tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31786471394394507182024-03-13T03:24:06.353-07:00RainyDayHavenCarissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11324127209203508030noreply@blogger.comBlogger21125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3178647139439450718.post-86796646378553642482011-01-12T08:08:00.000-08:002011-01-12T08:08:22.013-08:00Pumpkin Cranberry BreadI realize that some of you might think I'm a little late posting this recipe. But really I've always thought that pumpkins and cranberries should be enjoyed throughout the fall and winter - not just at Thanksgiving or Christmas. I roasted a gigantic Cinderella pumpkin in the fall and ended up freezing about four quarts of puree, so I am still enjoying cooking and baking with pumpkin into the new year.<br />
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This recipe was given to me by an old friend in a cookbook she put together for me when I went off to college. I never got around to making it til this holiday season, but it is so good I know I will come back to it again and again. It baked up dense and moist and flavorful. A delicious Christmas morning breakfast. The basic recipe is quite simple, so I tweaked it a bit: adding more cranberries, some nuts, decreasing the sugar a bit, and exchanging half the white sugar for brown. In the future I would like to try some other spices as well. I think ginger and cloves would both be delicious in this bread. The recipe also called for baking in a bundt pan. I used one bread pan instead. It was a large pan, and ended up being pretty full.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Pumpkin Cranberry Bread</span></div><div style="text-align: left;">2 1/4 cup flour</div><div style="text-align: left;">1 tsp. baking soda</div><div style="text-align: left;">1/4 tsp. nutmeg</div><div style="text-align: left;">3/4 cup white sugar</div><div style="text-align: left;">1 cup brown sugar </div><div style="text-align: left;">2 eggs</div><div style="text-align: left;">1/2 cup vegetable oil</div><div style="text-align: left;">1 cup pumpkin puree</div><div style="text-align: left;">1 1/2 cup cranberries</div><div style="text-align: left;">1/2 cup chopped pecans</div><div style="text-align: left;">Powdered sugar, for topping</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Grease bread pan and preheat oven to 350. Combine first four ingredients and set aside. In another bowl, beat eggs until foamy. Beat in sugar, oil and pumpkin until well blended. Add to dry ingredients. Stir til just moistened. Gently fold in cranberries. Bake for about 75 minutes. In the bread pan, this was so dense that it took quite a while to bake. Unfortunately, I can't remember exactly how long. I had to put it back several times. I would check it at an hour, but plan on up to an hour and a half. After the cake has cooled, dust the top with powdered sugar and enjoy.</div>Carissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11324127209203508030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3178647139439450718.post-2908111545141434632011-01-10T18:15:00.000-08:002011-01-10T18:17:28.566-08:00In case you've ever wondered if keeping chickens is awesome...Our hens slowed their egg production waaaay down this fall as the light decreased and many of them were molting. We were averaging an egg a day. But now that we are past solstice they are back to laying with a vengeance. It's been months since I've seen any of the pale blue eggs our Araucanas lay, but this past week there they were in the nest. They tend to be long eggs anyway, but one of them looked just like a torpedo, it was so long and thin.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">And then there was this brown beauty. </div>Our hens lay pretty large eggs, and I just had to pair this one with a store bought egg for comparison. The white egg on the left is a "large" egg from an organic free range hen.<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">The eggs speak for themselves.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_rS6DkFNo_aU/TSu8uhVhwQI/AAAAAAAAAJ4/zGoufFZfpQk/s1600/IMG_1744.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_rS6DkFNo_aU/TSu8uhVhwQI/AAAAAAAAAJ4/zGoufFZfpQk/s640/IMG_1744.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">It doesn't even come close to fitting in a large sized egg carton.</div><div style="text-align: left;">In a jumbo carton, it at least fits in the egg compartment, but you can't close the lid! Yeah, I'd say there are definite benefits to chicken husbandry.</div>Carissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11324127209203508030noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3178647139439450718.post-50623564141708527192011-01-02T14:02:00.000-08:002011-01-02T14:02:02.892-08:00Pac ManDid I ever mention that I am engaged to Mr. Pac Man?<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_rS6DkFNo_aU/TSD0iu_kqOI/AAAAAAAAAJg/xhvKcS9Z6JI/s1600/IMG_0243.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_rS6DkFNo_aU/TSD0iu_kqOI/AAAAAAAAAJg/xhvKcS9Z6JI/s640/IMG_0243.JPG" width="640" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Yep, that's him - eating ghosts and stuff.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Yesterday, Nathan decided to entertain himself by making a gingerbread pac man game. It was very cute.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_rS6DkFNo_aU/TSD0_tit5ZI/AAAAAAAAAJk/uy4nGjh5Jc8/s1600/IMG_0234.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_rS6DkFNo_aU/TSD0_tit5ZI/AAAAAAAAAJk/uy4nGjh5Jc8/s640/IMG_0234.JPG" width="640" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The artist at work. </div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_rS6DkFNo_aU/TSD1Jo3BEVI/AAAAAAAAAJs/goO8PdH8i3A/s1600/IMG_0240.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_rS6DkFNo_aU/TSD1Jo3BEVI/AAAAAAAAAJs/goO8PdH8i3A/s640/IMG_0240.JPG" width="640" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">All set up. <br />
Yeah, I'm pretty sure I have the cutest fiance ever. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_rS6DkFNo_aU/TSD1MZJPG7I/AAAAAAAAAJw/1lw7_aZczoY/s1600/IMG_0238.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_rS6DkFNo_aU/TSD1MZJPG7I/AAAAAAAAAJw/1lw7_aZczoY/s640/IMG_0238.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">I enjoyed dipping the ghosts in spicy hot chocolate before eating.</div>Carissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11324127209203508030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3178647139439450718.post-17390845736468081132011-01-01T18:40:00.000-08:002011-01-02T14:03:28.633-08:00January 2011 One Small ChangeHappy New Year! Here's how my fiance and I spent the afternoon - hiking in Forest Park (with a bit of snow!):<br />
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I am so excited to announce my January One Small Change!! It is a great way to kick off 2011.<br />
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As I've mentioned before, I am serving my second term with Americorps here in Portland. As part of my term of service, I have the opportunity to design a Community Action Project - basically I have free reign to do whatever I can dream up that will have a positive impact on the community. Last year I installed a children's library in the office of the non-profit I work for. The office is in a low-income apartment complex, and the neighborhood children are constantly coming in to play with toys or the computers, but we had no books for them to read. So I built a bookshelf and got several hundred books donated, and it has been a huge hit with the kids. <br />
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This year, I'm planning something a little more involved. I will be partnering with another Americorps member to form a Community Action Book Club! I had the idea for this book club several years ago - I was standing in a bookstore, feeling inspired and overwhelmed by all the selections on the shelf. I am a big reader and I like to read books about environmental and social justice issues. I usually feel fired up after reading, but then don't really know what to do with my energy. As I stood there, I thought it would be so great to get a group of people together to read these books, and then work together to plan a project or do something to actually take action on the issue. To share each other's inspiration, and to hold one another accountable. <br />
