tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-73583440726630729762012-02-17T09:10:13.496-08:00<p>Words. <p>Pictures. <p>Food. <p>Family. <p>Gardening. <p>Life.</p></p></p></p></p></p>Jacquelynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12250500042046321248noreply@blogger.comBlogger2511100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7358344072663072976.post-87762572850498304552012-02-13T19:27:00.000-08:002012-02-13T19:27:19.040-08:00

This last few weeks has brought the greatest whirlwind of difficult to deal with events that my life has seen since that time I decided to quit my job, move to the city, and get married all at once after 10 years of being a single working mom.  Even including that part shortly afterward where I got pregnant and then suddenly wasn't, just a few months later.  In chronological order, here we go:  

Jacquelynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12250500042046321248noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7358344072663072976.post-73834170439631036822011-12-09T09:24:00.001-08:002011-12-09T09:33:45.539-08:00

I'm tired of looking at gross pictures of tongue.  Here are some frosty chickens to change up the scenery.  It has been very clear and rather cold here lately, so we've been waking up to frosty mornings all week.  There's still plenty in the yard for the chickens to peck at and scratch in, so they've had the run of the back yard.  They'll do the good work of eating weeds, weed seeds, bugs, and

Jacquelynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12250500042046321248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7358344072663072976.post-86610753288512194112011-12-05T14:57:00.001-08:002011-12-05T16:19:27.285-08:00

This weekend, I thawed and cooked the beef tongue that's been in my freezer since we got it with last year's cow. I've eaten tongue plenty of times in my life; it's most commonly found on taqueria menu boards as 'lengua', and is a flavorful and tender meat. However, eating a delicious taco filled with well-disguised lesser cut of meat is a far cry from taking that lesser cut in hand and cooking

Jacquelynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12250500042046321248noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7358344072663072976.post-57651979718123787602011-11-23T20:49:00.001-08:002011-11-23T22:17:04.410-08:00

I know - them's fightin' words this time of year.  But I don't think I ever really have. I realized that I didn't like it about 10 years ago, when I was asked to judge the pumpkin pie contest for our town's fall festival.  There were only about a dozen or so entries, but pretty much every one of them was terrible.  They were almost uniformly under-baked, over-spiced, bland, soggy, and completely

Jacquelynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12250500042046321248noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7358344072663072976.post-15519620610559415962011-11-08T15:20:00.000-08:002011-11-23T22:16:41.606-08:00

The 14 cu.ft. freezer, stocked with meat, veg, and fruits. I picked up our half hog from the butcher today.  This is the first time that we've ordered a large portion of a pig.  Last year, I shared a 1/4 pig with a friend, and this year I wanted to go whole-hog, so to speak, and get a half hog for the freezer.  With this, plus the 1/4 cow that I picked up last month, and all of the canning

Jacquelynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12250500042046321248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7358344072663072976.post-71675735864582996592011-11-01T20:09:00.000-07:002011-11-01T20:13:52.714-07:00

 Today I roasted the beautiful pumpkin that's been sitting on my counter awaiting its transformation into delicious culinary delights.  There are many different varieties of pumpkins, some of which are better for carving jack-o-lanterns (thin, easy to carve flesh) and some of which are better for cooking (thick, delicious flesh).  I like to pick the pretty ones, so I can leave them out on the

Jacquelynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12250500042046321248noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7358344072663072976.post-90299377742145503352011-10-24T10:57:00.000-07:002011-11-01T20:13:32.438-07:00

In case you can't read it, it says, "Do Not Block Driveway: Violators will be violated and their vehicles towed without hesitation."  Ha!

Jacquelynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12250500042046321248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7358344072663072976.post-32962085058063683162011-10-20T09:00:00.000-07:002011-10-20T09:00:06.384-07:00

This is the first year that I've made an effort to harvest the lavender that is growing in my yard instead of letting it go to waste in the yard debris cart.  Throughout the summer, I would go out and clip handfuls of lavender stalks from the big plant in the front yard, tie them together, and hang the bundles around the house to dry and fill the house with their fragrance.  Now that they are

Jacquelynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12250500042046321248noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7358344072663072976.post-64854451432438262452011-10-19T10:35:00.000-07:002011-10-19T15:28:18.370-07:00

Looks like we'll be getting some Concord grapes this year - last year ended up being a bust.  I think the birds ate the few that we had.  This year there are a ton more grapes ripening, so, fingers crossed, I can quit hoarding that last jar of grape jam soon.

Jacquelynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12250500042046321248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7358344072663072976.post-45325294745494955452011-08-25T18:55:00.000-07:002011-08-25T19:22:29.005-07:00

I discovered this morning that I have blossom end-rot on a few of my ripening tomatoes. Such a disappointment, because I was really looking forward to those first few tomatoes from the garden. I did a little research, and I'm not really sure if this is due to a nutritional deficiency in the soil (like calcium), or inconsistent watering. A lot of sites suggested using Epsom salt to amend the

Jacquelynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12250500042046321248noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7358344072663072976.post-92164722894608333752011-08-11T15:55:00.000-07:002011-08-11T16:02:02.572-07:00

My first fig EVER finally ripened on my little fig tree! I'm so excited! Aaand it was delicious!! Yaay!!

Jacquelynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12250500042046321248noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7358344072663072976.post-35996407865435471772011-07-27T20:17:00.000-07:002011-07-27T21:10:15.506-07:00

This year, we were able to obtain sour pie cherries (Montmorency) through our food buying club, which is awesome. Sour cherries seem to be a bit hard to come by around here, and these came already pitted and at a fantastic price. My first order of business was to can some cherry pie filling. My Ball Blue Book of Canning only has a recipe for frozen cherry pie filling, so I headed to the

Jacquelynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12250500042046321248noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7358344072663072976.post-90877078337405263072011-07-21T13:04:00.000-07:002011-07-21T15:39:28.418-07:00

You may or may not recall me writing about my Granny's death in October of 2009 and the ensuing responsibility my sister and I shouldered as co-trustees of her estate. We have finally finished with the estate, written all the final checks, and closed out the trust. We will have some lingering responsibilities due to the way the trust was executed in the end that won't be over for some time (

Jacquelynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12250500042046321248noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7358344072663072976.post-71348873687062037152011-07-10T13:26:00.000-07:002011-07-10T13:52:52.664-07:00

This weekend is the Oregon Lavender Festival, during which lavender farms around Oregon roll out the welcome mat for lavender lovers, often including food, crafts, music, lavender products, and activities. Last time we joined in the festival we went to Helvetia Lavender Farm, which is lovely and they have a bunch of great booths and activities to enjoy during your visit. This year, I wanted to

Jacquelynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12250500042046321248noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7358344072663072976.post-49686292859982323822011-07-06T13:25:00.000-07:002011-07-06T14:27:11.894-07:00

I have spent the last 24 days on a strict elimination diet. Yeah - me, the lover of all things creamy, sweet, salty and fatty on a restricted diet. Doesn't make sense, does it? Well, the impetus of this madness was a combination of a couple of friends who started this diet and 'peer-pressured' me, and a personal curiosity about whether I unknowingly react to foods that I eat all the time. The

Jacquelynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12250500042046321248noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7358344072663072976.post-56135042459102318132011-07-03T12:00:00.000-07:002011-07-03T12:22:14.052-07:00

Look at this thing! It's a beast!Bigger than my hand...Crazy nasturtiums!

Jacquelynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12250500042046321248noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7358344072663072976.post-16976146434097994482011-06-07T13:11:00.000-07:002011-06-07T13:24:14.893-07:00

Today I discovered two Western Scrub Jay chicks in my backyard learning how to fly. Unfortunately, I discovered them because Nico chased the one above into the neighbor's yard. Once we left it alone, though, it found its way back through the fence and resumed hopping and fluttering.This one was in the grapevine, making tentative little leap-flutters from vine to vine.Above, a parent squawks out

Jacquelynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12250500042046321248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7358344072663072976.post-84972542464362621142011-05-04T12:47:00.000-07:002011-05-04T12:58:39.668-07:00

The 'Queen of Night' tulip bulbs I planted last fall are finally beginning to open up their blooms, and they are so worth the wait! They are a beautiful, dramatic deep burgundy-purple color that really stands out among all the yellow and red tulips.I love the surprise of finding a dramatically dark flower poking up out of an otherwise rather ordinary flower bed. Makes you wonder what other

Jacquelynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12250500042046321248noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7358344072663072976.post-22204681313677693262011-04-27T09:52:00.000-07:002011-04-27T10:55:33.581-07:00

There are so many fun things happening in my garden right now that I couldn't resist sharing some pictures. First of all, I am so, so thrilled to have things growing again. My yard looks so sad and brown and soggy in the winter that it's kind of depressing. I really need to work on some year-round color in the backyard. This is the first year that I've planted an early crop in my garden beds.

Jacquelynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12250500042046321248noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7358344072663072976.post-72921011815717548492011-04-05T13:24:00.000-07:002011-04-05T13:28:58.905-07:00

I moved a container on my patio after a really rainy day yesterday, and found this ginormous earthworm and friends hiding underneath. I put my finger next to it for size reference. I don't think I've ever seen such a big worm. The chickens were pretty excited about it, too - I scooped all the worms up and tossed them in the coop. Yum!

Jacquelynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12250500042046321248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7358344072663072976.post-36218270072024647442011-03-31T10:12:00.000-07:002011-03-31T10:24:45.446-07:00

I don't believe I've mentioned on here the little almond tree that I found growing in my garden bed a couple years ago. I was doing a bit of weeding, and one sprout that I pulled out was connected to (and growing out of) an almond. I thought that was pretty neat, that a nut stored away by some bird or squirrel in my garden bed had started to grow. So I stuck it in a pot and watched it shoot up

Jacquelynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12250500042046321248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7358344072663072976.post-89341901981057477882011-03-13T11:29:00.000-07:002011-03-13T11:53:20.601-07:00

Yesterday I hosted a laundry class at my house, taught by Kristina, who also makes and sells wonderful beeswax soaps. If you think there isn't enough about laundry to fill a 2-hour lesson, you have never encountered a true expert in the field. Kristina has certainly done her research. We learned about different fabric and fiber types, how to wash so that your clothes look nice and last longer,

Jacquelynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12250500042046321248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7358344072663072976.post-36204249651940684712011-02-26T08:21:00.001-08:002011-02-26T08:38:40.219-08:00

I pulled out my dried tomatoes in olive oil this week for their 2-week taste test. If you recall, I was testing different methods for treating the tomatoes before storing them in olive oil so that they are already hydrated when I need them. I tried soaking them in boiling water for 10 minutes, soaking them in boiling water and white vinegar for 10 minutes, and not soaking them at all. I pulled

Jacquelynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12250500042046321248noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7358344072663072976.post-59718727413030458222011-02-07T14:24:00.000-08:002011-02-07T14:55:50.563-08:00

I've recently added a large jar of dried tomatoes to my kitchen pantry. I've never cooked with dried tomatoes before, but I've been wanting a different way to add tomato-y goodness to my winter cooking without having to only rely on canned. Dried tomatoes are full of the summery flavor of tomatoes at their peak, but they can be a bit of a drag to use. They need to be re-hydrated to some extent

Jacquelynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12250500042046321248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7358344072663072976.post-72337576881231540412011-01-11T08:32:00.000-08:002011-01-11T08:55:31.394-08:00

I've realized that one of the main reasons I drink coffee in the mornings is because I love the ritual. I love the smell of the freshly roasted beans, I love the way the coffee foams up when I pour the hot water into the french press, and I love the feel of the hot mug in my hands. The act of preparing coffee is a simple task I can manage as soon as I've rolled out of bed in the morning. It

Jacquelynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12250500042046321248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7358344072663072976.post-66460416464529538802010-11-30T08:50:00.000-08:002010-11-30T09:30:19.173-08:00

'Tis the season for creamy casseroles and gooey pasta dishes - creamy, rich comfort foods. One of my favorites is chicken pot pie - but my standard recipe calls for 2 cans of cream of mushroom soup. One of my primary goals in learning how to can foods is to replace the items that I would normally buy in cans with superior homemade versions. Reasons for this include: no mystery ingredients,

Jacquelynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12250500042046321248noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7358344072663072976.post-26035472199053963852010-11-18T13:59:00.000-08:002010-11-18T14:26:36.366-08:00

We had a little bit of sunshine this morning, in between rain showers, and I took the opportunity to rake up the leaves that had accumulated ankle-deep in parts of the yard. It seemed like a massive amount of leaves as I was piling it all together, but as I packed it into the steaming compost bin, it all magically fit in there. I was having a conversation with someone the other day who pointed

Jacquelynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12250500042046321248noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7358344072663072976.post-49375532512695542952010-11-04T19:49:00.000-07:002010-11-04T20:15:09.054-07:00

Of all the flavors that define fall, caramel and apples together have to be one of the best. Caramel apples are good, but when the cold is nipping at you, what you really need is a hot mug of caramel apple cider. And the very best way to do this is to make the caramel sauce yourself. It's good enough to make your toes curl. Seriously. And easy, too. So pick up some fresh apple cider and

Jacquelynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12250500042046321248noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7358344072663072976.post-52516622690659120782010-10-13T10:37:00.000-07:002010-10-13T11:37:43.598-07:00

So, remember how I wrote last month about our temporary (hopefully) financial woes, and how September was a really penny-pinching time for us? Well, October has been much better on the financial front, but it has managed to bring me to my knees in a much more personal way. Fortunately, this month I've managed to pay all of our bills just fine without tapping into savings, and I've even been

Jacquelynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12250500042046321248noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7358344072663072976.post-34424152700924243752010-10-12T09:22:00.000-07:002010-10-12T09:26:51.196-07:00

I've got news on my mind today, and I've started a 'discussion' over on the Broad Brains Facebook page so you can contribute your thoughts. I've never done a discussion on there before, so I'm curious how this will look. Take a moment to visit, and contribute your thoughts. Thanks!

Jacquelynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12250500042046321248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7358344072663072976.post-89054585476174890642010-10-06T08:40:00.000-07:002010-10-06T08:51:34.012-07:00

This week, I was given a bag of beautiful Serrano peppers by a friend. I've never put up peppers before, but I'd like to try it with these. I think they are similar enough to jalapeños that I could pickle them and use them in the same way. However, I'm having a hard time finding a recipe that I like. There is this one on the Food in Jars blog, which looks super simple, but I'd like something

Jacquelynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12250500042046321248noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7358344072663072976.post-35049342992734200642010-09-27T16:33:00.000-07:002010-09-27T16:48:46.191-07:00

1) Going out into my backyard and harvesting food gives me a feeling of great abundance, even with just the small production of my amateur efforts.2) My 4 yellow crookneck squash plants succumbed to powdery mildew right around the time that I was getting sick of eating them. How fortuitous. 3) Glory be! Red tomatoes. I was about to give up on that plant.4) When the strawberry starts say '

Jacquelynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12250500042046321248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7358344072663072976.post-63740849642391047962010-09-22T12:21:00.000-07:002010-09-22T12:41:04.541-07:00

We have a lovely, ancient grapevine growing in our backyard, which you may remember me writing about before. In one of my very first posts on this blog, I wrote about our grape harvest and my resultant first-ever attempt at canning. That year we cut the grapevine down to the main trunk, to get it off of the house and trees and tame it down to a manageable size. Last year, it filled out nicely,

Jacquelynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12250500042046321248noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7358344072663072976.post-54290990403389355832010-09-19T16:52:00.000-07:002010-09-19T17:23:03.738-07:00

Our (drafty, old) house has both wood and slate floors; concrete also, if you count the unfinished basement where my laundry room and pantry are. I also don't usually wear shoes around the house - probably in part because I'm the one who sweeps, and I know how icky floors can get with shoes tracking stuff in from outside. Needless to say, my feet are cold most of the year. And if my feet are

Jacquelynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12250500042046321248noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7358344072663072976.post-42762057364135365712010-09-17T08:03:00.000-07:002010-09-17T09:51:55.332-07:00

September has turned out to be a really difficult and stressful month for me so far. It has been a really colorful combination of the time of year (school starting, just back from long vacation, peak canning season, etc.), personal circumstances that are stressful (volunteer jobs taking on a life of their own, learning that wrapping up Granny's estate is going to be more complicated and

Jacquelynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12250500042046321248noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7358344072663072976.post-51491755106553909692010-09-08T14:14:00.000-07:002010-09-08T14:44:17.344-07:00

It's the time of year when our kitchens are full of cases of wonderful ripe, and often, overripe, fruits and vegetables ready for pickling, canning, freezing, drying and otherwise putting up. Along with all these fresh goodies often come some unwelcome visitors - fruit flies. While these little bugs are more nuisance than health hazard, nobody ever wants to see bugs around their food. If you

Jacquelynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12250500042046321248noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7358344072663072976.post-46989250473310745352010-09-06T10:06:00.000-07:002010-09-06T10:12:23.736-07:00

I'm tired of looking at that picture of ants, so I figured you are, too. Here's a picture of the Rocky Mountains from my vacation, instead! You're welcome.

Jacquelynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12250500042046321248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7358344072663072976.post-63727952302051429402010-09-01T07:56:00.000-07:002010-09-01T08:21:10.438-07:00

In Portland, little black ants getting into the house are an ongoing problem. In our house, I probably get them inside at least 2 times a year, generally in the spring and fall. Usually in the kitchen, but I have had them in the bathroom as well. I like to think I keep my kitchen pretty clean; I tend not to leave food or dirty dishes lying around, and I keep the counters wiped down. However,

Jacquelynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12250500042046321248noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7358344072663072976.post-7391922922398827532010-08-31T08:11:00.000-07:002010-08-31T08:24:08.015-07:00

With the recent BP oil 'spill' disaster in the gulf, we've all been seeing a lot lately about different ways to wean us off of oil. New technologies, alternative fuels, and 'green' energy sources are being researched, developed, and marketed like crazy. But in all this flurry of excitement to find us a better way to fuel our lifestyles, we are missing the whole point. The problem is not oil,

Jacquelynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12250500042046321248noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7358344072663072976.post-90371592437463749682010-08-27T19:09:00.000-07:002010-08-27T20:30:12.543-07:00

Load up the car, tent, sleeping bags, suitcases, food, dog, hit the road, speeding ticket, Hood River, Hermiston, motel, eastern Oregon, to Idaho, pit stop turns 3 hour delay, best tow truck driver ever, on to Dog Creek Campground, ponderosa pines, beer, guitar, campfire, stars, pack it up, chased by a thunderstorm, Craters of the Moon National Monument looks a lot like the lava flows in Oregon,

Jacquelynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12250500042046321248noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7358344072663072976.post-15647757439329386552010-08-07T10:11:00.000-07:002010-08-07T10:13:29.510-07:00

We are going to be doing some serious vacationing during the month of August, so I may not be putting much on the blog for a few weeks. Or, you may get random posts from wherever I happen to be that's interesting. So please, stay tuned for your regularly scheduled programming!

Jacquelynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12250500042046321248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7358344072663072976.post-26908652418144486862010-08-03T09:22:00.000-07:002010-08-03T10:00:31.614-07:00

Thirteen years ago today, I met the single person who would come to have the greatest impact on my life.She was the best baby I could have asked for, and as a young single parent, I was grateful to have an easy-going child.As she has grown, she has kept her laid-back attitude and developed a clever personality to go with it.Curious and perceptive, I have loved watching her interact with the world

Jacquelynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12250500042046321248noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7358344072663072976.post-10380160604953059752010-07-31T18:46:00.000-07:002010-07-31T18:49:11.539-07:00

At last!I was beginning to lose hope!There may be a sweet summer tomato harvested from my garden yet!

Jacquelynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12250500042046321248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7358344072663072976.post-50794882950675673682010-07-29T19:25:00.001-07:002010-07-30T19:46:01.627-07:00

We've been casually looking for an ice cream maker for a while now. The cool wooden bucket ones we would like to have are prohibitively expensive new, so we've been on the lookout for a good used one. On a recent garage sale shopping day, we decided to pop in at a local thrift store while we were out, and ended up finding this vintage beauty for only 25 dollars. Score! Got it home and the

Jacquelynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12250500042046321248noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7358344072663072976.post-9156990731263704432010-07-22T21:32:00.000-07:002010-07-22T21:47:48.311-07:00

I bought a Stevia plant for my garden this year. Not for any particular purpose, just because I thought it was neat and it's a nice looking plant. Now I've got this great, big, sweet leafy herb and I really don't know what to do with it. My other herbs I cut and dry to use the rest of the year, but I've never used Stevia in any form before. I'm not really one to use alternative sweeteners,

Jacquelynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12250500042046321248noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7358344072663072976.post-25815947747612593882010-07-12T07:58:00.000-07:002010-07-12T08:10:54.967-07:00

We moved my potting bench out of the garage yesterday. It wasn't originally a potting bench, it was just a work surface that somebody had built in the garage before us, and we added a shelf. Then my soil, pots, and gardening tools started living on and under it. My husband has been doing a lot of work on our two cars, and really needs the garage free of things that aren't really necessary out

Jacquelynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12250500042046321248noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7358344072663072976.post-22414662784394636812010-07-08T17:02:00.000-07:002010-07-08T17:37:54.793-07:00

So, if you've been following this blog for a while, you may know that despite all the canning I did last year, I am actually a beginning canner. As such, I am experimenting with different methods, foods, and recipes to figure out what I like to make, what we like to eat, and how best to make food preservation fit my family's needs. Take strawberry jam, for example. Last year, I went out to

Jacquelynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12250500042046321248noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7358344072663072976.post-85220788178003965742010-07-01T09:25:00.001-07:002010-07-01T09:49:01.565-07:00

You may be feeling, like I am, that I've given up on writing altogether and will now be posting only pictures of all the lovely things in my garden. I promise that isn't the case. It's just very hard to resist sharing the beauty of all these growing things with you as I find them. Also, my summer has become ass-kicking busy. Between planning an epic cross-country camping/road trip for later

Jacquelynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12250500042046321248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7358344072663072976.post-34979461024151353552010-06-25T15:47:00.000-07:002010-06-25T16:26:33.664-07:00

Clothes on the line, blowing gently on the breeze.Iced coffee (minus the ice, since we don't have any) on the patio after finishing yard work.Perro caliente, baking on the concrete until he just can't stand it and has to go inside and take a nap on the cool slate floor.Ivy-leaf geranium, peeking out of it's pot.Time to start trailing, friend - I want to see more of this.Fuchsia blossoms on the

Jacquelynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12250500042046321248noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7358344072663072976.post-4139145764639566762010-06-24T14:17:00.000-07:002010-06-24T14:46:01.609-07:00

Remember my mystery plant from last year? It's back, in full force! They popped up all over again in the bed where the big one came up last time. I think the same bulb that sent up last year's monster is the one that rocketed up again this year. I discovered that this is a dracunculus vulgaris, or Dragon Arum, and they are known for their dramatic but stinky flowers. Last year I somehow

Jacquelynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12250500042046321248noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7358344072663072976.post-22561398028559589542010-06-18T09:46:00.000-07:002010-06-18T10:52:58.253-07:00

