J to J Report #1

Hmmm. This is going to take some practise.

Just back from 4 days away with the boys. Staying with friends, so no accommodation costs, but…….

• Petrol - OK unavoidable.
• Coffee enroute - unavoidable if I wanted to stay awake at the wheel.
• Food enroute - could have packed a picnic (the boys would have kicked up a fuss, especially as I was getting coffee).
• Dinner out - polite & pleasant way of thanking our hosts for their hospitality, otherwise I would have gone shopping so I could cook dinner for them anyway, so this one is justified.
• Ice-cream at a local berry farm The Bramble Patch (with fresh berries blended through on the spot) - our hosts suggestion, showing us around their region.  But did I really need to buy the three jars of chutney, two pots of fruit paste and one jar of jam as well? I know they had zero food miles and were supporting a local cottage industry but maybe just two items would have sufficed?
• Fruit at a renowned local fruit shop on the way home - good, we needed the supplies, the region specialises in apples, stone fruit and wine, the fruit was great value for money, very low food miles and supporting local businesses.
• Apple pie and ice-cream at Sutton's - probably not necessary, even if highly recommended by our friends. And then there is the box of different apple juices (I mean a box of 9 bottles)…OK they are pure fruit, no added sugar, no preservatives and delicious, but still. I won't be buying ordinary supermarket juice for a while though so maybe….OK. And we will be going back - it really is THAT good.
• Swim at Warwick pool followed by an icy-pole each for the boys - it's been in the high 30's for 4 days, and it is their school holidays.
• Earplugs - replacement swimming ones because otherwise I can potentially be partially deaf with that swishing noise in my ears for a number of days.
• Pies and coffee enroute home - necessary for everyone's blood sugar levels, and driver's concentration.

No Spend vs Spend Rating: Miserable - spent on 100% of days

Non-shopping Rating: Medium to good - I think that I am going to have to class the chutney's etc as a slight cheat, I didn't need more than two jars of chutney (already on the shopping list at home because we have run out). Food indulgences are obviously something I am going to have to watch.

Still - we did have a lovely time - and that is important too. The motivation for the trip was to take L9 & J6 on their first overnight hike, with our friends whose eldest (10yo) has been on one before, but for whose youngest (6yo) it was also a first. Very proud of all four kids.

Four intrepid adventurers

Meanwhile…..hubby (who I have not insisted be part of this challenge) has been shopping while I was away. I think it fits on the nice list though - as he did a big clear out of his wardrobe, and only bought four quality replacement items, with planned future activities in mind. I get all his worn out t-shirts to repurpose too.

NY Resolution - 'J to J Shopping Challenge'

Do you make New Year Resolutions? I don't usually, though at this time of year I do tend to stop and think about what is important to me.

Just before the New Year I discovered this blog: Frugal in Tasmania and her decision to try to go 365 days without shopping got me thinking. Now it isn't 365 days completely without shopping, just not shopping for un-needed items - you know, 'stuff' - food, drink, essential clothing etc are all OK.

Now I am guilty of buying stuff I want but don't need, just like the next person, often spur of the moment, but I also get quite stressed by 'clutter' and am forever trying to clear the house of things grown out of or no longer (or never) needed in order to clear my mind. How much better not to acquire it in the first place! I also actually rather dislike shopping (aside from op-shopping), the crowds and decisions are a cause of stress.

Too much STUFF! Though, aside from the alcohol (believe it or not), most of this gets fairly regular use. Still wish it were tidier though.

So I think I might take a cue from Frugal in Tasmania and give this not shopping a try, though I am only going to aim for 6 months. I'm calling it the 'J to J shopping challenge'. Along with this I intend to continue to declutter.

So - what is on the 'Naughty List' and what is on the 'Nice List'? It seems important to have some idea (and write it down) at the start - so I can't cheat.

Nice

Food & drink - including coffee with friends, eating out & occasional take-away.

School clothes.

Replacements for worn out clothes, shoes and other regularly used items (if they can't be repaired).

Items necessary for repairs.

School and University books & supplies.

Photo books (I do one each year for the kids).

Children's birthday presents.

Basic toiletry items.

Cleaning supplies (consumables).

Vegetable seedlings & other plants for the garden.

Medicine & first-aid items.

Naughty

Ornaments / Decorations.

Jewelry.

Make-up (exception - replacement of used up items).

Gadgets.

Books (except as required for school or uni).

Clothes (except replacements).

Fabric (yes, this is going to be hard, but I do really have plenty to be going on with).

Tools, including Garden tools (unless absolutely needed for an already planned project, or a repair, and where I can't borrow it from Dad).

Household goods.

Camping equipment.

Games.

Sporting equipment.

Tupperware (even if it is from the op-shop).

Cake at the coffee shop.

Bicycle gear (except for repair & maintenance & to enable us to achieve our plan of independent cycle touring).

Can you think of anything else that I should add? Suggestions welcome.

I will also take another piece of inspiration from 'Frugal' and aim for more days where I don't spend any money than days on which I do. This should have the effect of making me more efficient in my shopping habits, which will in turn reduce the stress of having to go to the shops, the chance of being tempted to make unnecessary purchases, and give me more time for other things.

