Minimalist Wardrobe

I have reached a point in my life where I have begun to ask the question... "Is my current life really sustainable?" I have been deeply burdened by the level of effort required to maintain my "stuff". I estimate that from dawn to dusk,  I spend 80% of my time cleaning something..clothes, toys, dishes, floors, windows, faces and rear ends...the list goes on. That leaves only 20% of my time left for living..and I want to live more intentionally.."now more than ever!" I have begun a journey to minimize everything that interferes with that desire to REALLY live. That journey begins in my closet.

A few weeks ago I went through the initial sorting, the easy part. Pulled out items that no longer fit, are damaged, haven't worn in 6 months..the usual. A couple more pushes and I was left with about 50 "essential" wardrobe items. They actually all fit in my small hanging space and I was proud and feeling accomplished. I even posted a picture of my "minimalist" wardrobe on Facebook.  Today, a few steps further down the road on my journey..50 pieces feels like a giant sitting on my chest.

I decided to make 4 piles today. Pile #1 Items that don't fit quite right, have a flaw that I can't accept or belong in the trash. Pile #2 Clothes that are out of season. Pile #3 Clothes that would look better on Perrianne than me. And finally, Pile #4 Clothes that I absolutely love.

Why should I have clothes that I don't love? Why should we keep any possession that we don't really use or love? Isn't that one of the first rules of minimalism we all see floating around on neat little signs on Pinterest?

I'm down to 13 pieces...it still feels like a lot.

Why I choose local over organic.

People are often surprised to discover that I often prefer local food to organic.  "But I just want clean food!" they cry. The truth is...your organic food isn't all that clean, and local food is better for you. Let me explain.

Nutrition
In our current food system, most of your food travels hundreds, if not thousands of miles before it reaches your plate. From the moment your produce is picked, it's dying.  It begins to lose nutrients right away after being plucked from it's connection to the earth.  With each passing moment, it loses it's ability to nourish you and protect your body from disease.  We live in a toxic world, there is no escaping it. We can make all the best choices and still...our world is poisoned. Sometimes I weep over it..but alas..I am only one person and I can only do what I can do. Eating food that is high in nutritional value is the best defense we can give our bodies against disease. The fresher the better!

Levels
Most backyard gardeners and small farmers that I have met care deeply for the earth.  Some will resort to using small amounts of chemicals and/or pesticides when it means the difference between crop survival or crop failure. Most use minimal amounts. If you want to know exactly what methods your local farmers use, just ask them! Organic food may not be what you thunk it is. It is not free of pesticides, fungicides and such. The products used in the production of organic foods are derived from differnt sources than conventional sprays; They are potent poisons, however. I know this from deeply personal experience after an illness requiring a trip to the ER with organic fungicide poisoning.


Organic is not always what you think
There has been a lot of recent discussion in the organic community about the fact that organic Apples and Pear blossoms are sprayed with antibiotics to protect against fire blight. Yes, you read that right. The blooms are sprayed with streptomycin and oxytetracycline.  Recent studies have also shown that organic produce sold in a store that also sells conventional produce is highly contaminated with spray residues from handling. That said, are you really getting your money's worth when you purchase organic at the supermarket?


Good for your city, good for the planet
Less demand for long distance food creates a cleaner environment for everyone. Consider just the emissions alone that occur when transporting large quantities of food over thousands of miles. Also, buying local food keep your dollars hard at work in your own community.


It just tastes better
Ever purchase a $5 pint of organic berries to find the flavor disappointing at best? Mass produced produce, no matter how organic, is not fresh food once it makes it's way to your table.  Just as with conventional produce, it is picked before it's peak of flavor and shipped to you in it's dying state.

What about GMO's?
Never to worry, as genetically modified seed is not available to home gardeners and small local farms. GMO seed is highly regulated by those who wish to control the worlds food supply. Most fresh produce is not GMO. The only approved GMO fresh produce available is sweet corn, Hawaiian papaya, edamame, zucchini and yellow summer squash.

While different people have different reasons why they choose one over the other, I am convinced that local food is the best choice for my family. Of course I would always prefer local AND organic...sigh...in a perfect world.

Think Before You Drink; Just Say No To Cappuccino!

I have a confession to make. I love those gas station cappuccino's. You know the one's...the warm, sweet, liquid cup of chemicals that flows so frothily (made that up) into your cup and overflows all down the side...burning your hand off as you try to contain it's deliciousness.

There is never a list of ingredients posted next to the machine, so the ease at which denial comes to this religious label reader is swift. To be fair to myself..I had three of them last week..considering I haven't had one in about 5 years..I still consider myself to be winning. 

It was my craving once again this morning that led me to realize I may be starting to build a deadly habit that prompted me to investigate . So in case you ever wondered...here you go. And no...I did not stop for one this morning. I'm thinking never again.

