Mother Earth Medicine

With our World still blanketed in white and temps of -15, I am so thankful for our store of Mother Earth goodness, to ease the coughs and sneezes that are creeping into our home.

Our Earth Hour Evening

Was spent together, watching the sun go to bed and the moon come out to play,

Turning off all the power to our house and going outside to honour Mother Nature,

Lighting a fire in Her honour and raising a glass to celebrate Her.

Knowing our small lights in the darkness, together with so many others, was making a difference.

http://www.earthhour.org/

Loving ....

my cloth bags.

Giving them a wash and brush up.

Afew seams to be sewn up.

Then they will be all ready for business again.

Love your cloth bags and they will certainly love you back.

Pledges - Happy Cleaning & Menu Planning

So the Personal Pledge begins ... I will make and use my own house-hold cleaners.
You understand the problem has never been with the "making" of the cleaners but with the "using" of the stuff ... housework, me !

The main players - bulk buy of Bicarb ( thats another pledge well and truly sorted - bulk buying ) some Dr.Bronner's magic soap, lemons and tea-tree essential oil.
Need to get some white vinegar.

And then the books, cause with me it's always about the books ....

Clean House, Clean Planet by Karen Logan
Better Basics for the Home by Annie Berthold-Bond
and for that bit of sparkle ...
The Magical Household by Scott Cunningham and David Harrington.

I have to add that I did already have these on the bookshelf ( just needed a quick dust off ! )

So, kitchen floor ( ceramic tiles ) washed with warm water, some bicarb and tea-tree oil ... came up a treat and smells wonderful,now off for a cup of tea and to read the books.

Pledge - Menu Planning and shopping accordingly - after a look in the cupboards, fridge and freezer, have decided shopping is not needed this week ( apart from some milk and cereal this morning at the co-op )
We will have a "use it up" week.

Tonights Tea - Pesto Pasta and Salad.

Happy Compost

Mama knit gloves for K ( kindly sewn up by T, thanks Hon ) Think she's happy with them, she's worn them everywhere, even laying sunning herself in the hammock !
What bargains, 3 Julia Donaldson books at the carboot. I asked the guy selling them how much and he said £4 .. mmm, perhaps not ! So my Mum picked them up 10 mins later and got all 3 for £1.
and for the compost ... wonderful Rye bread from The Village Bakery for me and compostable packaging for the compost heap.

We're all smiling today.

Pledge - will buy rechargeable batteries and a recharger and use them & switch to a recycled product

Happy " Green " Botties - 100% recycled Novelle toilet tissue.

Dug charger out and sorted out batteries for it, made sure everyone knows where it is and how to use it.
Sorted.

Mother Earth Smiles

We decided as a family to sign up for more pledges at http://myzerowaste.com/pledge-win/ and also mark up the ones we already do ( and make sure we are still doing them )

First up, pledges already happening in our house

1. Using home recycling boxes - we are very lucky to have 3 wheelie bins here ( collected fortnightly ) 1 for recycling stuff including glass, 1 for garden waste and the last for everything else.
   
2. Recycle my tetrapaks - these can be put in our wheelie bin.


3. Call local council to find out what can be recycled - we have just had magnetic leaflets delivered with all the collection dates for bins and what can and can't be put in them.


4. Start taken non collectible items to a recycling bank - discovered that hubby can take used batteries into work.


5. Take reusable cup to work - hubby already has.


6. Reuse packaging and envelopes - box under the stairs holds all our envelopes and used jiffy bags, we buy labels from various charities to stick over old addresses.


7. Join DVD library - members of Blockbuster, DVDs are sent out to you and you return them within the same envelope.


8. Use local library - never away from the place, we request books on-line and get them to notify us when they arrive via e.mail.


9. Use washable nappies or menstrual products - Used disp. with eldest children but now washable with the little man ( we are loving them ) Need to restock on menstrual products ( or make own )


10. Start a compost heap or wormery- 2 compost heaps and 1 wormery.


11. Start to prepare gardening for growing veg - we have fenced off an area of the garden ( keep dog off ) and made 2 raised beds - growing lettuce, courgettes,beans, radish,spring onions.Also greenhouse for toms and cucumbers.


