after the little epiphany

So we had our little epiphany a couple of weeks ago, and we have been slowly working at making our home a bright little spot.  There has been some (sot of) success.  The yardwork with DH led to a proliferation of peppermint.  So much so that we had to throw some out.  But we have extract, leaves for tea, and I froze some for "just in case we need it" over the winter.  And....the plant is still going strong!  We added it to salad, and we all decided we don't care for peppermint in our salad.   We also wound up with quite a few home-baked yummies to eat, although with teenagers in the house, there is never enough to share! LOL! 

One of our local charities is having a rummage sale, and we found 3 boxes of "stuff" to donate.  It is amazing how many clothes teenage girls can have, and still say they have nothing to wear!  But all the too-small stuff is now sorted out and on it's way to a new home. 

To avoid tv time, I have been crocheting dishcloths for the Christmas bazaars in town.  I am hoping to get a few for me, a few for a friend, and a big stack for the bazaars.  Those are pretty fluid goals, but that means whatever I get done will be great! 

I sometimes worry that we spend more money trying to save money.  Maybe it would be cheaper to have cable instead of sewing a couple of dresses or getting some berries canned.  But  I just don't think I would really enjoy tv that much.  Sure, renting a movie is great, but not all the time.

Now off to spend the remainder of my evening working on something productive and enjoyable! (

We had an epiphany! (but not a big one)

Lately our little town has been in the news quite a bit for less than flattering reasons.  It was mortifying.  It was depressing.  And everyone who left said was saying "we told you to get out!"  And then it dawned on us while discussing the events after the kids went to bed.

No one sees any reason for our little town to exist.  Serving tourists and aging retirees just doesn't cut it when your kids are talking about growing up.  Working in a nursing home or a motel isn't going to pay the rent. Now, if someone is called to those in their life, they ought to be payed well enough to stay off the government programs.  Those are hard jobs.  I worked in a motel, and it only lasted 6 months.  Even as a housekeeper, it is HARD WORK.  Your back and feet ache, you smell like cleaning solutions all the time.  You never have a weekend with your family.  I think elder care is worse (although for those called to it, I think the blessings greater.)

But when all the kids in town know that their choices as adults are motel, nursing home/in home care, or restaurants? Why indeed is our little town here??  It can't be just the tourists.

And it dawned on us.

There is no opportunity here.

I'm not talking about just economic, because face it, we don't live our lives to pay bills.  We were not created by a bank.  I'm talking about buying a home, getting married, and all the other things that lead to us having the opportunities to be part of something greater than ourselves.

And how to fix it??

By creating opportunities.   And maybe they are small ones. 

May be it's just having nieces and nephews over to play in the yard while the gown-ups have some coffee.

Maybe it's spending that time in the garden with your spouse instead in front of the t.v.

Maybe it's teaching your kids how to bake so they take goodies to grandparents.

Maybe it's getting rid of that box of extra crap in the hall closet. (We did that 5 times.  In one week!)

Maybe it's committing to a new volunteering opportunity, meeting new people, and learning new things.

Because then we started seeing something bigger than us. 

Then the cousins want suzie q to teach them a new joke or song.

Then you discover your amazing husband is even more amazing.  (Or when things have been tough, you remember that he is amazing.)

And the grandparents realize that the kids are perfectly happy hearing stories about mom or dad over milk and cookies instead of being constantly "entertained."

Then you realize that the box of crap was actually really useful for a family that lost everything in a fire.  And you spend less time digging around for your scarf.

Then you meet the women who have a had a houseful of kids, a husband with a terrible job, and you find out that this *is* what it's supposed to be life.

Then it isn't about a life of servitude to tourists, or mopping halls, or cooking the same dish 500 times a day.  Those are just the lousy parts.  And it's ok, because there are some amazing parts that come with it. 

But when you're just trying to keep yourself and your family afloat, you can't take advantage of those opportunities when they do come up.

So for our house, everyday, we each do something to make our home a place of opportunities.  And maybe they'll spread.  And maybe they won't.  But at least it will be one little spot of hope and cheer in a town overrun by hopelessness.  And sometimes those little acts lead to greater acts.  The hour in the garden in May leads to extra muffins and jam to share in September.  The power bill slowly decreases as everyone finds other, more interesting things to do. 

it's been awhile...

