Jeremiah 29:11
New International Version (NIV)
11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
No matter what happens. No matter what.
Books I want to own – The concise guide to self-sufficiency
August 26, 2011 at 5:09 pm (Books I Want to Own, Uncategorized)
Tags: self-sufficiency
Rarely does a book live up to its title, but this one does. Everything from soil preparation from canning and freezing. Includes waste management and heating and cooling and how to set up a workshop that is durable but inexpensive. It even has recipes for chicken mash! Lots of illustrations and very clear instructions. The font is a little small (either that, or I’m getting old!), but the book is small. It can easily be carried in a largish purse, and the binding is sewn perfectly, which means that it will stay open on a table so that you can use both hands to do what you need to do. It also has a good, reliable index.
The concise guide to self-sufficiency by John Seymour. It’s probably out of print, but definitely worth hunting down (one of the few things it doesn’t tell you how to do!) and getting.
Books I want to own – Make your place
August 26, 2011 at 5:08 am (Uncategorized)
I’ve checked this book out half a dozen times, even lost it once and had to pay for it. And I still haven’t got my refund! Make your place: affordable, sustainable nesting skills has a wheelbarrow-load of great recipes for non-toxic household cleaners that generally smell nice. It also has good advice for starting and tending a garden. Plus, it has a certain homegrown, handcrafted charm. And it will fit in your purse, so that you can look up the recipes while you are at the store, or fascinate your friends with the many uses of vinegar and baking soda.
Books I need to return to the library – The compassionate carnivore
August 26, 2011 at 4:54 am (Uncategorized)
Tags: abbatoir, beef, cattle, chicken, conscience, meat, slaughterhouse, Temple Grandin
Whatever. Okay. I get it. Factory-farmed meat is bad for the environment and for our health. It is also unkind to animals and bad for small farmers. Hey! – that is something I can buy into – I like the idea of saving small farm. But don’t the small farmers sell beef and milk and chickens to the big conglomerates? And if I boycott the conglomerates, will the small farmers go out of business even faster, leaving us with no choice but to eat frankenmeat? Because even if it hasn’t technically been genetically modified, there is every indication that the diet of these animals is not the one that was intended by their Creator.
There are several pages that are dedicated to the work of Temple Grandin. And if you read pages 150-156, it will give you pause. Okay. I’m not giving up meat. But I am going to be way more conscious of where it comes from. We all die, and if an animal dies so that I can eat, that’s okay, but I would really prefer that it wasn’t tortured in the process.
I may have to wait a couple of weeks to return this one. Not a fun read, but a necessary one, perhaps.
The author is Catherine Friend, by the way.
Books I want to own – Starter vegetable gardens: 24 no-fail plans for small organic gardens
August 26, 2011 at 3:18 am (Books - Lawn & Garden, Books I Want to Own)
by Barbara Pleasant, co-author of The complete compost gardening guide (yes, another book I want).
I love this book!
It has shopping lists for every year. It has labeled (as opposed to keyed) diagrams. It has plans for long hot summers and short cool summers. Living in Florida, I might need the former more than I need the latter. Although I hear that that broccoli, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts grow very well here in the winter. It tells you when to plant stuff, and how to use vegetables as ornamentals. Well-indexed, too. I may have to dig some green stuff out of my wallet for this one.
Books I need to return to the library – On the origin of tepees
August 26, 2011 at 2:05 am (Uncategorized)
I can’t help but be reminded of the old joke about the fella who went to the psychiatrist, saying, “I’m a tepee, I’m a wigwam, I’m a tepee, I’m a wigwam.” And the psychiatrist says, “I know what’s wrong with you – you’re two tents.”
Anyhow. On the origin of tepees: the evolution of ideas (and ourselves) by Jonnie Hughes is, according to the book jacket: “Adopting the role of a cultural Charles Darwin, Hughes heads off…across the Midwest to observe the natural history of ideas.”
It actually looks like a really interesting book; I just have 3 days off and the weather is getting cooler and I don’t want to commit my brain. Maybe later.
What I’m listening to now: Time to Say Goodbye – Andrea Bocelli. Yes. I know it’s opera lite, but it is beautiful.
Books I need to return to the library – Dreaming of Dior
August 26, 2011 at 1:57 am (Books - Fashion, Uncategorized)
Dreaming of Dior (by Charlotte Smith and lavishly illustrated by Grant Cowan) is a girly girl’s delight. Gorgeous dresses against period (not shark week periods!!!) line drawings and/or starkly contrasting backgrounds. An absolute genius work of art! And so pretty – on your bookshelf or in your boudoir.
If I weren’t trying to minimize my belongings, I would pop right out and buy this. Love, love, love!
Books I need to return to the library – Grow Great Grub
August 26, 2011 at 1:33 am (Books - Cookbooks, Books - Crafts, Books - Lawn & Garden, Books I Want to Own, Uncategorized)
Grow great grub: organic food from small spaces – Gayla Trail
I really like this book – lots of detail about various plants and how much each one produces and the ideal growing environment.
Also, lots of cute ideas for crafts and planting herbs in cans, plus recipes.
Dang! I like this book. I may end up putting this in my books I want to own list.
Maybe I’ll return it later.
Books I need to return to the library – Celiac Disease: a hidden epidemic
August 26, 2011 at 1:17 am (Uncategorized)
By Peter H.R. Green, M.D. and Rory Jones.
Not a bad book, but I’ve already gone gluten-free and feel sooooo much better. So why read? I’ll just go on with my life. But if you feel like crap all of the time, what could it hurt? It’s just information and you can decide if it might help.
Books I need to return to the library – Paper + Craft
August 26, 2011 at 1:12 am (Books - Crafts)
Paper + Craft: 25 charming gifts, accents, and accessories to make from paper – by Minhee & Truman Cho
Great little book, but I’m trying to be more of a minimalist. Perhaps not the best use of my time, creativity, or space. But I would still recommend it. Not only does it have some great ideas with good detail, but the Boston Terrier on the front is absolutely adorable.
