Slow Living: January 2013

It's most definitely winter here.  We had a couple of weeks where it didn't get above freezing, followed by -2F (-19C) and +55F (+13C) separated by just a few days.

One of the best things about Colorado is that the sun shines most of the time.  Very rarely do we have more than a few days in a row of cloud cover.  So even at very, cold temperatures, the sun is out and it can be a beautiful day.  Although I do have to say that a sunny, +55F day, in January is brutal when one must be inside tied to a computer.  :-/

Below is my January review for the Slow Living Project.

NOURISH: Make and bake as much as possible from scratch. Ditch overpackaged, over-processed convenience foods and opt for 'real' food instead. Share favourite links/recipes/tips from the month here.

We finished off our Butternut squash from the garden.  Just a few Pie Pumpkins and Spaghetti Squash remain.  Don't they look nice in their new to me, antique onion crate?  So much better than the plastic tub I was holding them in.

This is my first time using a root cellar style of storage.  I am pleased with how it's going so far.

We've also continued to enjoy the canned applesauce, apple butter and peach jam I made last summer/fall.  It's nice to still have some of this in stores.

Noosa Yoghurt.  I was turned on to it a few months ago by a friend.  It is rich and delicious.  I would buy some here and there, but continued to buy our old brand.  Then Hubba realized how delicious Noosa was and started buying it too.  It's now our preferred brand and we just realized it's a local yogurt... "Aussie Culture, Colorado Fresh."  So I read the label, and then the website... This delicious yogurt is made about 20 miles from where I sit right now.  :-)

I admit that Hubba does most of the cooking around here but I have done myself proud with some Matzoh Ball Soup and Lamb Stock this month.

PREPARE: Stockpile and preserve. Freeze extra meals or excess garden/market produce. Bottle/can, dehydrate or pickle foods to enjoy when they are not in season. Aim to reduce dependency on store bought items especially those known to contain BPA and other suspect additives. Stocking up on dry goods when prices are low counts too.

I put 3 quarts of Lamb Stock in the freezer.

We bought another load of hay and alfalfa... we should be good until May/June.

I have been working on my planting plans... I've made a plant list, inventoried my seeds, ordered the needed seeds and made a short list of live plants I'll need to pick up when the time is right.

I have also collected some of the supplies needed to do my own seed saving this year.  But I will need a few more things before I can really do my own seed starting indoors.

REDUCE/Reuse/Re-purpose/Repair: Cut down on household waste by re-using, re-purposing and repairing. A ladder into a strawberry planter? A sheet into a dress? Share ideas and project links here, allowing others to be inspired.

I'm not certain this counts in this category but we remodeled bathroom #2.  We saved the cabinet for use in the eventual kitchen remodel and have set a few other things aside to go to the local Re-Store, but everything that went into our upgraded bathroom is new, aside from some sheet rock and sub-flooring.  The new toilet and shower head are low flow and the lights are LED, so hopefully we'll see a small reduction in consumption.

GREEN: up our lives. Start (or continue!) using homemade cleaners, body products and basic herbal remedies. The options are endless, the savings huge and the health benefits enormous.

This category has been neglected all winter.

GROW: plant/harvest. What's growing this month? What's being eaten from the garden? Herbs in a pot, sprouts on a windowsill or and entire fruit/vegetable garden -opt for what fits space and time constraints. Don't have a backyard? Ask a friendly neighbour or relative for a small patch of theirs in return for some home grown produce, they may surprise you!

One of my favorite things about January is that the trees start making their preparations for spring.

CREATE: to fill a need or feed the soul. Create for ourselves or for others. Create something as simple as a handmade gift tag or something as extravagant as a fine knit shawl. Share project details and any new skills learnt here.

I finished Hubba's Christmas Hat and have been contemplating my Wingspan.

DISCOVER: Feed the mind by reading texts relevant to current interests. Trawl libraries, second hand shops or local book shops to find titles that fill the need. Share titles/authors of what is being read this month.

