Slow Living Essentials Monthly Nine - February

Everyone I know is walking around talking about how February is a 'short' month and "didn't it just fly by so fast"?  Welcome to my world - every month seems to fly by and the days are not getting longer I don't care what anyone says!!!  February is only 2 days shorter and I think it's all in my head...sigh.   Whew!  Glad I got that off my chest.  I seem to have gone from crocheting to crotchety fairly quickly, it must be hormones. Is anyone else warm?

Nourish - Used up some of the canned apples from the fall and made a cool coffee cake with a cinnamon, sugar and butter topping - it was gone before the camera could be found.  This is not really big news but after spending an hour or more looking for the recipe I used last time and not knowing which it was I started writing in my cookbook that I liked it and the changes I made.  Old dogs can too learn new tricks.  There are some obvious rude comments there that I trust will not be made!  ;)    I have also been having fun with a new acquisition - this lovely green marble mortar and pestle, I have been wanting one forever and finally had the perfect combo of right one and right coupon at the same time!  This is wonderful with my dehydrated herbs.

Prepare - We have been out in the back area doing some garden prep lately and hubby has done really well on his digging out the grass for some more garden space.  I am cleaning out the areas around the house where old damp leaves have built up, these are just potential bug slums and then they will all want to come inside!  We are very glad to get out and work a little here and there when the weather allows.

Reduce - I finally bought the large crochet hook that is necessary (smile) for my new pattern.  I am sitting down to make a crocheted rug out of those old plastic bags I've been saving just for the purpose.  We shall see how this goes, it seems like a really good way to recycle and my grandmother made these rugs out of bread bags and they scrape mud off shoes very well.  I think I have enough bags to do two.

Green - We have been only setting our trash cans out for pick up every other week during the winter.  We have gradually gotten to the point we just don't have much trash, we are adding a new in-ground compost 'pit' to the new garden area as well.  Pine needles and twigs are great kindling, leaves and grass clippings make good compost, some of the kitchen peels etc. goes into compost and we are really doing well I think, at reducing our trash that leaves us as unproductive 'stuff'.

Grow - Still nothing growing but we are set up ready to start seeds in the house now so they are ready to be set out around the first of May which is a pretty good bet for no more frost.  Or the old reliable "When the snow is gone off Mt. Baldy"!  I did clean out the refrigerator so that 'growing stuff' is gone. :)

Create - I have documented my crocheting obsession fairly thoroughly this month I won't make you sit through it again, suffice it to say, I have been creative, even a little overboard!

Discover - Hubby and I were out and about on Valentines day and we went out for lunch and then hit two as yet unseen by us thrift shops!  What a fun day!

Enhance - Our quilting group continues to just bless my soul in so many ways.  The learning from these women who are old enough to be my mother is awesome, and the fun and fellowship is a blessing and we are getting to know each other and forging some strong 'women of faith' type bonds, this is just so much fun.

Enjoy - Knowing that my days of primarily indoor activities are sure to end eventually I resolved to catch up on one of my favorite authors, I have not read an Anne Perry novel for several years and so was behind.  I have spent the month checking the novels out from the library in order and am almost caught up completely.  

 Is it spring yet?   Happy March to all!