I come from a long line of self-sufficient folk. Some hunters, some farmers, some breeders of livestock, some fishermen, some foragers, sometimes all wrapped into one. Perhaps it came from coming of age in the Great Depression and remaining poor, passing those frugal and resourceful qualities onto your children. For whatever reason I’ve always been fascinated with self-sufficiency.

Even in this era of consumerism and affluence, while sitting at my kitchen window typing on my laptop which resides just above my dishwasher and to the right of my espresso maker I sit here dreaming of my colony.

I can visualize the spots in the front yard where I have plans for plums and apple trees and caned raspberry bushes.

I have a view of various spots in my backyard where the pea starts are struggling up through this unforgiving spring weather - some days sunny and mild, some days rainy and all too many days of sleet and hail mixed together. I see chard and kale and carrots coming up. I see flowers peek out of the strawberries and falling from cherry trees. I see leaves start on the blueberry and huckleberry bushes and rhubarb just beginning to venture up. I see spots for corn and beans and tomatoes once the soil warms some more.

I see the spot where we began driving the well into our hard clay soil which works as a marvelous plug that prevents water drainage into the soil, allowing the high water table to pool and the rainwater to collect in the reservoir. An old cistern pump lies waiting for us to finish driving the pipe down lower so the kids can bring up water for the plants in July when we need to water them on a regular basis.

I also see the spots where I’ve left room for a future hen house - in Seattle we are allowed 3 chickens even within city limits but no roosters. I’m ok with that. I’ve also left a spot for a bunny hutch. I dream of fresh eggs and rabbit legs to go with herbs and vegetables fresh from my garden.

I dream of someday living outside the city limits so I can have a cow and some goats for fresh kefir, butter, cheeses and crème fraiche for my berries.

Perhaps Mrs. G will let me be the cultivator of livestock and farmer of fresh foods in her Women’s Colony. It’s a wonderful image to hold. For now I’ll just keep dreaming of summer and fall bounty, fresh eggs and homemade cheeses. And maybe I’ll head to PCC so there is actually something in my refrigerator when my husband comes home.

As Earth Day approaches I am hearing a lot of buzz about living green. Sort of like close to Valentines Day when you start seeing jewelry, chocolate and floral commercials everywhere. We always try to do things the green way but the buzz around Earth Day is making me realize that most people want to be green and just don’t know how to begin. Like our diet, green has been a journey we took step by step. To begin I find it helpful to read the Lorax to preschool-aged kids and explain everything to them. They will be appalled at what’s happening to the planet and constantly keep you on track should you stray.

We started by selling our bigger house and buying a much smaller one with more yard. By buying a fixer rather than building something new we were “re-using” existing resources. We then replaced all the appliances and toilet (that’s right, one toilet) with new high-efficiency ones. We decommisioned the old oil tank to remove any future chance of oil leaching into the water table. We installed a combination of gas and radiant heating. We replaced the original single pane windows with new double pane ones. We installed a fan in the attic to remove hot air in the summer then insulated the whole house. We updated the electric and replaced the fixtures with newer ones and high efficiency bulbs. We planted 17 trees in the yard, deciduous ones directly on the south side of the house so they would let light and warmth in during the winter months and then screen the windows and roof in the summer months. We bought rain barrels for watering the new trees.

I breastfed exclusively - no need for plastic bottles or formula made from dairy industry by-products. We cloth diaper. I wash them myself but you could further reduce water use by using a diaper service. When we do use disposables I use Seventh Generation or G Diapers. I now only buy natural products (toothpaste, lotion, shampoo and underarm deoderant). We try to share baby gear, kids clothes and toys between our circle of friends. I try to buy wooden toys made from renewable sources like rubber wood.

I try to buy minimal processed food, opting instead for items in the bulk bin. We eat a lot of oatmeal and granola for breakfast in place of cereal. If I do buy processed food I only buy the natural brands. I also try not to buy canned items since metals are non-renewable and many cans are lined with unsavory chemicals that leach into the food. We have a farm-share (CSA) from a farm that is both local AND organic, not to mention they use sustainable farming practices. That will be the new buzz word you’ll be reading about in a few year’s time. My dollar is my vote and the only way to get corporate America to make changes in the food industry.

