jars and it didn't even cause me to earn myself a nickname.

They had lots of flours, nuts, beans, teas, snacky things, spices, oats, mushrooms, dried fruit, and some other stuff that I'm forgetting. The owner helped me navigate the scale.

Because I was just checking out the place, I didn't do any earnest shopping. But I came home with some fun treats just the same.

For the kids: some pretzels and chocolate covered peanuts.

For our home state: some Michigan dried cherries.

For me: some falafel mix.

It looked so pretty in the glass jars that for a brief moment I contemplated tearing the doors off my kitchen cupboards and going bulk for absolutely everything. Just to see it in jars.

Nah.

But I'm definitely headed back to By The Pound. On the list is oats, nuts, barley, lentils.

Breakfasts around here.

2011-09-08T14:01:00.005-04:00

We take breakfasts seriously around here. Seriously, we love breakfast.

Usually we have whole wheat oatmeal pancakes or some sort of egg. But occasionally we get creative. Then appear crepes, waffles, or bacon.

Recently we made the Egg McMiddaugh.

First toast 2 pieces of wheat bread.

Scramble or fry up an egg. When it's cooked, flip it onto a cutting board. Cut the egg and toast with a big, circular cookie cutter.

Layer the toast and egg with a piece of cheese or ham. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Hooray for a fun, full, finger breakfast!

Use What You Have, Part 7

2011-08-20T13:42:00.004-04:00

It's been awhile since a Use What You Have post and we're due.

The place where my daughter has her music lesson has a box in the lobby for collecting bottle tops. Since many of ours are not recyclable, I was happy to have a place to dispose of them.

"What are they doing with all those bottle tops?" I wondered.

Then we saw this, just in time for their Vacation Bible School.

Clever, huh?

Pick me! Pick me!

2011-08-17T21:18:00.004-04:00

When the berries insist "Pick me! Pick me!" I obey.

This time they were blue and a blueberry buckle was in order. I love this recipe because it calls for so many berries. Four cups!

The batter is nice and thick.

The berries stay where they are supposed to - all over.

And the top is amazingly crispy.

Buckle, I'll pick you any day!

Back-To-School: On Trash-free Lunches

2011-08-14T20:22:00.003-04:00

Last year was the first for packing lunches in our household. Music Man has been bringing lunch fixin's for years and preparing a fresh lunch in the kitchen of his workplace. We've been taking snacks all over town forever. But last year we needed to pack an official school lunch. Five times a week!

In addition to the challenge of keeping them interesting, I noticed that these lunches also produced more trash than I was comfortable with. Ziploc bags, granola bar wrappers, cheese stick wrappers, more ziploc bags, juice boxes, paper napkins. All this times 180 school days. That's a lot of trash.

After about a week, I started looking for alternatives. Since my particular first grader was pretty good about bringing home all lunch leftovers, including trash, I knew I could safely send things like cloth napkins and real silverware. I experimented with homemade granola bars. I started sewing reusable Sandwich Wraps and Snack Packs as alternatives to plastic ziplocs.

I got so many compliments on them that I started selling them at the local Farmers' Market under the name The Eventual Farmer.

They are consistently a top seller and shoppers have a fun time guessing what food-grade repurposed plastic is used to line the inside. (Wanna take a guess? Leave it in the comments!)

For our family, homeschooling was a close runner-up to the amazing charter school where my children attend. So knowing that they are making no more trash at school than they would be at home is a relief.

Since it took me several months to come up with and implement these trash-free options, I thought I'd save you all the time by listing some below.

I do have to remind myself: it's a process. We still produce a bit of trash. Not every lunch is trash-free. But we're working on it.

10 Ideas for a Trash-free Lunch

1. Take leftovers in a Tupperware or Pyrex container, instead of in foil or wax paper.

2. Take a cloth napkin and real silverware, instead of a paper napkin and plasticware.

3. Take crackers or cut fruit in The Eventual Farmer’s snack packs, instead of Ziploc.

4. Try to eat food close to its natural state to avoid packaging (example, an apple instead of applesauce).

5. Consider making granola bars instead of store-bought ones. See here for a simple recipe.

6. Take sandwiches in The Eventual Farmer’s sandwich wraps, instead of in a Ziploc.

7. Use a washable drink bottle or jar, instead of a juice box.

8. Bring home food scraps (banana peels, apple cores, etc) for composting or simple burying in the flower beds.

9. Buy big blocks of cheese and take small chunks, instead of individually wrapped string cheese.

10. Take a hard-boiled egg for easy protein. Bring the shells home for composting or burying.

Do you all have more ideas? I'd love to hear them! One facebook friend already recommended Mason Jar Meals. So cute and simple, we may be instituting Mason Jar Mondays around here.

Goodbye, Coconut

2011-08-13T18:22:00.005-04:00

I was hoping that the final coconut adventure would go out with a blast, but we had to settle for a creamy, buttery sweetness instead.

The little tag that came belted around the grocery store coconut had a recipe for something called Baked Bananas With Coconut Flambe. The whole thing sounded easy enough until I got to the part that read, "be careful, a flame will shoot up above the pan."

I remember that an old college roommate of mine once lit a pan of chicken with cognac on fire, and we all survived.

So how hard could this be, really?

So we got to it.

We melted 1 stick of butter in a large skillet with 1/2 cup brown sugar.

We sliced bananas lengthwise and cooked those in the yummy syrup.

We added the last of the shredded coconut (about 1/4 cup) and let it get good and caramelly.

Then we poured in the 1/4 cup dark rum, and attempted to light the stuff.

Several times.

No flambe.

Oh well. The whole thing was ultra rich. So rich, we wished for the vanilla ice cream that the recipe suggested to serve with it, but we did not have. Nonetheless, we were all warm and happy after this, the last of our coconut adventures.

Have you ever made flambe anything? Do you still have your eyebrows?

Hello Coconut

2011-08-02T12:33:00.007-04:00

"What's that hairy thing?!" she says.

We were at the grocery store.

"It's a coconut and we're buying it." I say.

This is why I try to do the grocery shopping by myself.

