Amy Mason

Off topic but of interest to many I know on these lists:

One of the things I like best about un-schooling is learning for myself
as well. I have been devouring everything I can get my hands on from
the libraries and net lately regarding living green and simplifying
life. (kudos to Loudoun County library and Frederick for great books!)
The barrage of commercials hitting the kids just after Halloween has me
really over the top. I can't just let it slide by this year.

Here's a few sites I found that look like they could be a great help if
anyone is interested in following this topic:
http://www.thegreenlife.org/index.html
http://www.coopamerica.org/
http://www.simpleliving.net/main/
also online at CNN they run special "Green" reports that are eye opening

Here's to a simple, happy , rewarding, sustainable life on Mother Earth!
Amy in WV

Kelly Weyd

Thanks for the links Amy. I'm interested in that kind of thing too. My new motto is "Less is More".
Kelly

Amy Mason <doodlemakers@...> wrote:
Off topic but of interest to many I know on these lists:

One of the things I like best about un-schooling is learning for myself
as well. I have been devouring everything I can get my hands on from
the libraries and net lately regarding living green and simplifying
life. (kudos to Loudoun County library and Frederick for great books!)
The barrage of commercials hitting the kids just after Halloween has me
really over the top. I can't just let it slide by this year.

Here's a few sites I found that look like they could be a great help if
anyone is interested in following this topic:
http://www.thegreenlife.org/index.html
http://www.coopamerica.org/
http://www.simpleliving.net/main/
also online at CNN they run special "Green" reports that are eye opening

Here's to a simple, happy , rewarding, sustainable life on Mother Earth!
Amy in WV





---------------------------------
Access over 1 million songs - Yahoo! Music Unlimited.

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Lesa

Amy,

Thanks for the links! I am also following that path!

My new interest that I'm diving into is religious feasts and fasts and other
traditions. There's so many of these traditions that have fallen by the
way-side over the centuries and I want to find out more for my own path. My
interest actually started with fasting for various reasons and has led to
more in-depth study. I got a few really great books from my local library,
one of which is about Celtic Christian Holidays and Traditions... very cool.


Lesa
http://lifeacademy.homeschooljournal.net
http://stores.ebay.com/qtpiecraftsthings

-------Original Message-------


Amy Mason <doodlemakers@...> wrote:
Off topic but of interest to many I know on these lists:

One of the things I like best about un-schooling is learning for myself
as well. I have been devouring everything I can get my hands on from
the libraries and net lately regarding living green and simplifying
life. (kudos to Loudoun County library and Frederick for great books!)
The barrage of commercials hitting the kids just after Halloween has me
really over the top. I can't just let it slide by this year.

Here's a few sites I found that look like they could be a great help if
anyone is interested in following this topic:
http://www.thegreenlife.org/index.html
http://www.coopamerica.org/
http://www.simpleliving.net/main/
also online at CNN they run special "Green" reports that are eye opening

Here's to a simple, happy , rewarding, sustainable life on Mother Earth!
Amy in WV
.

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Amy Mason

> My new interest that I'm diving into is religious feasts and fasts and
> other
> traditions. There's so many of these traditions that have fallen by the
> way-side over the centuries and I want to find out more for my own path.

wow...we're on the same path! On my kitchen table along side all of the
simple living books and living green books are The History of Christmas,
Winter Solstice Sacred Traditions of Christmas and Pagan History. It's
amazing how many people celebrate certain traditions and customs (me
being accused until now) without knowing the true origin and meaning.
I'm finding my "path" is definitely an earth centered one involving
Winter Solstice and Yule, etc...and I'm having a blast coming up with
new traditions for our family.

Aren't libraries and the possibilities of learning whatever we want just
simply wonderful!
Amy

Vickisue Gray

~~Aren't libraries and the possibilities of learning whatever we want just
simply wonderful!
Amy~~

I'm so glad to have this group. What neat people you all are!







