This Week's Favorites- May 29, 2008

The Healthy Skeptic talks about the wonders of a diet rich in eggs.

The Modern Forager has some great posts this week. He tells us why raw milk is better for us than pasteurized/homogenized and teaches us about the ten best oils and how to use them.

The Modern Forager also talks about why shoes are bad for us, an idea we are definitely on board with. Matt has a pair of Vibram Five Fingers, and we let our kids run around barefoot or in flat bottom shoes as much as possible.

Mom Unplugged reports on her readers' experiences with her TV Turnoff Week Challenge. I've been letting Ashton watch fewer and fewer movies (maybe a 20 minute chunk once every week or two), and have lately been considering getting rid of our TV altogether. Matt and I watch movies on our computer, and we need another bookshelf to house our growing collection. Why not replace the entertainment center with a bookshelf? My real problem is how to manage my time on the internet!

Garden Progress- May 2008

Although it seems like winter dragged on forever and gardening season started later than it usually does for me, my seeds are finally growing into plants. I've not been sure how my lasagna gardening system (layering newspaper, compost, leaves, and grass on top of the soil ) has been working out, since the lower layers are really wet and the top layers totally dry out. The dryness has caused me a lot of worry, and a lot of time trying to keep everything moist. I should have done my layering in the fall to let the materials break down over winter; then by now I might have moisture-holding humus rather than a dry pile of leaves I'm trying to start seeds in. BUT, it looks like things are going OK, cause you can see that my plants are growing (below are peas, strawberries, lettuce in the cold frame, carrots and onions, and a larger garden shot with some cabbage and broccoli transplants):






And below is the work we've been doing on what I call "Project No Lawn". We are wanting to keep a small patch of lawn to play and picnic on, but we're going to cover about 1/3 or 1/2 of it with shrubs, flowers, ground cover and woodchips. We are tired of watering and mowing, and would rather have more of an experience of wildness--and lower maintenance-- in our yard. We're winging our idea (which is usually how we do things-- without thinking much about it first!) by putting cardboard down on top of the grass to kill it, then dirt on top of the cardboard to hold it down. I want to get some weed block fabric to put down over the dirt to keep the weeds out, then woodchips over that. I guess we'll need some kind of edging to hold it all back too. We'll cut holes through the cardboard and grass to plant shrubs and flowers.



Related posts:
Lasagna Gardening
And So It Begins...
Garden, Not Lawn
From Lawn to Nature's Playground

Updated Health Commitment

The great thing about getting clear about my purpose and commitments is it allows me to pay attention. When I'm paying attention, I notice the choices I'm making and how they are working (or not working) for me. And then I can change, make choices that really work for me, deepen my purpose and grow stronger.

I've been doing a lot of learning about my body lately, about what I am wanting for my physical health and how I can go for it. A few days ago I posted my Health Results Process, which included my health goal, intention, and action steps. I'd like to make some changes, and since you are all on this journey with me, I'd like to share my changes with you.

Matt and I have been re-reading and discussing The Schwarzbein Principle II: The "Transition" - A Regeneration Program to Prevent and Reverse Accelerated Aging, written my Diana Schwarzbein, an endocrinologist. The Schwarzbein Principle II is mostly about our body's system of hormones, how hormones work, how they get out of whack, and how an unbalanced body leads to weight problems and degenerative diseases. Dr. Schwarzbein promotes long-term health, not quick weight loss. Her philosophy is "you must be healthy to lose weight, not lose weight to be healthy", and she has a five step health program that includes improving diet, reducing stress, exercising, getting off chemicals, and taking hormones if needed. Part of her diet recommendation is eating carbohydrates, at an appropriate level for your body's needs. If you have a bit of time and don't want to read her book, check out this interview with Dr. Schwarzbein for a good look at her perspective.
Here is a snippet of the interview:



With the new information I have now, here are the updated parts of my Health Results Process:

Result: I will lose 15 pounds in 6 months, by mid-November. I will feel strong, energetic, and vibrant.