I think the only thing I discovered this month is how many times one can go to The Home Store in search of enough tile to complete a bathroom remodel.  :-/

ENHANCE: community: Possibilities include supporting local growers and producers, help out at a local school/kindergarten, barter or foodswap, joining a playgroup or forming a walking or craft group. Car pooling where possible and biking/walking instead of driving. Even start up a blog if you haven't already - online communities count too! Or maybe just help out someone trying to cross the street! The rewards for your time are often returned tenfold.

I joined up with a friend for a Facebook Pay-it-Forward project... you sign up to be a recipient, but then you must offer to provide 5 people with something thoughtful at some point in 2013.  I had four people sign up for my offer and have been enjoying figuring out what I will do for them.

ENJOY: Life! Embrace moments with friends and family. Marking the seasons, celebrations and new arrivals are all cause for enjoyment. Share a moment to be remembered from the month here.

Hubba and I visited the National Western Stock Show with some family and friends.

This Bull was not pleased that I took his photo.  I'm very happy that he was well behaved and tied behind the fence.  :-)

Remodeling: Bathroom #2, Finished

Finished

The bathroom remodel is finished now.  :-)

I still need to get a cabinet for the cubby behind the shower.

And the toilet is still behind the door.

But, I am so happy to have this finished.

Buy Local

As a manufacturer at heart and knowing that there aren't a lot of manufacturing options for me, I think it's important to support local manufacturing jobs.  It's difficult to find US manufactured products these days, but I did find a few.

• USA: tub, pedestal sink, tile, baseboard, paint, grout, mastic
• China: faucets, hoses, shower rod, curtain and hooks, light fixture
• Taiwan:  towel racks
• Germany: grout sponge
• Mexico: outlet, switches and switch plate
• Unknown: toilet, wall board, dew rock, primer

Environmental Impact

Remodels are tough.  A lot of trash is generated, both in the demolition and in the packaging of the new products.

• Reused: mirror, exhaust fan, wallboard and studs not affected by tub/shower removal.
• Saved for Later Use: Cabinet front, sides and drawers
• Salvaged for Re-Store:  sink, light fixture, shower doors
• Recycled: paper, cardboard and plastic packaging
• Landfill: everything else
• Continued Consumption: Both the new toilet and shower head are "low-flow" so we should see a reduction in water usage.  Also the Light Fixture Lamps are LEDs so there should be a reduction in electric usage as well.

So much nicer.  Fresh, clean, easy to clean and matching.  Time to start saving for the next project.  :-)

Regret?

I don't have much regret.

The truth is, I am very happy... happily married, healthy and pursuing big dreams.  I have been able to do nearly everything I've dedicated myself to, thus far.

But when I see stories like this Double-Arm Transplant at Johns Hopkins Hospital, I wonder about what might have been.

Back when I was in engineering school, I was very interested in Prostheses and Transplants.  The place where the integration of engineering and medicine was happening was Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, MD.

I did not have the money or the grades to fund this graduate work for myself.  So I decided that it was more important for me to get a job.

That job was on the Space Shuttle.... still pretty awesome.  But, occasionally I wonder if I had pursued my Johns Hopkins thoughts, how my path might have been different.

Make sure you read about the transplant.  It's the first of it's kind and the preliminary results are exceptional.

It's just amazing to me how we (the people) can do amazing things.  All we have to do is wonder if it's possible.

Remodeling: Bathroom #2, Rebuilding part 2

The guest bathroom remodel is still in progress.  Sink fitting, dew rock and sheet rock replacement, painting and tiling are all finished now.  Even though we are working with the same layout, it already feels like a different room.

Grouting, fixture installation and just a few more things remain.  :-)

To answer a question: we have a carpenter doing the work outside of his day job.  So the progress is slow, but it keeps Hubba and I from sharing expletives with each other.  ;-)

Garden: In January, 2013

After a couple weeks of highs below freezing, we've had some really nice weather for the last week or so.  It hardly feels like January.  Although it is normal to have dry, warm and sunny days in the winter.  It is certainly one of the perks of living in Colorado.

One of my favorite things about January is that the trees begin to make their preparations for spring.  They won't be leafing out until at least March, but I've noticed that in mid- January they start to look like this....

A promise of things to come?

Instead of collecting the spent hay and alpaca manure into piles, I have been spreading them over both gardens this winter.  The front garden is about 1/3 covered...

And the back garden is nearly finished.

