It's Amazing What One Can Do With A Toilet Paper Tube

We are toilet paper users.  I applaud others who have retired their dependence on said item but as for me and my family, until our budget can no longer justify it, we will be users of the paper.  My laundry doing daughter thanks me for this decision. We have stopped with paper towels and napkins but for bathroom necessities we will stand firm.

What this does leave us with is a lot of empty tubes. Rather then just throw them out we use them in a few different ways.

1. Kid's craft projects and play toys.  They are free to build, cut, tape, color and be creative with these to their heart's content.  They are only limited to their imagination. Bowling is a common game.

2. Re-purposing into useful items.

Two tubes taped together make a perfect storage tube for ponytail bands.  My daughter created this on her own.  She plans to color it to make it prettier but it could also be papered, decopodged or painted.

3. Fire starters: I got this one from watching an episode of Extreme Cheapskates.  Toilet paper tubes plus dryer lint!

What things do you use your paper tubes for?  What about dryer lint.  I've thought about trying to craft with the lint.  Am I crazy?

Homeschooling through the sickness...

I find having to school with even one sick child challenging.  Today I got three children through all their subjects and one partially through and the sick kid... she spent a lot of time on the couch.  It was clear that the sicky would not be able to concentrate on bookwork.

I thought perhaps that I could turn on the TV and find a history or animal documentary but those things don't exist anymore.  It seems these days everything on channels that used to be somewhat educating are now swamped with "reality" shows that offer little besides a lot of bleeped out words or cheap entertainment.

So tomorrow the snow is supposed to let up some and I am heading to the library.  I am picking up arm loads of documentaries and non-text books to keep her busy on the couch and yet still learning at the same time.

Any other homeschoolers out there have any tips on how to have a "sickie" learning under the radar?  I'd love to hear some ideas on this!

Snowing and Blowing

It's that time of year again.  The time when the tractor stops being a mower and starts being a blower.

Last year we couldn't use the tractor for blowing because it was broken down. But it was a light snow year and we made do.

This year Farmer John was chomping at the bit to test it out so yesterday he got it out (even though we only had an inch or so and began to plow our drive. Five minutes into it and the blades stopped rotating. Ugghhh!

 

If I had $$ for every time I've seen Farmer John in this position with our beast we could own our own tropical island.  We bought it used.  Hey, buy used and save the difference is the motto the Duggars use.  It seems to work great for them.  Not so much for us.  With all the time and $ we've spent getting this thing to work, it would have been worth it to purchase the shiny green tractor that comes with yellow words. Alas, this was the one we could afford and, really, having a tractor payment is kind of silly no matter how shiny and new.

 

Lucky for us, this time, the problem was an old stretched out belt.  Easy to fix and not too pricey.

 

Today we got a few more inches of "Lake Effect" snow. (Not a storm, just something Lake Michigan whips up for us.)  Farmer John had our drive cleared in no time at all.  And as we are supposed to get more tomorrow, he'll get to do it again.

 

He was even nice enough to plow me a path from the back garage door to the barn!

 

Of course he could have just been trying to make up for nearly backing the beast over me in the barn.  Lucky for me I was by the chicken enclosure so he didn't knock me down.  I just got a face full of chicken wire mesh. Good times indeed!

 

How do you all handle winter weather?

 

 

Friday Read and Write

Where do you write? This topic came up in October's issue of Writer's Digest.  Places that famous authors have written...?

1. While walking... yes I have
2. Favorite Chair... always
3. On Horseback... I have never ridden a horse so this one is out for me.
4. Out in nature... always
5. On the train... yes
6. Bathtub... yes, but never with the computer.
7. In the car... yes
8. In Bed... yes, but it isn't very efficient.  I tend to fall asleep.
9. In a Coffin... Call me silly but I just don't have one of those hanging around right now.
10. In your birthday suit... I have three teens and one pre-teen that would be scarred for life if I did this.