• Corn Syrup Solids
• Partially Hydrogenated Soybean Oil
• Sodium Caseinate
• Dipotassium Phosphate
• Mono and Diglycerides
• Silicon Dioxide
• Lecithin
• Guar Gum Thickener
• Calcium Silicate

Here is a link to the original article.

http://www.ineedcoffee.com/08/really-coffee/

Simplify

Identity Crisis Western Soapberry VS. Chinaberry

This is my second post is a series of foraging for soap nuts.....

Charlies Soap, Rockin Green, DIY....

Bac-out, Biokelln, Borax....SIGH! 

I was a mom on a mission..and I wasn't sure why,

But I found my solution in Sapindus drummondii.  (no idea if that rhymes)

When I discovered that I could get soap nuts (or berries actually) from the Western Soapberry tree that grows right here in North Texas, I set out on a mission with my arborist husband to locate the tree.  I mean, who better to take along that a bonafide ISA Certified Arborist, right? I did some research online and he made some calls to a couple of other arborists and a state forester.  With what I thought to be a  fairly good description of what we were looking for, we went on an afternoon adventure from which we returned...with an abundant harvest......of CHINABERRIES.  Nasty, invasive, stinky, ugly little pale white soap berry imposters! 

Somewhat discouraged and defeated, my hopes were dashed. Until that glorious day..when the one I love was trimming some trees for a friend. When I showed up to bring his lunch, I found him gazing upwards in awe and disbelief. He was standing in the middle of a GROVE of the elusive Western Soapberry trees loaded with the elusive golden berries, exploding with the soap of my dreams.

Though the adventure is a story worth telling...I hope that my tips help you in finding the right berries, the first time.

The berries on the left side of the photo are Chinaberries.  They are pale and stinky, and notice how they grow on the very end of the stem. The golden berries on the right are the Western Soapberries. Sometimes, they may have some black spots, but they look very different from the pale berries of the Chinaberry tree. These soap berries were harvested in springtime, and will grow dark if allowed to remain on the tree during summer.

This is the bark of the  Western Soapberry tree. Mature trees are 20 to 50 feet tall. The thin bark is split by deep fissures into long narrow plates. The bark is grayish to reddish-brown and scaly.

This is the Chinaberry tree. It ranges from brown to dark red. The bark is much smoother, especially the young trees. It can also reach a height of 50 feet.

                                             

Hugelkultur Fail

Inspired by Pinterest, I set out to try my hand at hugelkultur (hoogle culture..like google with an "H"!). Basically, hugelkultur is making raised beds with rotted wood.  Since most of our almost 3 acres here in Azle, Texas consists of heavily wooded forest, there was no shortage of material! So I decided to work with what was available. Which for all you permaculture people out there is principle #5 "Use And Value Renewable Resources"...or maybe it's #6 "Produce No Waste". Either way, I don't profess to be a permaculture professional of any kind, but a Mom with lots of creative ideas to scatter and a fancy for bringing forth life from the ground. Plus, I've always been a fan of the German language..and who wouldn't want to have something in their yard that allows them to frequently say "Hugelkultur"?

So I set out to build one of these little hills in the middle of what I dream will someday be my very own food forest. And here is what happened:

Perennial grass. (I'm pretty sure that's a nice way to say "death of a dream,by grass").  Trumpet vine also found my sexy German garden hill a wonderful place to do it's climbing. Frustrated...I walked away from the idea for at least half a year.

Inspired by a 68 degree January afternoon, I revisited my grass covered German fantasy hill in an attempt to see it with new eyes.  I've been doing some reading on lasagna gardens, so I thought, why not build a lasagna hugelkultur? It will be kind of like one of those Chinese/Mexican buffet's on Lancaster Avenue.  A multicultural stew of gardening savvy. So here is where I started this time:

I call it "hugellasagna".  A tasty blend of wavy noodles with german sausage inside. I will keep you updated on it's progress.

If at first you don't succeed, try, try again. ~ William E. Hickson 

Shopping The Urban Forest

Yesterday afternoon a woman walks into my husband's very secluded office with a piece of paper in her hand. "Are YOU Kristoffer Rasmussen?" she asks.  He replied with an apprehensive "yes". Extending the paper towards him, she continues the questioning... "Are you THE Kristoffer Rasmussen who wrote this article for TCI Magazine?"  He glances down to see she is clutching his article "Shopping The Urban Forest", which he wrote about a whim I had one day to gather soap nuts to produce a locally grown natural soap for washing cloth diapers.  Somewhere in that moment...caught in that awkward place where you're not certain if you feel accomplished or like a stalking victim....came the hope that someone might actually be listening, or even inspired enough, by our unconventional, seemingly random passions to seek us out for a quart jar of locally produced laundry soap. How much more could we inspire others to act, or think, or dream.  I have been planning a detailed "how-to" blog entry on foraging for soap nuts..so in anticipation..I thought you would enjoy Kristoffer's article about how this soap came to be.


Shopping The Urban Forest by Kristoffer Rasmussen