Since I started this kind of on a lark, I haven't really kept up with it.  Part of it is because it involves keeping track of so much randomness.  Where did I do the grocery shopping?  What did I do last week?  One of the reasons I started this is because I have found so many articles and blogs about the theories and practices of Distributism, but not much on the actual day-to-day living.  Every once in a while I'll come across somebody's list of "x number of things to practice distributism" or something like it.  But they aren't that helpful either.  They usually involve an increase in expenses or an additional 20 hours in the day.  For example, one I came across recently had "learn to sew", "build a compost bin", "raise your own chickens', "shop farmers markets", etc.  Individually, and even as a whole, they sound great.  But then there is real life.

I don't know how many of these people writing these lists have a houseful of kids, or outside obligations, or a husband whose job keeps him from being a major part of home life. I'm sure many of them do have at least one of these things.  But when you have all of them, and more, you start thinking "distributism is great.....if you can afford it."

Which is where my maintenance of this blog has fallen apart.  We can't afford it.  Yeah, I could make my own soap, but I don't enjoy it at all.  I'm also not home enough to take on another "homesteader" project.  But I can't afford the $5.00 a bar at the farmer's market.  And I have a mental block about the cost of beef at the market. All I remember is "OUCH!."

I don't begrudge any of these people what is probably a fair price.  If that is what it costs, then that is what it costs.  At the same time,  we are in a culture that says"I won't pay more than $x.xx, because I KNOW how much it costs to make item y." I have had many conversations that go along these lines:

Friend: Hey, can you do me a favor?

Me: Probably.  What's up?

Friend: I really need (pick any medium to large sewing project) done.

Me: Ooooh...well, that's not quite that simple.

Friend: Well, I'll buy the fabric. That's fair.

Me: Ummm....yeah, but do you know how long that will take?  4 or 5 hours.

Friend:  Well, yeah, but you don't work. And you're getting fabric out of it.

Me: You know, maybe you should check out the clearance at Wal-Mart.  They had something like what you want.  The color may be off, but maybe it'll work.

Friend: I suppose, I just really wanted something handmade, you know?  But that's just so expensive.  I'm sure your family would understand if you were busy with (insert project name).

I've had friendships ruined because of these conversations.  And maybe the trick to distributism isn't some wholesale radical change.  Maybe it is just the little things here and there.  Maybe it's just changing one shopping habit at a time, as well as somehow increasing the income to be able to change the shopping habit. 

I haven't given up on it.  I'm just really not sure where to go with it.  Or how to do it in way that doesn't make my family and household suffer unnecessarily.  Which maybe why many of the blogs and articles are written theory, or snappy to-do lists.  No one has figured it out yet. 

It has been a while..

and I can't really say anything has happened.  Except the holidays, of course.  I tried being distributist-y in our Christmas shopping, but we did wind up at wally world the week before!   I had started working on gifts in November, which I know is way to late. However, since I also run a scout pack, home school, and a myriad of other commitments, earlier is not going to happen!  I made the girls each a pair of slippers, I even got natural fiber yarn, purchased at a locally owned store, and the total came to $30 a PAIR!!  Our eldest son got a new, real, sleeping bag. The kind for 0 degree weather.  Which we bought at a locally owned store, around twice the cost of going to wally world!  The youngest wound up with lots of legos.  From Wally World.  There was only so much in the budget!  The kids had voted to pool their money and get DH a Gilbert Magazine subscription, which I think should count as a distributist Christmas success!

With the holidays, I was really grateful for the canning we had done.  PB&J doesn't quite work with out the J!  Now if I could figure out how to raise beef in the yard!  I have a few "green" projects in the works for the house, and I am really trying to stay out of the stores!

I do wish I knew more people who made/grew things.  I have one friend who grows veggies, and, even better than sending over her extras, I get the starts when she thins her plants.  This year, (we're hoping!) rhubarb!  By special request from the oldest!  I told him he had to weed and water!  My step-mom knits, and is always knitting up little goodies for us and the kids, but she doesn't want us to buy from her! LOL, if my kids were willing to pay for me to sew, I'd take it!  But that is it!  None does wood working, or welding, or anything.  I know lots of moms who go on and on  about how they wish they knew how to _______(fill in the blank with whatever craft/art/hobby), but when I offer to teach them, they say "can't you just __________ for me? For free? I mean, it's so easy, and you know how and it would only take a couple of minutes....."  Oh yeah, that's how you get out of my phone memory!  GRRR!  I just wish I knew other people I could call up and say "hey, can I buy some hand spun wool yarn from you?"  With out having to search for hours online!  We do have a farmers market, but it's pretty pricey, and it is the day BEFORE payday.  So there's no money anyways!  HAHA!  I know when the kids are grown I'll probably be wondering "what am I going to do with all this?"  Find some family and anonymously drop off locally grown veggies for them!

