Monthly Archives Jul 2009
Gone camping
July 30, 2009
I'm supposed to be cleaning up the kitchen right now, for the umpteenth time today, before we finally pack up the remaining food and head for the White Mountains in New Hampshire. Getting ready to go camping is anything but bliss and I've written before how I think that word ...
A better bubble post
July 29, 2009
{post publishing note: if you're coming over from Me Ra Koh's blog - Welcome! And thanks for visiting.} I bought a bottle of manufactured (ie: we didn't make it ourselves) bubble mix the other day at the grocery store. Sure enough these bubbles are definitely better than the homemade mix ...
July Sweet Stuff
July 28, 2009
(see ADVENTUREinPROGRESS for our recent mountain blueberry picking experience) Mama Speak Make your own cloth pads from Keeper of the Home. I wrote a post about my experience switching to these. That Nicola is one talented thrifty seamstress, posting a tutorial about sewing a girl's dress out of man's button-up ...
A friend makes soap... with heavy machinery!
July 27, 2009
I taught a workshop last week on soap making. I initially thought I might video it but two hours is a long presentation to record and was really too much to ask of my husband with everything else going on in our lives right. This remains one of the times ...
Saturday Staycation at Mackworth Island
July 27, 2009
There's a sweet little island near Portland, ME that probably everybody else who lives around here has already been to. This weekend was our first trip. No ferries (it's reached via a causeway) and no fees but limited parking and controlled access. If you decide to go you should call ...
Books In... Books Out, A giveaway to clear my shelves
July 25, 2009
Last month we bought a stack of books. Doesn't happen often since we mostly use the library. But some books you just know are going to take a month or more to read and the 2 or 4 week library lending term isn't sufficient. Other books we want to own ...
Baked Beans
July 23, 2009
Introduction This is one of the first recipes I published on the blog. I shared it here because it is easy to make, is inexpensive, my family loves it, and it's a crowd pleaser (for vegans and non-vegans alike). This recipe uses more processed ingredients and refined sugars than I ...
Weekending it with the cousins
July 22, 2009
The closest of our extended family (parents, siblings, nieces and nephews) live 11 hours away. So when my sister-in-law emailed early this month saying they'd be driving through and could they stay a night or two of course I said yes. I was so much fun to have them here ...
Life unexpectedly
July 22, 2009
I like to plan, organize and take care of the details. I think in another life I might make a good event planner except that I don't like deadlines or dealing with incompetent people. I also don't deal well with change, good or bad. Oh, and I like to be ...
Making Bubbles
July 21, 2009
Tonight ends a difficult day so I want to post something easy, light and fun. Bubbles. What's on hand Bubble Mix Brienne and I experimented with what we had and concocted this recipe. 2/3 cup Ecover dishsoap - which I don't like by the way but I am using until ...
home sweet home, a mansion it ain't
July 17, 2009
A couple days ago my six year old Brienne, out of the blue, had this to say: "mama, we don't have a mansion-y house but we sure do have a beautiful garden". Out of the mouths of babes (missing her two top front teeth I'd like to add - so ...
Raspberry love
July 17, 2009
Remember these bowls? The kiddos made them at a local potter's studio way back in March. They are beloved pieces of functional art and their current life's purpose is to hold our backyard berries. Backyard raspberries are my favorite summer berry, with apologies to the strawberries (recently picked) and wild ...
Defining Priorities to Make a Family Schedule
July 15, 2009
These are the guiding principles I use when planning our family's weekly schedule.
Five free activities for rainy summer days
July 13, 2009
Imagine if you will, a couple days of rainy weather. Or worse yet, a whole week. Or the unthinkable - an entire month of rainy, wet summer days. That was our June. Ok, it didn't rain the whole month there were those 2 days of sunshine. And we made the ...
Reputable clothing companies
July 13, 2009
K. asked: "I was wondering if you might post, some time, on information you've gleaned about reputable clothing companies. I'm not sure where to start in learning about which companies I should/shouldn't be supporting... Anyways, I'm sure there are others, like myself, who'd love to hear more on this topic." ...
Camping at Grand Manan Island
July 12, 2009
Last weekend we went camping on Grand Manan island off the coast of New Brunswick, Canada with my parents. Grand Manan is a gorgeous place. This is one of the few places and campgrounds we've been where we've said "we'd come back here". There is so much natural beauty everywhere ...
Pretty Thrifty
July 12, 2009
{mid July bouquet: gracing the top of my "new" fruit cart} I don't like shopping. Shopping is not recreation, it's a chore. I think I partly feel this way because I like to spend money in keeping with my values. When you stop to analyze purchases*; where it was made, ...
Strawberry picking, for real this time
July 10, 2009
This morning we left the house before 10 am and didn't get home till 3:30 pm and I hadn't technically packed lunch before we left. Thank goodness I thought to grab that half loaf of bread from the freezer before we left. We didn't spend all that time picking, but ...
The greens report & recipes
July 8, 2009
Today was the first day of the farmer's market. This year there are 4 markets in town, one of them is just a block from my house. This makes me happier than a clam, in spite of the miserable rainy weather. Walking 2 minutes to get your veggies, doesn't get ...
Thoughts from "being there": Our island weekend
July 7, 2009
It seems a shame that after a 5 day trip away from home I only have time to write one measly post about our getaway. I have too much else to share this week to spend any more time than that remembering in words our wonderful extended weekend. (More photos ...
More strawberries and a summer haiku
July 3, 2009
We're gone this weekend. Camping on island off the coast of New Brunswick, Canada. Listening to whales, hiking for hours, sitting around the fire, a tent site overlooking the ocean. Or at least this is what I imagine it will be like as I write this the night before we ...
Strawberry talk and a Fresh Fruit Pie recipe
July 1, 2009
Yesterday we went strawberry picking at a local, organic and unadvertised farm. The day was misty and gray, sounds almost lovely until you realize we've had 21 days of rain in the month of June. But this is strawberry season - the time to pick, wash and freeze enough to ...
