Friday, July 11, 2008

Blogging...a little of this, a little of that

Blogging....a term I didn't even know 2 years ago, is now something I do almost every day. I am having fun "putting down on paper" all the things that I have learned in the kitchen and other simple things that have become second nature to me and my family. These things have come through trial and error and otherwise gleaned tips from friends, family, and the occasional stranger.

Live and Learn: I am also learning through the comments and questions people have sent my way because of this "journal." I am always wanting to learn new things. Some things were planned, some not, but I have always been thankful for experiences which have shaped my life.


Beginnings: I started this blog in April 2008 and now have over 50 posts (I know, I'm still young at this) which seem to me a small goal accomplished. To borrow from the omnivore, "there's only one way to eat an elephant, one bite at a time." I am finally organizing my thoughts and recipes in one place - here.



Site Counter: There is a site counter at the very bottom of this page (and every page) that shows which countries (with flags) have visited my blog site. To date 35 countries have visited since I added this free tool (late May 2008). Click on it and it will show you the full names of the countries. This is a very fun tool. If you have a website or blog and you want to put one on your site, just click on mine and it will give you the option of setting up your own.



Free of...: This blog has not cost a cent to set up and maintain. I am enjoying this free writing outlet. From the beginning I have wanted to remain free of advertisements as well. I don't know if I will ever accept ads or not, but I choose rather to tell you of those things which have helped me along the way. I do not get paid to endorse these products or companies. In this way, I can freely choose which ones I want to tell you about and avoid all the ads that could show up on the side bar that I don't want. "Signs, signs, everywhere signs" are not conducive to easy reading either. So simple and to the point are really what this blog will look like. When I do mention someone else or link to another site, I am not necessarily endorsing everything they say or portray.



Photos: I have chosen to use my own photos for examples and illustrations. This brings out the "do-it-yourself" in me. I don't do this to promote myself, but rather to show real life versus all the professional photography and flawless paintings out there. It is so I can improve my own abilities as a photographer and to show real foods (etc.) and not airbrushed photos or fancy art. I am not opposed to it entirely, but I appreciate when people do their own, that's all. A few photos were taken by my wonderful husband.



Frequency of Posts: I have a family like many of you, so there will be times when I cannot post as often as I'd like. I aim for between three and five posts per week. Many weeks I can post everyday. Thanks to the option to post date publish, I can write a few posts in a day and then they will publish one a day as I schedule it. It is nice when things run themselves, isn't it?



Gimmick free: You will not find anywhere on my blog a way to coupon or use rebates, etc., because in my life that doesn't happen. I am not the "coupon queen." I do not try to "work" the sales to get free things and then give them away or sell them. I believe that we "vote" with every dollar we spend. Be it for mass marketing and factory farms or local merchants and smaller organic farms.



Drive the "green" way: "It ain't easy, being green" might be more about being a frog than saving money. But the truth is that real simplicity (hand in hand with "living lightly") gains more momentum from using less of everything. Things like using less money, using less consumable goods, using less fuel, using less energy in general. Sometimes it means doing more yourself to get to this goal. "Going green" seems to be a catch phrase as of late. I hope that "going green" can also mean a lifestyle change (and maybe eating more greens!) in the process.

Recipes: I do like to make my own foods from scratch. My goal is to be a vegan friendly place for people of all tastes (vegetarian or not). My recipes might be simple sometimes, more complicated other times. Being vegan (pronounced VEE-guhn) usually means that you are willing to try new things and "veganize" your favorite foods so you can still enjoy them. So you'll find dairy free alternatives and how to cook and bake without eggs. Having wheat free recipes is helpful in my own family, but occasionally you'll find them here (or in the sprouted form which we tolerate much better). As I learn, I'll pass it on to you.


Please keep reading and keep posting your comments. Thanks.

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