tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28661140620405645192024-02-21T05:40:46.671-08:00Marvelous Mud Washing MachineH0MEFreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12669698443668256569noreply@blogger.comBlogger214125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2866114062040564519.post-64259089181976784612019-03-18T11:48:00.003-07:002019-03-18T11:48:45.744-07:00Mountain Wildflower<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtyWcETUKrj1Pa4MQdyvRcnHCLq7ItM4_ZLEntebS_omcmEimORWmqyoGd5v96rPFQx6wwySSf4Mg84d4rPsHV-wcf2VxHJQrCM-8pHDF-nnY475xUC4klNY4k80L7YPGO8TfCUnSeCTc/s1600/CrimsonColumbine-RWR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtyWcETUKrj1Pa4MQdyvRcnHCLq7ItM4_ZLEntebS_omcmEimORWmqyoGd5v96rPFQx6wwySSf4Mg84d4rPsHV-wcf2VxHJQrCM-8pHDF-nnY475xUC4klNY4k80L7YPGO8TfCUnSeCTc/s320/CrimsonColumbine-RWR.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Crimson Columbine wildflower in the Cascade mountain range at 1450 elevation.H0MEFreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12669698443668256569noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2866114062040564519.post-68022087575776841462018-01-17T19:24:00.000-08:002019-03-18T12:14:20.762-07:00Fermenting Food For Your Chickens and BEST OF ALL... Saving Money!Life on the farm for the chicken can be dull and routine except for the occasional discovery of a large grub all for herself. She might live in a dreary coop most of her days, she may find herself regularly chased by the neighbor’s dog, she might witness a serial killer raccoon wipe out her household or endure relentless daily torment from a bossy hen above her on the pecking order.<br />
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How is a chicken to get away from it all, get some R&R? You know really let loose?<br />
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I submit to you, The Chicken Speakeasy.<br />
Imagine 25 chickens tipped and hopped up. The poultry party could go on all day and the barnyard full of poultry drinking songs. You may have extra chickens showing up at your doorstep asking for vacancies.<br />
What? Yes, sort of, but they are not drunk. I would not do that to my birds. Just a joke here.<br />
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In my search for cheaper feeding of my working laying birdies, I ran across great information on self-feeders, maggot breeding stations, cracked corn, and rotational grazing. All of these methods are pretty good and all merit attention. Someday soon I will be making the maggot feeder. What caught my eye was the “wet feed”. When you feed your poultry the standard pellets they are dry. The theory is that the chickens will consume more food if it is dry and then drink great quantities of water. Simply add water to the feed pellets and they are fuller faster and eat less. If we stopped right now and this is all you took away from my article, you would be a blessed poulterer indeed. Because it is true. I know it is because I have seen this myself. But wait a minute there is more.<br />
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Further study started to reveal some interesting information. Folks were adding apple cider vinegar to the birdy drinking water to reap lots of benefits. They were also sprouting or fermenting the grains they were throwing out to their poultry. Oh yes. First thought I had was, “These people must worship their chickens.” And they may actually do that, what do I care. But the fact is that the reduced food consumption may outweigh the costs of spending so much money on grain. On our place we do not worship or pamper the ducks and chickens. No grain. They get Layena, kitchen scraps and forage to their little hearts content. Pretty good, I think. I started mulling all these ideas around and eventually thought- What if I fermented the Layena pellets? Turns out that I am not the girl genius who first thunk it.<br />
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In any case, I followed the basic instructions a gal gave for fermenting her grains she threw to her Cornish Cross meat birds. A couple days later I had some seriously rockin’ poultry feed ferment going on and decided the party was going to begin.<br />
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Upon my approach to the coop that morning I was greeted with hello songs. When I poured the slop in the pan, they were looking at me like I forgot something. No one touched it. Sigh. Whatever… you can just stay in there until you eat it. No foraging for you! Next day I waited until afternoon to check on them just to make sure they had gotten hungry enough to eat the food. I got my customary happy greeting and when I dumped more hooch in the pan they all dove for it like there was a sale at their favorite store. Wow. These birds were already hooked. Even my ducks liked it. The Chicken Speakeasy was in business. <br />
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Since I began this I have seen my feed rate drop to an unscientific "guesstement" of about 60% of what I used to shell out. Around these parts a 50lb bag of Layena is $18 and I fully expect that price to skyrocket this year with the corn issues and drought. This is why I searched for answers in the first place. The bonus is that my birds are healthier, happier and the coop smells better too.<br />
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Okay so how does it work?<br />
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This project will take you 5 minutes and $10. Less if you have stuff lying around.<br />
1 – 5 gallon bucket $3<br />
1 – 5 gallon Lid $2<br />
1 – 2 gallon bucket (free at the bakery)<br />
1 – quart bottle Bragg’s ACV $5<br />
1 – Drill<br />
Water<br />
1-100 Chickens who want to party<br />
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Basic instructions are you start with a plastic trash can and a 5 gallon bucket, if you have a large flock of birds. Smaller operations can just use a 5 gallon bucket and a 2-3 gallon bucket. Whatever the case, you will need a lid for the larger container to keep out the unfriendlies.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnR5rw3o1p7Luw4HJO_2NpaRtxUlytYUlsmUmNcUkP8EhH_XAlRL99-aqc-o3nszv_VY0fwpXWpKcqDK29yV55PMm_ylFPBNVa1IlE20mcW24im3j86xlqLpx3H9HnVMojee0tQTGFFnE/s1600/CF-eneer-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Fermented Chicken Feed Fermented Goat Feed Fermented Goat Feed" border="0" data-original-height="259" data-original-width="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnR5rw3o1p7Luw4HJO_2NpaRtxUlytYUlsmUmNcUkP8EhH_XAlRL99-aqc-o3nszv_VY0fwpXWpKcqDK29yV55PMm_ylFPBNVa1IlE20mcW24im3j86xlqLpx3H9HnVMojee0tQTGFFnE/s1600/CF-eneer-2.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha1WJOorJmvL6wqc3lQOvz0zzVEfQ-LiKW3JXuHDKCAatZ3WrISyUKbJG1nJNqMSjgv0tO_j3ZLxNOUoFDdQ-yJlWTKXsNW7G30ed47-8rrXg14s8BDNMalrEJIXql7ImAUU1CWg1bvbM/s1600/CF-eneer-1.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="339" data-original-width="300" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha1WJOorJmvL6wqc3lQOvz0zzVEfQ-LiKW3JXuHDKCAatZ3WrISyUKbJG1nJNqMSjgv0tO_j3ZLxNOUoFDdQ-yJlWTKXsNW7G30ed47-8rrXg14s8BDNMalrEJIXql7ImAUU1CWg1bvbM/s320/CF-eneer-1.JPG" width="283" /></a></div>
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Drill a lot of holes in your smaller bucket bottom and up the sides. My picture here shows the holes drilled only on the bottom. You need small holes or too much feed comes through the holes when it gets lifted out. Plenty of holes will ensure enough water escapes when you lift it. You’ll see why soon. Dump a couple cups or a quart of apple cider vinegar (ACV) into the larger bucket/trash can. The ACV must be unpasteurized. The most commonly found brand is Bragg’s. Fill your bucket or trash can no more than half the height of your smaller bucket. Now fill your small bucket about half full of feed: grain or pellets or a mix. Push it into the water ACV until it floods through the drilled holes. Looks nasty? Just wait, it gets worse. Put a lid on that thing and I recommend you put it in your garage. Not in the house and not outside where something may get into it. I let my lid breathe it a bit.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFMHdu0GL9qyDGzkeyU5_t-sFD1sm05lxCWmHupHEBwQwwZtNNoP5XRC-jgQSsLvmX8vOsPpw3hbs3CYQQ3b6C9_r5J7kWC8Cvzvn2uXbRezDo4-pRkp5z3dzqu5_VnCXDMLGgokvbvFg/s1600/CF-eneer-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Fermented Chicken Feed Fermented Goat Feed Fermented Pig Feed Fermented Livestock Feed" border="0" data-original-height="259" data-original-width="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFMHdu0GL9qyDGzkeyU5_t-sFD1sm05lxCWmHupHEBwQwwZtNNoP5XRC-jgQSsLvmX8vOsPpw3hbs3CYQQ3b6C9_r5J7kWC8Cvzvn2uXbRezDo4-pRkp5z3dzqu5_VnCXDMLGgokvbvFg/s1600/CF-eneer-2.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
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(The basic set up before ACV and water)<br />
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Some folks love the smell of ACV- I am one of those “interesting” people who do too. When you check the fermenting feed in a couple days, it should be ready to feed your eager birds. You know it’s ready if it is bubbling. Give it a gentle stir just to see what going on. Yep, it smells stronger. Perfect. Carefully pull your small bucket up and let it drain out as much liquid as you can. You could lay a couple sticks across your larger bucket and set the draining bucket on that to save your fermentation liquid. Come back in 20 minutes. My first attempts at draining were NOT with my revolutionary-amazing-super stick trick. Hah! I made a mess of it those times. More holes drilled into the side of the smaller bucket also help drain off the hooch. Add more water to the larger bucket if you need to, possibly every day.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizYO53TJDiQ6N5Tu_rqWvvlQ088aWyiVEEc8E5X6J53Y6UVuBccDhd87IXGL6NVvnj2bA3n3iZz40QjhUyqJnv5imdsDzLX2SwjHy6zSbFbA7gRU1-_FjqENoEEghY0ixr_Ft5lOJwzSA/s1600/CF-eneer-4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Fermented Chicken Feed Fermented Goat Feed Fermented Pig Feed Fermented Livestock Feed" border="0" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizYO53TJDiQ6N5Tu_rqWvvlQ088aWyiVEEc8E5X6J53Y6UVuBccDhd87IXGL6NVvnj2bA3n3iZz40QjhUyqJnv5imdsDzLX2SwjHy6zSbFbA7gRU1-_FjqENoEEghY0ixr_Ft5lOJwzSA/s1600/CF-eneer-4.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF2qXjbDGsEKjK8ZGNW2I0XpB6n98q4_jhTRd2IBKaghhA7cV0cmg-58oIOPgOznaENQsfJRsYH8XLg4Wd7IoZWRtG9Jt8NpK9hmm7AnSvOt1fOSxV7UspY2tS9e0Z7VHvfqRPioJ7cGw/s1600/CF-eneer-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Fermented Chicken Feed Fermented Goat Feed Fermented Pig Feed Fermented Livestock Feed" border="0" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF2qXjbDGsEKjK8ZGNW2I0XpB6n98q4_jhTRd2IBKaghhA7cV0cmg-58oIOPgOznaENQsfJRsYH8XLg4Wd7IoZWRtG9Jt8NpK9hmm7AnSvOt1fOSxV7UspY2tS9e0Z7VHvfqRPioJ7cGw/s1600/CF-eneer-3.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
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(Your ferment could look either way, but pic#1 is ideal)<br />
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After the first batch, you will get faster results because you have more fermented liquid to work with. One day should be fine to complete fermentation. Keep the stuff out of the cold weather to speed up things. You do not need to empty all the fermented feed out of the bucket before adding more pellets or grain to start working.<br />
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If you like the small 5 gallon bucket size and want to have more feed available for use you could always make more than one system. They are small and store anywhere.<br />
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OR go bigger- and use a half sized outdoor trash can. Get one of the shorter types so you can reach in easily. The interior bucket could be the 5 or 6 gallon size. Be sure to drill plenty of holes as this will be heavy to lift out. Either that or you will end up scooping with a nice strong colander. Nothing wrong with that. Just plan ahead.<br />
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When we get any other livestock (working animals) we plan on fermenting anything we give them too. Fermented and cultured foods are extremely beneficial for people. Now folks are giving it to their animals so they may share in the benefits. This has been a huge success for our farm and we want the success to continue.<br />
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Now that you know, what are you waiting for? Make your own Chicken Speakeasy!<br />
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<br />H0MEFreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12669698443668256569noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2866114062040564519.post-84220762013092601072015-10-20T19:06:00.000-07:002016-02-05T11:36:20.933-08:00My Cup Overflows. What it means to be truly thankful<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnqvng1Fqd-I31Zxabal93Q2Jjochw_4stwggKNlfiJd2helQvtNAhK6wfyfa4mFk4IdTBt598terLNHz01xgMlvXzLmoUFzPhqKyRcUNkjOOQhtXJEelgY7k6HWCGKJYhQz4U_kahRuk/s1600/glassoverflows.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnqvng1Fqd-I31Zxabal93Q2Jjochw_4stwggKNlfiJd2helQvtNAhK6wfyfa4mFk4IdTBt598terLNHz01xgMlvXzLmoUFzPhqKyRcUNkjOOQhtXJEelgY7k6HWCGKJYhQz4U_kahRuk/s320/glassoverflows.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<b><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Reposted by request</span></span></b><br />
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So comes the time of year where we endeavor to reminisce about what the Lord has done for us this last year. We think about the blessings He has laid upon us. As King David laid awake in bed at night, he remembered and recounted the goodness of the Lord in his life:<br />
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<i>On my bed I remember you;
I think of you through the watches of the night.</i> <span style="font-size: x-small;">Psalm 63:6 </span><br />
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What a wonderful thing to do- to meditate on His faithfulness, His goodness. And a wonderful thing to teach our children to do as well. Not only at night in our beds, but all the day long.
