The Rooted Tree Test

You Are Freedom Loving

You are laid back and easygoing with people. Too much intensity tires you out. You believe that there is a lot to still be discovered in this world, and you're hoping to find some of it. You are blessed with an enormous amount of self-confidence. You love who you are. Structure and rules bore you. Even worse - they make you feel stifled.

The Rooted Tree Test

 

 

I WISH I had an enormous amount of self-confidence.  Maybe one of these days.

Change the World Wednesday - Road Blocks

It's a new year and glad to get back to the Change the World Wednesday challenges over at Reduce Footprints.

This past week the challenge was in regards to road blocks. What roadblocks do I encounter when trying to be green.  This one was rather easy for me.  The greatest roadblock I have is in my desire to buy local.  There are several farmers markets during the summer but non that have been convenient for me to get to.  There is one in Tower Grove Park that I hear is wonderful, but it's at least a 30 min drive. When I drive 35-40min each way for my commute to/from work 5 days a week, I just don't always want that commute on the weekend (plus the park is by my work so it just feels like I'm headed to work again).

There is a farmer's market closer to where I live but it is during the week and closes around 6pm. That just hasn't been a possibility for me.

However, I was able to change my hours at work this past fall and now I normally work 7-3, which gives me plenty of time to get to the farmer's market close to my house.  However another roadblock is that baby girl is supposed to arrive in early May.  My life is about to be turned upside down, in a good way.  I think, though, that buying local and fresh produce is important enough to me that I could hopefully make this an outing we can do together.  Sure, as an infant she'll have no clue and it'll be tougher for me to get around, but I'm hoping I can get into a routine and make it a habit.

Running Breakthrough

It feels good when you finally realize that a dream of yours is within reach.  It might take some planning, it might take some training, but to have that realization that yes you can do X, that's an incredible feeling.

I had such a breakthrough not too long ago.  I've been kicking around the idea of training for a full marathon for awhile.  It took me forever to convince myself I was capable of running a half marathon. Once I proved I could train and run one, I started thinking about a full marathon.  However 26.2 miles is a long way to run. I have way too much self-doubt about my abilities and my mental strength to fully commit.   It was something that I kept thinking about but wasn't ready to do.  Then when I found out I was pregnant I knew I wouldn't be able to train for a Spring marathon like I was thinking about.  I was ok with that.

Something crazy happened though.  While I'm still able to workout I'm having to pay close attention to my heart rate.  This means I'm running at a much slower speed than normal.  This also means that I've been able to keep up my distance and increase it for my weekly long runs.  I'm not putting as much effort into the runs, because I can't, so my legs aren't as tired and my body isn't fatigued and I can go further.   Up until recently the longest distance I have ever run consecutivly was 13.1 miles, a half marathon. 

A couple of weekends ago I decided that my goal was to run 12-16 miles for my long run.  12 was doable as that's what I've been doing.  16 was a pipe dream.  I came up with 16 because the route I run at a local park is roughly 4 miles, although I've been adding extra routes in to make it a tad longer.  So 12 mile would mean 3 loops, 16 miles would be 4 loops.  Hmm.   I met up with a couple of othe women for the first time.  The one runs slower so she offered to run with me most weekends since I've been lonly and missing my normal running group (I can't keep up with them right now).  She then found another girl who wanted to run with a group.   So we started out and they were super cool and stayed at the pace I needed to go.  We did 9 miles together because that's what their goal was for that day.  I was feeling good.  My legs were incredibly sore from the workout I had done the day before, but I felt good.  I ate part of a banana and headed out for another loop around the park.  I got close to my car and was at 14 miles.  I felt good.  I ran further and then decided to only push it to 15.  I do believe at that point my thought process was "You crazy f***, you're pregnant, what are you doing running 16 miles." 

When I hit 15 miles I stopped and walked  back to my car.  My legs were on fire, they were so sore from the previous days workout.  The rest of my body felt great.  My mental state was awesome. I've been dealing with a lot lately and have no way to relieve stress.  This run did it. Not only did I finally feel like I got in a good workout, I did 15 miles.  15!  Who would have ever though I could run for 15 miles?!  Nobody!

I was estatic. I was pumped. I got back to the car and looked at my phone and saw it was almost 11:30. I had been running for almost 3 hours.  I panicked. I called the husband thinking he was probably freaked out and when he answered I said "I'm alive".   When I said that I realized just how alive I felt. I felt on top of the world.  I was estatic.  I wanted to yell, I wanted to scream. I wanted to tell somebody but had nobody who would really care so I just had my own little happy party and patted myself on the back.  I just freaking ran for 15 miles and I felt great. I felt like I could have kept going.   I realized, for the very first time, that I could run for 26.2 miles. I could run a full marathon.  Sure, I might not be able to do it at the pace that I want to, but the first one is just about finishing isn't it?  Once I can finish a marathon I can work on pace for another one right?

