Per Jilly's request, I have started this thread to record my efforts of earth-friendly living. I live in suburban OC in a housing tract, and there are limits to what is allowed. But Jill is so inspiring so onward I go:

May 20, 2012 (3 AM)...I couldn't sleep all night and spent some time in the forums around 3 am. I also started my "homesteading" journal while I was wide awake!

Do you think it is worth it to make your own laundry detergents? I decided to buy earth friendly brands and use only half the recommended dose. It's not like we're farmers with heavily soiled clothing!

My week's goals:

1. Unplug and sell/donate the extra refrigerator, freezer, washer and dryer.
2. Line dry all laundry. I am fortunate to have a clothes line on the side of my house--for now. Scott does not like it there!
3. Hire someone to upturn the soil on the other side of the house for my mini-farm (garden, hen house, rabbit cage). This will go in in stages. It is a very small area but will do nicely. Actually, it is too hot for the animals. I will find another location in my backyard for the animals. It is a small backyard but sufficient.
4. Put in my container garden herbs and tomatoes. I have mint, basil, rosemary and yellow pear tomato plants to put in. I am recycling my aunt's containers in which she now has old, spindly, neglected succulents.
5. Start my compost heap. Will find a way to use the cement bricks to hold it all in while looking somewhat nicer than a heap.
6. Take pics so you can see my progress!!!
7. Start my notebook to keep track of plantings, recipes, etc.

Jilly, this is so fun--and useful. Thank you for your inspiration!

Lori, you rule. Much rulage you do.

Some comments:

Yes, I think making your own laundry detergent is a fab idea. Soap, washing soda and borax are cheap cheap items. Either making a powder or liquid detergent will cost pennies compared to buying what they sell in stores. You can be phosphate free, dye free, and add whatever scents you like via essential oils. You can control the entire process to get to the ratio that works best for your local soil. In frugal terms, this is a huge win.

I also think it looks pretty to have your own stuff in nice jars or bins instead of a big box of Tide on the shelf.

I am still using up my pre-bought laundry detergents (bought free with super couponing skills, lol). But I have my washing soda, borax and fels naptha soap ready to go. Although any real soap will do fine once grated down.

Yes, a half dose works fine. Suds don't equal cleaning power and the large companies don't care if we add too much to the washer! We can get away with only once rinse cycle with lower amounts of detergent anyway. Save on electric AND water.

Line drying. I love it. I don't miss having a dryer at all. I am not very formal about it - i hang stuff everywhere and then take it down whenever. I often just lay the damp clothes around the house to dry. They smell nice and cool off the air as they evaporate. Best for dry climates though.

Ok, enough on laundry! More comments to come. I love this thread. Thank you for sharing.

Okay, today's efforts:

1. Unplugged and cleaned out the box freezer! Yay!
2. Started my compost heap! A LOT of great stuff went in.
3. Talked my son into doing the urine composting thing! LOL. I wanted to kick-start the decomposition process. NEVER would have considered it until you posted about urine composting, Jilly!
4. Put in some container plantings: mint, basil, rosemary, yellow pear tomatoes.


One of my goals is to reduce going out to eat. We eat out a lot, even though I enjoy cooking. Time is the main culprit--and the after cooking clean-up. I will begin to have healthy, quick and simple meal ideas.

For tonight, this is not quick but I had already bought the onions to make French Onion Soup. I might save that for another day as it is warm out and I got overheated already when I put in the plants. Oh, I don't know what I'm going to fix for dinner now.

Phew. That was 'nough for a day's work. Well, half day's work anyway.

YAY! I am so excited about your efforts, Lori! You got a tremendous amount started. I'm hugely excited about your compost and especially the urine additives.

I was so shocked at how quickly the nitrogenous compounds reacted with the rest of the materials in my own compost. It's like a super charger. I am told the fresher it is, the more nitrogenous compounds are in it, along with phosphorus and potassium. My compost had only been slowly tooling along before i started this a couple months ago. Wish i'd done it sooner. There should be no smell if you keep adding leaves, grasses, paper, yard wastes and kitchen food. Urine only smells if it has no bacteria to work with. It starts volatizing and becoming concentrated and leaving salts behind. That's when it becomes yucky. Composting eliminates that issue and turns a waste product into a resource.