Intended (and hoped for) outcomes: Less 'stuff' cluttering up our home and our lives; lower stress levels; an increased consciousness about consumerism and needs vs wants; more money saved; less time spent exposed to commercial settings.

I'll try to keep a running record of how I am going here - just like Frugal (though I don't know that my writing style is as interesting to read) - starting with the first two days.

NY day - no spend (not too hard).

Today (2/1/14) - pre-planned spending mainly on items to take my boys for their first overnight hike: extra tent pegs; water bladders; micro fibre towels; water purification tabs; camping cutlery & crockery (this is actually a birthday present); plus iron on patches to repair a couple of pairs of jeans. And a coffee. Thankfully all of these items are on the 'Nice List' as they are replacements for irreparable items needed for an activity that the family participates in regularly, or to enable other items to be repaired.  I also have to go and get petrol, vegetables and medicine on the way home.

Now, I've made the commitment in writing, anyone want to join me for moral support? Or just add the odd helpful tip or comment as I go along?

Here's to 2014!

Ravs

So long - and big changes.

I can't believe it is over a year since I posted on this blog!
I completed my Permaculture Design Course at Northey Street City Farm - fabulous! But progress on implementing the plan in my garden has been slow. Firstly because it is just sooooo hot and humid here in the summer, and then because I began another course.
This one is a really big deal - I'm changing careers!
Saw the writing on the wall for my role of 16 years in the form that I love. When the Royal Children's Hospital (Brisbane) closes and moves to the Qld Children's Hospital it will no longer be possible to provide the same type and level of services that we have done in the past (as they haven't allowed for it in the plan - but we won't go into that), and I recognised that the job would change into something that I would not find particularly rewarding or stimulating.  So I have begun studying for a career I have long considered - Secondary Teaching! I am specialising in Physics.
This of course was a lot of work on top of paid employment & parenthood - so no coming back to the blog!

Soon after beginning the Grad Dip, Voluntary Redundancies were offered and, given the climate, prospects for the future, and my already determined plan, this was too good to refuse. It means I can complete my studies faster too! (As an aside, my workmates gave me a voucher to spend at Edible Landscapes - a volunteer run, organic nursery at Northey Street, as a going away present. Aren't they wonderful & clever?)
Not 'working' hasn't seemed to mean that I am making great progress on the garden though. Silly me took on Presidency of the P&C the day I found out I'd been made redundant. Thought I would have time after all (and no-one else put up their hand).
However - maybe, just maybe, I might be able to post a little more often. And over at my other blog RavsCreations - where I will write about some of the Refashions (like the one at right) that I have been doing lately in preparation for a demonstration at our upcoming Quilt and Textiles Show (August 31st, Milton State School for those of you in Brisbane).
I hope you'll hang in their with me.
Ravs.

After a while....

I thought I would give you an update on a couple of things.

Sourdough: A friend asked if I could bring some of the first batch along when I visited her - but I didn't think it would be great after 5 days (and in the end there wasn't any left), so I made my second batch a couple of days earlier than planned.
The first batch was made primarily with Coles brand wholemeal flour.  The second with Biodynamic Wholemeal Wheat Flour by Red Gum Milling.  This second flour was much finer, without all the obvious pieces of bran.  I also tried to handle the dough less between the first & second proof - to retain more of the air as I felt the first batch was a bit dense for my liking (SMD described it as tasting & feeling like a German Rye Bread - fine if that is what you want).  The other change is that the second proof took place overnight in the fridge, so I could bake the bread fresh in the morning.
This is the result:

I forgot to slice the tops - so they are very plain looking.

They turned out a lighter colour inside, and slightly less dense.

I have planted out the seedlings that I showed you in "Inactive - not quite" into the second vegetable garden.  And labelled them using plastic labels cut from a 2 litre milk bottle.  I found that the icy-pole sticks quickly grew mould and became unreadable, hopefully these will work better.

Seedlings newly planted - still in their toilet roll or egg carton homes.

As you can see I set up the automatic watering system at the same time, it's on the same circuit as the other bed, but has small sprays instead of drip lines.  The net cover is essential - when I had it open to work on the watering system Elsa (the Isa Brown) was in digging up the seedlings straight away!

The potatoes in the chicken feed bags are going well.

I have already added some lucerne hay to the bags, and straight after this picture was taken I rolled the sides up a bit and added plenty of soil, filling up the gaps as much as I could, then gave them a good water.

And lastly - the first vege bed is going OK - with its beetroot, carrots & bok choy.

Sourdough

My favourite sort of bread is sourdough - it just seems to have so much more flavour, texture & body and today I made my first loaves!

I've been meaning to try making a sourdough starter for a while, but you know how it is, I just didn't find one of those round to-its.

Fortunately J5 and I went to stay with some dear friends in Stanthorpe last weekend and, prior to leaving, I was given the generous gift of some of their sourdough starter, which originated in a bakery in Tasmania!

So, on Friday morning before leaving for work I fed it with 100g of wholemeal flour and 100ml of lukewarm water.  Then I fed it again when I got home.  An hour later I removed 200g and put it in a clean glass jar and into the fridge to keep for next time.  This morning this is what the remainder looked like:

Bubble, bubble, toil and trouble.....