(<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=deut%206:1-7&version=NKJV" target="_blank">Deut 6:6</a>)
In our family we do not celebrate hallow33n or the controversial "harvest parties" that coincide with Oct 31st. If Christian families wanted to celebrate the harvest of the Lord or play dress-up, why on THAT night when there are 364 others? I am not really asking anyone that question, I know that if they really are honest with themselves and God, they will know the answer. But I digress... <br />
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However, we DO spend a great deal of time in October and November preparing our hearts for the coming King, which we celebrate in December. Much time is spent giving thanks, reflection and in praise <i>before</i> December.<br />
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This year (<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">2012</span>) in particular, we have a long list of thanks and praise. I personally just had a near miss with death and will be with my family here on earth longer. A couple months ago, my grandmother gave her life to Christ only 3 days before she died. My husband has had a major financial breakthrough at work last week and our list of praises goes on.<br />
Two days ago, I was literally laying in my bed as King David did. I was alone and thinking in the dark and suddenly became overwhelmed at how thankful I am that the Lord has spared my life to stay and serve my immediate family longer. In that moment, I had no thought for myself whatsoever, after all <i>I</i> would have been in Heaven. Nothing bad about Heaven, folks! No loss for me to go- only gain. BUT... my only thoughts were of how my immediate family needed me and I was truly humbled right then and there. Humbled by the honor to be reserved here to continue to serve them.<br />
It was a God moment.<br />
A moment like that is hard to really convey to another person the depths... or rather how deep and wide the implications and understanding you had in that tiny instant. True revelation, I guess you could say. In any case and however you might <i>say</i>, I have been made keenly aware once again how<br />
not even a day is guaranteed to us;<br />
how good through and through the Lord is;<br />
my conviction to press on toward the mark has been rekindled<br />
and also, interestingly and unexpectedly, I saw myself in the mirror in this last couple weeks. I was disappointed in a few things, but I was surprised at how clear and unpolluted my motives were in the rest of my "closet" when the Lord shone His light in there. Maybe that was an additional gift from God. How could that be a gift? Reason why is that, honestly, I doubt myself and my personal walk a lot. I always wonder in the back of my mind somewhere, "<i>Am I really desiring what the Lord wants? Am I selfish in these ambitions? Is my heart truly running after Him?</i>" He has eased my fears of this, at least for now, and at the same time He gently showed me my weak areas to work on. What a good Father He is. Makes me love Him all the more.<br />
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Clearly I have a lot to be thankful for. I know you do too. Won't you make these two months special and tell God how much you love and appreciate Him? Sort of like a romantic anniversary you may have with your husband. Love on Him!<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">originally posted 10-12-2012</span></span></div>
H0MEFreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12669698443668256569noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2866114062040564519.post-75157969060078711462015-02-18T09:57:00.000-08:002015-11-19T19:35:51.006-08:00Stop! Don't eat that! -- What foods are the worst for pesticides? The Dirty Dozen<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEirAsFFP7s1b-Kcbe-fXM25HVyHUgXeOH0lTlcuHTK3h6fSKfIgoNdylTDo4v5jglCMZjh8Yz75BTlU5UBj09HPnc_klS8b8HLppPjJisquFc_RCdUcqqPjsR8zwmGVDYJSFahNvPyZN3QmYKri76LMN7XaNBRpzi1KAK_xEe4fJR4t2bZgkjTELQz6mdlbMg=" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Dirty Dozen Infographic" border="0" src="http://d4h0mkqj50y6.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/DirtyDozenInfographic.jpg" style="width: 100px;" /></a>If you are trying to feed your family better... more healthy, more whole food, less bad fat, less GMOs, less pesticides and so on, then you will appreciate this new info-graphic that has been released.<br />
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There is a lot of information here but they have attempted to make it easy for all of us to scan quickly.<br />
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For me, I always knew that grapes were "naughty" so I never buy them. Like never ever. Washing them would be impossible. Which is sad because I absolutely adore them. So do my children. I also knew apples had junk on them, but I figured washing them was good enough.<br />
Now I am rethinking that.<br />
Just washing them is not going to do it. These chemicals are IN THE FOOD. Part of it's make up. <br />
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I don't want to fly off in a paranoid frenzy, that's just <u>not</u> me. <br />
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However, now I know even more how important my garden is and that I need to ensure that these foods need to be grown myself. <br />
This is for my family.<br />
It's <u>my</u> job to make sure what they eat is safe and healthy.<br />
If I can't afford to buy it, that's no excuse because I could always grow it... whether in a garden plot, backyard or in containers. <br />
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Do you know that 25 strawberry plants are only $15-$25? If you buy the "everbearing" type then you will have strawberries all spring, summer and through fall. Surely you'd have paid yourself back many times. Plus they grow most anywhere and come back every year!! They even send runners so you can propagate more plants or give them to your friends or a family in need. Maybe you can post them on Craigslist for free or for a few bucks? Just don't throw them away. Buy them from a smaller company like <a href="http://www.territorialseed.com/category/fruit_strawberries" target="_blank">Territorial Seed</a>, if you can. Their strawberries are $17.50 for 25.<br />
Tomato plant starts are $2.50-$4 for a 6 pack. Folks, tomatoes are $2-$3 a pound in the store for un-organic. You can do the math yourself to see you are a winner no matter how many tomatoes you get off just one plant. There is no beating homegrown tomatoes.<br />
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In any case, you can see that you can make a difference. EVERYONE can grow SOMETHING. The Lord made it easy for us. In today's world there is a lot of free info on the net and youtube videos on every kind of growing method or plant variety.<br />
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Your family deserves it.<br />
YOU CAN DO THIS! <br />
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[You can click the poster here to see it larger. Then you hover your mouse over and enlarge.]<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">http://d4h0mkqj50y6.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/DirtyDozenInfographic.jpg</span></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Stop the presses! </span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I ran across this amazing jam and just knew the whole world needed to know about it! Stop everyone you see and send out the good news! Hearts everywhere have been dreaming of this and now it has come to fruition! So, let your joy filled heart say, "Yes!" and run to your kitchen. In no time you will have such a delectable delight that angels will sing and grown men cry.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Maple-Bacon Jam</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Sweet, salty, smoky, spicy and down right tasty bacon jam that is the definition of YUM! This bacon jam goes well on toast for breakfast and makes for a great condiment in sandwiches and burgers of all sorts! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Servings: makes 1-2 cups (Recommend you DOUBLE or triple!) </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Prep Time: 10 minutes </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Cook Time: 1 hour 50 minutes </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Total Time: 2 hours </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Ingredients </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">1 pound thick smoked bacon, cut into 1 inch pieces </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">1 large onion, sliced </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">4 cloves garlic, chopped </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">1/4 cup cider vinegar </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">3/4 cup coffee (brewed) </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">1/4 cup brown sugar </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">1/4 cup maple syrup </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">1/4 cup bourbon, optional </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">1-2 chipotle chilis in adobo, chopped </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">1/2 teaspoon cumin
pepper to taste </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Directions </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Cook the bacon in a large sauce pan an over medium heat until the fat has rendered and the bacon starts to get crispy and set aside, reserving 1 tablespoon of the grease in the pan.
Add the onions and saute until tender, about 5-7 minutes.
Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about a minute.
Add the vinegar and deglaze the pan.
Add the coffee, brown sugar, maple syrup, bourbon, bacon, chipotle chilies, cumin and pepper, reduce the heat and simmer until reduced to a syrupy consistency, about 1-2 hours. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Process the jam in a food processor to smooth it out a bit but not too much as you want to have the texture of the bacon.
If you do not finish it all in one sitting, store it in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 4 weeks. </span>H0MEFreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12669698443668256569noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2866114062040564519.post-17530580433795098942013-07-01T07:43:00.000-07:002015-11-19T18:48:20.991-08:00A Passionate Christian Marriage: How To Have It & Keep It<b>A Passionate Marriage: How To Have It and Keep It</b><br />
<br />
<a href="http://sparkthismarriage.com/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="http://sparkthismarriage.com" class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-120" src="http://sparkthismarriage.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/sparkthismarriage-happymarr.gif?w=150" height="150" style="margin: 4px 5px;" width="150" /></a><b> </b>When we first become engaged to the woman or man of our dreams, we envision a certain amount of perfection that will follow in our marriage. We see our life filled with smiles, laughter, passionate kisses, maybe some children. We don’t dare imagine life without a few little bumps in the road, because after all we are trying to be honest with ourselves.<br />
What happens after we say “I Do” is where the rubber meets the road. All of our hopes and dreams we have separately, jointly and even unspoken ones… all join together. The brightness of a newly married life and romantic adventure wears off a bit. After years it may fade away completely.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://sparkthismarriage.com/" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="sparkthismarriage.com christian lingerie" class="size-thumbnail wp-image-119 alignright" src="http://sparkthismarriage.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/sparkthismarriage-happyfami.gif?w=150" height="150" title="http://sparkthismarriage.com christian lingerie and marriage help" width="150" /></a> Why would this happen? Why is it accepted as part of the way things are when you get married? As Christians, we should immediately reject that <u>lie</u>. We should understand that marriage is a life long romance that requires us to be vigilant to guard it and our hearts. The enemy of our souls is seeking to kill and destroy and <i>our</i> marriage. Christian Marriage, tops his list of things to destroy.
