Solstice

The Winter Solstice is a favorite celebration for me.

This is the service at First Unitarian ( on Saturday) We were each invited to think of our unique gift and light a candles to symbolize the light each of us brings to the world. It gave me hope...to see all those lighted candles...all the gifts that are being offered.

It's Report Card Time

We got our first progress report. Here's how we are doing.

Gas- The goal for therms/month is 42. (this is 40% below the Madison average). We passed our goal. Our monthly average was 2 therms/month. But can we keep this up in the cold weather?

Driving- Miles/month should be around 650. ( 40% below the Madison average) We were 521(Aug), 853 (Sept), and 950 (Oct). We were on track in the warmer months. (Note: two people drive this car, not one which is what the 650miles are based on.) However we will still aim for 650 mil/month. This we be a real challenge now that the snow/cold is here.

Trash- The goal is less than 82 lbs/ month. We average 2.5 lbs/week. Well below Madisons' average. We would love to reduce this further and get our recycling down...as well as make sure we aren't "trashy" when we are on the road.

Electricity- Our goal is 360 Kwh/month. Our electricity/month is 336 Kwh, 415 Kwh and 372 Kwh in August, September and October. Here is our weak spot...we have our work cut out for us.

Food- With Willy Street West more accessible, it is easy for us eat 70-80% local/organic. This may become more of a challenge in the winter months as our local options shrink. Can we afford to eat more organic?

One additional challenge for this month is to pay attention to our holiday spending and see how well we do at shopping our values. I just shopped for our Christmas cookie ingredients at Willy Street. Our Christmas cookies this year will be close to 100% local/organic ( wonder if they will taste better?)

Roots R us!

I made confetti meat loaf for dinner ( local, pasture raised beef) mixed with grated carrot, potato and onion ( and some oatmeal and local eggs).

Plus sweet potato, potato and butternut squash. ( all local..thank you Willy Street West)

I took advantage of having the oven on to make dinner for tomorrow too. Roasted sweet potato pie. The crust is organic, corn tortillas, filled with sweet potato as well as corn from the farm ( from our freezer) and grated Tipi Farm carrots and local provolone cheese. and Yuppie Hill Eggs ( gotta love the name)

This is one of our favorites.

We splurged on organic bananas and mixed them with Ela Orchard apples for bread that is more like cake.

Here we are eating our Sunday dinner. When you spend more on food and cook from scratch...you want people to sit awhile and enjoy it.