Today I'm feeling very J.K. Rowling-ish. I'm sitting in a downtown Grand Rapids Biggby Coffee writing because I have two hours to kill while City daughter is at her drama class at the Civic Theatre.  I also spent time writing in the back of the car today while my son was in his guitar lesson.

 

I do have an "official" writing desk.  It's in the basement.  I rarely use it.  I prefer to settle where I can hear if war erupts with any of the children.  Also if I'm out of sight for too long they come searching for me.  I am loved, or at least needed to find things, serve things, cook things and be shown the latest in Lego creations.

 

Comfy place to sleep... er... write

 

Backyard under the trees so I can see the computer screen

 Picnic table on the back deck if shaded

 

 Husband's fly tying desk in the family room. Shhh.... don't tell him.

 

 My chair when not occupied by teens

 

 Dining room table

 

Kitchen island

 



 

My downstairs "desk"

 

 

I love writing here but not with the computer.   Also it's kinda like the basement, too far away if war erupts.

 

 

Leave me a comment and let me know where you do your writing!

Homesteading Means Staying At Home

Just a couple of nights ago I was sighing and feeling extremely stressed out and unhappy because all I seem to be doing lately is running around.  An errand here, the library there, this child here, that child there... Frustrating! I just want to be at home doing the things that need to be done.

Well, today the Lord gave me a nudge to remind me that He is in control.  The brakes on my car are failing and Farmer John deemed the car unsafe to drive.  BOOM!  Just like that I don't have to run around anymore.  I get to stay home.  Now, it actually is kinda inconvenient (Had to put my son's guitar lessons on hold and when do I grocery shop?) but really it is a blessing in disguise.

My husband's work schedule is such that he will be home so that I can have the car for Wed. evening church services, and city girl's theater lessons  (for 10 weeks) and he will be off most Sunday's as well. Those are the important things. Everything else will work itself out.

We currently don't have the funds to get the car fixed so we are going to be living life as a one car family for a while but I really don't mind. The Lord never works in ways that I expect but he knows what is best for me.  The Homestead is where my heart is!  Thank you, Lord Jesus!

Happenings Around The Homestead...

This is the first year we have ever grown cabbage.  I love fresh from the garden cabbage but do not enjoy it cooked or fermented.  However, my husband loves sauerkraut so we are experimenting with our first ever batch.  It's sitting on the counter as we speak.  We don't have a crock so we are using (re-using) a Costco pickle jar covered with an old t-shirt rag.  It's high tech, let me tell you.  I may (or may not) try some when it's done.  I know, I know, kraut is supposed to be really good for you.

We have also yet to have a frost in my area so the tomatoes are still coming on strong.  The kids are getting good at prepping the tomatoes for canning.  (Apples too.)  When they start to complain, I simply say, "You like to eat, don't you?"

This is a pic of the bag City Girl whipped up in about 15 minutes.  She wanted a certain size and everything we had was either too big or too small so she went down to our "craft" room and created what she needed.  The body of the bag is a bottom leg of a pair of jeans she had made into cut-offs earlier this year.  She merely had to sew one end shut.  For the handle she made a braided rope made from old t-shirts and sewed it on.  We had some iron-on decals laying around and she embellished the bag with those. (The decals were marketed for the back of jean pockets... who wants their daughter wearing kissy lips on her backside? This is a much more tasteful application.)

There are so many possibilities for this bag.  It is really only limited by your imagination.  It is a quick, easy, and cheap project.  Goodwill stores are great sources of jeans and t-shirts!

What have you all been up to?

Pondering Prepping

I'm an avid fan of the television show Revolution.  I love it's premise.  A world without power.  How would we survive? Could we?  Well, people have done it for the past 6,000 years so with a little prep. we can too. 

I love electricity.  I love my clothes washer and my computer, my fridge and freezer, my water flowing to me, my toilet flushing etc.  but what happens if it all just stopped working.  Now, I'm not talking nano-tech like in the show but even a storm can wreak havoc on the power grid.  Ask anyone who was impacted by Hurricane Sandy.