There are a lot of reasons why he does this. Mainly because marriage is holy before God and he hates everything called holy. Another big reason is that when we are married before the Lord, we are blessed, strong and bonded in unity. Literally that must make the devil’s skin crawl.<br />
<br />
When we remember all these things, we should stand a bit taller and be ever more committed to protect and strengthen our relationship with our husband or wife.
We know that satan prowls about like a hungry lion and breaking a godly marriage is pretty delicious to him.<br />
So, how can we strengthen and protect our marriage from that?<br />
<br />
It takes a hard and focused stand on the issue. We must eliminate everything, yes every thing, that comes between the husband and wife relationship. If our marriage is full of bickering there is a struggle for power in the marriage. That will take some serious denying of your flesh and giving God control. If we are spending too much time or too much money on “things” or “hobbies” then cut that out too. Sensual movies, sensual books, victorias secret (forms of porn!) have no place in your marriage. Ever. Don’t fool yourself if you think you are not affected by it. Your eyes & heart should only be for <span style="text-decoration: underline;">your</span> sweetie. God’s word is clear on the matter.<br />
<br />
Our children, according to scripture, are NOT ahead of our spouse or the Lord.<br />
The Biblical order to your priorities is: <br />
1. God<br />
2. Husband/Wife<br />
3. Ourselves<br />
4. Children<br />
5. Other family, Friends, Serving in Church<br />
6. Exterior world<br />
<br />
<a href="http://sparkthismarriage.com/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="http://sparkthismarriage.com christian marriage help, lotions, books, lingerie" class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-126" src="http://sparkthismarriage.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/sparkthsimarriage-belovedis.gif?w=150" height="150" style="margin: 5px;" width="150" /></a>When we are at worship practice 3 nights a week, playing cards or out with friends frequently, shopping for kicks, on the net chatting or facebooking, texting, at soccer practice & games, pta meetings, television, netflix and so on… we are spending way too much time NOT being married or a family. We have our priorities out of whack.<br />
<br />
It then makes sense that we will have a cascading failure of our marriage and family!<br />
<br />
If we take the time to prioritize our walk- God first, Our husband or wife second- then our life will shift back into proper focus. No longer will chaos, busyness, fighting, power struggles, passive aggressive remarks and behavior, sexual problems in the bedroom and our children’s behavior plague us. All of these things do straighten out if we genuinely turn all of this over to the Lord.<br />
<br />
On the subject of our bedrooms, it is a taboo topic for some reason in the Church. Secret sin abounds in this area. It is not a place to manipulate, coerce or avoid and make excuses. The marriage bed is pure and holy and good and safe. A place of trust and intimacy. God says so in Song Of Solomon, “Drink deeply!” Passion and romance are very good and He wants us all to have it. When we begin to treat our husband or wife like they are a treasure to us, with honor, with adoration, we will see a change. Make an diligent effort and do it regularly. Progress may be slow at first, but keep praying and keep up the good work.<br />
Your marriage is worth it. Every little step counts. If you need help, a fantastic book “<a href="http://sparkthismarriage.com/the-love-dare.aspx" title="http://SPARKthismarriage.com">The Love Dare</a>” is available at the <a href="http://sparkthismarriage.com/" title="http://SPARKthismarriage.com">link here</a>.<br />
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<br />
H0MEFreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12669698443668256569noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2866114062040564519.post-54574451629951465682013-02-03T20:03:00.000-08:002015-11-19T20:05:17.444-08:00Culturing and Fermenting: Kombucha <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTLKLV1aA304ld5HKxsO5I9e5pq-n6gio9BmA0wUbHCXb8LzY9lEYAhfYZXhVTuQmN_42otnyPzoNTcpuYyzbqwjsz84MP6MzD1H9e-GAzqq-T1yzLWbLGFAeSdCrffjG4Hr1-54udDho/s1600/kombucha-1.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5657228487031057538" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTLKLV1aA304ld5HKxsO5I9e5pq-n6gio9BmA0wUbHCXb8LzY9lEYAhfYZXhVTuQmN_42otnyPzoNTcpuYyzbqwjsz84MP6MzD1H9e-GAzqq-T1yzLWbLGFAeSdCrffjG4Hr1-54udDho/s320/kombucha-1.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 188px; margin: 0 10px 10px 0; width: 250px;" /></a></span>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Culturing and Fermenting: Kombucha
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Several years ago, I was talking with someone about culturing and fermenting and she introduced me to the word “kombucha” with a brief description of what I needed to do to feed and culture kombucha. Intrigued, I went home and looked up more information. For those not currently doing culturing or fermenting do a little exploring on the subject. There is an entire underground community sharing information on this topic. “Nourishing Traditions” by Sandy Fallon talks a great deal about kombucha and all sorts of fermenting and culturing. The book in general is a great self-sustainable person’s resource which covers many subjects that are not limited to culturing. The Weston A. Price Foundation (WAPF) is a wealth of information, too. Kombucha is mega healthy. It cures quite a long list of surprising health issues. Most of us do not get enough fermented or cultured critters into our bodies to maintain our systems correctly anymore. In our family, My husband and I drink it and the children are always asking for it. You just can’t keep enough on hand so if you start making it, double your recipes after your first batch or two.
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Kombucha. Well, what is it? It is often described as a mushroom (but its not one) or more accurately a probiotic bacteria & yeast colony. Its job is to create a lovely beverage for you. As culturing goes, the super hero in question here is ugly, phlegmy in appearance and looks like it should be thrown out upon first sight. You will soon fall in love with it’s slimy slippery goodness that creates a delightful super-healthy beverage resembling sparkling apple cider with a hint of apple cider vinegar tang to it. No lie. It is amazingly delicious and you are missing out.
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Wait a minute, did I say slimy and slippery AND delicious in the same description? Yes. I did. The actual beverage you would drink is not slimy- only the probiotic colony that creates the drink is. The kombucha “tea” created is refreshing whether lukewarm or cold. Some folks even drink it hot and that would be great too, but it would kill off any live critter goodness in the drink.
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">When I received my first kombucha mushroom or scoby (S.C.O.B.Y.: Symbiotic Colony of Bacteria and Yeast) I was having some thoughts of backing out. I confess, I too did not have love at first sight. After following the standard directions, I put the whole ensemble in the pantry and hoped for the best but had my doubts. About 10-14 days later I pulled out the jar, pulled off the cloth covering the opening and surveyed the landscape. Toledo! I was -not- going to consume that. After confessing my dismay on a culturing forum, they laughed at me and pretty much dared me to try it. That worked and I poured a bit of the kombucha off into a glass and sipped. No, I did not die but I sure was surprised! And a kombucha believer was born that minute.
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Kombucha scobys live off of the caffeine made by black tea and white sugar. That means the scoby eats the caffeine and sugar and replace it with live critter probiotics, so rest assured you are not getting a sugar/caffeine buzz here... or consuming scads of white sugar, which many people avoid at great costs.
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Okay now, are you ready? Strap yourself in for some pictures to go along with this kombucha “tea” extravaganza, folks.
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">First you will need to acquire a scoby, a large gallon glass jar, very clean muslin or flour sack fabric (about 8 x 8 inches), wooden or plastic spoon, some regular black tea bags, white sugar. You do need white sugar and yes your tea must be black with the caffeine still in it. These are the rules for a happy scoby and a happy scoby will show you love in return.
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Wash your hands. Boil about 15 cups of water. Pour off some into a glass, heat tolerant jar of some kind, preferably a 4 cup measurer for convenience. Two or three cups will do.
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Place 10 tea bags in this water you poured off. Let sit 10 minutes and squeeze the tea bags out well without breaking them.
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Pour your 1 ½ cups white sugar into the gallon jar and add your concentrated tea mix. It is important to stir sugar in until completely dissolved.
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Now cool everything to room temperature. We don’t want to kill our new best friend before we even get started, right? Sure she looks like a snotty pancake, but give her a break! She works hard. It usually takes a couple hours to cool down so allow yourself this time in your day when you make a new batch of kombucha.
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">[Note: whenever you stir or transfer or decant kombucha or touch the scoby in any way, you cannot use metal of any kind. Wood, plastic or your clean hands only.]
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Pour your large portion of cooled water into the gallon jar but leave about 2-3 inches head space. Wash your hands again. Your scoby is anxiously awaiting her new home, go find her now. Open the scoby packaging or jar carefully and pour off any liquid INTO your lukewarm sweetened tea concoction and take care with your scoby that she does not get too excited and jump right in too. Gently assist your scoby into her new cozy sugary caffeineish home. I highly recommend you use your hands to help ease her in. Just look at her in there! She’s happy. You did it!
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Get your square of clean muslin or flour sack and place over the jar opening and secure with a nice thick rubber band. Grab a post-it and put today’s date with “10 teabags, 1 ½ cup sugar” and put it on your jar.
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Place your jar in a closet or your bedroom if it is dark in there, where no one will be harassing her as she’s working.
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">After 10 days carefully bring her back to the kitchen, it’s show time. It’s your turn to be brave now. Do you have a nice clean turkey baster or a plastic ladle? Get it out. Take your cloth that keeps fruit flies, spores, dust and all manner of yuckness off your jar. There she is. Scared? Don’t be. Gently slip your baster or ladle along the inside of the jar edge to retrieve some kombucha and put it in a cup to try. Go ahead! See, I told you! She was worth it wasn’t she?
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">If you find the current stage of culturing is still a bit too sweet, cover her back up and put her back to work in the dark pantry you had her in. Check on her in a few days and repeat the process. My family likes kombucha “brewed’ for about 3 weeks. We like the sweet and slightly sour tang and increased effervescence. Like sparkling apple cider.
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Now we are at decanting stage. Pull your scoby and any slimy stringiness out and place her in a nice cozy glass bowl. Use a slotted spoon if you must to get a decent amount of any stringy things.
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Ladle or pour your kombucha into pint size canning jars and use the standard lid & band combo. Pint size is perfect for drinking and not too much fizz is lost between partaking. Tighten well to keep the bubbles in there or it goes flat. Flat is fine, just not as good. Put a few in the fridge to start chilling if you like it cold. No refrigeration is necessary. You do need to know though that the longer it sits the more vinegary it will be but usually that is a couple months when it becomes too tart. At least for us. If we find it is a bit too strong we add a bit of water to our glass and it’s fine. Guess you could use your too tart kombucha as a hair rinse or in salad dressing.
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Reserve some kombucha as starter to go back into your new batch you are making now.
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">You remembered to prep your water and tea all day first for your scoby to go live in again, right? After all, she can’t be homeless. You'll need to have her home ready in advance of decanting.
