Winter Doldrums

We aren't quite there yet - into the winter doldrums, I mean.  I feel myself slipping ever so closer into that black abyss that is February ANY DAY NOW!

It has, however, started acting like winter around here.  By that I mean, it actually got cold, and it actually snowed!  Much to her delight, J was home for 5 inches of snow on Martin Luther King Jr. Day.  Her classes for the following day were actually cancelled as they got twice as much snow there as we did here, so she and I had the chance to play in the snow for a bit!

It warmed up for a day, and then we got an additional 4.5 inches on top of that over the weekend into last night.  Now it is supposed to get even colder!  L has had 2 "remote learning" days in the past week!

One of the best parts about winter is coming in out of the cold and having hot cocoa.

The chickens do NOT like the snow and basically refuse to go outside.  I am keeping their water and a small feeder inside so that they don't have to go out if they don't want to.  Our poor, stupid rooster actually got some frostbite on his comb!

Unfortunately, we have had some tractor trouble again, another flat tire.  The tractor tire people are coming out tomorrow to look into repairing it - no spare tire for this old girl!

I have re-started my winter activity of putting together puzzles.  These are the ones I've worked on since Thanksgiving:

This one my brother, my nephews and the girls
put together right after Christmas - JP made fun
of me, but I took it apart and put it back together 
again by myself!

I hope you are staying warm and keeping in good spirits through these long, dark days!

Resolution/Revolution

My New Year's resolution this year is to try to create less waste in order to preserve this earth for my grandchildren so that they don't have to live in a space craft orbiting earth for posterity becoming obese and stupid (think WALL-E.)

I already try to use everything - those 9 egg whites left after making egg nog for Christmas were baked into an angel food cake.  The little bit of champagne left over after New Year's Eve was turned into mimosas the next morning.  Half a can of sweetened condensed milk left after baking L's birthday cake went into my coffee for the past few mornings.

Food scraps go into the compost or to the chickens.

I recycle everything I can - cardboard, paper, metal and plastic, but wouldn't it be great to have LESS of that too?

I read an article recently, talking about why we should use bar soap for EVERYTHING.  One of the biggest reasons is to reduce plastic waste.  JP has been using his organic coconut oil soap to wash his few head hairs for years, but I don't like to not condition my hair.  Did you know that there are now shampoo and conditioner bars available?

I started using this grapefruit scented conditioner bar from byhumankind.com right after Christmas.  It smells great and works really well.  The only downside is that it is quite expensive at $15 for a small 1.8 oz bar.  I did read somewhere that it lasts for something like 75 washes...time will tell.

A few days later, I found this Love Beauty and Planet shampoo bar at Target for $4.99.  I didn't notice until I started using it that it is supposed to be for color treated hair, but I still feel like it works really well and does not require much to get a good lather going. 

So...shampoo and conditioner in 100% recyclable (paper/cardboard) packaging - good for the environment and works well.  I'm on my way to using bar soap for EVERYTHING...baby steps.

We just got a new keurig machine before the holidays, and now I am feeling excessive guilt about all of the waste created with those little pods.  Good news though, I have a refillable/reusable pod - haven't tried it yet though.

The girls have been eating vegetarian for several years, in order to eat more sustainably.  I join them much of the time.  Over the weekend, I tried a new recipe for Ratatouille.  It was DELICOUS, although not super attractive.  Remember in Ratatouille the movie, where the food critic, Anton Ego, is given the Ratatouille made by Remy the Rat?  He loved it because it was comfort food from his childhood, but Remy mixed it up a bit and made it attractive.  I've made both:

Ratatouille comfort food vs.

Remy style Ratatouille

Long story short - trying to be kind to the environment this year.  Let's all do it!

Happy COVID New Year!

We have done everything we could to remain safe during this pandemic:  JP isolated for 7 months in 2020, we all have been triple vaccinated, we never stopped masking in public - and in fact started double masking or wearing N95s about a week ago.  In spite of all of these precautions, JP brought COVID home for the New Year.  He was infected at work (of course) but began quarantining as soon as he got home.

I had to test in order to return to work, and have been negative.  J had to test to return to the dorms, and she was negative as well.

None of us have had any symptoms, except for JP, who had some sneezing prior to his test, and lost his sense of taste and smell for a couple of days.

He has tested negative again, and moved back with the family now.

Please stay safe out there everyone, COVID infections aren't always so mild for everyone!

Sweet Sixteen

 Guess who turned 16 right after Christmas (and who's birthday was overlooked by visitors and this year - a funeral)?  That's right - L turned sweet sixteen this year!

We finally had a chance to have a little family birthday party for her on New Year's Eve.  (Sheesh.)  We are hoping to have a bigger to-do for her friends sometime this month.

Happy Birthday, my dear, dear daughter!