Well time to review the Challenges, and how I did. Lets start out with The Independence Days Challenge. Ms. Sharon Astyk started this challenge in 2008. I am guessing here, but I think the idea is to teach us unsuspecting people to prepare themselves to be more self sufficient. Depend on themselves for food, storage, etc.
Well for me this is a challenge that keeps me honest! LOL, I undertook the challenge originally sometime back in 2008 just to see if I couod and to learn new things. Well almost two years and many muddy hands later, I can say that I do fairly well. Thanks to blogs like Chile’s, I have learned some new ways of preserving foods, both store bought and home grown. This challenge gives me the opportunity to try something and fail, or try something and Success. I have learned to make my own jerky, dry my own herbs, learned that jelly making is not that hard and even learned to make candied orange rinds (the diabetic version) as a result of this blog and this challenge. This is an all inclusive challenge that will change your life and work your butt.
THE GROWING CHALLENGE(Seed to Seed)
I joined Melinda’s growing challenge in 2008 as well. The original challenge was to grow something new (new to you) This year the challenge evolved into to saving your seeds for next years garden. As last year I have learned that I cannot grow broccolli, just don’t grow for me! But I also have learned I can grow watermelon, albeit they very small “grapefruit sized watermelon. This challenge gives me the courage to try and grow new things, even if I fail. At least I have lots of pumpkin and squash seeds for next year. Still cant grow a piece of broccolli.
Crunchy’s Freeze your balls off Challenge- AKA Freeze your Bun’s challenge is pretty simple for me- I have no problem lowering the thermostat (I have programmable thermostats) The only problem is, And this year is no execption, I always seem to get the cold or the fluduring the coldest time of year, and need it a tad warmer. But I work through that.
Crunchy’s Buy Hand Challenge: Not too difficult as I already make a great portion of what I give out for Christmas. It’s easier to give a dozen home baked cookies than a box oc chocolates. And tastier. Unless we’re talking Godiva Chocolates. But that’s another post.
Crunchy Domestic Goddess’ Ditch The Disposables Challenge- Shouldn’t be too hard for a devout eco-tree hugger. But this year I chose to wean myself off of plastic cutlery and tissues. Tissues were no problem as I made a big pile of snot rags made from old t-shirts… but that plastic cutlery sneaks up on you. A few fails a few successes.
Crunchy’s Buy Nothing Challenge- Y’all know how much of a consumer I am. LOL. But this is a difficult challenge for me… it is so easy to go to the hardware or other such store when you need a bolt or a part. I didn’t buy a freezer or a mattress (or even a topper during this challenge- which I still think Ms. Chicken comes up with to make me suffer.