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Let’s look at your scoby now. Notice how she seems to have two parts now? Like she divided? The scoby you found floating on top of the kombucha tea is the “baby” and the scoby thing below it, perhaps on the bottom of the jar is your “mother” scoby. The mother is the original scoby you put in there, the baby is your new scoby. Good news: You can use BOTH scobys. Gently separate them if they are attached in some way.
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Here are different examples of a scoby mother not floating on top while her baby is on top. Various combinations do occur though.
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Give one away to a friend you know will be a good adoptive parent OR make 2 gallons of kombucha this time. Put the baby in one jar and the mother in the other. Simple. Both work and love just the same. Some people actually put “extra” scobys in the compost or out to the chickens. Don’t do such a thing. There are people everywhere scratching and clawing to get one. No one should ever have to pay $20 for a scoby. Share the love.
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Enjoy the adventure. To your health!
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>H0MEFreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12669698443668256569noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2866114062040564519.post-6780782808614887672013-01-29T14:14:00.000-08:002015-11-19T20:03:25.090-08:00The Great Purge... De-Crappification 2013: Part 1 (Parts 1 - 6)<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://cdn.morguefile.com/imageData/public/files/j/jppi/preview/fldr_2005_01_11/file0001135644184.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://cdn.morguefile.com/imageData/public/files/j/jppi/preview/fldr_2005_01_11/file0001135644184.jpg" height="200" width="150" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Here it is. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">My honest, open, nitty gritty journey chronicled here on my blog for all to see.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">I touched on it a bit in the <a href="http://marvelousmudwashingmachine.blogspot.com/2013/01/getting-rid-of-crap-for-real.html" target="_blank">last post</a>, where I ranted about crappyness, clutter, time
wasters, new techy gadgets and Facebook. Where I urged all of you out there in
the world to also say, "Enough is enough!" </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">I don't want
a minimalist lifestyle or some new agey zen or feng shui jazz going on. That
stuff is not from the Lord. I want less. Less stuff, less mess, less belongings.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">If my
life is full of busyness, too much activity, too much belongings, too much
drama... then I am not genuinely free to serve the Lord and I am too self
concerned. If I am honest with myself then I know that to be true.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Did I
already <b>freak</b> you out? </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Then </span>I gotta tell you this: </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">When you are purging, you do a
<u>lot</u> of thinking. You think about why you have held this stuff and how much
money and time has been wasted on it. You think about a lot of things. </span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Today I am
decluttering and purging again. I think I am doing it every day except Sunday.
It is nice to have only 1/4 of the toys we had a couple months ago and to have
less crap in general. When I have ditched a lot of stuff out of a drawer or
cabinet, I have taken the extra time to wipe it down with cleaner. That extra
step is not really decluttering and minimizing my belongings, but it felt good
to have it done. No one “saw” the mess ...or sees that it is now clean... but
it looks clean to me because I know I just cleaned it. Hah! Kinda funny. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">I have been trying
this last 2 years to get a hold of my clutter problem and I literally have a
spotless house compared to what I used to have-- but<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> I know </i>what normal standards are and I still have a long way to
go. One of the big motivators for me is that whatever our future home on a farm
will be, it is sure to be a whole lot smaller than we have now. Probably without
a garage to stuff things into also. The other big motivator is that I keep
hearing over and over that less stuff means less stress and less cleaning and
more of the "appearance" of clean. I seriously would like that
instead of freaking out all the time that my house is a disaster. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">EDITED TO A<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">DD <span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">all <span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">P</span>arts of the <span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">adventure</span>:</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"><a href="http://marvelousmudwashingmachine.blogspot.com/2013/01/getting-rid-of-crap-for-real.html" target="_blank">Getting Rid Of Crap For Real</a></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"><a href="http://marvelousmudwashingmachine.blogspot.com/2013/01/the-great-purge-de-crappification-2013_3.html" target="_blank">Part #2</a></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"><a href="http://marvelousmudwashingmachine.blogspot.com/2013/02/the-great-purge-de-crappification-2013_3.html" target="_blank">Part #3</a></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"><a href="http://marvelousmudwashingmachine.blogspot.com/2013/02/the-great-purge-de-crappification-2013_20.html" target="_blank">Part #4</a></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"><a href="http://marvelousmudwashingmachine.blogspot.com/2013/03/the-great-purge-de-crappification-2013.html">Part #5</a></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"><a href="http://marvelousmudwashingmachine.blogspot.com/2013/03/the-great-purge-de-crappification-2013_24.html">Part #6</a> </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"> </span></span> </span></div>
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<![endif]-->H0MEFreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12669698443668256569noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2866114062040564519.post-14397317687767233442013-01-25T15:37:00.005-08:002015-11-19T19:44:19.973-08:00Getting Rid Of Crap... for real<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">My project over the last couple years has been to reduce our belongings. You might call it minimalism. I call it de-crapping. Six people in one home-- wow, just wow.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Over the last 3 months, I have resolved to get really SERIOUS about it. It's working. My goal now is to ditch 1/3 of our stuff by summer. I'm having a lot of fun but it is <i>h a r d</i>.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I already hate new fancy touch phones/iPads/tablets and foofoo gadgets and Facebook and all that junk. I quit FB about 2 years ago, the drama and privacy issues drove me batty. It wastes time too. So when I say I hate that stuff, I mean it. I do not <i>partake</i>, as it were. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I watch almost everyone at stores and malls walking around texting, head bent down as they walk around. Nearly every person. Start watching for yourself. Couples sitting together at restaurants both lost in their own phone on FB or texting or whatever... who <i>really</i> knows but them? So much for having any relationship or actually communicating face to face. (<i>Hey, lady! Your husband is sitting right there! You know... the guy you've been facebooking and texting all day?</i>) Maybe you've heard of texters walking in front of cars? </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I see all of this as related to becoming less crappy. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">ELIMINATE the crap, folks. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The air is cleaner and clearer without your dang foofoo phone. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">You LIFE is cleaner and clearer without it. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Ditch it.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Here is a great and hilarious related post you may enjoy by J Smith.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The Short, 16-Step Guide to Getting Rid of Your Crap</span></h3>
<br />
<div style="float: right; margin: 0 0 10px 10px;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://inoveryourhead.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/201204271620.jpg?e83a2c" width="240" /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Yay, it’s Friday! Time to head home and relax after a week of hard work..</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>1. Enter the front door of your home.</b> Toss off your shoes. Notice, lying beneath, a pair of boots you have worn only once. Shrug.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>2. Turn on the television and sit on your Ikea couch.</b>
Attempt to relax. Awaken 20 minutes later, realizing that you’ve been
passively flipping through channels. Turn off the TV, remove the
batteries from your remote. Toss them in your Blendtec blender. Stop
yourself moments away from doing something drastic.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>3. Briefly fondle the iPhone in your pocket.</b>
Stop yourself, realizing you were about to do the exact same thing with
Reddit as you just did with TV. Call and cancel your data plan in the
nick of time.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>4. Begin to wonder what people did before television and internet access.</b>
Observe the room around you, looking over the unread books and
unwatched DVDs lining your dusty shelves. Consider shopping, then
picture the unworn clothes occupying your cavernous walk-in closet.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>5. Realize your imagination has turned all black and grey.</b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>6. Suddenly recognize that you haven’t used your “spare” room… ever.</b>
Do the math and realize said room is costing you five or six hours of
work per month. Take out a piece of paper and compare it to that trip to
Japan you’ve been meaning to take. Stare at the math in disbelief.
Stuff the paper in your mouth and begin to chew.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>7. Realize that the brief emotional rush that accompanied the purchase of each item in your home is now gone,</b>
leaving only the object itself in its most basic, uninteresting form.
The gorgeous, pastel designer couch has become simply a chair. A
beautiful glass buffet is transformed into a mere table. A set of
immaculate handmade dishes has aged into nothing but a bunch of plates.
Your goose down duvet is actually just a blanket. Wince.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">8. Glance down at your groceries and realize that <b>the Doritos, Lay’s, and Ruffles you purchased are all just coloured corn and potatoes.</b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">9. Open your credit card bill. Wide-eyed, <b>discover how often you’ve confused shopping with actual extra-curricular activities.</b> Consider joining a monastery.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">10.
