The Tilsons

Justin and I have been using electric toothbrushes for the past 5 or so years.  Both of us felt that the throw away tip was much better than the throw away toothbrush (Fifty million pounds of toothbrushes are tossed into US landfills every year.) and seemed to clean better.  Still, something still didn’t feel quite right.  With a little bit of googling, I found that the Oral B toothbrush handle ($30) is made in Germany, and the replacement heads are made in China ($17.99 for three heads). So, I decided to do some more research on toothbrushes that wouldn’t tax the earth.

There are several “eco” toothbrushes on the market.

1. Recycline Preserve - PROS: Handle is made from 100% recycled plastic, including Stonyfield Farm® yogurt cups, PBA Free, not tested on animals, toothbrush is entirely recyclable in the community (#5 plastic) or you can send it back to the manufacturer and they will reuse the materials (Postage paid lable included), all Recycline products are made in the USA, packaging is recyclable or you can send it back, read more about their earth efforts. CONS: Handle is not reusable, the send back program isn’t carbon neutral.  Four toothbrush subscription is $11.00 USD plus shipping.
2. Radius Source Toothbrush - PROS: Reusable handle (made of Recycled dollar bills from US Mint or Recycled Flax from Linen construction - 93% Recycled Material, 47% renewable resource), disposable toothbrush head, not tested on animals, recyclable packaging, made in Kutztown, USA - in Pennsylvania’s Hex county.  CONS: Not recyclable or reclaimable, head is disposable, work with firms such as Fisher Price and Dupont to make various toothbrush bits. Toothbrush Handle $6.95 USD and three heads $5.21 USD.
   
3. Radius Original Toothbrush - PROS: Handle (made of 100% renewable resource wood based plastic - 93% grown in a North Carolina sustainable forest), not tested on animals, recycleable packaging, made in Kutztown, USA - in Pennsylvania’s Hex county, Left or Right handed erganomically correct handles. CONS: Not recyclable or reclaimable, entire toothbrush gets thrown away (will decompose eventually), work with firms such as Fisher Price and Dupont to make various toothbrush bits. Three pack of toothbrushes $16.10 USD.
4. Naturborsten Wooden Toothbrush - PROS: Handle made from Sustainable Wood Resources, Company comprised of a small family enterprise, preserved with vegetable oil, minimal biodegradable packaging, Bristles made from natural fibres CONS: Made in Germany, very little information to be found. 1 toothbrush 4.25 British pounds.
5. Ekotek Toothbrush - PROS: Handle made from Cellulose CONS: Throw away head, can’t seem to find where they are manufactured. 1 toothbrush $8.99 USD, three pack heads $8.99 USD.
6. Other companies such as TerraDent, SmileBrite are on the right track but are still using plastic from petrolium, or aren’t recyclable.

The one I am going to buy? Recycline Preserve.  What works for me is that they are recyclable right here in my blue box and made from recycled materials. My wishes?  For them to come up with a replaceable head instead of recycling the whole toothbrush, and for them to be manufactured in Canada.

Yesterday, my fabulous husband decided to start dinner, which was super sweet because I was out for the afternoon.  I cam home and found him and the Sun Oven out in the Garden, cooking away.  Since the chicken was only at 80 degrees F, we decided to turn it and come back in a while.

The thing was, when Justin went out to check the chicken, it was gone, along with our garden potatoes, thermometer and Sun Oven.  Someone stole the whole show.

Justin came in to tell me - and if you know how much stuff we’ve had stolen, you could understand - he was defeated.  Neither of us could believe it.  We decided to go for a walk and see if we could find it, maybe someone just tossed into the bushes.  Nope.

We did find some homeless people under the bridge though, and asked them to please let us know if they see anyone with it, or get it back if it was in their power at all.  We decided to finish the trail under the Burrard bridge and head to GI to get another chicken.  Then, the most amazing thing happened.

One of the guys that was under the bridge, cycled up to us and tossed a 20 at Justin.  He told us to go buy ourselves some dinner and that it is wrong to steal someones food.  If he could, he would find it and bring it back to us.  And no, he would not take the twenty back. Then he zoomed off.

