Common herbicide used on U.S. crops castrates male frogs

Just stumbled across this article. Why is it that the US always seems to be the last to ban these chemicals?

Common herbicide used on U.S. crops castrates male frogs

Pictures soon to follow...

My garden is officially planted!!!  Here's a list of EVERYTHING I have planted...

Green Beans
Cucumbers
Tomatoes
Summer Squash (4 kinds)
Eggplant
Brussels Sprouts
Cabbage
Onions (White, Yellow, and Green)
Broccoli
Turnip
Leeks
Kale
Spinach
Lettuce
Radish
Sunflowers
Pumpkin
Nasturtiums
Strawberries
Chives
Gooseberry
Rhubarb
Mixed Alaskan Wildflowers
Flowers in the Deck Pots (Who knows what they are, but they are beautiful!)
Mint (2 kinds)
Thyme
Rosemary
Basil
Snap Peas
Sage
Raspberries
Potentilla
Swiss Chard

Holy Cow!!!  It's not as huge as it sounds, however.  I'll try to take pictures tomorrow... its awesome (and organic)!  And to top it all off, I got a big bag of chicken droppings mixed with straw, and a few big bags of leaves, and the new compost pile is officially started!!!

Nice to see you again!

I know it has been forever since I took the time to post anything more thoughtful than a sentence or two.  For those of you who live in Alaska, you most likely understand already.  This is the busiest season for the gardener, and even more so for me this year as my husband decided to seriously upgrade my ENTIRE garden!  If you look at my posts from last year, you will find pictures of what the garden USED to look like.  Here are some snapshots I took this morning...

The lovely deck that Hubby built for my birthday last year.  I finally got the flower pots planted!

The three pots are planted the same... In about a month these will look awesome!

Cabbage, Swiss Chard, and Brussels Sprouts, patiently waiting to be planted in their permanent home.

The old raised beds have been transformed into flower beds.  This year they are planted full of Alaskan wildflower seeds, which just broke ground yesterday!

My new, fenced in garden area, with raised beds and room to add a chicken area!  

This is the only raised bed that is planted so far... Broccoli, Turnip, Leek, Green Onion, Kale, Spinach, Lettuce and Radishes!!!

The lettuce is VERY happy to be transplanted, finally!

Hopefully the Broccoli will be happier this year than it was last year.  They seem to be doing well!

Starting to get an idea of why I haven't posted much lately?  We actually had some rather sad news a few weeks ago as well.  Boss, our most beloved, and only remaining dog, finally lost his battle to cancer.  He had a different type than the bone cancer that took Lady from us so suddenly a few months ago.  He has been battling it for years, but it got to be just too much.  It was heartbreaking, and we miss him terribly.  I rescued him 10 years ago, and had had him longer than my human children!  There is a big void now, which I can't hope to fill any time soon.

RIP Boss, you were the best of the best.

First garden edibles!!!

For lunch today, I officially ate lettuce I started from seed.  And I mixed it with fresh Lemon Basil, which is growing on my kitchen windowsill!  Soon, the tomato, cucumber, peas, and even the eggs, will be from the back yard.  Life is good!

A quick update...

The raised beds are built, the fence is up, the organic matter is ready to mix in, the seedlings are impatient, and the soil is delivered tomorrow morning!!! 

I haven't forgotten you all!

There are some major changes happening in my garden right now.  I'll update soon with a real post, and pictures!!!

Food, Inc. - Last night on POV

First let me premise this with -- I Love PBS.  They are awesome.

Food, Inc. is a movie I have been wanting to watch for quite a while now.  I was very excited to learn that PBS was airing it as part of their Earth Day programming this week.  It was good information, and well put together.  It confirmed for me the reasons that I am raising my family as I am, and why I make the food choices I make. 

My husband actually sat down and watched the whole thing with me, which is rare for ANY movie.  All I said was that this was a good explanation of why I am the way I am about our family's food.  Robert is not the type you can preach to.  He is very intelligent, as is quite capable of figuring things out once the information is presented to him.  This morning, he told me he was glad we watched the movie, and that it gave him a lot to think about.  If this movie can make my McDonald's every day husband stop and think, it can change the world!

If you didn't get a chance to see it, you can watch it online at
http://www.pbs.org/pov/foodinc/photo_gallery_watch.php
until April 29, 2010.

Watch it!
Share it!
Talk about it!

And if you already watched it... what did you think?

The ground is thawing!

I just made a quick trek out to the raised beds.  The soil is about 1/2 thawed already, and the compost pile is thawing too!  Most of the snow in the yard is melted, and the sun feels warm again.  But the best news of the day?...  The Sandhill Cranes arrived this morning!  I heard them at 6:30 this morning, it woke me up out of a dead sleep!  What a way to announce the return of spring in Alaska!!!

Earth Day 2010

I watched the movie "Dirt!" last night.  What a great film, full of information, but lighthearted enough to be entertaining as well.  EVERYONE needs to watch this movie.

















And for those of you who don't already know... PBS's show "Point of View" is airing "Food, Inc." tonight.  Please watch it, and let everyone else know to watch it also.  We have to be informed if we want to make a difference.  Monsanto has several web pages dedicated to "debunking" this film, so you know the film makers must have hit a nerve!


















As usual, there is not a lot going on in Alaska to celebrate Earth Day, at least not as far as the local newspapers are concerned.  It frustrates me, because they will report on S. Palin like they are a tabloid, almost to the point of obsession, but the tend to ignore all things earth day.  Just like last year, we will celebrate in our own way, in our own home.

What are you doing for Earth Day this year?

Learning Outside of School

My sons first year of public school is coming to a close next month.  I have to admit I was nervous about having someone else take responsibility for what he was learning and experiencing, and very honestly considered homeschooling.  But in reflection, this has been a great experience for both of us.
I have always tried to make every day a learning experience in our house.  We have rules and structure, but we learn, explore, and have fun as well!  Starting the day the kid comes home from the hospital, we are having conversations and discussions.  We talk about what we are doing and why we are doing it.  I really feel that this has made a difference in how my children observe and learn.  My son loves to identify foods by the 3 most important food groups... 1. Healthy enough to eat every day  2. Healthy enough to eat once in a while  3. Only good to eat once in a VERY great while.  He watched me make compost for the first time, and proceeded to explain to ME why we were doing it and how it worked!

