Kamrin’s Karma

The vacuum cleaner broke and we can’t afford to get it repaired so I have been sweeping. Yup. It takes forever, the floors never seem all the way clean. However, I have taken a new appreciation for the advances of modern technology.

Add to that my sincere attempts to dry clothes on the line. I have finally worked out a bit of a system and it is going a little better. The humidity here can make it hard to dry. That and the fact that the back yard is almost completely shaded. See those cloth napkins (no more paper for us) I picked up for a buck at a garage sale? Awesome! I enjoy the fact that I am line drying. I love knowing I can do this one act and be more frugal and help the planet.I also thought I would try whittling (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whittling) as a form of summer recreation and it has evolved into wood carving. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Woodcarving) I didn’t realize there is a difference. I also found that the items I am trying to make are called treen. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treen_%28wooden%29) I am using all found wood, even if it is construction scraps. Here is my first project. A “Beware of Gnomes” sign to warn folks before they enter the back yard.  

The duck is a toy for the kids from a pine block, and the walking stick with a dog head is a work in progress.

I have also gotten back into batch cooking. I am doing this with using “cheap” meals. So, lots of beans, rice, pasta. We have almost no kitchen waste now as fruit rinds get dried for potpourri, food scraps go into the compost, and “extra” food gets frozen. I also have taken to making bread. Frugal, healthy, and fun. Making bread is hard, but rewarding.