Robin's Nest

Today my friend and I and her daughter went to pick strawberries at a farm around 40 mins. from where we live. We had a blast!! The berries looked (and tasted)

awesome. We picked for awhile and I came home with 15# and Rachel came home with 20# at $1.45 a lb for uncertified organic. I plan on making jam, sorbet and dehydrating the rest. Here is a pic of some of the strawberries from my #15:

I can't wait to go pick in august when the ollalieberries will available to pick. Here are some websites to help you find pic-ur-self farms.

I have been dehydrating strawberries for the last two days that I got from the store and they are yummy. I can't wait to try my picked berries. They are soooooooo good! I came home anf my hubby's eyes and face lit up when he saw them! I hope with the sites, you can find a farm near you. It was really awesome to be outdoors in the sun with my friend and working to bring home some wholesome goodness for my family to eat.

Wow! A month has gone by!

I can't believe a whole month has gone by! Time does go by so fast. Part of that time was spent taking care of my mother after she had surgery on her foot/ankle. She fell a broke it in 3 places and had to have 2 pins and a plate put in. Soooo... needless to say I went to her house to take of her while my sister was at work. My sister lives with my mom but could not take time off. My mother was supposed to have another surgery to remove have a hysterectomy because of uterine cancer. That had to be put off until she gets her cast off which will be next week. I believe they were concerned about blood clots because of being immoblie. We don't have a date yet but I would assume it could be even next week.

My MIL also came last weekend to do a craft show we had done the middle of the main street. She did okay. She makes such beautiful crocheted ponchos and hats. She also frames vintage postcards between two pieces of glass and vintage looking mirrors. There were one or two natural skincare people there and it got me to thinking about honing my own homemade items and possibly one day starting in our farmers market, trying to sell them. We will see!

Thrift shopping today!

It's been a short while since I last posted but wanted to share how God blessed me today. I went to our Goodwill store looking for mason jars and found 5 storage jars instead for $12.25! Here is a pic: I'm not sure why the pic is sooooo big on the page but there it is!

I got some vegetables and herbs to plant in my "garden". It's all in containers. Sigh, one day it will be different! I got 4 tomatoes, 3 basil, cilantro, parsley. I also wanted lemon thyme but they didn't have it yet. Next year I will be more together and actually start from seed.

Spring!

Hi! I recently changed the look of my blog to reflect how the weather is changing. At least here anyway! The cherry blossoms are blooming and the tulip trees too. Sooo, I wanted to have my blog feel like spring as well! I like the other one but my new one has the look I wanted. Warm and cozy!

I need to get my son to school, so i will check back in later to tell you of all the new things I have been trying!

Arctic seed vault

Came across this today as I was signing on the computer. Found it to be quite interesting.

LONGYEARBYEN, Norway (AFP) - Aimed at providing mankind with a Noah's Ark of food in the event of a global catastrophe, an Arctic "doomsday vault" filled with samples of the world's most important seeds will be inaugurated here Tuesday.

European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso and Nobel Peace Prize winning environmentalist Wangari Matai will be among the personalities present at the inauguration of the vault, which has been carved into the permafrost of a remote Arctic mountain, just some 1,000 kilometres (620 miles) from the North Pole.

The vault, made up of three spacious cold chambers each measuring 27 x 10 metres (89 x 33 feet), create a long trident-shaped tunnel bored into the sandstone and limestone.

It has the capacity to hold up to 4.5 million batches of seeds from all known varieties of the planet's main food crops, making it possible to re-establish plants if they disappear from their natural environment or are obliterated by major disasters.

"The facility is built to hold twice as many varieties of agricultural crops as we think exist," explained Cary Fowler, executive director of the Global Crop Diversity Trust and project mastermind.

"It will not be filled up in my lifetime, nor in my grandchildren's lifetime," he predicted in a phone interview with AFP.

Norway has assumed the six million euro (8.9 million dollar) charge for building the vault in its Arctic archipelago of Svalbard, where ironically no crops grow.

Secured behind an airlock door, the three airtight chambers have the capacity to house duplicates of samples from all the world's more than 1,400 existing seed banks.

Many of the more vulnerable seed banks have begun contributing to the "doomsday vault" collection, but some of the world's biodiversity has already disappeared, with gene vaults in both Iraq and Afghanistan destroyed by war and a seed bank in the Philippines annihilated by a typhoon.

By the time of the inauguration on Tuesday, the Svalbard Global Seed Vault should hold some 250,000 samples, which will remain the property of their countries of origin.

Pakistan and Kenya, both undergoing periods of serious unrest, have sent seed collections, while samples sent from Colombia have been closely scrutinised by police to avoid the project becoming a vehicle for drug trafficking.

"I've been working in this field for 30 years and I thought I knew at least all the crops," Fowler said.

After receiving a list of all the different seeds in the vault, however, "I must admit there are a number of crops I've never heard of before," he said.

That's a spectacular amount of diversity for Svalbard, where no trees can grow due to the permafrost and where the mercury plummets to an average 14 degrees Celsius below zero (6.8 degrees Fahrenheit) in winter.

The Norwegian archipelago, which is home to some 2,300 people, was selected not despite but because of its inhospitable climate, as well as its remote location far from civil strife.

The seeds of wheat, maize, oats and other crops will be stored at a constant temperature of minus 18 degrees Celsius, and even if the freezer system fails the permafrost will ensure that temperatures never rise above 3.5 degrees Celsius below freezing.

"Svalbard really met all the criteria," Fowler said.