Action:

1. I will eat nutrient-rich, good quality foods. I will eat meals and snacks that include vegetables, fats, and the appropriate portion of protein and carbs for my metabolism, according to Schwarzbein's recommendations. I will incorporate more raw and fermented foods into my diet, as well as kelp, salt, bone broth, liver, and fish.
2. I will get up at 6:30am six days per week to either run or kettlebell and do ITP (a practice of body movements, stretching, deep relaxation and meditation).
3. I will go to bed by 10:30PM. (This means having kids in bed by 8:30PM and being done with my projects by 9PM so I have time to connect with Matt before bed).
4. I will notice when I am stressed and take steps to take care of it-- breathing, resting, stopping, being calm and present, processing, and connecting with my kids and Matt.
5. I will notice the messages from my body and take steps to understand what else is going on. I will learn more by reading The Schwarzbein Principle, The Program: Losing Weight the Healthy Way and Adrenal Fatigue: The 21st Century Stress Syndrome, and other helpful books that come my way. Do I need supplements? Testing? Is it my thyroid or other hormone imbalance?

Related links/posts:
The Schwarzbein Principle website
Ray Peat- I just found Dr. Peat's articles on aging, nutrition and hormones and am finding them interesting
Creating Conscious Commitments
My New Exercise Program: Running and Kettlebells
Sleep is So Important

My Kitchen: Land of the Living Dead

"Fermentation is an act of life upon death. Living organisms consume dead food matter, transforming it and on the process freeing nutrients for the further sustenance of life." Sandor Katz, Wild Fermentation

About once a week my kitchen counter is filled with food projects, mostly having to do with fermentation. I have learned that incorporating fermented food and drink into the diet is a very healthy practice. In the process of fermentation, starches and sugars get converted to lactic acid by lactic-acid-producing bacteria, or lactobacilli. The lactobacilli colonize the intestines with "friendly" bacteria, supplying the digestive system with living cultures necessary for breaking down food and assimilating nutrients. Fermented foods have been predigested by enzymes, so they have an enhanced enzyme content, which improves our digestive health, and a healthy gastrointestinal tract is critical for a strong immune system. Fermentation is a way of preserving food without losing nutrients but actually enhancing and creating more nutrients. It even removes toxins from foods.

"Fermented foods aid in digestion, promote healthy flora in our digestive tract, produce beneficial enzymes, offer us better nutrition and allow our bodies to absorb vitamins (in particular C, and B12), minerals, nutritional value and omega 3s more effectively from foods. They regulate the level of acidity in the digestive tract and act as anti-oxidants. Fermented foods contain the same isothiocyanates found in cruciferous vegetables and therefore fight and prevent cancer." From Delicious Organics

What do I have on my kitchen counter in the photo above? In front is fermented ketchup, a recipe from Nourishing Traditions that involves mixing tomato paste with salt, garlic, maple syrup, and whey and letting it sit out for a couple of days. To the right is sauerkraut, super easy to make by shredding cabbage, mixing it with salt, and letting it ferment until it's soft. To the left I'm got some seeds sprouting, which I guess isn't actually fermentation, but sprouts are a raw, enzyme-rich, easy to digest, nutrient-rich superfood. There's kombucha in the right back, a little more complicated to make but well worth it. In the left back I'm brewing kefir, a cultured milk product made by adding kefir grains to milk and letting sit for a day. And in the back is my compost bucket, the contents of which supply beneficial microorganisms to my garden, and in turn back to me.

Sometimes it's a challenge to have lots of kitchen projects going while I've got kids and family to be with, but I do enjoy working hard to provide nourishing food for us. And it's fun to have all these interesting food creations going on in my kitchen. Anyone into fermentation? What are your favorite fermented foods?


Related links/posts:
Wild Fermentation
Lacto-Fermentation, by Sally Fallon
Homemade Fermented Ketchup recipe
Benefits of sauerkraut
Making sauerkraut
Sprouting: A Brief Overview
How To Make Kombucha Tea
Wikipedia Kefir
Dom's Kefir Making In-Site- a must read for kefir-makers
Want to Live Forever? Drink Kombucha!
Homegrown Wine

This Week's Favorites

I really enjoy learning from Ann Marie at Cheese Slave. She's been working on a host of different areas of her health- gut, adrenal glands, thyroid and iodine deficiency, and heavy metal detox. She's also a great cook and loves sharing her recipe successes and failures. I've been interested in her journey of healing her thyroid through supplementing with iodine.

