Townsend House

Sunday Quotes

2013-05-26T00:00:00.000-04:00

Ah! There is nothing like staying at home, for real comfort.
~Jane Austen

what i am eating

2013-05-24T00:00:00.000-04:00

I absolutely love rhubarb! I think that it might be because my mom always made the most delicious pies with it growing up. And now, with my desire to eat more seasonally and locally, it is one of the first foods that grows in my area. So when I went outside last week and saw that my rhubarb had pretty much doubled in size in a few short sunny days, I knew it was time to start picking and baking!

I made a rhubarb custard pie, and also a rhubarb crisp. They were both to die for, and extremely easy. I have to say that I have never cooked with rhubarb myself, my mom is always the one that takes charge on rhubarb desserts. But, seeing as how she was working and unavailable, and I had a ton of rhubarb that needed to be harvested, it was up to me to take the lead!

Rhubarb pie

2 pie crusts

2-3 cups chopped rhubarb

3 eggs

2 Tablespoons milk

1 cup sugar

2 Tablespoons flour

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

Place one pie crust in 9" pie plate, fill the pie plate with the chopped rhubarb until about the top of the pie plate. Mix sugar flour and nutmeg and then add eggs and milk and gently beat to combine. Pour mixture over top of rhubarb. Place other pie crust over the top. Cut lines for vents - or you can be fancy and do lattice for the top - I'm not fancy. Bake for 10 minutes at 450 and then turn oven down to 350 and bake for another ~30 minutes, until a knife comes out clean from the middle.

And now for my favorites from last week! Don't forget to check out the pinterest board where I pin my favorites!

Skinny Chicken Sausage and Spinach Riggies - Sourdough Native

BBQ Chicken mini pizzas - Lemon Tree Dwelling

Roasted Corn Salad with Tomatoes & Feta - Coffee With Us 3

Now it is your turn! Link up all of your food related posts from the week below!

Sambazon Product review and giveaway!

2013-05-23T00:00:00.000-04:00

Have you heard of Sambazon juices? They are a delicious fresh, organic, non-gmo juice. Considering these are some of the biggest factors in deciding what I buy for my family, I was hooked even before I tasted them.

I recently tried the Acai with Blueberry and Pomegranate - well I say tried, but really I had about two sips before Emma and Jack stole the bottle and drank it themselves. It was delicious though, and something I was happy serving my kids. Anything healthy that I can give my kids is a win in my book!

Matt loves the Energy Mocha Java. He needs something quick in the morning, and this little power boost was great for on the go. It wasn't too sweet for the morning, and it gave him some much needed morning energy. Perhaps I should be keeping those bad boys for myself! With a 2 1/2 and 5 year old running circles around me all day, maybe I will try that next!

A little more about Sambazon:

Sambazon® offers a full range of fresh and organic juices, smoothies, and frozen products in a variety of delicious and exotic flavors. Their products are made with premium quality whole food Amazon plants and fruits that deliver the highest bio-available nutrition. This company is truly dedicated to bringing the next level of nutrition to the world while supporting the environmental and social well-being of the Brazilian Amazon and its people. Sambazon is both Organic and Fair Trade certified, supporting two million acres of the Amazon Rainforest and over 10,000 family farmers.

You can find Sambazon on Facebook here

For my readers Sambazon is giving away 3 free product vouchers as well as a beautiful wooden bowl and spoon! To enter please leave a comment below telling me which product you would like to try the most. For a second entry please subscribe to my blog via e-mail here and leave another comment saying you have done so! I will close comments on 6/1. US residents only please!

Disclaimer: I received this product for free from the sponsor of the Moms Meet SM program, May Media Group LLC, who received it directly from the manufacturer. As a Moms Meet SM blogger, I agreed to use this product and post my opinion on my blog. My opinions do not necessarily reflect the opinions of May Media Group LLC or the manufacturer of the product.

Linking up with Giveaway Day

knitting and reading

2013-05-22T00:00:00.000-04:00

As you can see, I haven't made much progress on my current knitting project. However, I have to say that we have had some marvelous weather for being outside and playing, and walking, and gardening. But now, with the next several days slated as rain, rain, and more rain, I expect to have some time to sit down and work on this tank top. That is if my kids want to sit quietly and play with each other...hmmm.

The book I am reading is Firefly Island. I started reading it several weeks ago, really only the first few pages, but promptly was interrupted by the delivery of new books in the mail - I have a short attention span. After the novelty of the new books wore off, I picked this one back up, and I was hooked right from the beginning.

Girl meets boy in insane chance encounter, they have a whirlwind romance of a couple weeks when he finds out he has gotten a job offer. The only catch is the job is not in DC where they both live now, instead it is in Texas. Girl and boy (and boy's son) decide to go off to Texas together. The only problem girl is having now is that boy's new boss might be a serial killer. Now, if I could just read more than a chapter without being interrupted, that would be lovely! I will get through this book soon though, I'm sure. It is a page turner!