I burst into tears. Someone with apparently so little, and sadly the last person I would expect,  just gave us something that we lost a long time ago - a sense of greater community outside of our friends.

I have no doubt that he will find the Sun Oven and bring it back - hopefully he will except a hot meal in return.

Wow.  I am pretty pissed at this point.  Knitted the back of the sweater - too big.  Ripped and knitted it again - soooooo small. Added side pieces (ack!) - fits better. KNITTING UNEVEN??  Look at this.  Just LOOK!

See my finger there in the left hand corner?  See how the front is coming up over the back?  Then see the other side - upper right hand corner, how there is a bit of ripped knitting there?  See how the ripped knitting doesn’t meet up with the back?  Those two sides of the front, they are supposed to be even with the back two sides.  Neither one of them are! ARGH!

Justin suggested that I not worry about it, and give the sweater to him.  He would wear it even if it is a bit crooked.  Sweet of him.  But I said no.

He then suggested knitting a triangle and sewing it in there (he is clearly less of a perfectionist than I am)  I said no.

He asked if I was going to frog it.  I said yes.

And I did. Then I washed it, and put little hooks in the wall so that I can look at it.

And think about how much I am dreading trying again.  I think I have depressed knitters syndrom (DKS).  I think I need to knit something very easy to bring my confidence back up.

Handspun.  Who would have thought.

Wow. Its been a crazy week.  I can’t believe it is already Saturday, All Hallows Eve has passed, and November is here.  What the heck have we been doing?

1. We got back home from Linnaea Farm two days late (Monday) because the install of our veggie oil kit took a little longer than expected.  Our poor veggie guy (Bjorn) fell of some scaffolding and seriously hurt his back.  The silver lining in the clouds for us was an extra day at OUR Ecovillage and then just the right amount of time at Linnaea. (where we submitted our applications for the Ecological Farm Program!  Weeee!!!)
   



2. I didn’t get as much knitting done as I thought.  Justin didn’t get as much homework done as he had hoped. I truly thought I would be done the socks, and maybe even more, but no, boarding the Quadra Island Ferry, they looked like this.  You see, I had to rip them back, because I didnt’ put in the sole increases.  For some reason, I don’t know why, I thought that the socks would stretch.  No.  They did not stretch.  Rip back, put in increases.  Even now, I’m not sure that I did enough.
   



3. I finished the socks on the ferry, and then sewed the top when I went to dinner with Beth on Wednesday night.  Meanwhile, Justin worked furiously on his case studies for school.Then I started the toe of the other side (A great way to prevent second sock phobia is to make them for someone else, then you will have to finish them).  Here is the progress so far.



4. After we got back, I spent some time doing actual work, and then Justin and I applied for Bullocks Homestead.  That’s right, we have applied to two places.  Bullocks was lucky, because I found the application online THE DAY BEFORE IT WAS DUE.  Holy cow.  Luck they didn’t need written references like Linnaea.  The difference between the programs is that at Bullocks it is almost completely self directed.  Either program will benefit us greatly, I can’t wait to know whether we have been accepted.
5. Justin left for school the morning after the application scramble, and I finished the back of my brothers Retrofit Sweater.  You remember I frogged it, well after much debate (because it is handspun and not entirely consistent)  I have decided to knit the front and back, fit him with them and if it doesn’t fit, then add side pannels in ribbing.  After that, I will gracefully knit up to the collar, make the sleeves to fit the boy and then WHAM, I will have a slightly customized Retrofit ready for christmas.  I have drafted more fleece, which I will spin today.
   





6. THEN, as if that is not enough to make my fingers numb, last night I started the ribbing on MY sweater, the Nubby Cardigan by Deborah Newton (Knitscene Fall 2008).  The Small size length is 16″ from armpit to hem, and I plan to make it 2-3 inches longer.  Therefore, I have increased the ribbing by 2 inches.  I also plan to put cables in the sleeves… I think all women’s cable sweaters should have cables in the sleeves. Have you checked out Ravelry yet?  Lots of great info and photos there.
   

