I did not get laid off today. I am extremely lucky. I'm in the "Why me? Why not me? What's going on? What are we going to do?" phase of dealing with the fact I lost 20 co-workers today. Several, at least a 3rd, of whom I have, or had, direct working relationships with. People who I saw every day for the last 5 years. People who I mentored, who mentored me, who are role models to me, who have taught me, who have influenced my life and direction. Today they are part of the jobless rate.
20 people is a lot when your workforce is 200 or so in the off season. (Seasonal summer hires bump it up a lot.)
20 people is a lot as you have watched open positions go unhired and people have moved on to 'pursue other avenues of interest" over the last year.
I am in education. I am not in a corporation. I am not in retail. I am not in electronics. I am not in the car industry, in real estate or in banking.
I work for a non profit private school. Otherwise known as the local science museum.
I teach people.
Kids. Grownups. Everyone.
I am not a school teacher. I do what is called informal education.
People like me work in science museums, art museums, history museums, natural history museums, zoos, children's museums, aviation museums ( do you see a trend here?).
I work in a cultural center. And we are being affected by the economic crisis too.
We are a luxury. We are a 'local attraction".
We get you excited about the sciences, the arts and history. The past, present and future. We inspire young minds to explore, learn, seek, grow...
So when you are out there, deciding what to do for the day with you limited entertainment dollars, please consider supporting the arts and sciences in your local community. Go visit a museum. Forget the 2 1/2 hour movie, or the amusement park, or the mall. Forget the new video game or the fancy meal.
Get thee some learnin'!
Goodness knows our country needs it!
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Sunday, November 2, 2008
Shades of Orange
So, today was pumpkin processing day! I still have three squash on the vine and I fear they will not ripen all the way. So I went ahead and processed the other three, plus one that B brought home for Halloween and two we got in the veggie delivery box. The last three were pie pumpkins, the three I grew were called luxury pie squash. We got two butternut in the box too, but I am saving those for another day.
I baked them all in the oven and while they were baking, B and I separated seeds from the eating squash and the saved guts of the Jack o' lantern pumpkins for roasting later. I put aside the pie pumpkin guts for soup stock and composted the Jack o' Lantern guts. You can eat Jack o' Lantern pumpkins, but they are not as good as ones grown for eating. The seeds however, are awesome for roasting.
Seeds were washed and set aside and the pumpkins done roasting so I separated the skins from the flesh and put the skins in the stock pot along with the saved celery tops, carrot greens onion and garlic skins, pepper innards and other misc veggie stuff we normally compost. I figured out that I can freeze the veggie bits that make good stock until I have enough to make stock...duuuurr. So much less waste. I mean, I still compost the stuff after I make stock out of it, but I have extracted much of their nutrient and flavor goodness and gotten the maximum benefit from the veggies before my garden will get their benefit. =)
So the pumpkin stock is simmering, I pureed the pumpkin flesh and set it to drain.
While it was draining, I mixed up two batches of seeds.( about half the total, B has his own recipe plans for roasting the other half.) I used sunflower oil, which is a high heat oil and very tasty for roasted stuff. I used salt and pepper on one batch and cinnamon nutmeg clove and salt on the other.
(The jack o' lantern on the left was a bunny with a carrot in it's mouth on Friday, the ears curled up and now we decided it looks like a squirrel and so D put a hazelnut in it's mouth.)
The stock was done, so I strained it and added the bit of pumpkin that didn't get soft in the oven to boil, and added some more pumpkin as needed and left to simmer. When the pumpkin soft-end I pureed it all and spiced it with curry ginger clove nutmeg and cinnamon, salt and pepper. After it had thickened (evaporated excess water) I added coconut milk.
The rest of the strained pumpkin i put up in a large jar, realized smaller jars would be more utilitarian and the moved it into smaller jars and put them up in the freezer, along with some chicken stock I made the other day and won't be using soon.
Funny aside: one of the pumpkins was rotten inside, partly. This was one of the pumpkins the squirrels has tried to eat so I decided they could have it. I put it out on the porch and they chowed down on the seeds and made a huge mess. We put the jack o lantern guts in the compost and they were rooting through that like it was Halloween! Looking for seeds. It was quite the scene.
Pie!
I made a pumpkin pie that is dairy and gluten free, low sugar and could be vegan but for I used an egg and not egg replacer. (None of us are vegan, but the recipe is.)
It has a crust, it has a silkier than custard texture and it's fantastic.
See, B and D combined are lactose intolerant, low glycemic and gluten free. So are several other people in my life here in Portland, in addition or vegan and vegetarian. so I now have a pie recipe that everyone can eat! (if I leave out the egg and use egg replacer. =) )
The recipe for the pie is here.
The crust is Jungle shortening (non hydrogenated oils) and amaranth flour, salt and water. I pressed it into place, it's not a roll out kinda crust, but it's very crispy. and although I don't think it's tasty on it's own, with the pie and whipped cream it's texture is great.
And aside from the shortening in the crust, it's actually pretty darned healthy. Some sugar. I left the olive oil out of the recipe, it didn't seem to need it anyways. The original recipe is crust less, so if you made this, the most unhealthy thing about it, is the 3/4 cup of brown sugar. And you could get the same flavour out of a half a cup of agave syrup and a tablespoon or so of molasses.
The filling texture is AMAZING it melts on the tongue. Dawn thought it should be more sweet, and if I didn't have sweetened whipped cream on mine, I would have agreed.
I baked them all in the oven and while they were baking, B and I separated seeds from the eating squash and the saved guts of the Jack o' lantern pumpkins for roasting later. I put aside the pie pumpkin guts for soup stock and composted the Jack o' Lantern guts. You can eat Jack o' Lantern pumpkins, but they are not as good as ones grown for eating. The seeds however, are awesome for roasting.
Seeds were washed and set aside and the pumpkins done roasting so I separated the skins from the flesh and put the skins in the stock pot along with the saved celery tops, carrot greens onion and garlic skins, pepper innards and other misc veggie stuff we normally compost. I figured out that I can freeze the veggie bits that make good stock until I have enough to make stock...duuuurr. So much less waste. I mean, I still compost the stuff after I make stock out of it, but I have extracted much of their nutrient and flavor goodness and gotten the maximum benefit from the veggies before my garden will get their benefit. =)
So the pumpkin stock is simmering, I pureed the pumpkin flesh and set it to drain.
While it was draining, I mixed up two batches of seeds.( about half the total, B has his own recipe plans for roasting the other half.) I used sunflower oil, which is a high heat oil and very tasty for roasted stuff. I used salt and pepper on one batch and cinnamon nutmeg clove and salt on the other.
(The jack o' lantern on the left was a bunny with a carrot in it's mouth on Friday, the ears curled up and now we decided it looks like a squirrel and so D put a hazelnut in it's mouth.)
The stock was done, so I strained it and added the bit of pumpkin that didn't get soft in the oven to boil, and added some more pumpkin as needed and left to simmer. When the pumpkin soft-end I pureed it all and spiced it with curry ginger clove nutmeg and cinnamon, salt and pepper. After it had thickened (evaporated excess water) I added coconut milk.
The rest of the strained pumpkin i put up in a large jar, realized smaller jars would be more utilitarian and the moved it into smaller jars and put them up in the freezer, along with some chicken stock I made the other day and won't be using soon.
Funny aside: one of the pumpkins was rotten inside, partly. This was one of the pumpkins the squirrels has tried to eat so I decided they could have it. I put it out on the porch and they chowed down on the seeds and made a huge mess. We put the jack o lantern guts in the compost and they were rooting through that like it was Halloween! Looking for seeds. It was quite the scene.
Pie!
I made a pumpkin pie that is dairy and gluten free, low sugar and could be vegan but for I used an egg and not egg replacer. (None of us are vegan, but the recipe is.)