What are you working on this week? Any new book recommendations?

Linking up with Tami, Ginny, and Nicole

Oklahoma

2013-05-21T06:20:00.000-04:00

I am so sad about the devastation from the Oklahoma tornadoes. I'm sure there are other areas that have also recently been affected by these awful natural disasters. My prayers are with all of those families. To lose everything, to lose relatives or friends, it is heart breaking. I hope they receive the help they need quickly.

perennials and the seasons

2013-05-21T00:00:00.000-04:00

I have to say that I absolutely love the changes in seasons. I am definitely blessed to live in an area that experiences all of them. I mean, winter could be a bit shorter, but overall I love all the seasons.

Spring is one of my favorites. Well, they all are the favorite at one point during the year. I like to see the end of a season and the beginning of a new one. But, spring is special, especially after such a long winter!

I love to see all the new plants coming out of the ground. The perennials around my house are incredibly special to me. I think that part of the reason is because I know absolutely nothing about planting flowers. Last year I tried planting marigolds, yet somehow they didn't grow. The perennials around my house? Well, I didn't plant them, and I think that is the key! How they manage to come back every year (and even spread - like my day lilies), I will never know.

Every year I am amazed to see the flowers, yes, including the dandelions, come up with no help from me. I don't do anything in the fall, and the most I do in the spring is rake out any leaves that are in the garden beds. I am thinking about staking the peonies this year though, they tend to fall over as soon as they start to blossom. It isn't that I don't love beautiful flowers, I do, and my mom has had some of the most gorgeous flower gardens over the years, but I mainly spend my time on plants we can eat.

However, each year I am still blessed to see the most beautiful purple irises, peonies, and day lilies come up around my house without lifting a finger. Now, if I could work on the edible perennials, that might be up my alley!

Do you have perennials in your yard? Are they as easy for you as they are for me? Or have I jinxed myself for saying how easy they are?

the state of the garden...again

2013-05-20T00:00:00.000-04:00

I have to say that the garden is looking 100 times better than it was last week. I wasn't sure we would get all the weeds up! But, with the next week looking like rain every day, and then the following week is when I typically get all of my plants in the ground, I knew that I had to get it done!

The rhubarb still has a ton of weeds that need to be pulled, but I did get to pick some of the first stalks of rhubarb this past week. And I will be making rhubarb custard pie this week! Perfect rainy day activity if you ask me :-)

The mound of weeds, next the rhubarb in the back, is actually the remaining compost from last fall. I need to pick the weeds out from around there (or more likely have Matt use the weed whacker). Then I plan to put pumpkins in that spot. The love compost, and I am crossing my fingers that it will work! Plus, being off to the side, when they start crawling I think it will be OK!

My garlic is still doing extremely well. I planted in a different location than last year. Last year something seemed to be eating the plant from underground. The only thing I could think of was maybe moles, but I couldn't find anything about moles eating garlic. Regardless of what it was, it ruined half of my garlic plants. This year I have 44 plants, and it is really exciting to see something that I planted last fall, go through an extremely cold and snowy winter, and then come up in the spring. Very cool to see nature at work!

You will notice that I have no peas planted, no lettuce or spinach planted. Not even radishes. I will probably try and plant all of those things when I put everything else in the ground, not sure how they will do, but I can always hope!

Any good rhubarb recipes you can share? I have a ton, and my mom has 3 times as much, to preserve.

Linking up with Clever Chicks and the Homestead Barn Hop

Sunday Quotes

2013-05-19T00:00:00.000-04:00

Man is so made that he can only find relaxation from one kind of labor by taking up another.
~Anatole France

what i am eating

2013-05-17T00:00:00.000-04:00

There is just something about salads lately. I am eating a lot of them - which is good considering a lot of my favorites in the linkup each week tend to be baked goods! Once in a while I like to make a lettuce-less salad. I don't know why. I think part of it is pure laziness, not wanting to wash and spin the lettuce, so I skip it. This is a really simple salad with tomatoes/red pepper/cucumber/onion/peperoncini/kalamata olives. Add a little extra virgin olive oil and a splash of raw apple cider vinegar, and it is delicious!

My favorites from last week:

Cookies for breakfast - My Lamp is Full

BBQ Pulled Pork - Thank you Honey

Tabouli Salad without the Bulgur

OK lovelies! Time to link up! What are you all eating this week?

Linking up at One Project at a Time

knitting and reading

2013-05-15T00:00:00.000-04:00

I am still working on the dark blue shawl and also this purple tank top (which does not look like a tank top - yet!), and will be for the foreseeable future I believe. I am still juggling being outside and the work that needs to be done outside with my knitting time. I really like the way this tank top is coming out though. The detail is so pretty!