Did you use the cement bricks? I like to cover the top of mine with a piece of clear glass to make it as hot as possible inside, but that isn't necessary.

Thank you, Jilly! You're the reason why I began all this.

I had to go in to school to test some elementary school kids until early afternoon, then ran an errand for my aunt and delivered her mail and stuff, so I didn't have a chance to work on my "list." While preparing our dinner, however, it brought me great joy to see that I have more kitchen waste to add (lemon peels, onion ends, cucumber seeds, etc.) I want to pick up some sawdust at the feed store tomorrow to add "brown" additives to the heap.

I also covered my heap with a tarp overnight to discourage critters from digging, and since I didn't remove it before leaving this morning, it heated up the compost all day long.

But isn't it important to aerate the compost pile, too? I read that turning it often hastens the decomposition. The cement bricks did get used to partition off the compost area.

Tomorrow, my daughter has an EKG and echocardiogram, but when we return, I'll work on the other appliances (fixing, donating, etc.) I talked my husband into letting me return and cut the service of two cable boxes in the house. Might do that tomorrow, too!

I will return and report! Every day I plan on doing something "homestead-y" and green...just for Jill...and Mother Earth.

Lori, also good job on the box freezer. having extra fridges is one of those things a lot of people forget about. Esp an old fridge - they use a ton of energy.

This link shows that a sample 1990 fridge uses 1514.83 kW�h/year. A 2010 energy star fridge uses 248.2 kW�h/year. That is a massive difference. Six times less. Literally hundreds of dollars a year in the balance.

And if you had two fridges going plus a stand alone freezer, think about that for a moment. I don't think any amount of fancy coupon shopping would ever make that much fresh/frozen produce worthwhile. You probably live close enough to a grocery store to run out and get some steak if you wanted anyway - no need for a freezer just in case. Unless you are a deer hunter.

Most people just use their extra fridges for soda, beer or bottled water anyway. If you think about it, that's paying a huge premium for what works out to be an extravagant indulgence: ie, the ability to grab a cold soda from the garage.

Anyway, I speak in generalities. The point is GOOD for you!

What stuff did you pull out from the freezer?

Oh! In AZ you get a $30 rebate for turning in your old fridges to the electrical company, and they even come get it. Do you have something like that in CA?

Another fridge comment: if I had an old fridge, i'd pay a kid to dig a hole deep enough to bury it on it's side and use it as a small root cellar. This is not uncommon. The door opens up like a large cooler and you make sure there is lots of earth around it. Or hay bales, if you can't dig.

It's best to have the hole in a shaded spot if possible, but people in all kinds of places have made this work.

I'll talk compost tomorrow! You are doing amazing already.

That is a great idea! A root cellar. Although it would have to be really deep to keep cool in our area. And our soil is very sandy and not as great an insulator as clay.

The electric company does rebate us for turn-ins. We also can donate that $$ for those who can't pay their electricity bills. That is what we will probably do. Not that we are rich but {shrug} cast your bread upon the waters...We live in a generous and abundant Universe. Plus, people have blessed us with generosity so it is like paying it forward.

Jill, you're right about the freezer. I moved away from freezing meats as freezing really negatively affects the texture. Anyway, we are eating less meat and more veggies. We are moving toward vegetarianism slowly. I pulled out a lot of dry beans, oats, flaxseeds, seaweed, oat flour, rice. Stuff that didn't need to be frozen anyway.

My only homesteading efforts today:

1. Went to feed store to pick up a bale of straw for the compost heap. I meant to get sawdust because it smells better, but it was a serendipitous error. Straw breaks down faster than the wood cellulose!

2. I keep telling my husband please to pee on the heap. It also saves us water indoors. He says he feels exposed urinating outdoors and gets performance anxiety. LOL.

3. My latest kitchen scraps got pulverized in the food processor. By practically liquefying them, they will turn into compost faster!

I spent the day getting my daughter to the cardiologist then ran a lot of errands (bank, dry cleaner, feed store, medical office, post office). That makes me think: How can I reduce my errand-running? That will be another post!

Compost bins/heaps can be covered or not covered, turned or not turned - it's really a matter of whatever is easiest for you.

It's best if heat builds up inside, that browns and greens are mixed in there somewhere, and that things are mildly moist (like a well-wrung out sponge) inside.