[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Ren Allen

~~I have been devouring everything I can get my hands on from
the libraries and net lately regarding living green and simplifying
life.~~

Me too.
I don't want to live completely off the grid, but I'd like to be a LOT
less dependant while still enjoying our luxuries and being good to the
earth.

I've been working towards my outdoor kitchen...bought a cast iron
tripod for cooking over coals. I plan to build a cob oven in the
spring. You might like Lehman's online store for non-electric light
sources and tons of cool stuff that is geared for simple and outdoor
living: http://www.lehmans.com/

I just bought a bottle capper so we can make homemade soda.:)

I don't think "less is more" necessarily, yet I do enjoy the simple
things in life and I LOVE the idea of creating our own electric
sources and such.

Ren
learninginfreedom.com

Leslie

Thanks for the info Amy! One of the things that I've done to try to be "greener" is go vegetarian. I didn't realize how much of an impact the meat industry had on the environment until I attended a class about it at the Rethinking Education conference this year (we're hitting L&L next year!!!). I have actually gone vegan, but they say eating meatless even one day a week makes a difference! Here's a site that was helpful to me: http://www.goveg.com/environment.asp

Almost all books about being vegetarian or vegan talk about the environmental effects too.

Leslie *unschooling in AL*
wife to Jeff - mom to 12yro Shareen


---------------------------------
Sponsored Link

Mortgage rates as low as 4.625% - $150,000 loan for $579 a month. Intro-*Terms

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Joanne

Thanks for the links. :-)
I had the last one saved but didn't know about the other two. I've
been a vegetarian for over 20 years now and have been moving towards
a simpler lifestyle for the past several years. I'm big into not
wasting...be it food or anything else. It's been fun for my youngest
daughter to help me find another use for something. We've been
composting since we bought out house but have not gotten the hang of
it yet.
I have some links on my blog that someone may like to read:

http://tinyurl.com/y4pzae

The first one is a short post on things we've tried to make, rather
than buy and how we've tried to give other things a second life.
Nothing earth shattering, just everyday stuff.

http://tinyurl.com/yyk5xd

This second one is an article titled 126 ways to save the planet.

I want to point out that I've always felt it's important to not
impose my beliefs on my kids, or anyone else for that matter. Like I
posted, I've been a vegetarian and involved in animal rights for
over 20 years but my family eats meat as do all of my friends. I've
never made any of them feel that they were wrong for their
decisions. I just answer questions and give information if they want
it.

~ Joanne ~
Mom to Jacqueline (8), Shawna (11) & Cimion (14)
Adopted into our hearts October 2003
************************************
Unschooling Voices ~ Add Your Voice
www.foreverparents.com/UnschoolingVoices.html









[email protected], Amy Mason <doodlemakers@...>
wrote:
>
> Off topic but of interest to many I know on these lists:
>
> One of the things I like best about un-schooling is learning for
myself
> as well. I have been devouring everything I can get my hands on
from
> the libraries and net lately regarding living green and
simplifying
> life. (kudos to Loudoun County library and Frederick for great
books!)
> The barrage of commercials hitting the kids just after Halloween
has me
> really over the top. I can't just let it slide by this year.
>
> Here's a few sites I found that look like they could be a great
help if
> anyone is interested in following this topic:
> http://www.thegreenlife.org/index.html
> http://www.coopamerica.org/
> http://www.simpleliving.net/main/
> also online at CNN they run special "Green" reports that are eye
opening
>
> Here's to a simple, happy , rewarding, sustainable life on Mother
Earth!
> Amy in WV
>

Julie v.

Ren,

Would the outdoor kitchen be something you could use year round, or just in the warmer
months? I'm very curious as we have a tiny kitchen and it is so hard to cook & eat in, the
outdoor kitchen sounds like a wonderful alternative especially for the warmer months. We
live in Salt Lake City, Utah, so I doubt we could use it year round anyway, since usually as
of december we have a few feet of snow on the ground until April:) And currently the
temps are around 28 degrees at night.