My attention has also been drawn to what I have named the North American Power Grid Drill supposedly taking place on 11/13- 11/14/13.  Of course every conspiracy blogger out there has something to say about that. Check out here. But whether or not that turns out to be anything still leaves me questioning my own short term self-reliance preps.

Water- if the electricity goes, so does the ability to pump water.  Best to have some stored or at least have the bath tub filled if a bad storm is coming.  For long term, we have a creek that we can get water from.  Of course we'd have to boil and filter it.

Food- Even if you have a filled pantry, how are you going to cook it?  We are blessed with two wood stoves.  They aren't cook stoves but in a pinch we can throw our cast iron cookware in or on top of.  We could also cook outside if need be.

Heat- We have wood stoves and woods on the property.  We'd use the seal off the room technique. We never throw away blankets.  We have tons.

Light- We have lots of candles, matches, oil lamps, flash lights. etc. (Don't forget batteries)

We have a septic system... as long as we have some access to water we can still flush.  What would a person hooked up to city sewer do?  Best have a bucket and shovel on hand.  A stock pile of tp would be good too although rags, paper or leaves are available.

Also good to have on hand: basic tools, can opener (non-electric), first aid kit, battery or crank radio, needle and thread, paper and pen, fire extinguisher, and some way to entertain the troops.

On one of the prepper blogs I was reading it was predicted that without power in 90 days 90% of the population would die.  I don't know if that is accurate or not but if we were left alone I think we could make it 90 days.  I don't dwell on these things but I think it is common sense to at least ponder some simple preparedness.  You never know what weather is going to come your way.

What are your self-reliant plans? Do you prep?

Free Foraged Food & Turning 9

I love nothing more than getting something for free.  It gives me great satisfaction.  My husband surprised me on Labor Day.  He was one of a few managers that had to go to the warehouse to "walk" it and make sure everything was okay since it was closed for the day.  He asked me to come along because there was a lone apple tree on the edge of the property and the apples just fall to the ground each year.  We were gonna pick those apples and make use of them. (We had permission.)

We didn't get too many because we didn't bring a ladder (I had to stand on the hood of the car) but we did get enough for a pie.

One our way too and from the warehouse I pointed out to him every "stray" apple tree along side the road that didn't look like anyone did anything with.  They were stand alone trees at the edge of fields and had fruit littering the ground. I told him we should go ask permission from all those landowners to access the apples.  I had been thinking this for a couple of weeks and John was surprised that I was thinking along the same lines as he was.  What can I say... the budget is miniscule and free food is enticing.

I also pointed out an apple tree on the road by our house on an abandoned bank owned property.  Again with no ladder we couldn't get the good apples but we got a bag full of apples that had fallen on the ground and we fed those to the chickens with the intent to get more if needed.  It takes so little to make us happy.

Yesterday was a day of celebration. Reagan turned 9!  We cancelled school and she chose to spend the morning at the mall with her big sisters, trying on clothes and then spent the afternoon with her dad and brother shooting air guns and bows/arrows.  Oh to be nine and have so many interests!  She is currently latch hooking away on her birthday gift.  Happy Birthday #4 child. We love you!!!!!

The Cow Monolith across the street...

You can't really tell from these pictures but the dairy farmer across the street is building a gargantuan barn.  It will house 300+ head of cattle.  I'm getting a little intimidated by the shear size of this thing.  I really hope they keep on top of the manure situation because I can only imagine how much poo will accumulate in this monolith.  We were relieved at first that it wasn't a manure lagoon but how different will this be?  I wonder if they will leave it silver or neutral like most of their other structures or if they'll paint it red?  If they do paint it red I have already decided to call it, "Clifford, The Big Red Barn". Why can't it be Joel Salatin who lives across the street?  Then I wouldn't have a worry in the world.