I have made it a point to ask him every day after school to tell me what he learned that day.  This gives me a chance to learn what is being discussed in the classroom, clarify any questions or misunderstandings, and most importantly... Offer a different perspective.  When we leave all the lessons to the government to organize, we don't always like the end result.  I don't have all the answers, but I am teaching my son to think and discuss, and to seek out alternative options and knowledge, so that at least he has the tools to find those answers for himself.

Children's minds are like sponges, especially in the pre-school years.  If we give them these tools early in life, we give them the building blocks for a successful future.  With all the bad stuff out there, which they are going to have to face eventually, I want to give my kids a real chance.  Knowledge is that chance.

Today's Garden Notes

I got the tomatoes and eggplants transplanted yesterday.  Everything is looking great... more pictures soon!

Today's Garden Notes

The Kale, Lettuce and Lobelia have all sprouted now.  Its also time to transplant the tomato and eggplant seedlings.  All of the starts are looking amazing!

Please, pay attention to what your purchases support....

A few pictures to satisfy that spring planting addiction...

First, some of the herbs...

I didn't add a picture of the Rosemary as it is still very small and unimpressive.

Next up, my seedling set-up...

Just something simple in an unused corner of a hallway.  The lights are very easy to adjust, so I can keep them directly over the seedlings, and hopefully not have tall skinny plants when it is time to move them outside.

Brussels Sprouts, Broccoli, and Cucumber

Zucchini, Tomato, Eggplant, and Cabbage

The Sunflowers are doing very well, I just didn't manage to get a picture of them this time.  I'll post them later.

I have to say i am amazed at how well the Zucchini is doing this time.  Hopefully I don't run out of room for them before planting day!  I have noticed that most of my containers outside are already thawed, although the raised beds are still frozen.  The snow is melted enough that I can get to the compost pile, so I am starting to save my kitchen waste again.  We did get about 4 inches of snow in yesterday's storm, but it all melted by the evening.  Once the sun comes back out, the snow should disappear fairly quickly.  We should be starting to do some little bonfires soon.  That is one sure sign that summer is on its way back!

Kombucha update

I got the Kombucha bottled, and it went very well.  Each bottle got 1.5 cups of Kombucha and .5 cups of organic, no sugar added, blueberry pomegranate juice for a little flavor.  Now if I can just get it to fizz without exploding!

Today's Garden Notes

Planted:

Kale
Lettuce
Blue Shrimp Flower
Lobelia
Marigold
Pansy


The seedlings are all doing great!  Everything is healthy and happy... growing, but not growing so fast I can't keep up with them.  The sunflowers are now in the kitchen window with the herb pots, because they are just getting so tall so quickly!  The zucchini is doing amazingly well... I actually had to remove flower buds off of every seedling today!  It has gotten above 50F every day for the last 2 weeks or so, and the snow is melting very quickly!  I think spring may be a bit early this year.  Here's to a longer growing season!!!

Kombucha

Today I am officially brewing my very first batch of Kombucha!  I grew a new SCOBY successfully from a bottle of GT's Kombucha.  Now I just have to wait the 10 days until I can bottle it and then let it sit and develop some fizz!  How exciting!

Today's Garden Notes

Sprouted yesterday, EGGPLANT!!!

I transplanted all the seedlings except the tomato and eggplant yesterday.  The newspaper pots are working wonderfully, and I'm getting them from a family member that normally just sends all her papers to the dump.  That makes me feel even better about using them.  When they are done I will just put them in the compost pile!  Below is a picture of my zucchini, happy in their newspaper pots...

Today's Garden Notes

The tomato seedlings have sprouted!!!

Today's Garden Notes

The cucumbers have sprouted!  No sign yet of the tomato or eggplant, but I remember the eggplant took forever last year also, so no worries yet.  I have never done cucumber or tomato from seed before, so this is exciting!

Today's Garden Notes

Yesterday I transplanted the sunflowers and zucchini into bigger pots.  I made the pots out of recycled newspaper, and they are perfect!  I will post some pictures as soon as I have new batteries for the camera!  The eggplant, tomato, and cucumber haven't sprouted yet, but other than that the seedlings officially have a 100% germination rate!  Amazing!

Husband and I had a talk about chickens last night.  We decided that we really need to wait one more year, because we need to have the coop set up BEFORE I bring them home.  I am moving/changing my whole garden this year, and that will be the main spring project.  I am a little disappointed, but it only makes sense.  He promised to help me get the new raised beds all set up, so that will be nice to have the help. 

I am absolutely itching to get into the dirt now.  The temperature has gotten into the 40s for the last 10 days here.  Dare I say, spring has arrived?!?!

Today's Garden Notes

Planted Cucumbers today!

Today's Garden Notes

Planted tomato seeds today.

All of the seedlings are doing very well, and I have close to 100% germination, even though these are last years seeds!  I broke down and bought the tomato seeds today though.  They are currant tomatoes, which I figure will have more of a chance of ripening on the vine in the greenhouse rather than in the cupboard.  I'm going to grow some in the greenhouse and some in hanging baskets outside, since this is supposed to be a good summer for growing them outside in Alaska.  I've never started tomatoes from seed before, so we'll see how well I do.  I think I may get some cucumber seeds as well, just to see how well I do with them.

Today's Garden Notes

Sprouted!

Brussels Sprouts

The only thing that hasn't sprouted now is the eggplant, which usually takes a while.  The cabbage (last years seed) had a 100% success rate!

Today's Garden Notes

Sprouted!!!

Cabbage
Sunflower
Zucchini
Broccoli


I can't believe these seeds only took 2 days to start sprouting, and they are ALL last years leftovers!  I must have stored them properly!  I'm glad I set up the lights at the same time that I set up the shelving, as I was thinking it would be about a week before I needed them.  My garden is officially started!!!

Today's Garden Notes

Planted:

Brussels Sprouts

Today's Garden Notes

Seeds started today...

Cabbage
Eggplant
Sunflower
Zucchini
Broccoli

Dreaming of soil while looking at snow...

All the gardening blogs I read are talking about starting their seeds.  This, I think, is the one thing I don't like about Alaska... our short growing season.  Our average last frost date is June 1, so most things don't get started until the end of April.  I suppose I could let things grow a little longer inside, if I can get my seed shelf set up properly.  I am just itching to grow something. 