As for my reading, I recently received these in my latest Amazon purchase...I do visit them quite frequently! First up is Survival Mom: How to Prepare Your Family for Everyday Disasters and Worst-Case Scenarios. It is quite good. I have to say that I have been thinking of preparedness for quite a while now. Not necessarily Doomsday Preppers (ok, sometimes Doomsday Preppers), but everyday preparedness for whatever might happen. Whether it is an ice storm, or breaking down on the side of the road, or needing to cut way back on the grocery budget for a month, there are a lot of reasons to try and be somewhat prepared. This book is a great so far. It isn't scaring me to death, but it is making me say "why am I not already doing this?" And the steps that the author has to follow are relatively easy, and I like easy!

The other book that I bought was The Encyclopedia of Country Living. This is a book that I often request from the library, and have to wait several weeks to actually get. I'm not sure why it has taken me so long to make the purchase, but I have now. It isn't really a read cover-to-cover kind of book. Although, if I were going to be sitting on a beach, uninterrupted for several days, I might attempt it :-) Great reference book for homesteaders, whether they be urban or on 200 acres.

Looking forward to seeing what everyone else is working on today! Happy Wednesday all!

Linking up with Tami, Nicole, and Ginny

I have a 5 year old!

2013-05-14T00:00:00.000-04:00

I honestly can't believe I have a five year old! We celebrated Emma's birthday with a little friend party this past weekend. Well, somewhat little. This is the first time we have ever done a friend party, and I knew that I wanted to keep it simple.

The only real requirements I had were balloons and flowers. Emma absolutely adores flowers, and is so happy every time her dada brings home a bouquet for her. He picked up a special arrangement, and she loved it.

I went the buffet route for the food, opting for croissant sandwiches for the adults and pb&j for the kids, fruit and veggie trays and a delicious pasta salad my mom made. There were also the requisite crackers and cheese and some chocolate covered pretzels - yum!

The party wasn't very long. Everyone arrived, the kids played for a while, then they opened their little bag of favors, lunch, more playing. The kids did a great job entertaining themselves with a balloon parade and playing bat the balloon - the balloons were a definite hit as was the scavenger hunt that Emma's uncle put together on the fly. The kids were all talking about it at church the next morning! We also had a craft of decorating masks, and then presents and cake.

beautiful Sydney and Emma striking a pose!

It was such a wonderful time, and Emma continued to show so much excitement the entire day. Constantly telling us that this was the best birthday ever. There were a lot of smiles and laughs, and I enjoyed every minute of it!

Spring is a very busy birthday season for us! Do you have any spring babies in your home?

the state of the garden

2013-05-13T00:00:00.000-04:00

Last week I talked about how well my garlic is doing, but I didn't really talk about the rest of the garden. This is the back part of our garden. Without fail, every year the garden is a weedy mess. But, this year seems to be crazy. I should be happy that it seems to want to grow a bunch of weeds - ie it must be incredibly healthy soil for when our seeds and seedlings go in the ground.

I think there are several reasons that are all probably contributing factors to this crazy overgrowth. The first being that we had a good couple weeks of sunny warm temperatures, followed by several days of rain. Another factor is probably the horse manure that we put on the garden every fall. There are plenty of weed seeds that make it through, and while it is great fertilizer for the garden, I don't know how to do away with the weeds that inevitably come from it. And then there is the whole part about how I stop weeding about two thirds of the way through the season because I can't take it anymore!

This week will be filled with me digging up all of these weeds and feeding them to the chickens. Then I hope to combat this problem in the future by laying weed cloth down. I also hope to get some raised beds put together. I don't necessarily want "raised beds" but I do like the definition of the rows lined by wood.

The week looks to be sunny and cool, so it will be perfect weather to be outside working. I'm sure my chickens will be happy to have the greens as well. Even though I like to think they are "free range" we have had to keep them in their fence due to some neighborhood dog problems. And while they love the left over salad that I give them most days, I'm sure they could use more greens in their diet!

And to all of the lovely people who have already planted loads in their gardens, I will remind everyone that we plant late, like Memorial Day weekend late (or later!). So I still have plenty of time to get things ready before I need to get seeds in the ground.

What is going on in your garden? Does it turn to weeds every year?

Linking up at the Homestead Barn Hop and Clever Girls

Mother Sea Turtles Month!

2013-05-12T17:32:00.000-04:00

Stephanie Lisa Tara presents Mother Sea Turtle month! Mothers need to stick together; whether scaly, feathered, furry or skinned! And to celebrate this Mother's Day and the release of her newest turtle book, Stephanie Lisa Tara's Turtle Book—which is the companion follow-up to her first international bestseller, I'll Follow the Moon—Stephanie Lisa Tara is giving away 2 gorgeous, large plush sea turtles (26"L x 8"H x 16"W) to reviewers!