Actually I've been meaning to coordinate the buying of a coconut and a visit from my formerly known as Peace-Corp-Volunteer-stationed-in-Jamaica mother-in-law for awhile now, but I keep on forgetting to buy the coconut. If I know anyone who can crack a coconut, it's this woman.

So the coconut comes home with us. We hold it, shake it, listen to it, smile at it.

One child is beside herself at the possibility of milk coming out of that thing. Later I learn it's actually coconut water that drips from it. The milk is rendered by soaking, then straining, the pureed coconut flesh. Details.

Grandma comes and the coconut experience begins. Girls giggle. A man gets involved.

Tools fly. I mentally flip through recipes.

First we made two holes for the water to drip out.

We tasted it.

We struck the coconut to break it into pieces and scraped out the flesh with a knife.

We pureed the flesh with water, strained it, and voila, it's coconut milk.

I love how the pureed coconut has brown flecks in it, reminding me that it did not come from a bag, thank you.

We used the coconut milk to flavor that night's brown rice and curry lentils. Delicious and tropical.

Some of the pureed coconut appeared in this Toasted Coconut Chocolate Chunk Cookie recipe from Cooking Light, April 2010. Amazing.

The rest of the coconut milk and the pureed flesh appeared in these Coconut Cupcakes from Baking in America. I'm done for.

What about the family? They're a little hard to read.

Stop Requested

2011-08-01T13:26:00.007-04:00

The girls and I took an adventurous trip this morning.

On a city bus.

Some of you know my affinity for field trips.

A few months ago, our local library was participating in something to the effect of "Public Transit Awareness Week" and we walked out of there with a handful of free, one-time-use bus passes.

With Music Man out of town, and a school supply list burning a hole on my magnetic board in the kitchen, we caught the #6 and had ourselves a taste of public transportation.

Our destination: the local grocery store, which has a mean back-to-school sale going on now.

And a penny pony named Sandy.

And then, the return trip, complete with waiting at the bus stop.

With all that excitement this morning, we may need to spend the afternoon relaxing at the local pool. Yeah, that sounds right.

a most floury and fragrant week: Camp Create and the Ultimate Yeast Feast

2011-07-23T20:01:00.007-04:00

We just finished Camp Create, which is our church's version of Vacation Bible School. Really it's a mini-arts camp and a few months ago, I heard myself suggesting that they offer a bread-making class called Bread of Life. And then I heard myself agree to teach it.

Nice.

Actually, it was way better than nice. It was so fun!

And beautiful.

I had 10 students, from age 5 - 11, and 2 adult helpers. Praise the Lord for adult helpers. They were relentless in their dishwashing.

We used 35 lb. of flour, 8 lb. sugar, 30 eggs, 1 lb. butter, 3 lb. carrots, 3 lb. zucchini, 12 tomatoes, and a whole list of other stuff. We ended up making quite an impressive list: 30 loaves of bread, 73 muffins, 126 mini-muffins, and 10 servings of bruschetta.

Kids used rolling pins, garlic presses, food processors, serrated knives, cookie sheets, loaf pans, muffin tins, measuring devices of all kinds.

Only 1 egg cracked on the floor, no one was cut, and we had only 1 minor burn. So overall, a golden week.

And another fun detail: the bible verses.

1) So the people took their dough before the yeast was added. From Exodus.

2) "I will rain down bread from heaven for you." God to Moses. Also from Exodus.

3) "I am the Bread of Life." Jesus to the disciples in the book of John.

4) "I am the Bread of Life." Again, Jesus, later in John.

5) "The kingdom of heaven is like yeast." From a parable in Matthew.

There were other fun classes going on as well.

Photography,

Abstract Art,

Gardening,

Cake Decorating (Frosting is like love; it covers a multitude of sins.)

and a few other classes like Superheroes, Tie Dye, Poetry, Dance/Drama, String Instruments, Flag Twirling, Global Art.

I could really feel the creative joy this week! I wonder if God felt this way when he was creating weird stuff, like the coconut, or the giraffe.

Oh, yeah, our trip.

2011-07-23T19:41:00.006-04:00

I was so excited about Camp Create that I almost forgot to post the pics from our little vacation up north.

Here's a synopsis:

Playing

Crafting

Swimming

Playing

Wading

Snuggling

Roasting

Brewing

Kayaking

Sitting Around

Hanging Around

More Snuggling

It's a party. It's a work day. It's a Muffin Exchange!

2011-07-12T13:08:00.003-04:00

Here's what ran through my head last week:

1. We're going on a little road trip soon.

2. We like muffins.

3. We get bored of our own muffins after a while and need a little variety.

Solution: a muffin exchange!

The idea is simple and beautiful. Friends come over, bringing muffins. The kids play, and the moms chat and swap muffins.

And unexpected bonus was that I happened to mention that I pay 1 penny for every black walnut that kids collect from the backyard. The mention of coins sent all 10 kids around in a flurry, seeking and finding over 300 fallen walnuts in mere minutes.

And while the moms divvied up the muffins, the kids fell into this sweet story:

Thanks to the generous and creative talents of Carrie, Mari, and Siri, we enjoyed Zucchini-Chocolate Chip Muffins, Apple-Walnut Muffins, Rhubarb-Custard Muffins, Bran-Chocolate Chip Muffins, and homemade bagels!

No one will be getting bored with this tasty selection!

they get ideas of their own

2011-07-08T21:25:00.003-04:00

This is what happens when you cook with children.

Sooner or later, they are bound to get ideas of their own.

This past weekend was the 4th of July, and at 7:30am, this is what we were doing:

And why not? So what if we consumed our yearly allotment of food coloring in one quick breakfast?

I'm all for creativity in the kitchen, especially when it's as cheerful as this toast.

Or this lemonade.

(1/2 cup juice from squeezed lemons, 4 cups cold water, 1/3 cup sugar, adjust to taste).

God bless America, and my little chefs.

fresh and juicy

2011-07-03T20:11:00.003-04:00

watermelon juice (slice, de-seed, puree)

garden peas and beans (pick, pinch off tips, blanch, serve with butter of course)

a birthday tradition?

