Weekly Top Ten Revisited

Last year, about this same time of the year, I did a list of the top ten skills I wanted to learn during 2009 and I'm pretty pleased to see that I accomplished quite a few of the goals on my list. Some of them are ongoing; cheese-making for instance. Mozzarella cheese is 'brain-dead easy', as a friend of mine would say. Cheddar and hard cheeses are a little more involved. We started our garden plants from seed and hatched chicks this summer, check and check. And the kids loved our homemade pop. Maybe too much.

I never learned sourdough bread making, but I've practiced long and hard at yeast breads, so I think it's a draw. I haven't picked up a pair of knitting needles since last winter, but there's still hope. Ditto for needlework. So now it's nearly time to bid 2009 adieu (and good riddance) and give thought to 2010. Here are a few of the things on my list for next year.

1. Knitting. I'm going to learn to knit, darnit.
2. Candlemaking. It's not rocket science, I just haven't taken the time to do it.
3. Grain-milling. I want to learn how to mill grains and prepare something edible with them.
4. Lacto-fermenting. Beyond sauerkraut, I mean.
5. Find a knock-off recipe for Jack Daniels Vanilla Spice Egg Nog.
6. Root cellaring. I've got an area of crawl space that is wicked cold in the winter. Not freezing, but cold. Why not use that space?

So these are a few of the things that I'm aiming to learn over the next 12 months. I'm sure some of them will be dropped from the list and others added, but like any list, it's a work in progress. Now it's your turn. Spill the beans. What's on your list for 2010?

Good Eats?

I found the link for this chart at the Path To Freedom site and had to pass it on. THIS amazes me! Is it any wonder that Americans are fat, sloppy, sickly and altogether unpleasant to be around? Only 3 'real food' items listed, and not a single fruit, vegetable or lean meat in sight.

"The top ten best selling grocery items for the 52 weeks ending June 14, 2009"

1. Carbonated Beverages
2. Milk
3. Fresh Bread and Rolls
4. Beer/Ale/Hard Cider
5. Salty Snacks
6. Cheese
7. Frozen Dinners
8. Cold Cereal
9. Wine
10. Cigarettes

The angel on my shoulder is trying to be optimistic, hoping that the reason there are so few real foods listed is that people are growing gardens and don't need to purchase fresh foods from the grocery. The devil on my shoulder is laughing his ass off at the angel for being so naive; Americans are lazier than ever and addicted to junk food, as is plainly displayed by the chart.

This got me to thinking about my own grocery top-ten list, and what my chart would look like. I must confess that while there ARE weeks where there may be a bit of junk food on our list, such as tortilla chips, ice cream, pretzels and granola bars, this is our average weekly grocery trip.


1. Milk
2. Cheese/Butter
3. Meats
4. Beans/Legumes
5. Fruit/Raisins
6. Fruit juice/cider
7. Leafy green/ brassica-type veggies
8. Pasta and sauces
9. Bread
10. Dry Goods (Flour, Sugar, Meal, Rice, Nuts, Popcorn, etc)

Now it's your turn....don't be afraid! What's in your grocery top ten?

Weekly Top Ten

Yes, it's hardly a weekly top ten as it's been months since I've done one. Just been busy folks. Today was a mad rush of grocery shopping, hardware runs, light-hanging, seed ordering. And the groceries still aren't all put away yet. So for the first weekly top ten in a month or better, I thought I'd talk about my chickens and groceries; specifically the reasons my girls LOVE grocery day. Bear in mind this is in no particular order.

My chicky-bits 10 favorite things about grocery day are:
1. wilted lettuce
2. yellowing broccoli
3. wrinkly apples
4. limp carrots
5. brown, spotty bananas
6. over-ripe avocados
7. mushy bagged lettuce mixes
8. seedy strawberries
9. mucky raspberries
10. spotty cauliflower

Figure it out? Grocery day is the day I empty the produce bins and feed the girls a week worth of scraps. Right now, they're in the backyard gorging themselves on a veritable smorgasbord of raw veggie scraps. All the veggies really contribute a great deal to the hen's diets, for variety, health and financial reasons. All those wonderful scrappy-bits are the reasons our eggs have orange yolks instead of yellow. And it makes for some happy, albeit spoiled hens.