I did try to make vanilla extract this week.  In 6 months we'll know if it worked or not! ;)

Done canning!!!

It has been a busy few weeks.  Most of my time has been taken up by canning and scouts.  It is popcorn season for Scouting families, some with multiple scouts.  This has been an exercise in trying to think things through.  We have two scouts in our home, both with sales goals of $1500 or more.  I have a love hate relationship with the whole popcorn thing.  On one hand the boys do learn quite a bit.  Estimating sales, working towards goals, handling disappointment, as well as accountability practices when handling the money.  On the other hand the popcorn is pricey, the council gets a chunk of change from each sale, and did I mention it is pricey?  Standing outside the grocery store for hours on end on a Saturday just isn't working for me anymore.  I know it means the boys can go to camp, which most families couldn't afford without some sort of fundraiser, but I think there is a better way.  I'm just not sure what it is.

As for canning, I think we had our biggest year yet.  We wound up with our own berries, but friends had extra zucchini, green beans, and plums.  So my pantry is beautifully filled right now.  I had a goal of 25 jars of everything, and we made it.  So I am hoping we can save a little on groceries and throw some money at our debt.  All of  our debt is house debt, either the mortgage or the windows we had to replace when we bough the house.  But I would like on of them to go away!!!!

We haven't gotten any work done our closet, between the boys selling popcorn and other "the school year has started" chaos.  I am ready for a three day weekend!!!

That time of year again...

Well, I didn't do much of anything two weeks ago.  House work and dance camp, but nothing shopping related.  We had enough food to get us through, so we ate what we had, and saved the grocery shopping for later.  But this week, I did have to go shopping, but not for food.  For school supplies.  I couldn't find a single local store that had even a portion of what I needed.  Sure I could kind pens and pencils everywhere.  But not the specific calculater or the right kind of folders.  So I wound up at the great shrine of American consumerism.  Wal-Mart. Oh, what joy.  The grand total was $200, and that was for two kids.  I'm not sure if that was a good price or not, but it's done now.  I do make the kids reuse their backpacks/lunch boxes from year to year, so that helps with the budget.  They have to use til it falls apart.  I have to do the same with my purses, so all is fair there.

I don't how we could get a store that could carry things things like that seasonally.  We have an awesome general store that carries everything, but they don't always have what you need. Although you can find plenty of might needs or "we could use this" while the hubby is getting that piece of piping he needs!  Maybe the schools just need to send home shorter lists.  Pens, pencils, paper.  You can get that anywhere.

We did get some zucchini, and I discovered I had a zucchini relish recipe!  So I have made two batches and am on my way to some more today.  They neighbors also let the kids pick plums, so I have conserve to do as well.  And hopefully some fruit leather.  They never do anything with the plums, so kids go and get then all.  I'll send a couple jars of conserve over when they are done, as well as some of the fruit leather. 

The secret to saving money?

Don't spend it!  This week we really didn't buy much out side of gas and groceries.  The one thing we bought was a water bottle for the youngest at a scout event.  I hate buying bottled water, especially when you can fill your own for free.  We have good water, and really, most bottled water is tap anyways.  If we lived in a large city that might be different, although when I was teenager we did, and my dad just put a filter on.  That was still cheaper than buying bottled water. 

I have come to the conclusion that grocery shopping with a conscience maybe more trouble and money than it is worth.  This maybe because of where I live, or the size of the family, or the amount of time and money I have to spend on it.  Take honey, a fairly basic thing.  I can go to the supermarket and buy a plastic honey bear made who knows where for round about $4.  Or I can get locally produced honey at the local grocer for $8.  Maple syrup is another one.  My hubby is a "food is food" person. He just doesn't care as long as what he buys is edible.  He buys the generic version of Mrs. Butterworth's.  Corn syrup and food coloring, but it's only $3.  Me?  I like maple syrup. Real Maple syrup. Which is $20 for a bottle.  And the bottle is so much SMALLER!  And I have yet to find a locally produced maple syrup. Admittedly, I haven't searched that hard, because, hi! we live in the northwest.  Not known for maple syrup production.   I may just start making fruit syrups, since i have the berry bushes!  That maybe something to do next year.  

Last time I posted I had made my first batches of cordials.  Here is what they look like now.

Everyday the berries get whiter and whiter while the juice gets darker and darker!  And they are just so pretty to look at!  I can't wait til the holidays when they are all done! Yummy! Oh, and the magazine the recipe came out of was Hobby Farm Home, I think last summer.