12. Start using reusable bags - we have loads of cloth and string bags, always used.Helped a friend to knit a string bag recently and have started, when returning borrowed bits and pieces to friends, to pop them in a reusable and tell them to keep it.


13. Buy loose produce instead of bagged - wonderful at farmers markets and farm shops.


14. Sign up for veg box scheme - have used Woodlands Farm for over 5 years now.


15. Offer one unwanted item on Free cycle or take to charity shop - teas made offered and taken on Free cycle.Car boot full of stuff taken to the PDSA , Salvation Army ( with respect to my friend Queenie )and charity shop helping local people.


16. Send an e.mail greetings card instead of a paper one - Happy Birthday L, he loved his e.mail card.


17. Buy one purchase in bulk to save on packaging - huge bag of rice from Suma co-op.


18. Use a reusable bottle - all 5 of us now have our own bottles, so no need for buying water when out and about.

Pledges we're working on

1. Talk to a family member or friend about recycling - DONE - spoken to my parents and a good friend, made both aware of Freecycle and the three R's.


2. Switch to at least one recycled product this week. DONE >>>> Happy Botties , we've switched to Novelle 100% recycled.


3. Take active steps to stop junk mail being delivered to my home - GO LOOK -http://www.stopjunkmail.org.uk/


4. Use washable cloths instead of kitchen towel - already use washables for washing up but need to stop with the kitchen towel.


5. Cancel yellow pages / telephone directory - Thanks Queenie for the number, will call tomorrow. DONE ... call 0800 671444 ( in the UK ) .... easy.


6. Make one card from scraps for a birthday or Christmas - DONE ..... 2 birthday cards made 18/8 for P & H.


7. Buy rechargeable batteries and a recharger and use them - we do have some of these, need to sort them out, recharge them and get them used. SORTED ... dug recharger out, found batteries and bought some new ones, made sure everyone knows where it is and how to use it.


8. Plan a weekly menu and shop accordingly.


9. Make one meal from leftovers.


10. Make something like bread instead of buying in plastic wrap.

Action my own pledge

1. Start making and using my own household cleaners - Posters up ... it's a start.

Wow, lots already being worked on and some work to be done .... can feel Mother Earth grinning.

Happy days.

I will send an email greeting card instead of a paper one

http://www.gratefulness.org/ecards/index.cfm

I adore these cards, so full of inspiration and the pictures are amazing.
Another pledge sorted.

I will use a reusable bottle for water

Now no excuse for buying bottles of water when out and about, everyone has their own reusable.
Think we've got that pledge covered, am enjoying this.

http://myzerowaste.com/pledge-win/

Making good on a pledge

Offer one unwanted item on Freecycle or take to a Charity Shop .... how about a boot full of stuff heading for the Charity Shop tomorrow and a Teas-made offered on Freecycle today. http://myzerowaste.com/pledge-win/

Goodies, Pledges and Happy Harvests

How did I ever deserve such fab friends, friends that give you a lift up when your low ... a gorgeous parcel of surprise goodies from Rae, thank you so much my beautiful girl.
The new copy of Country Living Magazine, pure indulgence, also arrived ... what a great start to the day.

So, I've taken the Pledge over at http://myzerowaste.com/ some wonderful prizes up for grabs but more importantly a chance to stop and take a look at your reduce, reuse, recycle habits.
My pledges -

• I will talk to at least one family member or friend to promote recycling
• I will take active steps to stop junk mail being delivered to my home
• I will offer one unwanted item on Freecycle or take to a charity shop
• I will send an email greeting card instead of a paper one
• I will buy rechargeable batteries and a recharger and use them
• I will use a reusable bottle for water
• I will plan a weekly menu and shop accordingly
• I will make one meal from leftovers
• I will make something like bread instead of buying in plastic wrap

So what will you pledge ?

Happy Harvest from the garden ... recipes for courgettes very welcome please.

and those words ( or very similar ! ) " Hi, Honey I'm Home " yesterday when my Mexican visitor walked through the door, made me smile and smile ( after I'd moaned about how awful my week had been ) x