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The idea of the Community Action Book Club is that for each topic, we will complete some sort of service or learning project, and/or personal challenges (much like the One Small Change model). We will spend two months on each topic. The first month we will meet to discuss the readings. Then the second month we will meet for the service, or to check in on our personal challenges. The co-leader and I will be posting flyers around Portland in bookstores and coffee shops to recruit members. We could easily fill the group with our own friends, but we really want to form a group diverse in age, interests, skills, etc.<br />
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We will select the first month's topic, and then the group members will each have a chance to choose a topic of interest to them. The first month's theme will be "Stuff," which seemed appropriate following the holidays. We will be watching Annie Leonard's great video <a href="http://www.storyofstuff.com/">"The Story of Stuff"</a> for the first meeting, to keep it simpler than having to read a whole book before the group begins. This is a great topic to inspire personal changes, but we haven't decided on the service/learning aspect of it yet... Perhaps we could get a tour or help sort at a recycling facility?? Do you have any ideas? I'd love suggestions!Carissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11324127209203508030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3178647139439450718.post-20861319415853184072010-11-15T15:21:00.000-08:002010-11-15T15:23:30.821-08:00Leftover LunchThere is an absolutely amazing disparity in the amount of food consumed in this house when I am here alone, versus when N is here. He is thoroughly hungry with clock-like regularity: soon after he wakes up, snack time, lunch time, snack time, dinner time, dessert, and snack time to fill the cracks right before bed. If he doesn't eat enough, he won't be able to fall asleep and will have to get up in the middle of the night to make another snack. I, on the other hand, am a good eater when I get down to it. But I might forget about breakfast til 11... Or if I wait too long to make dinner I get too tired to cook, and satisfy myself with a spoonful of peanut butter or something else equally silly.<br />
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This has created some confusion with my grocery shopping this summer. N was farming 2 1/2 hours away, and only home on weekends. We'd stock up on food and cook lots of fabulous meals while he was here, and then he'd leave and I'd struggle to eat all the leftovers before they went bad. I find myself in this situation again. N came home for a week, then took off to visit his parents and help them rebuild their house. He made a ton of great food during that week here, and then took off leaving me with bits of leftover cheese, random veggies, and several loaves of bread. I'm trying desperately to eat them all up before I leave for my (NINE DAY!! :) Thanksgiving vacation.<br />
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It doesn't help matters that I stopped by the PSU farmer's market on Saturday, and came back loaded with produce and cheese and apple cider. I just couldn't help myself:<br />
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Anyway, today I made myself a little lunch with some leftover odds and ends and it turned out quite delicious. An open face "grilled cheese."<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_rS6DkFNo_aU/TOG_AVkjvOI/AAAAAAAAAJM/88Pc1xsPv_c/s1600/IMG_1727.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_rS6DkFNo_aU/TOG_AVkjvOI/AAAAAAAAAJM/88Pc1xsPv_c/s400/IMG_1727.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Homemade bread that was on the verge of going stale, sauteed onions, a hunk of queso fresco, and an astoundingly delicious sweet-hot pepper sauce made from my homegrown peppers.<br />
I toasted the bread for a couple minutes to start, meanwhile sauteeing the onions in a bit of olive oil. When they were soft, I added the sauce over very low heat to warm up. I then spread this mixture on my bread, topped with the cheese, and stuck it back in the toaster oven to brown. So simple, and <i>so good</i>. I don't think I'd ever really had queso fresco melted before, but I will definitely be doing it again.Carissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11324127209203508030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3178647139439450718.post-28976883748728905202010-11-04T07:55:00.000-07:002010-11-04T07:55:45.537-07:00Pumpkin Pizza!As promised, here are the pics of the pumpkin pizza we ate last night. Unfortunately, I did not get a good photo; I was just so excited to eat this delicious pizza!!<br />
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It was pumpkin puree mixed with sage and lemon balm, then topped with caramelized onions (with fig balsamic vinegar), roasted fennel and walnuts. OMG SO GOOD.<br />
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</div>Carissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11324127209203508030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3178647139439450718.post-38576844166191786882010-11-03T08:05:00.000-07:002010-11-03T08:05:17.043-07:00Cook in the HouseThere have been many exciting changes going on around here lately:<br />
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I became an aunt!<br />
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I got a haircut! (and then had a hard time photographing it)<br />
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I got engaged!! (and had a hard time photographing it)<br />
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And my wonderful fiance finally finished his farm apprenticeship 2 1/2 hours away. It's been a long 6 months of only seeing each other on the weekends, and I'm so excited to have him back home with me. Not least because he is a CIA trained cook. I love that even the small week night dinners he whips up are so delicious.<br />
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Last night we ate grilled cheese with a simple salad of butter lettuce with roasted beets, caramelized shallots and a mustard dressing. Yum! And everything in the salad was grown either at the farm at my work or at his.<br />
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We've also been dealing with a HUGE cinderella pumpkin I brought home from the farm this week. We roasted it a couple nights ago, and ended up with about 5 quarts of puree!! I ate some of it for breakfast with maple yogurt and pecans. Then we made a pie last night, topped off with some dark brown sugar and walnuts. Tonight, we'll be making pumpkin pizza! I'll try to post some pictures later.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_rS6DkFNo_aU/TNF5vxHfTCI/AAAAAAAAAI0/ZzAr8wZL6b4/s1600/IMG_1713.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_rS6DkFNo_aU/TNF5vxHfTCI/AAAAAAAAAI0/ZzAr8wZL6b4/s400/IMG_1713.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Carissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11324127209203508030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3178647139439450718.post-44837540191866853222010-10-03T23:31:00.000-07:002010-10-03T23:31:09.789-07:00One Small Change - OctoberThis small change feels like a big one for me. I've been contemplating it for months, trying to work up the courage to tackle it. Brainstorming different ways to approach the issue. Putting it off.<br />
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But finally I've decided I need to face up to the fact that I use the internet Way Too Much. I use it to communicate with my friends, search recipes, get inspiration for crafts or gardening. I look up how to get stains out of my laundry and what kind of chestnut tree is growing across the street, how to get to friends' houses, and the best way to join seams on the baby sweater I'm knitting. I also procrastinate, snoop on facebook, watch tv shows, and a lot of other stuff. You all know what I mean. So much of our life these days is available on the internet - or really centered on the internet. Philosophically, I don't like that; but practically I end up spending a lot of time online every day.<br />