Amy at Let's Explore: Creative Activities for Preschoolers has some simple and fun craft projects like this ribbon art.

Kathie at Two Frog Home talks about Budgets, Frugality, and Simplicity and J.D. at Get Rich Slowly gives us pointers on improving our financial situation.

I like Ginger at The Wondershop's ideas for a fun weekend. I think I'd do all those activities over several weekends rather than one, but I am wanting to find a flow in my days of doing fun kid and family outings, getting chores done, connecting with others, and relaxing. Her book, Child of Wonder, looks great, too, and there's a give-away for it.


Related posts:
This Week's Favorites- May 15th
My Commitment to Physical Health
Confessions of a Mother
Better Than School: A Homeschooling Success Story

My Commitment to Physical Health

As a continuation of yesterday's post on making conscious commitments using the Results Proces, here is one Results Process I have completed:

Result: By the end of summer, I will have lost 20 pounds and feel energized, strong, and healthy.

Intention: I am important and valuable, and I matter. I want to be healthy, to give all I can in my life with energy and vitality. I want to be fit, lean, strong, and sexy. I want my body to be a representation of my will, my health, my power and beauty. I want to be alive and well through old age, and I want to be an example for my children. I want energy and joy.

Visualize: I can see me being slim, muscular, and energetic. I am wearing a smaller clothes size and am lovin' the way I look. I am moving with grace and vitality.

Action:

1. I will get up at 6:30am six days per week to either run or kettlebell and do ITP (a practice of body movements, stretching, deep relaxation and meditation).
2. I will go to bed by 10:30-11pm.
3. I will do the Atkins diet-- I will do the Induction phase until I see some signs of weight loss.
4. If diet continues to not bring progress, I will notice the messages from my body and take steps to understand what else is going on. Is it my thyroid? Do I need iodine? Is my copper IUD a problem? Should I talk to a doctor?
5. I will continue my life choice of eating nutrient-rich, good quality foods. I will incorporate more raw and fermented foods into my diet, as well as kelp, salt, bone broth, liver, fish and fat.
6. I will notice when I am stressed and take steps to be relaxed in my life-- breathing, resting, stopping, being calm and present, connecting with my kids and Matt and friends.

Support: Matt and my support partners MC and Christina.

Does anyone have other ideas for understanding and dealing with a body that is not losing weight?


Related posts:
Creating Conscious Commitments
My New Exercise Program: Running and Kettlebells
Health Checklist
Our Low Carb Lifestyle

Creating Conscious Commitments

I've been feeling tired and busy lately, especially now that spring is here and has brought with it a world of new projects-- namely the garden and lawn. So I've got outdoor tasks now on top of my usual array of indoor projects, kids, and finding time for myself. I feel tired, stressed, and hazy. Is it my body that is tired? Maybe because we are now doing the Atkins diet and eating much less food and carbs? Or maybe it's my thyroid not functioning, which is something I've been reading about considering I still haven't lost a single pound after 5 months of low carb and one week of Atkins induction (fewer than 20 grams of carbs, all of which come from vegetables). Or maybe it's my mind driving me, as it does most of the time.

Matt and I have been thinking lately about the unconscious commitments we make every day, without realizing we're setting ourselves up for failure. That book I have on the shelf, waiting to be read, though I don't want to read it and don't actually have time for it. That bag of compost, sitting there for a week now, waiting to be spread on the lawn. The plants that don't look to good in the garden-- I really should fix them, even though there is nothing in reality I can do for them. All the things my mind makes up throughout the day about what I have to do, like having a better garden, losing weight, cleaning this room, fixing that light, exercising, making this snack, etc. I go around making commitments-- way more than I could possibly accomplish-- adding them to my everpresent mental or physical list, and ending the day feeling exhausted. Some of the things I really want to do, but they just become one of the many items on the long list that can't possibly get done. Does anyone relate to this? I make all these commitments, unconsciously, even though they aren't actually a fit for me, and then sabotage myself by either not doing them or doing them at the expense of the things I really want to be doing, like connecting with my kids or relaxing. I've got myself stuck in failure.

