One Small Change: Smaller Trash Can

Been a while since I did a small change..I kept looking at my trash on pick up days, it was always 1/2 full. I did some research and found that I could get an insert installed in my trash barrel in effect changing it from 35 gallons down to 20. Should be more than sufficient for me thanks to composting, recycling and reusing I never have that much trash. Saves 780 gallons of trash a year and a little money. TWOFER!

One Small Change- LED Lightbulbs

I have a new small change- I am slowly replacing Compact FLuorescent's with Light EmittingDiode light bulbs. Note I said slowly as it makes no sense to get excited and change out my trusty CFL's before they burn out (And at $10 a pop for the LED's, dollar wise as well) Also, because the light is dimmer, I will have to make decisions on whether or not to change in some areas as I need light in those areas- like my kitchen (DOn't want to lop off a finger- especially the middle one- I need it for driving). I have CFL's in my fixture and don't think I should change until A- the LED's get cheaper and B- they become Brighter. But I did change the only incandescent lamp left in the house- the Laundry/Pantry. Couldn't before as that lamp is on a motion sensor that would not work with a CFL- but works fine with the LED. And I changed the porch light to a LED. Don't really notice a difference, and one of my reading lamps to LED- which takes some getting used to. I put the lamp on my "Kill-A-Watt" style meter and it came out at 1.5 watts! Pretty cool if I say so myself!

Another Small Change

Well one small change I am making is re-using the water that has run through my sprouter to water my seedlings and plant starts… You can smell and taste the nutrients in the water (yes I tasted it), and if starting beet sprouts, see it. Not a significant change, re-ducing and re-using this small amount of water… but a change is a change. And if it helps fertilize, a bonus to boot!

Weekly Challenge Update

Independence Days Challenge Year 4, Week 12
Plant something- Started gooseberry plants, amish deer tongue, Russian Kale, Tomato- Black prince, Tomato- orange russian; tomato Radiator Charlie's Mortgage lifter; Tomato- Clint Eastwood Rowdy Red; Tomato- Julia Child; Tomato - spoon; Squash "aunt Shirley Squash" aka Zapallo; Cauliflower
Harvest something- Alfalfa sprouts, chick pea sprouts
preserve something :
Local Food systems :
Preparation: Extended my heating grow mats with a little foil
Eat the food/eat something new-Cheese and Alfalfa Burritos ( a recipe I found in the direction pamphlet for my sprouted); Salad with Chick pea sprouts

Cheese and Alfalfa Burritos
A little butter or margarine
Alfalfa Sprouts- about 1/2 cup
Cheddar Cheese -Shredded
2 table spoons of sour cream- or I substituted 2 tablespoons of Greek Yogurt- I had no sour cream

Lightly butter one side of tortilla, put in hot fry pan, and spread the cheese. Heat until cheese is melted, remove top with sprouts, and sour cream/yogurt. Fold into a burrito. Eat and enjoy!

waste not- Using old clamshells, yogurt cups saved for starting seeds
want not - Ordered some tomato seeds (I know - I said no more tomato starting- but these are varieties I grow for planters - Window box Romas, Tumbler, Red Robin… and yielded into temptation and got some Clint Eastwood Rowdy Red, Julia Child, Radiator Charlie’s Mortgage Lifter, Orange Russian and Spoon tomatoes. Along with Bolivian Rainbow and Chichen Itza peppers. Pretty much I went to the dark side of the force. Like the swallows returning to Capistrano, I get an itch to start tomatoes… Always happens. Damn you Gary Ibsen! At least I have some success with peppers.

Well one small change I am making is re-using the water that has run through my sprouter to water my seedlings and plant starts… You can smell the nutrients in the water, and if starting something like beet sprouts, see it. Not a significant change, re-using this small amount of water… but a change is a change. And if it helps fertilize seedlings, a bonus to boot!

