What have I been doing?? Well was ultra busy making candles over the holidays, then we did a benefit for my buddy who has cancer, so I am just now getting back to the blog.I have always had this idea in the back of my mind, then I got some awesome homemade soap for Christmas from cousin Clara. I loved it so much because I was enveloped in a cloud of enchantment everytime that I used it. The soap is called Herman Handmade Soap, so I Googled it--they don't have a website. WHAT??? no website??? So I contacted them the old fashion way, by telephone. I requested a list of soaps that they had, she said I would send my order and a check through a place called the post office. Oh Ok I rember the post office. Well I also found that these soap makers wrote a book called Better Off by Eric Brende. I found a used copy on Amazon for $0.01 (yep, a penny + $3 shipping) In a nutshell, Eric, who had recieved degrees from Yale and MIT went to live with the Amish for 18 months. After this experience he and his wife decided to cut out of the rat race for things and technology. So now he drives a richshaw in St. Loius and Makes soap.
OK, what I learned from this book (and what my mother in law has told me 100 times) is that I don't need so much crap!! So I threw out 8 garbage bags full of stuff. Stuff like--broken lamps that I was gonna fix-- burned out candle containers, and tons more. Yep, If left to my own ways, I would be a horder. Why?? Welll I was always taught to conserve, ya may need it later. Needless to say my hubs was ecstatic!!
Another aspect of the book talked about doing things by hand. So many folks want to rush to buy things that are fast and quick. This brings be to my point. Is out need for convience food the cause of so much cancer?? Of course the plastic packaging leaches into our food to join with all of the other pesticides and preservities. I watched a documentry called Food Inc. I meat producer talked about how in order to kill the ecoli in the meat, they spray it all down with ammonia. So I am thinking that back to basics is the way to go--two reasons--Tami and Jackson. I don't know how far I will go. Up till recently the only homemade thing that I did was grate cheese by hand. ;o). There is alot that I need to learn aaannnndd I know just the folks to aske--My cousins Daryl and June Roberson. They are awesome, the raise chickens, sheep, veggies, herbs and lots of other stuff. They make their own cider, soap, and of course can lots. I will prolly hit Daryl up for some advice.
Ideally I would love to get rid of the cable, but my hubs thinks that my step kids would miss it. They are ultra sweet kids and I could not ask for better brother and sis for my babies, however they are not farm kids. One time we asked them to help shuck corn and you woulda thought I asked them to lay a golden egg --hence the pic above. It is 100% not their fault that they do not know about hard work or a life without exensive name brand clothes. for sure lil Renae is not lazy, she is a very helpful punkin around the house. Hopefully they will learn that making and doing things together can be fun.
I would never be a hater on alot of technology--you know I Loooooves me some Facebook!! Keeps me in contact with my Homie G's (I wonder if amish ladies refer to each other as "home girls??) I just think that America's hunger for convience has resulted in a heaping scoop of cancer causing foods.