Dear Turtle Activists,

I want to thank each and every one of you for your tireless dedication and love to our cause! I have written this book FOR YOU! I dedicate this book TO YOU! 120 pages of fotos, facts and fun!

Stephanie Lisa Tara's Turtle Book has a primary goal: SAVING SEA TURTLES FROM EXTINCTION. A portion of proceeds from this book go to charitable organizations like the Turtle Foundation (www.turtle-foundation.org) of whom my first turtle book, I'LL FOLLOW THE MOON—is a proud sponsor.

If you are new to us—please join with us, for together, holding hands, we can effect change. Yes—really! xoxo. SAVE GREEN SEA TURTLES on Facebook (www.facebook.com/.../Save-Green-Sea-T...) is our hugely popular hang-out—tens of thousands of Activists-strong. Please join us!

NOW—prepare for something totally new and amazing!

Stephanie Lisa Tara's Turtle Book is not your typical scientific turtle book: my special book is all about having FUN! Enjoy the mini FLIP-BOOK in the corners and create a movie of your own! Click the ebook pages—or thumb through manually in the paperback—YOUR CHOICE!

I've written these chapters in a fun, chatty voice—you know, the one YOU use when talking up your favorite topics! Don't be surprised if you find yourself giggling as you turn pages! Enjoy breathtaking photography, incredible facts, and way-out wow'ing surprises that these millennium-old creatures have to share.

AND: TWO IS BETTER THAN ONE! Yep! Stephanie Lisa Tara's Turtle Book is my second turtle book—it's a perfect TWIN to my first international bestseller, I'LL FOLLOW THE MOON: buy BOTH TOGETHER for your shelf. Two little twins; one a fable, one fotos, facts & fun.

So, in closing...please accept this deeply personal gift from me, your faithful sea turtle leader, the turtle-lady, or Stephanie Lisa Turtle - as I was renamed recently by a fan—from my heart to yours.

GOD BLESS EVERYONE WHO HAS SUPPORTED THE CAUSE TO SAVE SEA TURTLES FROM EXTINCTION!

I've always believed that magic hides in special places. As a child, people would often stare at my bright red hair, which was very, very bright indeed.
Unfortunately, I developed a bad habit of making up rhymes about all of them, and they soon became funny characters. I didn't have much time to think about being different; fanciful lyricisms danced in my head, and no one was safe!
Since then, I've come to believe that storytelling has the power to inspire a deep love of language and learning. Words tripping off the tongue in somersaults that stick to your thoughts like taffy-- those are the things that stay forever in the mind.
I've lived in many special places: on a farm, in a city skyscraper, on a tropical beach, and in the beautiful country of France. Now I live in northern California, between the redwood forests and the sea. Even though I'm an adult, I'm still as silly as ever.
Many nice words have been used to describe my books, such as fun, engaging, delightful, and whimsical. Some folks say that I deliver timeless messages of love for kids and parents to share again and again; this makes me very happy. I hope that you'll enjoy my stories, too. Captivating children with language is something that I believe in, and I strive to live my life with this always.
--Stephanie Lisa Tara
www.StephanieLisaTara.com
stephanielisatarabooks@gmail.com

Cause pages (each supports a book's vision):

Facebook page for Save the Polar Bears | Facebook Page for Save the Green Turtles | Facebook Page for Save the Redwood Forests

Stephanie Lisa Tara's Personal Sites:

Facebook | Amazon | Website

Giveaway:

15 lucky people will win a copy of Stephanie Lisa Tara's Turtle Book. You must be 13 or older to enter. Open to US addresses only. Giveaway runs from May 12th to June 12, 2013

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Two lucky reviewers will win a Melissa and Doug Giant Plush Stuffed Sea Turtle that retails at $34.99 and measures 26"L x 8"H x 16"W. You must review Stephanie Lisa Tara's Turtle Book on Amazon to enter. This giveaway runs from Mothers Day, May 12th to June 12th, 2013.

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And you can still enter to win a Kindle Fire!

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Sunday Quotes

2013-05-12T07:20:00.002-04:00

Children are the anchors of a mother's life.
~Sophocles

Happy Mother's Day to all of the mamas out there! And a very special Happy Birthday to my baby who turns five today. I can't think of a better celebration for Mother's Day!

what i am eating

2013-05-10T00:00:00.000-04:00

I am sorry there was no link up last week! I was taking full advantage of the sun – and also attempting “screen free week.” I am happy to say that the what I am eating pinterest board has taken off! Lots of repins from the recipes I have featured!

This week I am eating a lot of salads. Actually, most weeks I am eating a lot of salads these days. Towards the end of winter, my body starts craving the fresh greens again. There haven’t been a lot of greens available locally yet, but the farmers markets are just opening, and I know there is spinach and baby lettuce mix available.

