HYDROPONICS Systems For SELF-SUSTAINABLE LIVING

Words

"Progress lies not in enhancing what is, but in advancing toward what will be."  - Khalil Gibran

A great website for using up leftovers is Big Oven.  You simply select what leftovers you have and it searches for recipes to use them up!

Plant Guide Link

Sprout Robot is a free planting guide for gardeners.  They do have an optional membership program you can join and have seeds sent to you at the time they need to be planted. The free plant guide breaks down planting into weeks in your zone.  Very helpful when you are unsure when to plant.

Better Late Than Never

I'm sorry I didn't update last week or post but truth be told we haven't done anything of interest lately.  Still cutting wood when the weather permits.  We got the dirt bikes out last weekend but the track was a little too wet so we didn't ride.  Buddy cut his ear out playing in the creek.  It bleed something terrible but finally got him fixed up and he seems to be ok.  There for a while I didn't know he lost so much blood.  All in all a rather low key last few weeks.
We had company last week and that was fun as usual.  but made for a busy time so not much was accomplished.  We skipped our weekly meeting this week there wasn't much to discuss other than the grocery shopping list.
One thing that's worth a mention is the amount of food that Zach has started to consume.  he can now put away as many biscuits and pancakes as his dad.  That makes for a change in the quantity that I have to cook.  Just this weekend he was sitting at the table and says " I hate to see good pancakes go to waste"  and forks the rest onto his plate.  That child ended up eating five pancakes that morning.  But he ate that amount every morning over the long vacation. 
A few errands have to be run this week.  This week we should also be having a budget meeting again.  Time to start thinking about getting the garden broke up and seeds started inside.  The weather has been so pleasant the last few days it makes me think about replacing the sand in the pool filter a little early.  If the weather holds I may go ahead and bring up the deck furniture.  I'll have figure out a new placement for things since we have added the mudroom. It shrunk the size of the deck more than I like but we'll just have to make the best of it.  One good thing is it provided a more shady area that will be welcome come the middle of summer.  Normally we have to put up the gazebo tent for shade but i think we will be good without it this year.  "There's no great loss without some small gain."
Have a great day!
Until next time.....Kristi.

Ain't That the Truth!

Heavenly Isn't It?

Made these over the weekend.  Very, very good!

Cream Cheese Danish

Makes You Think

We watched this video a couple years ago and it really makes you stop and think before purchasing something new.  Combine what you learn through this video and The 30 day list  concept and suddenly spendthrift ways come to a halt.

Some people try to go a whole year of not purchasing new. Of course you would want to set up your own standards to do that. Such as my list of things to only buy new would be pillows, socks, underwear, toothbrushes, shoes, and light bulbs. Ever try to find a used light bulb? Hard to judge the hours clocked on that sucker, I tell ya!

Anyway the list would probably contain several more things but the idea is to buy used when you can, borrow or rent when it isn't something used regularly and when it has to be purchased new don't get the fever and impulse buy; make sure you are getting good quality merchandise.

If you can find twenty minutes now or later take time to watch this video. It's very interesting and something we should all be aware of.

Keeping My Motivation

Since starting our debt reduction plan this year, it has meant a few life style changes, a few more extra chores to add to the list, and a few changing of habits,  but over all it hasn't been that much of an intrusion into our daily routine.  Charlie insists it is more disrupting to my everyday life than his because, as he puts it, he still gets up, puts on clean clothes, goes to work, and comes home to dinner same as usual.  Where as the clean clothes he puts on is from water toted from the rain barrel and then hung up to dry instead of tossed in the dryer, and the meals are homemade, etc. 
I'm  saying all this not to toot my own horn but to instead show how yes, somethings have changed around here but it isn't so much extra work as it is a change of mindset. Once you get used to it they become a habit just as anything else. 
One thing I did request of Charlie was to have a weekly meeting.  I told him this would keep me motivated on those days when I just didn't want to make a white sauce for a casserole when everyone else could open a can of soup and toss in theirs.  (see, I'm not a saint, I get bitter sometimes)  I know myself well enough to tell him from the get go that- " I will lose my motivation along the way and I'm going to need your help." 

These weekly budget meetings on Wednesday nights allow us to go over the checkbook after his check has posted in the bank earlier that day.  We go over any bills to be paid that week and see how much that leaves us.  We like watching the extra grow because that extra gets sent to the credit card to knock a chunk off it.  Eventually we are going to blow it out of the water!  That being said some weeks are more exciting than others.  We always finish with the weekly grocery sale paper.  We make a list of things to stock up on and just things we need in general.  So we are in agreement before we get to the store later that week on what to buy and how much.  That way there is no debate or confusion once we get there. Lastly we go over any unplanned and planned future expenses.  For example, this spring we will have to replace the sand in our pool filter.  We knew this when we closed it last year so we have it on our expense sheet to remind us as it gets closer to time.  Since we planned for it ahead of time it shouldn't be such a blow to our budget. 