I'm a little nervous about trying to start everything from seed this year.  I haven't had the greatest success so far.  But I do learn a little more each year, and this year will be another learning experience, if nothing else.  This will be the first year that I will be in control of the seedlings... in years past I have always started them at my mother's house.  It will be nice to be able to check on them daily and to make sure that the lights and other growing conditions are really to my specifications, rather than depending on someone else to remember/care enough to do it properly.  I'm not saying Mom has done anything wrong with the seeds in the past, just that it will be nice to have that daily control.

I was watching a video earlier today of an interview with a woman who sells seedlings at the local farmer's markets.  She was talking about how everyone wanted heirloom tomatoes.  She said she tells everyone that yes, the heirlooms taste better and look prettier, but "you don't want to spend $5 per seed".  She repeated that about 5 times.  First of all, the seeds DO NOT cost $5 a piece.  And second of all, initial cost is not the only factor!  Yes, you will spend SLIGHTLY more the first year, but then you will be able to save the seed each year!  It just amazes me how people can find one tiny little obstacle and refuse to look beyond it.  YES, I want heirloom tomatoes, and if you don't have them, I will simply buy them somewhere else! 

Speaking of seeds, if anyone locally has some seed they want to swap, I have some Blue Shrimp Flower seeds I saved from last year, and I would be willing to trade half of them.  I originally got the seed from the Alaska Botanical Garden when I did some volunteer work there a few years ago.  They did beautifully last year, and I'm sure they will do well again this year.  Leave a comment or email me if you are interested!

Homemade Zwieback Toast

I found the following recipe quite a while ago, and just now decided to try it as Lily has recently cut her first tooth...



Zwieback Toast

1 package active dried yeast
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 butter
pinch salt
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
3 eggs (unbeaten)
2 cups flour

Gently warm the milk until tepid and add the yeast. Set aside for 5 mins, to allow the yeast to activate.
Melt the butter and add to the mixture, along with the sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and eggs. Stir until thoroughly combined.
Add enough of the flour to form a dough, then knead well until the dough is smooth - you may need to add extra flour as you knead.
Set the dough aside and leave it to rise.
Once it has doubled in size (around 1hr later), divide it into 2 equal pieces and form into "rolls".
Place on an ungreased baking/cookie sheet and allow to rise again (around 30 mins).
Bake for 20 mins at 400 deg F, then cool.
Lower the oven temperature to 200 deg F, and slice the rolls into 1/2" slices.
Return to the oven and bake for a further 15-60 mins, until the zwieback toast is dry and hard.

Lily absolutely loves these, and they are just a hint sweet, without being a desert type bread.  I will definitely make them again!  (Boss loves them too, and hovers very close to Lily, hoping to get the dropped crumbs!)  They melt just enough that she doesn't choke on them, but they don't fall apart while she is trying to eat them.

One more thing I don't have to buy pre-packaged from the grocery store!!!

Herbs in the window

The herbs I planted a few weeks ago are really taking off now.  The Thyme sent up sprouts almost immediately and I have already had to thin them a bit.  The Rosemary and Lemon Basil took a bit longer, but they are slowly yet surely poking out of the soil.  We get a little more sun here every day, so they should do ok as long as they remain in my south-facing kitchen window.  I've never grown herbs from seed before, or grown them indoors for that matter, so this will be a learning experience for me.

I thought that the cats might get themselves into the seedlings, but so far so good.  My other seeds will be started in a mini-greenhouse, so they should be fairly safe.  Once they are to big for that, however, we may have to improvise a bit to keep them safe... maybe the greenhouse will be warm enough to utilize by then.  I'll figure it out!

Look what I made!

 

I had a content baby and a clean table... I had to make something!  These took me about 1 hour and were made from leftover material from the last 2 purses that i made.  My husband came home and said "I was just thinking that we needed some placemats for the table!"  I think he is finally starting to realize what a great gift that sewing machine was!  And as a bonus, I have found that with these on the table, people choose to NOT use the area as a general dumping ground for STUFF.  It actually stays cleaned off now!  Can you believe that I didn't have to clean anything before I took this picture?!

Watch this movie!!!

Mmmmmmm.... Coffee

I recently acquired a French Coffee Press, which I have never used before.  I like my coffee in the morning, but hate making a full pot as that is just too much caffeine for just one person.  I tried the French Press for the first time this week, and I am in LOVE!!!  The coffee comes out creamy and perfect every time, and I can heat a kettle of water first thing in the morning (excuse to make a tea kettle cozy!), and have coffee as I want/need it all morning long!  Why didn't I get one of these sooner?!  Not to mention, this makes one more non-electric appliance to replace my plug-in everything in the kitchen!  Hubby still will want his pot of coffee on the weekends, but I can live with that.  I wonder if I could get away with putting the coffee pot in the cabinet during the week, as it takes up so much room on the counter.  I'm still looking for a hand crank coffee grinder, but these are very hard to find in the thrift shops.   Now if only I had my woodstove, even the hot water would be passive.  One step at a time!

Kombucha

Does anyone have a good recipe for Kombucha Tea?  I took the advice of another blogger and asked on Freecycle for Kombucha Starter, and low and behold... I am getting one in a few days!  Now I just need to know what to do with it!  Any advice, knowledge, recipes would be VERY greatly appreciated!

Look what I woke up to this morning!

Spring has definitely NOT sprung!  I knew it was too good to be true!  It sure was nice while it lasted though.  We already have about six inches of fresh powder, and it shows no sign of stopping.

What the heck are those things?

 

Those, my friends, are dryer balls!  They eliminate the need to use those nasty, chemical-laden dryer sheets.  And they actually work!  Of course, I would rather hang my clothes outside on the line, but in winter in Alaska, that just isn't going to happen.  These are definitely the next best thing!  They really do stop 95% of the static electricity, and they can be used over and over again!  Gotta love it, especially when used in conjunction with my homemade laundry soap!

I wish!

The sun is teasing me, this can't POSSIBLY be spring.  Combine the added daylight that we are getting every day with the fact that it has been in the high 30s/low 40s for the last two weeks, and you might almost believe that spring is really here.  I, however, have lived in Alaska long enough to know otherwise.  Yes, the snow is melting, yes the days are getting longer much more quickly, and yes, there are pussywillows outside, but I refuse to fall for it.  This is February in Alaska, and its gonna get cold again.  But in the meantime, I want to put the swing back out on the porch!

What I have and what I need...

Just doing a quick seed inventory:





* Random seed pod from Mom's garden - Can anyone identify this flower?

