2 a.m. crisis averted!!

For a moment I thought the world had come to an end! I went to put the coffee on and there were no coffee filters. Heaven forbid!

Could I use paper towels? Cheesecloth? Could I just drink tea - banish the thought!

Thank goodness for our emergency preparedness kit which includes - what else - a coffee pot. This coffee pot has one of those permanent filters that is washable and then you re-use.

Given that I am into sustainability, permaculture, recycling and so on - why haven't I been using one of these all along? If nothing else it saves money because you don't have to constantly buy coffee filters.

Coffee is now ready, crisis is averted, and lesson is learned: permanent re-usable filter from now on.

God and St Francis talk Lawn Care on Permies.com

GOD:
Frank, you know all about gardens and nature. What in the world is going on
down there on the planet? What happened to the dandelions, violets, milkweeds and stuff I started eons ago?
I had a perfect no maintenance garden plan. Those plants grow in any type of soil, withstand drought and multiply with abandon. The nectar from the long-lasting blossoms attracts butterflies, honey bees and flocks of songbirds. I expected to see a vast garden of colors by now. But, all I see are these green rectangles.

St. FRANCIS:
It's the tribes that settled there, Lord. The Suburbanites. They started calling your flowers 'weeds' and went to great lengths to kill them and replace them with grass.

GOD:
Grass? But, it's so boring. It's not colorful. It doesn't attract butterflies, birds and bees; only grubs and sod worms. It's sensitive to temperatures. Do these Suburbanites really want all that grass growing there?

ST. FRANCIS:
Apparently so, Lord. They go to great pains to grow it and keep it green.
They begin each spring by fertilizing grass and poisoning any other plant
that crops up in the lawn.

GOD:
The spring rains and warm weather probably make grass grow really fast.
That must make the Suburbanites happy.

ST. FRANCIS:
Apparently not, Lord. As soon as it grows a little, they cut it-sometimes twice a week.

GOD:
They cut it? Do they then bale it like hay?

ST. FRANCIS:
Not exactly, Lord. Most of them rake it up and put it in bags.

GOD:
They bag it? Why? Is it a cash crop? Do they sell it?

ST. FRANCIS:
No, Sir, just the opposite. They pay to throw it away.

GOD:
Now, let me get this straight. They fertilize grass so it will grow. And, when it does grow, they cut it off and pay to throw it away?

ST. FRANCIS:
Yes, Sir.

GOD:
These Suburbanites must be relieved in the summer when we cut back on the
rain and turn up the heat. That surely slows the growth and saves them a lot of work.

ST. FRANCIS:
You aren't going to believe this, Lord. When the grass stops growing so fast, they drag out hoses and pay more money to water it, so they can continue to mow it and pay to get rid of it.

GOD:
What nonsense. At least they kept some of the trees. That was a sheer
stroke of genius, if I do say so myself. The trees grow leaves in the spring
to provide beauty and shade in the summer. In the autumn, they fall to the
ground and form a natural blanket to keep moisture in the soil and protect
the trees and bushes. It's a natural cycle of life.

ST. FRANCIS:
You better sit down, Lord. The Suburbanites have drawn a new circle. As
soon as the leaves fall, they rake them into great piles and pay to have
them hauled away.

GOD:
No!? What do they do to protect the shrub and tree roots in the winter to keep the soil moist and loose?

ST. FRANCIS:
After throwing away the leaves, they go out and buy something which they
call mulch. They haul it home and spread it around in place of the leaves.

GOD:
And where do they get this mulch?

ST. FRANCIS:
They cut down trees and grind them up to make the mulch.

GOD:
Enough! I don't want to think about this anymore. St. Catherine, you're in
charge of the arts. What movie have you scheduled for us tonight?

ST. CATHERINE:
'Dumb and Dumber', Lord. It's a story about....

GOD:
Never mind, I think I just heard the whole story from St. Francis.


http://www.permies.com/permaculture-forums/8930_0/lawn-care/no-work-lawn

Spirits of the amber and gold variety

There are those times when its nice to just sit back and contemplate how good life is.

Yesterday my darling brought me the perfect spirit to accompany out to the garden swing for a little 'life is good' time: George Dickel Barrel Select.

This is most definitely a sippin' whiskey - no mixers allowed. One whiskey, one barrel, aged 10-12 years; this spirit goes down slow and smooth.

I always say every day is Valentine's Day around here and hubby certainly got it right this time.