Likewise for cleaning products. I use Bon Ami and Ecover cleansers, otherwise baking soda, vinegar, or dish soap. I remember my grandfather teaching me to clean the bathtub just before those Dow Scrubbing Bubbles came out. I remember whining “I wiped it and it’s not coming off, how do you get it clean?” His response was “Elbow grease, kid.” That is something we seem to have lost in the last 30 years - elbow grease does the same thing that many toxic chemicals do and it will help you stave off those lunch lady arms. The biggest trick is to not wait a month before cleaning the toilet bowl or shower. It will take a quick 2 minute rubdown in the shower if you do it a few times a week and you won’t need anything other than the same soap you use to shower. And as far as bar soap goes - I use Dr. Bonners or Kiss My Face. It’s soap, not a beauty bar. It is designed for cleaning rather than foaming and smelling pretty. You’ll notice the difference right away.

We have switched to all chargable batteries as well. It’s a big committment initially because they cost more and you need a charger (or several for different sizes) but once you’ve replaced all the appliances and remotes in your house you don’t need to keep buying batteries. And don’t throw your old batteries in the garbage! They contain lead, mercury, cadmium and other elemental metals that don’t disappear. They end up in the water and soil if not disposed of properly.

And speaking of things that never disappear, I do not buy from online stores that use styrofoam packing material and I do not buy takeout food from places that use it either. Not only does it contain an estrogen mimic, like BPA in plastic drinking bottles but it never breaks down. It get smaller and smaller but it never goes away and ends up in the food chain by starting with fish and birds. We all have stryene in our bodies, like it or not.

Now speaking of things in our bodies, I only cook with stainless steel pans. No more caphalon or teflon for me. I know manufacturers say the new generation non-stick pans aren’t toxic but trust them once shame on them. Shame on me is not in my future, at least as it concerns coated pans.

I’m not sure if this one counts because it’s not necessarily my choice but my showers aren’t as frequent as they used to be, or as long. That is mainly because I have small children who cry and swing from the shower curtain or throw items into the shower and try to climb in with me. Likewise I don’t wash my car frequently. Think of all the water I’m saving! And since I have two small boys I make them bathe together in a tub that is no more than 1/4 full. In the summer we try to frequent wading pools rather than filling up a blow up pool for ourselves, or I let the boys run through the sprinkler while we water the grass in the backyard. The front yard we let yellow in the summer to save water.

Before we make purchases I try to check craig’s list to see if we can find a used one somewhere. I don’t do this for any plastic or painted kid’s toys because of the safety issues but it’s a great way to buy a couch or rug and the flame retardants are just that much more aired out the older the item is! Another great place to look for used and free items is zwaggle.com. You can also periodically take a buy nothing challenge. Try to go a week with only buying groceries and gas. The next time try to go a month. If you are able to do this on a periodic basis you will have made a huge environmental impact.

As far as mail goes we cancelled all magazine and newspaper subscriptions and any mail order catalogs. It helps keep down on recycling and I find I’m much less likely to buy things - a double whammy.

We sold the Jeep and bought a diesel. My husband is very committed to biodiesel fuel, although I have my reservations. I’m opposed to mono-crop farming and genetic modification and both of those things are used to create the grains from which alternative fuels are made from.

The most difficult thing for me has been giving up Starbucks. They tout that they are committed to fair trade and the environment but sadly they only have one blend of coffee that is shade grown and fair trade. Instead I keep trying new roasts of coffee beans that are both fair trade and shade grown but I haven’t found one yet with that beautiful Starbucks bite. I’ll keep trying though.

Things that I am working on - being less of a consumer (my weakness is the kids and the yard), buying more local things at much higher prices - handmade clothes, locally made lotions and soaps, growing more of our own vegetables in the summer and riding the bus more with the kids. The challenge is getting home from our travels by naptime with all of our gear.

Books I admire that inspire: Animal, Vegetable, Mineral by Barbara Kingsolver. It will make you think seriously about the choices you make.

Happy Earth Day!

I’m describing myself but I’m also talking about my favorite breakfast here. I’ve tried buying granola from boxes, bags and bulk but it’s just not crunchy enough for me, or roasted enough for me, and it almost never has the bite it needs from a splash of molasses.