* Snap Peas - Sugar Ann

* Blue Lake Beans (both bush and pole)

* Nasturtium

* Sunflower - Mammoth Grey Stripe

* Kale - Red Russian

* Spinach - Melody

* Cabbage - O-S Cross

* Broccoli - Nutri-bud Organic

* Carrot - Sweetness II

* Zucchini - Black Beauty OP

* Onion - Parade

* Radish - Cook's Custom Mix

* Pepper - King of the North

* Peppers - Mixed Chilis

* Eggplant - Twilight Hybrid

* Blue Shrimp Flower


Most of these are left over from last year, so I should probably test-germinate a few of each before assuming they are available to plant in this years garden.

** Herb update, I have Thyme, Rosemary, and Lemon Basil seedlings growing happily in my kitchen window!!!

Discovered a new forum!

I just found North Root Big Lake Gardeners, and gardening club and forum... right here in my home town! (If you knew how small my town is, you would understand my surprise!) What an exciting way to get to know some local gardeners with some experience growing here in Big Lake! I'm looking forward to joining the club and hope to learn a lot this year!

Homemade Laundry Soap

I have had many email requests for my laundry soap, so I figured I'd go ahead and post it... Let me know if you try it, and what you think! I use if for all of our laundry, from my baby's delicate things to my auto-mechanic husband's work clothes, and I love it!

Homemade Laundry Soap

1/3 bar Fels Naptha soap (in Fred Meyer in the laundry aisle next to the Borax)
1/2 cup washing soda (NOT baking soda, although Arm & Hammer does make it)
1/2 cup Borax powder
water

You will also need a small bucket (3-5 gallon) and a stirring utensil, a funnel, a grater (cheese grater works fine), a saucepan, and something for storage (gallon milk jugs work great!)

1. Grate the soap into the saucepan.
2. Add 6 cups water and heat until the soap melts, stirring occasionally.
3. Add washing soda and borax, stirring until dissolved.
4. Remove from heat.
5. Pour 4 cups hot water into the bucket.
6. Add soap mixture and stir.
7. Add 1 gallon plus 6 cups water and stir.
8. Let sit for 24 hours in the bucket, until gelled.
9. Stir vigorously, until mixture resembles "egg drop soup".
10. **Optional - Add 1/2 to 1 oz essential oil of choice - citrus works well*
11. Transfer to storage jugs.


Shake before using - 1/2 cup per load - works fine in high efficiency washers

* I use lavender essential oil, about 30 drops per batch

A Whole Other Post...

Rhubarb - you either love it or you hate it, but if you haven't had it in a long time, try it again... it might surprise you!

I LOVE Rhubarb. My husband thought he hated it. Then I made him a rhubarb crisp from rhubarb fresh cut from my garden. My husband LOVES rhubarb! I had been thinking about buying a few to plant this year, as well as transplanting the one I have to a better location. Wouldn't it be wonderful to have frozen and canned rhubarb in the middle of winter! I just remembered that on the back 5 acres I have several rhubarb plants growing, which I haven't even looked at in about 2 years! I can simply dig them up and put them up with the garden, and give them all the love they deserve! Not to mention that they most likely could be divided! I read a blog about rhubarb producing which has gotten me interested in that avenue as well - akrhubarb.blogspot.com

Does anyone have any growing tips or recipes for rhubarb?

I just had to!

Here we go! I officially bought some seeds today! I couldn't resist the sale, I had to do it! I bought Sugar Ann Snap Peas, which I grow every year and have great success with, Nasturtiums, which I am positive I will be planting, and Stringless Blue Lake Bush Beans, which I am also sure will be in the garden. I think the only other plant I will be planting fore sure this year is Rhubarb, which is the subject of a whole other post!

I decided that I need to increase the depth of my raised beds this year, as the ground below is completely gravel, and I think the shallow soil hindered growth last year. (The roots hit the gravel and simply stopped growing.) I have two beds that are triangular and of equal dimension and two each of two differently sized rectangles. If I turn the 6 shallow beds into 3 deeper beds, by stacking the frames on top of each other, I should have better luck. I can always build one or two more each year until I really have what I want.

As far as dealing with the nutrient-poor soil, the plan is to remove all the soil from all the beds and mix with the finished pile of compost and some aged steer manure. This will be my first year using my own compost, so I'm excited! And soon it will be chicken fertilizer going into the fresh compost rather than buying steer manure.

I have to admit, I will be doing a little bit of planting today, just to scratch the itch a bit more. I bought some organic potting soil and few pretty little pots that fit perfectly in my kitchen window. I will be planting Basil, Thyme, and Rosemary. I'm a sucker, what can I say!

Uh oh, its early, but I've got the itch!

It is official, I have caught it. That seasonal disorder whose symptoms include sketches of chicken coops and garden plans, seed catalogs and hatchery fliers. I catch this bug every year about February or so, and this year is no exception. It all started with 4 seed catalogs arriving in the mail. Now I have to really plan out my garden and decide what I want to plant this year. I say I am going to take it easy this year and just grow a few things I have success with, and one or two that I need to learn about, but that plan never seems to work.

My husband thinks I'm crazy. He got home from work last night to find library books about raising chickens and building chicken coops spread all over the bed, with sketches of the new garden layout and chicken coop, all enclosed in a nice chain link run (that I used to use for my dogs, but don't really need now that I'm down to just one mellow old friend.) I even have it designed to have a door between the chickens and the gardens so that I can let them in every fall to fertilize the dirt for me! I'm fairly sure that Rob is going to build me said coop this year, and I need to make sure I know exactly what I want for the day he says its time to build it!

I'm glad that my husband humors me, even if he thinks I'm just a little bit nuts!

More crafty stuff...

I made this nifty little zippered pouch to go with the purse I showed you a few posts back. I didn't want to put a zipper on the main bag, so this is perfect for the little bits and pieces that are always in the bag.

I Love Thrift Shops!

I just spent a whopping $7 at the thrift store today, and got a ton of fabric for some projects I am working on. I'll post some pics when they get finished. It's amazing how much fabric can be re-purposed from an old skirt! Not to mention that I discovered how many people make their project and then don't want the left over fabric... more for me!!!

Another project I've been working on...

Here is another project I have been working on with my new sewing machine. I'm starting to learn how to read a pattern better, which helps tremendously! I managed to get to the fabric store the other day when they had a great sale on patterns... 99 cents each! I spent $10.00 and saved &137.50! I couldn't believe it when I looked at the receipt! I can usually find good fabric on sale too, its just a matter of waiting and reading the flyers!

