Welcome to Bugs and Brooms!

So, this was started in an attempt to save some money!  I was spending $60 minimum every 4-6 weeks to have my hair trimmed and colored (do that yourself too without all of the harsh chemicals - a post to follow soon with instructions).  DH spends $12-$15 each month.  It was also time for DD’s first trim - she was getting a little shaggy.  Luckily DD and DH both have wavy hair so if I messed up, it wouldn’t be terribly noticeable! 

I did some research on how to cut my own hair, bought a $19 pair of scissors and started with my own hair.  I just did a little trim but it turned out fine!  Then I put DD in the tub and got in with her - she will be 3 in a couple of months.  It was easy to cut her hair even though I was totally petrified of butchering her beautiful locks!  And she did great!  The only challenge was that she wanted to play with her bath toys and moved around a lot!  But we managed to get through it and she looked adorable!  I have since cut my hair again as well as DD’s.  And it was so much better than having to hold her in a chair at the beauticians!  I have heard some many horrible tales about kids and hair-cuts!

DH was a little harder to convince.  He is pretty self-conscience about his appearance and since his work it totally white-collar, he didn’t want to show up and have his employees laugh at his bowl hair-cut!  But, he decided to brave it last night and I gave him a little trim - no bowl involved!  It took a little longer than I had hoped - about 45 minutes - but I was really nervous!  The outcome could not have been better!  He ’said’ he loved it and that I did a GREAT job!  And it really did look GREAT!  I was thrilled and we now plan to have routine family nights of hair-cutting!  And the trimmings are going into our compost bing!  A win-win for our garden and our wallet!

So, give it a try.  Just google ‘cut your own hair’ and you will get a ton of guidance including some interesting videos!  Just start slow and only cut a small amount!  You can go do it - it might take a few times to get it ‘perfect’.

Tags: Frugal Living, Simple Living, Simple and Green by
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OK.  So we have really been working to reduce our trash and waste in general.  We have already implemented some great things that are reducing our impact on the environment but I know that we can all do more.  So, our family is going to try to get by with only 1 can (kitchen size - 13 gallon) of trash a month!  We have been working on getting down to one container per week but I think we need a little more motivation and I know that we can do even better.

I realize that there are LOTS of folks who are doing much better than this and we have a LONG way to go, but for the rest of us who are just starting on this venture, this will a real challenge!  And no, you don’t have to reach this goal today or tomorrow, you just have to start making some changes to work for that goal!

So, if you want to join in on the challenge and reduce your impact, just add your name to the comments section of this post!  We will do this for the remainder of the year and hope we will have permanent change to celebrate!  

I plan to have some type of prize drawing for all participants at the end of the challenge and I will make it worth your efforts! 

I will have weekly updates on our progress starting this weekend!  The contest begins tomorrow 5/1/08!  So, if you are up to it and want to start reducing your own impact on the environment, join us!  If you wonder how the heck this is this possible, check out some of the other posts for ideas on how you can reduce your waste (see links below)!  GOOD LUCK!!

• No Trash Report 1
• No Trash Report 2
• No Trash Report 3
• No Trash Report 4

Tags: Green Living, Simple Living, Simple and Green by
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This is so yummy and you can freeze it in any size quantity!  This is my basic recipe but you can get more or less creative with it and definitely make it in batch sizes that suite your family needs!  Enjoy!!

NOTE:  I HIGHLY recommend using all-organic ingredients if possible.  If you cannot get all organic, try to get organic items that are high on the ‘dirty dozen’ list.  See http://www.foodnews.org/ for more details.

• 2 lb of meat (we prefer Italian sausage but you can use turkey, beef, etc. and the vegetarians/vegans can just skip the meat altogether or use tofu - use more or less depending on how thick you like your sauce).
• Chopped onion (we are not big onion fans so we only use about 3/4 cup but you can add as much or as little as your taste prefers)
• 3 cups of tomato paste (my recipe for homemade tomato paste coming soon or 1 12 oz can of store bought).
• 3 28 oz cans of tomatoes in puree (my recipe for homemade tomatoes in puree coming soon)
• 2 cups of water - less if you like it thicker (use filtered if you can - it really makes a difference in the taste especially if you are on city water that is full of chlorine)
• 4 -7 cloves of garlic - minced (we use at least 7 and you should use fresh - not out of a can)
• 2 tablespoons of sugar (I use turbinado)
• 4 bay leaves
• 2 teaspoons of dried oregano
• 4 teaspoons of dried basil
• 4 teaspoons pf rosemary
• 2 teaspoons of marjorem
• 2 tablespoons of thyme
• Chopped parsley (fresh if you can get it - I just throw in a handful)
• 2 teaspoons of salt

If you are using a meat or tufu, prepare it ahead of time by cooking with the onion).  I drain the meat and then rinse it with filtered water.