I remember reading once that homemade granola was so easy to make and so incomparable to any bought granola that you would never go back, and you know I never have. I hope to pass this on to you as well.

BurpRag’s Crunchy Granola

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large bowl mix together:

4 cups old-fashioned thick cut organic oatmeal
2 cups slivered almonds
2 cups unsweetened coconut

In a small bowl or directly in the measuring cup add:

1/2 - 3/4 cup canola oil
1 cup honey
2 T blackstrap molasses

Stir well.

Pour the liquid ingredients over the dry ones, mixing well until thoroughly incorporated.
Bake on a parchment-lined cookie sheet for 40-45 minutes stirring every 15 minutes. Allow it to cool slightly then break it up. This stores well in a sealed container in the pantry for at least 4 weeks, although it doesn’t last that long in my house.

This granola can be used to make granola bars, fresh fruit yogurt granola parfaits, or as a quick topping to baked fruit (simply bake fruit & sugar in a corning baker then top with granola).

Cloth diaper we do butt sometimes the poo, oh the poo, oh the poo oh the poo and doo doo…

With Chicken Little I was somewhat militant about cloth diapering, which meant that I frequently was carrying soiled stinkies around with me because I needed to take them home to wash. It meant that my diaper bag really only had room in it for, well, for diapers. When Toddler was born I softened a little. I’m still committed to reducing my environmental footprint but overnight we use disposable. If we have a sitter we use disposable. And if we have a lot of errands to run we use disposable. At first my goal was to use no more than 7 a week but lately we’ve been on the go a lot and I noticed our disposable diaper consumption has increased. I’m starting to save up some garbage for the next week because the can is already full.

So last week I finally broke down and tried G Diapers. They are an interesting concept. The filling looks like the huge maxi pads of my teenage years that fit inside a trim little cover. They contain fewer chemicals than other diapers (although any filling that can absorb that much liquid cannot be entirely natural) but they break down in 50-120 days as opposed to 500 YEARS. That’s right, I said 500 years. That is how long it takes a regular disposable diaper to breakdown. Let alone the added “landmass” we are created in refuse. If we could only take that garbage landmass and add it back to the eroding coastline we are experiencing through climate change but I digress.

One interesting thing about the G Diaper is that it’s flushable. In order to flush it you tear open the outer cover of the pad and shake out the inside material. I tried this with great trepidation the first time but it flushed ok. My trepidation was rooted in the fact that we are a one crapper household, baby bjorn potty notwithstanding. While we were renovating the bathroom I went for 3 days without a toilet while 6 months pregnant so I’m a little nervous when it comes to doing without functional plumbing.

Tonight Toddler threw me a curveball in his G-diaper and for some reason I didn’t just toss it in the garbage. Without thinking I started ripping the outside and tried “shaking” the inner contents out without losing the smeared on contents, or the contents of my stomach. Of course I was holding the insert by the cleanest edge I could find, trying to pull the inner section out. The closer I got to the unsavory section the more stubborn and rooted the insert became. It was halfway out and I reasoned that what with swirling around in it’s little whirlpool it should finish coming out on it’s own so I gave it a flush. It looked like it flushed just fine.

About an hour later my husband approached me, tactfully asking if I knew of any reason the toilet might be overflowing. Well, there was one I could think of. The toilet was hopelessly plugged, even after about 10 minutes of furious plunging. Suddenly my husband remembered that the natural alternative to certain death for all wildlife as we know it Drano and Liquid Plumber also worked on toilets. He shook a little into the bowl and 10 minutes later it was completely unclogged. The particular brand we purchased is called Earth Enzymes but there are other natural enzyme products out there as well.

And the Earth Day moral of the story is (1) be sure to follow all directions when someone is telling you how to flush a large bulky object down your toilet and (2) always have a backup plan, or Earth Enzymes on hand just in case.

Monday night BurpRag had a chance to meet someone she really, really admires, and it wasn’t the Dalai Lama who was also just in Seattle. Although at the last minute there were a million reasons why BurpRag could have just scrapped the whole thing and stayed home she went anyway and wandered around Post Alley in the driving rain trying to remember where the heck The Pink Door used to be. It’s still in the same place it turns out, unlike BurpRag’s mind.

