Waste Stream Wednesday

Minimum Mama needs to take a good look at her familie's waste stream. Oh my.......

Each Wednesday, I make a tally of my familie's waste that goes to the landfill and recycling.
I am attempting to reduce our waste since it barely fits into our 30 gallon curbside garbage can.  Oh dear.....  I am inspired by Zero Waste Home.

Our paper, waste to landfill and recycling waste.   I am sparing you from our disposable diaper and wipe waste picture.  Oh dear Eva spots some plastic toys of hers that I am tossing.

Although it hasn't been played with for months, she is inconsolable .

Our composting system: Three Earth Machines, and 50 gallon trash cans holding screened compost and leaves from our trees (brown waste).

Jason's brush pile.

What to work on
--Stop using plastic trash bags in my kitchen garbage can.

--When our current stash of plastic trash  bags is depleated, buy compostable bags (for our diaper bin).

--Reuse all my plastic bags that I have accumulated from each grocery shopping trip, for produce, bulk bin etc.

--Start buying more bulk foods with less packaging, or choose products with cardboard or paper packaging.

--Checking out books from the library.

Reducing waste from day to day living takes time and requires change in ones daily rhythm.

No Driving Anywhere Day

On Sundays, I have a no driving anywhere policy. I make a conscious choice to only partake in activities that I can walk to. Activities usually include gardening, walking to the park, and cooking.

The no driving day is relaxing, partly because my activity choices are limited. I stay close to home and don't shop. Maybe I should include more no driving days in my week. I don't wash my hair,I wear comfortable clothes that I can get grubby. Eat creatively from what is in my fridge.

Today we planted a tomato plant, Eva's pumpkin plant and a raised bed with carrots and beets.

Eva looking for worms.

Finally found one.

Wearing Julien in a Moby.

This tomato plant will provide sungold cherry tomatoes through the fall and sometimes through the winter.

Jason planting carrots and beets in a backyard raised bed.

Our little garden in the back yard.

Using our front yard to plant food. All in all a very wholesome family activity that provides food for our table.

What are your No Driving Days like?

How To Prepare Lavender, Chamomile and Rose Infused Oil

Lavender, chamomile and rose are very helpful for alleviating stress and depression. I found this combination effective for combating postpartum depression. The infused oil can be added to any carrier oil or directly applied to face and body.

 

I start by collecting fresh rose, chamomile and lavender if I can. I put them in a mason jar.

 

Cover the herbs with oil. I am using avocado oil, but almond and apricot kernel oil are great too.

 

 

 

Cover the jar tightly. I label the content with the date. Or I can't remember how long my concoction has been sitting outside in the sun.

Let sit in sunlight for two weeks. My oil sits in front of the south facing side of my house. The sunlight gently heats up the oil and infuses it with its healing properties.

Extract oil from herbs. I am using a double wire mesh strainer, muslin or cheese cloth works too. I extract all the precious oil from the herbs. I use my hands and squeeze the oil from the herbs.

 

The herbs after I have removed all the oils.

 

I repeat the above step for two more weeks. I extract the oil from the herbs. Collect fresh herbs and cover with the oil from the previous steps. and let sit for two weeks. The total time that the oil is in contact with herbs is 4 weeks.

Now I have a very potent herbal oil. Down to Earth has a great tutorial on Calendula Salve with pictures.

My Intention

Bounty from my little city lot garden. I made a meal consisting only of what I could pick from my raised beds.

I created this blog to energize my creative process.  To document my joys and tap into my creativity. I believe that the creative process of writing this blog will inspire me to do what I love. My journey will be discovering what I love.

If I were to ponder on what I love....... I enjoy making herbal potions, gardening in my urban city lot, cooking, and attempting urban homesteading in my backyard.  I love health and after a few years experiencing postpartum depression, I have renewed my commitment to using the natural  potent energy of plants.  I realize that modern medicine has its uses, thank goodness for SSRIs and epidurals, but I am searching for a spiritual and emotional fulfillment that I have yet to find.

Just the other day finally after years of searching for a used sewing machine, I found one at a thrift store for $12.99. A kenmore no less, that works, which now sits  proudly on my desk. A tool just waiting for a creative explosion.  My sewing skill consists of a class I had in high school many moons ago, which is basically none.

What I learned from my total elimination diet

I learned that I eat for emotional gratification.

I cannot tolerate eggs, wheat, cow dairy, I am trying goat dairy (I love dairy so I hope goat will agree with me) beef.  After two months eating only rice, I was feeling sluggish,tired and craving protein and fresh vegetables.  Listening to my body has led me to try the Paleo diet. 

I appreciate food now more than ever.

Eating a vegan  (my body craves vegetables and protein) gluten free diet simplifies my choices of meals, and therefore my shopping list, and I don't eat out. I was so happy to eat a honey flavored rice cake after 1 hour of grocery shopping. Usually I would have eaten a sweet treat or sampled the many yummy free treats available at my grocery store.

I am losing my baby weight.  Eating only rice, potato, turkey did not aid in weight loss. After two pregnancies in three years, I weigh 190lbs. My perfect weight is 145lbs and I weighed 125 lbs in 2008. So I am 45 lbs over my preferred weight. Did I mention that I love to cook. I ate my way thru my travels in Europe. I love to eat new foods and remember my travels by the food I eat.