If you have an entirely airtight bin, you will still get compost; it will just be through anaerobic processes. There is a such a wide variety of ways things will decompost on this planet! We are lucky that way or we'd be buried in dead matter long ago.

Anyway, don't worry about the tarp - lots of air will still get in.

There is a art to making perfect, fast compost, but i don't worry about that. I toss things in my bins and forgettaboutit. Sometimes I stir things with a broom handle. Mostly I let nature take over.

Also, tell DH he can pee in a jar inside if he wants and pour it on the heap! That's what I do.

Or put up a privacy screen?

Hi Lori! Any updates?

Phew. What a week and weekend! Babysitting, picnic, Memorial Day stuff. I backslide in the homesteading practice by using my laundry dryer. If I didn't, hubby would have to wear a wet work shirt in the morning!

There seems to be compost additions on a daily basis. The picnic prep added corn cob, strawberry hulls, cucumber peelings.

I am thinking about taking the recently containered plants and putting them in the ground to let their roots sprawl. From past experience, I know that basil, tomatoes and rosemary can really do well and spread!

Because I'm busy launching my first title, I don't have a lot of time or attention to homestead this week. But these are Week Two goals:

1. Make solar cooker.
2. Make a master grocery list that excludes as many packaged or prepared items as possible. I will list it here.

Lori, i totally want to see your grocery list. I think a lot of people could learn from something like that. I know I would!

What kind of solar cooker do you have in mind to make? What materials will you be using?

I've been told a mirror placed near my solar panel would be helpful for its input. Which is not really related to the solar cooker idea unless you are going to be using mirrors. But i know people use car screen shades and aluminum foil quite readily too.

I was thinking about your composting. I do not want to dampen your enthusiasm!! I love your zeal in making compost and it IS hugely fun. I love composting! Though i did want to mention the trade offs for spending "money" to make compost. If you are buying sawdust or mulch, it decreases the frugality of the endeavor some. I get additives like browns for free everywhere: there is always stuff blowing around. Bags of leaves from the neighbors, pine needles from the forest, dried weeds from empty lots, even newspaper wastes. I found a free supply of shredded bark from a landscaping place just down my street.

Also, if you are using your food processor for grinding food wastes, that is an electrical expense that takes you back a little more in frugality. I know you know all this, but it's worth pointing out for people to be mindful of how you make your compost.

The food and wastes will rot on their own, in any combination, with or without turning or watering or adding air or measuring temps. What these things do is speed up the process! In my mind, I have nothing but time, and I want to get something for nothing.

At one time I wanted to get a shredding machine to shred my paper to put in my compost. Then I realized 1. the paper would decompose anyway, shredded or not and 2. it was silly to use electricity for something that doesn't need it. It was just my perfectionism talking. All these books talk about making perfect compost....whereas the reality is nature will do it without us just fine, only on her own time table. it's been going on since the dawn of time.

Hi Jilly. What a time I've been having the past two weeks! Sort of derailed my homesteading efforts. But you're keeping me focused and I so appreciate that.

I did not see the irony of buying straw to add to my "compost" heap! LOL. That's the suburbanite in me. Okay so I will not "buy" composting items. I am not getting a lot of leaf drop now that it is spring but I can make do without adding browns to the heap.

We transferred our container vegetables into the ground and we potted/propagated some plumeria.

While our next step is not very frugal OR natural, but it is green as in eco-friendly: we opted to have artificial grass installed in our front and backyards. The city reported that doing so would save over 22,000 gallons of water each year. We'll still have planting areas around the perimeter of the yards plus plenty of containers. Our Japanese maple, avocado, lemon and orange trees still will add a lot of oxygen to the environment in place of the grass. The bermuda variety of grass went dormant all fall and winter anyway and was such an eyesore.

As for the solar cooker, I didn't feel rushed to assemble it because the weather has been so overcast. But I am using cardboard, aluminum foil, glass, black tape and black paint. That is all. This set-up was simple although it doesn't last long. But I have all the materials. I cook in a black pot with a black lid.

Uh oh, and on another back-slide...my DH wants to take out the clothesline on the side of the house. He has always detested it, saying it looks trashy. What does he have against clothes on a clothesline? It looks so fresh and natural to me!