What I really want to talk about though is salad dressing. I have started using nut based and non-oil based dressings. At first I was definitely leery of it. I am a big evoo and vinegar dressing kind of gal. But, this sounded good. And so I started out by doing research on different recipes, and then decided to make it my own.

Salad Dressing ~ yields about 1 quart

2 cups unsweetened almond milk

2/3 cup soaked walnuts

1 bunch fresh parsley

Juice of 1 lemon ~ 2 Tablespoons

2 Tablespoons raw apple cider vinegar

3 Tablespoons chia seeds

1 teaspoon Herbamare

2 garlic cloves or 1 teaspoon garlic powder

Put all ingredients in a blender, and blend until smooth. I have also used fresh cilantro instead of parsley, and even dried dill. I think the parsley gives it a nice flavor, but feel free to change it up to whatever herbs you like. I use a lot of parsley, but it is because parsley is so good for you! Plus, I figure it might help with the garlic I put in the dressing :-)

Because I didn’t have a link up last week, I am featuring posts from 2 weeks ago.

Quick Cinnamon Rolls (without yeast) - Sweet Caroline's Corner

Morroccan Orange Blossom and Cardamom Yoghurt Cake - Milk and Honey

French Toast - Mums Take Five

What are you eating this week? Have you ever tried "whole food" dressings without oil added? Link up your food related posts below!

Top Ten Must Have Non-local Foods

2013-05-09T00:00:00.000-04:00

Back in 2011 I posted a list of my must have non-local foods. I thought it might be interesting to revisit this list and see what is different for me now.

I am a huge proponent of local eating. I feel like it is safer most of the time when you know where your food is coming from, and especially if you are producing a lot of your own food. Eating a whole foods, plant based diet while living in Maine is challenging, especially during the long winter. So let us see where I am today with must have non-local foods.

1.) Good quality extra virgin olive oil: I use two oils mainly, evoo and coconut oil. I use evoo for a lot of different salads, whether it is an oil and vinegar dressing on a green salad, or as an ingredient for my black bean salad, I use it a lot. Could I live without it? Certainly, but I feel like life is better with evoo and a nice hunk of focaccia to dip in it.

2.) Organic Extra Virgin Coconut Oil & Flaked Coconut: I only recently started using coconut oil a lot. I have replaced the vegetable oil I typically used in baking with the coconut oil, and I love it. I feel like the subtle coconut flavor is amazing. I also make my own coconut milk for cooking with – mainly curry. I was never a big fan of coconut growing up, but it has found its way into my heart now.

3.) Coffee: This should probably be number 1, because I love me some coffee. I have a love hate relationship with this lovely beverage. Sometimes I want to give it up, because of the caffeine, but then I realize that I would still just buy decaf because I love coffee that much!

4.) Tea: Tea is another one that I need to have available. Sure, I could grow herbs for tea where I live, but during those periods where I think I will give up coffee – I am still drinking tea. And I use a lot of the different Traditional Medicinal teas for health and wellness. I’m not entirely sure which of those different blends could be sourced locally by making my own tea mixes, I would have to do more research.

5.) Nutritional Yeast: I just recently discovered nutritional yeast. Well, I had read about it a number of times over the past year, but finally tried it myself this past winter. I have mostly given up dairy, but as someone who absolutely loves cheese, I needed an alternative. This is it. I put it on my salad, on popcorn, in soups, make a nacho “cheese” sauce from it – the stuff is incredible.

6.) Nuts: Specifically raw almonds, walnuts and peanuts. I have been making my own almond milk for quite a while now. Before it was just for the kids drinking, but now I use it in a number of recipes as well – one of which is my salad dressing (come back tomorrow for the recipe). My kids snack on walnuts and craisins and we eat a ton of peanut butter whether it is the typical peanut butter sandwich or if I am using peanut butter for a noodle salad, it would definitely be difficult to not have around!

7.) Avocados: I love them. They are a healthy fat, and who doesn’t love guacamole? They make a great chocolate “pudding” for the kids, and are a constant in our salads.

8.) Citrus: In my last list I actually listed out oranges, lemons, and limes. But, this time I am lumping them together. I think if I had to pick one, it would probably be lemons. But, I do love my citrus.

9.) Bananas: Last time this one didn’t make the list, but this time I am including it. We eat a lot of bananas here. I have talked before about not buying strawberries in January because they aren’t in season. Well, bananas do not seem to fall in that same category. I think the difference is that I can actually buy strawberries in season in Maine, so I have a hard time buying them out of season from another country. Bananas are a regular in our green smoothies as well as a snack for the kids or in their morning oatmeal.

10.) Chia Seeds: Yes, these would be the same seeds as the ones that are from those lovely chia pets of the 80’s and 90’s. They are an amazing super food though. I put them in salad dressing to thicken it, in smoothies, on salads. You can really add them to anything because they don’t have a very distinct flavor. If you haven’t tried them, you should.