This feeling, this feeling of realizing that you can accomplish something that you thought about doing but didn't really think you could achieve, that's the most amazing feeling in the world. 

I do realize that running 15 miles is probably not the best thing to do while pregnant, even though my body is fit and I've been keeping up with my workouts.  So I won't do it again.   I also realize that once Baby Girl arrives my priorities will change.  I realize that I'm not going to have 3+ hours to devote to running on the weekend.  I realize that training for a marathon takes a huge time commitment and I'm not going to be able to do that for awhile.  But that's ok.  I'm ok if I have to wait 2 or 3 or 4 years before I can train for a marathon.  Because I know I'll remember this run and I'll know how it felt to realize I could do it.

Altra running shoes - review

I recently did a review of the Eve shoe by Altra for a friend's blog, RunBreak.  Be sure to check it out if you are interested in running shoes. Actually, I don't run in them, I wear them to the gym and out and about and they are super comfy. So check them out even if you aren't in the market for new running shoes.

It's also exciting that Altra recently had two of their shoes awarded the Best Debut award by runners world. You can read more about that on Altra's blog.

The Story of Stuff

If you haven't watched any of the video's produced by The Story of Stuff Project, you are in for a treat.  Annie Leonard makes some really good points in the videos.  Even if you don't believe it all, I think it still makes you question things and look at how you live.

I recently watched their video The Story of Stuff and wanted to share it with you.  There were several good points that she makes.  For one she mentions that recycling isn't enough.  Seeing as how I've done a lot of reading/research within the last year on living green I already knew this.  However I used to think I was doing my part if if recycled, heck, I kept it out of the landfill didn't I?  But it's true that it's not enough. We need to look deeper into what we buy and why we buy things.

Chocolate Cupcakes and Buttercream Frosting

We had my family over to celebrate my Mom's birthday the other night and my Mom had requested chocolate cupcakes with chocolate icing for the dessert.    Since I refuse to buy desserts I turned to one of my trusty cookbooks to see if there was a recipe before I went searching on the internet.   I found a recipe for chocolate cupcakes in the book Flour by Joanne Chang.  If you live in Boston or have been there, you might be famliar with the Flour Bakery.  Man I hope to get there one day. I actually have to admit that so far I only have two cookbooks and both are recipes from bakeries and both are awesome. The only cookbooks I've felt worth spending money on so far.  However..let me get back on track.

This was the first time I made the cupcakes so of course we didn't know what to expect. I tend to make new dessert recipes when people are coming over, no better way to test it all out.    These cupcakes weren't hard to bake, a few different steps, but not hard.  While I love chocolate I'm not a huge fan of chocolate cake.  I have to admit that I've been eating my share of these, they taste wonderful.  Everyone who had one also commented on how good they are (and I don't think it was just to make me feel good since I baked them).    I didn't make the icing recipe included with that recipe as it wasn't for a chocolate recipe. Instead I used a chocolate buttercream recipe that I've had for several years, found it on the internet but don't remember where.

If you feel like a chocolate cupcake and are up to baking from scratch, definitly give these a try.

Chocolate Cupcakes from Flour by Joanne Chang

2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
¼ cup dutch-processed cocoa powder
1 cup granulated sugar
½ cup unsalted butter
⅓ cup water
½ cup milk
1 egg
1 egg yolk
½ tsp vanilla extract
1 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp kosher salt

In a heatproof bowl, combine the chocolate and cocoa powder.  In a small saucepan, heat the sugar, butter, and water over medium-high heat, whisking occasionally, for 3-4 minutes or until the butter is melted and the sugar is dissolved.  Pour the hot butter-sugar mixture over the chocolate-cocoa mixture and whisk until the chocolate is completely melted and the mixture is homogeneous.

Whisk the milk, egg, egg yolk, and vanilla into the chocolate mixture until thoroughly combined.

In a bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until well mixed.  Dump the flour mixture on top of the chocolate mixture.  Whisk until the dry ingredients are totally mixed into the chocolate mixture.  Let the batter sit for at least 1 hour at room temperature, or transfer to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. (This allows the liquid to be totally absorbed into the batter, so the batter thickens up a bit and isn’t so soupy.)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.   Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups, dividing it evenly and filling the cups to the rim.  Bake for about 30 minutes, or until the tops spring back when pressed with a fingertip.  Let cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.

**I did make only 12 cupcakes but some were pretty large and overflowing.  Next time I make these I won't fill the cupcake cups to the rim and I'll make more.

Buttercream Frosting
6 tablespoons butter, softened
⅓ - ¾ cup Cocoa powder
2 ⅔ cup powdered sugar
⅓ cup milk
1 tsp vanilla extract

Cocoa powder - for light chocolate frosting us ⅓ cup cocoa powder.  For medium chocolate frosting use ½ cup cocoa powder.  For dark chocolate frosting us ¾ cup cocoa powder.

