24 October 2010

A Knitted Revolution

I like to knit.  The end.  Ok, maybe not the end.  For some people, "knitting" conjures up an image of an elderly woman in a rocking chair diligently working away on an afghan or hideous sweater for an unsuspecting grandchild.  So, when people find out that I like to knit, the response is usually, "Really?"  Yes, really.  I don't generally make afghans or sweaters (my two attempts at sweaters took one year each and resulted in a garment for some person who has a very short torso but freakishly long arms). 

What I do make are awesome hats!  These are not your typical stocking hats, though I can make those.  I make hats that embody more than, "Man, it's cold and I really wish I had something to put on my head."  I create hats with awesome colors that embody vibrancy, creativity and individuality.  An ear flap hat with peace signs on the ear flaps?  Done.  A turquoise and brown striped close fitting cap complete with a tab and button?  Piece of cake.  How about a neon green and maroon slouchy tam?  Beat you to it. 

Who says hats have to be boring?  Knitting does not have to be your grandmother's past time.  It can be fun and funky and a way to let your individuality shine.  Knitting awesome and creative things has become my personal revolution.  Let boring go out with the trash this week.  Here's to the Revolution!

09 October 2010

Grow!

It may be October, but that has not stopped me from trying to grow something.  In mid-September, I planted leaf lettuce and spinach in planters.  They look good so far; I just hope they grow bigger, faster before it gets snowy! 

I am hoping that my garden also teaches me the concept of delayed gratification.  I planted garlic this month, however, it won't be ready until June or July.  So long!  It looks pretty sorry right now since it is really just a strip of dirt, but in eight or nine months, I should have twenty heads of garlic...I don't know if I can wait that long. 


08 October 2010

The Beginning of an Adventure

When I began this blog, I decided it would serve several purposes.  One of these is to chronicle my attempts at living a more sustainable life.  Some may wonder what this means.  Going "off the grid?"  Not really.

I found myself asking questions such as "If I can grow the vegetables I like to eat, why should I buy them at the store?  If all applesauce is just squished up apples, why can't I make that?  What actually goes into making many of the things most people buy at the store?"  These questions led to my version of trying to live a more sustainable life.  I want to create a vegetable garden so that I know exactly what is going on my food.  I have learned to make homemade vegetable stock, rather than buying it.  I make applesauce, jelly, dog treats, and all kinds of things instead of buying them. If I can make what I need rather than buy it, I am going to try.  It might turn out terribly (like my adventures in bread making), but it also might turn out incredibly (hello peach jelly!). 

I have been doing many things to be more self-sustaining for a while, such as making jelly and applesauce and knitting.  The vegetable garden will be a new endeavor that I am extremely excited about.  Even though it is October, this endeavor has begun.  I look forward to sharing my successes (and failures) with you, so check back to find out how it goes!

06 October 2010

Here comes Fall!

What an awesome weekend!  The temperature dropped quite a bit, which kicked me into Fall.  What better way is there to welcome Fall than with apples?  None that I could think of.  And this is why I spent much of my weekend elbows-deep in them. 

Last weekend, I picked more apples than I could carry on my own.  I am not quite sure how large a bushel is, but if it is anything close to the size of a giant, overflowing laundry basket, then I may be on the right track.  Thankfully, I own something that I call the Apple Machine.  This is a metal device that suctions to your counter top that peels, cores and slices apples at lightning speed.  Without this amazing invention, it would literally take weeks for me to process all of the apples. 

After the peeling and coring and slicing, I put many of the apple slices in the dehydrator to turn them into apple chips.  When the dehydrator was full, I put the remaining apple slices into a pot and turned them into apple sauce.  This took several hours, but it did make the whole house smell like apples!  There is nothing quite like eating a bowl of warm, home-made applesauce when there is a little chill in the air to put me in the mood for Fall.  Soon it will be time for pumpkin patches, hay rides, and drinking apple cider.