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I considered (and have tried somewhat unsuccessfully) setting a daily computer time limit. But I think what I'm going to try for the month of October is choosing one day out of the week that I will not use the computer except at work. The day will probably change from week to week. This week I'm choosing Monday (tomorrow). It's my day off, and so normally I probably would have spent a good chunk of time online... reading blogs, browsing recipes, getting "inspiration..." Instead I'm hoping to process all the tomatoes I just picked from my garden, ride my bike, finish that sweater I'm working on, do a lot of laundry, write some letters, and read some of my latest library book (Your Money or Your Life). If I need to look something up, I will have to try other methods of finding answers, or write it down for tomorrow. Sometimes I think I've grown all too dependent on instant knowledge gratification these days, so it will be an interesting exercise to cut myself off from it for a short time. <br />
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This challenge will save a tiny bit of energy by not having my laptop on all day, but ultimately I'm doing it so that I will have more time for my life, and to live out the goals I've set for myself. The internet has become for me an all too easy time suck to avoid the reality of life around me... I'm feeling apprehensive as I type these words. Tomorrow could be a very long day. We'll see how it goes!!Carissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11324127209203508030noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3178647139439450718.post-37963651989917428082010-09-08T08:10:00.000-07:002010-09-08T08:15:05.028-07:00Arizona LoveWhen I moved to Tucson Arizona at the age of 10, I hated it. Really hated it. I'd spent the last four years in a pine forest on the banks of a river at the edge of a wildlife preserve in Arkansas. My sister and I would while away the long afternoons berry picking on our bike rides, catching baby turtles, paddling down the river, and attempting to fish (We once fished from the dock every day for an entire summer and caught only one small fish. We sure were determined though.) So having come from such a lovely environment, I simply couldn't believe that I was supposed to enjoy this new hot, arid home. I kept getting poked whenever I tried to play in our cactusy back yard. There was no soft grass to run around in, just dust and rocks. There were no tall trees, just what looked like scraggly (thorny) bushes to me. There were snakes and scorpions and a particularly huge and hairy tarantula that live in our house and would emerge from the vents at terrifying moments, such as while my sister was in the shower or right over my bed as I was trying to fall asleep at night. And it was hot. Over 100 degrees hot. When someone would try to point out a lovely sunset to me, I'd make bitter comments like "The sunsets in Arkansas were just as pretty, you just couldn't see them because of all the TREES."<br />
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But eventually, over time, Arizona won my heart like no other place ever has. I grew to love the "dry heat." I loved the warm, mild winters. I loved the mountains that surround Tucson on every side. I loved watching the spectacular cloud formations and sunsets. I loved dancing in the warm torrential downpour of a summer monsoon, or splashing through one of the temporary rivers it brought to our normally dry washes. I loved climbing on the roof and watching far off lightning storms. I loved how the mountains turned pink at sunset, and how I could see the milky way at night. I loved the visiting herds of javelina that would congregate on our porch. I loved spotting jack rabbits. I even grew to love the particular beauty of the spiny cacti, especially in the spring with their stunning blossoms. I appreciated the cleverness of all these plants that could survive in such a dry place. The way they stored water, grew small narrow leaves, warded off predators, and how some of them would live almost dormant for most of the year only to burst into green growth and bloom at the coming of rain. Yes, I love my desert. And now, living in cold rainy Portland, my heart often aches for it. Don't get me wrong, it's beautiful here too, but I miss the magical desert.<br />
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That's why, when I found out I had a month off between Americorps terms at Village Gardens, I knew I had to go back and visit. I recently spent 11 lovely days in Arizona, and I wanted to share a few pictures here.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_rS6DkFNo_aU/TIeitzZ3r1I/AAAAAAAAAHQ/IA7enNasMnE/s1600/IMG_1282.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_rS6DkFNo_aU/TIeitzZ3r1I/AAAAAAAAAHQ/IA7enNasMnE/s640/IMG_1282.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>The first night I was back in Tucson, I hiked Pusch Ridge with my friend Josh. Notice the prickly pear fruit on the right side there. They make delicious jelly if you can get past the dangerous harvest with tongs, and the burning off of tiny spines all over the fruit before you process!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_rS6DkFNo_aU/TIejPhTS2iI/AAAAAAAAAHY/zHjfC2xOZtU/s1600/IMG_1284.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_rS6DkFNo_aU/TIejPhTS2iI/AAAAAAAAAHY/zHjfC2xOZtU/s640/IMG_1284.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>We headed out shortly before sunset, because in the summer you can pretty much only hike at 5am, or at night.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_rS6DkFNo_aU/TIejqUvibRI/AAAAAAAAAHg/0xLqYCsH_B0/s1600/IMG_1292.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_rS6DkFNo_aU/TIejqUvibRI/AAAAAAAAAHg/0xLqYCsH_B0/s640/IMG_1292.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>I wish I were better at taking sunset photos, because it was absolutely gorgeous.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_rS6DkFNo_aU/TIekWxlCPbI/AAAAAAAAAHw/_EKp6qYcfLc/s1600/IMG_1288.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_rS6DkFNo_aU/TIekWxlCPbI/AAAAAAAAAHw/_EKp6qYcfLc/s640/IMG_1288.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>Another view of the ridge.<br />
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Next my good friend Karima and I went on an adventure to Southern AZ. First we checked out the quirky old mining town of Bisbee that's built into the hills. Then we went out to Cochise Stronghold for some camping and hiking.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_rS6DkFNo_aU/TIelTUAVzrI/AAAAAAAAAH4/PIanoYYD_CA/s1600/IMG_1306.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_rS6DkFNo_aU/TIelTUAVzrI/AAAAAAAAAH4/PIanoYYD_CA/s640/IMG_1306.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
This is from our drive down. Aren't those clouds and mountains fabulous?! And look at how GREEN everything is from the monsoons!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_rS6DkFNo_aU/TIel8Xthc8I/AAAAAAAAAIA/PAFx57bNf6A/s1600/IMG_1325.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_rS6DkFNo_aU/TIel8Xthc8I/AAAAAAAAAIA/PAFx57bNf6A/s640/IMG_1325.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>Here's a snapshot of a typical building in Bisbee - covered in funky art.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_rS6DkFNo_aU/TIemSPxVRAI/AAAAAAAAAII/T1sTIMecjF4/s1600/IMG_1320.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_rS6DkFNo_aU/TIemSPxVRAI/AAAAAAAAAII/T1sTIMecjF4/s640/IMG_1320.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>We were very excited to discover, while walking the hills of Bisbee, a fig tree growing on the street level below us.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_rS6DkFNo_aU/TIemjP3RHBI/AAAAAAAAAIQ/xmfSoBzIoXo/s1600/IMG_1317.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_rS6DkFNo_aU/TIemjP3RHBI/AAAAAAAAAIQ/xmfSoBzIoXo/s640/IMG_1317.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_rS6DkFNo_aU/TIemzgySuZI/AAAAAAAAAIY/ZDvEZVYLdlE/s1600/IMG_1315.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_rS6DkFNo_aU/TIemzgySuZI/AAAAAAAAAIY/ZDvEZVYLdlE/s640/IMG_1315.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>Kari really liked those figs! hehe. We also foraged some pomegranates, fennel seeds and peaches. It was a very productive walk.<br />