One other note is that our son, eleven, sits in these meetings with us.  I wanted him to start understanding how money works.  I wanted him to understand the inflow and outflow of it.  I also wanted him to learn from our mistakes.  He gets to see how important it is for your money to work for you and not the other way around.  This way he sees where we are, what our goals are, and what he can do to help out; like making sure to turn the TV off when he is finished watching it.  If there is any praise to be doled out like keeping his room clean for three weeks straight then that is addressed as is any requests for dinner that week.  A crude menu plan is made before ending the meeting. 

Then it's on to popcorn and a board game for Family Game Night!
(I usually end up losing to Zach, every stinking time!)

And that is about it!  That's how we do it so far and it's working for me.  I feel like I have the motivation I need to get by one week at a time.  I also hope Zach has a better understanding of what we want to accomplish now.  Our goals reach far beyond just getting out of debt but those are still a little scary for me right now and I'm not ready to voice those just yet.  But when the time comes I'll be putting them on here and sharing with you. 

Putting this all on here at the blog helps in so many ways.  It holds me accountable.  It lets me preen when I'm excited and it makes me do the crawl of shame when I have to admit I failed.  Thanks so much for listening as we try to do this. 

I hope your goals are coming to light.  I pray you find the motivation you need this week to accomplish them. 

Hope you'll stop by again......Kristi.

Moving forward in 2012.

Dog Treat Update

Zach and I made the Peanut Butter Dog Treats from yesterday's link post.  They were very simple to make and the dough was easy to work with.  The dogs seem to love them.  We will definitely be making these again. 

Dog Treat Recipes

Another link today but this site is amazing!

All kinds of homemade goodies for your pet pooch!

The link I'm posting is to a specific recipe called Peanut Butter Dog Biscuits that I want to try but the whole site is chock full of such neat ideas.  Some recipes are made with dog food you already have wet or dry but vamps it up to the treat plateau.

Happy eating to your favorite furball!

Peanut Butter Dog Biscuits

Homemade Cheez-Its Link

Taking the lazy route today after all the candy making for Valentine's Day. 

Here is a link to make Homemade Cheez-Its.  (yes, I call them cheez-its instead of cheese-its, I am who I am)

These are really good!

The only thing I did different was flip them half way through cooking so they would be crispy on both sides.

I also added a little cayenne pepper powder to them to add a little kick, no heat, just kick. 

Happy eating!

Homemade Cheez-Its

We're on the home stretch. Tomorrow is the big day!

And my favorite love song of all time.....complete with puppies and kittens:

 

Marriage

Marriage is more than just good times and happiness together. Sometimes there’s pain and tears. Fresh wounds and old scars from the past that gets molded into the mix.

I remember the giddiness of being newlyweds and the playfulness about our days. Like the water hose fight right after we were married. In the rush of the blinding water we forgot about that rusty roll of hog wire…..I still have the scar.

There was that four wheeler ride after dark that was so romantic until we missed the turn in the dark and hit the ditch. I was still pulling briars out days after.

Marriage was painful those days.

 Later there was the exploding ditch that knocked me down up on top of the hill and left him with a hairless face and singed smelling. I was pregnant with our son at that time. Marriage was scary that day.

There were the knight in shining armor days when decked out in Redwing boots and demin shorts, handgun at the ready, he kept watch on the trespasser next door. A drizzle was falling and my heart in my chest I waiting and watched and prayed. Once all was clear I could see him trekking back up our hill, my hero heading home back to my arms, when the slick bottom boots on the wet grass tried to yank him back from our haven…..he instigated the most amazing, never again attempted, James Bond roll. Up he popped again, never once having dropped his gun. How we laughed that day.

Then there was the menacing skunk -the trash bag destroyer. Armed with a rifle my white knight set out on a mission that day. I’ll never forget him jumping up on the hood of that car when the skunk came out of the bag sooner than expected. I’ll also never forget standing ready at the washing machine armed with vinegar as he undressed outside the back door. Marriage stunk that day.

There were signs that these days were to be expected. I’d heard the tales of his dangerous past. Falling out of the apple tree, landing on the doghouse, and putting a nail through his tongue into the roof of his mouth.

Falling through floors, incidences with wenches outside of barn lofts all in the name of playing.

There were also the wheeled accidents  tricycles down sets of stairs, bicycles wrecks with handlebars to the throat, and a three wheeler wreck that started out as a “watch this “ and resulted in trying to eat up a gravel road entirely on his own. That didn’t deter him though, years later he upgraded to a motorbike and an asphalt road.

Some events were simply from rushing around. Such as with a certain light fixture, having changed the bulb, he replaced the globe and dropped back down to finish his project underneath. The fixture fell and broke apart across the back of his head. Had I blinked I’d have missed it.