A purse I finished last night... first project for myself!

Now I get to look through all the patterns I bought and decide what to do next! I don't know why I didn't pick up on this utilitarian hobby earlier, its great fun!

It smells so good...

Mmmmmm...

This is one of my favorite vegetable dishes to make. I just mix up whatever veggies I happen to have in the fridge, chop and coat with olive oil, salt and pepper, and roast at 450F for an hour or so. These are all locally grown veggies from my CSA, and you really can tell the difference when something is picked at its peak, rather than picked early and ripened on the truck. And the best part is the vegetable soup I'll make out of the leftovers!

It happened before I could even catch my breath...

This weekend was an incredibly sad weekend for our family. Our beloved Great Dane, "Sleeping Lady", had to be put down. At only 5 1/2 years old, she developed Osteo Sarcoma... Bone Cancer. Our only other option would have been to amputate her leg and start chemotherapy, hoping that there were no other tumors. Financially, this just wasn't an option for us. I am incredibly heartbroken, as she was my loving companion since she was a pup. Hard to believe we are down to just one dog now. Rest in peace, Lady, and know that I am crying tears of misery even as I write this.

What does "simple life" mean to you?

If you take a look at my blog roll, you can easily see what kind of lifestyle I aspire towards. Simple, organic, frugal, and self sufficient. But I have come to realize that these phrases mean very different things to different people. What does "simple life" mean to you?

Here is my own personal list of things that define MY "simple life"...

1. Enjoying being at home
- It amazes me how many people spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on their house (notice I said house, not home) just to avoid it whenever possible!

2. Avoiding the shopping malls and convenience stores
- These places are designed to help you part with your hard-earned dollars. No one but me decides how my money is spent. I got rid of the TV because my son wanted everything he saw advertised, even when he didn't know what it was! Getting rid of the TV got rid of the "I want" mentality surprisingly quickly!

3. Making, rather than purchasing
- How many people spend a fortune on things they could have made for a fraction of the cost? If I can make it by hand I will, even if it takes a bit of time and effort.

4. Taking time each day to slow down and look around
- I live in the most beautiful place on earth, and I'm going to enjoy every minute I am blessed with!

5. Making nourishing, chemical-free meals for my family
- Not only is it easier and cheaper, I can make a meal to rival the best 5 star restaurant, and I know EXACTLY what my family is putting into their bodies. Not to mention that it gives us a chance to sit down at the dinner table together every night. I can't stress enough how important this is.

6. Enjoying family in general
- I am fortunate to be very close with my family, and I sometimes forget how many people are lacking that. There is no-one in the world I would rather be with than my husband and children.

7. Not needing hundreds of "friends" to feel loved and important
- I learned a long time ago that a few good friends are more valuable than being able to say you are friends with so-and-so. I choose my friends carefully, and the friendships last a very long time.

8. Being at peace with my situation
- My life is by no means perfect. There are some things I simply have no control over, and I choose not to dwell on them. I am here, and I am happy.

9. Not relying on credit cards to validate myself or my lifestyle
- Never again will I be a slave to plastic. Credit cards are evil, and they will destroy not only a financial situation, but they can destroy families as well. I know a family that lost a beautiful farm because the wife had secretly run up $100,000+ credit card debt. If you can't afford it, don't buy it.. simple as that!

10. Recognizing that its not the destination, its the journey that is most important
- We don't know what is in store for us tomorrow, so its important to cherish today.


The point I'm trying to make is that this is the lifestyle that works for me and my family. This definition is a very personal thing. Maybe you see it differently... that's perfectly ok! How do you define it?

Goodbye to 2009

Hard to believe it is the last day of 2009 already. My baby boy turned 6 years old yesterday and my newborn is going to start crawling any minute. Its always a little startling to me when I reflect on how fast the year passes by.

I'm not one to really set "New Years Resolutions", but I figure I could outline where I see myself at the end of 2010...

1. Out of debt
- this means all the credit cards and the doctor bills, not the house or vehicles

2. Chickens
- those who read this blog regularly know that this is one of my biggest goals this summer

3. SUCCESSFUL garden
- I see my gardening endeavors as somewhat of a failure up to this point, with a few exceptions... I want to grow an edible cabbage dammit!


These 3 things are top of my list... wonder what I'll be saying this time next year!

Early Christmas Gifts

My wonderful husband gave me my gift early this year... my very first sewing machine! I have been having fun learning how to use it. So far I have made lounge pants for Rob and Stephen, and a bag for a young lady I know. Here are a few pictures... not bad for my first try!

Note to self...

Never try to start a diet when the house and freezer are full of yummy comfort foods and its the middle of Christmas baking season!

Making Your Own Laundry Soap

I just finished making my second batch of laundry soap. I have been working on that same gallon I started with this whole time, which says something about how far this stuff stretches. It cleans well enough to clean my husbands clothes, (he is an auto mechanic) and is gentle enough for my baby's things as well. This time I added 15 drops of lavender essential oil and the smell is lovely! Once I get started on my homemade soaps, I will use that instead of the commercial Fels Naptha soap, for an even gentler, natural product. I'll post the recipe if anyone is interested, or I can email it to you if you want me to!

Apple Cider Soup

This is too delicious not to share! I roasted some squash and root veggies from my CSA veggie box for dinner yesterday. This soup is made of leftover veggies simmered in vegetable broth and leftover apple cider. The roasted beets give it the beautiful color, and it tastes amazing!

A Successful Thanksgiving!

What a feast! Thanksgiving is always a great time to enjoy the bounties of the fall harvest, and it was a blessing to have lots of family to share with! I couldn't believe how much food there ended up being, and everyone was happy to have leftover goodies to take home with them. Its always funny to watch my husband at Thanksgiving... you can set a timer to the exact number of minutes it will take him to fall asleep after finishing his meal. Its always the family joke.

We had a great day, and now I'm looking forward to a day of no spending, to protest "Black Friday." This world is too focused on consumerism, and I am boycotting the concept this holiday season. It amazes me that so many are so blind to the state our economy is in right now, as well as to the obvious things you can do to make it a little better. Start by spending your money wisely, focusing on supporting your local economy rather than China! Buy gifts from little shops rather than big box stores, or better yet, buy the basic ingredients or materials and make it yourself! A well thought out gift means so much more than 10 cheap little things you grabbed off the shelf, in the race to beat the person next to you to the next aisle over!

