Independence Day Update: Taking Credit Where None Is Due
Sharon July 20th, 2009
Given that I was gone for almost four days this week, much of what’s listed here actually was done by my husband or children, but of course, I get to take credit for it 
. After all, there’s no box here for admitting what you didn’t do yourself. Still, not bad given the chaos – profuse gratitude to my Mother In Law for coming and making everything go smoothly with the kids.
The boys finished their camp week, and Eric and I discovered we’re not nearly as slobby as we thought, our children are simply greater forces of entropy than we’d remembered. It was amazing what we were able to do with 3+ hours per day with no children. But it did mean that taking full advantage of it meant pushing our other work to the side and working full out, which was tiring, if productive.
I’ll be writing more about my trip to Chicago shortly – I actually had an epiphany (where better for a nice Jewish mother to have an epiphany than among Catholic Activists ) about what my next step should be, and where I might actually be able to make more change. More about this soon!
We finished off cherry season mostly, which is my new favorite , and are moving solidly into currants, raspberries and blueberries – yay more fruit! I started my first attempt at black currant wine. Many of the medicinals that get harvested in flower are now ready for attention as well, and of course, the summer squash and zucchini are in full attack mode. I’m having a bad cucumber year, which is ok, since last year was a great one, and I made way too many pickles. It all evens out, I guess.
The coming week should be eventful as well – my Mom and Step-mother are coming, and I’m hoping to get the barn on the hillside ready for the laying hens to occupy it over the winter – we’ll need the space for our expanding goat herd. And the goat herd expansion will occur tomorrow, when Bast, Mina and Jessie arrive (along with our friends). This is good, because Maia and Selene are definitely pregnant, and Selene is dry and Maia on her way. So we’ve missed having milk. In the fall, when all four adult does are milking, we’ll be flooded – yay, cheese!
Ok – onwards!
Planted something: kale, fall peas, arugula, lettuce, more nasturtiums, more sorrel.
Harvested something: Blueberries, raspberries, cherries, carrots, beets, zucchini, summer squash, green beans, tomatoes, apricots, meadowsweet, marshmallow, chamomile, mint, currants (black, red), gooseberries, cucumbers, various greens.
Preserved something: Blueberry cobbler/pie filling, strawberry rhubarb jam, cherry pie filling, black currant wine, dried zucchini, made meadowsweet and marshmallow tinctures, dried chamomile and peppermint, eggs and milk (not much milk).
Waste Not: Attempted not to waste cherry pits by making cherry pit vinegar. Did not proceed well. Otherwise, just the usual, plus not allowing the housekeeping staff to touch my hotel room until I left, so that they wouldn’t waste time and resources cleaning something that was already far cleaner than anything I normally live with .
Want Not/Prep: Acquired new down jackets for Eric and Eli, thanks to generous family member getting rid of stuff. Otherwise, too busy.
Build community food systems: Got some great ideas for local community models in Chicago from Michelle, talked about the importance of food growing to lots of people at Pax Christi.
Eat the Food: Lots and lots and lots of fruit. Boy did I miss it while stuck in a hotel .
How about you?
Sharon