The VCR repair, one last tweak after testing it resulted in an Aborigine dance across the kitchen floor. He forgot to unplug it. How I laughed that day.

A failure to listen to one another can be blamed for some accidents. Words like “shouldn’t the truck be on a level spot first?” , or, “let me help you” went unheeded and he flipped the dirt bike out the side of the truck. That event resulted in an evening spent in the emergency room and I was awarded the “Yes, I should have listened to you” line anytime I bring it up.   Ever.  Still.   Like, all the time.

Through it all we have looked back at the events over the course of our marriage and found laughter in each one. What was once scary or painful or stinky at the time became fun memories over the years.

We started out this journey with laughter and I hope that’s how we go out.

He always says,” you can’t be careful and have fun too.”

So I’ll simply say…. Have fun Charlie! I love you!

Happy Anniversary! (#16)

Kristi.

Almost Friday Funny

Post credited to Doing My Best for Him for sharing this hilarious news paper article. 

Not Just For Pizza- Pizza Dough

Pizza crust is very versatile and inexpensive.

If you want to get away from traditional pizza, then roll out flat and add ingredients of choice, roll up and bake.

Some combinations to choose from:

Pepperoni and black olives, and mozzarella- I don’t use pizza sauce in mine but you can.

Ham and cheddar

Chicken, broccoli and cheddar

Cooked seasoned taco meat, tomatoes, and cheese-refried beans, rice, etc.

Scrambled eggs, sausage/bacon/ham, cheese

To make it pretty I like to drizzle a little olive oil on top of the roll and sprinkle with a little shredded cheese. Top with chives or parsley and powdered parmesan cheese.

These are great hot out of the oven, sliced, and dipped in ranch dressing. They taste a lot like hot pockets.

Pizza Crust:

This makes one thick crust or two thin crusts. I usually just half the recipe for one thin pizza.

1 cup warm water

1 Tbsp yeast

2 Tbsp sugar

1 tsp salt

2 Tbsp vegetable oil

2 ½ cup all purpose flour

Dissolve yeast in water. Add in sugar, salt, and oil. Mix, then add in flour. Spread on lightly greased pizza pan. (can sprinkle greased pan with corn meal, though not necessary) Let rise in pan for a while 30 minutes if possible. Then spread with toppings and bake 400* for 15-20 minutes.

If making rolls you can skip the rise time. After adding all ingredients roll out on floured board. Spread on topping to within an inch from edge and then roll up jelly roll style and tuck under ends. Spread with oil and cheese across top of roll and bake at 400* for around 15-20 minutes. Until crust is baked and golden.

When making the hot pocket rolls I make the recipe with amounts stated and make two rolls.(they are easier to handle ) That way you can make two different variations of them in one cooking.

Happy eating!

A Boy's Bedroom Redo: Extremely Dusty Edition

Zach wanted to rearrange his room last week. His one request was to move his desk to the big window so he could look out while on the computer(wonder who he got that from?)


Before:

Sleeping and gaming area.

Sitting and playing area.

Office area.

 After:

New office area with a view!

Gaming area.

Sleeping area.

Now on the video games!

Trash to Treasure

Let me tell you about my dishes.....

While helping my father move two weeks ago, we were placing belongings to be stored out in his barn.  After numerous trips over, around, and running into a box out in the aisle, I stopped to see what was in it.  At first glance all I could see was shredded paper -handy work from a mouse.  Upon further inspection I could see dishes covered in dirt and mud.  I ,being on the hunt lately for extra bowls, asked Daddy about the dishes that obviously had been in the barn for sometime now.  He said take them on he didn't want them.  So I tossed them in the truck and took them home. 

When I found time to do something with them it was too cold to wash them off outside under the hydrant but they were way too dirty to wash in the sink.  I decided to clean them in the bathtub.  Armed with a tub scrub brush and rubber gloves and shampoo I took to cleaning and what emerged was this beautiful gold-rimmed plate with pink dogwood blossoms.  After admiring the pattern I flipped it over and went to scrubbing the backside and the words Homer Laughlin became visible.  I froze, I couldn't believe my eyes!  Homer Laughlin has been around since the early 1900's.  Homer and his brother actually started making dinnerware in the late 1800's but his brother sold his share and it became the Homer Laughlin company in the early 1900's.  This is the company that produced the famous Fiesta line from the thirties until the sixties.  Plus thousands more before and after the fact. 

I found two different stamps on the whole lot.  F 49 N 6 and B 49 N 6.  Once I Googled how to read the stamp, I learned the F and B at the beginning was the month they were manufactured.  So B was February and F was June.  And the year?  1949!  Thus the next number in sequence 49.  N 6 was the plant in which they were produced.  

I was so excited to behold this treasure and after questioning Daddy as to where he got them, he replied," In an old trailer I traded for and then later resold.  That was just part of the junk I had to clean out of it!" 

One person's junk is another person's treasure.

Lovely!