Rambunctious

Courtesy of redcarpetcrash.com

 Rambunctious!

Don't you just love that word. Rambunctious. It is so fun to say, like being young and Julie Andrews, through her Mary Poppins character, teaching us to sing "supercalifragilisticexpialidocious even though the sound of it is something quite atrocious".

Atrocious - another great word.




 I also like the word slither, although I don't particularly like snakes that slither. Hither, as in hither and yon, is another good one.

Courtesy of wikimedia.org

Then there is the book I used to read every year to my first grade class, Tikki Tikki Tembo, the story of a Chinese boy who had the very long name:

Tikki Tikki Tembo-no Sa Rembo-chari Bari Ruchi-pip Peri Pembo.

I read the story for my own enjoyment of reciting the sing-song name, and then teaching the children to memorize it, who in turn used it to impressed their friends and family.

Words are magical. I like them. Happiness is often times found in the simple things.

Rambunctious!

Quite . . .

I found some quite clever aprons on Pinterest. Not a surprise, I'm sure.

Quite Clever Pinterest Apron - Redoux of a man's shirt.

I was quite captivated with the concept and wanted to make one - which turned into "some". So, off to the thrift store(s) I went to purchase the necessary materials - men's shirts. After a couple of trips to my favorite haunts, I had quite a few in different colors.

I've made the prototype - which is quite nice - and quite a learning experience - as now will only fit someone quite small. That would be my daughter, Kelsey. Don't tell, it's a birthday surprise.

In all, I really like how this first one turned out, especially the flowers I made to adorn the pocket. I used the fabric from three of the shirts and mixed and matched different sizes. The result is quite cute!

Which makes me quite happy! Yes, quite!

Pig Project

As a parent, sometimes I've found that I didn't grasp the entirely of a situation until I saw it through my children's eyes. That often came later, and so it was with the summer of the "pig project" that lead up to our country fair. In making the decision to allow my son to get involved, I didn't realize to the extent I was imposing on Lauren. Had I, I'm not sure I would have allowed Colin to enroll in the project. In the end, what they gained was not what I expected. What follows is the account by my daughter, through her eyes, as written for her English class. At the time my son was 11 and Lauren was 14 years old. 

Miss Piggy, Colin's 4-H swine project 2006

For four months Colin and I had raised those stupid pigs. Feeding them morning and night, spraying them down in the summer, and walking them each morning. Strike that, I fed them morning and night and hosed them down in the summer heat. Colin simply walked them with me. Hours upon hours of working with those two pigs in hopes that the coveted blue ribbon would soon be hanging from their pens come August. But it wasn't meant to be, my pig received 8th place and depression set in for the rest of the day. 

Now small children in small green 4-H hats milled around the show ring. Camcorders in hand, parents gleefully watched their children and crossed their fingers that they wouldn't mess up. 

Colin stuck out like a sore thumb the way he guided his pig around the ring as our sister, Kelsey, kept close behind him, helping only when necessary. His slanted, Down syndrome eyes squint as he smiles, but he was careful not to lose sight of Miss Piggy in the mass of hogs in the ring. Kelsey followed in his wake as they crossed in front of the judge and once he spotted Colin he couldn't take his eyes off of that out of place, goofy, little boy.

Colin is his 4-H attire after showing Miss Piggy

Colin and the judge locked eyes and Colin gave the judge a toothy grin and a thumbs up. By then the whole crowd had stopped looking at their sons and daughters and were watching Colin, and the sight of the small Down syndrome boy giving such a large man that gleeful thumbs up. 

The crowd of hogs slowly thinned and soon Colin and Miss Piggy were one of two other pairs. The judge grasped the microphone and spoke of the third place contestant and then gave Colin a wink and thumbs up and announced that Colin and Miss Piggy had received 2nd place in their class.

 

This was an amazing experience for everyone in the pavilion. The crowd was transfixed on the judge waiting for the outcome. When he announced the second place winner the stands erupted in applause for the little boy and his pig. There was not a dry eye in the house as Colin stepped forward to receive his ribbon.

In that moment, I was so proud of Colin, the judge, the 4-H program, our swine leader, and the folks in our county. I was especially proud of our girls, for without them Colin would not have been in the show ring. Our only direction to Kelsey was that she make sure Colin and his pig didn't interfere with the other children in their efforts to show their animals to their best ability. He showed that pig like a champ, and won the hearts of all those in attendance in the process.

However, the credit for this moment really belonged to Lauren. That sweet girl had worked daily for four months, often trying to get a reluctant brother to cooperate, to prepare both pigs for those few minutes in the show ring. She not only cared for the pigs, but she schooled Colin on how to walk the pig using the guiding show stick. In the eyes of the crowd the win may have been Colin's, but in truth the greater victory went to Lauren.

