Shopping, and good habits

I have shifted the way I shop- and thus, the things I buy for our family- quite a bit over the past year. Significantly less trips to big box stores and predominantly trips to local shops and thrift stores. (And often to buy the supplies needed to make items sold at stores. ie, detergent). I've always preferred this way of shopping, and it's always been a part of my life. It's always been important to me to be a responsible consumer- I remember a time in college when I was so contentious of what products I was buying (no animal testing, safe, natural ingredients, et), it took me one hour to pick out a face wash! Or once, after a trip to see Julia Butterfly Hill  speak at an event, I came home to all of my brother's clothes in trash bags along the street. I couldn't stand to think of the clothes going into landfills, so I brought them all back inside, kept a few I could wear, and was sure to donate the rest. I cannot begin to describe the feeling I get when I look back on moments of connecting with nature, with Earth, and realizing that we are so perfectly a part of it. So many times.

That much I've learned, however, is that one can be a conscious consumer and still keep it simple.  More than ever, I'm committed to continually cultivating this lifestyle. It's simply better for our family, our community, our planet. It's simpler. Though I was never a big consumer (frankly, I get overwhelmed when around too much retail), this shift has become more pronounced as I've continued to learn and embrace what I truly appreciate, and how I relate to the world through things. And I still very much love a good trip to Target every now and then, so armed with a couple of birthday gift cards, I snuck away for an hour last week to do a little shopping.

Amongst other things, I found these Crayola Window Markers with Crystal Effects. I thought it'd be fun for Nate to draw with them on our kitchen patio doors. We loved them. Like, really love them.  They glide onto the glass translucent, but as the marker dries, it 'crystalizes.' We drew a bunch of leaves, raindrops, pumpkins, lines, circles and squiggles.

Enjoyed a beautiful weekend. Made brunch, mixed some oils, and worked on a few sewing projects.

Been going for early morning walks, too. I used to do this during my junior to senior year in college and when we lived in Utah. It's been a nice routine to start again.

Lazy, lovely Sunday

A few pictures from a recent trip to Prairie Oaks metro park.

Also, updating the shop later this week to include new burnt items and greeting cards, which were featured at the Fourth of the Month fair a couple of weeks ago.

http://www.hobnobwesterville.com/home/viewvideo/111/local-events/westerville-ohio-4th-friday-video-1-september-28-2012

Yours truly representing the goods at Westerville's craft fair.  I am trying very hard to get over feeling shy in public, especially when it comes to representing the boxes.  I think this impromptu request to speak to the camera was a good exercise. I look at it to be a challenge to overcome, something that will help me grow as a person.

Around and about

Just a few things we've been up to lately here at d.a.s. bucks.

Planting oregano and dill seeds (and transplanting rosemary indoors). I found the boxes, seed and soil at the local thrift for $4.

Making autumnal jewelry

Collecting botanical specimens to create a "leaving summer, welcoming autumn" nature board.   Nate and I went for a walk through the field by our house. We collected all sorts of botanical specimens to create this nature board. We took a piece of foam board we'd previously used for drawing , covered it in a cloth napkin, and pinned our collection. I held the tack in place while Nate pushed it down. He placed all the items on the board. 

 We definitely plan to create another board later in the fall.

As well as lots of tomato canning to do.  Loving this weather...

The Gratitude Box

I have opened up a shop, called The Gratitude Box.  You can find it here.

The shop is a place where all items reflect gratitude and encourage a mindset of thanksgiving on a daily basis.  The core idea came years ago when I painted and oiled a wooden box for Andy to keep a few things of sentimental value.  Over time, I watched how he cherished the box enough to keep it in daily view.  When I asked him about this, he replied that the box helped him feel grateful. 

In the process of creating these boxes, I have observed how I have become more grateful. Gratitude doesn't have to be a public declaration of your life (though it can, if that's how it resonates with you); and in fact, I find it to be a deeply personal, often private way of connecting with who you are, your life, and your faith.

It will be a positive outlet for my creativity and alone time. And it builds on the concept of giving thanks through others, which I believe contributes some good to the world.  Working in charitable giving for years, it is also my hope to donate some of the funds to charity. 

Soon I will be opening a shop on the online marketplace, Etsy. I also hope/plan to sell locally at craft fairs and possibly local craft marketplaces.The idea has been something that I have wanted to do for years and have decided to act on it.  More to come!

"What is a weed? A plant whose virtues have not yet been discovered."

-Ralph Waldo Emerson

More tomatoes

In all seriousness, we are so spoiled by so many tomatoes this year, that I need to get to work preserving some of them rather than eating them every night.