I can install a line in the garage since it's hot here in So. Cal and the wet laundry will dry instead of mildew.

As for my master grocery list, this is what I buy on a regular basis. And I've begun to buy from bulk bins for reduced packaging. My family loves cereals so I'm going to try to make my own cereals to satisfy them. Or buy bulk granolas. I usually make my own salad dressings since we have a lemon tree in our backyard and nothing beats a fresh citrus vinaigrette! It also makes the perfect Caesar salad dressing.

Dairy: Milk, heavy whipping cream, butter, eggs, cheeses
Oils: Vegetable oil, olive oil
Grains: Oatmeal, whole wheat flour, flour,barley, rices (basmati, brown, jasmine, etc.)
Legumes, nuts and seeds: Lentils, split peas, nuts (almonds, peanuts, cashews, pistachios, etc.) beans
Canned goods: Tomatoes, chickpeas
Condiments: Mayonnaise (I've made my own but manufactured mayo has a longer shelf-life than homemade.) Mustard, ketchup, worchestershire sauce, soy sauce, miso paste, honey
Herbs, spices and cooking/baking staples: Salt, pepper, sugar, brown sugar, cornstarch, baking soda, baking powder, dried herbs (oregano, basil, thyme, rosemary, dill, bay leaf), cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg
Fresh fruit: Bananas and whatever is in season
Fresh vegetables: Onions, garlic, carrots, celery, spinach, bell peppers and whatever is in season (I'm growing fresh basil, sage, four types of tomatoes, peppers, squash.)

With this list, I can eliminate a heck of a lot of packaged foods, either in ready-to-eat form or mixes:

Breads and sweet breads: biscuits, breads, tortillas, pancakes, waffles, crepes, muffins, cupcakes/cakes, cookies, pies.

Cereals: Granola, oatmeal, rice cereal

Packaged dressings: Ranch dressing, fresh citrus vinaigrette dressings, fresh fruit jams

Pastas and pasta sauces: Marinara, Alfredo, Primavera types, Roasted garlic, homemade pastas of all types including ravioli, lasagna and fettucini, gnocchi, spaetzle (thanks to Francine-German Culture who showed me how!) Also, pizza.

In the past, I used to buy a lot of canned and packaged items to save time. And coupons would make me think I was saving $$. I still buy more packaged items that I would like to admit but if I can stop, it would be good for not only our environment and pocketbook but for our health since most of the packaged items are junk foods like chips, ice cream, sodas, etc. I can be an impulse buyer when I've got a craving!

One of my goals is to have on hand, ready-to-eat healthful, homemade snacks like kale chips and roasted chickpeas. Popcorn.

I am moving toward serving fruit, vegetables and proteins for dinner. Low carbs. Of course, as a carb lover that is hard but I will persevere!

Very little packaging when grilling meats, poultry and seafood to serve with veggies and fruit. But to keep controls on the meat consumption, I do make bean type dishes like falafel or black bean burgers. Vegetarian chili. Main dish soups and salads with beans, cheese or tofu.

Lori, i think your commitment to buying less packaging is commendable. I feel like I am always handling 'waste' products around here. Always trying to figure out how to recycle, reuse and compost everything. It never ends. It would just be so much easier to not bring packaging home in the first place!

What are you using to store your bulk foods in?

Phew. What a wild past few weeks! Haven't been able to do much as far as homesteading.

Anyway, my bulk items get tossed into the freezer (to keep out bugs like weevils, etc.) or stored in a large glass or plastic container. I don't buy huge amounts at any given time to avoid staleness.

My compost heap is doing very well! As I turn it, I can see that the food scraps have decomposed quickly due to the water, sun, heat from the cover and a bit of urine.

I am hanging my laundry as much as possible. I will talk my son into stringing a clothes rod inside my garage. Don't want my clothes to fade in the harsh sunlight, and there's plenty of dry heat in the garage.

Am saving toilet paper tubes to craft some treat-filled "firecrackers" for my nieces.

Oh, I'm finishing the last lay-out tweaks for my ebook called, "Just One Chicken: Four meals for four people out of one chicken."

Ooo, Lori, that sounds like an ideal frugal book! Is it done yet?