Farm Love

Justin and I really enjoyed our stay at OUR Ecovillage.  We spent some time hanging out with the great posse that lives there, and spent some time in the garden transplanting sege.

Great things about OUR Ecovillage:

1. We vibed with the residents. Its rare that you find people who speak the same language as you.  People who get God in the same way you do, and feel the same passion in the same way for the earth and people who desire the same level of communication and co-operation.  This is what we found at OUR, people who were just like us.
2. The ecovillage is old enough to have gone through a lot of the zoning issues.  Sure, the farm is still an infant, but they have moved through a good portion of the zoning challenges, have applied for grants and have dealt with some of the major money issues. (The most stressful parts I think)
3. The ecovillage is small enough for a new family to influence the process. One of the major things that drew us to OUR was their openness and changeability.  There are no homes built on site, except the house that was originally there.  They are just establishing their program, their specialities and are still looking for experienced people to teach courses (and not so experienced people to grow into the roles available).  Justin and I both felt that our energy could make a difference there.

Read the complete Post.

Justin and I have been feeling the weight of life lately.  It is partially the economy, partially the pressure on humanity to evolve consciously, and partially the pain of the earth beneath our heavy footsteps.  Lately though, it feels more intense.  The other night, standing in the kitchen, I let out a childish groan, and then another one, telling Justin that is how I feel inside.  Childish because, for the first time in my life, I don’t feel like there is anyone to make all of “this” normal again.  In fact, every day I understand more clearly that the normal I grew up with will never be again.  It’s Justin and I and whoever else wants to join us, standing there letting the changes pass through us as fluid beings.  Sometimes it gets to be heavy.  Like now.

After the feeling of wanting to remain a child, comes the feeling of wanting to take responsibility and act as stewards for what is given to us.  Part of this action has been happening for a while, collecting supplies and skills. The weight of recent events has made us want to take it further - the veggie oil kit installed in the truck, and touring some ecovillages.

So here we are for the next few days:  OUR Ecovillage. OUR Ecovillage is located about halfway between Nanaimo and Victoria on Vancouver Island, near Shawnagen Lake.  They have been running the 25 acre ecovillage for 10 years and have established a residence, healing sanctuary, some temporary residences, many gardens and animal husbandry. Read the complete Post.

Yogurt is the first step we’ve taken in learning how to make cheese.  Eventually, we plan on making all of our own cheese and butter products to eliminate some more of our garbage, and to be a little more self sustaining.  Yogurt is easy, and it tastes wonderful. Making your own yogurt is a lot cheaper than buying it, and more satisfying too!

Plain Yogurt Ingredients:

4 C Organic whole milk
2 heaping table spoons organic yogurt (at room temperature) Use organic yogurt that is as non-homogenized as you can.

Directions:

1. We usually make a double batch.  In a pot on medium heat, heat milk until it foams up (the milk sugars will stick to the bottom)
2. Turn off heat and allow it to cool.
3. Test with your finger, when it feels lukewarm (about 100 degrees F) then pour milk into a very clean or sterilized bowl.
4. Wisk in the yogurt.
5. Cover bowl and let sit in a warm place where there is no draft (we use our oven with the light on) for 8 -12 hours.
6. They don’t tell you in the book, but pour off the whey for a thick yogurt, leave the whey for a thin yogurt (save some of this yogurt to make the next batch)  A thick yogurt will be almost the same as the yogurt you bought.

**Recipe “Homemade Yogurt” from The Modern Ayurvedic Cookbook p 266.

To make a wonderful lemon desert, add lemon and maple syrup to taste.  Or, for a parfait, try adding fresh, cooked berries alternately with a yogurt and maple syrup mixture, top with nuts and serve.

