Canning

Canning...it might be my new obsession. I bought onions, beets and dill at the farmers market today. I made veggie pickles with the onions, beets, beet stems and some carrots I had. I've never had veggie pickles, but they sound really good. And since I love pickles, I should like veggie pickles. They are processing right now. We also got some green onions and radishes but those are to eat fresh.

I have a jar of dill vinegar started. It takes 2 weeks to steep. Not sure what I'm going to do with it once it's made but, I'm sure I'll think of something. I love dill. And the rest of the dill has been cleaned and picked over so it's ready to go in the fridge and I took out a roast to make roast with dill. I've only ever made it with dried dill, so I'm interested to see how it is with using fresh dill.

Jam....Yummmmmmmy!

I did it. I finally canned something. Strawberry-Rhubarb jam. And OMG it is soooooo good!

Anyway Project

I haven't been doing very well with this. A) I haven't been posting like I said I would and B) sitting here right now I can only remember a couple of the things I was going to do for Dec and I haven't completed them, let alone any of the others. Dec is a really hard month for me mentally. I hate the days being so short, Christmas is stressful, it's cold and probably some other things too. I just hate december.

I think I'm going to bow out of the anyway project, as I'm really excited about some other things I have starting. I'm going to do the merit badges offered by mary janes farm. I'm going to start with the Cleaning up section. I've done some work there already so this should give me the umph to get green completely.

Anyway Project - December Goals

DI - Organize laundry area, especially shelving above w/d. Get out drying rack and get back to air drying again. Air dry 2 loads a week.

HE - Create 2011 budget with Thaxiss.

RC - Window quilts - Continue working on window quilts. Monitor propane usage each week.

CIS - Herbs - Don't kill them. I do not have very good luck with inside plants. Design seed starting setup for the basement, start sourcing supplies to build.

FC - Sign up for seed starting class. Visit farm store in town and purchase straw for sump pump discharge pipe insulation. While there, review what the store offers. It is a smaller store and supporting local business is important.

OW - No overtime. Research organizational methods and choose one for the new year. I need to organize my growing list of tasks and tasks I oversee and not feel so frustrated trying to just remember everything I need to do. I've tried several organization methods through the years, so I have a good idea of pieces that work and don't work, now I just need to find/create a system that will work for me. Less stress at work, means less stress for my overall health and well-being.

TH - Somewhat family, but household relations definitely impact happiness. So, work on relationship with son. Continue sessions every 2 weeks and practice at home meditation and stretching.

Anyway Project - November Wrap-up

Well i didn't get everything done that I planned, but I'm keeping honest to myself and putting it in writing here. One of my overall goals of this Anyway project is to get more things done on a consistent basis.

DI - Clean my bedroom closet - I'm going to call this done for now. There is more that could be done, but it will be later. Build the shed - didn't happen, and now that winter has arrived for real, it won't be getting done until spring. The old shed, with no door will be used instead for storage for the winter.

HE - This is an ongoing task, we will continue it into Dec.

RC - Window quilts - Not done. Excuse - I sew by hand, very meditative, relaxing, soothing, but it is slow. Based on comments and research determined that plastic will most likely not help since there are no drafts. I am working on sourcing the large bubble rap at an affordable price.

CIS - Garden bed - Cardboard is down, being held there by bricks, that will be all until next spring. Herbs - Ack, I forgot about them. I will plant them tonight.

FC - Taking seed planting class in Feb.

OW - Worked no overtime this month. It was difficult but I did it anyways. The thanksgiving weekend was nice. I did think about logging into work several times during the 4-day weekend, but didn't.

TH - Sessions are scheduled for every 2 weeks, with practice as homework in between. Meditation is HARD, but it's suppose to get easier the longer you do it.

Anyway project - November, Week 2

I haven't gotten very far on any of my November items, but I do still have another 1.5 weeks.

DI - Clean my bedroom closet - There is a path now, but I haven't went through all the boxes yet. Build the shed - unfortunately not started. Going to try again this weekend to get it done.

HE - Discussions have started.

RC - Window quilts - Started cutting up material scraps/old clothes/sheets. No work done on the window plastic.

CIS - Garden bed - I have the cardboard to start the bottom of this bed lasagna style but no other work done. Herbs - planning to plant when I return from my business trip.

FC - Looked online at classes and decided on a seed planting class in Feb.

OW - I managed to only have 40 hours for last week and this week, but I have had one day off in each of those week, so still some long days. Next week, no days over 8 hours.

TH - I did start the sessions. I had to skip this week as I was traveling for work. My session is set up for next week.

Groceries

Well Thaxiss when shopping with me for the first time since I've really started watching the ingredient lists on products. He really dislikes grocery shopping so I usually don't make him suffer through it. I am not a person who makes grocery lists. I wonder up and down each aisle looking and thinking about what we need at home and/or what's on sale and/or what sounds good. He wants a list of exactly what he can go and get to expedite the grocery shopping. So this time I sent him for eggs-had to be farmer's hen house cage free, milk-land-o-lakes is the only brand at this store with no hormones and bread 2 loaves - no hfcs. He did go and get these things but he didn't ask for any more items to run and get.