Julie



--- In [email protected], "Ren Allen" <starsuncloud@...> wrote:
>
> ~~I have been devouring everything I can get my hands on from
> the libraries and net lately regarding living green and simplifying
> life.~~
>
> Me too.
> I don't want to live completely off the grid, but I'd like to be a LOT
> less dependant while still enjoying our luxuries and being good to the
> earth.
>
> I've been working towards my outdoor kitchen...bought a cast iron
> tripod for cooking over coals. I plan to build a cob oven in the
> spring. You might like Lehman's online store for non-electric light
> sources and tons of cool stuff that is geared for simple and outdoor
> living: http://www.lehmans.com/
>
> I just bought a bottle capper so we can make homemade soda.:)
>
> I don't think "less is more" necessarily, yet I do enjoy the simple
> things in life and I LOVE the idea of creating our own electric
> sources and such.
>
> Ren
> learninginfreedom.com
>

Ren Allen

~Would the outdoor kitchen be something you could use year round, or
just in the warmer months? ~

It could technically be used year round, but what a pain!:)
I will probably only use if for fun, for experimenting with wood-fired
recipes and such and only in nice weather. I have no desire to give up
my modern day luxuries, but I do want to have options.

I found a really great cob oven website and a book that describes the
process. I figured it would be a great way to learn how my soil works
for cob and help me learn the basics. Someday I want to build a cob
art studio.

Ren
learninginfreedom.com

Amy Mason

Wow...thanks Ren. I love the sounds of an outdoor kitchen. Now I have
to add research for what a cob oven is to my list ;-)
Amy in WV

Amy Mason

Thanks Joanne,
Vegetarianism (is that a word?) is one of those things that I'm so torn
up on. As long as I know where my animals came from that we eat and how
they lived I'm better at dealing with it...I should be a vegetarian, I
really should, the way I feel about animals but I love the taste of meat
so much. I'm still vacillating with this. Thanks for the links.
Amy

Amy Mason

Hi Leslie...same as I responded to Joanne...I'm still trying to work
this one out...thanks for that link...I'll look into it.
Amy

Joanne

Hey Amy,

I think it's the type of thing that people have to do what they feel
comfortable with. I don't wear leather or fur either.
If you really enjoy eating meat, then you should do it. :-)
I've been a vegetarian for so long that not eating meat (or poultry)
doesn't effect me anymore, I'm so used to it. Plus there are SO MUCH
vegetarian foods out there now, even in the supermarkets. I should
have stock in Morning Star Farms...for a non-cook like myself,
they're a life saver. When I first stopped eating meat (20 years
now) I ate pizza and bagels all day. LOL


~ Joanne ~
Mom to Jacqueline (8), Shawna (11) & Cimion (14)
Adopted into our hearts October 2003
************************************
Unschooling Voices ~ Add Your Voice
www.foreverparents.com/UnschoolingVoices.html



--- In [email protected], Amy Mason
<doodlemakers@...> wrote:
>
> Thanks Joanne,
> Vegetarianism (is that a word?) is one of those things that I'm so
torn
> up on. As long as I know where my animals came from that we eat
and how
> they lived I'm better at dealing with it...I should be a
vegetarian, I
> really should, the way I feel about animals but I love the taste
of meat
> so much. I'm still vacillating with this. Thanks for the links.
> Amy
>

Julie v.

I totally understand:)

I love the look of cob. Wish we could build a cob house to live in one day. We have some
friends that live down in the desert here in southern Utah and they have made a couple
cob ovens to cook in and just love it! They built their house using strawbales, because
they said that they couldn't get a permit to do it in cob? Very unfortunate.