This year I am giving gift bags full of homemade goodies and useful items. The gift bag is really a re-useable shopping bag, and it will contain a few homemade preserves, like the Ginger-Pear Marmalade I made last week, Banana Bread, Cookies, and even a few neat dish-scrubbies that I have been crocheting over the last month or so. A few special people may get a few extra goodies that I found at a thrift store, or maybe a CSA box for the week of their choice. My point is just to be thoughtful, rather than tv-commercial driven. You will feel better about the whole season, knowing you didn't give in to the little voices coming out of your television that tell you what to buy and how to think.

I am thankful...

I am thankful for a day to spend with family, and I am not going to waste it by hanging out on the computer! I hope you all have a wonderful day!

Winter is definitely here!

Wow! What a sudden change! Winter is definitely here!

It is -24F at my house this morning. Cold enough that I have the water trickling in the bathroom sinks so that the pipes don't freeze. Every time I think about getting chickens, this is the one drawback I come up with. What about in the middle of winter? I know that they can survive quite comfortably with the right setup, but am I really going to want to go collect eggs at 40 below? The answer, of course, is no, but I would do it anyway! I just need to think about this when I determine how far from the house I decide to locate the coop.

Stephen has expressed an interest in vegetable gardening and raising chickens, so I recently requested some information from our local 4-H folks. The packet just got here, so I need to read and see what they have to offer. We wouldn't be joining until summer at the earliest, but I think this will be more of a next-year project. At any rate, I'm glad he's interested. That means that he is listening to what I am trying to teach him!

Now that there is real snow on the ground, I am really starting to think about Christmas. I have about half of my gifts made, and I need to decide what type of preserves to make. I want it to be something festive, so maybe something like pear/pomegranate jelly? I'll have to start flipping through my canning cookbooks for ideas.

We had an early Thanksgiving dinner with some close friends of ours last weekend. Today I am making turkey soup with the leftovers. The house will soon be smelling warm and delicious, which is perfect for a cold day like today. I love turkey leftovers!

Be careful what you wish for!

We got almost 6 inches of fresh snow yesterday. Everything is all white and sparkling now, but the clouds are gone and its cold! -9F, but its so beautiful... I just love it! We lost power for about 1/2 hour this morning, but nothing to be too concerned about. Now, if I just had a wood stove, life would be perfectly cozy!

Finally Snow!

I thought it was never going to happen, but look at what we woke up to this morning!!

Breathtaking...

Once again, the view from the front yard this afternoon...
Jealous??

Please read this excellent post - it hits home with me...

On life without the had-boughtens - FAST GROW THE WEEDS

Its still not snowing!

Well, the weather warmed up a bit, hovering right at freezing at the moment. But its still not snowing! I love the first REAL snowfall. (as opposed to the dusting we got the other day.) Big, white fluffy snowflakes drifting slowly to the ground, it makes me feel warm, even if they are made of ice! I want to look out the window and see a perfect blanket of white staring back at me, undisturbed except for the occasional moose tracks, or mouse tracks, depending on how close to the house you happen to be looking!

Ok, my neighbor already put up a Christmas tree in their living room... that, my friends, is overkill. What about Thanksgiving? We seem to rush these things more and more each year. This year I intend to slow things down a bit. Hand-making my Christmas gifts will be a big part of that. I am looking forward to putting the baskets together, probably making a few more jams or jellies to include, and making the dishcloths one by one. I've just never had the time to do it before, and I am excited! A real, home-made holiday season!

Brrrrrrr!

Zero degrees Fahrenheit this morning!!! The weather sure can change fast around here! We need snow pronto to act as insulation for the long winter ahead. The reports all seem to say its going to snow tomorrow, so here's hoping!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!

First snow of the season!!

Ok, so there isn't much, but the important thing is that when I woke up this morning, there was snow falling! My son JUMPED out of bed when I told him the news, and now he is very excited about snowballs and snowmen. I'm pretty sure Robert is gonna get pelted by a snowball or two this year.

Home improvements!!!

My wonderful husband had to listen to me whine all last winter about how I had no light in my kitchen. He decided that he wasn't going to listen to it again, now that it is getting much darker outside. So, last weekend, he fixed the problem!!!





This is my newly updated kitchen! If you look at the ceiling on the right, that one little recessed light is the only light I had! It was horrible! We added a few cheap under-the-cabinet lights last year, but, you get what you pay for! They sucked, and didn't last very long. Last weekend he installed a range hood with 4 lights, the 3 red pendant lights above the bar, and the track lighting in front of the cabinets. I can see!!! I have such a wonderful husband!


And just because she is so darned cute... here is a picture of Lily that I took this morning. 4 months old already, can you believe it?!




We still haven't gotten the first snow of the season... it has been raining a lot, but it just isn't cold enough yet. I really am wishing for snow now that the leaves have all fallen from the trees. Patience is difficult this time of year.

I am officially never buying store-bought laundry detergent again. I am so happy with my homemade detergent, it even works well in my High Efficiency washing machine! The clothes feel softer and cleaner than with regular detergent, and I can take comfort in the fact that I'm not loading up my family with all those unnecessary chemicals. I haven't tried the vinegar as a fabric softener yet, because with this soap the clothes are already really soft, but I will give it a try with the next load of towels I wash, just because I am curious. I am still doing my cleaning with vinegar and baking soda, and I am really happy with the change. Are any of you using natural cleaning products, or do you have any recipes for them that you want to share?

Fall seems to be taking its time this year...

What a beautiful fall we have had this year. I can't believe how long it has taken for all the leaves to drop. The colder weather came on rather quickly, but the last week or so has actually warmed back up a bit, with the temperatures staying in the 40s. It has been raining a lot, and I'm a bit worried that its going to be another year where it rains until December. That is NO fun. I've mostly given up on the fall garden preparation for the year. I got one of the weedy beds tilled under to try and kill the weeds, but I'll have to wait until next spring to add the compost and steer manure. Oh well, you do what you can. I have lots of ambitions, but truth be told, my 4 month old is just taking most of my time, and those ambitions will just have to wait a bit.

We broke down and finally got a dehumidifier for the house, and I'm so glad we did! The average indoor humidity was a whopping 77% and the windows were all starting to grow mold. The dehumidifier has been running for 3 days now, and I've already pulled about 6 gallons of water out of the air. Amazing! The less humid air feels so much warmer, and even my husband commented on what a difference it was.