 

 

 

On a happier note... while traversing the yard to take these photos I found my barred rocks digging in the shredded leaf mulch on the fence line.  They were having a dandy time.

 

Snowball

 

 Chicken butts all lined up!

The Starving Week...

We jokingly refer to every other week in our house as starving week.  I get money to purchase food every two weeks so right before pay day pickings are pretty slim.  Tonight I was fretting over what to make that would constitute an entire meal and was pleasantly surprised with the outcome:

Wonderful rolls made from scratch by the city daughter who loves to bake,

Salad with produce from our garden and from the farmer's market topped with...

Shredded cheese, nuts and bacon,

Water or Milk to drink

It always surprises me how something comes together from seemingly nothing.  God is good to us!

Tomorrow it will be a beans and rice meal!

I was laughing with my mom tonight that we are becoming vegetarians by budget!

I still have two chickens to make into coq au vin too.

What something do you make out of nothing?

Does This Qualify As "Red Neck"?

You see this bucket sitting neatly under the tree?

Yeah... this one...

My husband saw road kill on the side of the road last night on his way home from work...

yep...

He stopped and scooped it up and brought it home.  At least he had the decency to inform me before I wondered why a bucket was sitting under the tree and opened it!

Actually, Farmer John has a good reason for bringing road kill home as disgusting as it sounds.  He will put it in our "protein out of thin air" chicken feeding program.  NO... the chickens don't eat the road kill.  You can read about the process here.

I recently read a book by the CEO of Duck Commander, Willie Robertson.  He said when he was little and his dad ran a crawfish fishing biz that they would always scoop up road kill to use as bait.  They had an entire freezer full of it.  Ewwwww!!!!!! I'm gonna have to put my foot down if Farmer John wants to do that. I think one bucket is my limit. But I guess we are in good company  Maybe we should start a biz called Chicken Commander and we could have a reality tv show called Chicken Dynasty? Whadda ya'll think? Red neck enough for you?

Fighting Summer Colds

I think I found out why I was so dang-dog tired last week.  I was coming down with a cold.  I don't believe I've ever had a summer cold before.  Winter colds... check, spring colds... check, autumn colds... check, but never a summer cold.  I guess there really is a first time for everything.

Usually I get colds during the change in seasons where temps and weather are varying by large degrees.  That might also explain why I picked up this one. We had a week of 90 degree temps with really high humidity.  We didn't run air conditioning so we were HOT! Now we are having a week with mid-60 to mid-70 degree temps.  My body evidently couldn't process the change very well.

The virus that causes a summer cold is the same that causes any other at any time of year. The symptoms aren't any different.  You may be tempted to think that this is allergies but I've been fighting those all summer (and still am) along with the added dragged behind a bus feel of a cold.

How do you fight a summer cold?  The same as a winter cold:
1.Wash your hands often.
2. Drink plenty of fluids... I like Yogi's Echinacea Immune Support and cold season teas infused with lemon and honey.  Also plenty of water with lemon in it.
3.Get plenty of rest... supervise summer activity instead of participating.
4.Eat well... take advantage of the bounty of summer fruits and veges (especially berries) and the nutrition they have to offer!

There is one different treatment for a summer cold...
5.Lay out in the sun! (It's a rough life, I know.) Let the sun's natural vitamin D do its thing.

So while the kids are weeding today,  I will lounge in the sun and sip iced lemon water.  Perhaps this cold thing isn't so bad after all.

Beating The Heat!

Highs for the week are in the 90's with a heat index pushing what the temp. feels like to more around 100!  It is hot, humid and we are going AC free by choice (well actually by budget).  But we still found ways to beat the heat...

 City daughter and Tay sat by open windows and doors, under a ceiling fan.

 Grandma and Grandpa chose outside in the slight breeze under the shade trees.

 

 Andi and Rem chose the coolest place in the house... Downstairs in the craft room.

 

 My favorite place is a little redneck...

 

  ...but it's cool!

 

 Reagan likes the creek too!

 

Even the chickens chose shade!