The unconscious way doesn't work for me-- it leaves me with an unending list of things to do, keeps me from stopping to take time with my children or Matt, keeps my body in a state of stress, and leaves me unsatisfied at the end of the day. And the truth is I am not a failure. I am an active, alive, engaged person who wants to enjoy life and the tasks I choose to take on. I want to be conscious when I make choices for myself, and do what I choose to do with presence, clarity, and purpose.

So I've (and Matt too) been working on defining and strengthening my purposes in several areas of my life: Parenting, my relationship with Matt, physical health, spiritual health, piano (I'm taking lessons from Matt), money, blogging, and gardening. Rather than just stating my purpose, I'm doing the Results Process, a tool I learned at More To Life. This process deepens my motivation and gets me focused on productive action. The first step (using a pen and paper to write it all down) is to Define the result, which is the specific, time-based, and measurable result I am wanting to create. The next step is to Deepen the intention behind why I am wanting my result and what it really means to me, including breathing into my feelings to really get in touch with the depth of my intention. Next comes Visualize the result, which means closing my eyes and seeing myself having created what I want, cause if I can't actually see it happening then it doesn't make sense to go for it. After visualizing comes the real fun, Choose specific actions you agree to carry out, where I give my word to carry out certain specific actions in service of creating my result. Finally I Define what support may be needed to carry out your actions, which asks me to step out and ask someone to keep their eyes on me and hold me to my word.

When I've done the Results Process, I feel refreshed, centered, and solid. I can keep better track of my most important tasks. I know what I want to do and what steps to take to do it. I can refer back to my result when I'm faced with the myriad of choices I am swept into making every day, and ask myself if I am really wanting to make that commitment, if it is in or out of line with my purpose, if it supports or hinders me from creating my result. I can notice when I am breaking the commitments I have consciously made, revamp my commitments so they are practical and sensible for me, and recommit when I have gotten off-course (and I often get off-course). The real benefit and struggle is that my conscious commitment to my result gives me an opportunity to really be the person I want to be and live the way I want to live, and to stand solid in the face of the punches coming at me all day. The real trick for me is honoring myself enough to really commit to what I'm wanting, trusting that I am capable of accomplishing it, and disciplining myself to stick with it.

Do you notice the unconscious commitments you make every day? What have you found works for you to keep yourself on purpose in your life? How are you doing with it?


Related posts:
My Struggle With Living Purposefully
Confessions of a Mother
Inner Child
The Intentional Family

Springtime Fun

FINALLY, warm weather has arrived. It has been a long, gray winter and I am so very grateful for sunshine at last. We took full advantage of it today, and hopefully we will continue to be able to do so. My kids had a great time today "swimming" in their outside bath (filled with warm water-- still too cold for real swimming). No more snow, please!!


Related posts:
Do We Really Need Sunscreen?
Natural Sunscreen Recipe
From Lawn to Nature's Playground
Our Children Are Our Best Teachers

This Week's Favorites

Matt and I have decided that in this time of economic uncertainty, the best thing we can do for ourselves and our future is pay off our debt. I really liked reading A Real Millionnaire Next Door at Get Rich Slowly.

Thanks to one of my readers, I found out about The Artful Parent, a really neat blog about doing creative art with kids. Her ideas are meaningful, beautiful, and useful. I liked this article The Artful Parent Interviews Soule Mama, and so did a lot of other people (there are like 730 comments on it!).

I wrote recently about building my kids a living teepee. This family did it! Check out Morning Glories and Moonflowers at The Write Start.

I really like Kathie at Two Frog Home. She lives near me in Montana, and she has a lot of practical tips on gardening, cooking, and living frugally. Here is a post from her on frugal cooking.

Did you know I use baking soda for deodorant? I just rub it dry into my armpits, and I am dry and odorless all day long. It is the best deodorant I've ever used. Allie talks about her experience with using baking soda as deodorant in Let's Talk About My Armpits.