2011-06-28T21:37:00.007-04:00

We're not much for traditions in our family, but I think we might be working this one in to our June calendar for years to come. The last time I was here was about 8 years ago, when I was pregnant with my firstborn. The child who now corrects my typos over my shoulder, goes down the big slide at the water park, and can do this crazy double-tongue thing on her flute.

(author gets back on track)

Last Saturday we made a birthday outing to Detroit's Eastern Market.

Because all I really want in life is to be a pedestrian;

searching for fresh, colorful food;

considering perennials;

overhearing fun music;

feeling mildly cultural;

in the company of loved ones.

Thanks, family, for a tasty day!

No New Trash. It's a process.

2011-06-15T12:44:00.005-04:00

Inspired by the Zero Waste Home, I decided to take a purposeful field trip. To my local grocery store. Yes, the one I go to just about every week.

What's so special about that?

I took jars.

To the deli counter.

And asked them to put my cheese in there instead of the plastic bags with zippers that always get stuck and tear off anyway.

Once we all got past the slightly confused look, everything went alright.

Me, my 5 yr-old, and my jar of Havarti went on our way.

Next stop: meat counter.

Since we eat almost no meat these economical days anyway, I wasn't sure what to ask for. So I heard myself saying, "I'd like one of those buffalo patties, please. Oh, and can you put it in here?" I plopped my jar on the counter.

Insert highly confused look.

"We're trying not to make so much trash at home."

"Well, I still have to weigh it."

"Okay."

Meat in jar. Stick on the label. And off we went.

I wondered if I would get more looks at the checkout, so I veered into the Self-Check lanes, where things went smoothly.

Menu tonight: Taco Salad with garden greens and onion, and browned buffalo! And a lot less trash.

Update: The next time I went back to the deli counter, the clerk said, "oh, you're the Jar Lady!" Nice.

best solution for extra strawberries

2011-06-13T13:59:00.004-04:00

Who doesn't love a chocolate-covered strawberry?!

When I brought these to a gathering a few years ago, the host said, "She must love us!"

And, they are super simple to make.

1. Take clean, dry, room-temperature berries. I used about 20 last night.

2. Melt some chocolate chips (about 1/2 cup) in a glass bowl in microwave (stir every 30 seconds till smooth).

3. Dip strawberries in chocolate, holding on to the leaves, twisting to cover the bottom portion.

4. Set dipped berries on a wax paper-lined cutting board.

5. Melt a small amount of milk chocolate chips (or white chocolate, if you are super fancy) in another glass bowl (stir every 30 seconds till smooth).

6. Scoop this melted chocolate into plastic baggie and snip of a tiny bit off one corner. Pipe chocolate onto dipped strawberries, taking care to cover any messy edges. Remember, melted chocolate covers a multitude of sins!

7. Chill the berries in the fridge to set the chocolate. After about 15 minutes, they'll be ready for enjoying. They will be so good, you'll plan to go berry picking again the next day, to be sure to have the extra-berry problem again.

What to do with all these berries?

2011-06-10T22:00:00.007-04:00

June 2010

June 2011

Jam on biscuits, jam on toast,

Jam is the thing that I like most.

Jam is sticky, jam is sweet,

Jam is tasty, jam's a treat -

Raspberry, strawberry, gooseberry, I'm very

FOND ... OF ... JAM!

June 2007

Jam in the morning, jam at noon,

Bread and jam by the light of the moon.

Jam ... is ... very ... nice.

June 2008

Jam for snacks and jam for meals,

I know how a jam jar feels -

FULL ... OF ... JAM!

June 2010

What I am

Is tired of jam.

June 2011, Strawberry Buckle

Any other ideas?

(Jump-rope rhymes taken from Bread and Jam for Frances by Russell Hoban.)

Our Detroit Tomato Excursion

2011-06-08T20:53:00.010-04:00

What do Detroit's People Mover and a tomato plant have in common?

Not much, and that's what makes it so fun.

This morning, my 5-yr-old, a couple of friends and I had a mission: Ride the People Mover and take some fun pictures.

Here's what came of it:

While I was having a blast walking in an honest-to-goodness city again, the girls were enthralled by the escalators.

For them, the trip consisted solely of riding the escalator and asking when they could ride the next one. It was so fun that we briefly considered installing one at home.

In between escalator rides, we walked and noticed things. I'm pretty sure we walked through the Renaissance Center to the Millender Center.

We saw the river. We saw Canada.

There was some spinning at Hart Plaza.

and the world's shortest game of hide-and-seek.

We saw the fist of Joe Louis.

And Mariners Church.

By lunchtime, we were all tuckered out and slightly grimy, so we caught the People Mover back to our car and headed home.

Thanks, DB and LB, for accompanying us!

The May-June Monster

2011-06-03T22:09:00.006-04:00

Oh my. The May-June monster got ahold of me. For a second there, my calendar was filled with events that only happen once a year.

What am I talking about?

Between the 1st grader's Art Show,

the preschool graduation,

the middle school Pops Concert,

the Greenfield Village field trip,

Young Authors' Night,

a throwback visit to Skateland West,

and the Farmers' Market

I've been a little, uh, occupied.

Not to mention these eager little seedlings.

And this crazy dog.

Oh, and a frantic visit from the plumber. On Mother's Day.

So, May-June Monster, I'm ready for you to step aside for the calm July breeze.

Must Milk Cow

2011-05-16T13:15:00.008-04:00

Childhood is not complete without a few basic events.

1) scraped knees.

2) getting lost in the grocery store.

3) family dog chewing the legs off of Barbie.

4) milking a cow on a school field trip.

Well, my kids can check #4 off the list.

Real Life Farm was the most hands-on field trip I've ever been on.

The farmer kept asking for parent volunteers for this or that, and my hand kept on raising itself.

So I was able to help children bottle feed an Angora goat kid named Angel. And I somehow ended up leading the mini horse around the corral after lunch.

My kids also were able to pet, feed, and generally snuggle all manner of farm animals, including piglets, ducklings, chicks, kittens, and sheep.

With a sack lunch and a hayride thrown in, that was one packed field trip.

And my kids are one step further along on their journey of childhood.