Remember that time you went over to a party in a friend’s
pseudo-abandoned loft. Recall the roommates, the self-made art and
photos on the walls, the obscenely cheap rent, and <b>the embraced simplicity.</b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">11. Begin to make a quick list of the top 10 things you own in terms of how much they cost. <b>With horror, make a second list of the top 10 things that make you happy.</b> Sense the creeping dread as you realize there is no overlap between the two<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2866114062040564519"> </a><b>at all</b>. Shudder in terror.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">12. Decide to have a <a href="http://www.theminimalists.com/21days/day3/">packing party</a>
like your friend suggested one time. Take the old sheets you never used
from Crate & Barrel. Cover all your stuff with them. Endeavor not
to uncover it unless you decide you need to use it. <b>Realize suddenly that you would never use anything at all because you are never actually home.</b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">13. Remember a time in childhood when you were more excited by <b>ideas, love, travel, and people than by anything else.</b> Realize that you have, somehow, bought into a new religion, and that <b>malls, from the inside, look exactly like cathedrals.</b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>14. Consider starting a fire.</b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">15. Consider that, perhaps, you are more than just your stuff. Begin to take a long walk. <b>Breathe.</b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>16. Begin to relax. Give yourself the freedom to begin to dream again.</b></span><br />
<br />
<br />H0MEFreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12669698443668256569noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2866114062040564519.post-41051116374498451582013-01-24T15:34:00.000-08:002015-11-19T19:44:19.988-08:00The Great Purge... De-Crappification 2013: Part 6<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">All of this time I have been purging and tossing and recycling, I have also been keeping an eye on a section of my garage that has been harboring a potential money maker for my family. The stacks of boxes and odd shaped things that would not quite fit into boxes were neatly and patiently waiting for me to get around to handling them. </span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://i543.photobucket.com/albums/gg456/AptsForRent/yard_sale.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://i543.photobucket.com/albums/gg456/AptsForRent/yard_sale.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Most of it, about 90%, is the stuff that did not sell at our unbelievably massive garage sale last summer. Okay, I know what you're thinking. No, it is not crap that is not fit for a thrift store. We don't try to yard sale or donate any junk.. that stuff is in the trash where it belongs. What actually happened was that after our very successful money making sale (yay!!!), we sorted the stuff out that simply were worth way too much to just donate. Most of it was boutique clothes that yard salers won't buy because they are looking to spend 50 cents on a Hanna Andersson dress or "high end" wooden toys and so on. (Umm no thank you, I'm not a fool.) The donate stuff went in several van loads to the donation drop. The boutique type high end stuff went into my special stack to await the local consignment sale. As I have been purging my home, I have added the top drawer type stuff to the stack. </span><br />
<a href="http://www.ittybittyboutique.org/IMG_8885-2_op_800x533.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Every decent size town has a consignor sale. At the very least, a consignment </span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.ittybittyboutique.org/IMG_8885-2_op_800x533.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="http://www.ittybittyboutique.org/IMG_8885-2_op_800x533.jpg" width="200" /></a>store. We have a few around these parts. Do a quick search on the net for your area. Most sales, you will find, charge the consignors 35% of their take plus a "building rental & advertising" fee. The <a href="http://www.ittybittyboutique.org/" target="_blank">one I chose</a> only takes 30% and has a $12 fee. Higher than I prefer, but better than other sales AND the sheer number of customers looking for exactly the kind of stuff I have <b>will</b> be there, with cash in hand. People wait in long lines to get in.</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.ittybittyboutique.org/publishImages/VolunteerWorker~~element146~~0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="100" src="http://www.ittybittyboutique.org/new_pix_hanging_clothes.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">If you want to do something like this, there are some things that might help you decide if you have the potential for making your time worth it.Your items for sale must not be recalled or have noticeable wear or stains, of course. The pricing can be the easiest part. The hanging your items as per the rules and the cataloguing/printing/hanging tags is the real pain in the hiney. Not to mention, time sucker and living room messer upper. Then you must bring all your goodies in, usually at a pre-arranged appointment. They will check your stuff to make sure it is acceptable. (The check in gals told me usually 25% of the items submitted are rejected. I only went home with 7 or 8 things, so they kept making comments on how nice my stuff was. Made <i>me</i> feel good!) The appointment times fill up as soon as the sale gets posted pretty much, so register that part asap after you agree to their terms.</span><br />
<a href="http://www.ittybittyboutique.org/IMG_8833-2_op_800x533.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">All told, I spent three days preparing for this sale. When I say three days, I </span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.ittybittyboutique.org/IMG_8833-2_op_800x533.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="http://www.ittybittyboutique.org/IMG_8833-2_op_800x533.jpg" width="200" /></a>mean 7ish am to 7 or 8pm. My item count was around 325. That's twenty "banana" boxes full of clothes on hangers and toys. My dollar amount if everything sold and I did not have to pay any fees was $1100. While the sale is going, you can monitor the progress of your items being sold online at the end of each day. Kind of a nice feature. I'm not sure how many consignment sales can do that. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Now that the sale is over, I am happy to report I sold 265 of my items! Yay! All of my toys sold. Wow! Now I just wait for my check to come in the mail a couple weeks from now. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">BONUS! My house has a lot less stuff in it and I am "free" of it. Not to mention, I made some serious money off of it!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />I will keep purging my home and continuing this project of de-crapping. I have far exceeded my goal of getting rid of 30% of our stuff. I am very pleased with myself. It's a good thing for me and my family and... my house <b>is cleaner</b>.</span>H0MEFreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12669698443668256569noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2866114062040564519.post-73874550904538331652013-01-06T11:09:00.000-08:002015-11-19T19:44:19.996-08:00The Great Purge... De-Crappification 2013: Part 5<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.earthineer.com/upload/wheelbarrow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="117" src="http://www.earthineer.com/upload/wheelbarrow.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16.0pt;">Americans
tend to accrue crap. <br />
<br />
How many pairs of shoes do you really need? Isn't 10 coffee mugs a bit
much? I
believe 5 farming/work shirts is plenty. Do you actually need your old
boyscout
uniform or 4 boxes of Christmas stuff? Ticket stubs? 10 pictures on a
shelf? More than one toothbrush? Or the broken down car in the yard that
will never get fixed? Or broken <i>anything</i>, for that matter?<br />
<br />
You need a neutral eye when assessing whether your things are crap or wise
possessions. </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16.0pt;"><i>Keep the emotions out of it. Let it go</i>. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16.0pt;">Sometimes I need to pray and ask the Lord to help me do this. I still struggle on some days.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16.0pt;"><br />
My goal is to ditch 1/3 of our stuff. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16.0pt;">If
you can't downsize by a third, go for 1 out of every 10 things. It's a start.
You will be surprised at what you can get done.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16.0pt;">As
they say...<br />
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">There is power, freedom and meaning to be
had if you live a life with less stuff and less attachment to the stuff. Fewer
possessions means less consumption, less damage to the planet, less cost, less
maintaining, less cleaning and more time, money, fun, freedom and fulfillment.</i><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16.0pt;">Less
stress.<br />
It's freeing.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16.0pt;"><b>Some
tips that help </b>are to start in one room and pick a corner and work clockwise
around the room. <br />
Get 4 boxes to keep with you: <br />
Recycle, Trash, Give Away, Yard Sale/Craigslist.<br />
<br />
Resolve to spend at least 15 minutes a day doing this. Set a timer and stop at
the ding. Some people will do 15 or 30 minute increments more than once a day.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16.0pt;">If
that overwhelms you- <br />
Try to make it a goal to get rid of a bag a day. Even if it is just a little
grocery size bag. Or you could go for a trash bag a week.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16.0pt;">EVERY
LITTLE BIT HELPS. It adds up fast.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16.0pt;">Going
back into rooms and areas and forcing myself to re-examine belongings to
hopefully purge has been fairly productive. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">** </span>Here
is some of what I have been up to:</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-size: 16pt;">Purging toys, toys
and more toys until all we have is building toys (Kinex, Legos, Zoobs) and
pretend play toys that encourage children to play together like Melissa &
Doug wooden food, little animals & lizards, small wooden Melissa & Doug
doll house, Playmobil farm set, a few babydolls, Matchbox/Hotwheels cars. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: 16pt;"></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><i>Result?</i> Happier kids.
Happier mom. Cleaner house. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: 16pt;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-size: 16pt;">I tackled our
"junk" cabinet and "junk drawer". These were a
procrastinator's nightmare. <br />
Old cell phone chargers, super glue, CDs, tools and all kinds of stuff. Tools I
use to put new batteries in stuff or do quick household fixes are now in a
special plastic clip-lid box and labeled. Batteries are in their own tin and labeled.<br />
DONE.<br />
<br />
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span></span></span>Also did our front entry closet. With six people it gets so bad. (If I can get my
husband to part with at least half of his hats, we'll be rolling.) Several adult
coats, extra gloves, children coats and various other items are gone now.</span><br />
<br /><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-size: 16pt;">7 more plastic
bins/totes from the garage emptied.<br />
<br />
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span></span></span>6 boxes from garage done. One of which was really tough due to it being desk
type papers and so sorting it was a pain.</span><br />
<br /><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-size: 16pt;">Highschool yearbooks,
memorabilia, all memory stuff from when I was a child, baby memory stuff from
my own children. Kept 1 baby blanket for each child. Kept all photos.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 16pt;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-size: 16pt;">A hard one has been all
love letters and cards kept over the years. My husband is a very sweet, loving man and is not afraid to tell me what I mean to him. I love that! The result is I have a lot of his declarations in boxes and drawers. Now these are systematically being recycled
when I find a stash of them. I make sure to reread them before getting rid of
them. The tangle I had with it all is that I felt some guilt about letting them
go, like there was some coldness in it or rejection of the love my husband had
and has for me. I realized that I am not being fair to myself, because I am
completely confident in my marriage, my love for my husband and his love for
me. Keeping all those Valentines, Birthday, Anniversary, Mother’s Day cards
letters and so on is excessive, especially when you’ve been married as long as
I have. My husband is still keeping the ones from me. <br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
</span><br /><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-size: 16pt;">Snow clothes gone
through. Purged 3 outgrown snow-bibs, snow gloves and snow hats. Everything else
is still good to keep and not excessive.<br />
<br />
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span></span></span>1 teen chair "confiscated" and going to thriftstore donation.<br />
<br />
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span></span></span>More CDs, big people books, clothes, etc going too. Not sure how many boxes. </span><br />
<br /><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-size: 16pt;">At one point I had
counted 180 children’s books but I am way past that now because the 180 books
were in 6 boxes and I have purged over 11 boxes of books. That’s a lot of
books, folks. <br />
<br />
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span></span></span>First Aid duffle bag has been sorted and condensed for easier use. Medicine
cabinet cleaned out.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 16pt;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-size: 16pt;">Shoes for the kids
checked for sizes. Husband let go of some shoes.<br />
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;"> </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span></span></span>Husband put up hooks on garage wall for all our backpacks.</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt;"> </span><br />
<br /><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-size: 16pt;">Kid “dress up”
clothes purged completely (wow!) except for 1 girl princess dress with play purse and
gloves, 1 boy knight outfit and 1 older boy Davy Crocket jacket and coon cap.
Kept all the swords, play pistols.</span><br />
<br /><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-size: 16pt;">Toys all
re-decluttered. Big step was purging all the LeapFrog LeapPad books and
cartridges and the LeapPad units and the carrying cases. Lots of money invested
there but it was time to let go.</span></span></span>H0MEFreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12669698443668256569noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2866114062040564519.post-27225358579901233962013-01-05T11:56:00.000-08:002015-11-19T19:44:19.984-08:00The Great Purge... De-Crappification 2013: Part 4<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16.0pt;">I
inventoried my deep freezer with my sweet husband's help. <br />
<br />
We had to organize it and purging food that had gone bad in order to make an
inventory sheet. It was a good day for my chickens. They got some yummy freezer
burned food.<br />
<br />
My inventory is a low tech list system where on graph paper I have the item
named and then under it I have used a highlighter to fill in the number of
squares of that item I have in stock. As an item gets used out of the freezer,
I draw a line through a highlighted square under the appropriate item. It's
easy to add new squares to with a highlighter pen if I buy more. Adding new
squares is easy at least for a while and then I will need to make a new sheet.
It does not have to look beautiful. Now a clipboard sits on my freezer with
boxes to check off as I use something out of it. It's working so far.<br />
<br />
Every time you open your freezer, you lose all that wonderful frozen air you
paid for. It costs you money. <br />
<br />
It also adds moisture to the inside of your freezer which then freezes and
brings you closer to needing to defrost. I hate defrosting my freezer.<br />
<br />
If I could "see" what I have in my freezer without opening it and
digging around, my hands would be warmer, deciding what to cook would be
easier, I'd waste less energy and I probably would not over stock my freezer
anymore.<br />
<br />
I am going to make a genuine concerted effort to keep up this new inventory
system. It makes sense.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16.0pt;">I’ve
never been a chotchky person, you know… someone who puts cutesy things on
shelves that they’ve collected or photos of their family all over the walls. I
have zero stuff like that. When I have received stuff like that as gifts, I am
sad because I know that I will be getting rid of it as soon as I can. One time
someone bought me a wooden sailboat with a scripture printed on the sail. They
knew I was a Christian and walked into a Christian store and bought this
“thing” for me believing in some naïve way that anything Christian would make
me happy and satisfy their obligation to give a gift. Ugh. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16.0pt;">Shouldn’t
there be a rule? Don’t buy perfume, books, music, clothing or collectibles for
someone unless they specifically ASK for it? But I digress.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16.0pt;">So,
it’s not collectible thimbles from pancake houses around the world that I
simply cannot part with. That is not my problem. Forgive me if you do that. I
can’t stand that sort of thing. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16.0pt;">My problem is the
accumulation of crapitude. </span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16.0pt;">One
reason that has been the bane of my life- for what seems for forever- is that I
have four children that are really widely spaced in ages. Not a problem, of
course. The problem is that it goes girl, boy, girl, boy. Hand me downs then
are then held a long time in boxes in my garage waiting for the next
appropriate gender child to grow enough. After a child is done with the clothes
in their size, I get rid of my non-favorites and nonessentials. The rest go
into a plastic tote to store. I often ask myself why would I hold a box for so
long? I could, in theory, get rid of all of it and then re-buy all of it later.