It has a crust, it has a silkier than custard texture and it's fantastic.
See, B and D combined are lactose intolerant, low glycemic and gluten free. So are several other people in my life here in Portland, in addition or vegan and vegetarian. so I now have a pie recipe that everyone can eat! (if I leave out the egg and use egg replacer. =) )
The recipe for the pie is here.
The crust is Jungle shortening (non hydrogenated oils) and amaranth flour, salt and water. I pressed it into place, it's not a roll out kinda crust, but it's very crispy. and although I don't think it's tasty on it's own, with the pie and whipped cream it's texture is great.
And aside from the shortening in the crust, it's actually pretty darned healthy. Some sugar. I left the olive oil out of the recipe, it didn't seem to need it anyways. The original recipe is crust less, so if you made this, the most unhealthy thing about it, is the 3/4 cup of brown sugar. And you could get the same flavour out of a half a cup of agave syrup and a tablespoon or so of molasses.
The filling texture is AMAZING it melts on the tongue. Dawn thought it should be more sweet, and if I didn't have sweetened whipped cream on mine, I would have agreed.
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Monday, October 13, 2008
Time for Soup and Knitting
Snap, one day it's 70 and that toasty end of summer weather, the air is warm and smells baked, the light shifts to the south...and then suddenly the air chills. Then the rains come and the air smells like fall. The leaves are just turning, it fees late, mid-October.
The pumpkins are finishing their orangification in the yard. The tomatoes have all been harvested to ripen indoors in paper bags before the frost takes them. I'm roasting squash for soup and baked goods and making roasts and drinking hot coca.
The sweaters are out of storage and the tank tops are in their place. The extra comforter is out and the pilot is lit on the heater. All these little seasonal preparations. I am quite enjoying them this year.
It's been a Long time since I could enjoy a fall. I think I enjoyed the first one in Portland due to novelty, but the next few succumbed to the adjusting to the higher latitude and dealing with seasonal depression. Last fall, we just want to forget last fall. This fall? Marvelous.
Summer finished up in a flurry of work. Work has been a bit life consuming lately but not in a bad way. I am finally settling into a comfortable rhythm and can get back to projects and hobbies and such.
Like my sister, (but not in a copy cat way!)I did refinish a table, the one in my kitchen with the horrible varnish that would stick to anything you placed on it and discolor if you put anything wet or hot on it. So I sanded it off and oiled it with linseed and now it doesn't stick and I can put wet and HOT things on it and it does no harm. It's useful! amazing!
Recently in the kitchen, we have enjoyed butternut squash curried soup, pumpkin pancakes and pumpkin spice cake (both gluten free) roast beef and potatoes, and tomato sauces from the garden.
The carpets have been cleaned, the kitchen cabinet has changed from green to veneer, soon windows will be sealed.
Finding a way to keep the carpets clean with wet bikes around is being worked out. Rain gear dries on a rack by the heater.
My hair is short again, I have new shearling slippers to keep my feet warm and I've been thrifting for winter clothes that actually fit that I don't swim in. Sweaters and long sleeved shirts. I scored a bright red Land's End rain slicker that I plan to sew some reflective tape onto, for winter commuting. This will be the first winter I attempt to bike and not drive to work through.
It's time to start knitting for Christmas gifts.
Pics below from earlier this summer.
The pumpkins are finishing their orangification in the yard. The tomatoes have all been harvested to ripen indoors in paper bags before the frost takes them. I'm roasting squash for soup and baked goods and making roasts and drinking hot coca.
The sweaters are out of storage and the tank tops are in their place. The extra comforter is out and the pilot is lit on the heater. All these little seasonal preparations. I am quite enjoying them this year.
It's been a Long time since I could enjoy a fall. I think I enjoyed the first one in Portland due to novelty, but the next few succumbed to the adjusting to the higher latitude and dealing with seasonal depression. Last fall, we just want to forget last fall. This fall? Marvelous.
Summer finished up in a flurry of work. Work has been a bit life consuming lately but not in a bad way. I am finally settling into a comfortable rhythm and can get back to projects and hobbies and such.
Like my sister, (but not in a copy cat way!)I did refinish a table, the one in my kitchen with the horrible varnish that would stick to anything you placed on it and discolor if you put anything wet or hot on it. So I sanded it off and oiled it with linseed and now it doesn't stick and I can put wet and HOT things on it and it does no harm. It's useful! amazing!
Recently in the kitchen, we have enjoyed butternut squash curried soup, pumpkin pancakes and pumpkin spice cake (both gluten free) roast beef and potatoes, and tomato sauces from the garden.
The carpets have been cleaned, the kitchen cabinet has changed from green to veneer, soon windows will be sealed.
Finding a way to keep the carpets clean with wet bikes around is being worked out. Rain gear dries on a rack by the heater.
My hair is short again, I have new shearling slippers to keep my feet warm and I've been thrifting for winter clothes that actually fit that I don't swim in. Sweaters and long sleeved shirts. I scored a bright red Land's End rain slicker that I plan to sew some reflective tape onto, for winter commuting. This will be the first winter I attempt to bike and not drive to work through.
It's time to start knitting for Christmas gifts.
Pics below from earlier this summer.
Friday, August 29, 2008
Summer's End
July... August... where does the time go? I have no real answer to that but it's gone. It's been a nice mellow fairly uneventful summer. And that's good. Work is a lot of work these days so down time is valued for being just that...time to wind down. B and I have done a lot of cool stuff round the city. I can't remember what all really... but most recently, the bike camping-fiasco-adventure-educational experience, and Last Thursday, which was last night, and I think it could be fun to do again when I am less tired and not hungry, which i was and just amplifies my social anxiety. Tomorrow we head of by train to Spokane ( I love saying train to Spokane, all rhymey even if it means pronouncing Spokane wrong)for Labour day weekend with his fam. (Update, I didn;t get this posted before I left so, it was a fun Labor day!!)
Other eventful things going on:
Squirrels eat my tomatoes. Ungrateful if adorable beasts. We feed them all kinds of goodies (otherwise they eat the bird seed.)and they repay us thus? my tomatoes! arrrrg.
the garden is awesome this summer, lots of good food has come out of it and still is. Thwarted somewhat by cabbage moths and aphids but it could be worse.
Knitting a baby blanket for a co worker, it's coming along at decent speed. the child was born on my birthday!
My 31st birthday was quiet and unassuming and relaxing. Awesome.
I have un-photographed craft things I have done to my 'office space' in my room. curtins for the shelves and decoupage on the desk front. someday i will have pics. I have been lazy.
B and I are on the hunt for a new living situation, a nice place in a quiet neighborhood near where we spend most of our time, closer to work, for me, off a busy street etc. I hope we find a place similar to what I have now, but east of the river and not as uh, derelict. =) It's charming in it's derelictness though. Mostly I would miss having a yard to garden in, but that is hard to come by. I'll settle for a bathtub. =) ( Which is funny because I gave up a bathtub for the garden when I moved here.) Anyways wish us luck, we're not in a hurry, but sometime before the rains come, due to B's mold sensitivity. I'm thinking by November.
Other eventful things going on:
Squirrels eat my tomatoes. Ungrateful if adorable beasts. We feed them all kinds of goodies (otherwise they eat the bird seed.)and they repay us thus? my tomatoes! arrrrg.
the garden is awesome this summer, lots of good food has come out of it and still is. Thwarted somewhat by cabbage moths and aphids but it could be worse.
Knitting a baby blanket for a co worker, it's coming along at decent speed. the child was born on my birthday!
My 31st birthday was quiet and unassuming and relaxing. Awesome.
I have un-photographed craft things I have done to my 'office space' in my room. curtins for the shelves and decoupage on the desk front. someday i will have pics. I have been lazy.
