I think it would be very very helpful if there were a video on how to harvest and save seed properly. The more I read about seed companies, even organic ones, being bought up by Monsanto, the more I think that saving seeds may save our lives. I do save seeds, but I don't feel like I am enough of an expert to really teach it, and I don't have a video camera. Is anyone else willing to do it? It seems like the right time of year for it.
Added by Victoria Pich on September 21, 2012 at 6:27am —
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I have tendinitis in one wrist (also both thumbs, but the thumbs aren't bothering me now), and the concert I am rehearsing, Beethovens 5th Symphony, irritates it. I am using the salve regularly on it, as well as on all my fingers (for arthritis), and it is working. My hands aren't so stiff and achy in the morning, and the wrist is doing pretty well, in spite of the nearly constant irritation.
Added by Victoria Pich on September 21, 2012 at 6:23am —
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Please check out this excellent film about GMOs! Jeff Smith is a leading expert on the topic, and there is a lot of vital info here! You can watch it for free until sept 22 at
www.GeneticRouletteMovie.com
I actually ordered a copy after seeing it, so I can lend it for a showing.
Added by Victoria Pich on September 18, 2012 at 9:46pm —
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Some people (not from Kung fu school) have surprised me with their negative assumptions about homeschooling, how Johanna will turn into an antisocial weirdo etc. but I find the opposite already. She loves it. She offers to help with home and garden tasks without being asked, she asks if she can practice more piano. This morning I found her using the computer and feared she was playing computer games. Turned out she was doing school work! No regrets about homeschooling! She's starting to knit,…
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Added by Victoria Pich on September 18, 2012 at 10:22am —
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Tomatoes are in the canner, fruit is dry. When the Bosc pears are ripe I will make sauce, as we already have TONS of dried fruit. Anyone have recipes for tomatillos that I can freeze or can? Made fresh salsa but dislike frozen salsa. Perhaps a tomatillo sauce for meat? Meanwhile, the blue corn is hanging in the basement to dry for grain. We had one deformed ear. I suspected GMO contamination, but it is blue like the others, so more likely a mutation from another cause. Radiation? Chance? The…
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Added by Victoria Pich on September 18, 2012 at 10:18am —
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Recently at Saturday Market I sampled some raw noodles with pad Thai sauce. The noodles were just zucchini put through a spiralizer! It was delicious, and yesterday my own spiralizer just arrived. I ordered it on amazon. Now I have another way to use up the mountain of huge squash on my kitchen counter!
Added by Victoria Pich on August 12, 2012 at 4:39am —
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Generally I have been focussing on forms in my workouts, after loosening, with stretching at the end after some crunches and pushups. Now I am adding more horse stance (need to work on ankle strength) and the golden chicken (mine is still more like the rubber chicken). There are many things that one can do almost anywhere, such as the opening and closing of hands. But for my actual workout I prefer to be outdoors. I workout on the grass, facing north, right in front of the parsnips, beets,…
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Added by Victoria Pich on August 12, 2012 at 4:14am —
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For years I have fantasized about putting in more edible plants at our Montana place, but since it really belongs to my parents, I hesitated to implement an changes. I don't want to stress them out etc. But now we decided to act. We have cut down a few useless and ugle bushes and started planting. Last year the Nanking cherries (edible hedge) went in. This year, some ratty old lilacs went out and lots of yellow raspberries went in. A couple of Russian Olives (water guzzlers) are also…
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Added by Victoria Pich on August 1, 2012 at 8:14am —
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I loved the video about eating healthy in the great outdoors, especially the part where you cook instead of eating at outback. Thanks for the reminder! When we are on the road, this is where we consistently fall down and eat bad food. We do avoid the fast food joints, and we try to bring our own snacks, but on a long trip there is always a bad meal somewhere. Next time I will pack cooking stuff and bring our homegrown food.
