We had our wonderful whole-wheat pasta for dinner tonight. And our special treat was after, a huge Asian pear, quartered, and cut into chunks for desert.
I was a lovely weekend with Mary, and we went hiking on Sunday afternoon.
I haven't done much out in the yard, due to rain and scheduling, but I really have to get out there and do some cleaning up, so that we can get the gardens ready for winter.
Saturday I made kale and collards with cornbread. That was yummy!
Not much really going on, since the kids are scattered about cleaning rooms and such.
Eliza has no school this week, so tomorrow she is going to Budapest for the day. Should be enjoyable for her. She was bragging about how many countries she's been into so far. I'm really happy she is enjoying herself. We are getting some items together to put into a care package for her.
Monday, October 30, 2006
Friday, October 27, 2006
Long time since last post
Hello.
It has been a couple of weeks since I got a chance to post anything.
I haven't seen Kyle since the last post, and I'm missing him terribly.
I've been working around the house, doing this and that, getting ready for the winter and such.
I've ridden zippy scooter to work a few times, since it was cold. I've decided a windscreen and a pair of Hippo Hands was in order to at least keep me a little warm. I did bundle up in snow pants, and a couple of jackets, so I wasn't totally frozen. On the contrary, only my hands were a bit cold at the fingertips. And that told me I needed wind protection. So, I'll wait and get the windscreen and the hand guards on, then I'll ride some more!
The kids are growing up, and doing pretty well. Tori came by and had some good chats with her mother, and Eliza is still calling and seems to be doing well in Hungary (or is it Italy on a field trip?)
Samuel and I went camping last weekend. I had taken time off work to be able to go on Friday and overnight until Saturday. Mary was going to go, but she had some sleep deprivation problems, that were aggravated by Miriam's falling down the stairs at school. Anyway, Mary and Miriam had a big row, and Mary wasn't feeling up to going camping. She stayed behind and slept. Mary slept most of the day Friday, and then all night, awaking fresh and much more herself on Saturday morning. She came up to the campsite (only about 20 miles away) had breakfast and hiked with Samuel and I, and helped us break camp. It was a good time.
Not much else going on here, the routine things of cooking wonderful vegan meals and learning more about eating around the world.
It has been a couple of weeks since I got a chance to post anything.
I haven't seen Kyle since the last post, and I'm missing him terribly.
I've been working around the house, doing this and that, getting ready for the winter and such.
I've ridden zippy scooter to work a few times, since it was cold. I've decided a windscreen and a pair of Hippo Hands was in order to at least keep me a little warm. I did bundle up in snow pants, and a couple of jackets, so I wasn't totally frozen. On the contrary, only my hands were a bit cold at the fingertips. And that told me I needed wind protection. So, I'll wait and get the windscreen and the hand guards on, then I'll ride some more!
The kids are growing up, and doing pretty well. Tori came by and had some good chats with her mother, and Eliza is still calling and seems to be doing well in Hungary (or is it Italy on a field trip?)
Samuel and I went camping last weekend. I had taken time off work to be able to go on Friday and overnight until Saturday. Mary was going to go, but she had some sleep deprivation problems, that were aggravated by Miriam's falling down the stairs at school. Anyway, Mary and Miriam had a big row, and Mary wasn't feeling up to going camping. She stayed behind and slept. Mary slept most of the day Friday, and then all night, awaking fresh and much more herself on Saturday morning. She came up to the campsite (only about 20 miles away) had breakfast and hiked with Samuel and I, and helped us break camp. It was a good time.
Not much else going on here, the routine things of cooking wonderful vegan meals and learning more about eating around the world.
Saturday, October 14, 2006
Making web pages for Mary
I'm working on the web site for Mary. I'm learning all about web design, and hosting, and stuff. Lot of learning, but to make Mary's site work, I'm having a blast!
I have been chopping wood, and keeping the fire going today, since it was cold when we got up this morning. I think the fire is just the right amount of heat to keep us from feeling the chill. Don't want to put the heat on quite yet. Supposed to be nice for the next 2 weeks, so we will try to hold out for a while longer.
I went shopping at the Grand Market and picked up another clothes drying rack (since the first one has been used so much) and a butane cooking stove (1 burner.) I'll take that camping to cook with, since it was only $15 and the fuel was $5 for 4 cans. I have no idea how long each can will last, but I can get it lots of places.
The garden is going to sleep, and we are getting in the last of the salad greens, and the kale is growing like crazy. Next year, I'll be planting that in June to give it a really good start.
I have been chopping wood, and keeping the fire going today, since it was cold when we got up this morning. I think the fire is just the right amount of heat to keep us from feeling the chill. Don't want to put the heat on quite yet. Supposed to be nice for the next 2 weeks, so we will try to hold out for a while longer.
I went shopping at the Grand Market and picked up another clothes drying rack (since the first one has been used so much) and a butane cooking stove (1 burner.) I'll take that camping to cook with, since it was only $15 and the fuel was $5 for 4 cans. I have no idea how long each can will last, but I can get it lots of places.