What's this I hear about the Farmers' Market?

2011-05-11T09:32:00.004-04:00

Well, I got to thinking...

I've got all these hobbies. Sustainability hobbies. These things take time. Not everybody has lots of time. But many people want eco-friendly options. Simple options.

So I'm taking my hobbies public.

Form of - Downtown Ypsilanti Farmers' Market!

My booth is called the Eventual Farmer, which reflects my realization that the more I learn about mainstream production of food and goods, the more I'd like to be able to make things for myself and my family. I'm trying to, in my small way, move away from our love affair with consumption and get back to the simpler way of producing my own necessities. And, in the process, help my family produce less trash (even recyclables).

And the Farmers' Market is one way for me to share these homemade, simple options with others.

And so I offer four items, each with at least one repurposed or reclaimed component:

Simple Laundry Soap

Sandwich Wrap

Fabric Gift Bags

Lavender Sugar Scrub

If you'd like to see these simple options in person, find me on Tuesdays, 2 - 6pm, at the Market. I'll be there these days:

May 10 and 31,

June 7 and 21,

July 5 and 26,

Aug 9 and 23,

Sept 13 and 27,

Oct 11 and 25.

The Accidental Field Trip

2011-05-07T20:20:00.005-04:00

Last Friday's forecast: rain, and more rain.

Our emotional status: missing Grandma Sheila.

Calender says: Easter weekend.

The result: trip to Grandma's and field trip to .....

... a family friend's art gallery. This long-time friend melts glass and shapes it into beautiful and interesting forms.

Bowls.

Dangly things.

Cityscapes.

Your general wall art.

Although I loved seeing her Glass With Sass show, I really enjoyed the tour she gave us of her work studio.

It's housed in a purple barn that's next to her purple house and I loved seeing her supplies, works in progress, and interesting things tucked into every corner.

Look what I spied up in the rafters.

Here's the kiln.

Why on earth would anyone have a plain set of drawers, when they could have a multi-colored one?

A few generations of artists in this family.

By Saturday, we were back home, the sun had come out, and somebody felt like a good ol' fashioned game of Easter tug-of-war.

What's new in the yarden?

2011-05-03T12:44:00.005-04:00

The other day I let the word yarden slip when speaking in a group of people. What do they say, "Out of the mouth comes the overflow of the heart?" or something like that. But it's true, whenever we have an uncertain area of the yard, someone in the family suggests planting berries or perennials there. So, slowly but surely, our yard is shrinking and the garden is growing. Hence, yarden.

The Music Man pulled out the power tools and built me this charming gate. Hopefully that will cut down on the unauthorized munching.

One afternoon last fall I got possessed and pulled up all the unruly plants around the Japanese maple and made a serene, little rock garden from the stones we had discovered buried elsewhere in the yard. Since this is what I see from the kitchen sink, the dinner table, and our bedroom windows, I really wanted it to whisper "peace."

Spring surprises me every year with these beauties.

As always, I've got a surplus of green onions in the herb spiral. Anyone want some? They do well just about anywhere, even containers.

Only two more weeks till (vegetable) planting time!

Dying eggs, round 2

2011-04-25T17:32:00.007-04:00

Never mind that Easter was officially yesterday.

We need to get pink eggs.

Although there was definitely a big, fat, adventurous spirit to our last egg-coloring event, I came away really longing for that cheerful pink egg.

A friend suggested hibiscus tea. Nice idea, except that my local grocery store just sells regular stuff, so I had to settle for a combo pack of fruit teas. A humorous home remedy story comes to mind, in which I accidentally dyed my daughter's face red with a cranberry tea.

I get the tea home and see that the first ingredient in 4 out of 5 tea flavors is hibiscus. Sheesh.

So we try again.

This time we have Raspberry Zinger, True Blueberry, and Country Passion Peach. Someone else mentioned that they never dye white eggs at their house, only brown, because the results are so much more interesting. We try both.

The results: Brown and Browner.

I think I'll wait till next year to try the beets. I'm up to my vent in egg salad.

preschool is not complete without...

2011-04-19T13:13:00.006-04:00

For some reason, I don't think a child should be allowed to graduate from an accredited preschool without fulfilling certain requirements.

1) being able to use a public restroom

2) being able to write one's own name

3) growing something from seed

4) mixing colors of paint

5) milking a cow

6) visiting a fire station

With my younger daughter just weeks away from tossing her cap, I've had to consult my list of graduation requirements. Lucky for us, our local cooperative preschool is nothing short of stellar, and works almost all of these into the curriculum.

For example, we recently went to the Pittsfield Township Fire Station.

Field trippers of all ages enjoyed this visit. The kids loved climbing in the trucks and seeing the firefighters' sleeping quarters.

I loved the fire engine red washer and dryer.

How strange to see an otherwise spotless station strewn with boots and laundry, only to realize that these are uniforms in their waiting position!

Kids complied when parents requested small group photos.

The firefighters were friendly and informative. I learned that the station receives 7 calls daily and most of them are health related. One firefighter proudly revealed that he had wanted to be a firefighter since he was 5 years old!

Next field trip: Real Life Farm to milk that cow!

I brake for museums.

2011-04-14T12:44:00.007-04:00

The recent Spring Break afforded us some much needed free time. But looking ahead to a full week of open time, I got a little twitchy and gravitated toward my sanity mainstay: The Play Date.

One day we met some school friends at the Detroit Children's Museum and loved it. Its small size lent itself to satisfaction as we were able to see/play/experience all that we wanted to without feeling rushed.

Another day we met some oldie-but-goodie friends at the Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum. Also a fun time to explore, but we only did a fraction of what was offered before kids and adults alike started mumbling about lunch.

Goodbye, poison ivy wallpaper!

2011-04-11T12:52:00.005-04:00

I finally mustered up the energy to do something about the flowered, ivy wallpaper that was in our bedroom.

From the first time we saw this house almost three years ago, I've been thinking, "That wallpaper has got to go."

And last month, it did.

I invited a few friends over, promising them snacks and tea, if they would help me get that wallpaper down. And would you believe, they actually came to my house, one of them bringing her steamer for sharing?!