Belatedly, thank you, Lauren, for your hard work the summer of the "pig project"! Your devotion and dedication to the pigs and Colin showed what an amazing young lady you are. Truly a blessing to your family and especially to your little brother!

Outdoor Kitchen, Please

Sunset Magazine Demonstration Kitchen

Here in California, outdoor kitchens have been all the rage for many years. You could pick up just about any upscale home and garden magazine, and there was an article with pictures of the most awesome outdoor kitchen spaces. Yes, awesome, and expensive, and completely over the top! Not what I have in mind!

I have been thinking about doing an outdoor kitchen for a some time, and more seriously the last couple of years. Growing up, some folks down the road from our family cabin had a screened in kitchen that they used in the summers, they actually called it the Summer Kitchen. It was a completely separate building, big enough to have a table and chairs and small efficiency kitchen. Later, when they built a new home, they moved the concept into the house and had two kitchens, jokingly, a his and a her's. As a youngster, to me, having two kitchens made no sense, but now, in addition to a traditional indoor kitchen, I have a longing for an outdoor one, too.




I want something more than just a grill or a cob pizza oven, and way less than those glossy magazine model kitchens. I also have a longing to build what's called a rocket mass heater that burns just a bit of wood to get a lot of heat. That's what got me thinking.

I have what is called a rocket stove from a company called Stove-Tec offered

Stove-Tec Wood and Charcoal Fuel Stoves

by the “not-just-for-profit” wing of the Aprovecho Research Center and invented by Dr. Larry Winiarski. Profits from sales of the stoves benefit the Center’s research. 

It is made in America and is sent to developing countries where women cook over open fires and much of their wood fuel has been depleted. For the most part, in developed countries it is purchased for camping, or the preparedness community. 






Amazingly, as reported by the Stove-Tec Company, 

"It uses 40-50% less fuel and reduces emissions by 40-75% while reducing green house gas (GHG) emissions an estimated 60% or 1-2 tons per year. These stoves are preferred over other improved cook stoves and three stone fires by 95% of users in Uganda. High adoption and preference reported in India, South Africa, Ethiopia and Chile proves the stoves great versatility among many different users.”

 

Recho Rocket Kitchen

While continuing to research rocket stoves on the internet, I've seen the rocket stove concept used in making rocket kitchens, really rough models built in developing countries.  I could do that, but my hubby would want something more attractive sitting in our backyard. 

Ecofogão ~ EcoStove used in Brazil

This thought was in my head when one day while researching, and walla, I find it! It's called the EcoStove made in Brazil. They have theirs indoors, but I want mine outdoors. It' s a combination rocket cooktop and rocket oven! 

AND, it is beautiful to behold!

I truly believe if you ask for something the Universe will conspire to make it happen for you. So I'm putting this out there. Nancy to Universe - I want an Ecofogão EcoStove outdoor kitchen! Thank you!

Necklace Knotting

Manzanita, Mushrooms, Miner's Lettuce - Oh, My!

I live in the edible capital of the world. Well, sort of. I live in the foothills of the Sierra Nevadas just up from the northern end of the Sacramento Valley - The Big Valley. There is a lot of agriculture going on in the valley. Lots of rice, walnuts, almonds, tomatoes, grape vineyards, peaches, plums, and much more grown on a commerical basis.

There are also lots of micro growers doing Community Supported Agriculture, especially in my area. There are small acreage farmers growing specialty crops to be sold in our local "grower's markets" or through their individual CSAs.

Then there are the forgers. Those people who routinely and seasonally scour our woodlands and grasslands for wild edibles. These are the people who interest me!

Manzanita shrub courtesy of www.laspilitas.com

Manzanita and mushrooms are among the wild edibles that are prevalent in my area. In a previous post I noted there are hundreds of different mushrooms that can be found within a short drive of my home. And, the Manzanita shrub is also widely available. In fact, both Manzanita and mushrooms grow on my property. Along with oaks that produce volumes of acorns, I also have wild lilies that produce edible roots and Miner's Lettuce that grow abundantly.

For years now two books by Euell Gibbons have graced my book shelf, Stalking the Blue Eyed Scallop and Stalking the Wild Asparagus. Both are excellent guides to introduce the novice to forging. On the internet is a site called Eat The Weeds - a wonderful resource for wild edibles.

So get out and explore "nature's grocery store" and find out what's in your own backyard!

Light Source

For the last six months I've been thinking about lighting. 

As in alternative lighting.

Like if the electricity goes off and doesn't come back on lighting.

Maybe it is because we were in the darkest time of the year. 

Perhaps it was the feeling of comfort it brings me to know 
we are prepared "just in case".

It might be just an excuse to collect those pretty 

things I see while I'm "out and about".

Whatever the reason, I've obtained some alternative 

lighting sources and they make me happy!

And I thought it would be nice to share them - 

'cause that makes me happy, too!