I've been wondering about supporting green energy, and found the Bonneville Environmental Foundation website. It has a lot of easy to understand, useful info about what green energy is and how to support it.


Related links/posts:
Switching to Green Power
From Lawn to Nature's Playground
Life Without Groceries
Celebrating Womanhood

Switching to Green Power

Thanks to a helpful post by Micaela at Mindful Momma, I just learned that I can sign up for my power company's green energy program. To find out what kinds of green energy opportunities are available in your state, check out Green Power Network, a resource provided by the US Deptartment of Energy.


Related links/posts:
My New Clothesline
Turds to Tomatoes: Composting Humanure
Coffee to Compost
Creating a Healthier Home

Better Than School: A Homeschooling Success Story

I recently finished Better Than School: One Family's Declaration of Independence, a book that has changed my perspective on educating children. The book is Nancy Wallace's account of her experience of removing her son from public school and instead homeschooling him in a time when homeschooling was a very uncommon practice. She tells the story of watching her son grow more and more miserable in school, seeing him struggle to keep up with a curriculum that pushed him, tested him, labeled and categorized him, bringing him to agitation and depression. She recounts her difficult experience of battling with the school board for permission to teach him at home, and after receiving approval, having to deal with standardized testing and providing proof of her son's progress. The rest of her story describes the way her son (and daughter) excelled when given the opportunity to learn what he wanted to in a way that worked for his personality and learning style.

The Wallace family did their schooling through free play, real-life learning, reading good books, playing music, learning all about whatever topic most interested the kids, private music and language lessons, and small amounts of structured work on math and handwriting. In contrast to a controlled school environment, they changed their routine based on how they were feeling, what they wanted to do that day, and what they were most interested in and focused on.

I liked this book for lots of reasons. I liked that Nancy learned to trust herself and her children, even when she was being pressured by the school board or watching her children go through cycles of not doing any "work". I especially liked how in tune she was with her kids-- she paid close attention to her children and focused on how they were doing. Because she noticed her children's behavior, attitude, reactions, and processes so closely, she was able to work with her children rather than push them toward what she thought best for them. She danced with them, moving with them in a flow that supported them and led them while allowing them to move in their own ways.

John Holt, a pioneer of the homeschooling movement, writes in the introduction of Better Than School,

"One of the most important things the schools can learn is that their efforts, now of long standing, to force on all children a uniform curriculum, timetable, and methods of learning is a disastrous error. Reading about Ishmael and Vita, we can only be struck by how very personal, idiosyncratic, and unique are their ways of learning. It is tempting to think that most children have more orthodox ways of exploring and making sense of the world. But it is not so; all children move into the world in personal and idiosyncratic ways, and no two do it alike."

This is one of the first of many homeschooling books and websites I will be reading through the years. I forsee a lot of reading and learning on our part as we embark on the journey of schooling our children. We have chosen to homeschool our children, thanks to books like this one that motivate us so intensely. We want our children to be excited about learning, to develop their own passions and creations, to see life with wonder and possibility, and to become masters of their chosen interests.

What kind of education worked or didn't work for you in your life? What would you do (or plan to do or have already done) differently for future generations?


Related links/posts:
John Holt and Growing Without Schooling website
Winning at Parenting through Trust
From Lawn to Nature's Playground
Celebrating Womanhood

Celebrating Womanhood

I was rummaging through my recipe box when I found a page of homemade beauty product recipes. Years ago I wanted to have a slumber party with a friend and do girly things like facials and foot baths, so I asked my sister, Mychelle, a beauty product creator and guru, for some recipes. In my daily life I am a non-shaving, non-makeup-wearing, non-hair-doing, non-face-washing, barely have space to shower a couple times a week or keep slimy baby hands off my just washed clothes for more than an hour, au naturale type lady. But when I am with Mychelle she reminds me that I am a woman, and that decorating and caring for myself are ways of honoring my body and my femininity. Check out her website and you will immediately see what I mean.