Glad your compost is perking along. Don't forget you can add hair from your brushes, coffee grounds and filters, pet hair, paper, paper plates, small cardboard pieces and bits of cloth. Also the water from boiling potatoes, pasta, eggs or whatever.

The firecrackers is a sweet idea! And hanging a line in the garage seems like the perfect compromise. It's dry and warm and won't bother DH.

Wanna see your book!

Okay, I'm back after being out of town plus having to deal with a slew of medical care issues for my aunt and daughter. phew.

Good news and not-so-good new as far as the homesteading goes...

Setbacks:
1. My husband wants to cement over the area where I set up the compost heap. He is going to set the smoker/grill upon it. He is opposed to a compost heap anyway. He insists that everything returns to the earth in one place or another and that "nothing is lost" so I should not worry about it.
2. He also took down my clothesline. It had been there for decades, cemented base and everything.
3. We had artificial turf installed in both the front and backyards. Not natural.

Promise of progress:
1. He is erecting a place for me to hang laundry in the garage.
2. The artificial lawn should save an estimated 22,000 gallons of water a year.

I will focus on what I can do. I'm trying not to pout about the compost heap. I'm going to focus on my drying box so I can make some jerky as gifts and sun-dried tomatoes when they're ready to harvest.

I am so impressed by your ciders and vinegars, Jilly! How long do they have to ferment before you can enjoy them? I'm thinking of making limoncello. It takes months to mellow.

Lori, why is your hubby adamantly against doing cool homesteady things?

The artificial lawn is a great idea! That really will save you so much water every year, and you won't have to buy pesticides, fertilizer, or use gas for mowing. It's a great solution and they make really realistic grass carpet now.

Do you have a photo to share?

BTW, this is absolutely not true:

"He insists that everything returns to the earth in one place or another and that "nothing is lost" so I should not worry about it."

Not to argue about things, but modern landfills are mummification tombs. Nothing decomposes. All the nutrients are locked up. The wastes have to be in self contained buried cells to prevent leachates from mercury and other toxins from entering the water table.

I've visited both landfills and transfer stations. Your hubby might be thinking of transfer stations (piles of rubbish). But that isn't where waste stays. It goes from the transfer station, where anyone can visit, to the landfill, which is very complicated to visit and well protected from casual inspection.

Oh, Lori, and HAPPY BIRTHDAY to yooooooooou!

Oh, thank you, Jilly!

My homesteading efforts have taken a back seat to other matters, including writing. But I am pleased to see my first tomato ripening on the vine and I harvested fresh basil last week.

I think I need to organize my calendar a little better to include my homesteading goals.

Well, despite not having my outdoor clothesline, I still manage to air-dry my laundry. It just makes sense since we're having a hot summer. Don't want to add more heat to the house via a dryer.

I just harvested armfuls of fresh basil. I thought about drying it but decided it would be better to turn it into pesto sauce and freeze in batches. Dry basil is so readily available and I just won't use it up that quickly. I shall put some leaves atop some miniature pizzas tonight.

It's been a chore to fight my family from tossing out usable items. It's a holdover from having to clean out my aunt's hoard. But there are some containers I really want for my own homemade pickles or caramel popcorn. A Dell keyboard box is flat and perfect for wrapping prettily to give a few dozen cookies as a gift.

I am hand-making some cards today, in between all the writing and shuttling my daughter to another medical appointment. Oh, and I need to pick up pine nuts, garlic and olive oil for the pesto. Gosh, I let my pantry run low. Not good homesteading practice, eh?

ooo, i think freezing batches of pesto is a superior use of the basil for sure. Yum!

Glad the clothes line in the garage is working well! it's a great idea.

Well, I guess I must be satisfied with what I *can* do versus what I can't.

I might put in a papaya tree. It's sitting on the patio in a pot but I'm unsure if we want a papaya tree. I love papaya but there isn't a whole lot you can do with papaya except for eat it fresh or puree it. I'd prefer a mango tree or even an apricot or plum tree. Peach, although it can be a pain since the fruit has such a short shelf life.

He is into techie stuff and using technology to make life easier. He thinks that I'm going backwards by doing what is already done (canning) or doing things the hard way (line drying) when there are appliances that make life more convenient. Solar cooking is so fun but he thinks I'm nuts for taking an entire day to cook a dish.