I can’t bring myself to do it. The expense of it is so high in my mind! </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16.0pt;">Clearly
I am not ready to cross the purge bridge with my hand me downs. Maybe soon that
will change.</span></div>
<br />H0MEFreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12669698443668256569noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2866114062040564519.post-72580441745352921402013-01-03T07:50:00.000-08:002015-11-19T19:43:50.143-08:00The Great Purge... De-Crappification 2013: Part 2<b><br /></b>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">“<span style="color: #d5a6bd;">Organizing is often well-planned hoarding.</span>” </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Recently I
read this statement and it stuck in my mind. I think about it in relation to
myself and realize that in many ways I still <u>do</u> keep things I should let
go of. I've spent my whole life drowning in a clutterific mess and then
periodically hitting a crisis moment where I freak out about it and then buy
organizing bins, labels and stuff to help control my clutter. I also take a
bunch of stuff to a donation center and recycle lots of magazines and papers.
Eventually it all comes back and the cycle continues. </span><br />
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</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://hgtv.sndimg.com/HGTV/2012/05/29/Original_Alejandra-Costello-bungee-cord-closet-storage_s3x4_lg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://hgtv.sndimg.com/HGTV/2012/05/29/Original_Alejandra-Costello-bungee-cord-closet-storage_s3x4_lg.jpg" height="200" width="150" /></a></div>
<a href="http://hgtv.sndimg.com/HGTV/2012/05/29/Original_Alejandra-Costello-bungee-cord-closet-storage_s3x4_lg.jpg" style="float: right;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-no-proof: yes; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"><span style="mso-ignore: vglayout;"></span></span></a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">On the
other hand, a couple of years ago, I turned a corner personally with being able
to ditch stuff. I never understood that holding on to stuff was a personal
issue, not a stuff issue. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">I have
come a long way. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">A really
long way. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Unfortunately,
I still have a long way to go. Understanding <i>that</i> about myself and not
wigging out about the length of time this process is taking me is a sign I am
growing. Maybe it is that I am getting older, too. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Further
victory: I do not buy crap to add to my home. Gifts for my children are well
thought out, household gadgets and tools are minimal. I do not
"craft" any more, just sew. Only genuinely useful <i>needed</i>
things. When the usefulness has passed, the item must leave. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">People who
hoard or pack rat often say, “What if I need this in the future?” There are
very few items that <i>actually will</i> have a future use. That is if I am
honest with myself. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Isn’t
purging and cleaning about being honest? </span><br />
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<![endif]-->H0MEFreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12669698443668256569noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2866114062040564519.post-10981453345579981502012-10-16T16:09:00.002-07:002012-10-16T23:40:15.234-07:00My cup overflows. True ThanksGiving<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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So comes the time of year where we endeavor to reminisce about what the Lord has done for us this last year. We think about the blessings He has laid upon us. As King David laid awake in bed at night, he remembered and recounted the goodness of the Lord in his life:<br />
<br />
<i>On my bed I remember you;
I think of you through the watches of the night.</i> <span style="font-size: x-small;">Psalm 63:6 </span><br />
<br />
What a wonderful thing to do- to meditate on His faithfulness, His goodness. And a wonderful thing to teach our children to do as well. Not only at night in our beds, but all the day long.
(<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=deut%206:1-7&version=NKJV" target="_blank">Deut 6:6</a>)
In our family we do not celebrate hallow33n or the controversial "harvest parties" that coincide with Oct 31st. If Christian families wanted to celebrate the harvest of the Lord or play dress-up, why on THAT night when there are 364 others? I am not really asking anyone that question, I know that if they really are honest with themselves and God, they will know the answer. But I digress...<br />
<br />
However, we DO spend a great deal of time in October and November preparing our hearts for the coming King, which we celebrate in December (although not like you may presume). Much time is spent giving thanks, reflection and in praise before December.<br />
<br />
This year in particular, we have a long list of thanks and praise. I personally just had a near miss with death and will be with my family here on earth longer. A couple months ago, my grandmother gave her life to Christ only 3 days before she died. My husband has had a major financial breakthrough at work last week and our list of praises goes on.<br />
Two days ago, I was literally laying in my bed as King David did. I was alone and thinking in the dark and suddenly became overwhelmed at how thankful I am that the Lord has spared my life to stay and serve my immediate family longer. In that moment, I had no thought for myself whatsoever, after all <i>I</i> would have been in Heaven. Nothing bad about Heaven, folks! No loss for me to go- only gain. BUT... my only thoughts were of how my immediate family needed me and I was truly humbled right then and there. Humbled by the honor to be reserved here to continue to serve them.<br />
It was a God moment.<br />
A moment like that is hard to really convey to another person the depths... or rather how deep and wide the implications and understanding you had in that tiny instant. True revelation, I guess you could say. In any case and however you might <i>say</i>, I have been made keenly aware once again how<br />
not even a day is guaranteed to us;<br />
how good through and through the Lord is;<br />
my conviction to press on toward the mark has been rekindled<br />
and also, interestingly and unexpectedly, I saw myself in the mirror in this last couple weeks. I was disappointed in a few things, but I was surprised at how clear and unpolluted my motives were in the rest of my "closet" when the Lord shone His light in there. Maybe that was an additional gift from God. How could that be a gift? Reason why is that, honestly, I doubt myself and my personal walk a lot. I always wonder in the back of my mind somewhere, "<i>Am I really desiring what the Lord wants? Am I selfish in these ambitions? Is my heart truly running after Him?</i>" He has eased my fears of this, at least for now, and at the same time He gently showed me my weak areas to work on. What a good Father He is.<br />
<br />
Clearly I have a lot to be thankful for. I know you do too. Won't you make these two months special and tell God how much you love and appreciate Him? Sort of like a romantic anniversary you may have with your husband. Love on Him!<br />
<br />H0MEFreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12669698443668256569noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2866114062040564519.post-6812994465069366412012-10-16T08:59:00.003-07:002013-02-03T07:38:55.033-08:00Soul winning<h3>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">"Any objection to the carryings on of our present gold-calf Christianity is met with the triumphant reply, </span></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">'<i>But we are winning them!</i>' </span></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">And winning them to what? To true discipleship? To cross-carrying? To self-denial? To separation from the world? To crucifixion of the flesh? To holy living? To nobility of character? To a despising of the world´s treasures? To hard self-discipline? To love for God? To total committal to Christ? </span></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Of course the answer to all these questions is no." -A.W.Tozer
</span></span></h3>
H0MEFreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12669698443668256569noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2866114062040564519.post-2205669225530108572012-10-02T15:15:00.000-07:002013-02-03T07:40:05.734-08:00If you love your family, you'll check this out. Seriously.<center>
<br /><object height="385" width="640"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/BIVVL43qPXY&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xd0d0d0&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><br /><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/BIVVL43qPXY&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xd0d0d0&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" width="640" height="380"></embed></object></center>
[<i>Video features empty grocery store shelves and people actually fighting for food and water to put in their carts, waiting in line for stores to open with limited restock, people waiting in car lines for water only to find they ran out, gasoline lines and outages and so on.</i>]<br />
<br />
No joke. This is real.<br />
<br />
Please prepare for your family now. Emergencies and disasters are commonplace now, no matter where you live.<br />
<br />
Do you have a backpack with a flashlight, batteries, granola bars, water, rain jacket, whistle and prescription medications in it? <a href="http://www.ready.gov/make-a-plan" target="_blank">FEMA</a> recommends every person has their own backpack with some basic items to ensure that the person has what they need in an emergency. They also say every home should have a few days of easy to prepare food (nonperishable) on hand and 1 gallon of water per person per day. The <a href="http://www.redcross.org/prepare" target="_blank">RedCross</a> may not be able to get to you for many days. Their websites have information and ideas of some things you may want to have in a closet ready to use just in case. <br />
<br />
This is my project right now for my family. I've decided that I have procrastinated long enough. I am trying to collect things I have around the house and put them together in one box for an emergency. My main worry is an earthquake, but there are areas around the world where hurricanes, tornadoes, typhoons, snow & ice blizzards and floods are concerns.
<br />
<br />
Check out this short instructional video explaining the key steps to emergency preparedness, including: being informed, making a plan, building a kit, and getting involved. <br />
<embed allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" bgcolor="000000" flashvars="file=http://www.fema.gov/system/medias/10350/original/GENERAL_COMP_FINAL_MIXv3.flv&image=http://www.fema.gov/system/medias/10352/original/general.jpg&plugins=http://www.fema.gov/medialibrary/captions&captions=http://www.fema.gov/system/medias/10810/original/GENERAL_ENGLISH_CAPTIONSv4.xml&captions.state=false&captions.fontsize=18&captions.back=true" height="260" src="http://www.fema.gov/medialibrary/player.swf" width="462" wmode="transparent"></embed>
<br />
<br />
<br />
Another neat thing - If you have a fancy phone, you can download these neat apps!