I also am green with envy (!) over the outdoor survival…
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Added by Victoria Pich on August 1, 2012 at 8:10am —
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I've been pretty busy up here, but I have gotten in a number of workouts. It is wonderful to do stretches and forms between the fruit trees under a Montana big sky, looking west to the Yaak wilderness. The air is dry, the huge woodpecker is pecking on the metal roof, the loons are crying, and a wolf was sitting at the western end of our road along the lake. I am on my way home now, having stopped overnight in Ritzville Washington, and I plan to be in class tomorrow! I would like to make it…
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Added by Victoria Pich on August 1, 2012 at 7:53am —
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I am on my way home from northern Montana, where everyone is upset about a bill that the GOP rep there is supporting, which gives Homeland Security ABSOLUTE control over the northern 100-mile-deep swath over border, the southern 100-mile-deep swath, and both coasts 100 miles deep. Besides the fact that there isn't any money for this, it is alarming in the extreme. It covers a number of national parks, of course, but what else? What would Homeland Security do with its absolute control? If I…
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Added by Victoria Pich on August 1, 2012 at 7:48am —
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Tons and tons of kale! At the moment I am making many batches of kale chips. I hope I am done in time to get to Kung fu Class on time. Tear the ribs off the kale. Also put some olive oil and a half tsp of sea salt in a bowl. Put the kale in the bowl and mix to cover well with the oil. Spread very thinly, with no overlap, on cookie sheets and bake at 300 for 5-10 minutes. They should be crisp, but don't let them burn! Gotta run, another batch is ready!
Added by Victoria Pich on July 11, 2012 at 4:15pm —
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Today I did forms first slowly for technique for ten minutes, then smoothly and slowly in Tai qi style, then fast, each round for ten minutes. Boy do I have a long way to go, but at least I feel good! Also ramping up for the Habitat walk.
Added by Victoria Pich on May 27, 2012 at 1:40pm —
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I just read that the EU has blocked France's ban on GMO maize. I don't know how to take articles off of Facebook and post them here, but anyone can check out the Occupy Monsanto Facebook page. The article is on that site. Apparently, the US had quietly threatened a "military style" trade war if EU countries banned Monsantos corn. Wikileaks got the story out.
Added by Victoria Pich on May 27, 2012 at 7:13am —
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Monday afternoon I was thinking to myself that I could sure use some work on my stick work, and that this is the hardest thing to practice at home, and as it turns out the class focused heavily on stick work, both five part and three part! My lucky day! I find it very helpful to be forced to go quickly from 3-part to 5- part and vice versa, since there are so many levels of students in the class. This way makes me think faster.
I also loved the beginner gun class last Sunday. I Might be…
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Added by Victoria Pich on May 22, 2012 at 8:11pm —
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Before dinner we were snacking on some organic store-bought celery (our own home grown is still small), before dinner, and we all agreed that it tasted very salty. I thought at first that Paul had salted it, but he hadn't. Has anyone else ever experienced this? And why is it? Do they soak it in salt water before shipping?
Added by Victoria Pich on April 30, 2012 at 8:07pm —
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I got some nettle leaves from Growing Wild Farm at Saturday market in Mac. I am enjoying them as tea, and I think they are easing up my coughing symptoms. Anyone know more about the properties of nettles? Also recipes?
Added by Victoria Pich on April 30, 2012 at 11:19am —
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For toothpaste - mix 6 tsp baking soda with 1 tsp Stevie's extract. Add 4 tsp glycerin or 2 tbsp warmed up coconut oil(so it is liquid) and 1/4 tsp hydrogen peroxide (omit this last one for kids toothpaste). Mix and add 10-20 drops essential oils, such as peppermint or cinnamon. Mix into a paste, adjust for texture (more soda if too runny, more oil of too stiff) and flavor. Store in airtight OPAQUE container. Light degrades hydrogen peroxide.
For hair, try mixing baking soda with…
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Added by Victoria Pich on April 30, 2012 at 11:16am —
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Occupy Monsanto posted on their Facebook page : "Either mankind will stop Monsanto or Monsanto will stop mankind."
Added by Victoria Pich on April 30, 2012 at 6:48am —
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I just wanted to say I thought that class was amazing! It was sooo sooooo helpful to settle in, focus, be present in a slow workout. I am reminded of the importance of putting things under the microscope and giving ones body the time to learn, and I am reminding my own students to do slow motion work. Thank you, Mr. Bronson!
Added by Victoria Pich on April 29, 2012 at 9:34pm —
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