After much discussion, sampling, and more discussion, we decided on 'chopstick' and 'hosta.' It works, I think.

Any ideas for what to put on that charming little shelf? Or window treatments?

Natural dyes for Easter eggs

2011-04-05T19:40:00.006-04:00

I know it's a bit early for dying Easter eggs, but I couldn't help myself. This chilly weather, combined with a not-very-springy Spring Break, was starting to get to me and I really needed a craft. That used turmeric.

I'm not sure why, but I love that color. That warm, orangey, fragrant color.

So I invited some cheery friends over and called it a play date. We busted out an ugli fruit,

wrangled the dog,

and engaged in general merriment.

But really it was all about the eggs.

I took the 'recipe' from my latest favorite book: Keeping Chickens by Ashley English.

(In case you are wondering, yes, my dear city allows 4 backyard hens, but, no, we're not getting any. At least, not this year.)

We used pots of coffee, blueberries, red cabbage, and turmeric.

We boiled,

simmered,

and boiled some more.

And finally...

we had our eggs.

I was super pleased with the results, except for the red cabbage. Those eggs looked just as white as when we dropped them in. Plus, they ended up only soft-boiled. Even though it's not my personal favorite, one friend was delighted and claimed them for herself!

Next year, I'd like to try spinach for green, and maybe something for pink or red. Any ideas out there?

Spring Craft with 25 First Graders!

2011-04-01T12:38:00.005-04:00

Some of you know that I've been following my new mantra: Use What You Have, and applying it to various areas of my life.

Look what happens when you take 25 first graders along for the ride!

Here they are at their Spring Gathering, with glass jars, tissue paper, and glue in hand.

What in the world are they making?

Spring candles!

Let's not forget about the lids.

They became picture magnets!

I'm so thankful for parent and middle school helpers to guide these little, eager hands!

Craft Night

2011-03-30T13:32:00.004-04:00

We girls know how to get our craft on!

The purpose is to raise money to adopt one or two single mom families at Christmastime, through my local church.

And, to have fun.

Photos of finished products coming soon...

*or* you could check out the Craft/Bake Sale on May 15 at the Vineyard Church of Ann Arbor.

Tapping maple trees

2011-03-28T09:03:00.004-04:00

This past weekend we've done something we've had in mind for several years now: tapping maple trees.

Well, OK, we watched a certified park ranger do the actual tapping, but we were right there in licking distance.

First there was the informative talk about the steps for tapping the trees, gathering the sap, boiling it down to syrup. Then there was the walk to the trees,

the tapping,

the licking.

Next our skin was moistened by the steam coming off the boiling sap on the outdoor stove.

And finally a pancake brunch inside with friends.

You gotta love March!

Gimme Five!

2011-03-25T10:00:00.007-04:00

That's what happens, apparently, when time passes. People have birthdays. This one was pretty fun as my younger daughter fills up one whole hand with her age. Five!

The day of her birth hosted an ice storm.

She shares her birthday with another imaginative mind, Dr. Suess.

This year she declared the theme "Butterflies!"

So we pinned the antennae on a monarch,

Ate a fluttery cake,

Caught butterflies in nets,

And learned that butterflies do not have a mouth for eating, but a proboscis for sucking nectar.

As a throwback to the day she was born, we made ice cream.

And for our underlying Trash-Free goal, we gifted her a lap harp and costumes.

Hooray for Five!

Use What You Have, Part 6

2011-03-17T13:16:00.004-04:00

I found about 6 beautiful saris a few years ago and they have been begging for a showcase ever since. One is currently hanging as a sort of canopy above my daughter's bed. A few are hoping I get invited to a masquerade party sometime in the next decade.

But this one found it's home as a duvet cover:

I love the bold orange and pink.

And in case the boldness needs to take a break, the reverse side is a sweet sheet salvaged from my grandmother's basement.

Not bad for cast-offs!

Fat Tuesday Dream Buns, Yeast Feast, Part 5

2011-03-08T11:57:00.007-05:00

Normally I'm not the type to celebrate Fat Tuesday, but it's been awhile since I've made these amazing buns and they slightly resemble the traditional paczki (hey, they are round and filled with yumminess, close enough), so I thought today would be a good day for these.

So I hauled out the bread maker and dumped in the ingredients. Call me crazy, but I LEFT THE ROOM to throw in a load of laundry, and when I returned the kitchen was rapidly filling up with smoke. I'm sorry to say that after 7 years of almost weekly use, my beloved Breadman breadmaker smoked its way into retirement.

I considered quitting the whole Dream Bun Project, but I promised some friends I'd have tasty treats tomorrow for my (Wallpaper) Stripping Party. So I forged ahead and actually kneaded the dough by hand. Note to self: it's not that hard, but the dough did not come out baby soft like usual. It's more of a rugged soft now.

Anyway, here's the recipe (as given to me by the lovely and talented Mari):

In the bread maker, put:

1 1/2 cups water

1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon sugar

2 teaspoons salt

1 tablespoon softened butter

4 cups bread flour

1 tablespoon yeast

Set the bread maker to the Dough setting and have a cup of tea while you notice how Not Smokey your kitchen is.

When the dough is done, divide it into 16 or 20 balls. Let them sit on a cutting board, under a damp cloth for about 10 minutes. Meanwhile you can get the fillings ready.

Chocolate: Melt some chocolate chips in a bowl with a tiny bit of cream or half and half.

Custard: In a microwave bowl, put 1 egg, 1 tablespoon corn starch, 1 tablespoon white flour, 4 tablespoons sugar, 2 tablespoons milk. Whisk well. Add 2/3 cup milk and whisk well. Microwave for 2 minutes, then whisk. Microwave for 1 minute more. Whisk, then let cool a bit.

Jam: Get some jam.

Now comes the tricky, I mean, fun part. Flatten each ball into a 4 - 5 inch circle. Place a small dollop (1 - 2 teaspoons?) of filling in center.

Bring edges to top and pinch closed.

Bring corners to top and continue pinching the dough closed until the filling is sealed inside.

