Achieve Simplicity

Creating Sourdough Starter

2009-10-02T12:30:00.000-07:00

I have been itching for the past few weeks to get some sourdough starter growing again. I had a great starter shortly after DW and I got married, but it went bad after being neglected when we moved out of the apartment we were living in.Unable to resist the urge to scratch, I succumbed to the itch, and this is the story.First of all, if you want to know anything about sourdough, please check out

Been a while . . .

2009-10-01T12:00:00.000-07:00

. . . all I can say is that the last month has been VERY difficult. But, I am still here.Jeremy

The Deodorant Challenge: Part 3

2009-08-18T09:00:00.001-07:00

This post is a continuation of The Deodorant Challenge: Part 2.So it has been two months since the last Deodorant Challenge update, and for good reason. It took me two months to get through that last recipe. And frankly I liked it!As a brief review, the first recipe I tried was a mix of baking soda and talc (baby powder). While it generally held the odor at bay, it became very unpleasant in

Mexican Rabbit Over Rice

2009-08-17T09:00:00.000-07:00

Since I am still way overstocked, you might say, with rabbits, today will be another meat processing day. So, in the spirit of the day, I thought I'd share our family's favorite rabbit recipe (to date). I call it:Mexican Rabbit Over Rice1-2 fryer rabbits, disjointed2 cups Jeremy's Blender Salsa1-2 8oz. cans V-8 (preference)1 15oz. can diced tomatoes1/2 medium onion, diced1 bulb garlic, sliced1/2

[Baby Girl] Cowan: 8 weeks

2009-08-14T08:00:00.000-07:00

I thought it would be appropriate to add an update on [Baby Girl] Cowan. She'll be 8 weeks old on Sunday and has been growing like crazy. While she has been getting a little chubbier, like most babies do, she is definitely getting taller as well. We track her weight at home in a fashion similar to the rabbits. In fact we use the same bucket and hang her in the scale. She doesn't seem to mind, in

Around the Homestead

2009-08-13T11:00:00.000-07:00

I always feel a little weird calling it a homestead when we are, in fact, renting. But, we've got a bit of a garden and the rabbits. So, I don't know. I could call it the yard, but it doesn't have the same ring to it.Anyways, a brief survey of our holdings revealed a few new sights I thought were worth sharing. First, these little darlings are actually bearers of bad news. This half of the litter

Summer Family Fun

2009-08-11T09:00:00.000-07:00

This summer has been a rare treat. Since I separated from their mother in 2004 I haven't had my boys for more than a weekend with only one exception. However, this summer, we finally agreed to follow our custody order and the boys have spent every other week with us. It has been a lot of fun. One of the boys' favorite things to do is spend time at DW's parents' house . . . for one simple reason —

Garden Box #1: The Case for Recycling Baling Twine

2009-08-09T11:00:00.000-07:00

I was on my way to Home Depot the other day with a couple things on my list. One of them - twine.I needed something to tie up my tomatoes in our little garden box. I figured that jute twine would be a great way to go - it is mage of natural fibers, it's biodegradable, and it doesn't look too bad. However, while wandering the aisles at Home Depot, and this gets me in more trouble than I should

Jeremy's Blender Salsa

2009-08-05T12:00:00.000-07:00

Here's a recipe I created for making homemade salsa from items fresh from the garden (or grocery store if need be).Jeremy’s Blender Salsa10 – medium tomatoes2 – large jalapenos3 – medium to large Anaheim chilies1 – large onion1 – large bulb of garlic – 10-12 cloves½ bunch – cilantro1 tsp – fresh ground pepper1 tsp – ground cumin1 tsp – dill weed2 tsp – granulated garlic powder2 Tbsp – lime juice

Off the Wagon?

2009-07-30T11:00:00.000-07:00

No, I haven't fallen off of the proverbial wagon when it comes to maintaining my blogs. Rather life has offered up a few options and pursuing them has taken more of my time and attention than I had anticipated. But . . . This is a good thing. I have been in talks with a company in the Bay Area that grows vegetables in carbon-neutral greenhouses. Their business model seems to be sound and I really

The Compact: Is It For Us?

2009-07-15T12:00:00.000-07:00

In perusing the blogosphere, I keep running across mentions of the Compact. So, I decided to check it out. The Compact is a Yahoo! Group, or one of several spin off groups based on various locations.I could try to explain it, but rather, I will leave it up to the group introduction, which I quote:We are a group of individuals committed to a 12-month flight from the consumer grid.The Compact has

The Latest Freecycle Treasure: Chest Freezer

2009-07-12T10:00:00.000-07:00

I was just telling DW that we could really use a chest freezer, and soon. With 45 rabbits in the barn and room for only 13, we were going to have to send some of them to freezer camp if new homes couldn't be found soon. Fortunately I found homes for 4 of them yesterday at a rabbit show in San Bernardino, CA. Now, I shouldn't make it sound so morbid. We raise the rabbits for meat and freezer camp

Planning to Conquer Your Finances? So Am I

2009-07-11T10:00:00.000-07:00

I keep meaning to approach the subject of finances here. Mine aren't very pretty, but then again whose are? I recently lost my business to the flailing economy and as such have seen our household income plummet and our debt load increase.Add to all that the new baby, maternity leave, and life in general, and our finances are a mess. So, I have decided that it is time to tackle the financial