Maybe tomorrow. Tonight, I did a little experimenting in the kitchen and came up with this for dinner:

Roasted cherry tomato penne with white (bechamel) sauce.  Pretty simple.  We had half a box of penne left over from Monday (pasta twice in three days...)  I love the sweetness the cherry tomatoes release from the roasting process.  

Here's how it ended up unfolding:  I took three handfuls of cherry tomatoes, a couple cloves of smashed garlic, and a red onion sliced.  Place them on a baking pan and drizzle with olive oil, s/p. Toss to evenly coat with oil.  Roast at 450 degrees for about 10-15 minutes. 

Meanwhile, cook penne until just slighly under al dente.  

To make the bechamel sauce, melt 2 tbl. of butter in a small saucepan over medium heat.  Whisk in 2 tbl. of flour. Stir for about 1 min.  Whisk in 1 cup of milk.  Continue whisking and cook until sauce thickens. 

While penne and sauce cook and tomatoes cool, pour 1/2 c. italian bread or panko crumbs in a bowl.  Add 2 tbl. olive oil, s/p and stir to combine.  Set aside.

After draining pasta, add it to an oven safe dish and mix with tomato mixture.  Shred a few leaves of fresh basil and stir to combine.  Pour over sauce and mix evening.  Evenly spread breadcrumbs on top of pasta.  Bake for 30 minutes or until sauce is bubbling and breadcrumbs are golden.

We eat a simple romaine salad with most dinners, especially during the summer, and it all went so nicely together.

In other news, I made Nate this hemp anklet with his initials:  

One day, I'll make one for Andy and I, too.  Need to can those tomatoes first, tho.

Gathering and Fresh Air

I love this time of year: summer is winding down, garden produce is bountiful, and every now and then, when a cooler day blows through, you can start to feel autumn; the real treat being autumn's arrival.

On our kitchen table, six sunflowers, which I picked from a field behind our house, are sitting in four white vases. 

For supper tonight, we chowed on cherry and yellow pear tomatoes from our garden and a basil (also from our garden) pesto Nate and I made this morning.  It was delicious!

Our patio sliding screen door had developed a few holes over the past year, and I'd been putting packing tape over them temporarily (it looked hideous.)  This weekend, we channeled our inner weekend warriors and purchased fiberglass screen cloth, spline rolling tool and vinyl spline. Andy and I tag teamed it- he removed the door, I replaced the screen, he reinstalled the door. Having lots of fresh, late evening air drift through the open screen was really, really nice.

Making it a good week.

Little things, like hikes

July and early August has been chock full of travel, so I am behind on these posts.  The week between Oregon and Rehoboth, Andy arranged for us to go on a little impromptu nature hike.  

This man knows that chivalry, as I would define it, would include nature, holding hands, perhaps a little food, and a little spontaneity. Sans food, we had a fun, relaxed time soaking in the softening sunlit rays of a summer beginning to wind down. 

And a little produce from the buck family garden we harvested afterwards. 

Newport, Oregon coast

After a v. v. wonderful trip to Oregon, which included an overnight mini vacation for Andy and I, I'm just now getting around to organizing the photos we took.  A few pictures from our stay at Newport coast for a night, just Andy and me:

We visited Tillamook cheese factory on the way down to Newport, went on a brewery tour and ate dinner at Rogue, went for several walks along the beautiful, quiet, cool beach, stayed at the Hallmark Resort (thank you, Mom!!), and ate bfast at Georgie's before driving back to Portland.  It was so good to get away, just the two of us, together, just for a little while.  

La Luna

A long time ago, Andy pointed to the moon and told Nate it is also called "la luna," for Spanish.  Rather than saying "moon," Nate has generally referred to the moon as "la luna."  He and I wrote this song together, after many nights of seeing the moon through the window before falling asleep.

La luna, La luna
She’ll sing you right to sleep.
La Luna , La Luna
Your dreams she will keep. 

Staring at the stars
Bright in the night,
See you right to sleep.
Look up at the moon's
Shining light.
Watch you fall asleep.

La luna, La luna
She’ll sing you right to sleep.
La Luna , La Luna
Your dreams she will keep.

Look into the sky
Late at night.
See you right to sleep.
Look up at the stars
Shining bright
Watch you fall asleep.

La Luna, La Luna
She’ll see you right to sleep.
La Luna, La Luna
Your dreams she will keep.

Someday, I hope to record the music on the piano.  For now, our humming and singing works just fine :)

Practicing the alphabet