Chicken Zen

JOY



Meet... The Coop:



Meet... Peep (Americana) & Mike (Rhode Island Red) They are the First Hens of The Ragamorphanage.



If you have never spent time watching chickens be... chickens; make an appointment. No one should miss the opportunity to experience chicken zen.



Next project? Making room for 8 or 10 more! DOH!

As if my food preparation weren't traumatic and entertaining enough...

I decided to take up making bento.


Anasazi Beans, rice balls, green peas with goji berries, asparagus, dried mangos, sesame seeds

Now why in the world would I do this? Aren't my hours in the kitchen thankless enough without spending THAT MUCH TIME making bento? To chop and mix and form and mold little beautiful platters of food, only to have them "unappreciated"?

NO!

For one: I'm obsessed with these little boxes. I've always thought they were cool. I love tins and containers and boxes already... it only makes sense that I would be drawn to something similar FILLED WITH BEAUTIFUL FOOD!!!

For two: What am I going to do? Give up things that I love? Give up creativity? Give up taking time to prepare meals for my loved ones? (even if they go untouched)

NO! I can choose to fill them with things I know the kids will love. They aren't as picky as Mr. Bland McPickPick, and they even appreciate the color and design.

Don't laugh at my Take and Toss bento boxes... The real ones I ordered from Japan won't be here before these leftovers go bad, so... I made do.


Potato cakes, bean & rice balls, egg, carrot, tomatoes, blueberries

It may not get eaten... but at least this food has been enjoyed before going in the garbage.

Sagan ate this one for breakfast.


potato cakes, asparagus & boiled egg

I ate this one for lunch.


Tilapia, carrots, rice, asparagus

Ember ate this one for lunch.


Fish, dried fruit, rice balls, green peas

I made this one for that guy who hates my cooking.


Tilapia, rice, asparagus, eggs, mushrooms, carrots, peas, dried fruit

He will probably just leave it in the car or something. :-/

Stay tuned as I get better at this bento thing. Maybe before I know it I can create something like this:



Wish me luck!

Adventures in Vermicomposting

I've taken up worm farming. Ok, maybe not worm farming... but Vermicomposting is taking place in my back room. We ordered 1 lb. of Red Wigglers from Rott'n Apple Worm Farm in Sigurd, Utah. They were delivered this morning to my door from the worm farmer himself and daughter. GREAT SERVICE!!!


I'm looking forward to seeing just how much kitchen waste these kids can go through!



Building the bin was easy. Rubbermaid, drill, shredded paper and cardboard of all kinds, kitchen waste, red wigglers, time. I have all those things!





Supposedly, they can eat their weight in kitchen waste every day, leaving behind (literally) rich, nutrient dense, compost for your plants and garden! Seems like a fair trade; my garbage for fertilizer? Deal.

Water

Ember Lotus signing "water" (her version of it anyway). OMG SO CUTE!!!

February comes in like a... ???

Just another quick update post... since I can't seem to find time to go ON AND ON like I like to do. ;-)

I made purple kraut last week. Yum.




I have completed my Beekeeping Class. Now all I have to do is wait for my bees to arrive in April. Yay.



I have started seeds in the back room for all my herbs:

Ashwaganda
Dill
Basil
Catnip
Coriander
Tarragon
Stevia
Parsley



& an experimental small container garden of Arugula & Lettuce.



Health News:
I am ONE WEEK into treating my hormonal imbalance with compounded hormones. I have adrenal fatigue as shown by salivary cortisol tests as well as very low progesterone/estrogen dominance, which connects in with my uber low testosterone & dhea. My thyroid isn't exactly functioning "great". I am starting on a regime of T3 & progesterone. Hopefully this will help with some of my mental and physical misery. It will NOT take care of my husbands communication problems, his inertia, his compulsions nor any of his other issues. THOSE will sit and fester just as they are, whether or not I am medicated. *eye roll*
Can I just take a mico-second to voice MY HUGE DISSATISFACTION WITH OUR HEALTH CARE SYSTEM? We have health insurance, oh yes, but will they pay for compounded prescriptions made JUST for ME? NO! Will they pay for my naturopath? NO! Will they pay for an overpriced, cold MD visit? YEP. One that would LOVE to pump me full of horse urine derived hormones, anti-depressants and tranquilizers? Absolutely. Can you see where that might be a HUGE problem for me?
Let's just say that I find it VERY unnerving that insurance will pay for expensive dangerous & invasive care that has NOTHING to do with my long-term health; but will not pay for holistic, gentle, natural care of my choosing that is PROVEN to work. I HATE big pharma & I HATE the insurance companies. I want to top it off by saying THE FDA is even MORE corrupt than big pharma & big insurance. If that is even possible. FDA & "health care" should never be used in the same sentence. Except for that one. ;-)
Needless to say, all the hormones in the world isn't going to make my dissatisfaction with those three go away.

Other family news:


My eldest daughter is still putting her life, and the life of Andre in danger EVERY SINGLE DAY because she can't/won't leave an abusive relationship. If you are so inclined to care about poor little Andre, who HAS NO VOICE in the matter; feel free to contact CPS- not that THEY will do anything either. That is another "government agency" that finds no warm spots in my heart. A useless, money wasting entity, set up to... what? What are they doing again? It's NOT SAVING THE CHILDREN. They are wasting your tax dollars, while children are in danger. Hopefully this blog will not be record of yet another case of CPS negligence. If you are religious, pray for my sick daughter. If you are not... do something useful.

So that's what is going on around the 'stead.