Friday I had a slice of cheese pizza and a baked potato. No bacon bits for the potato :( , but pretty good just the same. Bought no candy this week and no I wasn't chased by girl scouts selling cookies. ‘Course the candy cravings might have been cured by the fact I am experimenting with "mocktails" so I get a sweet charge out of that, and fresh juice to boot! Pretty good week all in all

One Small Change: How I get my prescriptions

One thing about old age... It comes with prescriptions. One problem I had was the #5 Prescription bottles. They are not recyclable, the pharmacy doesn't take them back. There is the "Gimme 5" program at whole foods, but they don't offer that out here. Then one day my prescription insurer called and offered to put me on mail order prescriptions! It saves me some money and saves them so sure I can go with that When they came I got another surprise... The bottles are #2 HDPE. And that is available for recycling in my garbage pick up! So that is my small change for this month... not much to do, but a small change just the same!

One Small Change- Kitty Litter refuse

Another friendlier option for a waste problem

Well time for another small change! This time is more a way I do something which I hate- cleaning Sammy's litter box. The garbage pick up want's me to bag the kitty litter which is messy and a pain. But while I was cleaning up yard waste it came to me... why not use a yard waste bag? They stand up, and hold up long enough to get Sammy's spent pine pellets into the bag. Then I simply fold over the top and discard. Everyone is happy... the garbage man doesn't get bombarded with used litter and poop, I get an easy way to rid myself of said litter, and Sammy gets a clean comode. No plastic bag.

One Small Change

One Small Change- My new small change concerns my cell phone. Or rather how I charge it. My change is going to be: start charging my cell phone using my car charger, taking advantage of the free 12 Volt electricity made by my vehicles batteries rather than using more electricity. I plug it in when I go to work by the time I get there it is fully charged! , or simply charge it in one of the work vehicles if I decide to take a bus that day. How sweet is that? I mean I gotta go to work anyway, so why not let some of my commute be of some advantage? I would love to have one of those solar chargers but not in the budget at this time. Anyway a small change but still a change!

One small Change

One small change for September, I am going to start showering with the bathroom door open, Mrs. Bates be damned. This allows me to take a shower without running the exhaust fan, helps humidify the house. Humidity a problem in the Seattle area? Well yes, when you heat with electricity. My house can get very dry in the winter.

Three small changes

The "one small change" challenge has been over for some time now, but I am not ready to stop yet.

In addition to the squeegee in the bathroom change I have a couple of other changes in there as well.

After posting about the squeegee and realizing I was guilty of hypocrisy with my own love of Paper Towel for cleaning my hands, I went out

and bought some cotton terry cloth hand towels to do the same job. And one more bathroom change:
I now keep an old Rubbermaid container in there to fill with hot water when shaving- the advantages to this = less water used to shave, and the gray water is used to water plants. Plus not so much whiskers mess in the sink

ONE SMALL CHANGE: THE EARTH DAY WRAP UP

Well I didn't honestly think I would learn anything from this challenge. I was wrong! In January, my portion of the one small change challenge was to reduce my waste paper consumption. I learned that we have many wasteful things at work, while doing well in other areas like double sided printing as our default, then turn around and have one page of paper say "This page is intentionally kept blank" on a third page- makes no sense! I have talked it over with the boss, and we will see what happens in the future. But I do notice my efforts to reuse blank pages and such as scratch paper have a significant reduction in the amount my recycle bin for paper needs to be emptied!
In February, I decided to finally seal the light switches and outlets on all the exterior walls in my home. The benefits are as one expects- warmer house with no little mini- drafts. This was particularly important doing Crunchy's Freeze my buns off challenge as well.
March, I opted to not buy any soda or sparkling water. The one thing that helped was I got a soda stream for my birthday. I can make my own sparkling water. And the CO2 cartridge gets shipped back to the soda stream company, and you re-use the bottles. Whats more I found I like espresso syrup in my soda! (Glass Bottles) Anyway, couple that with the fact Martin quit his 6+ day coca cola habit, we have much more room in the recycle bin!Reduced waste is too cool! Guess what- I still haven't bought a soda or water!
Finally in April, My plan was to reduce the waste from take out. The best answer would have been no take out, but that wasn't an option for me. I did pretty good about getting my sandwiches, Chinese food pizza what have you with no plastic containers. I also had a big fail- I bought a salad that came in a plastic clamshell- low blood sugar induced panic. Well ever since then I just realize that when I have to go somewhere on an empty stomach, eat something or bring along a piece of fruit! This is crap I know, just needed a reminder.
Thanks to Hip Mountain Mama for bringing this challenge. What I learned is none of things are that difficult. It takes planning in some instances, in others labor (someone had to seal the outlets ans light switches- I got the sealing kits for free form the electric utility!) and that a few small steps turn into some big giant leaps!