Julie





--- In [email protected], "Ren Allen" <starsuncloud@...> wrote:
>
> ~Would the outdoor kitchen be something you could use year round, or
> just in the warmer months? ~
>
> It could technically be used year round, but what a pain!:)
> I will probably only use if for fun, for experimenting with wood-fired
> recipes and such and only in nice weather. I have no desire to give up
> my modern day luxuries, but I do want to have options.
>
> I found a really great cob oven website and a book that describes the
> process. I figured it would be a great way to learn how my soil works
> for cob and help me learn the basics. Someday I want to build a cob
> art studio.
>
> Ren
> learninginfreedom.com
>

Kerryn L Gutmanis

It's funny how a group of people will be having the same thoughts and challenges hitting them at the same time.

I've also made a list of celebrations that I want to know more about. I'd also like to have some of them included in our life, having our own family traditions.

It makes sense to me that an unschooling life could very naturally include festivals and celebrations. A normal way of learning and expanding our understanding of nature and life, culture, living. It would be nice to have my children join me in preparing meals and gifts etc for these celebrations. If not in the preparation, surely the eating and receiving of said meals and gifts :-)

Any good links for learning about some common and more obscure traditions and festivals?

Kerryn
Australia

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Schuyler

We are hoping to build a cob house someday and are currently living in a cob house that was built in 1720. The parts that are cob are nice and dry (and this is rainy olde England) the parts that are extensions are damp and musty and some leak. Its a traditional building style in England, so we are hoping that we'll get planning permission to build here.

Schuyler
www.waynforth.blogspot.com
----- Original Message -----
From: Julie v.
To: [email protected]
Sent: Thursday, November 16, 2006 4:04 AM
Subject: [unschoolingbasics] Re: OT - The Green Life and Simple Living


I totally understand:)

I love the look of cob. Wish we could build a cob house to live in one day. We have some
friends that live down in the desert here in southern Utah and they have made a couple
cob ovens to cook in and just love it! They built their house using strawbales, because
they said that they couldn't get a permit to do it in cob? Very unfortunate.

Julie

--- In [email protected], "Ren Allen" <starsuncloud@...> wrote:
>
> ~Would the outdoor kitchen be something you could use year round, or
> just in the warmer months? ~
>
> It could technically be used year round, but what a pain!:)
> I will probably only use if for fun, for experimenting with wood-fired
> recipes and such and only in nice weather. I have no desire to give up
> my modern day luxuries, but I do want to have options.
>
> I found a really great cob oven website and a book that describes the
> process. I figured it would be a great way to learn how my soil works
> for cob and help me learn the basics. Someday I want to build a cob
> art studio.
>
> Ren
> learninginfreedom.com
>





[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Ren Allen

"We are hoping to build a cob house someday and are currently living
in a cob house that was built in 1720. "

Wow...that is awesome. The oldest buildings I've seen here are the
ones in Jonesborough, dating back to the 1760's. I've heard of cob
that is even older than that. Amazing stuff. I can't imagine living in
a building that old. Living in a piece of history......

Ren
learninginfreedom.com

John & Karen Buxcel

I've been on the simple living path for quite some time. The book that
really inspired me was The Simple Living Guide by Janet Luhrers. Excellent
reading. It'll make you wanna jump in with both feet.

We also live very green, no poison in our home (cleaning poison, body
products, etc) My desire is to do more in the way of our energy sources.
I've learned that it would only be about 5k to install a couple solar panels
and everything needed to use solar energy here. Something I really want to
do.

We travel a lot in our bus conversion, too. It's a diesel pusher that we'll
be converting to bio-diesel. Also want to install some solar panels on the
roof of that.

The green life is a rich one!
Karen


http://www.thewildtribe.blogspot.com


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Danielle Conger

Just wanted to remind all about the Crunchy Unschoolers list where there
are lots of folks who love to talk about such things and several of whom
have hard experience.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CrunchyUnschoolers/


Karen, alternative energy is where I keep wanting to focus our efforts,
too, but looking into solar, it sure didn't seem doable for under 10k.
We're hopefully purchasing a diesel truck this weekend, which we plan to
run with bio-diesel as a farm truck along with (I hope) our tractor.