B and I are on the hunt for a new living situation, a nice place in a quiet neighborhood near where we spend most of our time, closer to work, for me, off a busy street etc. I hope we find a place similar to what I have now, but east of the river and not as uh, derelict. =) It's charming in it's derelictness though. Mostly I would miss having a yard to garden in, but that is hard to come by. I'll settle for a bathtub. =) ( Which is funny because I gave up a bathtub for the garden when I moved here.) Anyways wish us luck, we're not in a hurry, but sometime before the rains come, due to B's mold sensitivity. I'm thinking by November.
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
June
What a month.
Two weddings and pedalpalooza AND full time work. Non stop action.
The garden has grown. the rain has given way to muggy warm humidity. California is sharing it's smoke with us creating a muggy haze over the city. And I can finally rest a bit. Woo!
Recap of June. Two best friends married, cake made, pictures taken. Check out Photographia for some photo updates. A few here but, more there.
Lots of Bike-fun bike rides bike fairs and uhh biking. I don't have pictures but you can recap a lot of what was going on around town at this site: Bike Portland Pedalpalooza 2008
We participated in the Sunday Parkways, Wild Plant Lore, kickoff parade, MCBF, WNBR, Bike Kiss-in, Rocky Butte picnic ride...ugh I can't remember if there was more, that was a lot to fit in with the weddings for me.
Today I staked my tomatoes again, I have some small baby tomatoes!
Cleaned and organized after two weeks of relative chaos. Annnnnnd abbreviated some thrift store corduroy finds into pedal pushers, and I am very happy to have shorts for summer. Corduroy shorts to boot. I love corduroy.
Two weddings and pedalpalooza AND full time work. Non stop action.
The garden has grown. the rain has given way to muggy warm humidity. California is sharing it's smoke with us creating a muggy haze over the city. And I can finally rest a bit. Woo!
Recap of June. Two best friends married, cake made, pictures taken. Check out Photographia for some photo updates. A few here but, more there.
Lots of Bike-fun bike rides bike fairs and uhh biking. I don't have pictures but you can recap a lot of what was going on around town at this site: Bike Portland Pedalpalooza 2008
We participated in the Sunday Parkways, Wild Plant Lore, kickoff parade, MCBF, WNBR, Bike Kiss-in, Rocky Butte picnic ride...ugh I can't remember if there was more, that was a lot to fit in with the weddings for me.
Today I staked my tomatoes again, I have some small baby tomatoes!
Cleaned and organized after two weeks of relative chaos. Annnnnnd abbreviated some thrift store corduroy finds into pedal pushers, and I am very happy to have shorts for summer. Corduroy shorts to boot. I love corduroy.
Monday, June 2, 2008
Yeah, Yeah, so it's been awhile..
I've been busy.
But, there's lots to show for it.
There is more of my yard devoted to growing food this year. I hope it works out well, things are getting expensive. I got a late start, but our sunny weather is getting a late start too so I am not sure how behind my garden really is. The first round of seeds planted are all up and that was less than two weeks ago they got sown so... good, good!
I have peas, some beans, gourds, beets, lettuces, cukes, celery, spinach, kale, radish, tomato, squash, pumpkin, chard, carrot, brussel sprouts, cabbage and one compost bin sprouted potato, it's a very happy potato I might add. I might add starts over the course of the summer depending on what does well and what doesn't and how much room I have then things really start to take off. I really want to try a winter crop this year.
Our temporary third roommate, B, built D and I a firepit, further cementing his usefulness while he is here. It's fantastic. although I do not recommended burning the vines of the Traveler's Joy clematis vines, they are as noxious burning as they are as weeds. Ugh my hate of them is further rooted.
I've been cooking a LOT more lately now that I get a food deliver every other week of organic mostly local veggies. I am forced to use the food up before the next shipment comes in.
This has led to some great cooking. Mashed cauliflower is AMAZING with roasted chicken broth and butter ( I need to make more broth, I am out from the last chicken.) It's good that this is good because I still have another head of cauliflower to use before next week. I've also been delving into new kinds of cooking, avoiding various foods, mostly gluten, and realising you can eat very, very well, without flour, pasta bread, etc. I am attempting some gluten free baking and that's completely new and exciting, as learning new things is infinitely fascinating to me. Sometime this week, coconut muffins with coconut flour and agave syrup instead of flour and sugar.
June is going to be a busy month with wedding cake baking for a friend and all kinds of bike fun events that I might be riding along on. Two best friends getting married (which means chicken-cat-house sitting for one and cake baking/ photographer duties for the other.)
So I'm still here, doin' the garden thing and the food thing and hopefully soon, the jam thing! And of course the photo thing, new pics in Photographia.
I have more I'd love to discuss about politics and food and economics, but I'm in a good mood right now. I am very tempted to sell my car though. OMG.
But, there's lots to show for it.
There is more of my yard devoted to growing food this year. I hope it works out well, things are getting expensive. I got a late start, but our sunny weather is getting a late start too so I am not sure how behind my garden really is. The first round of seeds planted are all up and that was less than two weeks ago they got sown so... good, good!
I have peas, some beans, gourds, beets, lettuces, cukes, celery, spinach, kale, radish, tomato, squash, pumpkin, chard, carrot, brussel sprouts, cabbage and one compost bin sprouted potato, it's a very happy potato I might add. I might add starts over the course of the summer depending on what does well and what doesn't and how much room I have then things really start to take off. I really want to try a winter crop this year.
Our temporary third roommate, B, built D and I a firepit, further cementing his usefulness while he is here. It's fantastic. although I do not recommended burning the vines of the Traveler's Joy clematis vines, they are as noxious burning as they are as weeds. Ugh my hate of them is further rooted.
I've been cooking a LOT more lately now that I get a food deliver every other week of organic mostly local veggies. I am forced to use the food up before the next shipment comes in.
This has led to some great cooking. Mashed cauliflower is AMAZING with roasted chicken broth and butter ( I need to make more broth, I am out from the last chicken.) It's good that this is good because I still have another head of cauliflower to use before next week. I've also been delving into new kinds of cooking, avoiding various foods, mostly gluten, and realising you can eat very, very well, without flour, pasta bread, etc. I am attempting some gluten free baking and that's completely new and exciting, as learning new things is infinitely fascinating to me. Sometime this week, coconut muffins with coconut flour and agave syrup instead of flour and sugar.
June is going to be a busy month with wedding cake baking for a friend and all kinds of bike fun events that I might be riding along on. Two best friends getting married (which means chicken-cat-house sitting for one and cake baking/ photographer duties for the other.)
So I'm still here, doin' the garden thing and the food thing and hopefully soon, the jam thing! And of course the photo thing, new pics in Photographia.
I have more I'd love to discuss about politics and food and economics, but I'm in a good mood right now. I am very tempted to sell my car though. OMG.
Saturday, April 5, 2008
Locavorian
My new kick, ok, it's not new, but I have been trying harder to do this lately, is buying foods that have been produced close to where I live. Right now I prefer things from Oregon and Southern Washington, but will still buy foods from California and Mexico. I cannot give up my avocados! It's been much more fun to grocery shop, it's like a scavenger hunt. But it means I get to eat much more seasonal, MUCH fresher foods and I enjoy them more. Meats and dairy have to be local and pasture raised and hormone free, and believe me..animal products TASTE eleventyhundred times better this way, not to mention how much better it is for you.
Today was the first Saturday Farmers Market of the season. And since I have been playing hooky from work for the last two days, for very good reason, I decided today I needed to get out of the house and go get me some tomato plants and fresh veggies. I came away with much more.
I got raw milk sharp cheddar from Rouge Creamery, whole cream top milk in a quart bottle from Noris Dairy and fresh peewee eggs from Square Peg Farm. I forgot the name of the stands where I got my veggies (kale, rabe, a shallot and some taters) and my loverly baby tomato plants. More on them later!
