Home Ec for tough times(heftt)

Not to come off all doomsday-ish, but the financial financial difficulties many are facing will not end anytime soon. (Yeah, I've said all this before.)
Rather than panic, I chose to get creative. Its been an incredible learning experience. I have totally redefined what I think of as 'want' and 'need'.

Wastefulness is rampant in our lives but we have been blissfully unaware of it. Re-thinking the art of 'home-making' is a good part of the solution. For years, magazines have been telling us to keep up with trends. Food trends keep us buying expensive ingredients and pricey meals. Decorating trends have us constantly dissatisfied with our homes. More money goes out for new curtains, rugs, paint, or furniture. Clothing trends mean a yearly dumping and re- buying of wardrobes for some people. We go through acres of toilet paper, tissues, napkins, paper towels and paper plates. Even though my family's finances minimize some of these issues, there is plenty of room for improvement.

First, I started buying in bulk. Lots of rice, beans, flour, and sugar. Also lentils, salt, brown sugar and honey. Next came the gardening. Lots of good, healthy food provided for my family. Then canning, dehydrating, and freezing. Also the making of our own cleaning products. Cheaper and healthier than store bought cleaners. And the foraging of local foodstuffs.

But it wasn't enough. For some reason, I just wasn't satisfied. It didn't feel like enough. Thoughts of self-sufficiency kept circling 'round my brain. Then came the goats. We purchased two Nubian does to provide milk for drinking and for making cheese. And possibly goat's milk soap as well. They are currently 'shacked up' with a male in hopes of breeding. Whether or not this will be a successful or worthy endeavor remains to be seen. More on that as it develops.

Fall came, the gardening ended, and things were quiet for awhile. Then something really cool happened. Friends taught me to crochet. My daughter learned as well and we are hooked.
(No pun intended) I didn't realize just how handy this was going to be until the holidays came and I found myself with no money for presents. No money? No problem!

William got a handmade scarf, as did Paxson. I also made and gave away hats and (my favorite) a crocheted coffee cup sleeve. It fits on those drive-thru coffees, protects your hands and is environmentally friendly.

Sewing was a blessing as well. I don't sew very well, but I do some basic things. So out came the bamboo pattern fabric and I made a lovely set of napkins and a tablerunner. Add $3.00 worth of pretty green chopsticks from the local Asian store to complete the set. A supercool easy-peasy gift.

Lest you start rolling your eyes, lets get something clear right off the bat. I am not, I repeat NOT, creative, artsy or handy. Although many of my friends are. (You know who you are: Kimmy, Dawn, Annie, Danielle, Shannalee, Jeri, etc.) All of this could not have been thought of or made to happen without the inspiration and help of God. So please don't be intimidated if you are thinking of trying something new. Especially if it benefits your home and family. God will bless a worthy endeavor.

Now then, I 've all of that just to say that this will be a recurring theme on the Eating Oregon blog. Many of the aformentioned tips will be discussed in greater detail with recipes or instructions if necessary. This category will crossover a lot with the whole Urban Homesteading theme as well as the Eating Oregon theme. And forgive me if I've mentioned most of this before. I'll turn 40 in May, blame it on age.

So, anyone out there want to write an article for the blog or send a recipe or tip? email it to :
ellenjeffery@verizon.net

-E

Anyone out there have great moneysaving

Pictorial Update

What better way to celebrate the holidays than by dressing up your cat? See the festive glittery accents of this stunning scarf? A 'must have accessory' for any cat. Note his look of thinly disguised glee.



















Max plays blocks with Dante'. She's taking it rather well, I think.

Eating Cookies............

........by the Christmas tree, in the warm glow of the fireplace. Max is playing, Dante' is crocheting, I am holding my husband's hand. The older boys are playing video games downstairs and the house is quiet, peaceful.

For now we are happy, healthy, well-fed and free. We are blessed by God and will not take even the small things for granted. Wishing your family the same.

gratefully,
Ellen

Coastal Christmas Tree

About a year ago I saw this amazing Christmas tree in a magazine and wanted to do it myself. Someone who lives near the beach had done their entire tree in shells. It was gorgeous!

This year our family went for the same look and had a blast.

No, it was not expensive. Shells were less than $10 at Walmart.

No, it wasn't hard. We hot glued fishing line to the shells and hung them on the tree with regular ornament hooks.

It was fast, easy and cheap. And so cute.
The big question was, "Now that we've done this to the tree, what do we use for a tree topper? Then I had an idea. The two large, blue starfish we used to decorate Paxson's birthday cake would be perfect. (See the July 11, 2008 post named 'birthday party'.) So Phil took wire and fashioned a coil for setting them atop the tree. Dante' and I dumped loads of hot glue between the two of them with the wire in between. Thus, the tree topper.

Now, I'm pondering adding to it. Should I hang pine cones? Tie plain raffia bows? Any ideas?