Repeat with all the balls of dough. Place buns, pinched side down, on greased cookie sheets. Place a chocolate chip on top of the chocolate ones, if you want to be sure to identify them later. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise for about 30 minutes in a warm place. Bake in 375 degree oven for about 13 minutes. The buns will not get brown, but they may leak or pop open if there is too much filling. I'm almost always guilty of this.

But I have 6 whole weeks to repent.

Happy Fat Tuesday!

Beer Bread: Yeast Feast, Part 4

2011-02-28T13:37:00.007-05:00

I know, I know, beer bread doesn't have yeast in it. It has beer.

But I thought I'd include it in the Yeast Feast because it falls under the category of Recipes-I've-Always-Wanted-To-Try-But-Was-Scared-To.

Now that I've whipped up a beer bread, I feel silly that I was ever afraid to try a recipe so Simple And Bound To Succeed.

For starters, there are only a few ingredients.

Then there is no rising, kneading, or anything remotely complicated. Check out how a 4 year old can make this.

Mix in a large bowl:

3 cups all-purpose flour*
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
¼ cup sugar

Then pour in 1 (12 oz) can of beer (or other carbonated beverage). Stir.

Optional: mix in 2 tablespoons dill, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, or 1/2 - 1 cup shredded cheddar.

Scoop the batter into a bread pan.

Pour ¼ cup melted butter on top.

Pop into the oven and bake for 50 - 55 minutes at 375 degrees. Cool before slicing.

This bread was so yummy, that Music Man has forbidden me to make it again for fear that he will devour it.

But what am I going to do with the rest of the Heineken?

Use What You Have, Part 5

2011-02-26T13:06:00.004-05:00

When I came across the book Sock and Glove in our local library, I was charmed. Mesmerized. Completely taken.

Then a friend passed along some unwanted socks.

And look what happened: A Bird Friend

Then my younger daughter came across an idea for using empty oatmeal tubs and tree bark. It just so happens that we've got no shortage of either.

And look what happened: A Fairy House

Who knew that leaving us alone with wool socks and tree bark would give these results?

Pizza Dough: Yeast Feast, Part 3

2011-02-25T12:42:00.004-05:00

This pizza dough is so common in our house that I almost overlooked it. A friend passed it to me years ago and it's been a staple ever since.

Toss in the bread maker in this order:

1 cup warm water

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon garlic powder (more or less to taste)

1 tablespoon whole flax seeds (optional)

2 cups whole wheat flour

1 1/4 cups bread flour

2 1/4 teaspoons yeast (or 1 packet)

Set the bread maker to the Dough setting and start thinking about the toppings. I usually put on some canned pizza sauce (freeze the rest in ice cube trays for the next pizza time), turkey pepperoni, sliced green peppers, and about 12 oz shredded mozzarella. Sometimes other toppings make their appearance depending on their availability and my energy level (caramelized onions, snipped fresh spinach, sliced mushrooms, chopped olives, roasted broccoli, feta cheese, or goat cheese). You can get creative here.

I should remember to make 4 personal pizzas because everyone in my family prefers different toppings, but usually I make the 2 pizzas, and personalize each half. Look out if you accidentally eat from someone else's half!

When the dough is done (about 1.5 hours later), I split the dough roughly in half and stretch it out on some cookie sheets or pizza stones into 2 circular-ish crusts. Then layer on the toppings and pop into the oven at about 400 degrees for maybe 15 minutes. Rotate the pans, see if the cheese looks good and melted, and cook for maybe 5 minutes more.

When the cheese is starting to brown on the edges and the crust is looking crusty, you're done!

Slice and enjoy!

Use What You Have, Part 4

2011-02-19T20:44:00.005-05:00

Some of you may remember that I've got a new mantra. Use What You Have!

Recently a friend suggested that we bring our extra stuff/junk/treasures and have an informal swap. The idea being - if you can't use what you have, maybe someone else can. I was excited to be getting rid of a pretty full and heavy bag of unnecessaries, when I realized I was going home with an equally full and heavy bag of someone else's.

But look how inspiring a few hunks of fabric can be!

I've been looking for a way to preserve this rare sweet-nothing that was whispered to me a few weeks ago.

If it's not beautiful, at least it's precious.

Big Baking Weekend

2011-02-19T20:04:00.004-05:00

I'm not quite sure how this happened but before I knew it, I was baking Mexican Hot Chocolate Cookies,

One-Bowl Chocolate Cake,

and another Chocolate Babka. All in one weekend.

Somebody stop me.

Cinnamon Raisin Bread, Yeast Feast, Part 2

2011-02-19T19:22:00.009-05:00

Just the thought of cinnamon raisin toast sends me back to fun, family vacations at the lake during my childhood, so when I came upon this recipe for cinnamon raisin swirl bread that claimed to be simple, I just had to give it a try. Plus, as I scrolled down and saw the ingredients, I noticed whole wheat flour, an added nutritional bonus for me, who considers white flour to be dessert.

Once again, the bread maker comes to the rescue. That thing may just be earning a permanent spot on my counters these days.

Dump into the bread maker, in this order:

1 cup warm water (110-115 degrees F.)
1/2 cup oil or melted butter
4 Tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 cup whole-wheat flour
1 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons dry yeast

When dough cycle is finished, take dough out and roll out into a rectangle. Sprinkle with 2 teaspoons cinnamon. Drizzle with honey. Sprinkle with raisins, if desired.

Roll up dough and tuck ends under. Place in a greased bread pan and cover and let rise in a warm place for 20-45 minutes (until doubled).

At the last second, I decided to cut off the uneven ends and pop them in the oven as cinnamon rolls.

Clever, I thought, until I heard a chorus of "Where's the frosting?" Shaped as a bun, this dough does beg for some simple glaze, but sliced as bread, it's beautiful with butter and tea.

Anyway, bake at 350 degrees F. for 30 minutes or until golden brown.

Next time, I will adjust the bake time though, maybe to 35 or even 40 minutes.

Despite being golden on top and brownish on the bottom, the inside was too moist and doughy for my taste. That might also explain why the loaf sunk a bit when we cut into it.

That, and not waiting till it was completely cool. That not-waiting seems to be a common problem for us.