Peewee eggs are eggs smaller than a standard small egg. We are used to getting Large AA eggs from the store, but really the peewees are just about the right size for me. I was recently introduced to duck eggs and they are fantastic. But I made the mistake of making two eggs for breakfast like I usually do, and Duck eggs are huuuuge. One duck eggs is too much egg for me. But they were still good. =)
But needless to say my lunch was fantastic. The cheddar is so divinely cheddery and those egg yolks are the deep orangey yellow of a happy healthy chicken. And the milk is a treat. I do not drink a lot of milk, that pint will last me about 2 weeks. I can then take the bottle in for reuse by the dairy, since they sell the milk at my co-op.
I haven;t been eating well the last few days and so, I nearly cleaned my plate. A few potatoes escaped the fork. Also on that plate is some yummy locally made bread(the whole wheat is local and organic) local yellow beats and Russian banana potatoes, and a sneaky green pepper from my home state.
Yum.
I get much more enjoyment out of my food knowing where it came from and how it was grown or raised and meeting the people who make the food possible.
My tomatoes!
I picked 6 starts, Cherokee purple, legend, stupice, black brandywine, Amish paste and copia. All heirloom varieties and all have different qualities. I am looking forward to some fantastic tomatoes this year. And having learned from last year about compost and tomatoes, I moved the compost bin for my new tomato bed so these puppies are going to have lots of sun and lots of good nutrients and I am going to have LOTS OF 'MATERS!
I also got some oregano to plant. I just need basil, but it's too early for basil.
Yay tomato sauce! I am going to can so much sauce this summer!
Today was the first Saturday Farmers Market of the season. And since I have been playing hooky from work for the last two days, for very good reason, I decided today I needed to get out of the house and go get me some tomato plants and fresh veggies. I came away with much more.
I got raw milk sharp cheddar from Rouge Creamery, whole cream top milk in a quart bottle from Noris Dairy and fresh peewee eggs from Square Peg Farm. I forgot the name of the stands where I got my veggies (kale, rabe, a shallot and some taters) and my loverly baby tomato plants. More on them later!
Peewee eggs are eggs smaller than a standard small egg. We are used to getting Large AA eggs from the store, but really the peewees are just about the right size for me. I was recently introduced to duck eggs and they are fantastic. But I made the mistake of making two eggs for breakfast like I usually do, and Duck eggs are huuuuge. One duck eggs is too much egg for me. But they were still good. =)
But needless to say my lunch was fantastic. The cheddar is so divinely cheddery and those egg yolks are the deep orangey yellow of a happy healthy chicken. And the milk is a treat. I do not drink a lot of milk, that pint will last me about 2 weeks. I can then take the bottle in for reuse by the dairy, since they sell the milk at my co-op.
I haven;t been eating well the last few days and so, I nearly cleaned my plate. A few potatoes escaped the fork. Also on that plate is some yummy locally made bread(the whole wheat is local and organic) local yellow beats and Russian banana potatoes, and a sneaky green pepper from my home state.
Yum.
I get much more enjoyment out of my food knowing where it came from and how it was grown or raised and meeting the people who make the food possible.
My tomatoes!
I picked 6 starts, Cherokee purple, legend, stupice, black brandywine, Amish paste and copia. All heirloom varieties and all have different qualities. I am looking forward to some fantastic tomatoes this year. And having learned from last year about compost and tomatoes, I moved the compost bin for my new tomato bed so these puppies are going to have lots of sun and lots of good nutrients and I am going to have LOTS OF 'MATERS!
I also got some oregano to plant. I just need basil, but it's too early for basil.
Yay tomato sauce! I am going to can so much sauce this summer!
Forgotton craft projects!
Hah I did this stuff last month, or even in February, really...
This dress:
Became this dress(sorry the pic isn;t great, it's very hard to take a pic of yourself in a dress, ugh.)
It was way too big to being with and then I lost a lot of weight. SO I refashioned it. However, I want to take it apart and resew it better. I think the seems are a little sloppy, and I think I really understand why interfacing is a very useful thing to use now! But it's cute. Refashioning old clothing that no longer fits/work for me into new clothing is a kind of reuse project I need to get better at. Well, I just need to get better at sewing!
I also made this belt out of a bike inner tube that I got a hole in. I think interfacing would have been useful here too. It's reversible and the red and white fabric was a skirt i found at goodwill for the fabric, so aside from the buckle it's entirely recycled.
I have a few other small crafty things I have been doing but they are a secret project. I may post about them later when they are no longer seeecret.
This dress:
Became this dress(sorry the pic isn;t great, it's very hard to take a pic of yourself in a dress, ugh.)
It was way too big to being with and then I lost a lot of weight. SO I refashioned it. However, I want to take it apart and resew it better. I think the seems are a little sloppy, and I think I really understand why interfacing is a very useful thing to use now! But it's cute. Refashioning old clothing that no longer fits/work for me into new clothing is a kind of reuse project I need to get better at. Well, I just need to get better at sewing!
I also made this belt out of a bike inner tube that I got a hole in. I think interfacing would have been useful here too. It's reversible and the red and white fabric was a skirt i found at goodwill for the fabric, so aside from the buckle it's entirely recycled.
I have a few other small crafty things I have been doing but they are a secret project. I may post about them later when they are no longer seeecret.
Random Spring Ruminations
Recently, I said this in am e-mail and I think it was actually a pretty good summation;
"I think spring is the time to ponder making changes, for now or for later, it's such a transitional time anyways, it seems logical that this is when feet itch and minds wander down garden paths. Once summer comes out and beckons you away from your woolgathering with her hot flushed sky and balmy breath on your skin you just don't have time to think anymore, it's time to DO. So I think I will allow spring to tangle the skeins on my mind up a little, giving me something to pick at and tease out. It won't be long when all I can think about are day hikes and bike rides and fruit picking and bbqs.."
Except that I have been DOing things, but it's all cleaning, sweeping out, purging, letting go, sometimes in very unexpected ways. It's been freeing, lightening, troubling, confusing, reflective and sometimes exciting.
Some of the things I have done lately have included selling all but 240 of my books. Library thing will tell you I have 474. There are probably some that never made it into Library Thing and so, I don't know how accurate that count is, but it is pretty close. I still own a lot of books, but it is half as much as I had, less than half! I think that is a pretty impressive feat. If I can let books go... then I can let anything go...
And So I cleaned out my CD collection too, I think I sold over 100 Cd's that haven't seen the light of day in many a year.
I have a small pile of Dvds to go too, but I didn't feel like digging out the cases, I had already dug out the CD cases. Another rainy day perhaps.
This was all also mildly profitable, and that's good. I need to squirrel monies away for May. I am working only 3 days a week at the moment and come May and early June, it's going to hurt quite a bit.
All that not working means I also have a lot of free time, in odd increments, since my tutoring job is evenings but none the less, much free time is to be had.
So far, (since the last big cleaning bout) I have tidied up the yard, moved the compost bin, and prepped a new bed for tomatoes. The yard is looking more lovely than it was. It wont look actually lovely till things start growing in and blooming! But they are starting, and that's always magical.
Rearranged my kitchen. It is spacious and lovely.
With all those books gone, I am down one shelf, so I changed my room around a bit to accommodate the extra space and it's very spacious! Er, comparatively. The bed is still 1/4 of the room. Erg. But the room feels more open and light and that's very nice.
I have realised, since excavating the empty plastic tubs from my basement for washing, that I have eight, EIGHT! empty large plastic storage tubs. They ALL used to be full of stuff. And now they are free to a good home.
Another thing I realised is, although the last year or two has seen many a thing removed from my life, very little if much has been garbage or trashed, it has almost all, that I can think of, been sold, re homed, freeboxed/freecycled, recycled or donated. Amazingly marvelous!!! =D
There is another carload of little household items and misc stuff for Goodwill and several furniture items to freecycle, but that takes a bit of planning since I need to put it out on the curb to be picked up. And then posted on Craigslist or Portland Freecycle to be claimed. I can't wait to have that stuff gone though.