<br />
<a href="http://www.redcross.org/prepare/mobile-apps" target="_blank"><img src="https://american.redcross.org/images/content/pagebuilder/NEW0036-mobileapps_ad.jpg" /> Red Cross - mobile apps</a>
<br />
<br />H0MEFreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12669698443668256569noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2866114062040564519.post-34363326921494907682012-09-30T16:43:00.000-07:002012-09-30T16:44:02.693-07:00Lawlessness and The Church<span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">Though there are plenty of important discussions debating the semantics of whether or not Christians are subject to the Law, as given by Moses, that is not my subject today.<br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;color:#99ffff;">Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint; But happy is he who keeps the law.</span><a href="http://www.zionfire.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/raisethestandard.jpg"></a><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;color:#99ffff;">Proverbs 29:18<br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">When you think of someone who does not keep the law, what do you see? Is it a stereotype you imagine, a rough looking individual? Does the phrase “cast off restraint” make you think of Mardi Gras in New Orleans? At its most basic definition, lawlessness means without law. That does not necessarily mean against the law. It is a very important distinction we must see.<br />The spirit of lawlessness has borders that might surprise the average believer and there are some very interesting ways this spirit affects people. In fact, it may shock you to hear that most people today have it. A spirit of lawlessness has paved the way in the hearts of men to think and do a myriad of appalling things.<br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">The subject of lawlessness goes deep and has far reaching ramifications. The distance of which, we as the Church, underestimate.<br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">To begin with, God makes the rules. He set the laws of nature, of what is love, what is holy and so on. He set them all, regardless if we accept them as true or not. We cannot rewrite the laws, the standard, that God set into motion. But that is exactly what we try to do. We are ridiculous and head strong.<br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">Each of us has our own personal concepts and our personal defining of what is right and wrong, even in light of scripture we do this. We actually put our individual self on the scale of righteousness. Like a shade of gray on the spectrum from black to white. If Adam did that and shifted the awareness of his own sinfulness and need for the Lord and then next generation shifted that a notch down the ladder? Multiply that from generation to generation further on the scale away from holiness. Our “perceptions” are so far off the mark now that we are standing neck deep in sin and claim we are barely up to our ankles. <br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;color:#99ffff;">“And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold.”<br />Matthew 24:12<br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">This personal standard (pure invention) of right and wrong sets up an entire panorama of justification for sin and perception on who is in error. Yes, it means hating God’s law in many cases (some would argue “all cases”), but this lawless spirit goes farther. Some of it is along the lines of ‘what is right for you is not what is right for me’ but that is way over simplified. Really that is just the first layer. The foundation being- we as creatures are steeped in sin and we refuse to conform or obey ANY standard unless we ourselves judge it to be acceptable. By doing that- we are setting our own laws– not conforming, but instead copying portions of a premade set of standards. Creating our own new set, and because these new laws are our own, we can flex them and bend them to allow ourselves to still be “sinless” in our own eyes and therefore above judgment. What a set up! We are fooling ourselves. It is exactly as if we are plugging our ears and singing “Free To Be You And Me” as loudly as we can, all the while believing that butterflies and sunshine await us when we die. Denying truth and embracing the lie.<br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;"><span style="color:#99ffff;">Jesus said, “I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!”<br />Matthew 7:23<br /></span><br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;color:#99ffff;">“Therefore as the tares are gathered and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of this age. The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness, and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.”<br />Matthew 13:40-42<br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">We cannot reject God’s law without consequence. We are not above judgment. We are not sinless. We do not set the standard. So then, what can we do? Can we correct this gross distortion our society (and the Church) is entrenched with? Perhaps. I believe we need to start within each of ourselves and teach our children as well. We must pull in the reigns on our ideologies. Correct our vision. We must get on our faces before the Most Holy and pray for revelation:<br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;color:#99ffff;">Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint; But happy is he who keeps the law.<br />Proverbs 29:18<br /></span><a href="http://www.zionfire.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/raisethestandard.jpg"></a><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">When we receive revelation FROM GOD, we see clearly. The false perceptions we have fall off like scales from our eyes. Restraint becomes very important suddenly… Righteous living, or rather living within the standard that God has set, has enormous significance as a result. Therefore, our personal relationship with the Lord will intensify and deepen. One by one, we raise the societal standard of righteousness and holy living… OR one by one we each lower that standard.<br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">Today, the Church has a choice.</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">.</span>H0MEFreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12669698443668256569noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2866114062040564519.post-1393804728419530042012-01-06T11:08:00.000-08:002012-01-06T11:20:28.436-08:00Killer Kielbasa Kale Soup<span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">My Killer Kielbasa Kale Soup</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">1 - 2 large onions roughly chopped</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">1 or 2 entire bulbs of garlic peeled and roughly chopped</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">1 lb kielbasa or sausage</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">2 lbs potatoes cubed</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">1 head kale, stems and leaves chopped up separately</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">2 cups milk or cream</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">2 Tb oregano or basil</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">1 cup powdered potatoes</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">sea salt, pepper, cayenne</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">This soup is similar to a chowder and very beautiful.</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">Saute garlic, onion and kielbasa in oil in your stockpot. Now chop up only the kale stems (half inch or smaller) and saute them a bit alongside. Add your cubed potatoes. If your potatoes are precooked this soup will cook faster. Add enough water to cover. Cook until potatoes are done. Time to add your chopped kale leaves, italian herbs and your cream or milk. I use raw cream. Boil 5 to 10 minutes and add enough powdered potatoes to thicken soup up to your liking. Salt, pepper, cayenne to taste. </span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">Serve with crusty bread. </span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">If the only dish for a meal, it <strong>feeds 8 people</strong>. </span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">Costs:</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">2 large onions $.65</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">1 bulb of garlic $.43</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">1 lb Kielbasa $1.35</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">2 lb potatoes $1.00</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">1 head kale $.98</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">2 cups milk $.34</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">1 cup powdered potatoes $.15</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">Total: <strong>$4.90</strong></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;"></span>H0MEFreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12669698443668256569noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2866114062040564519.post-43134753409953542822011-12-27T17:05:00.000-08:002012-10-16T23:17:33.328-07:00Unequipped to homeschool?<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><br /><span style="font-size: 85%;"></span></span>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 85%;">We ALL feel some days like we can't homeschool. But we do it... by God's grace. The character issues and trials in our lives are enough to cause us to doubt our abilities. We homeschool because we know the Lord has called us to do this and because He has, He will work it out when we trust Him to do so.<br /><br />No homeschooling family is going to tell you that it will all be easy or every day will be easy, but we are here to lift each other up during the hard times. This why homeschool support groups are essential.<br /><br />There is a saying in homeschool circles and I do not know where it started or who said it first: The worst day home educating is better than than the best day in government school.<br /><br />Your children are sure to have bad days whether they are in gov't school or private school or at home. That is just fact. It has nothing to do with where they are at physically. All people have bad days. You will and do have bad days! The character issues we each deal with within our families are worked out when we are together not separated- and on our bad days the heat gets turned up on those issues. </span><br />
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<br /><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 85%;">My family has grown so much in the Lord because of this type of testing and refining! Because of this process, we actually <i>care</i> about each other in deep ways and seek to keep our family unit serving the Lord in every area of our lives. We are far from perfect or harmonious! But we seek to truly love our neighbor by beginning within our own family. The opportunities (a.k.a. trials!!) for this to happen are abundant when you home educate (or as some say "family discipleship" )<br /><br />Remember, that is one of the main reasons for a homeschool group! To encourage each other! Share! Support!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 85%;"></span>H0MEFreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12669698443668256569noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2866114062040564519.post-12215456326915714602011-12-17T12:01:00.000-08:002012-10-16T23:14:47.136-07:00Burnt Cake<span style="font-family: Verdana;">The beginning of another year for education usually brings thoughts of direction, focus and introspection. We take stock of our energy and time and evaluate where we should spend these valuable assets. For all intents and purposes, a good thing to do. This process begins with pictures in our minds of what we perceive to be either failure or success and then we measure our efforts against that.</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0AWu_J800ie4CUXw34PQbl97LShaNgWAZA89N6NRWfFnX6tKT2xDOT2HYf1mTSQ7LdGnXagcmUp22NQ6b7qIxmG9mZRswzWHPy27rc3ekJIaxf3gb61T6Nl4Yn5vz8lLsu6Rfub8Tw0w/s1600/cake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0AWu_J800ie4CUXw34PQbl97LShaNgWAZA89N6NRWfFnX6tKT2xDOT2HYf1mTSQ7LdGnXagcmUp22NQ6b7qIxmG9mZRswzWHPy27rc3ekJIaxf3gb61T6Nl4Yn5vz8lLsu6Rfub8Tw0w/s1600/cake.jpg" /></a><span style="font-family: Verdana;">We may have success personally defined as anything from a strict schedule and well kept house- to boys with combed hair & girls wearing dresses and baking with your own ground wheat all day- or children all snuggled in bed with you reading books together- or going to BSF together as a family and spending your budget on your children’s latest passion. Success may be what you see in your friend at the support group who has her children practice piano, and goes to some homeschool academy classes and seems to have a million friends.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">If you fail to meet that ideal you have in your mind, you<br />feel depressed and guilty. How can you ever measure up? You struggle with fears you have been told over and over not to have: What if your in-laws were right? What if your husband tells you that your time for trying out your new hobby “Homeschooling” is over? What if your homeschool friends figure out you are not all you pretend to be? And horror of horrors, what if your children do not test as well as government school kids typically do?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Was this ever fair to ask you or your family to try to attain? This perfect life, this ideal that does not exist? Home educating is not the answer to achieve a flawless family. There is no flawless family. There is no perfect homeschool.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">We look through the proverbial window into another home educating family’s life and we see beautiful frosting- but we cannot see the cake underneath is probably burned.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Only your closest friends may reveal to you they have burnt cake. You stare in disbelief at them as they detail a morning of unruly children, school that did not start until after lunch, little Joey stole $2 from her purse and her husband is thinking of making her go back to work. She cries and says she keeps thinking of putting her children in public school, it would be better for them to have a “real” teacher.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">-- Hold it. Wait a minute. Did she say she was just like you? Yes. She did.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Put your arm around her. Cry with her. Tell her it is not easy, but it is the best thing she could be doing with her life. Pray with her right then. Offer to take her kids tomorrow so she can regroup and pray.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">When you go home, stop and take a fresh look around and say, “Gee, I guess I am not a failure. We all have life struggles and Homeschooling is hard, but worth every drop of sweat and every tear.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span>H0MEFreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12669698443668256569noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2866114062040564519.post-19093625312971051612011-10-20T09:52:00.000-07:002011-12-27T16:53:43.202-08:00Will they know you belong to Jesus?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiMC55b4FZmJXpd99a7dKX7PzNkrOYO8tfnWSVBqSLNOvxm5BkW7ki9Yc4xQ7G46KmFiOeqpi_7HUstW7b0QDsHfCa2Y_4DE4eWMV4lSEXsxuAcK3rPJDluHrqR5qOHPrJ4Zx8eekGsNU/s1600/mask.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 168px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5665620812654989602" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiMC55b4FZmJXpd99a7dKX7PzNkrOYO8tfnWSVBqSLNOvxm5BkW7ki9Yc4xQ7G46KmFiOeqpi_7HUstW7b0QDsHfCa2Y_4DE4eWMV4lSEXsxuAcK3rPJDluHrqR5qOHPrJ4Zx8eekGsNU/s200/mask.jpg" /></a> <span style="font-family:verdana;">Will the world know you belong to Jesus? Surely the sweet temperament we have, our prayer at meals and the fact we go to church every week tells people. Right? That is not what we see when we look to scripture. People should have no doubt if we are His disciple. We should stand out. Our lives should be without hypocrisy, an undimmed light, a constant pouring out of the words of Jesus. Is your life becoming of Christ? Do others raise an eyebrow at you and think you talk too much about righteous living, the Bible, Jesus and His soon return? If they do, you may be on the right track. If they don’t, it is time to check yourself.