Spirit Of Place at the Local Market in Columbia

A perfect example of Spirit Of Place:
Local Market, 701 Whaley St, Columbia, South Carolina

Lavender gelato, lemonade squeezed right in front of your eyes, warm blueberry donuts, eclectic handmade jewelry, bacon from pasture raised pigs, roasting coffee and smiling faces; this is the Local Market on Saturday mornings in Columbia.

Local Market is a good example of a type of intentional community that has gone very, very right.

Under the leadership of Emile DeFelice the market has gone from some tables set up in alternating parking lots to a permanent home at 701 Whaley St.

The Market is more than just a place to purchase handmade and locally produced goods. While the pork, poultry, local honey and produce is some of the best you can buy anywhere what is more important is the Spirit Of Place created at Local Market; you can feel it the minute that you walk on to the grounds.

The smell of blueberries and coffee, dogs on leashes, a guitar playing, baby in the stroller with a dripping gelato cone, breakfast on the porch, and a shared bottle of cider in champagne glasses.

The Local Market has a heartbeat shared by kindred spirits; it is a place to nourish the soul as well as the body.

Real Food for Breakfast - Garlic Butter and Goat Cheese

This very 'aromatic' recipe is so easy it doesn't even count as cooking. An Alice Water's creation, garlic and goat cheese on country bread:

"Whole heads of garlic, baked to a butter, that, with slight pressure eased out of their crisp skins and became a spread for country bread with white goat cheese". From the book Alice Waters and Chez Panisse.

I like to top this with a spoonfull of sweet/tart Plum spread. Just make sure to share with your partner so that you can both enjoy the garlicy goodness :-).

Chemical Free Food - Where do I start??

Most of us do not have the time to make everything from scratch -- and reading labels? What does all of that stuff on the label mean?

Here is a short introduction to reading labels: (Note - do not worry about whether or not something is 'organic', that term has been abused beyond recognition.)

Real Food Pasta: Natures Way Organic Spaghetti - Food Lion

Ingredients: 100% organic durum semolina.

Real Food Pasta: Dynasty Maifun Rice Sticks (like angel hair pasta)

Ingredients: Rice, Cornstarch and water.

Chemical Food Pasta: Mueller's Angel Hair Pasta - can be found at most stores

Ingredients: Durum Semolina, Niacin, Ferrous Sulfate, Thiamine, Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid.

The Mueller's Pasta contains chemical additives. Many would have you believe that these additives are good for you but don't be fooled. This stuff come in 50 gallon drums and if you ate it by the spoonful it would not be a good experience. This is not Real Food.

Check out Earth Grains brand bread in many major grocery stores. This brand has the fewest number of chemical additives of any bread that I have found, so far, in a supermarket.

Healing Scents chemical free make-up

I am extremely satisfied with the chemical free make-up that I ordered about a month ago. The company's name is Healing Scents.

The mineral foundation can be a bit tricky to apply but I have found that the easiest way is to just tap a little (a VERY small amount) into my palm and mix it with lotion then apply. I also dab just a little powder on age spots before I apply the lotion mixture. This just gives an 'evening-out' effect to my skin color. I suppose you could apply more if you wanted full coverage but I really don't like to look like I am wearing a lot of make-up.

The mascara is fantastic. I have been wearing the same brand of mascara for over a decade so I was unsure of making the switch. Healing Scents mascara does not smudge or clump and it is easy to apply additional coats and is also easy to remove.

I am using the Lavender Baby Lotion as a face and body lotion and also a very small container of facial moisturizer (can't remember the what I ordered and there is no label on the container). I am certain that my skin is much smoother and I have fewer blemishes. I have just placed another order for more Healing Scents products including some items for my husband.

My only complaint is that the website is a bit difficult to use but I must add that the prices are VERY reasonable, especially for such a quality product.
http://www.healing-scents.com/

I was, just recently, told about another company, Coastal Classic Creations that has an even better safety rating than Healing Scents -- but they are very close. I may try some of their products when I use up what I have but I do have to admit that I do like Healing Scent's prices.

Composting

Why Compost? As an compulsive-obsessive gardener I found I was spending more and more money on my yard. As you might have noticed by now I am very fond of 'free' and 'cheap'. After doing some research I discovered that I already have most of the amendments that I need for a successful garden right in my own house and yard.

Now my take on composting is super lazy; I have three bins with the bottoms cut out. One is for the current years trash. Two is for last years - now usable compost. Three is for leaves from the yard.