I am nearing the end of my clean out. There is little left to sort and get rid of. I have considerably less stuff than when I moved into this place. It's amazing, to have come this far. Things that are left are mostly sentimental in nature , but useless to me, and so that sort of parting, will take thoughtful consideration before I would remove it from my life. But I think there is much I can. Like artwork from jr high and bad paintings, some knick nacks, various things that have been packed away in the hope chest that, upon further reflection, mean little to me now. Ridding the chest of them, leaves room for the other things that actually belong there. Like photos.
I am lighter, in many ways, that when I came into this year and I have been exemplary on not adding to what I have subtracted. I have given careful consideration to every-thing that I have added to my life this year, be it an item of clothing, a book, a food, companionship or a new habit, and being selective makes the choices you make, much more satisfying I think. It is more important to me these days, that things I bring into my life are built to last, I am tired of throwing things out!
"I think spring is the time to ponder making changes, for now or for later, it's such a transitional time anyways, it seems logical that this is when feet itch and minds wander down garden paths. Once summer comes out and beckons you away from your woolgathering with her hot flushed sky and balmy breath on your skin you just don't have time to think anymore, it's time to DO. So I think I will allow spring to tangle the skeins on my mind up a little, giving me something to pick at and tease out. It won't be long when all I can think about are day hikes and bike rides and fruit picking and bbqs.."
Except that I have been DOing things, but it's all cleaning, sweeping out, purging, letting go, sometimes in very unexpected ways. It's been freeing, lightening, troubling, confusing, reflective and sometimes exciting.
Some of the things I have done lately have included selling all but 240 of my books. Library thing will tell you I have 474. There are probably some that never made it into Library Thing and so, I don't know how accurate that count is, but it is pretty close. I still own a lot of books, but it is half as much as I had, less than half! I think that is a pretty impressive feat. If I can let books go... then I can let anything go...
And So I cleaned out my CD collection too, I think I sold over 100 Cd's that haven't seen the light of day in many a year.
I have a small pile of Dvds to go too, but I didn't feel like digging out the cases, I had already dug out the CD cases. Another rainy day perhaps.
This was all also mildly profitable, and that's good. I need to squirrel monies away for May. I am working only 3 days a week at the moment and come May and early June, it's going to hurt quite a bit.
All that not working means I also have a lot of free time, in odd increments, since my tutoring job is evenings but none the less, much free time is to be had.
So far, (since the last big cleaning bout) I have tidied up the yard, moved the compost bin, and prepped a new bed for tomatoes. The yard is looking more lovely than it was. It wont look actually lovely till things start growing in and blooming! But they are starting, and that's always magical.
Rearranged my kitchen. It is spacious and lovely.
With all those books gone, I am down one shelf, so I changed my room around a bit to accommodate the extra space and it's very spacious! Er, comparatively. The bed is still 1/4 of the room. Erg. But the room feels more open and light and that's very nice.
I have realised, since excavating the empty plastic tubs from my basement for washing, that I have eight, EIGHT! empty large plastic storage tubs. They ALL used to be full of stuff. And now they are free to a good home.
Another thing I realised is, although the last year or two has seen many a thing removed from my life, very little if much has been garbage or trashed, it has almost all, that I can think of, been sold, re homed, freeboxed/freecycled, recycled or donated. Amazingly marvelous!!! =D
There is another carload of little household items and misc stuff for Goodwill and several furniture items to freecycle, but that takes a bit of planning since I need to put it out on the curb to be picked up. And then posted on Craigslist or Portland Freecycle to be claimed. I can't wait to have that stuff gone though.
I am nearing the end of my clean out. There is little left to sort and get rid of. I have considerably less stuff than when I moved into this place. It's amazing, to have come this far. Things that are left are mostly sentimental in nature , but useless to me, and so that sort of parting, will take thoughtful consideration before I would remove it from my life. But I think there is much I can. Like artwork from jr high and bad paintings, some knick nacks, various things that have been packed away in the hope chest that, upon further reflection, mean little to me now. Ridding the chest of them, leaves room for the other things that actually belong there. Like photos.
I am lighter, in many ways, that when I came into this year and I have been exemplary on not adding to what I have subtracted. I have given careful consideration to every-thing that I have added to my life this year, be it an item of clothing, a book, a food, companionship or a new habit, and being selective makes the choices you make, much more satisfying I think. It is more important to me these days, that things I bring into my life are built to last, I am tired of throwing things out!
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Can't I Just Find a Nice Cave?
Updates from a lazy urban environmentalist
I just ended a major spring cleaning jag yesterday. Well, there is more work to do, but for now I am all cleaned out. While cleaning, or actually, when I wasn’t cleaning, I can multi-task but reading and washing windows is an unlikely ability I cannot claim to possess, I was also reading the book Organic Housekeeping by Ellen Sandbeck. I have been meaning to read this book for a long while, it’s languished on my ‘to read’ shelf for the better part of a year or so. And it is a great book, right in line with many of my philosophies. It also made me see living in modern day American society as nothing more than a death trap.
I mean, much of what she discusses, it stuff that when I allow myself to actually sit and think about, tends to make me feel helpless and induces a mild apocalyptic panic. VOC’s, petroleum based products and other synthetic materials, ‘cleaning’ solutions we take for granted as ‘safe’ simply because they are marketed to us as what we are supposed to use to clean stuff, uhhh all kinds of things. I am not here to evaluate and regurgitate the book, basically stuff we have in our homes that actually is super toxic to our lives. And I did this thinking while the paint in the bathroom was drying. Maybe it was the fumes getting to me. Who knows.
It freaks me out because how on earth can you really escape a lot of it? I mean some of the obvious ways are to buy completely organically made things and to use natural cleaning products, choose a natural living environment or a green building (huh yeah as a renter that will ever happen.) and the like, but not all of that is something one can just DO. I can use vinegar till the cows come home to clean stuff, but does that change that this house I reside in is over 100 years old and who knows what is under my synthetic fume emitting carpets? Or that the basement has strange bottles of hazardous materials of unknown age and stability? No. There is a lot I can’t really control.
So, I know what I can do is control the things I have control over. But I still feel really overwhelmed when I really stop to think about modern society. Not just this stuff, bathroom cleaner or drain opener or any other number of things that someone who is not a chemist should really handle, but everything, the excess, the wasting, the sterilization, the disconcert with people and nature. It’s all a big basket of eggs.
Anyway, outside of me becoming independently wealthy and buying my own off grid homestead where I can control every element of my own home design and furnishing and grow my own food and raise my own animals, or Janine get’s her co-op started and I can move into the crofters cottage and raise sheep and goats and teach city kids about permaculture, I guess I will just do what I can within my means. I still feel frustrated and helpless sometimes though. Yesterday I had a whole lot more to say on home environmental toxins and stuff but it’s gone. Sufficed to say, just stay away from the drain opener and stuff ok? Baking soda and vinegar are awesome you need little else. Maybe some borax. Did you know there is wax in window cleaner? I didn’t. I have been using vinegar for awhile. But for real?
Anyway…
After a lull last year of doing anything outside of getting my life put back together, I have indeed, still been working on greening my life. So here are some updates:
I have managed to give up paper towels. Being the user of massive amounts of paper towels, I am rather proud of myself. I am not anti-paper towel, but trust me, trees are better off with me not using them over judiciously. I use kitchen towels napkins and dishrags and the trees are better for it.
I went through most of the winter without using my space heater. There were times when my room was just too cold, but the less I used it the more inured I got to the cold and so I’d use it even less. But days like today make me want to break it out. It’s chilly!!
