Fairy Garden Box, New Furnace/AC, Independence Days Challenge

Fairy Garden Box-
For Mother's Day I had requested some fairy garden components. My daughter Tami got me started with the wheel barrow and table set. I bought the little fairy and now I'm all set!

I put it in my herb pot since it will get trimmed on a regular basis. I out the butterfly over her head for a break from the rain and sun :) I already bought some new components, including the  round solar light.

Thyme, rosemary and oregano on the deck box, basil seeds started in the 2 pots

New Furnace/AC-
After our AC pooped out recently we knew we had to bite the bullet and get a new furnace too, as you ideally want to do both together. We knew the furnace was also pretty old, about 35 years, and somewhat inefficient. I love doing research before a big investment and gathering data so I subscribed (by the month) to Consumer Reports. I like looking at their reliability reports, always an eye-opener. We wound up getting several bids and asking around. The biggest warning I read was to make sure it's installed correctly or it can void out your warranty. We went with an established company and got 2 Trane units. Much more efficient, and should save us on our monthly energy bill. Nice and quiet and MUCH better air quality too. We're all set.

Independence Days Challenge-

1. Plant Something- 

Planning on planting our summer veggies starting this weekend. There was a frost warning last night, go figure! It's been a regular roller coaster temp-wise. Started basil seeds in 2 pots for lots this summer.

2. Harvest Something-

Eggs, compost, chives, cool weather crops growing nicely. Did a massive pruning on the blackberries, raspberries and marionberries. Lots of dead vines.

3. Preserve/Store Something-

Made my elderberry syrup, Dave's taking some for a cough. Still freezing things- got a great deal at the grocery outlet on local/gourmet bread and froze 2 loaves.

4. Manage Reserves- Get a Good Deal/Barter/Stock Up/Prep-

Got a good deal on the furnace/AC unit, prepping the garden for planting.

5. Eat the Food- Try New Foods/Recipe-

Got a new Thai cooking book to play with, still working on my homemade pesto from last summer's abundant basil! Man that tastes good! Found a new cornbread recipe to try.

6. Build Community Food Systems-

Still selling eggs.

7. Recycle/Re-Use-

Used leftover metal roofing for cedar box, leftover rocks from AC installation will go into the garden for more borders. Dave got the pond set up with our 2 cheap, thrift store pumps and Lilly pads. (pictures coming)

8. Skill Up-

Reading Making Home and getting lots of ideas from that. We're  starting to wash our sheets and towels every other week and just do the pillow cases/hand towels and washcloths weekly. Saves time, money and wear. An online university hired me to be their once a weekend a month tech support for a bunch of $. I figured out what they needed and it will be minimal, but I'm learning! So that $$$ will go to some special projects :)  I love it when something just comes your way, when you're open.

9. Regenerate What is Lost/Salvage Something-

Having a plumber come over to do some small jobs and someone to stretch our bedroom carpet.

Comfrey blossoms

Great Book! "Making Home, Adapting Our Homes & Our Lives To Settle In Place"

Great Book!- "Making Home, Adapting Our Homes & Lives"-

I started this book last week: Making Home-Adapting Our Homes and Our Lives To Settle in Place and am really loving it. It really comes from a different angle about issues of living more self sufficient, as well as building communities, living green in a way that would work if things change. And they will, it's a matter of how, where and when. Sharon lays out very thoughtful ideas about not going green to save the planet (since we're screwed IMO) but to be able to live well by using what we already have, and/or modifying our lives and attitudes. This is a positive message about thinking outside the box and prepping (of sorts). 

One of my favorite lines so far is a quote by James H. Kunstler, on page 11- "... we become so attached to the things we have invested ourselves in that we go on preserving them long after such preservation has become destructive." She gives lots of great ideas on "planning for a future and failure". examples about things like: transportation, growing food, heating/cooling, creatures, skills, work and $, and security. After our A/C died a week ago it got me thinking. We didn't do too bad, while in the 90's. We already had installed ceiling fans, insulated drapes and kept the house closed during the day. You never know when something will happen or change. We would have suffered if we hadn't thought ahead!

Great book! Go read it!!!

Shabby Chic Metal Roofing in The Flower Garden, Easy Homemade Elderberry Syrup, My New Couch!

Shabby Chic Metal Roofing in The Flower Garden-
After building our cedar flower box for our deck

we had 1/2 a sheet of galvanized roofing left over. I knew I could do something with it, of course! We had removed an old cold frame and I knew I wanted to plant some perennials there. I stood it up against the fence and had an "ah ha" moment.  A little shine and reflection for the flowers!!! It's screwed to the fencing and I have my flowers ready to plant. Cool huh? I'll probably hand a few goodies up above the metal- an old vintage shovel and some other goodies I have around...

Easy Homemade Elderberry Syrup:
After posting this Homemade Elderberry Syrup, I made some! Easy and boy does it have a strong aroma!!! WOW. Anyway, I made some using the dried berries I bought online. The supplier I used is Herbalcom.com. I bought 2 lbs. for about $7.00 each, with shipping. MUCH cheaper than buying the extract.

 I used the sugar preservative recipe and it really was simple. I doubled the recipe and used 1/2 cup berries to 4 cups of water. When I was done it was exactly 2 cups-

Kept it the fridge, it's nice and thick.

Very deep red/brown color, with a distinctive taste. I'll try some on waffles soon!

  

My New Couch!-

We were really needing a new couch and a couple of chairs for the living room. We decided to take the plunge this spring and get a nicer, really heavy duty couch. She was delivered today, what a beauty! Nice sage green and it's Anya approved. We chose the colors for the pillows (there's 2) and I went with something fun and summery, since I already have wintery pillows-

It's a bit brighter, and a little shiny, in real life- orange, green and blue/grays, cute!