In a large pot, combine the meat with all of the remaining ingredients and bring to a soft boil.  Reduce the heat, cover, and let simmer for at least an hour but preferably 2 hours (you can use your crockpot for this if you prefer - you just want all of the ingredients to blend together with heat).

Let cool and then divide into serving sizes that fit your needs.  I just put equal volumns into freezer safe containers.  When I have spaghetti, lasagna, pizza, or calzones on the menu, I just pull out a container, let it thaw, and then heat it on the stove on low.  My family loves it and I am sure that your’s will too!  Enjoy!

Here are some recipes that you can use with this sauce:

• Homemade spaghetti pasta (yes, the actual pasta - not out of a box)!
• Homemade Italian bread

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This goes great with spaghetti but my DD loves to just eat it by itself.  She also loves to have some fresh Parmesan grated on it - she is really a mouse….

If you are worried about making your own pasta, don’t be - for me the biggest problem is the mess that I leave behind but that is true with whatever I am doing in the kitchen!  The flour is always flying!  My DD enjoys ‘helping’ mommy make pasta and I routinely have to ’share’ my dough with her so that she can ‘cook’ too!  We have so much fun and she isn’t even 3 yet!  Oh the joys of cooking and teaching my DD how to eat healthy!  Enough of that already!  Here is the recipe - again, get creative and make this your own and always use organic when you can or select items high of the ‘dirty dozen’ list:

• 2 cups of whole wheat flour (or all-purpose, unbleached white, etc.)
• 1/4 teaspoon of salt (I always use sea salt)

Combine these ingredients in a mixing bowl and then make a well in the center. 

In a separate bowl, mix:

• 3 eggs
• 1 tablespoon of soy milk (or any other type of milk that you prefer)
• 1 teaspoon of olive oil

Slowly add this mixture to the well in the flour/salt mixture.  Blend together to form a dough ball.

Lightly flour your work surface and then knead the dough for 5-10 minutes - add more flour if the dough is too sticky).  Let the dough rest for 10-15 minutes while you prepare for the next step.

There are 2 ways to make your dough into pasta.  Separate your dough into small, workable balls.  You can use a rolling pin or floured glass to roll the dough out to the thickness that you desire.  Then, using a regular knife or pizza cutter, cut the dough into long, thin, strips.  You can make any type of pasta that you want but you might want to start with something relatively simple.  But don’t worry, you will get the hang of it and it will be a lot of fun - a great family activity!  You can also use a pasta maker to roll and cut the dough.  Follow the directions of your specific equipment.

Once the dough is cut, it needs to dry for a few minutes.  If you are going to eat the pasta right away, just get your pot of water on (with a little salt).  You can hang the dough on a pasta drying rack or use wooden spoons balanced on glass rims, or use a broom handle wrapped in plastic and balanced between 2 chairs, or just lay it to dry on a clean, floured surface.  Either method works well.

You can store the dried pasta in an airtight container.  When you are ready to use it, just add it to boiling water and test after a few minutes of boiling!  Enjoy with your homemade spaghetti sauce and Italian bread!

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More critter stories:

Roach Motel - Literally!  We seem to have thousands of the creatures!  They are everywhere: kitchen, bathroom, den, garage.  We have called our maintenance people (or those of our landlord) but they haven’t shown up yet (it has been 3 months!)!  And, these creatures are tough!  One night, they held a gathering in the kitchen - roaches on the floor, counters, and the CEILING!  How the heck did they get up there?  Another night, I made homemade spaghetti - I mean totally from scratch (pasta, sauce, and Italian bread).  When I say ‘from scracth’ I mean, nothing from a box!  It was very yummy!  My H went back for a second helping and was totally grossed out when he discovered a rather large and very much alive roach in our pasta pot!  UGH!!  That finished the meal off for us all!  I am not a nasty person - there is no food laying around my house or anything else that warrants this roach onslaught!  And, no, the roach was not in there when I made it - it creeped in while we were all enjoying a first serving at the table!  Our remedy was to immediately purchase some diatemaceous earth (DE) which I carefully placed around the counters in the kitchen.  I don’t want the DE in my food, of course, but I also don’t want it on the floor where my toddler (or pets) might decide to taste test it.  The DE has helped but I am still on high alert for the intruders…