I have a lot of pictures, so I'll have to share some more from my trip later. Just loading these is making me a little homesick!Carissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11324127209203508030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3178647139439450718.post-67027391283902098732010-08-04T19:22:00.000-07:002010-08-04T19:32:41.067-07:00August One Small ChangeMy change for August is to learn to preserve the harvest from my garden and foraging... I've canned jam in the past, but that's pretty much the extent of my knowledge. The past few years I've canned massive amounts of blueberry jam from the berries I picked in Alaska. I made prickly pear jelly a few years back, and I canned some <a href="http://myrainydayhaven.blogspot.com/2010/01/makin-marmalade.html">triple citrus marmalade</a> this January. <br />
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This summer I want to expand my canning to new and more types of jam. I want to can savory things too, like tomato sauce -- if my tomatoes would ever ripen! I'm also going to learn to ferment and to pickle.<br />
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I got an amazing book from the library recently called <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Preserving-Food-without-Freezing-Canning/dp/1933392592/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1280975141&sr=8-1">Preserving Food without Canning or Freezing: Traditional techniques using salt, oil, sugar, alcohol, vinegar, drying, cold storage and lactic fermentation. </a>These recipes were compiled from readers of a French organic gardening magazine, and many are family recipes passed down over generations. The book is chock full of useful information, and fun recipes like Whole Cabbage Sauerkraut (with 70 heads of cabbage!!), Bottled Swiss Chard Ribs, Blueberries Preserved in Honey, Preserved Radishes, etc. I highly recommend this book for anyone wanting to learn traditional ways of preservation that are easy to digest, and maximize flavor and nutrition.<br />
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In the few days of August so far, I've already started on this challenge! I made some <a href="http://hippieingeeksclothing.wordpress.com/2010/06/23/june-can-jam-herbed-strawberry-balsamic-jam/">Strawberry Rosemary Balsamic Jam with Black Pepper</a> and some Mint Jelly. They both turned out delicous!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_rS6DkFNo_aU/TFofo9aQgsI/AAAAAAAAAG4/9OQa5IUM4nI/s1600/IMG_1215.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_rS6DkFNo_aU/TFofo9aQgsI/AAAAAAAAAG4/9OQa5IUM4nI/s640/IMG_1215.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_rS6DkFNo_aU/TFofvMTIotI/AAAAAAAAAHA/RJ4Gp4ud7Sk/s1600/IMG_1213.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_rS6DkFNo_aU/TFofvMTIotI/AAAAAAAAAHA/RJ4Gp4ud7Sk/s640/IMG_1213.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
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I also made some kimchee/sauerkraut today at my Americorps team meeting! It was awesome. I'll share some pictures and tips later, and be sure to keep you updated on what I'm learning along the way.<br />
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By the way, anyone have ideas of good ways to use mint jelly besides on meat? I'm thinking in thumbprint chocolate shortbread cookies... Yum!Carissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11324127209203508030noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3178647139439450718.post-34798235355275517292010-07-26T11:54:00.000-07:002010-07-26T11:56:24.900-07:00Weekend SurprisesOne of my favorite things about a weekend away is coming home and checking out what has been going on in my garden:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_rS6DkFNo_aU/TE3Xq2YmY0I/AAAAAAAAAGA/yKsqLDCQN6g/s1600/IMG_1000.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_rS6DkFNo_aU/TE3Xq2YmY0I/AAAAAAAAAGA/yKsqLDCQN6g/s640/IMG_1000.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>My first zucchini of the year!!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_rS6DkFNo_aU/TE3X8YKEjHI/AAAAAAAAAGI/pi9DPXDEYLg/s1600/IMG_1003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_rS6DkFNo_aU/TE3X8YKEjHI/AAAAAAAAAGI/pi9DPXDEYLg/s640/IMG_1003.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>Yellow Pear tomatoes growing<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_rS6DkFNo_aU/TE3YHcprKnI/AAAAAAAAAGQ/JCb1XXrlQ58/s1600/IMG_1004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_rS6DkFNo_aU/TE3YHcprKnI/AAAAAAAAAGQ/JCb1XXrlQ58/s640/IMG_1004.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>Squash growing on the vine... I'm hoping this will prove to be dumpling squash, and not pumpkins. At my job, I just take whatever plants are leftover from the plant sales and sometimes they are not labeled. So it's usually a bit of a surprise to see what grows!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_rS6DkFNo_aU/TE3Yo6PCx4I/AAAAAAAAAGY/orxwUx2QRio/s1600/IMG_1006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_rS6DkFNo_aU/TE3Yo6PCx4I/AAAAAAAAAGY/orxwUx2QRio/s640/IMG_1006.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>Lemon cucumbers!!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_rS6DkFNo_aU/TE3Yy6Pn6vI/AAAAAAAAAGg/0lgYDQUfJVk/s1600/IMG_1010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_rS6DkFNo_aU/TE3Yy6Pn6vI/AAAAAAAAAGg/0lgYDQUfJVk/s640/IMG_1010.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>I let my cilantro bolt, and I'm very excited to save the seeds for future plantings, and to eat.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_rS6DkFNo_aU/TE3ZBCP6IWI/AAAAAAAAAGo/mVEeNRNQqeE/s1600/IMG_1013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_rS6DkFNo_aU/TE3ZBCP6IWI/AAAAAAAAAGo/mVEeNRNQqeE/s640/IMG_1013.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>Blackberries ripening over the chicken coop.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_rS6DkFNo_aU/TE3ZJa1WkoI/AAAAAAAAAGw/wXw7fa4EjLE/s1600/IMG_1014.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_rS6DkFNo_aU/TE3ZJa1WkoI/AAAAAAAAAGw/wXw7fa4EjLE/s640/IMG_1014.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>And lastly, lots of (very dirty) eggs!<br />
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This PNW weather has definitely been a learning experience for me. I never would have guessed that at the end of July I'd only just be harvesting my first zucchini, and still holding my breath for the tomatoes to ripen... I'm still waiting for the fruits of summer, but I just started planting for fall -- some more kale, cabbages, brussel sprouts and celery root.<br />
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I'll post pictures of the new plants later, but for now there are some zucchini and eggs waiting to be eaten!Carissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11324127209203508030noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3178647139439450718.post-5713093185495441502010-07-12T10:07:00.000-07:002010-07-12T19:58:00.067-07:00Going Green Summer 2010I have considered myself to try to live "green" as best as possible for several years now, but this past year I have learned a lot and made many changes, with even more slated for the summer. This comprehensive post was inspired by <a href="http://www.hipmountainmamablog.com/2010/06/anniversary-contest-win-up-to-20000.html">hip mountain mama's</a> anniversary give away. So, in no particular order, just as they pop into my head, here's a little run-down of my doings so far and plans for the summer.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><ul><li>I am growing my largest garden ever this year! I've gardened some in the past, but have moved so frequently it's been hard to keep up with consistently. But now my yard is a patchwork of garden beds, and it makes me so happy! I wake up in the morning and first thing go outside to see how my plants are doing. I'm growing tons of greens, onions, tomatoes, peppers, squash, melons, cucumbers, three kinds of berries, grapes and so much more. I am so happy to be able to pick produce from my yard and make a meal. And my current project is planning out my fabulous fall and winter garden.</li>
