I yam what I yam.....

I'm a gardener. I raise small livestock. I can. I sew. I do all things primitive, and I do it on a scant more than a tenth of an acre. Then someone comes along & tells me I can't anymore. OK, so I'm not not allowed to garden, raise small livestock, can, sew or do primitive things, but now someone wants me to rewrite MY history, rewrite my blogs, rewrite MY notes & call me something I am not.


Last week the urban gardening community was attacked. Attacked as only BigAg can do. Attacked in a way that SCREAMS Monsanto. No one knows why because the attackers were such an inspiration to the urban community. They forged a bond & relationship with so many other small scale homesteaders & then they turned on us.


These.... um *cough*..... people trademarked a commonly referred to phrase (among MANY others, most of which are also common phrases). Instead of trademarking it in reference to their property &/or works, they started out saying the phrase(s) couldn't be used anywhere, anytime, for any purpose unless the phrase was credited directly to them, yada yada. After the uproar, they started backpeddling. I sure hope they continue backpeddling.


I'm still reeling from the fact that this is like saying I can't call myself a Mom. I AM a Mom, damn it. It's like saying when I had my children that I couldn't say I was "Giving Birth." Telling me I can't call my lifestyle.... that I've lived for a few years now..... A lifestyle that has been around for DECADES..... maybe centuries.... An Urban Movement. A community of homesteaders working with what they've been given, which is little......


In case you can't read between the lines...... I AM AN URBAN HOMESTEADER, and the dervaes family can kiss my green thumb, my big fat pressure canner & my chicken's asses!


Visit some more of the blogging community to see what they have to say about URBAN HOMESTEADING!!!

Grow & Resist

Krista & Jess

Moo Said the Mama

Domaphile

Heather's Homemaking

There are so MANY other GREAT bloggy links, but as a homesteader (of any sort), we are always perpetually behind. And I am behind.

I am amazed at how quickly & tightly the URBAN HOMESTEAD community came together. I am blessed to be an Urban Homesteader!

LA Weekly says....

SF Weekly says....

And if you haven't already, show your support by joining us on facebook as we take back urban homesteading!!

My week long "internet sabbatical" in review

"A sabbatical is a period away from your normal routine - a time to immerse yourself in a different environment, a chance to see your life from a different perspective"

This past week I have taken time away from the internet to refocus & play a little game of catch up. I did get online each day to check emails, as that's how my jobs are doled out & how I head up the food co-op & homeschool group. I went into this week knowing that there was no way I could catch up 100%, but I wanted to begin.This is only part of the week. I have another post lined up with more pics & more stuff that we did. I also plan on catching up on more stuff over the weekend & & next week.

After the year I've had, I have gotten so far behind in...... well, everything. My home has taken a hit. Our homeschooling has taken a hit. The garden, the animals & "homestead" projects.... all have taken a hit. As a friend of mine said "it's been an armpit of a year."

So, I decided to shower my year, add some deodorant & pray for the best......Here is my week in review:

We spent Monday at the lake with some people we know. I think I found a true & good friend. They also helped BIG time when we had the sewage flood. I got burned horribly on my lower shins. We had fried chicken & chips & cake, and we fished. The kids got to go 4-wheelin'! It was a blast!



I got my bathroom back on Tuesday..... The sanitation crew came & took their last 3 fans & the dehumidifier



More importantly, I got my bedroom back!!! I love my bed!

I made another batch of mayo. This stuff is the bestest!

I used the delicious mayo to make a batch of coleslaw

I made a batch of homemade spaghetti sauce

We enjoyed that sauce with pasta, spinach salads & watermelon....

I started a batch of kraut in my new-to-me glazed crock. I got it for 2 bucks at a yard sale last weekend!

I made time to enjoy some hot tea. Mmmm.... Madagascar Vanilla Red.....

We played Uno

I did lots & lots of laundry. The good news is- I caught up from the sewage flood we had.

I fixed the gate to the chicken run

We enjoyed some DELICIOUS hard boiled eggs from the backyard. Oh.my.yum!

We watched the puppy play. We played with the puppy. We laughed at the puppy. We even had to get on to the naughty puppy some.

The joys of having a St. Bernard..... We vacuumed lots of fur..... lots.

I got sunburned twice. In the same place on my body..... YOUCH!

The bestest..... We had brotherly love.

We enjoyed many breakfasts & lunches together. Usually, I don't eat at the same time as the kids, so we tend to miss out eating together (except at dinner). This was one of the best parts of my week


I made kefir cheese

We had BBQ ribs in the crockpot


We did a lot of dishes..... A.lot.

I got to go to a "pre-yard sale" sale at a friend's house. We got some books & a rug, and a pair of shoes for Kee to grow into, and this (I have wanted one of these for ages!):


I made chocolate syrup


And I rescued my dairy kefir grains from the fridge


I rescued my sourdough starter from moldy neglect, only to find out..... it didn't work :-(


I made Amish Friendship Bread. Instead of mixing & baking, I allowed it to soak for 7 hours, just to see if it's work. I didn't get a pic because it went that quickly. Oops. Yeah, it worked!


I enforced some child labour


But we got the walkways dug & the garden beds raised. That aforementioned boy ROCKED!!!




I finished 2 of my recycled lilac limbs trellises


We planted bean plants & bean seeds, pepper seeds, squash plants & seeds, carrot seeds & I covered the corn plants again.

After going to the lake, the poor Uplander was in dire need of some TLC. We vacced & wiped & scrubbed the inside of that baby..... Sand, dirt, puppy fur be gone!

We tormented the poor little kitty. OK, no we didn't.


We fed the puppy a.lot. Another joy of having a Saint puppy.

I finally filled the pepper shakers. No more pinching it from the tub & then **OOPS** touching our noses. HAHA!!!


We tried a new recipe for pancakes..... RYE pancakes. Oh yummy!

I'm hoping to get back to blogging more. I'm aiming for at least once a week for now, so if I do that, expect longer picture-heavy posts. I hope you've enjoyed this one!