Busier, busier, busier- The Weekly Challenge Update

Sharon's Independence Days Challenge Year 3, week 14
1. Plant something: Planted spinach, Chard, lambs quarters in the garden (Yes I know they are a weed) ; planted strawberry plants; transplanted rhubarb; planted raspberry bush
2. Harvest something: Got up early one morning- foraged a bunch of dandelion flowers and greens
3. Preserve something: Nada
4. Reduce Waste (recycle, reuse, reduce, repair or compost something): "Mortar mixing" tub from dumpster, 5 gallon buckets for SWP planters, 5 gal Water bottles for SWP Planters
5. Preparation and Storage: Made small garden beds out of two mortar mixing tubs;
6. Build Community Food Systems: I finally got the seeds donated. I took
them to the sustainable Burien meeting and told folks that they are Non-GMO seeds donated to me via my Blog from Hometown Seeds for a small ad, take what they need and John, our community garden guru, stepped up and said he will take what’s left for the various community garden projects around town. Also- Burien will open it’s first City wide Community Garden patch this year- very exciting (proof that almost two years of bitching and moaning works- sometimes)
7. Eat the Food (cook or eat something new): Made Dandelion Fritters; Cooked up a European style artichoke- and artichoke with a foot long stem, cut the stem and cooked that up too!

One Small Change- After failing last week- did much better this week. I stopped by Pantera bakery, and manage to get out of there with no clamshells, or utensils. They like to sneak the clamshells and utensils in your order. It really makes me appreciate places I regularly go like Burien Press Espresso- real silverware, real plates, real cups and mugs if I forget muggsly.

Growing Challenge Extreme Evangelist Edition- I finally got the seeds donated. I took
them to the sustainable Burien meeting and told folks that they are Non-GMO seeds donated to me via my Blog from Hometown Seeds in exchange for a small ad/link, take what they need and John stepped up and said he will take what’s left for the various community garden projects around town. Also- Burien will open it’s first City wide Community Garden patch this year- very exciting (proof that almost two years of bitching and moaning works- sometimes) Planted spinach, Chard, lambs quarters in the garden (Yes I know they are a weed) ; planted strawberry plants; transplanted rhubarb; planted nasturtiums, planted raspberry bushes- phew!

BUSY BUSY BUSY Weekly Challenge Update

Sharon's Independence Days Challenge Year 3, week 13
1. Plant something: Peas, Beans, Bok Choy, Radishes, carrots,
2. Harvest something: Pea sprouts; Radish Sprouts

3. Preserve something: Bottled some Red Onion infused Vinegar; Bottled some Fennel Infused Vinegar

4. Reduce Waste (recycle, reuse, reduce, repair or compost something): Used the pickling juice from Pickled Red Onions and Fennel as Infused Vinegar; pizza boxes as weed block; Rescued two kids chairs from dumpster and reused as planters
5. Preparation and Storage: Got my kiddie pool planting beds ready
6. Build Community Food Systems: Nothing. What is it with these groups? I offer free seeds and I know they all have gardens and no one returns my calls/emails. I am starting to get a complex! Try the sustainable Burien meeting on Sunday.
7. Eat the Food (cook or eat something new): Clover top tea, thistle tea, lemon grass tea (I didn’t harvest these, but plan to plant clover as a cover crop and forage thistle for tea and wanted to see If I would like it; Pea and radish sprouts on a sandwich, “Infused” Vinegar and sprouts on a salad;