<li>As of three months ago, I have chickens!! Their eggs are so delicious, and they love wandering around my yard and pecking at bugs and slugs. They also love flying over the maze of fencing I've put around the garden and eating all my kale. :( But I just don't have the heart to clip their wings.</li>
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<ul><li>I don't own a car and so I ride my bike to work, or take the bus. This probably would not have happened if I hadn't moved to Portland, OR last fall! Sometimes I really miss having a car (biking to get groceries in the rain), but ultimately it's worth it. I've found that I feel a lot better emotionally and physically from getting that exercise every day too.</li>
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<ul><li>Hanging my laundry out to dry. I used to do this all the time when I lived in AZ, but over the rainy Portland winter I've been slacking. Now that it's (finally!) summer I'm hanging my clothes on the line again, and will rig up a rack or line inside for this winter.</li>
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<ul><li>I'm jamming and canning! I usually make a couple batches of jam in the summer, but this year I'm way more ambitious. I've already made lots of strawberry jam, and up next are blueberry, blackberry, and plum. I'm so excited to make pickles and can tomato sauce, and I'm also going to learn to ferment! </li>
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<ul><li>I've been greening my personal care products -- hardly ever wearing make up and going no poo. Next up: homemade toothpaste and deodorant!</li>
<li>Gifts: so far this year all the birthday gifts I've given have been handmade by me, or purchased from local artisans or farmers.</li>
<li>I've eliminated all foil, paper towels and disposable plastic bags/wrap from my kitchen, except those pesky plastic produce bags. I often remember to take my own containers to the store for bulk goods, but not always. Also, my boyfriend is a chef and is very picky about his produce. He doesn't like it in cloth bags instead of plastic. Of course, harvesting more veggies from our gardens is helping with this issue!</li>
<li>I've been doing this for so long that I almost forgot to mention, but of course I frequent the farmer's markets and buy almost everything organic at the store. I struggle to make it fit into my Americorps budget, but I really try to make buying local and organic a priority.</li>
<li>I write letters and call my senators about environmental issues that are important to me.</li>
<li>I do pretty much all my clothes shopping, and most home goods shopping at thrift stores. The only things I don't buy used are underwear and socks. I started doing this long ago for budgetary reasons, and the fact that I appreciate vintage style. Now, I do it for my pocketbook and the earth! I love giving a second life to used items.</li>
<li>I've dropped my showering to every other day (for the most part) and use an adjustable low-flow showerhead.</li>
<li>I moved a few months ago, and just the other day thought about the fact that the water is really hot, and perhaps we should turn it down... When we looked at the water heater, it was set to 160!! We quickly turned it down to 120. I will be interested to see how much of an impact this has on the bills...</li>
<li>I use baking soda and vinegar for all household cleaning purposes.</li>
<li>Of course, my job is environmentally friendly as well. I work with a fantastic nonprofit called Village Gardens. We work in two low-income communities to empower community leaders through gardening, skills training and leadership. I spend a lot of my time with the two children's garden clubs and in the community gardens. Check out our new <a href="http://villagegardenspdx.wordpress.com/">blog</a> and <a href="http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#%21/pages/Village-Gardens-Janus-Youth-Programs/131053303584040?ref=ts">facebook page</a> for pictures. I truly feel honored to work with such an amazing organization. Our latest venture is to open a non-profit, community run, local, healthy grocery store in an area that currently has no grocery stores. It's going to be awesome!!</li>
</ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_rS6DkFNo_aU/TDtLC1I0SSI/AAAAAAAAAFw/Q8zhDekTSCo/s1600/IMG_0803.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_rS6DkFNo_aU/TDtLC1I0SSI/AAAAAAAAAFw/Q8zhDekTSCo/s640/IMG_0803.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>Carissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11324127209203508030noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3178647139439450718.post-79695567601799503792010-06-10T18:54:00.000-07:002010-06-10T18:57:47.985-07:00Quarter CenturyThis weekend was a breath of fresh air.<br />
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I must admit that one of the hardest adjustments for me in moving to Portland is the lack of outside time. Being used to the warm sunny deserts of Tucson AZ, I'm not very enthusiastic about camping in the rain. Also, it takes so much longer (and so much driving) to get to a good hike. I miss being able to drive 15-20 minutes to Pima Canyon or Sabino Canyon or Saguaro National Park and get out on the trails...<br />
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But N and I took four days this week and drove up to the Olympic Peninsula for my 25th birthday. It poured down rain on the drive up and back, but the weather was gorgeous while we were there. We took a short hike into the Quinault Rainforest, where I was super duper excited to see berries ripening!! This time of year I always have my berry vision on, my eyes eagerly scanning the trail for bright spots of red or blue. N gets a little annoyed after a couple hours of me pointing out every berry I see!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_rS6DkFNo_aU/TBGS-97NzaI/AAAAAAAAAEE/K-XIFjeGhoY/s1600/IMG_0909.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_rS6DkFNo_aU/TBGS-97NzaI/AAAAAAAAAEE/K-XIFjeGhoY/s640/IMG_0909.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>We saw some huckleberries, and some thimbleberries and salmonberries just beginning to ripen.<br />
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Then we headed out to Oil City to backpack on the beach. Oh, the weather was beautiful. I wore shorts and actually got to run barefoot and splash in the waves! We saw barnacles, and touched squishy sponges and poked starfish and stared at anemones. We climbed on huge old trees washed up on the beach and found one eyed monsters in the rocks. N balanced rocks and drift wood. One of the things I love about being with N is how well we play together. We are goofy and silly and excited as kids.<br />
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We had some exciting times because we were trying to hike impassable portions of the beach at pretty much high tide. We ended up racing the waves down the beach and pretty much rock climbing along the face of the cliffs to get past. I was missing the security of my harness! But what's a birthday without a little adrenaline, right? We had a lovely campsite to watch the sunset.<br />
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After we hiked out from the beach, we headed over to Olympic Hot Springs. I neglected to take any pictures of the springs themselves, because I was just too relaxed soaking in the warm water and listening to the river rushing below. I did take some pictures of our tasty dinner though. Fanciest backpacking dinner I've ever eaten. :) We totally splurged and brought heavy food.<br />
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The finished product with some homemade tomatillo salsa. YUM! All in all, a wonderful birthday. I'm one lucky gal.<br />
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Also, I can't wait to get back to the Olympic Peninsula for some more adventures!Carissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11324127209203508030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3178647139439450718.post-67040004021144966152010-06-01T12:55:00.000-07:002010-06-03T08:03:49.019-07:00One Small Change UpdateWow, this post is long overdue! I was busy moving and settling in in April, and things are definitely not slowing down at work as summer approaches. I've been doing my changes each month, just not blogging about them. So here is a quick rundown of the past few months:<br />