I plan to till everything together in mid-March when it should be safe to plant the early-season seeds.

I completed my planting list, took inventory and placed my seed order this week.  There are a few live plants I will pick up when we get closer to planting.  It's pretty amazing to think we'll be planting in less than 2 months.  :-)

Fiber Arts Friday: A Gift from Ireland

My Brother and SIL took a trip to Ireland last summer.  I asked (or I may have begged) for them to bring some wool back for me.

They found this hank in a cute shop in County Kerry.  It's a little more than 6.5 ounces of wool from Kilcar in Donegal, Ireland.

The site says 100% wool, so we don't know for certain what type of wool it is.  But following the information provided on the shop's website, the yarn is from Donegal Yarns spun in the Donegal Tweed style.  :-)

As an American for more than a few generations, I have ancestors from many places with large portions originating in Ireland.  So whether it's technically correct or not, I have always identified as being "mostly Irish."  So to have an actual Irish yarn spun in a traditional Irish method is pretty special for me.

Happy Fiber Arts Friday.

Food: Matzoh Ball Soup

About a week and a half ago, I had just returned from an arduous 3-state trip.  The flu season is in full-swing.  I had been crammed in airplanes and airports with people who were not well.  My feet had gotten cold.  I hadn't slept much or well for days.  I was exhausted and feeling under the weather.  I needed Chicken Soup!  I wanted Matzoh Ball Soup.  I did not want to make it.

I'm not aware of a local Jewish Deli.  So I Tweeted and Facebooked my desire and only got one response... "needle in a haystack"  :-/

I won't go so far as to say there is no Jewish population where we live, but I feel comfortable in saying that the local Jewish population is small.  So I settled for some Chicken-Vegetable Soup from Whole Foods.  It was fine, but not what I wanted.

I got plenty of other fluids and sleep and managed to not get sick.

This weekend, I still had the craving for Matzoh Ball Soup.  So I decided to oven-roast a couple of chickens  and make my own broth.

Now, my broth is something that I have been working on.  My goal has been flavorful and clear but I have yet to get there.  Then I happened to catch an episode of Martha Stewart's Cooking School on PBS that was all about Chicken Broth.  Lastly, I had a coaching session with one of Hubba's cousins.

The final result was pretty darn good. A flavorful, rich and relatively, clear broth.  Not perfect yet, but so much better than any I had made before.  The matzohs though, were tender and perfect.

I would call this a win.

Things that Work: Felted Soap

I prefer to go shoe-less.  I love shoes, but if it's warm enough to go shoe-less,  I do.  And since I primarily work from home for my day job these days, I don't HAVE to wear shoes very often.  Which means my feet get very rough and dry; especially my heels.

In the past I had tried pedicures, emery boards, pedi-eggs and pumice stones but was never really happy with the results.

I had made this soap in a fiber workshop a few years ago.  It's a commercial soap with alpaca felted around it.  I kept it in the kitchen for scrubbing our hands after especially dirty jobs.

A few weeks ago my dry, rough heels had become painful and no amount of lotion was helping.  So I decided to try this felted soap on my heels when I take a shower.

My heels felt a little better after the first use, so I decided that I'd use it for the next several days and see how things go.

I am happy to report that after a couple of weeks, my heels are now smooth and comfortable.  I think it might be worth keeping a bar in each shower.

Fiber Arts Friday: Wingspan, part 8

Since I was already into cake #2, I started thinking about making one more wedge on my Forever Wingspan. It was already taking me "forever" so what's a little bit longer, right?

Also I like odd numbers better than even ones and AllyB confirmed my suspicion that the scarf might be a little on the short side.  So this Wingspan has nine wedges instead of eight and was bound off on New Year's Eve.

I've been having mixed feelings about it...  It is too short for my preference.  A shawl pin will make it usable.  It's long enough to rest on both shoulders and it does wrap tight around my neck like a cowl.  But I would be happier if it made one full wrap and still had enough length on both sides to hang to at least my waist.

But now, as I'm looking at this photo, I can really see where that second cake started.  I promise, it came from the same color lot.  :-/  There's definitely a color gradient from left to right, so I wonder if I had started cake #2 from the other end, if things would look a little different.