I have been starting to expand my homemaking skills some more. This week, I successfully learned to make laundry detergent, and have switched to vinegar solutions for cleaning, rather than the normal chemicals you find in the cleaning supply isle. What a difference! I think that the diluted vinegar actually works better, and doesn't leave a lingering smell like most commercial products do. This winter I want to really focus on getting the chemicals out of my home. I don't want them in my food, so why would I want them in my air?

Lily is getting big... its hard to believe she is 4 months old already. She is still nursing exclusively right now, but she'll be starting solid foods in a few months. I need to start learning to make baby food, as I don't want to feed her the preservative-laden baby food you find at the stores. Our veggies that we get from our CSA (which I LOVE) are strictly organic, so we are off to a good start. I think I will invest a little money in a good quality baby food mill. I'm sure that in the long run, I'll be glad I did.

Build it up, then tear it all down...

I got quite a bit of the garden situated for winter today. I have only 2 more beds to tear down before the snow flies. The zucchini/bean bed is waiting patiently for me... and the snap peas are still blooming. We had a really hard frost last night, so I won't be able to harvest peas for very much longer, but right now they are sweet and wonderful!

I finally turned on the main heater in the house, but set it at 66F and turn it back off during the day, like the fireplace. Winter is coming, like it or not!

Brrrrrrr!

It is most definitely getting colder outside. Earlier this week, the air changed. It went from cool summer air, to cold crisp fall air. You can smell the snow creeping down the mountain, and it is getting downright COLD at night. I still haven't turned the heater on yet. I've been baking every day and the heat from the oven is still enough to keep the house warm enough. I have turned on the fireplace in the bedroom the last 2 nights, but that's more for being cozy than for being cold. I am really a cheapskate when it comes to heating fuel. My husband hates it, and secretly turns up the heat when he thinks he can get away with it, but I always turn it right back down! I figure, especially with fuel prices the way they are these days (gasoline is running $3.36 a gallon right now, and heating fuel isn't far behind...) our pocketbooks will thank us if we just put on a sweater. Lily has lots of cute, warm footie pajamas that will keep her warm, and Stephen likes it a little cooler like I do.

I have been letting the dogs stay in the house for most of the day now. Boss is almost 10 and has cancer. The cold last year nearly crippled him. I honestly don't think he will make it through another winter. That's a hard thing to come to terms with. I rescued Boss when he was 8 months old, and he has been the best dog I have ever known. I'll just keep him comfortable as long as I can, and know in my heart that that old dog had a good life because of me. He used to go on sleep-overs to Stephen's cousin's house. I have pictures of them in bed with Boss snuggled up under the covers, happy as a clam, and twice the size of the kids!

My husband mentioned that we might get another dog when Boss passes on, but honestly, I don't think I want to. Lady is quite a handful, although she is getting more mellow as she gets older (finally!) I do need a dog for protection around here, but Lady is 140 pounds, and can do the job quite nicely on her own. She is quite fond of scaring the crap out of tresspassers! She is not mean at all, but they don't know that when she walks up to them and looks them in the eye, and is the same size as them! She has the intimidation thing down nicely... she gets about 3 feet away and just stares! (We don't have tresspassers all that often any more, but it was a real problem last year... mostly punks on four-wheelers or snowmachines tearing up the driveway, with no concept of private property or respecting the rights of others.)

All in all, life is good here at Woodside Gardens. We are content and happy, and ready for the change of seasons. Lots of stuff to do around the house still before the snow flies, but that seems to be a never ending chore, and sure to get worse once the chickens are here. I have all winter to convince Rob to build that chicken coop in the spring!

Its official!

There is officially frost on my car this morning! Autumn is here, snow will not be far behind. Bring it on!!!

No luck this year...

Rob is still out hunting, but is getting ready to head back home. Looks like no moose this winter. Its a bit disappointing, but since this was his first year hunting, it isn't all that surprising. It would have been nice to have moose in the freezer, along with the salmon that we depend on every winter, but maybe we'll have the opportunity next year. Rob did say that next year he is entering for the permits for the land close to our home, so he can go every evening. We see so many moose on our road, it is much more likely that he will get one that way. That is one of the things I love about living where I live. My road goes back into the wilderness for several miles before you see any sort of civilization. There is wildlife everywhere! I see fox, moose, bear, owl, eagle, porcupine, spruce hen (stupid road chickens), or hawk etc etc, most every day that I leave the house. In Alaska, you don't have to go far to find the untamed country, and many of us, like me, are lucky enough to live right in the middle of it!

I got out most of my "fall" decorations this weekend. The subtle colors in my house have changed to the oranges, browns, reds and greens of the season. I don't go overboard, but the little changes make a difference in the feel of things. Everything is just a little more cozy today than yesterday. And I even turned on the fireplace in my bedroom for the first time since early spring! I turn my heat off completely in May every year, and the first time the fireplace comes back on is a sure sign of things to come. It will still be a few weeks, however, before I turn the main heater back on... have to conserve energy as much as I can!

I baked the first pumpkin pie of the season last night, made from fresh pumpkin rather than canned (of course.) Pumpkin is something I would eventually like to grow in my garden, but I think I will have to build a raised bed designed especially for this lovely orange orb. Next year I am building the raspberry beds, so maybe I will put in a pumpkin patch the following year. One step at a time, my garden will get bigger and bigger! Living on gravel like I do gives me the unique opportunity to situate my garden exactly how I want it, where I want it, which is kind of exciting! I wonder what my yard will look like ten years from now!

Yeah, so I lied... what can I say?

Yes, I know that in my last post I said I was done canning for the season, but I just couldn't help myself!

Cinnamon Red Hot Apples

This is a recipe I have been dying to try, so I went ahead and made it up. These are so incredibly good, I can't even describe it! I think I'm going to make some of them into an apple strudel for Rob tonight. He's headed out early tomorrow morning for another try at a moose, so he'll want a hearty dinner tonight and a good breakfast in the morning. He has really come to appreciate my home-cooked meals. Fresh food makes all the difference in the world!

I think I'm about jellied out...

Crabapple Jelly!!!

We got 2 batches of Crabapple Jelly done today. Mom looks glad to be done, as you can see from the photo above! I think this will be the last of the canning for the season, unless Rob gets a moose this weekend. I am definitely getting burnt out!