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March - The change to the family cloth went really well. I'm still keeping up with it at the new house. I didn't say anything to the roomies, just quietly put my two little boxes in the bathroom and went about business as usual. I love it! So clean and comfortable.<br />
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April - I switched to 100% renewable energy on the electric bill. Believe it or not, this is actually the first time I've had a utility in my name. Every other house I've lived in, I just paid utilities to the owner, and not directly to the power company. It adds about $7 to the bill monthly. Not bad!<br />
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May - This is a big one; so big that I will be carrying it into June. I decided to tackle my personal care products. I consider myself to not use that many, by normal cultural standards. Here is a picture of the products I used on a regular basis:<br />
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In the past I've tried to use natural products as much as possible, as well as keeping it cheap. I'm on an Americorps stipend, after all. I also just plain don't use very much. I've had that deodorant and face wash for about a year and a half now. Anyway, a quick rundown: natural shampoo and conditioner, handmade natural soap, St. Ive's facial scrub, Neutrogena face wash, mascara, eyeliner, powder foundation, mousse, facial lotion, and Tom's toothpaste/deodorant.<br />
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My May challenge was to use even less of these products, and to try replacing them with homemade/more natural alternatives when they ran out. For one, I wanted to stop rubbing hormone-disrupting, cancer-causing chemicals in the form of pthalates (or "fragrance") into my face and scalp. I also wish to cut back on my consumption of plastics. Check out this link for more info: <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/05/31/chemical.dangers/index.html">http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/05/31/chemical.dangers/index.html</a> I figure that the extra money I will probably spend on natural products will even out with the money I save on making some of the other products at home.<br />
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My first change was to go no poo, which I've been doing for about three weeks. I'm doing the baking soda/apple cider vinegar combo, and it's working great! I don't find my hair to smell like salad, and I only use it about 3 times a week. The other times I just rinse my hair. My only complaint is that I have naturally wavy hair, and I feel like it doesn't curl as well with the baking soda/vinegar. <br />
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I've cut way back on how much makeup I wear. I mean I don't wear that much normally, but I used to feel compelled to wear makeup every day. I'd feel naked/ugly without it. When I was in college, I might roll out of bed and go to class in my sweats, but I <i>always</i> took a minute to swipe on some concealer and mascara first. Now I am very happy that I feel comfortable with a bare face. I think living in Portland has helped with this. There are many women here that I think are beautiful that don't wear a bit of makeup. It was just how I grew up that made me think I had to cover up my face every day. Now I wear it maybe half the time?<br />
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Now here is my question for you: Do you have any tried and true recipes for homemade products like deodorant, face washes and scrubs? Please do share! And if you can recommend some natural/organic makeup products, that would be great as well... I need to do more research in this area. <br />
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One other change I've made is my toothbrush. My old one was getting nasty, so I switched it out for an Ecodent toothbrush, which saves money and plastic over it's lifetime because you only have to replace the head, not the whole handle. Genius!<br />
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And here's a bonus for making it all the way to the end of this post: one of my fierce little hens. She has so much sass.<br />
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<span id="goog_1369102909"></span><span id="goog_1369102910"></span><span id="goog_1369102913"></span><span id="goog_1369102914"></span>Carissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11324127209203508030noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3178647139439450718.post-81065562442803904322010-03-21T08:30:00.000-07:002010-03-21T08:34:36.260-07:00You Know You're A Gardening Nerd When...You get really excited about free zoo poo!!<br />
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That's right folks, one of the big highlights of my week was picking up three truck loads of zoo poo. I work for a small nonprofit in North Portland called Village Gardens. We work in two low-income neighborhoods to empower leaders in the community through gardening and other programming. We've been trying to find an affordable way to get some fertilizer on our gardens, so I was really excited when my Master Gardener class announced that the zoo would be giving away free poo!<br />
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We drove down to the zoo on a rainy day, and there were huge piles of hot composted poo. As the front end loader shoveled into it, the piles steamed into the cold gray air. It was a good consistency - looked like it had been composted with straw and wood chips - and didn't smell bad at all.<br />
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That afternoon, I had the garden club kids help unload it into the garden. They actually got really into it, and had so much fun mixing it into the soil in our raised beds. Occasionally they would yell out, "I just found a big chunk of lion poo!" Or "Here's some elephant!!" It was awesome. I loved it because it was free, because we were reusing some unexpected materials, and because it will help make our gardens fertile and productive this year. Win win win. We also got on the zoo's list to be contacted in summer when they have more zoo poo ready. Perfect for a little side dressing on our corn.<br />
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I should note that we've been really enjoying this whole "zoo poo" thing. We've been keeping a tally of how many times we say "zoo poo" in a single meeting. A tradition at Village Gardens is to start all of our community meetings with a check-in question that everyone answers. Last week, our check-in question was "If you could be any kind of zoo poo, what kind would you be?" hehe. I love my job.Carissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11324127209203508030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3178647139439450718.post-91377209108402438712010-03-16T08:00:00.000-07:002010-03-21T08:34:36.260-07:00March One Small Change UpdateWell, we are midway through March, and my change is going well. I cut up an old t-shirt to use as "family cloth" and I love it! So soft and it cleans well. Occasionally I just forget and use toilet paper, but that doesn't happen often.<br />
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As far as using my vintage hankies to blow my nose on... I haven't had much occasion to use them! I haven't been sick and I don't have allergies, and I haven't cried much this month. :) I did use them a couple times at the beginning of the month. At first I felt weird blowing my nose on such pretty, delicate fabric - but hey, useful things can be pretty too, right? And they are super easy to launder, along with my cut up t-shirt squares.<br />