So I really don't know what I'm going to do.  I don't love the shawl.  I do love the yarn.  I haven't blocked it yet.

I hope you're having a great Fiber Arts Friday.

Remodeling: Bathroom #2, rebuilding

The Day Job has been super busy which has me feeling pretty exhausted and computer-averse for my usual writing time.  Which has resulted in my radio-silence (blog-silence?).

The good news is that the bathroom remodel is progressing.

The new tub fits!

Most of the plumbing for the tub/shower has been revised and the tub is water-tight.

Sink fitting starts tomorrow.

Remodeling: Bathroom #2, Demolition

We just started the Bathroom #2 Remodel this morning.  The demolition went smoothly and is already finished.  We expected to find a lot of water damage... but there is very little, which is a huge relief.

The shallow wall that we suspected is not weight-bearing, better not be... since 2 of the 3 studs have huge chunks cut out of them.

Here's a closer look...

  

The missing chunks had nothing to do with the current (now, most recent) install.  So either this was scrap wood used during the initial build or the most recent install was not the original install.

The cabinet has been saved for later use and a few other things have been saved to go to the local Re-Store once we're finished.

We thought we were going to have a big issue with the standard tub length being 60-inches, because our tub measured 58-inches, installed.  It turns out to have been built into the wall... the old tub was also 60-inches.  So there was some creative sheet-rocking going on.

Next step is to fit the new tub.  :-)

Remodeling: Bathroom #2, Before

I don't think I ever posted about our first bathroom remodel.  Suffice it to say that it was not our preference to remodel that bathroom.  It was possibly the nicest room in the house and is now, most definitely, the nicest room.... thanks to a sewer back up shortly after we bought our house that caused it to be gutted.  :-/

We've spent most of the last three years fixing the things that needed fixing.  Living in and experiencing our 1974 house.  So much of this place is still in 1974, or perhaps even worse, is in 1983.  The need-to-update-list is very long and can be overwhelming.  So it's taken some time to decide which project would be the first, but we have decided that the main/guest bathroom is the winner.

Before:

Unknown hardwood cabinets.  The same wood was used in the other bathrooms and kitchen.  We will be saving it for the eventual kitchen remodel.  I dislike the scalloped detail and dark varnish, but our former neighbor thinks this is an exotic rosewood.  I'm pretty sure we will not be buying new cabinets when we do get to the kitchen remodel.  So I'm hopeful that we will be able to update these in some way.

Pink counter top, vinyl floor, plastic tub and leaky enclosure with a nasty set of shower doors.

A very narrow, very deep set of "invisible" particle board shelves.

The toilet is behind the door with guts that are extremely difficult to find and replace.

With all of the plastic and vinyl, this house is difficult to clean... right down to the grooved baseboard that needs a detailed dusting way too often.

Demolition starts in the morning.

Fiber Arts Friday: Hubba's Christmas Hat, part 3

I did not get Hubba's Christmas Hat finished in time for Christmas, but I did get if finished in time for New Year's Eve.

So that's 12 days to complete a simple hat with DK yarn.  No other knitting happened between cast on and bind off.

Happy Fiber Arts Friday... and Happy New Year.

Slow Living: December 2012

A Frosty Ridge, Big Thompson Canyon

December has been a little less crazy than the previous few months.... at least I felt able to spend time knitting, spinning and socializing.... that's always a good sign that life is quieter.  :-)

I'm quite surprised to be writing December's installment for the Slow Living Project already.  This has been a great journey this year.

NOURISH: Make and bake as much as possible from scratch. Ditch overpackaged, over-processed convenience foods and opt for 'real' food instead. Share favourite links/recipes/tips from the month here.

I made it to our Indoor/Winter Farmer's Market for the first time.  I had to go for the preferred dog treats... Miss Wonton loves the dog treat ladies and refuses to eat any others.  So much for not having a spoiled Livestock Guardian Dogs (LGD). ;-)

It is much smaller than the summer Farmer's Market and since it's indoors the dogs are not invited.  There were several of the same vendors and a few new ones.  I was thrilled to find locally, smoked, salmon which I do not remember seeing at the summer market.