Bossy, of iambossy.com fame was one of the sweetest, most unassuming, warm, charming and gracious women BurpRag has ever met. And the best part of the whole evening was getting to know some ultra-cool, uber-talented and fun female bloggers in BurpRag’s home town. Many of them even have kids the same age as Toddler and Chicken Little.

And that was Bossy’s whole point to this road trip - to bring bloggers together physically. In this age of personal anonymity and indifference, the phenomenon of blogging has brought so many people together online. Why can’t we all be so interested and compassionate of the people we deal with on a daily basis?

Thanks Bossy, for taking the time to impact so many of us. We hope you make it back this way again.

4 year old to self: HELP! I can’t get this trike turned around on the carpet. I need to get it to the wood floor and I need you to do it for me.
Self to 4 year old riding trike in the house: How did that tricycle get in here?
4 year old: I think the dog brought it in.
Self: Never mind. Just get off of it, turn it around with your hand and push it off the carpet.
4 year old: I can’t do it, I need you to do it for me.
Self: You can try to do it and then next time you’ll know what to do. I know you can do it.
4 year old: I can’t!!!
Self: Just try.
4 year old: No, you do it for me.
Self: Then you’ll never learn how to do it so you can help yourself when I’m not available.
4 year old: I don’t care, I want you to do it for me.

Self suddenly remembering a conversation with Cricket of GNC Web Creations:
Self: Cricket, I need some help getting my web traffic up. Can you help me come up some high traffic phrases that fit my audience?
Cricket: Smiles (always smiling at me she is), I’ll show you how to do it and then you can do it yourself.
Self: I’ve scratched my head so long it hurts, I’d really like some help thinking outside the box.
Cricket: Read these articles and check these forums, they will give you some ideas. Also look at these web groups. Keep trying! You’re doing a great job.
Self: You mean you won’t help me even if I pay you?
Cricket: Because I truly care about the success of your business you really need to learn how to do it yourself. Now go back and re-read every post word for word so you can start fishing.

Back in the day we were quite the DINK fun-loving partyers (doesn’t everyone have home brew tapped off the kitchen sink?) But things change when you have kids. Especially when you have kids who are allergic to sleep and want to stay up and play all night. We do still occasionally entertain and this St. Patrick’s day was one of those occasions because Burp Rag’s husband makes a black and tan like nobody’s business. The party was lots of fun with kids running wild and toys everywhere. We were busy cooking and talking.

I had thought Toddler was playing in his brother’s room with the other kids when someone brought it to my attention that the bathroom door had been closed for at least 20 minutes with no response from within except the loud sounds of splashing and plunking. After calling through the door several times I timidly opened it to find Toddler, completely soaked and dunking toys and toilet paper happily in the toilet. He had wrapped some Schleich animals in toilet paper mummy-style and been bathing them in the sink. Apparently the toilet was full.

After cleaning up him and the bathroom I returned to the party. Not more than 10 minutes later someone told me they had shut my bedroom door to keep the kids out and that it now wouldn’t open. Chicken Little overheard this and started shouting “My blankies are in there and I need them RIGHT NOW!” Finally after 5 minutes of escalating hysterics his father trudged down to the basement for the toolbox.

This attracted most of the male species at the party. They all grabbed fresh beers and huddled together around the door. We’ve lived in this 1940’s era warbox cottage for almost 4 years now and sadly this is the first time our bedroom door has actually been closed.

So there they all were, rubbing their chins and discussing options. I tried not to listen because the testosterone was way too high for my comfort level. Occasionally words would drift down the hallway. I remember hearing things like “bobby pin” and “credit card”. Although the door knob was off the door still wouldn’t budge. When I heard “running start” and “shoulder blow” I went to the far end of the house and focused my attention on consoling Chicken Little.

Loud banging ensued and lasted about 30 minutes. In the end they had to remove the door jamb which my poor husband had spent last summer lovingly puttying and painting as part of our put lipstick on a pig home restoration project.

Loud cheers and more beers. Chicken Little emerged triumphantly clutching a handful of blankies, his trusted friends, once baby burprags with days of the week on them. It just might take us until next St. Patrick’s day to entertain again.