One Small Change- Well hell I failed on Wednesday- I bought a salad at Trader Joe’s, came in a plastic clamshell, had a plastic condiment container of corn salsa in it. I had been at the doctors and didn’t eat breakfast as I was having blood work done, was hungry, late for work and my blood sugar was getting low. So I panicked and bought a chicken bbq salad. Panicking is what I do in low blood sugar situations.
I did however save the clam shell for starting plants, and used the condiment container on a seed cup. I know however, that planning is crucial for days like this.

Garden Challenge Extreme Evangelist Edition- I have been trying to give seeds away to some groups that I know have gardens. But they don’t return my calls/emails. So I will try again at this Sunday’s Sustainable Burien meeting. It’s a shame- nice non- g.m.o. seeds. I got the kiddie pool gardens ready for planting, And I got some good news to share in tomorrow's post!

Dodging Mammoth Raindrops- The Weekly Challenge Update

Very Busy. I am getting to like the greenhouse very much, It rains, you stay dry! And might be planing on building a more permanent one in the near future. Of course, I will free cycle the plastic behemoth if I decide on building one

Sharon's Independence Days Challenge Year 3, week 13.

1.Plant something: Started some gourds, Mortgage lifter tomatoes, some ground cherries; Obtained some brandywine, Oregon spring, Striped German, Black Russian and Cherokee Purple tomato starts, obtained a flat of strawberry plants; planted radishes, peas and beans
2. Harvest something: Foraged some Dandelion greens and flowers.

3. Preserve something: Nada

4. Reduce Waste (recycle, reuse, reduce, repair or compost something): Made a bench from a skateboard deck, the usual recycling, composting crap that I do always
5. Preparation and Storage: Separated some onion bulbs that I discovered wintered over and replanted them, Bought some Red Clover tips, lemon grass and Dried nettles for making tea until I see these things growing here.
6. Build Community Food Systems: No contact made with New Futures about taking the seeds I had for them (not for lack of trying)… Maybe a giveaway in the near future- but first I am going to call the food bank on Monday and see if they want them for their little garden at the food bank. As Gawd is my witness I shall give the seeds away!
7. Eat the Food (cook or eat something new): Strawberry Ice cream made from strawberries in the freezer; salad with dandelion greens
　

　
Freeze Your Buns off challenge- My little thermometer man has been keeping his clothes on. Typical Seattle Spring. I think I need to build an Arc

One Small Change- Decide and started the last leg of this challenge. TAKE OUT: No non-compostable containers, plus no non compostable or compostable utensils (As I have decided they wont compost, at least not in a home composter). Got a great start this month as Martin brought home some Mexican from someplace in downtown/SODO area of Seattle. Came on a paper plate with foil as the top. And of course we ate pizza, which I reuse the pizza boxes for weed block.

Garden Challenge "Extreme Evangelist Edition"- Started some gourds, Mortgage lifter tomatoes, some ground cherries and Obtained some brandywine, Oregon spring, Striped German, Black Russian and Cherokee Purple tomato starts, obtained a flat of strawberry plants, Separated some onion bulbs that I discovered wintered over and replanted them; No contact made with New Futures about taking the seeds I had for them so… Maybe a giveaway- but first I am going to call the food bank on Monday and see if they want them for their little garden at the food bank. As Gawd is my witness I shall give the seeds away!

Are "Compostable Utensils" Really Compostable?