He's waiting for flying cars.

This is definitely a fascinating thread! TY so much! :)

Lori, that makes sense in a tech kind of way. Dan is like that also, except that Dan is naturally frugal and always line dries his clothes (clothes also last longer that way - dryers age things quickly).

I think a return to homesteading is more of a labor of love. Sure, there might be more modern ways of doing a thing, but ultimately in what hurry are we? Our only destination is death. Homesteading helps me enjoy the ride.

I agree! But I was told that my penchant for homesteading comes from a past life as a pioneer. {shrug}

I love nature. I love being close to nature. I rue the day when our food sources come from laboratories and we live in biodomes should our earth environment become uninhabitable due to our maltreatment of it.

You're right about the clothes drying. That is why our clothes don't last very long. I will press to line or hang dry even though he removed the outdoor clothes line.

Another area where I can insist upon using the homesteading approach is gifts. Instead of buying expensive or useless gifts, I want to make gifts. But do you think people dislike homemade gifts thesedays?

Hi Lori:

The only challenge I had with line drying when I was using it back in Columbus, Georgia - was the weather.

LOL, I remember days rushing home trying to beat a "surprise" rain shower. Yep, I did my part and made sure the weather said "sunny all day" - but I do miss this option.

As far as your question about "homemade" gifts - it depends on the people. I find myself wanting to be around "like-minded" folks. Then it is easy to figure out what to give them as gifts. Personally, I like cash = pays the bills

When my life returns to normal (whatever that is/lol) - cash will not be as important. But I find myself appreciating this when I get it. One less bill for me to stress out over.

Love this thread - glad you and Jilly decided to start it

Angela, I understand about the cash. Is it better than a gift card? On one hand, I'd like the recipient to use it as she wishes but on the other hand, I'd sure like to see her use it strictly on herself on a little luxury item to boost her spirit.

So many of us women receive cash gifts and end up spending it on others. I know I do.

Hi Lori:

I have never liked "gift cards" as it restricts what I can use my "gift" for. Especially now with the recession, they have closed their doors by the time I get around to using it. Some places will refund the amount or allow you to use it with another store that they have made arrangements with.

LOL, yes - us women have a way of forgetting about "treating" ourselves. I am teaching my now 25 year old (only child) to treat herself when she has something extra. I do the same when I can. I saw my mom give up her life for us kids and we did not appreciate this at all. It is possible to be there for others and for ourselves.

Good points

Ok so back to the original reason for this journal: suburban homesteading! Alas, my summer basil and all those wonderful tomato plants have been pulled out now that autumn is here.

The only homestead-y activity this week will be to make some homemade pickles. I'm torn between making dill pickles or my husband's favorite Cucumber Kim Chee pickles. Either way, I'm happy!

Something I've been wanting to make is old-fashioned fruitcake. It takes three months to meld so I should have been on it at the end of September. I held back because not only is it hard to find candied fruit at that time of year, fruitcake gets such a bad rap. Everyone I tell says, "Ew, fruitcake!" My mother made fruitcake one year and it was delicious!

As you might be able to tell, all of my homesteading efforts were derailed this winter. Family drama, health issues. Work.

In any case, I have recommitted myself to frugal living, homesteading and living simply...at least to the degree with which I am comfortable. Sorry, no toilet composting for me while I live in my current living situation.

My husband and I have gone over our family budget and decided to cut unnecessary costs, namely in the extra cable boxes in our home. We had six at one point. Now we are down to only two. Yay! Other cost-cutting:

1. Cable boxes (already mentioned that)
2. Unnecessary memberships (online shopping, gym) and subscriptions.
3. Cutting back on bottled water.
4. Cutting two Disneyland passes out this year (hubby and son don't go very often but I insist on making that available to my daughter who has a terminal illness.)
5. Cutting meals out.
6. Using a weekly food budget.
7. Cutting out theater movies for Date Nights (We will keep Netflix.)
8. No more late fees, bounced check charges. (Sounds like a no-brainer but we've proven to have no brains.)
9. Switching cell phone carrier for me in order to cut bill in half.
10. Being more frugal in my meal choices.

Food is the one area where we can easily downsize without any pain if I only get creative.

