Naturalpath

ASs an innkeeper, we have 2 rerfrigerators and a standup freezer... But what to do if you can't afford a new refrigerator? Rather tinker with your old one than dump a new one on the landfill? Let not your heart be troubled. There are plenty of ways to make your old fridge (and freezer) as efficient as possible. 1. Keep your fridge and freezer as full as possible. An empty fridge will cycle more frequently than a full one. If you live alone or are a light eater, simply fill jugs with tap water and keep them in the fridge. 2. Allow foods to cool before putting them in the fridge. It takes more energy to cool hot food than cold. 3. Try to keep all foods and liquids covered. Uncovered food and drink means more moisture, and the appliance has to work harder to defrost itself. 4. Defrost the freezer regularly to remove frost build-up. 5. Disengage your automatic ice maker and freeze ice cubes in trays instead. 6. Clean the door gasket and replace the rubber sealing strip, preventing excess air from escaping 7. If you have it, turn on the power-saving/summer-winter switch. 8. Set the fridge temp between 35 F and 28 F, and your freezer between 10 F and 15 F, for optimal energy use. Don't rely on the fridge thermometer, though - go out and buy your own. 9. Once a year, move your fridge out from the wall and vacuum the condenser coils underneath, which will help the fridge to transport waste heat more quickly, resulting in shorter cycles. 10. Make sure your fridge is as far from the oven as possible. It will have to work harder if it's next to a heat-producing appliance.

You might think that a girl who once packed up all of her belongings and moved, practically sight unseen, from left coast to right coast even with a job transfer to a place where she had no job, no family, and no real idea of what she was doing would be quite an adventurous eater--always anxious to try something new, never ordering the same thing twice. And while I'm sure that girls like this do exist, I am definitely not one of them. While I love the spirit of adventure and new things, the truth is that I am the type of person who will happily fall into a very deep food rut. The only reason I dont have coffee ice cream every time I visit my favorite ice cream parlor is because they have a rotating menu of homemade flavors, and coffee isnt always available. Ordering my first scoop of chocolate almond took several agonizing minutes of deliberation and an extraordinary amount of courage. I do not find it tiresome to eat the same dinner four or five nights in a row, and I happen to believe that one of the tastiest things in the entire world is homemade leftover anything. These are handy qualities to have if much of your food comes from the farmers' market or the garden, as I have come to realize that the true definition of eating seasonally means you devour something for so many meals on end that you don't even want to think about it until next year. At breakfast time, my routine pattern of eating extends well beyond a rut. It is more like a bottomless pit. It is a good thing Because life on a farm is defined by a never ending series of surprises, you really cannot plan ahead or count on much of anything. This, of course, is what makes it so interesting. It also means that I find a great deal of comfort in something as simple as knowing exactly what my morning meal will be for the next several months.

Let not your heart be troubled if you feel the clock's ticking away in that Christmas frenzy to git ' r all done. Some Fish Creek Finds that are frugal, festive that you can make.. Now that's the makin's of a Merry Christmas for both your budget and your giftee. Not only are they frugal when you have a limited budget, but you can put a bit of love into each gift. Thirteen of 'em in fact. to get you going .. Get busy.

Resourceful is as resourceful does... The intrepid innkeeper in her typical "how many ways we can use this" mode has found some all l purpose uses for yes... aluminum foil.

Resourceful is as resourceful does... The intrepid innkeeper in her typical "how many ways we can use this" mode has found some all l purpose uses for yes... aluminum foil.

Au contraire

Going “green” is S.O.P. (standard operating procedure) in these here parts Spend any amount of time on the ‘Net and you’ll find tons of info on the “top 10 ways to green your house” or “how to open an eco-friendly business”. But what if you are environmently concerned and are a runner? Is there anything you can do to help ease the burden we place on the environment?

1. Shoes: Most shoes todays are made without the use of PVC (which release toxic chemicals, produces a lot of waste, etc), and most shoes are also made with synthetic leather as opposed to genuine (cow-hide) leather. Companies such as Nike, Brooks, New Balance, Montrail, Asics and many more are now manufacturing their shoes without the use of PVC and many are even releasing “vegan-friendly” shoes which have absolutely zero animal components. Many of these same companies are also creating shoes with “Green” (recycled) rubber outsoles.

Eco-friendly halloween treats

Light the night with these frightful flashlights.

Last weekend's trip to the farmer's market was markedly different from last week's, a sure sign that fall is on it's way. Sweet corn had been replaced by squashes in every shape and color. The green beans I had been hoping to buy and freeze were no more, potatoes red, brown, and purple in their place.. Soon, pumpkins, mums, and apples will take over and fall will have officially arrived.