I have been slowly phasing out the cosmetics in my life. There have been several purgings. Last night I unceremoniously dumped out my “favorite” moisturizer that made my eyes burn. I got a new moisturizer though, I need one, my skin so dry in the winter, but I know what each of the few ingredients are and they are all natural. And they don’t make my eyes burn, fancy that…I still have a lotion or two I particularly like the scent of. I do still own and sometimes wear makeup, but it’s that mineral powder kind, at its worst it has an anti-caking agent in it. It does not make my eyes burn. It’s about as pure for makeup as you can get. I also still have lip gloss, I like it sometimes. But overall, I am makeup free unless I feel like getting dolled up for some reason. I give myself a year to move away from that too. Since giving up perfumed things last year (not things scented with like, essential or natural oils, but perfumes) I have become much more aware of them elsewhere and they are irritating.
I switched back to shampoo awhile back when my roommate moved in. But I have since become itchy scalped again and so, when it’s gone (maybe a shampoo or two), its back to baking soda for me! Ugh.
I am still attempting to give up shaving; it’s useless and conformist but AUGH! It’s one convention I have hard time breaking out of. Especially in the summer.
I am trying to buy fewer things in plastic. This can be so tough. But I know I can do it! Since the trash company I have refuses to accept a lot of the recyclable plastics, it’s even more important to avoid buying them.
I can fit all my clothes in my dresser or on one rack in the closet now. I do have a bin to store summer vs. winter clothes, simple because it’s easier to keep non seasonal clothes clean and in a box out of the way. I have maybe 3-4 things now that are clothes is really do not wear, and have for memorabilia purposes, such as my ren faire costume and my leather motorcycle jacket with skinny puppy and NIN logos I painted on it. Those I just can’t be rid of. I have also halved, at least, my shoes. I need to rid myself of more. I only NEED maybe two sturdy pairs of shoes…but you know... shoes.
The garden is sort of started for the year; I dug up a patch and seeded it with lots of lettuces and stuff.
I am still in a process of lessening the amount of stuff I own. I have done a good job but some of it is only sort of removed. I have two boxes that need to go to Powell’s; I have furniture in the basements that needs a new home. I have another, much smaller, stack of things for goodwill. And of course, stuff out is pointless if you keep bringing it in, I have been pretty good about that. I went through my craft stuff and pruned. I also went through my yarn and pruned out the stuff I will never use. Haven’t decided what to do with it. I think it should get donated.
Future projects include:
A further reduction in books, removing some has made me realize I would really not miss some others. If I could get down to two bookshelves, I would be very happy.
Selling my giant mattress and getting a smaller bed again, maybe a futon couch. I would have SO MUCH MORE SPACE! It’s kind of sad. The bed is suuuper comfy, but the size for one person is a wee bit ridiculous. However, mattress resale values are very poor. Even if they are pristine and barely a year old. But I cannot imagine carting this giant thing around with me for the next 10 years (its lifetime or so)
Considering selling my television that is currently languishing in the basement. I haven’t even been watching my roommate’s TV )which is larger than mine so we stowed mine) I am happy to watch dvd’s on my computer, why the extra appliance?
Going through all my camping gear and getting rid of some of the stuff that is just ‘there’ I never use it. The water filter that is broken, extra water bottles, stuff. Get it all to one bin instead of two.
Get rid of the books in the basement I have no idea why I am actually hanging on to. They are in a box in the basement because I deemed them unworthy to hangout on my shelves so, why do I still have them eh??
Remaining cleaning projects include:
Major appliance cleaning (for sunny warm weather)
Carpet cleaning
Hazardous waste removal
Yard clean up (big project this year. *sigh*)
But that’s it. The rest is more or less done.
Yeah!
I just ended a major spring cleaning jag yesterday. Well, there is more work to do, but for now I am all cleaned out. While cleaning, or actually, when I wasn’t cleaning, I can multi-task but reading and washing windows is an unlikely ability I cannot claim to possess, I was also reading the book Organic Housekeeping by Ellen Sandbeck. I have been meaning to read this book for a long while, it’s languished on my ‘to read’ shelf for the better part of a year or so. And it is a great book, right in line with many of my philosophies. It also made me see living in modern day American society as nothing more than a death trap.
I mean, much of what she discusses, it stuff that when I allow myself to actually sit and think about, tends to make me feel helpless and induces a mild apocalyptic panic. VOC’s, petroleum based products and other synthetic materials, ‘cleaning’ solutions we take for granted as ‘safe’ simply because they are marketed to us as what we are supposed to use to clean stuff, uhhh all kinds of things. I am not here to evaluate and regurgitate the book, basically stuff we have in our homes that actually is super toxic to our lives. And I did this thinking while the paint in the bathroom was drying. Maybe it was the fumes getting to me. Who knows.
It freaks me out because how on earth can you really escape a lot of it? I mean some of the obvious ways are to buy completely organically made things and to use natural cleaning products, choose a natural living environment or a green building (huh yeah as a renter that will ever happen.) and the like, but not all of that is something one can just DO. I can use vinegar till the cows come home to clean stuff, but does that change that this house I reside in is over 100 years old and who knows what is under my synthetic fume emitting carpets? Or that the basement has strange bottles of hazardous materials of unknown age and stability? No. There is a lot I can’t really control.
So, I know what I can do is control the things I have control over. But I still feel really overwhelmed when I really stop to think about modern society. Not just this stuff, bathroom cleaner or drain opener or any other number of things that someone who is not a chemist should really handle, but everything, the excess, the wasting, the sterilization, the disconcert with people and nature. It’s all a big basket of eggs.
Anyway, outside of me becoming independently wealthy and buying my own off grid homestead where I can control every element of my own home design and furnishing and grow my own food and raise my own animals, or Janine get’s her co-op started and I can move into the crofters cottage and raise sheep and goats and teach city kids about permaculture, I guess I will just do what I can within my means. I still feel frustrated and helpless sometimes though. Yesterday I had a whole lot more to say on home environmental toxins and stuff but it’s gone. Sufficed to say, just stay away from the drain opener and stuff ok? Baking soda and vinegar are awesome you need little else. Maybe some borax. Did you know there is wax in window cleaner? I didn’t. I have been using vinegar for awhile. But for real?
Anyway…
After a lull last year of doing anything outside of getting my life put back together, I have indeed, still been working on greening my life. So here are some updates:
I have managed to give up paper towels. Being the user of massive amounts of paper towels, I am rather proud of myself. I am not anti-paper towel, but trust me, trees are better off with me not using them over judiciously. I use kitchen towels napkins and dishrags and the trees are better for it.
I went through most of the winter without using my space heater. There were times when my room was just too cold, but the less I used it the more inured I got to the cold and so I’d use it even less. But days like today make me want to break it out. It’s chilly!!
I have been slowly phasing out the cosmetics in my life. There have been several purgings. Last night I unceremoniously dumped out my “favorite” moisturizer that made my eyes burn. I got a new moisturizer though, I need one, my skin so dry in the winter, but I know what each of the few ingredients are and they are all natural. And they don’t make my eyes burn, fancy that…I still have a lotion or two I particularly like the scent of. I do still own and sometimes wear makeup, but it’s that mineral powder kind, at its worst it has an anti-caking agent in it. It does not make my eyes burn. It’s about as pure for makeup as you can get. I also still have lip gloss, I like it sometimes. But overall, I am makeup free unless I feel like getting dolled up for some reason. I give myself a year to move away from that too. Since giving up perfumed things last year (not things scented with like, essential or natural oils, but perfumes) I have become much more aware of them elsewhere and they are irritating.
I switched back to shampoo awhile back when my roommate moved in. But I have since become itchy scalped again and so, when it’s gone (maybe a shampoo or two), its back to baking soda for me! Ugh.
I am still attempting to give up shaving; it’s useless and conformist but AUGH! It’s one convention I have hard time breaking out of. Especially in the summer.