--
~~Danielle
Emily (9), Julia (7), Sam (6)
http://www.organiclearning.blogspot.com

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Connections: ezine of unschooling and mindful parenting
http://connections.organiclearning.org

Momma

I never considered being vegetarian until I saw a video on the internet that
shows how animals on industrial farms are treated their whole lives. I never
ate meat again. My mother had shown me all her animal rights stuff when I
was a kid and I had thought that that was a thing of the past until I saw
the video. I do consume milk and cheese and such but we purchase raw from a
nearby farm and know how the animals are treated. My children are both
moderate meat eaters.

Dawn

--- In unschoolingbasics@ <mailto:unschoolingbasics%40yahoogroups.com>
yahoogroups.com, Amy Mason
<doodlemakers@...> wrote:
>
> Thanks Joanne,
> Vegetarianism (is that a word?) is one of those things that I'm so
torn
> up on. As long as I know where my animals came from that we eat
and how
> they lived I'm better at dealing with it...I should be a
vegetarian, I
> really should, the way I feel about animals but I love the taste
of meat
> so much. I'm still vacillating with this. Thanks for the links.
> Amy
>





[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Leslie

I agree with Joanne. I don't like to force my beliefs on anyone either. I just posted about the veganism/vegetarianism (I think these are words!) because it is a viable, easy option to help the environment and I thought that was the question. Anyway, I think anything we can do to go easier on our world is great (whether it's being vegetarian or not!).



Leslie *unschooling in Moody, AL!*
wife to Jeff - mom to 12 yro Shareen

Being vegetarian is easy; it's good for the environment, the animals and YOU!




---------------------------------
Sponsored Link

Mortgage rates near 39yr lows. $310,000 Mortgage for $999/mo - Calculate new house payment

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[email protected]

-----Original Message-----
From: kezgutmanis@...

It's funny how a group of people will be having the same thoughts
and challenges
hitting them at the same time.

I've also made a list of celebrations that I want to know more about.
I'd also
like to have some of them included in our life, having our own family
traditions.

It makes sense to me that an unschooling life could very naturally
include
festivals and celebrations. A normal way of learning and expanding our
understanding of nature and life, culture, living. It would be nice to
have my
children join me in preparing meals and gifts etc for these
celebrations. If
not in the preparation, surely the eating and receiving of said meals
and gifts
:-)

Any good links for learning about some common and more obscure
traditions and
festivals?

-=-=-=-=-

Obscure?

I got a ton of 'em!

How about:

November:
Nov 1 Sadie Hawkins' Day
Nov 2 Day of the Dead AND Daniel Boone's Birthday
Nov 3 National Sandwich Day
Nov 4 National Book Lovers' Day AND National Children's Goal-setting
Day

Second week Nov Geography Awareness Week

Nov 17 National Homemade Bread Day
Nov 21 World Hello Day!

Third week Nov Childrens' Book Week

Fourth Week Nov Games & Puzzles Week

Nov 30 Mark Twain's Birthday

Month of Nov:
Sweet Potato Month
Peanut Butter Month
Chestnut Month


December:

Dec 10 Emily Dickinson's Birthday
Dec 15 National Firefighters' day
Dec 17 Wright Brothers' Day (12 second flight)
Dec 19 Underdog/Unsung Heroes' Day
Dec 21 Solstice
Dec 25 Sir Isaac Newton's Birthday

Month of December:
Oatmeal and Porridge Month
Cranberry Month


January:

Jan 5 Twelfth Night

Second week Jan National We'll Laugh About this Someday Week

Jan 11 National Thank You Day

January 23 Cameron's Birthday and National Pie Day
AND the Third Week of January is NATIONAL HUUGING WEEK!!!

Jan 26 Backwards Day
Jan 28 National Kazoo Day

Is that a start? <g>

~Kelly
________________________________________________________________________
Check out the new AOL. Most comprehensive set of free safety and
security tools, free access to millions of high-quality videos from
across the web, free AOL Mail and more.