These are my top ten now. Obviously it has grown a bit since my last list, but these are the non-local foods that I seem to find in my house that are used on a regular basis. Could I do without a lot of these? Absolutely. I know that I could change my diet to an even more local diet if I included more animal products. But, that isn’t the stage I am in right now.

Do you have a list of non-local foods that you buy week after week? Is it a concern to you that these aren’t available locally? Are there substitutions you could make so that your diet was more local?

Linking up at Clever Chicks and the Homestead Barn Hop

yarn along

2013-05-08T00:00:00.000-04:00

I finished The Paris Wife last week. I really thought it was a great book! I have heard a lot of mixed reviews, which I can definitely understand now, after finishing the book. It was really wonderful to see so much passion and love between Ernest Hemingway and his first wife, Hadley Richardson. But, it was awful to see the way he treated her. And the second half of the book was incredibly difficult to get through. I felt so much pain for Hadley, and honestly had a hard time sleeping after I finished it. To see what she put up with. But, I think it was incredibly well written, and I have heard that even though this was historical fiction, it was very true to Hadley's own voice and story. I definitely recommend it, but it is not a light-hearted read.

I am still reading Firefly Island, but I did get sucked into The Paris Wife. Hopefully I will finish it soon, because I have a long list of books in my queue right now!

As far as my knitting goes - there hasn't been much change in my shawl. I have to say that the draw of the sun was too strong for me last week, and with the change in the weather that is soon to come in my neck of the woods, I have been spending as much time outdoors as possible.

I did, however, cast on a beautiful little racerback tank top for my darling niece who will be 5 in a few short weeks. Will I finish it in time? That is highly questionable. But, it looks like a fun little pattern to knit, and I think it will be something I will have to knit for my little Emma (who will be 5 this weekend, eek!). I really love this purple color. It is quite a bit different than the normally dark eggplant shades or light lavender shades I usually gravitate towards. But, it is a fun cotton, which I think will be perfect for this June baby!

Linking up with Ginny, Nicole, and Tami!

Screen Free Week - recap

2013-05-07T00:00:00.000-04:00

Screen Free Week is officially over. I have to say, it was difficult! I am not sure if it was my attitude, or the fact that my kids are so used to an afternoon show, not having the TV available to them this week was definitely a struggle. Honestly, by the end of the week, I was back to letting them use their little VTech InnoTab games. And I absolutely was watching The Vampire Diaries on Friday night.

I think the biggest challenge is that my kids are into their routine. And honestly, so am I. They know when we are doing school, when we are playing outside, when we will have snack, and when we watch TV. And if I change anything, they aren't as happy, and I end up paying for it.

I have never been one for a schedule when it came to my kids. I nursed on demand, I never had set nap times, we never had a specific bed time, and it worked very well for me when I only had one, and even when Jack was born it still worked. But, now that we are doing more school with Emma, it seems that I need to have more of a rhythm.

I don't use specific times, but there is a definite rhythm in this house. When we break from that rhythm my kids don't do as well, and neither do I.

This isn't to say that I am OK with tons of TV every day. I'm not. And I was sad to see that come time for me to make dinner, the kids just wanted to sit down and watch a show. But, I also know that we are busy during the day. We spend a lot of time reading and playing and going outside; and by the time the late afternoon rolls around, the kids are ready for a break. They need some down time from their creativity. And I am finally at a place where I think that is OK.

You know how it goes, before you have kids you say they will never watch TV, and mine didn't, not for a long time. But, then one day they did - and I felt bad about it. But, now I realize it is a tool that we use.

Would I love for my kids to never be around TV? Absolutely. I think that we, as parents, have a lot more options available to us though. We don't have cable, so all the shows that my kids do watch are commercial free. And we mainly pick from a list of educational PBS Kids shows (with a little old school Care Bears thrown in for good measure!).

So, while this week was not perfect as far as "screen free" goes, it gave me a lot to think about, and I was able to observe some good behaviors in my children and also some bad as far as their television viewing goes.

Did you participate in screen free week? Was it harder or easier than you expected? If you don't have a TV at all in your home, has it always been that way for your kids? Or was there a learning curve?

Linking up with Hip Homeschool Hop

homestead happenings

2013-05-06T00:00:00.000-04:00

I'm happy to report that we had an entire week of sun last week. It was amazing! I feel like this past winter just didn't want to give up. It seems that there are parts of the country still contending with that winter. I am crossing my fingers that winter has given up once and for all here.

I pulled the straw back from my garlic a couple weeks ago, and it is doing amazingly well. Actually, this past week I have seen them double in size, which seems like a good thing to me! I planted late late late last fall. I think it was actually the weekend before Thanksgiving. I didn't know if I had waited too long because it snowed pretty much as soon as I got the garlic in the ground. Everything looks good so far though!