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A couple challenges I've run into: Sometiems I don't have enough of my t-shirt cloths to last me til the next laundry day. I could of course easily solve this by cutting up another shirt. The more major challenge is this: I'm moving at the end of the month. My boyfriend N and I are currently renting the finished attic of a house, and we have our own half bath upstairs. Thus the other members of the house aren't subjected to our weird toilet rituals, including the family cloth and "if it's yellow let it mellow." I'm moving because N is doing a six-month farm internship about 2 hours away from here, and I need to live somewhere cheaper. So the new house is smaller, and has only one bathroom. I met the roommates on Craigslist, and while they seem concerned with environmental issues, I was too embarrassed to bring any of this up.... We'll see how it goes.<br />
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There are really good things about this house though, and these are a big part of the reason I chose it.<br />
1) It is small. There will be 3, sometimes 4 people living there, and I'm excited to share the small space. Small means less heating and lighting, less building materials that went into the house, etc. etc. I've been obsessed with <a href="http://www.tumbleweedhouses.com/">Tumbleweed Tiny Houses</a> for several years, so moving into a smaller house is a step in the right direction for me!<br />
2) The owners have spent the last three years fixing up the house, and installing all energy efficient appliances: washer and dryer, fridge, dishwasher, etc. Woohoo! A big change from my current house.<br />
3) There are chickens!! Five of them. I've been wanting chickens, but since I move around so much I didn't think it was really feasible. I'm so excited to move into a house that already has them, and to try my hand at caring for small livestock.<br />
4) The backyard is sunny and has two big garden beds, with room for more. My current house is shaded by two immense Doug Fir trees, and only has a small area suitable for gardening. I'm so excited to get in there and plant a big veggie garden! There's also a compost pile already going. My current house has a worm compost bin, and I love that. I would want to set up one at the new house, but I have a feeling that the chickens will probably eat a lot of my kitchen scraps.<br />
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So overall, I think this move will be a positive one environmentally, even if I do wimp out and stop using the family cloth.Carissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11324127209203508030noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3178647139439450718.post-67744480499512271142010-03-15T10:04:00.000-07:002010-03-15T11:12:01.177-07:00Coffee CozyI'll admit it, I haven't been knitting or crocheting much lately. Unless I have a specific project in mind, I have a hard time shelling out the money for nice yarn. And I know that I don't really need a new sweater or scarf or whatever. So my needles have been sitting idle.<br />
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Then a couple days ago, I saw N wrapping his french press in a towel to keep it warm. He doesn't do this every day, since he usually drinks his coffee immediately. However, it gave me the perfect excuse to whip up a quick project with some stash yarn.<br />
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I just single crocheted until the piece was long enough to cover the glass portion of the french press. Then I added some buttons out of my button jar, and it was complete! Voila! French press cozy in about 20 minutes. Please don't judge me for not weaving in the ends. N likes things to look a little rough, and I gladly accept the excuse, because I secretly despise weaving in the ends!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_rS6DkFNo_aU/S55oNYvojkI/AAAAAAAAADU/m6n7f2XDj5s/s1600-h/IMG_0720.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_rS6DkFNo_aU/S55oNYvojkI/AAAAAAAAADU/m6n7f2XDj5s/s320/IMG_0720.JPG" /></a></div>Carissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11324127209203508030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3178647139439450718.post-40257012767590578352010-03-05T21:32:00.000-08:002010-06-03T08:04:12.073-07:00Weekend AdventuresWe've been having some great warm weather and sunny days here in Portland lately. Of course I've been a little worried that spring is coming too early, that we might get a hard freeze and everything would die, that global warming is making crazy things happen. All of these things might be true, but being a Southwestern sunshine-loving girl, I am just grinning and soaking up every minute of it. Riding my bike is fun again!<br />
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And so I've been having some fun pedal-powered outings. Last weekend N and I set off for Kelley Point Park, a nice 8 mile jaunt from our house. It was an interesting ride... Partly through the Columbia Slough/wetlands, and partly on the side of crazy industrial high-speed roads. That's just how North Portland is. It was my first time out to Kelley Point, and it was definitely interesting...<br />
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We walked along the little beach at the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers.<br />
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We could see Mt. Adams, Mt. Hood and Mt. St. Helens really clearly. We could also see ship yards and industrial waste.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_rS6DkFNo_aU/S5HmfrjnQmI/AAAAAAAAAC0/8Ce2CcMDB5g/s1600-h/IMG_0705.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_rS6DkFNo_aU/S5HmfrjnQmI/AAAAAAAAAC0/8Ce2CcMDB5g/s640/IMG_0705.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>We had a delicious picnic lunch on the beach. Homemade bread and egg salad open face sandwiches with arugula from the garden. Yum!<br />
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Of course no walk on the beach would be complete without a little monkey business from N.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_rS6DkFNo_aU/S5HondAJSxI/AAAAAAAAADE/554AzMDixFs/s1600-h/IMG_0691.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_rS6DkFNo_aU/S5HondAJSxI/AAAAAAAAADE/554AzMDixFs/s640/IMG_0691.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>Here's hoping for some more outdoor adventures this weekend! What are your plans?Carissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11324127209203508030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3178647139439450718.post-80971909339939856042010-02-27T08:05:00.000-08:002010-06-01T14:21:58.752-07:00March One Small ChangeI've recently been inspired by Hip Mountain Mama's <a href="http://1smallchangeblog.blogspot.com/">One Small Change</a> group, where people commit to one attainable ecological change per month leading up to Earth Day. I've decided to make my change around paper products.<br />
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Now, I consider myself to be pretty good with paper. I never use paper towels, avoid disposable plates, napkins and cups like the plague (I usually will bring my own mug, and sometimes plate, to meetings or lectures). I usually dry my hands on my pants or shake them dry in public restrooms. I assemble every scrap of paper (receipts, envelopes, ...) and scribble lists, notes and directions on them before recycling... Etc, etc.<br />
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There is one area of my paper use, though, that I have been reluctant to address, and that deals with bodily fluids. Yes, I buy recycled toilet paper and use it very conservatively, but I'm still using paper every time I go to the bathroom or blow my nose. So I've decided to try out this whole "family cloth" thing, but only for number 1 right now. Baby steps, people. I cut up an old t-shirt, and I'm ready to go! And my pretty collection of vintage hankies that I used to use only as an accessory casually tucked in a pocket? Yes, I will be wiping my nose with them.<br />
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It's time to get over my squeamishness for more important things. I'm glad that Hip Mountain Mama and all those other One Small Changers have finally prompted me to take this step that I've been contemplating for awhile!<br />