I don't know what my daughter will end up wanting for herself by way of beauty and makeup, but I do find myself wondering how we will connect with one another as females. How will I share with her what it means to be female, teach her about her body and be there for her through her physical and emotional changes? What kinds of rite of passage ceremonies will I hold for her when she first gets her period, needs a bra, or wants to wear makeup? In the same way, Matt has been learning about the importance of rites of passage rituals for our son to support and celebrate him as he grows into a man.

Sharing our femininity can be a way for me to support my daughter as she learns about who she is, why she is, and what she is capable of. It can also bring us together to connect and share with one another in the journey of womanhood. I am reminded of an article in Mothering Magazine I read recently, Saturday Night Spa, where a mother and daughter have created a special Saturday Night ritual of sharing with each other while they bathe, do their hair, paint their nails, and care for their skin:

"Spa has become the perfect time to impart to her some values about body image, gender identity, sexuality, and all sorts of heady issues... Kaya and I have always been able to share thoughts and feelings easily, but in the safe space of our big, steamy bathroom, sitting beside the old claw-foot tub with the candle burning, our connection deepens. The words flow, even on topics that seem to be getting a little tougher to discuss offhandedly while I shuttle her to dance class or chop vegetables at the kitchen counter. As we sit on the rubber-ducky rug and enjoy our supplies, we talk about changes in our lives, upcoming events, and how Kaya feels about her friendships. We talk about the importance of strong, noncompetitive relationships with other girls and women, and how to nourish them. I want her to know the comfort and joy of true sisterhood. I want her to grow up in a community of women who love and support her. I express this to her in our daily lives, but it's during Spa that we get the chance to revel in the sisterhood we share."

I think I'll keep my sister's recipes on hand for special beauty nights for me and my girl. I'm also interested in buying Herbs for Natural Beauty (Rosemary Gladstar's Herbal Remedies) as a reference for learning to make more beauty products together. What a joy it will be to share with my daughter in this way that is so personal, powerful, meaningful, and connecting.

Slumber Party Beauty Recipes

For your face, start with a scrub:

Oatmeal and Papaya Scrub
Mash half of a very ripe papaya and mix in 3 Tbsp old-fashioned oats. Gently scrub face, allow mixture to sit on a face a few minutes, and rinse with tepid water.
(Note: If you can't get ahold of a papaya, mix whole or ground oats with a dollop of your favorite cleanser (or yogurt or milk for dry skin) and scrub gently.)
-Papayas contain the enzyme papain, which dissolves dead skin cells that gather on our faces. Oatmeal gently exfoliates.

Next, relax with a mask:

Strawberry Mask
Blend 6 ripe, hulled strawberries until smooth. Mix in 3 Tbsp whole yogurt (nonfat for oily skin). Smooth over face with cotton balls and rest for 10 minutes. Rinse with tepid water.
-Strawberries contain vitamin C and salicilic acid; they refine and tone the skin. Yogurt is hydrating.

Place cucumbers or cotton balls dipped in whole milk over eyes while the mask sets!

For feet, first soak:

Foot Jacuzzi
Pour 1 cup apple cider (or white wine) vinegar, 2 cups hot water, and 1/4 cup baking soda into a basin in the order given. The water will bubble and foam. Be sure to have extra hot water handy, as baking soda seems to cause water to cool somewhat.

Then scrub feet:

Salt Scrub
Mix 1 cup kosher salt (or any coarse salt) with 1/2 cup almond, olive, or any light oil. Gently scrub feet, focusing on heels and calluses. Scrub the rest of the body very gently. Rinse with tepid water.

Finally, try a mask for your hair and your feet:

Leftovers Hair and Foot Pack
Blend all or pick and choose- avocado, sour cream, cantaloupe, whole plain yogurt, banana, heavy cream, mayonnaise, and honey. Work through hair until thoroughly coated, cover with shower cap and allow to penetrate for 30 minutes. Shampoo and condition as usual. Also, smooth over feet and allow to penetrate while masks soak into hair.

