Garden Co-ops

Opinion Polls & Market Research

After some incredible high April temps and dry weather that made a dust bowl around here, we're finally getting much needed rain. Vegetation is the greenest I've seen it in months and I noticed yesterday grass is starting to grow. When we first moved in here, I wondered if we'd ever see grass, but I think God orchestrated his creation so there are seeds in just about any soil. (Well, maybe not the clay stuff...)

Speaking of seeds and soil, we haven't tried a garden here for two reasons:

1. I think I'm garden handicapped.
2. I doubt anything will grow in sandy soil.

The first I can take care of by educating myself. There are some great gardening websites and books. The second, I can now solve much easier than buying top soil thanks to my friend. Yesterday she asked me if I was interested in sharing a garden with her.

A garden co-op? Whodathunkit? We must be in tune with each other, perhaps by God's spirit since she loves Jesus too, because if you read yesterday's post, you know I mentioned growing food. I just didn't know how I was going to succeed at it with our sandy soil.

So now the two of us are going to grow a garden at her house where she already has a designated garden plot, and we'll get to share quality time, soak up lovely sunshine and it's precious vitamin D through our much-needed sunblock, give our kids regular play time together, and save money on vegetables! This is a perfect setup for someone like me who is garden green, as in don't-know-nothing-'bout-planting.

If you are planning a garden, why not ask a friend or two if they want to go in with you? Or if you want to save money but don't have the space, ask some of your land-wealthy friends if they might be interested in a garden co-op. Or maybe you have land, but don't know how to garden. Get some friends and learn gardening together. You don't even need that much space. The return might be worth turning a postage stamp parcel's tiny lawn into a garden for a season.

Garden co-ops--what a great way to grow friendships, food, and that green wallet stuff.

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Tech Tags: garden co-op grow plant save money share weather

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New Blog Design Coming--Really!

I've been working on the new blog design this week as other commitments have allowed. I planned to put it up around Christmas, but had no idea when I said it that my life was about to nosedive, so please forgive me for failing to follow through on my word.

I'm not a programmer so I've had a steep learning curve with CSS and html. Do-it-yourself house construction--do-it-yourself web design. Being The Building Brows, that makes sense. I just hope I remember when it no longer is a necessity to do things myself to let others do things for me.

I'm getting better at web design, though, and hope to complete the new design this week. And it will be nice to know I can when I no longer have to. Mostly, I'll be relieved when the design is up knowing my blog no longer freezes people's computers.

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Technorati Tags:  blog design ^ Web design ^ programming ^ learning ^ do it yourself ^ DIY

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Energy Audit for Weatherization

Today a regional weatherization crew came to begin weatherizing our house. About four weeks ago they gave us an energy audit per our request and turned up interesting results.

1. The trailer floors are cold and a lot of cold drafts come off the windows and from the kitchen and bathroom vents despite the weatherization tests indicating our house is too tight. (They used a fan in the door to test tightness, but I forgot to turn off the box fan exhausting air from under the house, so the two fans were fighting each other.
   
2. Our wall oven is emitting high levels of carbon dioxide, and it is away from the stove top venting fan so the gases cannot be sucked out of the house.
3. There are too many of us in this size home, so the carbon dioxide levels are higher per person than they should be. This was something we never considered being a large family living small.
   
4. Eight people in 800 square feet produce too much moisture. This has contributed to excessive mold in all colors: green, black, white, and pink.
   
5. Carbon dioxide also feeds mold, so our air quality is the largest concern.
   
6. Our venting fans in the bathroom and kitchen are insufficient for air flow and have no closing flaps.

After the audit, the weatherization team decided they needed to do the opposite of what they usually do to houses, which is tighten them. The largest concern is increasing air flow and decreasing moisture to increase air quality by reducing the molds and carbon dioxides emitted by the stove and too much breathing. (Perhaps we should hold our breaths.)

To do this, they are installing closeable fresh air vents, replacing the vent fans--one with moisture sensor, and replacing the wall oven and stove top with a regular all-in-one kitchen stove so it will all sit under the new kitchen fan.

These alterations mean cutting the cabinet and counter top to accommodate the new stove. As soon as I get pictures off my new camera (Did you hear that? I have a new digital camera that actually works well!) I'll post them and give you more detail. In the mean time, I have to go make sandwiches since we have no stove until tomorrow. :-)

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Technorati Tags:  weatherization ^ energy audit ^ carbon dioxide ^ air quality ^ mold ^ health

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Running a replacement phone line

Our phone line has been buzzing for the past two weeks--ever since we got the iMac and hooked it up. Jim thought the iMac had screwed up the phone line since we plugged in our DSL to a router. I suspected a loose connection. I found nothing out of place, though, and a quick check revealed it wasn't an individual phone, either.

Jim determined it must be our line that runs 150 feet through a ditch from the telephone pole to our trailer. Since the line is exposed, and has been that way for the past 2-3 years, it makes perfect sense that an animal or vegetation might have compromised the line.