Directions
Cream the butter.  Add the cocoa and powdered sugar, alternately with milk.  beat to spreading constistantency, add more milk if needed.  Blend in Vanilla.

Makes enough for 12 cupcakes

 

**Note: I use this recipe for non-chocolate buttercream frosting too, I (obviously) just don't add the cocoa powder

Wool Dryer Balls

I became aware of wool dryer balls sometime last year while browsing different green blogs.  The purpose of using wool dryer balls is to elminate the need of a dryer softener sheet when you dry clothes.  The sheets contain chemicals and cost money.  By using wool dryer balls you not only save money but you also keep chemicals from getting on your clothes.  Win-win.

I had looked into purchasing some but then found a tutorial on how to make some using wool yarn. I saved that and then never did it.  I happened to run across another blog article late last year that gave a tutorial on how to make them using wool sweaters.  This seemed more my style as I could pick up some wool sweaters pretty cheap from Goodwill.

I found the tutorial at Eco Friendly Homemaking and it seemed easy enough. Buy some wool sweaters (at least 85% wool), wash them in hot water, dry them, cut them into strips, sew the strips into balls (roughly the size of a tennis ball). That's it!  Ok, I can do this.  

I got the sweaters and then sat on my lazy bum and did nothing with them for awhile. I finally realized I was almost out of dryer sheets so I needed to get my arse in gear and make these so I could test them out and see how they worked.  Would they work as promised? Would I like them? Or would I have to find an eco-friendly dryer sheet to use. 

In the tutorial the poster says she made about 11 in an hour. I must be really slow because it took me a lot longer than that.  It wasn't that it was hard, it was just more time consuming than I expected.  However she also states the dryer balls should last 2 years.  The first handful I made I didn't sew at the beginning of the strip and the end, I only did at the end. I soon found this was a problem as they started to unravel in the dryer.  I think by not sewing them at both ends I wasn't wrapping them tight enough.  The second batch I sewed I sewed at the beginning and end of each strip and pulled tighter.  These have stayed together, for the most part. I've noticed the last trip coming loose on some.   This hasn't been hard to fix though, I just put it back together and sew the sides.   I made about 15 dryer balls and have all in the dryer for each use. 

How do I like them?  I can't say that I've noticed the dry time speeding up, that's one thing mentioned in the tutorial..that the dry time is faster.   However I don't have any static on my clothes.  Well, there is on exception. I"ve noticed my workout clothes can have static.  I do all my workout clothes in the same load and most of them say not to use dryer softners/sheets.  I don't notice the clothes being staticky when I wear them, just when I take them out of the dryer sometimes.  I pretty much wear all the tech clothes too, so I'm sure it's whatever material is used that causes the static. 

Other than than noticing those two issues, neither of which bothers me and I actually consider an issue, I love using these.  They were super easy to make, I just made them while sitting in front of the tv, and they'll last about 2 weeks. Sure I'll have to fix some of mine, but I imagine as I make more and get better at it and find a process that works for me I won't have this issue.

Now, you might be saying that this is too much trouble when dryer sheets aren't expensive.  So let's take a look at it.   I looked online and Walmart (ugh I hate that store and rarely shop there) has a 160 ct box of Bounce for $6.84. This comes to roughly $0.042 per sheet.   I don't know how many loads an average household does with kids, but for a household of 2 we do 4-5 per week.   So it would be $.21 per week or $10.92 per year. Still not a lot.  Ok, so let's go further. I'll be using cloth diapers and we decided against a diaper service. I'll be washing them every other day.  So let's just say I'll be doing at least 10 loads of laundry a week, no idea how many loads I'll do of baby girls clothing.  Now I just doubled my cost, at least. It's going to cost me $20.92 a year.   However I wouldn't be using Bounce. I would be using a brand such as 7th Generation because I feel more comfortable with it.   I looked online and a dryer sheet by that brand would run me about $0.062 per sheet, $0.62 per week or $32.24 per year.  The dryer balls will last me two years, it cost me about $7 to buy the sweaters.   So for two years I've spent $7.  If I used dryer sheets I would be spending at least $64.48. 

You might look at that and say your time is worth the $65.  You're right, time is important.  However I'm going to stick with the wool dryer balls.  We watch money pretty closely in our household and I spend more on products from eco-friendly companies and products are better for me and the environment. So I already have some areas where I spend more. This means I look for areas where I can save.  This is one of those areas where I can save a little bit of money. It's a small amount but it adds up in time.

Let's also factor into this that when you purchase dryer sheets the environment is effected.  Chemicals, utilities, etc were used to create those dryer sheets, to ship those dryer sheets etc.  Not to mention the waste that was created to make them and package/ship them.  For the environmentally concious person making your own wool dryer balls from used sweaters is a very easy way to lesson your carbon footprint.