I am trying to buy fewer things in plastic. This can be so tough. But I know I can do it! Since the trash company I have refuses to accept a lot of the recyclable plastics, it’s even more important to avoid buying them.
I can fit all my clothes in my dresser or on one rack in the closet now. I do have a bin to store summer vs. winter clothes, simple because it’s easier to keep non seasonal clothes clean and in a box out of the way. I have maybe 3-4 things now that are clothes is really do not wear, and have for memorabilia purposes, such as my ren faire costume and my leather motorcycle jacket with skinny puppy and NIN logos I painted on it. Those I just can’t be rid of. I have also halved, at least, my shoes. I need to rid myself of more. I only NEED maybe two sturdy pairs of shoes…but you know... shoes.
The garden is sort of started for the year; I dug up a patch and seeded it with lots of lettuces and stuff.
I am still in a process of lessening the amount of stuff I own. I have done a good job but some of it is only sort of removed. I have two boxes that need to go to Powell’s; I have furniture in the basements that needs a new home. I have another, much smaller, stack of things for goodwill. And of course, stuff out is pointless if you keep bringing it in, I have been pretty good about that. I went through my craft stuff and pruned. I also went through my yarn and pruned out the stuff I will never use. Haven’t decided what to do with it. I think it should get donated.
Future projects include:
A further reduction in books, removing some has made me realize I would really not miss some others. If I could get down to two bookshelves, I would be very happy.
Selling my giant mattress and getting a smaller bed again, maybe a futon couch. I would have SO MUCH MORE SPACE! It’s kind of sad. The bed is suuuper comfy, but the size for one person is a wee bit ridiculous. However, mattress resale values are very poor. Even if they are pristine and barely a year old. But I cannot imagine carting this giant thing around with me for the next 10 years (its lifetime or so)
Considering selling my television that is currently languishing in the basement. I haven’t even been watching my roommate’s TV )which is larger than mine so we stowed mine) I am happy to watch dvd’s on my computer, why the extra appliance?
Going through all my camping gear and getting rid of some of the stuff that is just ‘there’ I never use it. The water filter that is broken, extra water bottles, stuff. Get it all to one bin instead of two.
Get rid of the books in the basement I have no idea why I am actually hanging on to. They are in a box in the basement because I deemed them unworthy to hangout on my shelves so, why do I still have them eh??
Remaining cleaning projects include:
Major appliance cleaning (for sunny warm weather)
Carpet cleaning
Hazardous waste removal
Yard clean up (big project this year. *sigh*)
But that’s it. The rest is more or less done.
Yeah!
Monday, March 10, 2008
Fabric out of Matted Fiber
Or felting.
Erica and I are making a workshop on felting wool and other naturally fibery things. This will be at the Linus Pauling House on Hawthorn on Monday the 31st of March in association with Cascadia Wild. (My last name is uh, actually spelled with an "F" but this is one of the things that makes me love my last name, I know, I'm weird, I think we have already established this though..moving on!)
Erica came over tonight and we had dinner and then played with wool. It was a lot of fun. I made pork ribs, which gave us drippings enough for a nice pork gravy to go with Biscuits Erica whipped up and She also brought a nice mixed wild foods and garden grown salad complete with flowers that was very tasty. It was so pretty I took a picture of it.
Then we got down to business. Wet felting carded and raw wool. This consists of layering the wool so the fibers in each layer lie more or less perpendicular to each other, dousing it with soapy hot water and massaging it with your fingertips for about 10 mins, flipping it..continue this until you have a solid fabric, rinse, dry, throw in dryer if you wish to full (not fuull, long u, but fulll, short u long double el.) Fulling is when you have an existing fabric of wool (be it felted knit, woven whatever) and then you felt it again. A knit sweater, that shrinks when you wash it and then put it in the dryer is fulled not felted, even though it IS a felting process. (which you should never do to wool knits! Unless you WANT them smaller...) Lost yet?
heee.
The raw wool(not pictured) was harder to felt but closer to a true raw technology than when you add the step of carding the wool. Carding we discovered, not only lays all the fibers neatly in line, but also causes a lot of the debris from the raw wool to fall out (plant material and dirt mostly.) And Erica, being the brilliant woman she is said something like, "Well, that makes sense, it's like when we brush our hair." SO obvious it was too obvious, we both laughed we didn't realise that sooner.
I also played with a fulled cashmere sweater of mine and made a hat from one of the sleeves. I like this hat. I like it so much I then NEEDLE felted it. I'm not done but I took a picture anyways.
Needle felting is when you taker a felted item, (felt or fulled or what have you but, general a wool item) and push little bits of wool into desired shapes and patters using small needles with tiny barbs on them that force the fibers into the main fabric and the hooks push the fiber in, but the slide out all smooth leaving the fibers locked in place.
Pretty cunning, don'tcha think?
Erica and I are making a workshop on felting wool and other naturally fibery things. This will be at the Linus Pauling House on Hawthorn on Monday the 31st of March in association with Cascadia Wild. (My last name is uh, actually spelled with an "F" but this is one of the things that makes me love my last name, I know, I'm weird, I think we have already established this though..moving on!)
Erica came over tonight and we had dinner and then played with wool. It was a lot of fun. I made pork ribs, which gave us drippings enough for a nice pork gravy to go with Biscuits Erica whipped up and She also brought a nice mixed wild foods and garden grown salad complete with flowers that was very tasty. It was so pretty I took a picture of it.
Then we got down to business. Wet felting carded and raw wool. This consists of layering the wool so the fibers in each layer lie more or less perpendicular to each other, dousing it with soapy hot water and massaging it with your fingertips for about 10 mins, flipping it..continue this until you have a solid fabric, rinse, dry, throw in dryer if you wish to full (not fuull, long u, but fulll, short u long double el.) Fulling is when you have an existing fabric of wool (be it felted knit, woven whatever) and then you felt it again. A knit sweater, that shrinks when you wash it and then put it in the dryer is fulled not felted, even though it IS a felting process. (which you should never do to wool knits! Unless you WANT them smaller...) Lost yet?
heee.
The raw wool(not pictured) was harder to felt but closer to a true raw technology than when you add the step of carding the wool. Carding we discovered, not only lays all the fibers neatly in line, but also causes a lot of the debris from the raw wool to fall out (plant material and dirt mostly.) And Erica, being the brilliant woman she is said something like, "Well, that makes sense, it's like when we brush our hair." SO obvious it was too obvious, we both laughed we didn't realise that sooner.
I also played with a fulled cashmere sweater of mine and made a hat from one of the sleeves. I like this hat. I like it so much I then NEEDLE felted it. I'm not done but I took a picture anyways.
Needle felting is when you taker a felted item, (felt or fulled or what have you but, general a wool item) and push little bits of wool into desired shapes and patters using small needles with tiny barbs on them that force the fibers into the main fabric and the hooks push the fiber in, but the slide out all smooth leaving the fibers locked in place.
Pretty cunning, don'tcha think?
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Spring Cleaning Projects
I have a whole mess of things I want to do this spring to lessen the amount of stuff I own and to organize what I do keep. My goal is to have most of my belongings, that are not kitchen related or a couch, you know, common area or closet things, fit in my room by the end of the year.
I realised that I will most likely be moving again at some point into shared housing with other people. Maybe not this year but at some point. I have a roommate for now and we're great, but you never know when someone's life is going to change and they are going to move. I want to be able to up and move into a room someplace and not need a whole apartment to myself. 1) that's really expensive and 2) I like living with people around. So I would most likely be moving into someone's established household or creating one with friends of my own, if/when I do move again. I want to be as unburdened as possible if that happens. That and if I ever want to take off and do something like work for the forest service or a residential camp and need to store my belongings, it will be much easier to do.