For more entertainment, you can also check out:

• Tick Heaven
• Mice and Moles
• Squirrels: Part 1
• Squirrels: Part 2

Tags: 'Farm life' by
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More Critter stories:

Tick heaven - If I were a tick I would live here.  There are so many tasty animals to feast on including deer.  They also enjoying snacking on my dogs and cats.  We have all-natural tick and flea repellent but we were becoming infested.  Now, my husband and I can handle a few (hundreds) ticks and so can our pets.  But I became increasingly concerned about my daughter.  We have pulled a few from her clothing but none have latched onto her - yet.  The fear of Lyme disease and rocky mountain spotted fever and the statistics that pointed to our toddler being feasted on at some point in the near future, prompted us to seek alternate forms of ‘therapy’.  We caved and purchased some Front-line for all the pets.  I am ashamed of myself and disappointed that I had to resort to manufactured chemicals for this but I am still holding onto the diatomaceous earth (DE) for our yard and home as well as our all-natural tick and flea repellent!  I just couldn’t handle the ticks being carried into the house on the pets who waller my D and lay around on our furniture.  Something had to give - sorry mother earth - I really am trying and I hope to find an alternative that will work in conjunction with DE to protect my family.  I know that something exists so I will keep looking!

For more critter tales see:

• Mice and Moles
• Roach Motel
• Squirrels: Part 1
• Squirrels: Part 2

Tags: 'Farm life' by
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Critter Stories:

Mice and Moles - Moles in the yard which provide our cats with endless exercise (as well as entertainment for us - they are great little mousers).  Mice in the house - also sport for our cats when they come in the house.  One night, I was up because I had a horrible cough and was sleeping in the recliner so that H and D could sleep.  One of the cats was hovering in the kitchen and acting ‘predatorial’.  I dosed off and on and then was totally awaken by the official hunt.  The poor mouse was cornered in the dining room behind some home school supplies.  My main mouser was on high alert.  After a while (30-45 minutes), I gave up on my ‘great’ mouser and went and woke H from his peaceful slumber.  It was 4:30 in the morning but he was exhilarated by the challenge and quickly located the BROOM!  The mouse managed to get from the dining room to the den and hid under the recliner where I was restlessly trying to sleep a few minutes earlier.  All three cats are now on the ’scene’ and anxiously waiting for someone to ‘take down’ Stewart Little.  But the cats failed their mission (and are now on bread and water until they can earn their keep).  Stewart briefly escaped by dashing back into the kitchen and scampering under the refrigerator.  H was relentless.  After weeks of ‘cat and mouse’ games at all hours of the day and night, he was determined to end the suspense.  Needless to say, the mouse was defeated and my BROOM was awarded the trophy (along with honorable mention for H).  Again, I feel bad for taking out Stewart but I do worry about the diseases that could harm D.  We will have to find a more humane way of capturing the rest of Stewart’s clan and releasing them into the field (where they can frolic and keep my cats busy OUTSIDE).

See other critter tales at:

• Tick Heaven
• Roach Motel
• Squirrels: Part 1
• Squirrels: Part 2

Tags: 'Farm life' by
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Since we moved into our house which is relatively ‘out in the country’ (we are about 10 miles from town), we have been bombarded with wildlife.  Most of these creatures have been welcome and have brought some great pleasure to our new home.  This includes the multitude of bird species, deer, and entertaining squirrels.  But we have also had a lot of unwelcome critters.  These include roaches, ticks, mice, squirrels, and snakes.  Don’t get me wrong, I am fully aware that I am really the visitor in this habitat but it has become a disturbing trend in our daily lives when these animals move into our house with us! 

We are very close to the lake - it is just off the bank, so the wildlife have a great place to call home.  Big, open fields, dense forests, and an abundance of water.  I like it here too.  The flowers have been lovely this spring, especially the flowering trees.  But, I must confess, our so-called ‘farm life’ has some serious drawbacks!  Hopefully, we can adjust and find a great balance!  Check out some of these stories……

• Roach Motel
• Tick heaven
• Mice and Moles
• Squirrels: Part 1
• Squirrels: Part 2
• Squirrels: Part 3

 More stories to come I am sure……

Tags: 'Farm life' by
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Thank you for visiting!  I hope that you will find something that inspires you, give you ideas to improve, provides some encouragement, and/or challenges you in some way!  Enjoy the often hilarious and tear-jerking tales of my families life!  And come back often for continued entertainment - subscribe to this blog so you can keep you on the ‘hot’ topics of our daily existence!

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