I put that question to google, and of course Beth at Fake Plastic Fish was the #1 return. But there are others... World Centric.org whom manufacters biodegradeable utensils, came up with the same conclusion as Beth. In fact they write in their website:

"In the past we manufactured non-heat resistant utensils
made from non-GMO PLA, and heat resistant utensils made from 80% non-GMO corn starch and 20% other fillers. Through recent testing, we discovered that the corn starch resin used in the production of our heat resistant utensils (a resin certified by BPI and ASTM standards) is not fully
compostable. Therefore, we have discontinued the use of the corn starch resin and have begun using an alternative resin that will meet the standards of compostability. The new resin is a mixture of 70% non-GMO PLA and 30% talc. They are also heat resistant upto 200 degrees F, and the resin is
under testing for certification under ASTM-6400 standards.
Our current non-heat resistant utensils do not have any
issues with compostability. We have also taken the opportunity to redesign our cutlery to offer a more
aesthetically pleasing option.
We will continue to offer our current utensils at a discounted
price, until they are no longer in inventory.These utensils will
take 180 days to compost in a commercial composting facility.
Home composting is not recommended as they do require a higher heat to break down, which may not occur in most
home composting systems."

I for one can say my home composter does not get hot enough to break these down. I do have and use commercial composting, but after reading some articles about it on the internet, I have come to the decision that it is better to bring my own, use bamboo chopsticks or my fingers.

Soap dish made from recycled chopsticks

Bamboo chopsticks? Well they have been around for a long time, come from a renewable resource, biodegrade- plus they can be reused over and over and for other things. I have one of those pasta pots that has a colander that slides right into the pot. But the downside of it is... Nothing to lock the colander up in place when draining the pasta (or potatoes) so my answer is a simple bamboo chopstick. When I raise the colander to drain, I simply stick a chopstick through a hole in the colander and it stays in position. Another thing I use chopsticks for is two of them together to beat eggs for omelets (I learned that watching Julia Child as a kid), Somefolks make soapdishes out of them, If you’re handy with the arts, or just like to build things, then the chopstick can be very useful to you. Chopsticks can be the medium of baskets, jewelry, frames, mobiles, or abstract centerpieces. There is no limit to the imaginative creations that can be made from them. Anyways... my point is, I am adding this as my compostable only for the one small change challenge... no "compostable" utensils as I am not sure of their compostability.

Counting down One Small Change

The ONE SMALL CHANGE Challenge is coming to a close March I chose not to buy any soda or sparkling water. I can happily report 100% success. Of course it helped that for my birthday I got a soda stream. 22 days in April until earthday. I was going to do something grandiose for the last month, like Re-Use something from the trash everyday for something useful. But then I started to think "That's not the purpose of this challenge! One SMALL Change. So for this month, I think I will do something practical. Again No More disposables. But this time, When buying take out, I will not buy anything that isn't compostable. True, I do pretty well at this already, but there is room for improvement. Always. So my new one small change for the month of April is it's OK to buy take out, only if it comes in a compostable (paper/cardboard, not waxed) container OR I bring my own container.

Mouse in the House- Sammy's first Kill of the year- Weekly Challenge Update

Sammy say In Your Face Mouse!

Well nice week this week... got into an email argument with my right wing cousin... sending me some Glenn Beck inspired propaganda about our president. And Sammy killed his first mouse of the year. Way to go, Sammy! Maybe I should wrap it up and send to my cousin! The UNION way!!!
On the home front, Got some more seeds started in the greenhouse. Trying to decide what to plant for Arbor Day.
On to the Challenges:|
Sharon's Independence Days Challenge Year 3, week 12
1. Plant something: Started some Chamomile starts so I can make tea. Don’t know how it will work out. Keeping my fingers crossed. Planted more seed starts more tomatoes, squash, artichokes. Planted some mesclun in one of my lettuce boxes

2. Harvest something: Foraged some Dandelion for greens and flowers.

3. Preserve something: NADA
4. Reduce Waste (recycle, reuse, reduce, repair or compost something): Used an old skate board deck to make a bench, composted some cooked veggies from St. Pat’s day;

5. Preparation and Storage: Ordered some more seeds;

6. Build Community Food Systems: Nada

7. Eat the Food (cook or eat something new): Mac and Cheese Pie (Something New); Dandelion Greens and flowers in a salad

Freeze Your Buns off challenge-Not freezing so much. Spring appeards to be here now.