Oh, for the love of crabapples!!!

I was given a large amount of crabapples over the weekend. The owner of the tree loves the blossoms, but doesn't touch the apples! Lucky me!

Spiced Crabapples

Yesterday I made Spiced Crabapples, and today its Crabapple Jelly, with a bit of the syrup from the Spiced Crabapples. Its going to be yummy! I'll probably end up making regular jelly as well, for those who don't like cinnamon.

Once all the canning for the season is done, I'll have to post a picture of my pantry, with all the glass jars lined up. It really is a beautiful sight!

09/11/01

Although this is not the usual subject of my writings, today is a day we need to talk about, a day we need to remember forever. This morning I was reading the blogs I follow, and several of them had pictures or videos from this horrible day. My five year old son asked what the pictures were, and I almost told him "nothing, don't worry about it". But I stopped myself. If we don't teach our children about the good and the bad of this world, how will they know what to expect when they get older? I told him what happened, and why it happened, and we found a video that showed clips of the whole thing. He watched quietly, and hugged me when he saw the tears in my eyes. I told him that we need to always remember this day, and remember the people that sacrifice everything to keep it from happening again. I love my country, and I hope that my son will grow up to love her also.

Cranberry-Apple Butter

The most recent project has been Alaskan Cranberry Apple Butter. The high-bush cranberries (which I have learned aren't really cranberries at all) were picked here in my yard. You have probably noticed by now that my un-landscaped land provides quite a bounty of wild food every year. The apples were picked from my aunts house in Palmer. They are Parkland apples, grafted onto a crabapple root, so that they will survive our -30F or colder winter temperatures.

I baked some pork chops last night, smothered in this wonderful stuff, and my son couldn't contain his amazement over how good it tasted!

38 Principles of Self-Sufficiency

Copy and paste this link to a very good post about self sufficiency...

http://thesurvivalmom.com/2009/09/04/38-principles-of-self-sufficiency/

What a difference a deck makes!

I was recalling earlier what the front of the house looked like at the beginning of the year. It is amazing what a weekend project can do for appearances, and functionality as well! Rob built me a front deck for my birthday this year, to replace the pallet (which I detested) that served the purpose when we bought the place. It took him a day and a half to build, but its like we added a whole new room!

Here's the before and after pictures...

Before...

...After

We have so many landscaping plans for this pile of rocks we live on, its hard to decide what to tackle first. We mostly want to get in the gardens first, but this was much needed, and much appreciated! It helps keep the house a little cleaner in the summer, also, because I leave my front doors open thanks to the lack of mosquitoes in this particular spot. I didn't realize quite how drastic the transformation was until I looked at both of these pictures together.

Today's Kitchen Project...

Just look at that color! - Currant/Raspberry Jelly

I canned a batch of jelly completely on my own for the first time today... and it was a complete success! I feel so accomplished this fall, learning this new skill. Next, I need to apply it to preserving vegetables. Rob is going moose hunting next weekend, and it would also be great to get some stew meat canned up. I need to learn to use the pressure canner, soon!

My first attempt at 100% whole wheat bread...

Let it rise...

In the oven...

Everyone was eating it before I could even get a picture!!!

I love fresh artisan bread, and it went especially well with the Raspberry Jam we made last week. Today we are making Current Jelly, as we were able to pick over 2 quarts from just one wild current bush!

Homemade Spiced Apple Cider

1 gallon apple juice
1 can frozen orange juice concentrate
1 tbsp cinnamon (or to taste)
20 cloves (or to taste)

Mix all ingredients and heat to simmering... tastes great and makes the house smell awesome!

Smells like fall time...

When I go outside, I can smell the change of the season. Instead of green, my nostrils fill with the smell of earth, brown leaves, and berries. I love fall time, not just for the smells, but for the colors, and the crisp air. Its time to start bundling up a bit, and time to turn the heater back on in the house (almost). Time to break out the scented candles and close the curtains, and give the house back that cozy feeling that it only gets when it is cold outside. All summer long the doors and windows are open, giving the house that nice, fresh feel. Now, when you walk into my home, you smell vegetable soup cooking on the stove, fresh bread baking in the oven, hot apple cider simmering away, and yummy, earthy scented candles burning in the corner of the room. Cozy is the best way to describe it. What could be better than that?

Happiness is...

Happiness is...

A kid who actually likes school
A baby who only cries when she really needs something
Home-canned produce on the pantry shelves
New pantry curtains, home made, of course
Food in the dehydrator
A clean house
Dinner cooking on the stove
A content and happy family

...welcome to my evening.

Dilly Beans

Still canning away! I get my first CSA box on Wednesday, and I have a feeling I'll be canning some of that too! I'm looking forward to a full pantry this winter!

Lazy Saturday Morning...

Yes, she's a big girl, and she snores, too!

Bear Scat and other fun stuff...

When we got home from Stephen's school event yesterday, we were greeted by a HUGE pile of bear scat at the bottom of the driveway! I'm talking "there's no way that came from a black bear" huge! I know that bears live here on my property, even over-wintering in places, but this reminded me of just how close they really are. It doesn't worry me, but reminds me that Stephen needs to stay close to the house when he plays outside, and that we need to be aware of our surroundings. (Like day before yesterday when I was out in the thick bushes picking rosehips for my jelly) Rob, on the other hand, freaked out a little bit, being the city boy that he hates to admit that he sometimes is.. (hehehe)

A little background on this particular piece of property... My father purchased 40 acres from the original homesteaders, who are close family friends. He then sold 10 of the acres to my sister, who eventually decided that she was more interested in city life. When she told me she was going to sell the place, I immediately sold my house and bought hers! So, although I have only owned this land going on 2 years, I have literally lived here my whole life. The bears were just part of the land, my father always being more interested in providing a sanctuary for wildlife, rather than hunting it. There are bears, moose, fox, Sandhill Cranes (that come back every year to have their babies in my back yard), porcupines, coyotes, wolves, lynx... etc. etc.

I feel so lucky to have the opportunity to be in such an amazing place... just look at what I get to wake up to every morning!!!




That's a photo of Denali... the tallest mountain in North America, which I took from my front porch this morning. She greets me every morning, reminding me that its a big world out there. Look at that photo and tell me that I'm not the luckiest person in the world, to be able to raise my children in such an amazing place!!! This is the piece of land I was meant to be on. My heart is here. My life is here. I can't imagine being anywhere else in the world.