Propagators, that is! I have a couple of plants in my garden that gleefully spread their progeny all over the yard every year. This shade-loving plant is one of the worst, I find its cute little offspring all over my yard and in my pots every spring. I really like this plant (I don't know what it's called), because the dark jagged stripe through each leaf reminds me of a grumpy Muppet's bushy

Jacquelynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12250500042046321248noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7358344072663072976.post-6794652912610523002010-06-06T09:18:00.001-07:002010-06-06T09:38:23.202-07:00

Yesterday was our very first farmer's market day of the year, here in wee St. John's. It was a gorgeous, sunny day; 70 degrees, blue skies - perfect for perusing market stands, listening to the bands, and grabbing a bite to eat. Produce pickings were a bit slim, there seemed to be only 3 or 4 stands with fresh produce, and the primary items were strawberries and greens. I know there is a lot

Jacquelynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12250500042046321248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7358344072663072976.post-58608613094817082712010-06-04T06:59:00.000-07:002010-06-04T06:59:01.237-07:00

I really hate it when this happens.  I don't buy much new stuff, and stupid packaging like this reminds me why I don't like to. All I wanted was the hair cutting kit.  Nothing more.  Nothing less. Maybe they thought that if the box was the actual size of what was in it, that I wouldn't think it was worth the money they were asking for it.   Maybe they thought that if they didn't give the

Jacquelynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12250500042046321248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7358344072663072976.post-34686135568732472412010-06-03T12:20:00.000-07:002010-06-03T12:25:07.700-07:00

First of all, I am not a food snob.  I know, right now you're thinking, riiight, Jacquelyn, we've all seen how you eat - but it's true!  I may love good food, fresh, whole ingredients, and local, organic goodness - but I am not too good for some 'regular' food once in a while.  (I am talking here about sustainability and 'real' foods - there is no question that I love humble, home-made foods best

Jacquelynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12250500042046321248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7358344072663072976.post-39697763350529370072010-05-31T09:24:00.000-07:002010-05-31T09:24:23.352-07:00

Well, it's the end of May, and time to wrap-up the no-grocery-store challenge.  This month ended up being a good month for the challenge for a couple of reasons.  One, money ended up being rather tight this month, so cutting back on all the random grocery store trips helped us to stay within our means much more easily.  And two, this month got really, really busy, so it was a good opportunity for

Jacquelynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12250500042046321248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7358344072663072976.post-52917291810985536252010-05-24T19:40:00.000-07:002010-05-24T20:06:26.161-07:00

If you live in Portland, you may have heard of Lelo in Nopo, aka LeAnn Locher, a local blogger/gardener/food preserver/designer/writer and, more recently, internet radio personality.  I've been following her blog pretty much as long as I've had my own blog and been exploring the 'blog-o-sphere'.  She has followed my blog as well, and has taken an interest in my no-grocery-store month-long

Jacquelynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12250500042046321248noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7358344072663072976.post-14632393397824008352010-05-22T10:38:00.000-07:002010-05-22T10:38:31.344-07:00

For the home cook, having a quality set of pots and pans is a must.  In addition to my set of stockpots and saucepans, I keep a couple of frying pans that are used pretty much every day.  I am not a fan of non-stick cookware for a couple of reasons.  The first is that the coating tends to scratch and get compromised over time, leaving you no alternative but to throw the pan away - which is not

Jacquelynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12250500042046321248noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7358344072663072976.post-1721833952418363992010-05-19T10:10:00.000-07:002010-05-20T14:42:25.850-07:00

I've talked a lot this month about how I am able to stay out of the grocery store.  But you may still be wondering how to get from where you are today to a place where you don't depend on the grocery store anymore.  Or perhaps you want to learn more about the hows, whys, and wherefores before you start making big changes.  I'm going to share with you some of the resources that have helped me

Jacquelynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12250500042046321248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7358344072663072976.post-54752300665846236982010-05-16T00:35:00.000-07:002010-05-16T00:44:51.657-07:00

My monthly grocery spending fluctuates quite a bit, since I buy a lot of things in quantities to last anywhere from a month to a year at different times, depending on what is in season or what I've run out of.  In the summer, I buy lots more fresh produce than I do in the winter.  In the fall, I spend a large chunk of money on a 1/4 cow that will keep us stocked with beef for the rest of the year

Jacquelynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12250500042046321248noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7358344072663072976.post-89126401189686638352010-05-14T17:37:00.000-07:002010-05-15T07:10:24.339-07:00

Garlic is an absolute culinary staple in my kitchen.  I almost never cook anything savory without adding a little (or, more often, a lot) of garlic to it.  It is just one of those fundamental flavors, without which, most dishes would seem to be missing something essential.  I try to always have fresh garlic on hand, but when I don't, or when my garlic has been around long enough to sprout, I like

Jacquelynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12250500042046321248noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7358344072663072976.post-26394543260155569162010-05-12T09:48:00.000-07:002010-05-19T10:12:25.897-07:00

It's time to talk about the 'alternative food sources' that I mentioned in 'Part One' of this post.  If I'm not getting food from the grocery store, where does all the food come from?  Currently, the primary source of food for my family is our friendly neighborhood food-buying club.  Ours is a fairly new club, but it's well-run and has some really great accounts.  The way our club works is that

Jacquelynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12250500042046321248noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7358344072663072976.post-12816736257453246392010-05-10T09:05:00.000-07:002010-05-10T09:05:43.089-07:00

Sunday marked the first slip-up of no-grocery-store month, and, not surprisingly, it wasn't me who did it.  My husband recently ran out of his very favorite mayonnaise.  My usual source for it has been out for the last two months, and my pantry stock of it had finally run dry.  The poor man found himself facing a suffering too great to bear, and wouldn't be comforted by the promise of homemade

Jacquelynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12250500042046321248noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7358344072663072976.post-54073743788298004602010-05-08T16:31:00.000-07:002010-05-08T16:31:20.528-07:00