Amy Mason

Thanks Leslie for that site...it's a real life altering read...along
with other vegan sites I've visited. I am standing on the fence with
vegetarianism on one side and my old ways on the other but am worried
about replacing meat and ending up with too much soy products. There is
so much out there regarding soys benefits and cons. I believe
everything in moderation but how do you avoid excessive soy and how do
you get the protein required when being very active and nursing two? Am
I ok, environmental wise, with sticking to local farms, and eventually
my own, raised for meat animals?

And, on top of that, I have SUCH a hard time not imposing my values
regarding health and earth concerns with my children. Just yesterday I
was not letting my daughter (5 yrs old) use a gaudy make up kit her
grandmother let her buy in Boscov's complete with all the horrible nasty
ingredients and nail polish. I want to buy her the water based peel off
polish and I already bought her some Burt Bees natural make up. (I know
this has been a recent thread but I'm still hashing it out with myself)

Oh the daily dilemmas of our wonderful unschooled lives. I can't
commiserate with my folks or siblings because they already think I'm
wacko for all of my previous non conformist choices. They know now, at
least, that I'm not a sheep!
I appreciate all of the wonderful lists ;-)

Sorry for my woes
Thanks,
Amy

Elissa Jill Cleaveland

Amy wrote:
Am I ok, environmental wise, with sticking to local farms, and eventually
my own, raised for meat animals?

********
Since I am an omnivore AND close by, I thought I'd pop in and say a few words.
I think it is very important to know where your food comes from. It is much more fun to head into the countryside and pet the cows when you pick up your raw milk, choose your veggies and fresh cut flowers at the farmer's market, and pick out your meat from the local butchers and chatting about all the yummy meals you'll make.
I try to ask questions like, What do you feed them? Are they penned, pastured, barned? How many animals do you have? do you use Antibiotics? Can I come visit the farm? Personally, "certified organic" doesn't mean whit to me, other than the grower can afford the fees to the gov't.
This spring we plan on ordering about 25 broilers as I love chicken and refuse to buy it at a store and it can be expensive to buy natural. We have 7 (down from 10) hens that lay. (Well, they are supposed to lay but they just molted, and the days are shorter so they seem to have taken a hiatus. Lazy wenches) Broilers are a good animal to start with as they are not very sociable, are only around for a short time before taken to be processed and if you decide not to continue, the cost was not that high.
Those not in the eastern panhandle of WV can ignorte the rest.
Shepherdstown Farmers market, which run through to December is fantastic. It's held on Sundays behing the library from 9 until 1'ish
D&D Meats on Rt 51 almost to Inwood provides naturally raised meats from it's own farm. Prices are good.
Ridgefield orchards off Rt 230 between Charles Town and Sh-town is one place I like to go. The owners are friendly and knowledgeable about their produce and they have pick your own apples and pumpkins.
I buy milk and butter from Tudor Hall Farm Market. They sell Trickling Springs Creamery products which can be found all over the place. I'm looking for a raw milk provider in the county if you ever come across one.
There are a few CSA's in the county too.
Elissa Jill
A Kindersher saychel iz oychet a saychel.
"A Child's wisdom is also wisdom." ~Yiddish Proverb

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Leslie

~Oh the daily dilemmas of our wonderful unschooled lives. I can't
commiserate with my folks or siblings because they already think I'm
wacko for all of my previous non conformist choices.~

This made me laugh! I guess because people we know out here in good ol' Moody, AL always think we're the radical, nonconformist family . I actually think we're pretty normal (I mean, really, what is normal?). Oh well... go with your gut...




Leslie *unschooling in Moody, AL!*
wife to Jeff - mom to 12 yro Shareen

Being vegetarian is easy; it's good for the environment, the animals and YOU!




---------------------------------
Sponsored Link

Degrees for working adults in as fast as 1 year. Bachelors, Masters, Associates. Top schools

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Kerryn L Gutmanis

Thanks Kelly

That should be enough to get us started! :-)

Kerryn
Australia

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]