My list for this spring:
clean basement:recycle and redistribute still useful items
take to dump stuff that cannot be reclaimed and is not an environmental hazard. Appropriately dispose of anything that is an environmental hazard ( there are a lot of things like rat poison and fertilizer lying around from previous tenants, and paint that is old and useless.)
get rid of excess things:
chase lounge is going to go,
it has an awkward shape and is useless as a couch as it has a low back. too bad it is otherwise an awesome piece of furniture. But I have decided the love seat with it's washable slipcover is much more practical.
old clothes and things to goodwill.
sell PlayStation that never gets played anymore.
go through books
and actually sell books I haven't touched in over 5 years ( this one might be impossible but it is a goal! I own close to 500 books! )
go thru kitchen stuff and get rid of appliances that never get used, same with dishes and baking stuff
closet:
go thru craft supplies and take a SERIOUS inventory of what I WILL use and what I just think is useful and should keep because it might be useful SOMEDAY.
organize tools
make craft desk fit in bedroom
in place of chase lounge so I can actually use it for crafting! (I'm excited about this one but I have to sell the chase first.)
big dresser in living room:
find new homes for things in it that aren't being evicted from my life and get rid of the beast. I hates it so.
hmmm I think that's most of it.
other spring projects:
time to plan the garden
and time to start cleaning up and dewinterizing the yard. clean porch closet and organize
somehow clean and repaint with BATHROOM AND KITCHEN SURFACE paint
in the bathroom. may just ask landlord to have this done.
have carpets cleaned.
clean windows
clean fridge
That's all I have today. but i think it will keep me busy till at least May!
I realised that I will most likely be moving again at some point into shared housing with other people. Maybe not this year but at some point. I have a roommate for now and we're great, but you never know when someone's life is going to change and they are going to move. I want to be able to up and move into a room someplace and not need a whole apartment to myself. 1) that's really expensive and 2) I like living with people around. So I would most likely be moving into someone's established household or creating one with friends of my own, if/when I do move again. I want to be as unburdened as possible if that happens. That and if I ever want to take off and do something like work for the forest service or a residential camp and need to store my belongings, it will be much easier to do.
My list for this spring:
clean basement:
take to dump stuff that cannot be reclaimed and is not an environmental hazard. Appropriately dispose of anything that is an environmental hazard ( there are a lot of things like rat poison and fertilizer lying around from previous tenants, and paint that is old and useless.)
get rid of excess things:
it has an awkward shape and is useless as a couch as it has a low back. too bad it is otherwise an awesome piece of furniture. But I have decided the love seat with it's washable slipcover is much more practical.
and actually sell books I haven't touched in over 5 years ( this one might be impossible but it is a goal! I own close to 500 books! )
closet:
in place of chase lounge so I can actually use it for crafting! (I'm excited about this one but I have to sell the chase first.)
find new homes for things in it that aren't being evicted from my life and get rid of the beast. I hates it so.
hmmm I think that's most of it.
other spring projects:
time to
and time to start cleaning up and dewinterizing the yard. clean porch closet and organize
in the bathroom. may just ask landlord to have this done.
have carpets cleaned.
clean fridge
That's all I have today. but i think it will keep me busy till at least May!
Monday, January 7, 2008
This n' That
I've been so caught up in life lately, I haven't really worked on much in the crafty department. I forgot, even, to take pictures of all the knitting I did for xmas. Foo. I did get pics of the fingerless gloves I made for my mom. They were so much fun I made some for my brother too. And I am working on a pair for myself (slowly..I keep getting distracted.)
I keep meaning to go out and take some pictures of the birch trees right out side the kitchen, the rain collects on the branches just so, in little droplets and it's so pretty. All strung along in a row.
It's been a good year so far, I feel this is auspicious, I've been going out a lot, doing stuff, seeing friends, dancing with coworkers, seeing (and listening with ear plugs) experimental music, watchin' movies, looking at art, working on projects, walking around, shopping at goodwill... (I got a sweet vintage dress...!) I've somehow lost a good chunk of weight. I need new pants, they are all falling off my ass and it's driving me nuts. I need to learn how to alter clothes one of these days. Add it to the list. And I have mostly figured out the driving, even hills! And now that I am more comfortable with the stick, damn, is it fun to drive the darned thing. Vroom. I need a road trip! Life is good. As they say.
It's really something then people you know and see often, and people you haven't seen in awhile notice something about you is different, you look great, happy, etc. And it's not that you have changed you appearance, it's that somthing IN you has changed. I've been getting this a whole lot lately and it's really uplifting. I don't think that people every really notice me much, I don't think I stand out or anything, I don't generally like to be noticed... I doubt myself so much...So it feels good to have that sort of validation from people. Comforting.
I'm starting up a knit night with one of my co-workers for work, our first meeting is Sunday. I'm a bit nervous because a lot of the folks interested don't knit, they want to learn. I know teaching is what I DO, but still nervous. I'm not an expert knitter, but I think I can show people how. I hope it goes well, it should be a really fun thing to do regularly.
I feel like entertaining. I love cooking and having people over for dinner parties and games and conversation, so do my close friends. We are long over due for a dinner thing (Right miss J9?? this comment is directed at you..Dawn doesn't read this, I don't think...) And there has never been a proper housewarming for my roommate. I think sometime in the next month, this should happen. Potluck. This house needs some warming. Hmm...
I keep meaning to go out and take some pictures of the birch trees right out side the kitchen, the rain collects on the branches just so, in little droplets and it's so pretty. All strung along in a row.
It's been a good year so far, I feel this is auspicious, I've been going out a lot, doing stuff, seeing friends, dancing with coworkers, seeing (and listening with ear plugs) experimental music, watchin' movies, looking at art, working on projects, walking around, shopping at goodwill... (I got a sweet vintage dress...!) I've somehow lost a good chunk of weight. I need new pants, they are all falling off my ass and it's driving me nuts. I need to learn how to alter clothes one of these days. Add it to the list. And I have mostly figured out the driving, even hills! And now that I am more comfortable with the stick, damn, is it fun to drive the darned thing. Vroom. I need a road trip! Life is good. As they say.
It's really something then people you know and see often, and people you haven't seen in awhile notice something about you is different, you look great, happy, etc. And it's not that you have changed you appearance, it's that somthing IN you has changed. I've been getting this a whole lot lately and it's really uplifting. I don't think that people every really notice me much, I don't think I stand out or anything, I don't generally like to be noticed... I doubt myself so much...So it feels good to have that sort of validation from people. Comforting.
I'm starting up a knit night with one of my co-workers for work, our first meeting is Sunday. I'm a bit nervous because a lot of the folks interested don't knit, they want to learn. I know teaching is what I DO, but still nervous. I'm not an expert knitter, but I think I can show people how. I hope it goes well, it should be a really fun thing to do regularly.
I feel like entertaining. I love cooking and having people over for dinner parties and games and conversation, so do my close friends. We are long over due for a dinner thing (Right miss J9?? this comment is directed at you..Dawn doesn't read this, I don't think...) And there has never been a proper housewarming for my roommate. I think sometime in the next month, this should happen. Potluck. This house needs some warming. Hmm...
Archive part deux
Hmm, gonna make this private soon. For one, there are only a few things in there at the moment I would share with someone in person like "Hey read this thing I wrote", most of it is stuff that has meaning beyond how well (or not well) the work is written. The older posts, are newer material BTW, and somewhat more interesting if any of it is...Its mostly only interesting to me. =)
But the stuff I am getting into now is stuff that is pretty private, so, another day or two, and the archive will be gone from public view. If you want to say anyhing or read anything, now;'s the time! It's been a real head trip to read all this stuff though...crazy!
But the stuff I am getting into now is stuff that is pretty private, so, another day or two, and the archive will be gone from public view. If you want to say anyhing or read anything, now;'s the time! It's been a real head trip to read all this stuff though...crazy!
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