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Wish me luck!Carissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11324127209203508030noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3178647139439450718.post-61208264687370090332010-02-21T21:50:00.000-08:002010-03-21T08:33:49.596-07:00The Permaculture Classroom<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>This weekend I had the privilege of hearing Michael Becker speak at Portland State University. He is a middle school math and science teacher, who has pioneered a truly innovative outdoor classroom.<br />
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As an aspiring educator, I was so inspired by his program! I was homeschooled as a child and have recently learned about and developed an interest in the philosophy of unschooling. While these educational models can be great for individual families, I don't think they are feasible for the majority of households in the United States. With this in mind, I have been mulling over how some of the aspects of these educational models could be incorporated into a more traditional school setting. Like giving children some control over what and how they learn. Or allowing them to learn at their own pace. There is nothing that irks me more than a teacher standing at the front of a room, forcing everyone to learn and regurgitate the same thing! When I was homeschooled, my mother did choose our curriculum, but I still had so much more free time to pursue my own interests. I also got to learn at exactly my own pace. I didn't have to wait for 25 other kids to finish the writing assignment before I could do something else. If I didn't understand a concept, I could go back over it, instead of being rushed on with the rest of the class.<br />
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It seems to me that so much time in the modern classroom is spent doing crowd control. With the current high numbers of student/class, teachers feel that they have to keep a tight rein on their students or chaos could break out at any moment. This results in strict rules, everyone being forced to do the same activity, and squelching creativity.<br />
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But I digress. Let me get back to Michael Becker. His classroom embodies so many of the ideals I would want for my own classroom when I'm a teacher! Although many schools now have gardens and garden programs, what I think is unique about his program is how much control and influence the students have. They learn about science and math in practical, hands on ways. The students design and implement their own projects. They do all the research, build models, write grants, etc. His outdoor classroom has a few different parts. One is getting the kids out into nature, where they doing fun activities like snowshoeing. They also partner with scientists from the U.S. Geological Survey to collect data. His students study streams and collect data. They are also working on a glacier recession study. This provides them the opportunity not only to get outdoors, but to dig deep into a habitat, learn how it works, and then interact with professionals in the field. So cool!<br />
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The other aspect of his program is their gardens at the school. Michael teaches kids about the permaculture model, and to think about systems and how everything is connected. They started out by building a native plants arboretum in a shaded location behind one of the buildings. It was a blank canvas when they planted 150 native trees and other plants. Now four years later, the area is teeming with life! They have spotted 50 different bird species, over 300 different bugs, and there are 20-30 plant species growing that they did not plant!<br />
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Then they built an edible garden, and partnered with a local farmer's market to sell their produce. The next plan in the works is a huge green house. They have installed a solar panel that will power the greenhouse. The kids actually got to help wire it in, and learned all about that process, as well as energy generation and conservation. They have had to be creative in coming up with ways to run their entire greenhouse on the energy put out by that solar panel. They will put in tilapia tanks to act as a heat sink to absorb heat in the summer, and radiate it out in the winter. They can use the nitrogen rich water as fertilizer, and one kid even came up with a plan to make algae bricks and burn them as fuel.<br />
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Literally, this was all the children's idea, and they have designed every step of the process, even learning calculus where necessary! Sixth graders! I was so impressed. When you give kids the freedom to dream and explore, they can do incredible things. Obviously, these kids have excelled far beyond state standards, and it's because they enjoy what they are doing and they are doing real work. For instance in Math, they are given real problem solving activities, tasks and projects to learn, instead of the abstractions most kids struggle with. Not only does it show them <i>why</i> all this stuff is necessary and useful, it's a lot easier to understand a concept when you're actually doing it, rather than just thinking about it.<br />
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Any thoughts? Have you had experiences like this either learning at home, or in a school?Carissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11324127209203508030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3178647139439450718.post-28433123933167342202010-01-31T22:19:00.000-08:002010-06-01T12:01:15.458-07:00Makin' MarmaladeWow, my first blog post!* I feel like I'm entering a whole new world here. A virtual world that will be my own haven on these long, rainy Portland days. I can imagine myself in a rocker next to a blazing wood fire, tea cup in hand, and a book or knitting project in my lap as I converse with my virtual friends.<br />
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In reality I have no such wood stove. But I do have a couch, some warm blankets, and of course tea, books and knitting. In this space, I hope to share some of the ideas that are always bouncing around in my head, and be inspired to carry some of them through to fruition! My ideas on education and gardening, craftyness and sustainability.<br />
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I don't really know how to start a new blog. So I will just leave you with an account of my activities on the last rainy weekend.<br />
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Lately, I have been bewailing the lack of fresh citrus here in Portland. I am seriously missing the Arizona farmer's markets this time of year, with their abundance of grapefruit, kumquats, limequats, tangerines, etc. etc. What can I say? I'm crazy for citrus. I ate 40 grapefruit in a week last January, all by myself. <i>Anyway</i>, with my citrus cravings in full swing I went shopping at New Seasons, and was overwhelmed by the selection they had. Probably ten different kinds of tangerines alone! I bought a huge basketful of grapefruit, cara caras, navels, tangerines, tangelos, lemons, and even a Palestinian sweet lemon. When I got home, I just happened to read Ashley of <a href="http://small-measure.blogspot.com/2010/01/winter-citrus-can-jam.html">small measure</a>'s post over on <a href="http://www.designspongeonline.com/">Design*Sponge</a> about a triple citrus marmalade with star anise. I simply had to whip up a batch, especially considering I had all the ingredients on hand! It turned out fantastic, and I enjoyed it right away on some homemade bread with peanut butter. The bright color and tangy citrus flavor cheered up my grey, drizzly day right away. Yum!<br />
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Now I'm off to make some late night dinner with whatever I've got in the fridge...<br />
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*I feel compelled to note that I have, in actuality, had other blogs before. I started way back in high school, and they were the dramatic teenage diary type, where my friends and I went home and typed about the minutiae of our day that we all already knew about. I kept it going into college, before it eventually fizzled out about five years ago.Carissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11324127209203508030noreply@blogger.com0