Related posts/links:

Healthy Family, Healthy Community
The Intentional Family
Natural Sunscreen Recipe
Saturday Night Spa
First Menstruation Rite of Passage Ritual
Menstruation, Rites of Passage, and Culture
From Boys to Men: Rediscovering Rites of Passage

From Lawn to Nature's Playground

I've been thinking more and more about getting rid of my lawn. I'm dreaming of rocks, sticks, woodchips, flowers, and a teepee for my kids to play with. We don't have a big yard attached to our suburban duplex, and half of what we do have is the domain of the vegetable garden. The greatest would be a home on the outskirts of town with trees to climb, water to play with, chickens to care for, and hiding places to find. But we are where we are, and my desire is to make what we have an amazing place to play-- to bring some of nature's bounty into our small spot.

I just read through Sunflower Houses : Inspiration from the Garden - A Book for Children and Their Grown-Ups, a really neat book about enjoying nature with our kids. The book is simple and beautiful, and it is filled with amazing and creative ways to participate with our children in the magic of nature: With our gardens, leaves, and flowers we can make things like hollyhock dolls, clover chains, lavender wands, and sunflower houses. After reading this book I feel totally inspired to transform our flat boring lawn into a small but magical natural area filled with opportunities for my kids to be creative. I envision a vine-covered teepee hideout, rocks and sticks, flowering plants, and a bench in the shade of our tree.

What are your favorite childhood memories of enjoying nature? How will you include your own children in nature's beauty this summer?


Related posts/links:
Garden, Not Lawn
Confessions of a Mother
Lasagna Gardening
Our Children Are Our Best Teachers

My New Clothesline

I am going to buy a clothesline. I have no trees in my backyard to help me create a free clothesline, so I am going to buy one. I saw an ad in Mother Earth News for the Sunshine Clothes Dryer (pictured above); I especially like that it does not require cement to install, so we can keep it with us when we eventually move. I feel interested in using a clothesline because I like being outside as much as possible in summer, I like the idea of using the power of the sun, that my kids can learn and help, that I'm helping the environment, expanding the life of my clothes, and saving money, and that with a clothesline doing the laundry can be a more meaningful, slow, conscious process (that's what I'm telling myself-- it'll be fun, really...).

I was doing a bit of research on why using a clothesline might be a better choice than using a dryer, and here are a few snippets of articles I found on the subject:

• Heat-producing appliances always use surprisingly large amounts of electricity and they’re the first things we should cut back on in an effort to become more environmentally responsible. Most people are surprised to learn that using your clothes dryer for one hour consumes the same amount of electricity as a 100-watt light bulb burning for 50 hours. (Home Envy)
• Besides the global-warming and cost-saving aspects of clotheslines, proponents say hanging out clothes requires exercise and time outside – elements that are missing from many Americans' lives. So much of our lives have become automated. (Christian Science Monitor)
• What's the case for clotheslines? Well, they make your clothes last longer and smell better. . . . And it saves the average American family somewhere between $80 and $100 a year. (Concord Monitor)
• Did you know that the tumble dryer consumes the most energy of all of your household appliances? To cut back on energy usage, you can easily hang your clothes to dry instead, and use the dryer as a last resort. Drying outside will make them smell fresher, and the added humidity is great for your plants, skin, and hair. Cutting your tumble dryer use reduces your home's CO2 emissions, and there's strong evidence that human emissions, such as CO2, are changing the world's climate. (Martha Stewart)

Related links:
To Fight Global Warming, Hang a Clothesline
As An Energy Saver, The Clothesline Makes a Comeback
Project Laundry List
Where There's a Will, There's A Clothesline

Related posts:
Safe and Cheap: Homemade Detergent
Natural Sunscreen Recipe
Creating a Healthier Home

Homegrown Wine

One of my spring/summer hobbies for several years has been making homemade wine. The process sounds complicated at first glance, but like anything it can be as simple or as complicated as we want it to be. I prefer the simple way.

There are a few pieces of equipment that are needed for home wine-making, like a big bucket, a long spoon, a straining bag, some gallon jugs with airlocks, a long tube to siphon the wine from one container to another, and bottles and corks. I am blessed to have a shop in town that carries homebrewing supplies, although if there weren't a store in town I could find it all on the internet easily.