Protected by high walls of fortified concrete, an armoured door, a sensor alarm and the native polar bears that roam the region, the "doomsday vault" has been built 130 metres (425 feet) above current sea level -- high enough that it would not flood if the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets melt entirely due to global warming.

The concrete cocoon has also been built to withstand nuclear missile attacks or a plunging plane, something that could come in handy in light of the 6.4-scale tremor -- the biggest earthquake in Norway's history -- registered near the archipelago on Thursday.

Lentil Soup with Whole Wheat Elbows

My hubby works away from home half the week, every week and I always prepare his food to take with him. Well, I didn't plan very well this week so I had to think fast. I wanted to make a soup, so I found a recipe but wanted to spruce it up a bit. Here is what I came up with: I'll try to remember as best I can!

2 cups crimini mushrooms, chopped- give or take alittle. I just used what I had before I had to throw them out.

Heat olive oil in medium-low pan. Cook onion, celery, and mushrooms until somewhat cooked. Just for the flavor. Add keilbasa, lentils, water/stock, bragg's, and seasonings. Cook until lentils are tender. You can cook pasta ahead or add about 10 minutes before the lentils are done. I just decided I wanted to use them at the last minute, so I cooked them and added them after the soup was almost done.

An Awesome Book!

Last night I pulled out the book my sister gave me for Christmas and could not put it down! It is called "The Country Store" by Stephanie Donaldson. Here is the description in the front cover:

The Country Store captures the yearning for a simpler, more satisfying way of living in tune with the rhythm of the seasons and the spirit of nature, and provides practical instruction for creating that oldtime feeling with food, gifts, beauty products and home decorations.

My next skincare endeavors

Mango Mud Mask

Mango mug mask is a perfectly simple and delightful way to use the last bit of fresh, plump mango from the summer. The oats, almonds and whipping cream act together to cleanse, smooth and lightly exfoliate the skin. The mango provides natural fruit enzymes and makes the mask smell great. Plus, since you only use part of the mango, you're left with a tasty and nutritious treat!

Ingredients:
1/4 medium mango (peeled and seeded)
2 tablespoons finely powdered oats
2 tablespoons finely powdered almonds
2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream (best for driest skin; use whole milk if your skin is not so dry)

Blending Procedure:

Combine all ingredients together in a small food processor and process for about 1 minute until smooth and creamy.
Add a bit of distilled water or hydrosol if mixture is too thick to spread on the skin; add some more finely powdered oats if it is too runny.
To use, pat gently over clean face and neck skin and relax for about 15 minutes. Rinse well and follow with toner and moisturizer of choice. You can also enjoy the lightly exfoliating action of the oats and almonds by massaging Mango Mud Mask lightly over your face and neck as a soothing cleanser!

and....

Triple Fruit Acid Facial Scrub

This recipe includes plenty of natural fruit acids to cleanse and tone the skin. Store this mixture for 5 days or so in the refrigerator if you don't use all of it immediately. You can omit the clay and have plenty of fresh fruit on hand for dipping - this mixture is delicious!!

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon whole oats
1 tablespoon almond meal (finely powdered almonds)
1 tablespoon Amaranth
1 tablespoon white clay
1 teaspoon freshly juiced apple juice
1 teaspoon freshly juiced grape juice
1 teaspoon freshly juiced pineapple juice
2 tablespoons whipping cream
1/2 cup chamomile tea

Blending Procedure:

Combine first five ingredients and stir well to mix.
Add the whipping cream and stir well to combine.
Add the chamomile tea little at a time until a loose, creamy mixture forms. If you end up adding too much tea, just add more oats to absorb some of the excess moisture. To use, massage over face in gentle, circular motions. Remember to omit the clay if you want to use this as a fruit dip. Just chunk up some honeydew, watermelon and strawberries and you have a wonderful low calorie summertime luncheon treat!
The shelf life of this product is necessarily limited by the fresh juices and cream. It should be used immediately after it is made.

I'll let you know how they go!

My homemade skincare regime

For the last year or so I have been avoiding using over-the-counter or spa products on my skin and hair. There are just to many chemicals and " unknown" things in them! After doing alot of surfing the net and reading some books, I have been making and using these things on my skin:

I wash my face with a mix of honey, plain yogurt, ground oats and almonds. I also add a little tea tree oil for it's anti-bacterial properties. I then use as a toner a light mix of apple-cider vinegar and water. I apply a lotion that I make called Light Lotion Potion. Here is the recipe:

Wesley ready for the ride to the beach- 06/23/2007

A Rainy Day...

Don't you just love it when it rains!? There is something refreshing and renewing about it. Sometimes I just like to sit in the moment and listen to the sound of it, and reflect on what God has done for me. What blessings!! I have a wonderful husband and high-energy three-and-a-half year old little boy that keep me busy. Today my hubby and I went to breakfast for Valentine's Day. We were all very sick on that day, so we decided to go somewhere today. Even though my husband was very sick with pneumonia, he sent me a beautiful e-card!

8. Make some pineapple/banana fruit leather and also some sliced strawberries in the dehydrator.

Well, anyway that is a view into my day tomorrow. I will be posting some info about my skincare regime(if you want to call it that) that I make with natural ingredients you have right in your own home very soon.

Robin's Nest

Pick-yourself strawberrries!!!

Wow! A month has gone by!

Thrift shopping today!

Spring!

Arctic seed vault

Lentil Soup with Whole Wheat Elbows

An Awesome Book!

My next skincare endeavors

My homemade skincare regime

Wesley ready for the ride to the beach- 06/23/2007

A Rainy Day...

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