In bin one I throw kitchen waste, paper junk mail, and the few paper products that we use. I layer it with leaves (from bin Three) and green yard waste such as grass clippings, prunings from my banana plants and other non-woody garden trimmings. I keep it moist, and throw in red wigglers about once a year. No turning or fussing with it. This supplies me with compost for my garden - free, and cuts down on the number of trips I make to the dump which saves fuel - cheap.

So what about bin Two? Around spring time I shovel all of the compost from the current year (bin One) to the Last Year Bin (bin Two). The bottom of the bin has by then turned mostly into crumbly black brown matter and it will end up on top. I currently have lettuce and carrots which are a fall crop here in the south planted in that bin. In the spring I will spread it all out into the garden beds.

People always worry about the smell - they never smell. If your bin smells it is probably too wet or you have too much green material and not enough dry, such as paper or leaves. For a more scientific approach to composting go to the Simple Organic Compost Recipe shown on the right side of this blog. Happy Gardening!

Homemade Mayonnaise - Simple things

Yesterday I tried my hand at making mayonnaise at home for the first time.

We have eliminated all 'food-like' substances from our pantry and now only eat real foods (foods without chemicals). I have discovered that it is quite a challenge to find foods, other than fresh foods and veggies, that are not loaded with chemicals of some sort or another - and buying organic is not only expensive but requires that I travel a great distance to a specialty store. So the other option is to make my own. Back to the mayonnaise.

For the first attempt I used olive oil. We use great quantities of olive oil so I buy the most economical (cheapest) that I can find. Works just fine for oil and vinegar dressing, cooking, and skin conditioning. In mayonnaise, however, it is an abomination. That batch was thrown out.

For today's attempt I used safflower oil. The result was a very light tasting and wonderfully creamy delight. I was also surprised to learn two things: 1. How simple it is to make. 2. How healthy it is for you. I have always been told that mayonnaise is unhealthy and fattening. How can two egg yolks (from my own hens) and some very good quality safflower oil be unhealthy?

Making mayonnaise may seem like a simple thing, but I was quite tickled with myself that I was able to do it. This reminded me of how our consumer driven disposable society has become almost completely removed from simple living skills. People often ask me "what do you eat?" and when I reply "real food" most of them have no idea what that means.

The 'virtual' world that we have created today is not without it's benefits - I am using one of those benefits right now as I write this blog. However I believe that many of the problems that exist today can be solved by learning simple living skills, such as creating meals from real food, finding entertainment in the out of doors (instead of in front of the TV) and learning to make things that we want with our own hands.

Natural Skin Care, my quest for chemical-free clean

Due to a long list of skin problems that I am trying to keep in check with out taking prescription drugs I have been on a quest for chemical free skin care. I recently read a statement that said "If you can't put it in your mouth, don't put it on your body". So I felt challenged to put this to the test. Here is what I have come up with so far:

OLIVE OIL- For many years I have only used oil to scrub my skin. Just recently I have switched from a store bought bath oil to plain olive oil. I have noticed a remarkable difference in the texture of my skin. No need to use lotion anymore.
VODKA - Use in shampoo, for blemish control, as a disinfectant, toner, and mouthwash (an extra shot in the evening is good too :-)
ROSEMARY - Rosemary smells great! It is reputed to have many uses but I just make a tea and use it as a general rinse after taking a bath - my husband loves the smell.
OIL REVISITED - I use olive or safflower oil to shave instead of shaving cream. Since I started using oil to shave I have had no more razor burn or dry skin after shaving.
SHEA BUTTER (PURE) - This is not the type that you can buy from the big box stores. I bought mine from a store in the underground in Atlanta. They sell pure shea butter that has only been boiled to remove it from the nut and worked by hand to a semi softened state. You must work it with your hands a bit to soften it enough to spread but it leaves my skin silky smooth. Women in Ghana use this shea butter for cooking, skin care, waterproofing, insect control, and an amazing amount of other things around the home.

MAKE UP - I don't' wear a lot of make up but I do like to have a foundation just to even out all of the different colors that come with age and I do like a bit of mascara. I just placed my first order with a company that has signed a compact with the 'Skin Deep' website and I look forward to trying and reviewing their product.

The most amazing part of this project so far is the SAVINGS!! So far it appears that natural skin care is not only more healthy but it can be cheap too - now that's right up my alley!