Happy Holiday Season,
-EJ

The latest

Whats new at our house? Crocheting. It seems everyone is jumping on the bandwagon. My oldest son, Richard , has now started and has surpassed us all. Just today he was giving instructions to an experienced crafter and he has only been doing this for a week! Sigh, it took Dante' and I awhile to get comfortable with the whole thing and then someone else comes along and makes it look easy.

Given the rough economy we are all about having a homemade Christmas. So everyone has been busy knitting scarves , hats, and fingerless gloves. Somewhere there is a repository for displaced glove "fingers". I'm sure it is located next to the bureau of unmatched socks.

On any given day you can find Dante, Richard, or myself hunched over a crochet needle, muttering. We go to stores and ogle all the expensive, soft yarns.

The pics here are not very good. My camera is 3/4 broken. In short, clinging to life by a thread. But you get the basic idea. The little book pictured is a simple project sewed for Max for Christmas.

Last night we went to a choir concert at shoreacres to hear William sing. He did very well and it was a beautiful night.

This afternoon we (Ok, "I") caved and cut into the fruitcake. It was tasty enough for me to eat way too much and feel chagrined.

Tonight we did the tree, but that will be a separate post. All is well at home and we are Grateful to God for His provision.
Peace,
-EJ

Spirits in the Material World

We are not human beings having a spiritual experience. We are spiritual beings having a human experience.
-Teilhard de Chardin

Random quote #2

The Autumn Sonnets Part 2

If I can let you go as trees let go
Their leaves, so casually, one by one,
If I can come to know what they do know,
That fall is the release, the consummation,
Then fear of time and the uncertain fruit
Would not distemper the great lucid skies
This strangest autumn, mellow and acute.
If I can take the dark with open eyes
And call it seasonal, not harsh or strange
(For love itself may need a time of sleep),
And, treelike, stand unmoved before the change,
Lose what I lose to keep what I can keep,
The strong root still alive under the snow,
Love will endure -- if I can let you go.

by May Sarton, from "Selected Poems of May Sarton" 1978

* Note: Photo and quote from http://languageisavirus.com/may-sarton/film_and_audio_photo_gallery.php

George Maxwell Jeffery

Maxwell has three older brothers and one older sister at home. All of them teenagers. This has afforded him a decided edge in language development. Paxson and I have always loved the fine art of "word-smithing", and it appears Max will be no exception. Even still, this little boy has the ability to completely stun me. Not with his big, multi-syllable words. Not with his intellectual concepts. But with the beautiful , simple expression of a three year old.

Last week, Max brought me to near tears by proclaiming "I'm really enjoying growing up." Wow. That is the first time I have ever been told that. It was the nicest thing I've ever heard.

Just this evening, as we walked from the van to the house, Maxwell's little voice from behind me offered "This is a nice place to grow up." Stunned again.

I am generously told "I love you" and even "your beautiful" by my little one on a regular basis. Then he directs me to keep quiet about it. "It's just our little secret" he tells me. Fine with me.

So, if you wouldn't mind, please don't tell anyone. Its just our little secret.
grins,
-EJ

what we've been up to

Tonight new friends Paul and Joanie came for dinner. Good friends Joy, John, and Melissa came as well. It was a lot fun. Amazingly, I was still able to pull together enough greens from both gardens for a salad. A few straggling swiss chard leaves from the community garden, and a few tiny lettuces from the front yard.

Dante' and I have acquired a new skill. Our friends Dawn, Annie, and Shannalee taught us to crochet. It is really quite addicting. Not easy at first, then so much fun! My first finished project was a tiny dishcloth. Dante' easily topped me by making two of them and turning them into a potholder. Nicely done.

The pictures here represent the last efforts of our garden and the first efforts at crocheting. Please note Maxwell's french radishes. He grew them himself and is so proud of them.

Also pictured are the cranberries Dante and I canned ourselves. They look so bright and beautiful.

Pumpkin ravioli with wild mushroom sauce

Dante' and I had a kitchen full of chanterelles and hedghogs and used them to create this fabulous recipe!

PUMPKIN RAVIOLI WITH WILD MUSHROOM SAUCE

1 can pumpkin puree or equivalent from fresh, baked, boiled or steamed pumpkin
1 small container ricotta cheese or cottage cheese
1 package wonton wrappers
2 sticks of butter
1-2 tbsp sage
approx. half a pound of mixed wild mushrooms, or whatever you can get at the grocery store

In a medium bowl, mix the cheese with the pumpkin. Salt and pepper to taste.
Fill each wonton wrapper with a very small amount of filling and use a finger dipped in water to seal the edges tightly. Lay filled ravioli in a single layer on greased waxed paper or foil to prevent sticking.

Next, melt two sticks of butter in a large sauce pan. Add sage to taste. Add mushrooms and gently cook til mixture is reduced slightly. Keep warm.

In the meantime, bring a large pot of water to boil. At a full boil, drop in 4-5 ravioli at a time. They will float to the surface when they are done. Remove and put back on the waxed paper or foil.

On each dinner plate, mound a few ravioli, topping with the mushroom mixture.

Eat Well!
-EJ