PREPARE: Stockpile and preserve. Freeze extra meals or excess garden/market produce. Bottle/can, dehydrate or pickle foods to enjoy when they are not in season. Aim to reduce dependency on store bought items especially those known to contain BPA and other suspect additives. Stocking up on dry goods when prices are low counts too.

Aside from Christmas, I don't think I spent much time making preparations.

Big Horn Sheep, Big Thompson Canyon

REDUCE/Reuse/Re-purpose/Repair: Cut down on household waste by re-using, re-purposing and repairing. A ladder into a strawberry planter? A sheet into a dress? Share ideas and project links here, allowing others to be inspired.

We always re-use boxes, packing materials and bows for presents.  It's become a bit of a tradition in my family that the box doesn't mean anything... although, sometimes it does.  So I really enjoy selecting just the right box for wrapping Christmas presents.

insert photo

Our neighbor finished moving out this month and gave us some old fencing materials that he didn't want to take to his new place.  We have a lot of fencing plans so this is great for us.  There's a gate, several posts, some welded wire fabric and what looks like sections of a chain-link kennel.

Many of the mason jars that had gone out filled with yummy apple and peach goodness a few months ago are finding their way back to me... along with a request for their couriers to please be on the gifting list again next year.  :-)

GREEN: up our lives. Start (or continue!) using homemade cleaners, body products and basic herbal remedies. The options are endless, the savings huge and the health benefits enormous.

Hmmm... :-/

GROW: plant/harvest. What's growing this month? What's being eaten from the garden? Herbs in a pot, sprouts on a windowsill or and entire fruit/vegetable garden -opt for what fits space and time constraints. Don't have a backyard? Ask a friendly neighbour or relative for a small patch of theirs in return for some home grown produce, they may surprise you!

It's winter... all I can really say in this category is that the thyme and rosemary are not dead... yet.  ;-)

CREATE: to fill a need or feed the soul. Create for ourselves or for others. Create something as simple as a handmade gift tag or something as extravagant as a fine knit shawl. Share project details and any new skills learnt here.

I feel like I'm back in the groove with the Create Category... as I mentioned at the top, I've had some time and energy available to spend creating...

A cute baby hat designed by Slow Living Participant, Chez of Monarch Place.

A lot of progress on my Wingspan.

Almost a whole Christmas Hat for Hubba....

DISCOVER: Feed the mind by reading texts relevant to current interests. Trawl libraries, second hand shops or local book shops to find titles that fill the need. Share titles/authors of what is being read this month.

I've crossed the line into O.L.D.  :-/  I must now bring glasses when going to a fancy restaurant.  The dim light and fancy menu script have become nearly un-readable to me.  :-/

I learned that you can not ship items in liquor boxes via the US Postal Service.  Some have suggested it has something to do with shipping alcohol across state lines, but they can go via UPS and FedEx.  So I don't know why they can not go via USPS.

Lastly, I have been getting to know my new, proper camera.

Noodle saying "Hello"

ENHANCE: community: Possibilities include supporting local growers and producers, help out at a local school/kindergarten, barter or foodswap, joining a playgroup or forming a walking or craft group. Car pooling where possible and biking/walking instead of driving. Even start up a blog if you haven't already - online communities count too! Or maybe just help out someone trying to cross the street! The rewards for your time are often returned tenfold.

Hubba and I benefited from the kindness of friends this month.  My truck sprung a leak while I was out running errands at the same time that Hubba was out on a long run.  One friend fetched me and helped me get my truck to the mechanic and another friend fetched Hubba and got him back to his car too.

Our neighbor, The Plumber, fixed our heat on Christmas Eve morning.

We hosted a baby shower for my sister.  The baby isn't coming for another couple of months, but since the whole family was in town for Christmas, we figured why not add to the stress festivities a little.  :-)

ENJOY: Life! Embrace moments with friends and family. Marking the seasons, celebrations and new arrivals are all cause for enjoyment. Share a moment to be remembered from the month here.

An impromptu afternoon with a friend, a fun birthday party, food adventures with friends, a baby shower, Christmas, family visiting from out of town, lots of food, a new camera and a few days off from the Day Job...... December has been a pretty great month.  :-)

Wasabi taking a break