Our rhubarb is also pushing up from the ground. The kids have been checking on it every day, asking if we can pick some yet. They are both ready for rhubarb custard pie (so am I!).

It was so nice to be outside last week. To see the garden start to take shape, to see my day lilies and peonies start to wake up from a long winter. I love to watch the different stages of the garden, and I am incredibly excited about getting my hands dirty with some planting!

I haven't planted my peas yet, but that is on the agenda for this week. Emma has been asking every day about it. My biggest concern now is the large amount of crows that seem to be visiting my garden spot each and every day. And then also the very pregnant mama woodchuck that is coming closer and closer to my yard every evening. Just when I think I have figured out how to get rid of one pest (the neverending squash bugs and cucumber beetles), another arrives! Ah, the life of a gardener!

What is growing where you are? Are you enjoying sun? Or have you been hit by another cold snap?

Linking up with Clever Chicks and Homestead Barn Hop

yarn along

2013-05-01T00:00:00.000-04:00

It is finally warm here! I'm so elated, I can't even describe it any other way. Because there has been so much sun, we have been spending a lot of time outside.

While I love being outside, it doesn't allow me to knit as much. It seems like the garden is constantly calling to me, or I am into a good book and soaking up the sun. For some reason, warmth and knitting don't jive well for me.

However, I am still working on the dark blue shawl. It is a lot of fun to knit, but takes a little concentration. I find that if I am watching TV, I miscount my stitches, or I mess up the pattern and have to rip out an hours worth of work. Or if I am outside, I tend to put the knitting down to help the kids, or to look at something in the garden, or go pet the chickens. It isn't holding my interest! I do have two projects that I need to finish before the end of June, but I am hoping to get those done quickly over the next several weeks (not entirely sure that is possible!).

In the meantime, I am reading. My very dear friend sent me a new book for my birthday called The Paris Wife. I hadn't heard of it before, but since I have been looking for a new fiction book to read, I was so very excited to see this in the mail! It is about Ernest Hemingway and his first wife, Hadley. It is happy and exciting and heartbreaking all at the same time. Really excellent read!

Looking forward to seeing all the other wonderful crafty projects (and book reading!) going on!

Joining in with Ginny, Nicole, and Tami!

Screen Free Week

2013-04-30T00:00:00.000-04:00

Did you know that this week is Screen Free Week? If you are reading this, perhaps not! We have decided to participate this year.

I have talked at length before of my struggle with media. I love it, I hate it, I love it again. We don't have cable, but we watch TV on Hulu and on Netflix. It isn't that we have gotten rid of the TV, or the computers, or the Wii...but I have considered it.

Sometimes I think it would be so freeing to be away from all of that for a prolonged period of time. I read books like The Winter of Our Disconnect and try to imagine what my life would be like for 6 months with no internet or TV to take me away from other activities. Or a day when the kids don't have a "movie time" in the afternoon. Could we do it? Of course we could. Would it be difficult? I think yes, absolutely.

I want my kids to know how to entertain themselves, without the use of an electronic device. Obviously, most parents want this. And I do see that my kids are able to do this, but I find that they are asking for the electronics more the older they get.

Since it is finally starting to be warm outside, I don't foresee many issues with the kids this week and not having the TV on. They love to play outside, and will gladly stay outside all day long if I let them. And I would love that, except that I can't just let my almost 5 year old and 2 1/2 year old hang out outside while I am in doing laundry/cooking/dishes etc. It is their movie time that I typically use to catch up on e-mail, get dinner ready, fold laundry, do other chores. And while I don't like the phrase - tv as a babysitter - sometimes that is exactly what it ends up being.

Here are some interesting articles I have read about children and TV:

Resources: Fact Sheets on advertising and children

on how (& why) I use TV as a babysitter - Steady Mom

Electronic Babysitter Bad for Kids

Advantages for children to watch TV

This is definitely a hot button issue, and while I sometimes wish we had no screens in our home, I do recognize the benefits of having technology available.

Where do you fall on this controversial topic? If you didn't know about screen free week, do you think you will try to finish out the week screen free? Do you practice a sabbatical from TV regularly? Or do you feel that "all in moderation" works well for your family?

My Green Journey - Part Three

2013-04-29T00:00:00.000-04:00

Do you know my green journey? Probably not entirely. I'm sure that if you have been reading here for any length of time you will know bits and pieces, but you probably don't know the whole thing. I decided that it would be fun to share, and also to write out for my own benefit! You can find part 1 here and part 2 here.

After all of the recalls I realized that I needed to have better food security. That is where my green journey really began. Food. If I can't feed my family safely, what other choice do I have?