The garden is going to sleep, and we are getting in the last of the salad greens, and the kale is growing like crazy. Next year, I'll be planting that in June to give it a really good start.
Tuesday, October 03, 2006
Last of the free
apples were done tonight. I still have a few from Dad's trees left, but they will be done tomorrow evening. And that will be the apples for the year. I've figured that 4 bushels of apples, dried, sauced and apple buttered are about all we will need. Our family will be enjoying these apples for the next winter, I'm sure.
Blueberries planted! Yes, we got them in the ground today. The lingonberries, strawberries, cranberries and wintergreen plants are all in, and happily watered and tucked in with leaves and grass mulch. That should keep them happy until the next rains.
Between all of that we had a lovely dinner of veggie pot-pie. Everyone had seconds, except Samuel, who just ate because he was hungry.
Now it will be on to other projects. I'm not sure what. Oh, researching the D.C./Northern VA Solar Homes tour that will take place this weekend. Mary and I need to figure out which ones we want to see.
Mary has also requested help with a website for her business, so I will help with that too.
Blueberries planted! Yes, we got them in the ground today. The lingonberries, strawberries, cranberries and wintergreen plants are all in, and happily watered and tucked in with leaves and grass mulch. That should keep them happy until the next rains.
Between all of that we had a lovely dinner of veggie pot-pie. Everyone had seconds, except Samuel, who just ate because he was hungry.
Now it will be on to other projects. I'm not sure what. Oh, researching the D.C./Northern VA Solar Homes tour that will take place this weekend. Mary and I need to figure out which ones we want to see.
Mary has also requested help with a website for her business, so I will help with that too.
Sunday, October 01, 2006
Lovely Saturday
Mary and I went to Virginia to do several things. On our way down, just passing Charlottesville, we saw a young black bear racing toward the interstate! I swerved into the left lane to avoid it, and it thought better of crossing the road, and ran back up into the woods. It was my first encounter with a bear in Virginia.
Anyway, Mary and I went on to Edible Landscaping in Afton to pick up blueberry plants, strawberries, a pomegranate tree, lingonberries, wintergreen, and cranberries. (We also got a garlic chives to plant on herb hill.) After that we drove down to Virginia Gold Orchard, just south of Lexington to buy a box of Asian pears. These pears are huge, and delicious, and ORGANIC! So good!
We then went into downtown Lexington to buy tickets for the "Alternative House Tour" for Rockbridge County. This was why we went down in the first place, but tied the other errands on to the trip. Mary and I then spent the rest of the afternoon touring some of the "alternative" homes in that county. Mary and I are finding that we are turning more and more extreme in our practices and beliefs of what can be done for 1) less money, 2) less work, and 3) less overall energy cost. The highlight of the tour was a completely solar (active and passive) home built on pilings in a flood plain. It was a small home, with a lovely couple of porches, and had interesting ship's ladders to save even more space. Bill, the owner was knowledgeable about the solar aspects, and was in the process of reclaiming his 20 acres of land to meadow. I think Mary and I could learn more from him on some things, since he is living off the grid now, and seems to be thriving.
Driving from one of the homes, I saw black walnuts along the roadside, so I stopped, backed up, and got a bag full. I'll have to take care to clean them, and then put the shells out in the garbage, because black walnuts tend to kill other plants. I may take a couple of them down to the college and see if I can find a place to start a few there.
It was a very good day.
Anyway, Mary and I went on to Edible Landscaping in Afton to pick up blueberry plants, strawberries, a pomegranate tree, lingonberries, wintergreen, and cranberries. (We also got a garlic chives to plant on herb hill.) After that we drove down to Virginia Gold Orchard, just south of Lexington to buy a box of Asian pears. These pears are huge, and delicious, and ORGANIC! So good!
We then went into downtown Lexington to buy tickets for the "Alternative House Tour" for Rockbridge County. This was why we went down in the first place, but tied the other errands on to the trip. Mary and I then spent the rest of the afternoon touring some of the "alternative" homes in that county. Mary and I are finding that we are turning more and more extreme in our practices and beliefs of what can be done for 1) less money, 2) less work, and 3) less overall energy cost. The highlight of the tour was a completely solar (active and passive) home built on pilings in a flood plain. It was a small home, with a lovely couple of porches, and had interesting ship's ladders to save even more space. Bill, the owner was knowledgeable about the solar aspects, and was in the process of reclaiming his 20 acres of land to meadow. I think Mary and I could learn more from him on some things, since he is living off the grid now, and seems to be thriving.
Driving from one of the homes, I saw black walnuts along the roadside, so I stopped, backed up, and got a bag full. I'll have to take care to clean them, and then put the shells out in the garbage, because black walnuts tend to kill other plants. I may take a couple of them down to the college and see if I can find a place to start a few there.
It was a very good day.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