One Small Change- Still no pop or water bottles thanks to the Soda Stream

Garden Challenge (Extreme Evangelist Edition)-Still trying to figure out this years garden. And I am on Information Overload. Yesterdays post finds a lot of different methods. Brain having a meltdown

Hope Springs Eternal- The Weekly Challenge Update

Well this was a pretty Okay week. Got some seeds planted and even had some starts decide to make a show!

Some of my tomato starts are up, as well as punpkin, cukes and zukes, and Butternut squash. Hopefully it will be a successful year gardenwise! Even mowed the yard a bit (yes with my Nueton Rechargable Mower!) Onto the Challenges:

Sharon's Independence Days Challenge Year 3, week 11
1. Plant something: More tomato starts, some pumpkin starts, starting some evil broccoli, planted Minnesota Midget Cantaloupe in the green house, planted some more lettuce and mesclun for salads in the green house; planted peas
2. Harvest something: Some pea sprouts; Radish sprouts
3. Preserve something: Nada
4. Reduce Waste (recycle, reuse, reduce, repair or compost something): Found an old kid’s wading pool in mom’s dumpster, decided to try a raised bed in it; Reused an old recycling bin for planter for cantaloupe;
5. Preparation and Storage: Nada
6. Build Community Food Systems: Nothing
7. Eat the Food (cook or eat something new): Pea and Radish sprouts in a Broccoli slaw

Freeze Your Buns off challenge-Have not raised the temp once this month. Or turned the heat on. Or taken off my sweater.

One Small Change- Decided on my final “one small change” challenge for April. I think it is a doozy, more on that later- For March, I have not bought one pop or seltzer water, using my Soda Stream faithfully

Garden Challenge"Extreme Evangelist Edition"- Found an old kid’s wading pool in mom’s dumpster, decided to try a raised bed in it.

Weekly Challenge Update

Can you believe it is the 11th week of 2010 already? Things are on track here to be a great year in the garden as long as I pay attention to the seeds I've started. Been very busy with that and diving into dumpsters to find shit to make furniture with, as well as artsy crap. Gave bot puppy and kitty their first flea treatments for the year, Romeo needs a haircut... I need to learn to shear my pup and save $80 a pop! Or $80 a pup! Any way life goes on and so does the challenges:

Sharon's Independence Days Challenge Year 3, week 9 & 10

1. Plant something: Started some sweet pepper, 5 varieties of tomatoes, Butternut squash, Cucumber and onion plants, planted some Chard and planted a lettuce box, planted some Minnesota Midget cantaloupe seeds- suspect they will be long term residents in the greenhouse

2. Harvest something: Some Khol Rabi that wintered over

3. Preserve something: Pickled some radishes I bought at the store- a stretch but it is short term preservation, Pickled some onions as well.

4. Reduce Waste (recycle, reuse, reduce, repair or compost something): Saved a bunch of boxes for gifts for the holidays, made a vase out of an old 300 watt light bulb- more on that Tuesday; obtaining large parcels of cardboard to use as weed block again in the garden

5. Preparation and Storage: Got the stuff to put some shelving up in the Kitchen l set out some Praying mantis egg sacks for the season; Got a book on Foraging in the NW - I am bound and determined to learn to forage for more than Blackberries and Dandelions.

6. Build Community Food Systems: Donated some seeds to New Futures garden; Trying to obtain screening rights to show a screening of Mad City Chickens the Movie (Thanks to Jenna for the idea!)

7. Eat the Food (cook or eat something new): Got off my Chazuke kick. Succumbed to pressure and bought a can of Batter Blaster pancake batter- and my suspicions as far as pancakes go are correct- CRAP! Not only bad packaging but worse pancakes! Give me Melinda’s Pan Crack pancakes any day- but waste not want not attitude tells me to try making churros out of them- maybe useful for something!
　　
Freeze Your Buns off challenge- No problems here, letting the programmable thermostats keep me honest!