Well, it became clear to me that gardening was a choice that I wanted to make. Not that I am a master gardener by any means, but I am trying, and every year I am putting up more and more food for the winter. It isn't just about gardening, it is sourcing food locally.

I have found local sources for so many different foods that I never really thought of as being available from Maine. Even though our growing season is short, we are able to do quite a bit. And not everything can be local. I love coffee, but coffee certainly isn't growing in my neighborhood. But, I do know someone who roasts small batches of coffee beans, and he sources them from a sustainable and fair trade source. I may pay a little extra, but I do enjoy good coffee :-)

Once I started researching food, it got me on the track of other "green" issues. If I didn't want pesticides in my food, why would I want the chemicals in the cleaning products I used. So I started making my own laundry soap, which then turned into making my own all purpose cleaner and the heavy usage of vinegar/lemon/baking soda/salt to clean just about everything in my house.

A couple of great books I used for these changes are Salt, Lemons, Vinegar, and Baking Soda and Make Your Place: Affordable & Sustainable Nesting Skills.

I feel like it is a slippery slope of green changes. Once you change one thing, your research leads you to something else that you want to change. It leads you to research you may or may not want to acknowledge about the way the planet is being treated. The way animals are being raised to feed us. The amount of chemicals that are put into the products we use everyday, whether personally, on our children, or cleaning our homes.

My green journey "officially" began back in 2006, and I have made a lot of little changes up to now. There are so many more things that I want to change still. But, it takes time. It can't be an overnight type of deal, although sometimes I think it would be easier that way.

A lot of these changes started out of necessity, where can we cut corners to save a little extra money? Cooking from scratch is healthier, and there are fewer ingredients you need to worry about. Turning the lights out when you leave the room saves money on your electricity bill, and conserves electricity in general.

Have you started making small changes to your lifestyle to be more environmentally conscious? Are you less concerned with the environment in general and more concerned about your personal financial situation? Can the two connect for you?

Linking up at the Homestead Barn Hop, Clever Chicks

Sunday Quotes

2013-04-28T07:10:00.000-04:00

Let us be grateful to people who make us happy, they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.
~Marcel Proust

what i am eating

2013-04-26T00:00:00.000-04:00

I love cooking and eating, and I especially love looking at pictures of food! If you love food as much as I do, please add your food pictures/recipes/food related posts to the linky below. All you have to do is link back to this blog post. I look forward to seeing what everyone else is eating this week!

I hoped to have an awesome post today to share with you. A new recipe that I have been working on (there have been a few!). Unfortunately, I came down with some sort of illness this week, and while I am feeling better now, it isn't exactly enough time for me to pull together a recipe and picture for you! So this week, I will be featuring my favorites from last week, and also on my what i am eating pinterest board. I can't wait to see what you all are eating this week!

Balsamic Chicken Salad - LeMoine Family Kitchen

40 Minute Hamburger Buns - Foodie in WV

Asparagus, Bacon & Avocado Lettuce Wrap - my sister's pantry

Green Week - Newman's Own Organics review and giveaway!

2013-04-25T09:00:00.000-04:00

For all the times I talk about wanting a greener life, and enjoying cooking so much, there is one area that I still struggle in, and that is snacks. My kids are huge snack eaters. The could be accused of snacking all day long...but I feel like if they are eating something healthy and nutritious (and they are still eating what I make at mealtimes), then it is ok!

Enter Newman's Own Organics. In their own words:

Newman's Own Organics was established as a division of Newman's Own in 1993, and became a separate company in late 2001. The sale of Newman's Own Organics products generates money for the Newman's Own Foundation to give away. Since 1982 Paul Newman and the Newman's Own Foundation have donated more than $350 million dollars to educational and charitable organizations worldwide.

They have an amazing assortment of products that you can choose from, cookies and chocolate, to dried fruit and popcorn. Even extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

We were recently given the opportunity to try some of the dried fruit, and it was amazing. We don't eat a lot of dried fruit here, I'm not sure why, but since we tried the Newman's Own Organic dried apples - we have been hooked!

In the winter in Maine it is really difficult to find any type of in season fruit - ok, lets be honest, there aren't any fruits in season in the winter in Maine. Instead we often rely on frozen fruits. But, when I opened that package of dried apples, it all changed. Apparently dried apples are better than any other kind of fruit out there, because my kids devoured them, and then wanted to go for the apricots!

What I really like about the dried fruit is that the ingredients are simple. "organic apples" "organic apricots" in the case of the dried cranberries, they needed a little sweetness so "organic cranberries, organic cane sugar, organic sunflower oil." I'm sold. Healthy and delicious! And so extremely easy!

Now for the fun for you! Neman's Own Organics has generously offered to give one of my (US) readers some assorted dried fruit! Seriously, you will not be disappointed if you win this! Just enter using the rafflecopter below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Linking up at Giveaway Day