This banana bread recipe is another delicious way to use your freshly made yogurt. Yogurt makes baking moist and tasty. We love this recipe in particular because there is no white flour, no oil, and no sugar added. Let us know what you think. (modified from the canadian food network recipe)

Ingredients:

1 C (2 or 3) very ripe bananas, mashed
1/2 cup honey
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1 cup plain yogurt
2 T apple sauce
1 1/2 C whole wheat flour
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
Freshly grated nutmeg, cinnamon to taste
1/4 C of chocolate chips (optional)
1/4 C of walnuts (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Oil 2 bread pan (because we changed the sugar to honey from the original recipe, 2 shallower loaves will rise and cook better than making a single full size loaf.)
2. In a large bowl, mash bananas and add liquid ingredients. Mix well.
3. On top of wet mixture add flour, baking soda (try not to let this touch the wet mixture until you stir it in), salt, nutmeg and cinnamon. Gently fold until just combined.
4. Optional: Add the nuts and chips and fold again.
5. Pour batter into baking pans. Bake 40 to 50 minutes, until golden and toothpick comes out clean. Remove from pan.

Over the years I have tried to come up with a good recipe for chili. I like it to be thick, without a lot of visible vegetables, but not completely devoid of them. My chilis in the past have been everything but, so I did my research and came up with this wonderful homemade chili recipe. The funny thing about researching Texas Chili, is that all the recipes are a secret. They tend to stay in the family and are never spoken out loud. (For example, I don’t think they use bay leaves in Texas). I digress.

Some tips for a great Texas Chili:

• The secret ingredient is coffee, it adds a smoky flavour and doesn’t dilute the taste.
• Apparently tomatoes ruin chili (funny because that was my main ingredient when working with recipe books) Tomato paste is okay, but definitely no tomato chunks. Resist the urge if it comes up - the recipe is built to be tomato free.
• The corn flour is better than white because it supports the flavour of corn bread - an essential for eating chili (or use tortilla chips instead of a spoon)
• If you want a more authentic heat experience, get those hot red chilis from the store and cook them in a cast iron skillet till they are blackened. (Remove the seeds for medium) Add them to the chili and then pick them out as you eat them (SLIGHTLY LESS HOT), or chop em up and leave them in there (HOT)

Read the complete Post.

We just put our garlic in the ground. I started two years ago with a couple bulbs - about 10 plants in total. The experiment worked quite well except I didn’t plant nearly enough! We ran out in a month. To remedy this I scaled up last year and planted about 500 cloves (1 clove planted in October = 1 plant = 1 bulb of garlic next July). The bulbs grew so well the first season I figured there wasn’t much to do except put them in the ground around Canadian Thanksgiving and take them out the following July - with perhaps a couple waterings in May and June. It turns out that if you desire a reliable crop year after year, there is a little more preparation required to ensure your success. The soil was rather poor and the net result was a a large number small plants. We still have considerably more garlic than our family needs, but overall the experiment was disappointing because organic seed garlic is pricey and we didn’t get the yield we expected.

Read the complete Post.

The legend of my mother’s turkey soup pervaded conversation in our house every time we had turkey.  A jeering comment from my dad - “I even tried Ketchup - nothing could make that soup edible.”  He said it in a loving way, like he really was trying to do anything to make his new wifes soup edible. After years of this, my brother or I would even chime in “You aren’t going to make Turkey soup are you?”

The story was that in the first years of their marriage, my mom found a turkey soup recipe, but neglected to follow the recipe entirely.  She made the whole thing, including simmering the carcass, adding all the vegetables and spices in two hours.  Apparently she also forgot to taste it.  She and my dad sat down to eat and nothing could bring it to life - not even ketchup.  Needless to say, she never, ever tried again.

For some reason, I have always felt the same fear of making turkey soup, it was like a curse.  I suppose it came down to the fact my mother couldn’t make it taste good, and I felt that if she couldn’t, then I wouldn’t be able to either!

Turkey is an interesting broth.  It is much lighter than chicken, but has its own special flavour.  There is a certain savoryness about it, less fatty than chicken I think.  This does make it harder to make a good tasting soup, I have found.  One year, during the first months of my engagement to Justin, my mom and I decided to through the carcass in some water for later soup making projects.  Then, a couple of months later, Justin was sick and all I had was the turkey broth to make him a soup.  (Can you hear the foreboding music?)  Read the complete Post.