Running wires through an open ditch is highly stupid, so do not take this as a good idea from The Building Brows.

Our electric wires also run through the open ditch, but are more protected because we thread them through pipe and partly buried them. We opted for this temporary set up because we'll have to run larger capacity wire anyway for the house, which is the next step. In the mean time, under no circumstances are the kids to play near the ditch or the house.

So Jim bought new telephone wire and had IJ run it the length of the ditch. I wish my camera had been available for pictures because it was IJ's first time doing such work.

This is the hole IJ had to enter to crawl under the house. We have a box fan running under there to exhaust excess heat or cold year round. I heard IJ whining from all the way inside. Scared as he was, Jim made him go. And it was good for him despite what he found.

"There were spiders, and cobwebs, and dead bugs under there!" he said after it was all over.

"And bones from something were under there, too," added Jim.

I bet IJ's shower felt real good after that. And the phone line? Works like a charm. We should get another two years or so out of it. ;-)

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Technorati Tags: running wire ^ telephone line ^ phone ^ problems ^ kids ^ DIY ^ do it yourself

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Favorite Books, Movies, Music, Magazines

Some of The Building Brows's faves may contain objectionable material.

Construction	Writing	Children's	Nonfiction
Adult Fiction	Magazines	Videos	Music

CONSTRUCTION BOOKS

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WRITING BOOKS

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BOOKS BRANDY'S CONTRIBUTED TO

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CHILDREN'S BOOKS

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OTHER ADULT NONFICTION

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ADULT FICTION

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MAGAZINES
Mouse over images for details or comments.

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VIDEOS

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MUSIC

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Electronic Reader

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Technorati Tags: favorites ^ recommended ^ books ^ movies ^ music ^ magazines

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Save Money. Reuse other product's packaging.

Welcome to Works for Me Wednesday, sponsored by Rocks In My Dryer.

Storage is something I need a lot of around here, but plastic buckets add up in cash. I also hate to throw away usable things, so instead of waste money on something that will break in a short time, I us containers from packaging I already bought for something else. Here are a few items I've used, some which have lasted me longer than those $15-$20 plastic bins:

1. Empty Bandaid boxes: Top lid flap folded up to align with back and secured with tape. Placed on back. One holds Bandaids stacked on sides from left to right. The other holds ointment tubes. Both fit in my rectangle Tupperware container I used for a first aid kid way back in Girl Scouts when earning my first aid badge.

2. Cell phone boxes: Top lid flap removed, tipped onto the narrow long side, stacked. Serves as envelope holders.

3. Small narrow cardboard box with flaps removed, laid on back. Houses tape dispenser, small Rolodex card file holder, and stapler. Keeps them together under my monitor shelf and prevents them from falling off the back of my computer desk. (Love this one!)

4. Small cardboard box, flaps taped out to align with box and one wide side removed. Sits on one of my computer desk shelves to give me more shelf space. Underneath I have narrow magazines, and on top a plastic office supply organizer.

5. Small-large cardboard boxes. These make great toy boxes and toys. Small to medium sized ones fit under beds.

6. Large coffee cans/containers, plastic nut containers with twist-on lids. These are perfect for small toys like Legos, Polly Pockets, rocks, etc. In our house, they also double as instruments.

Oh the things you can do with packaging from other products. And the money you can save! Next time you go to throw away that box or container, ask yourself what you could use it for.

Works for me. It will work for you.

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Technorati Tags: organization ^ Save Money ^ recycle ^ reuse ^ storage

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Free Appliance Problem Advice

We're a do-it-yourself family partly by necessity. We can't afford to pay professionals to do work all the time, so we try to diagnose and solve problems on our own as best we can. Sometimes the biggest challenge is not repairing, but diagnosing.

I recently learned about PartSelect Repair Forums that offer free diagnostic and repair advice by appliance service technicians. Our gas wall oven recently went on strike, so I clicked over there to find out if anyone else had posted my problem and what kind of response came forth.

The answer was wise--contact a local technician. Never fool with propane.

Wise, true, but I was a bit disappointed. I wanted to see what else they had to say, so I clicked around their sections: air conditioners, dishwashers, driers, garbage disposals, microwaves, ranges, refrigerators/freezers, and washers. (They also have an announcement and general discussion section.) The responses with answers seemed knowledgeable and to hit the mark well, but many threads hung on the technician waiting for the message poster to respond with more specifics about their appliance, like brand and model number.

Overall, I say this forum is very helpful so long as you follow up with your question to provide any extra information needed to the one trying to help you. If using it, it's wise to provide the brand and model number of your major appliance up front.

Sponsored Post

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Technorati Tags:  major appliances ^ free help ^ repairs ^ forum ^ household

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Labeling the Chore Board, Chore List

In my How to make the chore board post, I forgot to include in the labeling section that I group similar chores within the same slice. For instance, I put animal-related chores in one slice, meal-related chores in another, and school tasks in another.