Another Day, Another Blog

2009-07-10T12:00:00.000-07:00

I haven't posted in a couple of days, and it isn't because I haven't wanted to. On Wednesday, my brother and I had a little adventure. We hiked the second highest peak in Southern California, Mount San Jacinto. Towering above the valleys beneath, Mt. San Jacinto comes in at 10,834 feet. Now, I am not the most svelte of men, but the mountain and I both gave each other a little butt-kicking.Despite

Three Tips That Have Kick-Started My Compost Pile

2009-07-07T08:00:00.000-07:00

I will not profess to be an expert on composting. In fact, i am far from it. The "compost" pile I started two months ago with almost exclusively waste hay and rabbit droppings still had green alfalfa hay from day one when I turned it over a week ago.Fortunately, I had a learning moment when I sold three baby peafowl to the gentleman I bought my last batch of worms from. When he came to pick up

I Might Actually Get the Garden in the Ground

2009-07-06T12:00:00.000-07:00

This morning I set out to finish prepping the "garden box" to receive the seedlings we started indoors.You might ask, "Why is he starting seeds indoors in Southern California?"That's an easy one. Between the afternoon winds, the meddling birds, and the ever so vexing ground squirrels, starting seeds in our yard would be fruitless, literally. So, we give our garden a bit of a head start in a grow

15 Things I Find Simply Breathtaking

2009-07-04T10:00:00.000-07:00

Today, I wanted to take a quick minute before we jump in the pool to reflect on a few things that I am grateful for. Not the normal, Thanksgiving Day list of gratitudes, but simpler, less noticed pleasures of this life. While my family, my faith, and my country rank above this list, I thought this would be fun.Some of the simpler things I am grateful for:The calming song of the wind chimes

With Much Ado, I Bid You a Happy Fourth of July!

2009-07-04T00:00:00.000-07:00

To those of you who have decided to join me on this exploration of simple living, I express to you my warmest thanks on this, our Nation's 234th Independence Day. May your harvests be plentiful and your home be filled with the warmth and admiration of all who enter.May God bless you, your family, and God Bless America!

The Hang Up with Rare Breeds

2009-07-03T06:00:00.000-07:00

In a post here last month, ...On Why I Raise Rabbits, I extolled the virtues of raising rabbits and the quality of their meat. I mentioned that the breed I raise, the American Blue and White, is one of, if not the most critically rare breeds in the country. In fact, the 2008 census of American Blues and Whites came up with less than 300 rabbits in the country.Being the huge philanthropist that I

My First Anti-Consumerism Challenge Has Begun

2009-07-02T10:00:00.000-07:00

No, I am not issuing a challenge. So far, my readership being as low as it is (bless your hearts those of you reading this), I don't have the pull to issue an effective challenge to the world. However, I stumbled upon The Non-Consumer Advocate last night, a very informative and interesting blog advocating a reduction in wasteful consumerism. The author, Katy Wolk-Stanley, seems to be doing a

Do You "Freecycle"?

2009-07-01T00:00:00.000-07:00

I was first introduced to Freecycle about a year ago. I don't remember exactly how I stumbled upon the site, but was immediately drawn in by the prospect of looting other people's unwanted treasures.It is a fairly simple concept. Create a forum for the average netizen to offer up their unwanted items to others in exchange for the opportunity to act upon the offers of others in the community. This

Ten Ways to Save Water This Summer

2009-06-30T12:00:00.000-07:00

A couple weeks ago, we received notice from the local water authority that mandatory water restrictions were being implemented to help combat the prolonged drought conditions in our area. In the spirit of doing my part, I have compiled a list of things to help curb water waste. Most of these things are happening as a matter of course in our home, though, I may need to brush up on a few. But, the

Summer Reading Program: Attempting to Instill a Love for Reading

2009-06-29T12:00:00.000-07:00

Today we unveiled the summer reading program for my 6 & 8 y.o sons. It is modeled strongly after their Advanced Reading program at school. in fact we used the reading list and point values to determine the value of the books they'd be reading.They have been anxiously awaiting the incentives list. We started asking what kind of things they'd like as "prizes" for their hard work. Once we had an

The Home Barbecue: Charcoal or Gas

2009-06-24T12:00:00.000-07:00

It is the question for the ages: to choose propane or charcoal in practicing that great culinary art of barbecuing. And while it may never be fully resolved, I can tell you what I think.For me, there is nothing tastier than a slab of meat (take your pick) slow grilled on the barbecue. A great piece of barbecued meat has a heat-induced skin of flavor which locks in the meat's natural juices. The

Simple Living vs. Survivalism

2009-06-23T12:00:00.001-07:00

I've been pondering a lot recently about how those attempting a simpler life might be perceived by disinterested onlookers. Many will say, "Who cares?" And I will give them hardy amens. But, what is it that those onlookers see, and is it accurate?I searched "simple living" on Wikipedia and was brought to a category listing. Wouldn't you know it? "Survivalism" is listed as a subcategory of simple