Wine can be made from just about any fruit, vegetable, flower or plant. I used strawberries leftover from last summer for my latest batch. I'm looking forward to making dandelion wine this spring, and others as the fruit season progresses-- peach, cherry, choke cherry, apricot, plum, apple. I suppose I could use zucchini, onions or tomatoes from my garden to make wine, but... well, I guess I'd like to try a sample before I create onion wine!

The basic procedure for wine is simple. Fruit (or other plant matter) is crushed with boiling water in a bucket; sugar and yeast are added and it is all stirred daily for a week; the liquid is strained into a gallon jug and the jug is topped with an airlock; the wine is siphoned a few times back and forth into another clean jug; and when the wine is clear and no longer fermenting it is bottled and corked. The wine can be aged or enjoyed immediately. Some people add sulfites to the wine and others do not; I am not sure whether they are necessary or harmful, but here is a short article on sulfites. There are tons of other things involved with more advanced winemaking, but when I sit down to read about it I start feeling tired and stressed, so I figure if I like my wine and enjoy the process, then simple is the way to go.

Wine recipes can be found all over the place in books and websites; for this batch I used a strawberry wine recipe from The Winemaking Home Page:

* 3 lbs. fresh strawberries
* 2-1/2 lbs. granulated sugar
* 2 tsp. citric acid
* water to make 1 gallon
* wine yeast & nutrient

Place all ingredients except yeast in crock. Crush fruit with hands and cover with 5 pints boiling water. Stir with wooden paddle to dissolve sugar and simultaneously mash the strawberries. When cooled to 85 degrees F., add yeast. Cover and stir daily. Strain on 7th day, transfer to secondary fermentation vessel, top up to one gallon, fit fermentation trap, and set aside. Rack after 30 days and again after additional 30 days. Bottle when clear.


Related posts/links:
Wild Fermentation: The Flavor, Nutrition, and Craft of Live-Culture Foods has simple recipes and instructions for many ferments, including wine, mead, and beer.
The 5 Basic Steps of Winemaking
The Basic Procedure (with pictures)
Winemaking 101 from the Joy of Home Winemaking
Wine Making Recipe Chart
Wine Making Supplies
Recipes
More Recipes
Want to Live Forever? Drink Kombucha!

My New Exercise Program: Running and Kettlebells

Today is my second day of running... again. I stopped running during both my pregnancies because I couldn't do ANYTHING during those first three months, and by the time I felt better I decided to walk for the rest of the pregnancies. My most recent baby, Cedar, turned a year old this month, and I finally feel like I want to run again. I'll bet it has to do with warmer weather. I enjoy getting outside, quieting my mind, and moving my body. I like the feeling of my body having worked itself. And I like the idea that it might help me get my pre-pregnancy body back.

For the last six or eight months I've been working out in my home with kettlebells. Kettlebelling has been an great way of exercising for me because I get the benefits of a workout that builds strength, improves flexibility and balance, and gets my heart rate moving, all in the comfort and warmth of my home. With a new baby this past year, I never knew when I would be able to find a free chunk of time to exercise, I didn't want to bring a small baby outside if the weather was bad, and with two kids it was even more challenging to figure out how to go for a run. During that time of new baby balance, kettlebelling was quite a fit-- it only takes 20 minutes to get a great workout, it is quiet, it requires one or two small pieces of equipment, and I can do it while the kids are asleep.

For now my choice is to get the benefit of both of these workouts by alternating days of kettlebelling and running. Matt does kettlebelling and running in the same workout, but I know I only have so many minutes to exercise before my kids are needing things, so I'll stick with a smaller, more realistic time committment. I know I'll learn many things about myself, my ability to stay motivated and disciplined, my tendency to turn everything I do into a "have to" rather than a "want to", and the way in which I come back to purpose and choice. I'll also learn some new techniques and successes with running that I'll share over time.

Here is an idea of what it looks like to kettlebell:



What is your favorite way to exercise? How is it for you if you have time constraints or children?


Related posts/links:
The Russian Kettlebell Challenge- this guy is totally macho, but he is the premier source of information and instruction on kettlebells.
Running Barefoot- I haven't tried it yet but Matt is into it.
Chi Running- I also haven't tried this yet but I am wanting to learn how.
Confessions of a Mother
Health Checklist