The Reluctant Caterpillar

Looking for it in green?

.ambre. — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 01:21:21 +0000

I came across this site while looking for wool bum covers and thought it might come in useful for one of you as well in your search for a green product. It’s kinda like the green version of Google shopping. :0 Hope it helps!

http://www.thefindgreen.com/

Building and Growing

.ambre. — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 13:51:54 +0000

Today Erik and I will be building a cinder block compost bin while my in-laws have Nara time. I am quite excited. I am crazy ready to make some dirt! And to hang out with my hubby. Pleasantly, he will be caring all 50 or so cinder blocks to the very back of the yard as he has decided that being 6 weeks pregnant I must be given only light lifting. Like Inara?
Yes, Ladies! There will soon be another Sautter in the world and I can’t wait! This afternoon we’re interviewing the midwife that, Lord willing, will be attending our home birth. I am so excited!
This year I get to watch trash compost into dirt to feed the life in the garden and I get to nourish a life being knit together in my womb. What a great year this will be!
Lucky for you, I have been trying a lot of extra nutritious recipes of late that I may choose (remember) to post for you. Here’s to hoping!

My own fault….

.ambre. — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 19:30:28 +0000

Argg! I should not have put off my spring cleaning for spring! I want to be outside playing! I don’t want to be doing my laundry. :(
I was recently reminded though that I can compost my soap nuts (we use/love Maggie’s) and dryer lint so I set up a compost bucket in the laundry room this morning. That was satisfying!

Hello???

.ambre. — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 19:57:02 +0000

Is anyone out there? I’m still here, really!
Wow. Life has been crazy. I’ve spent the majority of this year in Chicago helping/visiting with my Dad. Erik and I are finally getting around to doing a bit of unpacking and catch-up cleaning. We now have tenants in both properties. We have a new favorite restaurant that we wish we could eat at for every meal. We now have one hundred pounds of bison in our freezer and are really enjoying the experience of cooking with/eating lean meat. I have the spring itch and just want to get started the yard already! Instead I am pouring over gardening books and dreaming. I have also have finally gotten to the point in my life where I am sick of me and want to be full to overflowing with Him. As a result I have reassessed my priorities and how I spend my time and have been spending a lot more of it reading my Bible and seeking to hear His voice. It’s been awfully hard yet beautifully rewarding…

Congrats to April who has had a healthy baby boy! I’m so happy that all went well!
Talk to you all again soon.

Peace…

Update on HR4040

.ambre. — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 15:27:54 +0000

Well, here‘s some good news on yesterdays issue. It still needs some work, but it was a step in the right direction!

Act!

.ambre. — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 15:36:33 +0000

Read it and weep (for your pocketbook).

And then call your Senators.

The Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 (HR4040) is not in the consumers best interest without some serious changes!

Act now, or pay ($$$) later.

A Thing of Beauty , An Act of Love

.ambre. — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 15:39:53 +0000

This is my new dining room table. She is a thing of beauty to be sure! With eight feet of length to her we can easily seat ten around her. I’m guessing we could fit more if they’re children once our bench is finished being constructed. Yes, that’s what I said. It’s a custom order. As was the table. They are our housewarming gift from Erik’s father’s hands. I love homemade gifts! This table means so much more to our family than anything we could have found on a showroom floor! Inara is a real fan of the table as well, as evidenced here:

Oh, the meals that will be served at this table and the stories told!

What is your favorite made by hand, filled with the givers love gift you’ve received?

What is this “Farina” you speak of?

.ambre. — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 19:33:51 +0000

Hot goop on a cold, cold day! (sung to the tune in my head)

Farina n. flour or meal made of cereal grains, nuts, or starchy root

Farina looks like cream of wheat. Um, more accurately, one could say cream of wheat is farina. It’s white and smooth and oh, so good! Guess what though? I just found out it doesn’t always have to be! No? Yes!

I went on my investigation for whole wheat farina as I said I would here and found that it can be purchased for a minimum of $1.69/lb. for the organic variety. Sickening. Non-whole wheat farina is about $.89/lb in the bulk bins at NewPi. I fretted too soon though! On further exploration I stumbled upon Wardeh’s blog where she mentions having purchased whole wheat farina just to realize she could make her own for a lot less money. I took her tips, made them my own and voila! We had whole wheat farina for dinner last night. No, please, hold the applause. Thank you.

I started with two cups of hard wheat berries which run approx. $.99/lb. if my memory serves me. I threw them into my blender, turned it up pretty high for about 30-40 seconds and boom! I had farina. It was a little hardier than we’re use to and I may blend it finer next time, but it was still good and the baby ate it which is my real kitchen test.

On Wardeh’s suggestion I used three cups of water to one cup of farina. The water should should be brought to a boil before adding the grains. I generally add raisins to the water so they have time to rehydrate and plump up. Stir in the meal and turn heat to low. Allow cereal to simmer for approximately ten minutes stirring a few times to prevent sticking. When cereal is dome serve and add sweetener and toping of your choice! We went with milk, honey, cinnamon, and ginger along with the raisins last night. It was tasty and inexpensive to boot!

Think about it everyone. You’re getting the whole grain this way. Nothing has been removed or altered. This is good, honest eating.

Some other topping ideas could be: agave, stevia, dried cherries, craisins, apricots (dried or not), strawberries, cocoa powder, dates, carob chips, chopped almonds or walnuts, etc. The possibilities are endless. It is truly an artists canvas.

For those of you who remember me mentioning that Erik doesn’t think this qualifies as dinner, don’t worry. He knows how to make any meal his own!

Tricked by the pictures…

.ambre. — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 15:55:15 +0000

It’s nice to realize that your words aren’t always falling on deaf ears. Take yesterday for example: for lunch I was in a rush so I served Erik one of Amy’s Pot Pies. I thought it was a chicken pot pie and he’s recently talked of craving meat so i was lovingly feeding him meat without going through the hassle of cooking it myself. last night while working on dishes (what a man!) Erik was breaking down the box for the recycling can and read off the label “Amy’s Vegetable Pot Pie”.
“No”, I said, “it was a chicken pot pie.”
“Nope, vegetable.”
This made no sense. I’d seen the pie and what looked like little bits of chicken floating around in the gravy. Even in the cover picture it looked like chicken bits! A quick read through the ingredients list brought the answer: tofu.
“Man!” I growled under my breath, “I won’t be buying this anymore.” I quickly collapsed in laughter as I hear from the kitchen the tune “Man, I feel like a woman*!” being sung. Haha! What a man indeed!

*soy (tofu) has been found to contain high levels of estrogen

For Your Information…

.ambre. — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 18:00:10 +0000

Good News! The FDA has finally approved stevia! All I can say is it’s about time.

Diabetics of the world rejoice! (and all others trying to cut out refined sugars)