Here are some of the chores we include on our board:

• Homework
• Instrument practice
• School projects
• Feed the cat (and now dog)
• Clean the litter box (and dog mess)
• Clean the llama pen
• Put away groceries
• Set the table
• Clear the table
• Help make dinner
  
• Sweep
• Vacuum
• Wash the floor
  
• Straighten the entry way
• Pick up toys
• Put away clean clothes (everyone's)
  
• Do laundry
• Fold laundry
• Take out the garbage

Click to see a larger view of the chore board photo to see how I drew the above chores. (I love stick figures!)


Now that I know this system really works, I bought a self-healing cork board to replace our current one shown above. It did really well, lasting over a year with daily assigned chores for six kids, but it's time for a new one. The DONE bull's-eye is down to paper backing and the many holes don't want to hold pegs any more.

When I make the new chore board, I plan to add room-specific chores: cleaning the TV room/kitchen/bedroom/bathroom.

NOTE: Chore Board chores are specifically variable--chores the kids do not need to do each day, whether it's because they don't a task all week, like school-related chores, or because we want the kids to take turns to learn to do many kinds of chores. For daily tasks, we use what we call a Daydo List, which is actually the spring board for the whole system. More on the Daydo List later. (Update 5/28/08: We've done away with the Daydo List. Once the kids got used to the Chore Board, they didn't need it.)


COMING NEXT WEEK: The Privilege Ladder component of The Building Brows Discipline System

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Tech Tags: chores ~ chore board ~ discipline system ~ chore chart

Ice Rocket Tags: parenting ^ kids ^ chores ^ board ^ discipline ^ brow ^ family

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Discipline System: How to make the chore board

Finally, what you've been waiting for: directions for how to make the Chore Board part of The Building Brows Discipline System. It takes a little time to make the board (just like it took to write these directions), but it is well worth it.

The Building Brows Chore Board

What you will need:

• A cork board at least 16" high x 20" wide usable space. (See also the cardboard option below.)
  
• Long pencil
  
• Compass with the long pencil (see picture below)
  
• 12" ruler
  
• Black permanent marker
• Colored pushpins
  

Optional materials:

• Cardboard boxes thick enough for pushpins as a cork board alternative.
  
• Instead of a compass, four circular containers of varying sizes. Be sure the sizes are each about a half inch apart and that they will fit on your cork board.
• Unlined paper or sticker paper (available in the computer printer specialty paper section)

Directions:

1. At about half-way up the left (or right) side of the cork board, measure 8" into the cork. Try to level it with the bottom and top of the board.
   
2. From 7.5" to 8.5" pencil in a line as level as possible with the top and bottom of the board.
3. Measure the board top to bottom at about the center of the pencil line.
   
4. Mark the center with an inch line to cross the first line. This cross will be a reference point later.
   
5. Put a pushpin hole where the two lines meet. This is the center of the DONE bull's-eye.
6. Using your compass, measure 1" out from the center hole, and make a circle.
7. Repeat with another circle 3.5" from the center hole.
   
8. Draw a third circle 6" from the center hole.
   
9. Draw the last circle 7.5" from the center hole.
10. To split the board in half, align the ruler on the horizontal cross line in the center. Extend the line to the outside edges of the board starting from the center ring (not the center of the DONE bull's-eye).
11. Repeat the above step with the perpendicular cross line in the center to make four slices (minus the points).
12. To split the first four slices into eight, align the ruler with the outside end points of one slice. Mark the center point with a dot.
13. Align the ruler with the center hole and the dot. Draw a line from the center ring (not the center hole) to the outside ring.
14. Repeat step 13 with the other slices until the board has eight even slices.
15. Trace the pencil marks with permanent marker.
16. Label the sections with chores. You can use words or pictures drawn directly on the board or on sticker paper or regular paper glued to the board. You may also want to cut pictures from magazines, or use printed clip art. Include your children in this step to help them embrace the chore board.

Notes:

• Use the Chore Board picture above for visual reference when making your board.
  
• Save the right (or left) side of the board for the privilege ladder that I'll talk about in a future post.
• There are various ways to make the chore board:
• Using a cork board with colored pushpins as the pegs (You may want to start with an inexpensive board to see if this system works for your family before investing in a self-healing cork board. Or go right to a self-healing board if you want to save yourself from redrawing the chore board within a year.)
  
• Use doubled cardboard with pushpins as the pegs. (short lived)
  
• Make the chore board on large paper and laminate it, then use colored projector pens to assign chores with a dot which can be wiped off with a damp tissue. Keep pens by the board for kids to mark the DONE bull's-eye in their color when they complete a chore. (Use colors that will match pushpins.)

If you have questions about any of these directions, please post a comment.


Read how to use this easy chore board system

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Tech Tags: chores ~ chore board ~ discipline system ~ chore chart

Ice Rocket Tags: parenting ^ kids ^ chores ^ board ^ discipline ^ brow ^ family

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The Finished Addition: Boy's Room