I love how this bread brings back all the memories of breakfasts at the lake, without tracking in all that sand.

Oh, boy. She made Babka. Yeast Feast, Part 1

2011-02-10T19:50:00.007-05:00

I've recently broken free of my fear of yeast. It's really not that hard to do. My secrets are 1) get ahold of some great recipes and 2) use the bread maker. Is that cheating? Oh, well.

The latest yeast venture was an amazing Chocolate Babka. I'm not exactly sure what a Babka is, but it's really fun to say, super fun to smell, and even more fun to eat. Actually, they say Babka is a sweet yeast cake eaten around Hanukkah. I'm ignoring that Hanukkah was about 2 months ago.

Here's the recipe (modified from Cooking Light, December 2009, yes, I've been meaning to make this for over 2 years now):

Put in the bread maker, in this order:

3/4 cup warm 1% milk

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

5 tablespoons butter, almost melted

1 large egg yolk

1/4 teaspoon salt

6 tablespoons sugar

1 2/3 cups white flour

1 1/4 cup bread flour

1 package dry yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)

Set the bread maker to the Dough setting and, for the next 1 hour and 28 minutes, feel very proud of yourself for making something inexpensive, ethnic, and scrumptious.

Meanwhile you can get the filling ready. Toss together in a small bowl:

1/2 cup sugar

3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

4 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped (or mini chocolate chips)

When your bread maker is done mixing the dough, roll it out on a lightly floured surface into a 16 inch square-ish shape. Sprinkle the filling on the dough to within 1/4 inch of the border.

Roll up tightly and pinch the edges to seal.

Then take the dough in both hands and twist like it's a wet towel, but not that strongly. Twist a few times along the length of the roll.

Place in a greased 9x5 inch bread pan (put parchment paper on the bottom and you'll feel especially proud of yourself when the babka comes out of the pan later). The roll will be too long, but that's OK, just tuck the ends to the side and fantasize about how interesting the marble will be inside.

Cover and let this rise for 45 minutes or so. *OR* Cover and place in the fridge overnight. The next day, let the bread dough come to room temperature before baking.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. The original recipe calls for spreading a streusel on top (2 tablespoons powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon flour, 1 tablespoon softened butter, all mixed together), but I was not in love with this and will probably omit this next time.

Pop the pan in the oven for 40 minutes or until the bread is starting to brown and it seems hollow when you tap it.

Cool completely before serving.

We cut into it too soon and the chocolate oozed out. The oozing chocolate was so decadent that Music Man actually said "I think this bread is illegal."

All of us loved this bread. However, I'm tempted to try it with different fillings. Cinnamon and raisin comes to mind. Or peanut butter and jam. Peanut butter and chocolate. Nutella. Oh, boy. I may have to make this right now.

Trash-free lunches, with a side of granola bar

2011-02-01T13:00:00.010-05:00

About halfway through this Year of the Boxed Lunch, fell Christmas. And one of my main issues with Christmas is the trash. Have you ever driven through the neighborhood on trash day after Christmas and noticed the mounds and mounds of stuff people through out after the holiday? Mostly packaging.

Well, I started to see a box full of granola bars as a box full of trash with a little granola thrown in. And I got to thinking. How hard could it be to make my own granola bars? That would probably be cheaper and for sure produce way less trash. Then I remembered my trusty Super Baby Foods book by Ruth Yaron.

What follows is a variation of her recipe for Granola Balls.

1 1/2 cup rolled oats (oatmeal)

1/4 cup wheat germ

1/4 cup ground nuts (I use peanut butter)

1/4 cup nonfat dry milk

1/4 cup melted butter or oil

5 tablespoons honey

1 beaten egg

1/4 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 cup dried fruit, chopped (normally I use raisins or cranberries, but this time I must have been feeling tropical because I used dried mango and a handful of coconut)

optional: 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips, or 1/4 cup Grape Nuts cereal for crunch

Mix all this in a medium bowl. Add more honey to moisten or more oats to dry, if necessary. Press into an 8 x 8 glass pan or pie plate.

Bake for 15 - 20 minutes at 350 degrees.

I was feeling very virtuous about the trash-free aspect of these granola bars until I realized that I'm covering the dish with plastic wrap. Hmm. Next batch I'll cover with a plate.

Anyone want to join my Trash-Free Lunch Campaign?

Update: we like these granola bars so much that I make a double batch in a 9 x 13 inch pan, keep it in the fridge, and snack off of it all week!

Use What You Have, Part 3

2011-02-01T12:58:00.006-05:00

What I don't have: warm legs.

What I do have: an old felted wool sweater, ribbon, scissors.

Who knew an old sweater could make such sweet and sassy leg-warmers?!

The party that may start appearing regularly on my calendar

2011-01-22T06:41:00.010-05:00

Heirloom Recipe Potluck.

A fine and giggly assortment of ladies brought their food, love, and tradition into my home less than 12 hours ago. Instructed to bring a family dish to pass and 10 printed recipes for sharing, we had a full, fun time. Each woman arrived with an excited smile and left with a relaxed, satisfied one.

Here's what they brought:

One guest has held onto the tradition of bringing a hostess gift. Not necessary, but so, so sweet:

Marczpani Squares (I'm not sure what Marczpani means, but it must loosely mean Rich Heaven, because that's what these tasted like.)

Great Grandma's Banana Bread (fits with my use-what-you-have approach, plus it's simple and delicious)

Cheese Cake (Not any old cheese cake, I realized as I polished off a slice of it while 'cleaning' up after the party. It was so captivating, I had to put the cleaning on pause and allow the cheese cake to sweep me away.)

California Coleslaw (I love recipes like this that turn not-so-healthy ingredients into a fun and healthy dish. And, come on, who doesn't love crushing a block of Ramen noodles?)

Chocolate Chip Zucchini Cake (using 2 cups shredded zucchini, this may be my new summer favorite)

Three Sisters Salad (Not that I'm choosing favorites, but this is the only dish that I allowed myself a second helping of. Plus it comes with the sweet and smart American Indian tradition of growing corn, beans, and zucchini together. Each sister crop provides qualities that the other two do not. I may be planting some sisters this spring!)