Today was the 48th annual St Johns Parade, and 4th annual 'Bizarre' here in our North Portland neighborhood.  I love this parade because it has a wonderful, small-town community feel, even though we live in a big city.  It includes all the usual parade features - fire trucks, marching bands, horses, kids, cars, princesses and hot rods.  It also includes some of the quirky things that no parade

Jacquelynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12250500042046321248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7358344072663072976.post-34453399097048325002010-05-07T20:04:00.000-07:002010-05-07T20:04:03.576-07:00

Today was a big challenge, both to my eating from home goal, and to my sanity in general.  I had another 20 pounds of asparagus to process today, so this morning, as soon as the kid was off to school, I got down to business in the kitchen.  I was just getting into a good rhythm of trimming, rinsing, and peeling* asparagus when for some reason, I needed something in the fridge.  It was at this

Jacquelynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12250500042046321248noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7358344072663072976.post-59512075808158747312010-05-05T12:42:00.000-07:002010-05-05T12:42:30.353-07:00

I faced my first real grocery store temptation today!  Here's what happened:  I had to go into Safeway to pick up some prescriptions.  Greeting me at the door was a sign saying, '30% off wines plus another 10% when you buy six!'  Now, that got my attention!  Discounts and sales tend not to catch my eye unless they are at LEAST 20% off, so 40% off wine is a pretty nice deal.  That would make my

Jacquelynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12250500042046321248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7358344072663072976.post-79491829903152699502010-05-04T12:58:00.000-07:002010-05-19T10:11:45.397-07:00

It's time to give you some of the nitty-gritty details of how I am able to not go to the grocery store this month, and where our food is coming from. Put simply, I am accomplishing this through a combination of well-stocked freezer and pantry and alternative food sources. Today I will give you a detailed tour of my freezer/pantry setup.  I do want to point out that my food storage setup has

Jacquelynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12250500042046321248noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7358344072663072976.post-45558698504268698952010-05-03T16:26:00.000-07:002010-05-03T16:54:13.121-07:00

I've found that I am most efficient with our food budget when I am cooking on a regular basis. It kind of seems like a no-brainer, but when times get busy, sometimes taking the time to cook at home is one of the early activities that's put on the back burner, so to speak. When I am taking the time to cook every day, I am more conscious of what is in my fridge and pantry, including what is

Jacquelynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12250500042046321248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7358344072663072976.post-19683441860613681722010-05-02T20:41:00.000-07:002010-05-02T20:55:55.634-07:00

Day two of the no-grocery store challenge I encountered a situation that is often a weak spot for me when it comes to last minute grocery-store runs: the potluck. The thing about potlucks is we tend to want to impress with what we bring, so there's a bit of social anxiety around it. For me, anyways. But I often don't plan ahead well enough and end up just grabbing something easy at the store

Jacquelynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12250500042046321248noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7358344072663072976.post-66229273861124868302010-05-01T18:46:00.001-07:002010-05-02T20:42:44.952-07:00

Tonight, while I was cutting up green peppers and onions for the delicious green curry I made for dinner, my husband asked me a question about my no-grocery-store challenge that I thought was worthy of bringing up here. He basically said, what about those days when you want to try something new, like some Indian dish, that you don't have the spices or ingredients for - what do you do then? And

Jacquelynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12250500042046321248noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7358344072663072976.post-43439631976677088842010-04-30T11:22:00.000-07:002010-05-01T19:10:46.535-07:00

I haven't written a whole lot on here about grocery shopping and where I buy all my food from. This is in part because my views over the last few years on sourcing food have been changing and growing as I learn new things, and also because over the last year I have been radically changing the way I obtain food. But I'm finally settling into a really good system for getting sustainable food at

Jacquelynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12250500042046321248noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7358344072663072976.post-2926413010860857742010-04-29T08:45:00.000-07:002010-04-29T08:56:20.150-07:00

I know I may be stepping into dangerous territory with a barbecue sauce recipe. I've heard that some people can get pretty dang serious about the stuff. Me - not so much. I just want it to taste good. I don't need to win any blue ribbons. Last night I made my first effort at it, and it came out wonderfully. I had a pound and a half of smoked, shredded pork that I had bought that needed a

Jacquelynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12250500042046321248noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7358344072663072976.post-59492582609392565772010-04-14T10:08:00.000-07:002010-04-14T10:31:40.073-07:00

I added a couple of new features to the blog to make exploring and finding related posts easier. On the left hand side, if you scroll down a bit, you will see a section that says 'Read More!' This is a randomly generated list of blog post links so you can look around and read stuff you may not have seen before.In addition, when you click on a blog post to read it, at the end of the post will be

Jacquelynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12250500042046321248noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7358344072663072976.post-25006285538444075902010-04-13T08:24:00.000-07:002010-04-13T09:04:52.796-07:00

Being a household that does lots of laundry, and also periodically burns candles, we end up with two different kinds of waste - candle butts and dryer lint - that would seem to be destined for the landfill. But not this time! I've been told that the combination of dryer lint, melted wax, and egg cartons can make a wonderful fire starter. Yesterday I had enough lint and wax saved up to give it

Jacquelynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12250500042046321248noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7358344072663072976.post-26203714411682299612010-04-12T09:23:00.000-07:002010-04-13T09:10:59.117-07:00

I've spent the last 3 months teaching a sock monster sewing elective class at my daughter's school. These are the result of that class:It's pretty cool to see how different the creatures come out when we are all working off of the same basic patterns. In addition to making sock monsters, I also just finished a sock monkey:Look at this little face! This is the cutest little sock monkey I think

Jacquelynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12250500042046321248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7358344072663072976.post-44711799422956542842010-04-08T12:48:00.000-07:002010-04-14T10:30:35.797-07:00

Oh, man, it's good to see the sun again today!

Jacquelynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12250500042046321248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7358344072663072976.post-32225214536917859462010-04-07T10:44:00.000-07:002010-04-07T18:08:05.747-07:00

Today's post is going to sound like a total brag post, as in, 'my kid is so awesome and great and don't you just love her and wish yours was like her.' But I really don't mean it that way. Yes, I'm proud of my kid and think she's the bomb, but I really don't feel like I can take much credit for it. I feel like I'm kind of a lazy parent and I find myself constantly impressed with how well my

Jacquelynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12250500042046321248noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7358344072663072976.post-66675557026693620022010-04-03T13:27:00.000-07:002010-04-03T13:44:43.971-07:00

Today was my first visit of the season to the Portland Farmer's Market. This year the market is expanded from last year, so it took a little walking around to get our bearings. Which was unfortunate, because it was also pouring rain. The rain didn't seem to be keeping the crowds away, though. There were enough people perusing the stands to make umbrella use treacherous.The produce stands were

Jacquelynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12250500042046321248noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7358344072663072976.post-29942234743175027692010-03-30T08:13:00.000-07:002010-05-31T10:13:53.138-07:00

I was recently interviewed for an article in a local parenting magazine, Metro Parent. The article came out in the April edition and you can read it here. The article is about Free-Range parenting, and also includes an interview with Lenore Skenazy, who wrote the book on the subject, and also blogs about it. It's an interesting read, plus how often do you get to have your picture and opinion

Jacquelynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12250500042046321248noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7358344072663072976.post-8390282837729115402010-03-25T15:21:00.000-07:002010-03-26T19:01:05.670-07:00

Because I found one. All soggy and pitiful in a rainstorm in the alley behind my house. If you recognize this chicken, let me know! If no one claims her, I will be looking for a good home for her.UPDATE: Cleo has been reunited with her owners, who are building her a cozy coop to prevent future escapades. Bonus: Her nice owner is also the local bookstore lady, and she lives right around the

Jacquelynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12250500042046321248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7358344072663072976.post-21893933574231331952010-03-19T07:41:00.000-07:002010-03-19T09:19:51.680-07:00

So, I'm reading my emails this morning and the Portland Public Schools newsletter shows up in my inbox. I always scan through the article headlines in it to see if there are any topics I am interested in. Soon, my eyes land on this headline: "'Young, Gifted and Black' Tribute Launches April 5." Eh? I click through to the article, and discover that 13 African-American students from Portland

Jacquelynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12250500042046321248noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7358344072663072976.post-84565959201271160162010-03-04T16:03:00.000-08:002010-03-04T16:37:22.338-08:00

With spring in the air and green things sprouting up everywhere, I've taken the liberty of letting the chickens free-range in our fenced backyard during the day to help keep the weeds under control. They've been doing a fantastic job; all of my beds have been turned over and de-bugged nicely, there aren't any weeds to be found, and the chickens are well-fed and happy. Since I don't have any

Jacquelynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12250500042046321248noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7358344072663072976.post-232606501847120132010-03-03T07:58:00.000-08:002010-03-03T09:32:56.004-08:00

I have recently read two books about American eating habits and food culture that have both been very eye-opening and informative. The first was Mindless Eating, by Brian Wansink. In his book, he points out how we often manage to eat hundreds of extra calories every day without gaining any extra satisfaction or even knowing that we've eaten them. Over time, this easily translates into weight

Jacquelynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12250500042046321248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7358344072663072976.post-54157711763245448532010-03-02T10:19:00.000-08:002010-03-02T10:30:30.866-08:00

A flock of birds has been populating the trees in my backyard this morning, singing and chirping noisily. I thought I'd share it with you, since it sounds so lovely. The birds are coming and going, sailing and landing and singing noisily. I think they are happy because spring is coming. Enjoy! You can hear my chickens making noises in the background, too! Silly girls.

Jacquelynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12250500042046321248noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7358344072663072976.post-31407453289194799572010-02-26T11:26:00.000-08:002010-04-13T09:10:59.118-07:00

Wearing an apron while working in the kitchen has become a regular habit for me. When I walk into the kitchen with the intent of making or cleaning something, I don't even have to think about reaching into the pantry to grab an apron to wear. This habit formed because I've worked in commercial kitchens where an apron is part of the uniform and rather necessary, because I don't have a dishwasher

Jacquelynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12250500042046321248noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7358344072663072976.post-80229688575813273002010-02-22T09:53:00.000-08:002010-02-22T10:08:54.461-08:00

I've been sick since Saturday. My ears are plugged up and painful, my nose is stuffed, my throat hurts, and my body aches all over. I'm pretty sure it's at least partly an ear infection. I tend to get an ear and/or sinus infection at least once a year, usually around this time. It seems as though I'll get a seasonal cold or similar illness, recover, then have fluid retained in my ear from it

Jacquelynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12250500042046321248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7358344072663072976.post-80700653708205465052010-02-19T11:14:00.000-08:002010-02-19T11:20:27.395-08:00

. . . which egg is home grown?How about now?Yeah, you know it! That lovely orange yolk on the right came from my happy back yard hens. The other one came from the grocery store. I'd show you how firm and nice the whites on my eggs are, too, but I scrambled these together for breakfast this morning. Maybe another time. Meanwhile, these went great with a homemade morning glory muffin and a

Jacquelynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12250500042046321248noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7358344072663072976.post-55351317196885774222010-02-16T11:32:00.000-08:002010-02-17T08:57:29.320-08:00

Last night, I was tucking my big kid into bed (yes, parents of babies, even big 12 year olds may still want to be tucked in sometimes) and she asked me to tell her stories about when I was a kid. As I related to her what few anecdotes I remember, I found myself describing to her the apartment that my family lived in until we moved to Oregon when I was 9. The creepy room that my parents slept in

Jacquelynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12250500042046321248noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7358344072663072976.post-4626565602598515042010-02-16T09:06:00.000-08:002010-02-16T09:37:02.958-08:00

