Wednesday, February 29, 2012

No News is Good News?

I haven't intentionally been avoiding y'all. This last month has gone by fast! You want a quick recap? Okey dokey:

Garden: We  built another bed to accomodate our monster bean plants! They weren't supposed to be ready to transplant for a few more weeks, but when they started using the grow light as a trellis it was time to get them a new home. There has been a good harvest going on - arugula, spinach, kale, broccoli, carrots and swiss chard. I'm going to take a risk by starting to harden off my tomatoes and cucumbers so they can join the ranks in the front yard.

Chicken Coop: We found a listing on Craigslist for a free fence, which we snatched up right away! We bought the necessary 2x4 boards and are ready to start building. If we get lots done over the next few days, we might be able to start it this weekend. I hope, I hope, I hope!

How Green Can We Go? I made a batch of laundry soap this month, which has been a great success! We had family visiting who cloth diaper and it was given passing marks for its ability to clean diapers and wipes! Woohoo! Someday I will know, first hand, how well it works on cloth diapers. Sigh. And in other news, we have started using family cloth, or as it is less elegantly called: reusable toilet paper. Bear with me a sec! It's the exact same as using reusable baby wipes, which when "stored" properly don't smell or spread germs. I made a bunch of different squares (the cutest are the ones that came from left over material I had made baby wipes with!), placed them in a neat stack on the back of the toilet and put a container next to the toilet to hold the used squares. We have a sanitize cycle on our washing machine (again with the wanting babies thing) that I combined with a pre-rinse and voila!

Please don't go, I swear I was just about to get to the running part!

Running: I got in 2 runs this month. I was surprised at my cardiovascular condition, but I guess the bootcamp and power pump classes are really paying off. I'm searching for a race to do in April, but none fit my schedule. I think I might just host my own virtual race. I really need something to train for!

Gotta dash, sorry to leave so abruptly but it's dog park time before class at the gym!

5 comments:

  1. Awesome score with the free fence!!

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  2. glad to see you're still around in the blog world, even if it's brief!

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  3. I am officially jealous that you have growing things in your garden. *sigh* It's definitely still winterish here in Nebraska, and last frost isn't until the very end of May (although baby plants are totally going to be in the ground earlier than that!) And I wish you lived closer so I could come visit you (and your future chickens). My yard isn't large enough for chickens (not to mention they aren't in my lease).

    Question about your laundry detergent: what ingredients did you use to make it? And were they all easy to find around where you live? I like the reusable TP idea, although I'd need to test how hot the washing machines at the laundromat go before I give that a try. I have a friend from college who uses cloth pads for her period instead of buying them, and this sounds like a similar idea.

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  4. Thanks! Hey Maggie! I use cloth pads too and a Diva cup, of which I am a big fan. For the laundry soap I used washing soda, borax, liquid castille and a grated bar of tee tree bath soap. It's a simple process; the only challenge is being able to to stir it properly, but I think that's a matter of scale.

    Our last frost is mid-March, I am going to put out the beans and maybe some of the cucumbers tomorrow just to see how they fare.

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  5. Way to go on the cloth TP - that is one of my goals... getting the man on board is a challenge though. ;)

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