Grandma Quigley's Ultimate Chocolate Cake and Frosting (gotta love the secret ingredient - Hellman's Mayonnaise!)

White Chocolate Popcorn and Carmel Corn (A known popcorn fan, I didn't think it could be improved upon. I was wrong. Very wrong. These were amazing!)

Great Grandma's Cinnamon Buns (I'm not sure how she made these every Saturday for her family of twelve. When they were finally in the oven, I had to konk out on the couch too.)

Judy's Baby Cheeseburgers (I love how traditional recipes tend to evolve with the times. These little burgers appeared with soy meat! Not bad.)

Chocolate Pudding Cake (the recipe calls for pouring boiling water over chocolate chips! That's reason enough right there to make this fast and scrumptious cake.)

Did I miss any? If so, that's probably because they were so yummy, all the copies of the recipes were snatched up, all crumbs were gobbled up, and no evidence was left - the sign of a great dish.

Note to self: Potlucks are definitely the way to go for parties - excellent and varied food, with little prep and clean-up. I love how people who can follow a recipe can also follow complicated instructions such as these:

However, next time, I'll try to provide containers and encourage swapping. I saw too many people leaving with leftovers of their own dish, when I wonder if trading and taking home a sampling of the full spread would be more fun.

Sounds like a good excuse to try this again soon!

Use What You Have, Part 2

2011-01-17T14:05:00.007-05:00

I absolutely love the Use What You Have approach to life. Didn't someone famous say "Necessity is the mother of invention."? Oh, yeah, I think it was Plato. (I think I need to make more PlayDough.)

Here's the latest in making-life-wonderful-without-spending-money-or-making-trash:

Rose Pillowcases from an old duvet cover.

What I don't have: nice throw pillows

What I do have: old throw pillows, an unused duvet cover, and a sewing machine

Take a look at the result of last Saturday morning.

What we don't have: unlimited funds for heating

What we do have: Wood

How about this sweet scene?

What we don't have: a TV

What we do have: kids who love reading, writing, and fairytales

Way better than Saturday morning cartoons, don't ya think?

Use What You Have, Part 1

2011-01-06T21:34:00.007-05:00

This is my new favorite mantra, adopted from Amanda Soule's books Handmade Home and The Creative Family. For each project, the author has a Use What You Have section, listing the materials that you probably already have tucked somewhere in your home.

Turns out there are a lot of materials tucked around my home too. And doesn't it just make sense? Why spend time, energy, and money to buy something when you could just get a little creative and use something that is begging for another chance at life?

My mind is so infused with repurposing projects that I'm sure I'll have to report back with more Use What You Have updates.

You already saw the produce mesh that became festive gift wrapping.

You saw the wine bottles that delivered liters of crunchy holiday cheer.

What about that little embroidered wool sweater, that is now a little too, well, little?

After a some work with scissors, needle, and thread, ...

It's my new favorite purse! (ok, alright, the handles are new from the fabric store, but I had a coupon)

What about all those plastic bags that I seem to accumulate, even though I try really hard to bring my canvas bags to the grocery store?

With a little time with the iron, scissors, fabric, and sewing machine, ...

They are the latest in bagged lunch cuteness! (and a much-needed ziploc replacement). Here are the instructions.

And this is just the beginning. I'm excited to make fabric gift wrap, a curtain from an old duvet cover, and with any luck, a memory quilt from the girls' baby clothes.

If only this January energy lasts the whole year!

What ideas do you have for repurposing items around your house?

Trash-free Christmas?

2010-12-25T21:19:00.011-05:00

Almost.

As you may have picked up from skimming the last few posts, I have issues with Christmas. My first issue was that I was afraid to even admit that I don't like Christmas. Only heartless people don't like Christmas, right? Well, this year I was determined to avoid the numb feeling that seemed to invade my heart around Dec 1st, and whole-heartedly tackle this wonderful holiday.

So I was forced to ask myself, "Why, exactly, don't I like this holiday?" It's not because it's Jesus' birthday. I love Jesus. It's not because it's at the beginning of winter. I like winter, almost, if I have enough socks on. Then I figured out my dislike of Christmas lies in the American version of the holiday, which includes overspending, overeating, general over-doing of the holiday. I found myself clutching my husband's shirt, shrieking, "CHRISTMAS IS NOT IN LINE WITH MY VALUES!"

A friend recommended a great little read (Hundred Dollar Holiday), a pastor had a great sermon series (Babylon A.D., about the American consumer society being the modern-day manmade empire), and all of a sudden I was given permission to celebrate the holiday in a simple, real, more Keri-like way. (Why I need "permission" to do the right thing is a whole other dissertation.)

In reality, not much changed.

My children each received one needed, pre-owned, non-packaged gift from us parents. My close relatives received one or two needed items, lovingly and frugally purchased and packaged. My other relatives and friends received edible, homemade, or repurposed gifts from us.

But I'm hopeful for next year.

No trash? No excess? No fret?

Check out how beautiful homemade gifts can be:

Here's how I chose to use all that glass I had around.

Here's my first attempt at making marshmallows.

My mother is so kind and actually called them "gourmet," even before she knew I made them. I love that woman.

Here's how me and the hubby get busy after the kids are in bed.

The picture doesn't show the ONE HUNDRED AND TEN OF THESE THAT WE MADE.

Here's how spiffy some (almost) trash-free gifts can look. They are packaged in butcher paper and decorated with mesh bags that oranges, garlic, avocados come in. The paper can be recycled and the mesh bags get one last hoorah before heading to the dump.

And some out-of-town grandmas received a super-cute and affordable photo book, with pictures like this:

Here I am with my family.

Do I look relaxed? Do I look like I'm enjoying the holiday? Compared to last year, when I spent most of the time in the fetal position (at least mentally), I'd say the stars are brightly shining.

Guest post on Simple Organized Living!

2010-12-17T13:33:00.004-05:00

Would you believe that a super sweet and useful blog posted an article of mine as a guest post? It's about maintaining my limited time, money, and sanity.

Pop on over there and check out some of my strategies!