One Small Change- I am so loving the soda stream. Found that stainless steel water bottles are excellent for taking pop to work for lunch

Garden Challenge- Starting seeds right and left! Sharing seeds I got from Hometown Seeds with New Futures Community Garden- otherwise I would do a giveaway with them.

One Small Change: No disposables

Well let's see- In January, I saved printouts from work to make note pads and reuse as scratch paper, February, I insulated the exterior wall plugs and outlets to help seal drafts from coming in and warm air going out, this month I am going to ditch plastic soda bottles. It helps that my mom and Martin set me up with a Soda Stream from Soda Club. It also helps that I am not a major soda consumer. In fact I am a sparkling water consumer, while most of my sparkling water comes in glass bottles, a great deal of it comes in plastic. Anyway, since the Soda Stream also makes fantastic seltzer, Those bottles should not be in my recycling anymore!

"But Rob", you say, "what about those nifty planters, bird feeders and other art projects that you make out of those plastic bottles? No More?" Relax, says I, "I can get all those I need for art projects", (It's Called Dumpster Diving and reduces the bottles from going into the waste stream)

Japenese Rice and Tea Soup- The Weekly Challenge Update

Sharon's Independence Days Challenge- Year 3, weeks 5 & 6
1. Plant something: FINALLY! Started some tomatoes, “Syrian” Summer Squash; pumpkin and peppers in the greenhouse, planted some Camellia Sinensis plants
2. Harvest something: Nada
3. Preserve something: Nada
4. Reduce Waste (recycle, reuse, reduce, repair or compost something): Reused Rice from Saturdays dinner in Chazuke.
5. Preparation and Storage: Hydrated 5 gallon bucket of Coco Peat (Coco Noir)
6. Build Community Food Systems: Helped out at the (L)New Futures community garden digging fence posts, putting up gates, spreading woodchips that came from local power company during last years windstorms
7. Eat the Food (cook or eat something new): Reused Rice from Saturdays dinner in Chazuke.
RECIPE:
CHAZUKE (JAPANESE RICE/TEA/SALMON SOUP)
3 c Leftover cooked rice
1 tb White sesame seeds
1 Sheet asakusa nori
1 sl Salt-grilled salmon
2 -(up to)
3 tb Chopped coriander
1/4 ts Wasabi
2 c Very hot; freshly brewed green tea

PREPARATION
Chazuke (also called Ocahzuke). The salmon version is called Sake Chasuke (Sake meaning salmon, here, not rice wine). There is also a rice-and-egg porridge called Zosui. Divide the rice among four deep bowls. Dry roast sesame seeds in dry skillet until golden, and crush them coarsely (in a suribachi, or a blender or with a heavy knife) and sprinkle them over the rice. Dry roast the nori by waving it over a gas or electric burner for up to a minute; fold and tear the sheet into 20 small rectangles and place 5 in each bowl of rice. If making sake chazuke, remove skin and bones from the salmon and break it into little chunks; divide it among the 4 bowls. Garnish each bowl with a little coriander and a small dab of wasabe. Pour 1/2 cup of very hot tea over each bowl and serve immediately.




Freeze Your Buns off challenge- Still going strong, still at 55/65. Still have nice temps outside so that of course is helping here

One Small Change- Finished insulating the wall plugs and sockets on the exterior walls. Time to think of next months One small change challenge.

Food waste challenge- Ended this one on an up note. The only food I put in the foodwaste bin was about a cup of beer with some onions in it (Yes I was making bratwurst again- this time the brats where local handmade brats from some friends

NOTE ON THE GORILLA GARDENER CHALLENGE: Not an “official” update, but I found the perfect place to place a planter at my GGC site! There is always time to join in the challenge- it is open enrollment folks!