Weekly Top Ten

It's been a little while, but it's time for another Weekly Top Ten. As I'm in the middle of a Freecycling Frenzy, here are the top ten reasons I love Freecycle.

1. It's free.
2. It's easy.
3. There are some odd, odd folks out there, and some of them are good for a laugh.
4. What better way to get rid of a box of odd kitchen wares at 8 o clock at night?
5. Once in a while, you meet a really dependable person who shows up on time!
6. Great place to find off-season items.
7. Free canning jars are always a bonus.
8. It's a great way to clean out your basement and not have to lug it to the curb.
9. Saves a trip to the Goodwill.
10. Occasionally, you connect with someone who really appreciates the concept of giving away nice items and pays it forward.

Weekly Top Ten

Isn't obsession sort of a fun thing that gets a bad rap? I mean it's only a bad thing if it interferes with everyday life, right? So in light of obsession's fun side, how about a top ten favorite obsessions???

1. Shoes, especially high heels. Unfortunately this is not an obsession I can act on right now.
2. Seed catalogs.
3. Rosemary, love that stuff!
4. No Poo shampoo.
5. Getting my Christmas tree 'just right'.
6. Stocking up on food, just in case.
7. Felting wool for crafts
8. Learning to eat on the cheap.
9. Homemade presents
10. http://www.freedomgardeners.org/ - my favorite website ever!

Now, spill your dirty little secrets and tell me, what are your top ten obsessions???

Weekly Top Ten

It's been a while since I've posted a weekly top ten, so here we go! Here are the top ten skills I'd like to learn, beginning in 2009 and in no particular order...

1. Cheese making
2. Sourdough bread making
3. Herbalism
4. Candle making
5. Starting plants from seed
6. Raising chicks from eggs
7. Knitting (something more than knitting and purling chains)
8. Needlework (embroidery and fancy stuff)
9. Homemade soda pop (won't the kids love that!)
10. How to make lotions, oils, toners, masks, etc.

So that's my fairly ambitious list for 2009. It sounds like a lot, but I think this is going to be the year for doing it yourself. So tell me, what's on your list?????

Weekly Top Ten

Here are the top ten reasons why everyone should take the No Poo Challenge:

1. It's free to try...everyone has baking soda in their kitchen, right?
2. It feels nice...no itchy scalp or flakes.
3. No tangles, enough said!
4. It's healthier for your skin.
5. It's healthier for the planet.
6. It makes your hair shiny, smooth and lay nice.
7. It will soothe your budget; shampoo and conditioner can be expensive!
8. It's smart to try new things.
9. You can customize it to suit your hair using essential oils.
10. You'll like it!

Weekly Top Ten

In light of yesterday's stunning and beautiful victory, I give you this...my top ten favorite BLUE things in no particular order:

1. Blue States - Yes We Can!!!
2. Blue Suede Shoes
3. Blueberry Muffins
4. The Blues
5. Blue Jeans
6. Glassy Blue Water
7. Bluebells
8. Baby Blue Eyes
9. Blue Christmas Lights
10. Clear Blue Skies

God Bless America!

Top Ten 'Sicky' Movies

This is dedicated to my dear friend Nikki as she recovers from the 'ick'.

Nothing gets you over the ick better than a warm blanket, a hot cup of tea and a good old movie. So to help you along, here's my list of the Top Ten Sicky Movies....at least in my book.

1. Singin' In The Rain
2. It's A Wonderful Life
3. Arsenic and Old Lace
4. My Fair Lady
5. The Music Man
6. The Wizard of Oz
7. Mame
8. Meet Me In St. Louis
9. White Christmas
10. Gone With The Wind

Hope you feel better soon. Hugs!