I must be getting more beautiful with every passing year, because when I was younger, I would never leave the house for any purpose without getting dressed and putting on makeup. These days, I still get dressed (you won't catch me at the store in my slippers and pajamas!) but it's pretty easy for me to leave the house for morning carpool or quick errands or to walk the dog with little more than

Jacquelynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12250500042046321248noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7358344072663072976.post-58478251448232910232010-02-15T16:26:00.000-08:002010-03-03T09:33:21.755-08:00

I just finished reading Lenore Skenazy's book, Free-Range Kids. You may remember me mentioning Lenore and her blog in the blog post I wrote about my own 'free-range' parenting experience. I just now got around to reading her book. I had a hard time putting it down until I had finished it. She writes with not just level-headed common sense on her side, but real, quantifiable facts and

Jacquelynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12250500042046321248noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7358344072663072976.post-73686485860390757492010-02-13T08:18:00.000-08:002010-02-13T09:22:24.530-08:00

I recently finished reading the book "Mutant Message Down Under" by Marlo Morgan, which she claims is a fictionalized summary of her experience traveling with Aborigines across the continent of Australia. I thought it was an interesting read, and regardless of the authenticity of her tale, it was a fascinating story and she did bring up some valid notions about the destructive ways in which

Jacquelynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12250500042046321248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7358344072663072976.post-60864304223860013012010-02-08T09:49:00.001-08:002010-02-08T10:49:28.664-08:00

On Friday I took my daughter and her friend roller skating at Oaks Park in SE Portland. Before we went, I wasn't sure if I was going to actually skate or not. After all, it had been about 5 years since I had skated last (once) and a long, long time prior to that. Who knows how my body would function on wheels. I could sense the potential for pain. But I wasn't about to sit on my butt

Jacquelynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12250500042046321248noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7358344072663072976.post-60765487006429476342010-01-29T17:24:00.000-08:002010-01-29T17:52:51.383-08:00

Ohhh, yeah, I did. I totally made chewy chocolate cookies with whole maraschino cherries in them and a blanket of sweet chocolate goodness over the top. Sweet, sweet chocolate covered cherry cookies. Yup, they are every bit as good as they look.Of course, if you aren't a chocolate-covered cherry person, you won't like these. More for me. And if you are a cherry purist, and won't let an

Jacquelynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12250500042046321248noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7358344072663072976.post-45009592459876120532010-01-22T13:28:00.000-08:002010-01-22T13:29:45.749-08:00

. . . Can you tell?

Jacquelynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12250500042046321248noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7358344072663072976.post-29632573396876993882010-01-21T09:27:00.001-08:002010-03-23T08:43:40.021-07:00

Hullo, I am going to let fly a wee bit of a rant today. It's about water bottles. I am not going to talk about the evils of plastic, one time use water bottles, because hopefully by now we all know how utterly stupid and wasteful it is to use these. If not, please click here for a really nice, simple info-graphic that explains it. You can also read about it on Fake Plastic Fish, one of my

Jacquelynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12250500042046321248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7358344072663072976.post-90013121078041839642010-01-18T08:14:00.001-08:002010-01-18T10:32:30.929-08:00

These little guys have been popping up all over our yard during the last week or so:In my experience, bulbs pushing their way up towards warmth mean spring has begun.Granted, it's been warm lately. Today is supposed to be 51 degrees, and last week the thermometer in my car said it was 60 out.I'm always happy when spring comes; I love the changing of the seasons, and spring is always such a

Jacquelynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12250500042046321248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7358344072663072976.post-47680125563735473322010-01-13T16:27:00.000-08:002010-01-13T16:44:21.430-08:00

. . . Rosemary Maple Glazed Nuts and they are super good. I dare you to make these and not eat them all yourself. The blog this recipe is from, Food in Jars, is one of my favorites because I love food in jars, and she posts lots of great recipes and canning ideas. Check it out, make some stuff, thank me later! Yay!

Jacquelynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12250500042046321248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7358344072663072976.post-62336034012771231522010-01-11T12:49:00.000-08:002010-01-11T13:37:31.288-08:00

I've had this huge burst of motivation recently to go through my entire house, cleaning, rearranging furniture, and most importantly, purging stuff I don't need or use or like. I don't quite remember where I started, perhaps it was when I decided that I really wanted our finished attic to be a guest room and I cleaned it out so I could figure out what it needed for furniture. Or maybe it was

Jacquelynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12250500042046321248noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7358344072663072976.post-73752545405629980992010-01-06T13:37:00.000-08:002010-01-06T14:08:38.174-08:00

Those of you who have been around chickens probably know that they are not typically year-round egg layers. As the days get shorter, egg laying slows and eventually stops, then picks up again when the days get longer. Our hens' egg laying tapered to a stop at the end of the year. All except for one.This is Sunny, our sweet, bold little bantam hen. She lays the cutest blue eggs that look like

Jacquelynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12250500042046321248noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7358344072663072976.post-49309553586754979482010-01-04T21:02:00.000-08:002010-01-04T21:18:37.062-08:00

I found pantry moths, also known as grain moths, in two containers of food I had in the pantry today. After I got over being totally grossed out, I chucked the contaminated food and got down to some serious pantry cleaning. I took everything out, scrubbed all the shelves and surfaces with hot soapy water, and checked everything for signs of pests. Luckily, nothing else seemed to have been

Jacquelynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12250500042046321248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7358344072663072976.post-66877723556311726442009-12-29T15:59:00.001-08:002009-12-29T16:07:32.465-08:00

It's snowing in Portland:That's Nico's 'hullo, wot?' face there, 'cause he's getting plastered with really wet snow. Hubby got the sweet little project car today that he's been wanting for some time now:Isn't she cute? It's not as though we didn't have enough projects around the house to keep him busy, but I gotta admit, I've always (seriously, since I was a wee lass) had a semi-secret desire to

Jacquelynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12250500042046321248noreply@blogger.com2