Ok so this week's goal is to put up a line for drying clothes. I think I will get one that can be moved into and out of the sun.

Gas is not expensive here but I do love solar power! Plus, line drying will extend the life of our clothing as you said, Jilly.

My second goal for this week is not to buy drinks out. I don't really since I drink mostly water, but the guys still drink a lot of canned energy drinks or sodas they buy at 7-11. What a waste in money and health. I don't know if I can get them to stop.

Because one of my challenges living in a suburban city is to avoid restaurants, I will include here my daily meals. This will keep me accountable. We were supposed to meet another couple for dinner but they cancelled due to illness.

I had picked up some pre-cooked, ready-to-eat barbecued ribs on special for $5 at Vons yesterday for the kids. That's what we will have this evening. Not homemade but frugal. Ribs with a Cesar Salad. I will skip the starchy potato side. I will cook some carrots to increase the nutrition for this meal and bake some rolls for my bread-addicted son.

I wonder if this meal journal should be another thread?

Today is my son's birthday. I could have baked him a cake which I so often do, but one of his favorites is a special tropical Paradise Cake from the King's Hawaiian Bakery so I will get one for him today. Not very homesteady but this is a special day.

When you do birthdays, do you go frugal or splashy special? I tend to think of frugality for day-to-day living but special days should be celebrations. Not that you can't be wise and frugal in order to celebrate.

What are ways you celebrate frugally and yet without deprivation?

One way for me is to make handmade cards. I dislike having to spend $4 for a greeting card that will get tossed in the trash after the party. Homemade cards tend to be saved.

I will focus on making more of them this year. I especially love nature cards and kirigami (paper cut) but also love anything crafty.

I just finished crocheting a baby blanket for my grand niece and will begin one for my grand nephew. And after that, two more babies in the family are on the way! Phew! Good thing baby blankets are small.

I love to crochet in the nooks and crannies of my time, such as waiting in the car or watching TV.

The yarn scraps will be made into little crocheted holiday magnets or amigurumi.

I don't know if you can call what I do "homesteading" anymore. Even urban homesteading. What with our artificial lawn, even though it is a MAJOR water conservation coup!

The avocado harvest has been good and if the blossoms are an omen of the harvest to come, we'll be overloaded next season.

Lemons are coming back and the orange tree is leafing beautiful after nearly dying. We managed to save the trees and that is a tremendous accomplishment.

So sad that the Santa Ana winds blew off the majority of our avocado blossoms. It's part of the natural weather pattern here so maybe it was nature's way of thinning down. The tree would never have been able to sustain all those blossoms.

I'm back on track with my desires to do more homesteading. (Please country sisters, don't laugh!)

Next month, I will plant heirloom tomatoes and lots of basil with the intention of sun-drying them. I love sun-dried tomatoes.

And, I will be making my own paneer (Indian cheese) this weekend. It seems very simple with Sadhana's recipe (Bellaonline Indian Food editor). See her site for the recipe!

Just got my cheesecloth for making homemade paneer and homemade cream cheese.

There are other fabrics one can use instead of a purchased cheesecloth but at the cost of $2.69, I thought it was a safer bet than having to figure out if the fabric is food-safe, lint-free, etc.

Another challenge to "homesteading" in the suburbs is dining out. There are fast food, casual dining and affordable restaurants everywhere you turn. With or without coupons, meals can be cheap and sometimes even cheaper than making it at home.

Of course, one can always eat more frugally at home if you eat modest meals. They generally can be healthier, too.

We love to dine out as more of an activity than just to feed the body so we have to really be on guard against temptation. Many women I know express the same sentiment with dining out.

If you have little children, it is easier and more economical to eat at home but it can be a nice relief from having to shop for groceries, prep the ingredients, cook the food and then clean up all the dishes and pots and pans.

If you are motivated, then you can make quick and simple meals that are frugal and healthy, too. I will try to focus on that since no one has $$$ to waste. And yet, our food style can be considered to be wasteful with all the eating out.

This online journal will document my efforts not only to do more "homestead-y" types of activities while living in the suburbs but also apply some of Jilly's frugal strategies.

Cutting back on eating out is this week's priority. Last week, I ate out four times.

Tonight, we are grilling some chicken breasts and hearts of Romaine. Quick, easy and both were on sale.