1kg wholemeal flour, 600ml lukewarm water and plenty of therapeutic kneading later......

Ready for the first proof.

After a few hours, and a 6yo McDonald's party (which thankfully J5 sent me away from), we had fun punching the dough down and shaping it ready for the second proof - after which it looked like this:

In to bake, closely following instructions, including putting a tray of boiling water in the oven for the first few minutes to form a nice crust.  I enjoyed a couple of glasses of wine and ABC Classic FM while reading my latest Michael Pollen book "The botany of desire" and keeping an eye on the oven temperature (you have to gradually decrease it from 240degC to 180degC over 45 minutes).  The loaves were removed from the oven just as SMD & L8 walked up the stairs after watching our Senior team defeat Mitchelton 5-3, Go ACE!

Of course we all had to try a piece warm from the oven.  Not bad for a first attempt I think.

PS Talking of Michael Pollan, if you live in Sydney he is going to be giving a talk at the Opera House on the 10th July 2012.

The world in Harmony

Book Review: - Harmony, a new way of looking at our world.  By HRH The Prince of Wales.

I finished reading this book a couple of weeks ago, and I have since ordered myself a copy.  It is a really beautiful book, both physically and philosophically.

I grew up hearing about Prince Charles and his love of nature, he was often derided for 'talking to his plants', for being at the 'extreme' end of the green scale, and for butting his nose into the areas of architecture and town planning.  But we all know how the media likes a good story, and doesn't always let the full truth get in the way.

Reading this book will tell you more about Prince Charles as a person than you will ever get from any magazine or newspaper report.  It will reveal a man who was ahead of his time in his concern for the earth in a truly holistic way.  A man who has an incredible respect and even reverence for the different peoples, cultures and religions of the world, and sees their commonalities.  An intelligent, interested, well read & hard working man.  But don't think this is a self-congratulatory book, that is just the impression gained from the thoughts he expresses.

But learning about Prince Charles the man is far from being the primary reason for reading this book - it is for its holistic view of the interrelatedness of life on earth, how one thing affects another, of how our view of the world and our place in it has caused us to reach this point of imbalance, and how we might change our view and work towards rebalancing and renewing our connection and sense of place in the grand scheme.

He starts out with geometry.  Yes that's right, basic mathematics.  How beautifully complex patterns appear in nature over and over again and how ancient peoples identified these and used them in their sacred art and architecture.

He talks about how man viewed his place in the environment, and how that has changed over time. The importance of beauty and how our sense of what is beautiful relates back to the geometry found in nature.  Of walkable towns and civic design.  Of psychology and how our environment affects it. Rainforests and their importance in creating rain, especially the Amazon, the 'lungs of the world'.  Of education and organic farming methods (he's been farming organically for about 30 years).

Strong views are expressed - gently.

It is a lovely read.

This is the lecture that inspired me to read this book in the first place.

One of the foundations that Prince Charles has set up to work towards creating a better world is the Prince's Foundation for Building Community, but there are others.  Behind the scenes he must work pretty hard.

Ravs

Inactive? Not Quite

I know, long time, but I haven't been completely idle.
I'm 8 or 9 weeks post spinal surgery today,  I wasn't allowed to do any heavy work for 6 weeks, which explains a bit.  But here's what I have done in the last couple of months.

Garlic (far end), carrots, bok choy & two types of beetroot.  And I finally set the automatic watering up again.

Various vegetable seedlings, two local natives (a westringia & a calistemon) free from the council via the Greenheart Fair, and my Mother's Day Aloe Vera plant.

Repotted the strawberries (see them hanging underneath) with some capsicum & oregano - two pots worth.

Potatoes in chook feed bags - a good use of an otherwise wasted space.

I put two seed potatoes in each bag.  Two different varieties,  3 bags of each.  Hope it works.

Sacrificed the last few passionfruit (was too cold for them to ripen anyway) and chopped the vine right back.  Waiting to see if it resprouts, otherwise I'll plant another in the same area.

A member of the melon family - but which one I don't know.  It is self sown,  so we'll just wait & see how it does, growing between the bricks & the retaining wall!

On a separate issue - I suggested at the P&C meeting that we should try to take the Tuck Shop GM Free.  I was expecting some scepticism - but got overwhelming support!  Very happy.  So now I have another job - as, in order to increase my chances of getting agreement, I offered to do all the research & chasing down of info.  But great news don't you think?

And there is a another book review on the way.  Plus I haven't completely forgotten the Organic Certification reviews (it's pretty dry reading though, so sometimes hard to face, hence the delay).

Oh - and I've joined a 'box scheme'.  We are now getting most of our fruit & vege from Food Connect, which sources all the food from within 3 hours drive of Brisbane (they also operate out of Sydney).  Mostly organic, though not always certified, and usually small farms I believe.  This means we are eating in season, and very fresh & cutting down on food miles.  Have been thrilled with the quality so far.  Am also excited about the chance we get at some point to visit some of the people growing our food.

Anyway, life's pretty good, as I hope it is for you.
Best wishes
Ravs