<br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="color:#66cccc;">Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ.</span> [Phil 1:27]<br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">What does it mean to have conduct that is worthy of the gospel?<br />Our conduct means our behavior, attitude, thoughts and actions- in short, our whole life. Therefore, our whole life has become a daily laying down of our own flesh, obeying and all that doing that entails. Understanding what our flesh is and learning how to put our flesh at the foot of the cross can be a long agonizing road. We must do so to the best of our ability as we ever increase in our understanding in how to do it.<br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">When our conduct becomes worthy of the gospel, it is because it represents what Jesus did for us. He gave all. Jesus is the complete gospel. He is the Good News. Our whole life becomes worthy of the gospel of Christ when we endeavor to strip off the “old man”, to crucify our own ways and thoughts and become more like Jesus. We can only go through this ongoing process with His help.<br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">The more we conduct ourselves worthy of the gospel, the more we will not look like the world around us. The changes that have been taking place cause us to say and do things that inevitably draw attention. We choose to embrace the cross rather than be ashamed of it. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="color:#66cccc;">Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.</span> [Matthew 5:15-17]<br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">This attention we invariably draw is usually either very negative or very positive. If we continue to lay our flesh down then we care less and less about what the world has to say about it. There certainly will be those excited about what God is doing in your life, but there will be plenty of people who will not “glorify the Father” when they see the light spoken of in this verse. As horrible as it may sound, they may even begin to hate you. That’s a good sign. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="color:#66cccc;">By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.</span> [John 13:35]<br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Would the world have known the gospel, if Jesus lived as you do? Ouch. Let’s each diligently seek the Lord to gain better understanding, revelation, on what Love is. The lessons on Love never seem to end, but they are critical in every way when it comes to knowing the Lord and reflecting Him to others.<br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="color:#66cccc;">My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.</span> [John 10:26-28]<br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Jesus is telling us volumes in such a short sentence here. Right now we are just going to touch on a bit. If we belong to Jesus, we have relationship with Him. He knows us and we know Him. If we love Jesus: we follow Him, we obey His commandments (John 14:21). Jesus makes an important statement first: He says that if we belong to Him, we hear His voice. We should hear His voice. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">How will the world know that we are His? By conducting ourselves worthy of the gospel, by our obedience to Jesus’ commandments, by the brightness of our light shining, by the way we love Jesus and one another, and because we look and sound like Him. Let’s put our focus to become more like Him and let the world know who Jesus is.</span>H0MEFreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12669698443668256569noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2866114062040564519.post-69339302362022113862011-10-19T14:20:00.000-07:002012-03-16T12:13:31.266-07:00Taking a hit<span style="font-family:verdana;"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 200px" border="0" alt="" src="http://cureanxiety.com/images/how-to-stop-depression.jpg" /></span><span style="font-family:verdana;">The strongest we can be as Christians is when we fully understand who we are in Christ Jesus and what we can accomplish in Him. However, even when we are <em>completely</em> secure in our knowledge of who we are in Christ, we still occasionally trip and have a difficult time getting back up. The confidence we have has been marred but not altogether lost. We struggle to remember our identity when we stumble and feel weak. Depressed. It seems the longer it takes for us to return to that full standing position is dependent on many factors.<br />-Our own faith may have taken a hit. Even those who have been tested many times and had our faith stretched and grown until we are very strong can stumble a step or two backward when a heavy hit lands squarely.<br />-Physical/chemical imbalances in our system. Many suffer occasional or constant battles with an overabundance or lack of integral chemicals in our body. The brain especially. The answer, sometimes elusive, could be a simple vitamin-mineral or amino acid supplement, exercise, or blood sugar correction.<br />-Outside negative influences. Constantly being inundated with the unkind or poisonous behavior of others is difficult to keep guard against if it is a family member or coworker. We may even open ourselves to negativity by the media we listen to or watch or the company we keep.<br />-General neglect to protect ourselves from the fiery darts of our enemy. We should put on our spiritual armor. We should be praying for protection.</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Our own heart, thought life and prayer life go hand in hand with our personal relationship with the Lord. When we have made a choice, consciously or not, to withhold one of these areas from Him who created us then we are setting ourselves up for an attack or outright infestation of enemy.<br />What can we do to get back on top? It is simple really- but can be a very difficult door to open. We must humble ourselves and ask the Lord to show us where we need Him right now in our life. He is waiting for us with the answers. He wants to guide us step by step, He wants to show us. Then in our place of humility we can hear the answer and see the path. This is where we can finally stand up victorious again and return to our knowledge of who we are in Christ. </span>H0MEFreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12669698443668256569noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2866114062040564519.post-72068041724398917352011-08-13T12:22:00.000-07:002011-08-13T12:26:25.160-07:00A Day In The Life Of A Kefir Grain
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<br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Every morning I make kefir for my family. Actually, the kefir grains have been making the kefir for the last 24 hours, but I strain out the kefir grains and start a new batch.
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<br />First you must start out with <strong>at least</strong> 1 cup of LIVE kefir grains. <span style="TEXT-DECORATION: underline">Not</span> powder kefir <em>starter </em>like you can buy in a health food store. Kefir grains cannot be bought at your local healtfood store. These have got to be alive and happily will continue to reproduce forever. You can get live kefir grains for sale on Ebay or </span><a href="http://www.gemcultures.com/dairy_cultures.htm">GemCultures</a><span style="font-family:verdana;">. There are forums/boards online where you can get them free for just the cost of shipping. After learning of this, that is how I got mine. I did not pay $20 for my grains. Although, they are certainly worth it.
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<br /></span>What is kefir?
<br />Everything you could possibly imagine or ask is on this site here: <a href="http://users.chariot.net.au/~dna/Makekefir.html">Dom's Kefir Making & Information</a><span style="font-family:verdana;">
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<br />One starting hint: it takes about 2 to 3 weeks for your kefir grains to fall in love with you once you get them. They need daily batches made until you get the process down (and tweak your ratios of milk to grains) and time for them to adjust to your schedule of adding new milk. <img hspace="3" alt="" vspace="3" align="right" src="http://i154.photobucket.com/albums/s266/huckabafamily/h0mefree/kefir1.jpg" width="250" />You also MUST use a blender to make a beautiful smooth kefir to drink or use in cereal.
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<br />Today I am dividing my grains. I have too many. I have to add too much milk to get the right consistency now because my grains have multiplied. Which is great for someone because they are the blessed recipient of my extras! I will be mailing the extra to a gal in NC. Shipping from Oregon all the way there is no problem because you add some milk to the ziplock and then place a second ziplock over that one to be sure. Then you add extra padding around that packaging to protect them before they get put in a mailer.
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<br />Here is my kefir before doing anything to it. I have left it for 48 hours instead of the normal 24, but that is okay. You can see that there is a lot of whey present. That is the yellowish liquid. That is what should happen, but today there is more whey because I let the kefir sit for an extra day.
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<br /><img hspace="3" alt="" vspace="3" align="left" src="http://i154.photobucket.com/albums/s266/huckabafamily/h0mefree/kefir5.jpg" width="300" /> I gently stir the kefired milk and grains to loosen them from each other just a bit. It makes straining them easier. Straining them requires a slotted spoon. The larger the slots in the spoon, the faster this process is, but the catch is that you will lose more of the tiny grains that are growing. I am really careful to watch for the "babies". <img hspace="3" alt="" vspace="3" align="right" src="http://i154.photobucket.com/albums/s266/huckabafamily/h0mefree/kefir6.jpg" width="250" />
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<br />Here are some kefir grains. The are about the size and shape of popcorn.
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<br />After sorting through the jar with my spoon for a couple minutes, I am sure I got the majority of the grains. I place them in a glass as I pull them out. Some of the liquid is still in with the grains and fills the bottom of the glass. This entire glass is full of grains! <em>Definitely</em> time to divide my grains!
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<br />Now I will pour the remaining kefired milk through my spoon and into my blender. This is to catch any grains or baby grains I missed. Some people just blend the babies in with the kefir for extra health benefits. We do not.
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<br />When I blend the kefir, I add 3 tablespoons of sugar and hit "mix" for about 10 seconds. Then the second highest setting for 20-30 seconds. Sometimes I blend for a little longer to get it a bit frothy. At this point in the process, some people add fruit or some extract. We sometimes add frozen blueberries because we have a lot of those on hand. Usually we just drink it with the sugar and love it that way.
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<br />After blending, someone is always waiting there by my side asking for some. If we do not drink it all, that is okay. I am putting it all (blender too) in the fridge. I just keep the blender in the fridge so I do not have to wash it so often (daily or more). Kefir keeps for a very long time.
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<br />Some people will wash their kefir making jar out that they make the kefir in every day. This is completely not necessary. Even a waste of time. I wash mine out about once a week or so.
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<br />When you<span style="TEXT-DECORATION: underline"> do</span> wash your jar, rinse it out several times with cold water to cool the jar down before adding the grains.
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<br />Now we will start a new batch. I put half of my grains back into the jar and hold back the other half to mail. Otherwise all of it would have gone back into the jar.
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<br /><img hspace="3" alt="" vspace="3" src="http://i154.photobucket.com/albums/s266/huckabafamily/h0mefree/kefir.jpg" width="250" />
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<br />Then I pour regular store bought milk straight from the jug into the kefir jar. Whole milk or 2% tastes best, but some people like to use less fat in theirs. I pour to fill my jar to about half full. This is a half gallon jar. You can get these at Walmart. Some room in it is good, as it makes it easier to slosh around a bit once or twice while kefirring. The agitation allows more contact to the milk for the grains- but this is not a necessary step. Whe<img hspace="3" alt="" vspace="3" align="left" src="http://i154.photobucket.com/albums/s266/huckabafamily/h0mefree/kefir2.jpg" width="250" />n I have enough milk in it, I put a square of t-shirt fabric over the jar with a rubberband to keep out fruitflies and to allow the carbon gas to escape. This will sit on my counter or in my pantry until tomorrow morning when I start it all again.
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<br />Yay! This is so wonderful... and "free". No more paying $3-$4 for one quart of kefir!
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<br />H0MEFreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12669698443668256569noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2866114062040564519.post-51457274683753870932011-04-07T12:05:00.000-07:002011-12-27T16:54:18.304-08:00Ode To The Post-it<p></p><br /><br /><p></p><br /><br /><p><span style="font-family:Tahoma;">Where would I be without the glorious Post-It? What words could adequately pay honor to such a humble, yet worthy hero? A fresh pad represents an infinite stack of possibilties. Clever scribbles, informative notations, don't-forgets, gee-there's-that-page and other endless multitasking. Quick in a pinch. My cup overfloweth. </span></p><br /><br /><p><span style="font-family:Tahoma;">Where would you, <em>the SuperHomeschoolMom</em>, be without the Post-It? Lost. Just lost.</span> <img alt="" src="http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/include/fckeditor/editor/images/smiley/msn/teeth_smile.gif" width="12" height="12" /></p><br /><br /><p></p><br /><br /><center><span style="font-family:verdana;">(Personally, I do use lots of post-it notes around the house, but not even close to like these gals do! LOL!) </span></center><br /><br /><center></center><br /><br /><center><img style="WIDTH: 520px; HEIGHT: 281px" alt="" src="http://wrt-howard.syr.edu/webpix/Post-its.JPG" width="914" height="658" /> </center><br /><br /><center></center><br /><br /><center><img style="WIDTH: 416px; HEIGHT: 237px" alt="" src="http://maltedmedia.com/people/bathory/quotes-to-keep.jpg" width="486" height="309" /></center><br /><br /><center></center><br /><br /><center><img style="WIDTH: 406px; HEIGHT: 249px" alt="" src="http://recluse.me/images/cubicle-postit.jpg" width="520" height="380" /> </center><br /><br /><div align="right"><span style="font-size:78%;">Photos courtesy of Google.</span> </div><br /><br /><p></p><br /><br /><p></p><br /><br /><p></p><br /><br /><center><img alt="" src="http://i154.photobucket.com/albums/s266/huckabafamily/comment.jpg" width="180" /> </center>H0MEFreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12669698443668256569noreply@blogger.com0