Robyn Dolan's Blog, page 7

Quick Tips for Junk Mail

Quick Tips for Junk Mail The most obvious thing we can do on the urban homestead is reduce, reuse, recycle. And the one thing we all have too much of is junk mail. Here are some of my tips for reusing some of that junk mail.

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In the company of earthworms

After so many days of rain it feels good to work in the garden. My aching muscles tell me so. I even manage to let dad help without losing my cool. Even when he refuses to take a break. I simply explain that if he falls I cannot lift him, and he will have to wait for the paramedics. For…

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Feeding the Hungry

(This post first appeared on this blog in 2009 while we were still on the Arizona Homestead) Now, anyone with common sense would move to a place where green stuff actually grows right out of the ground, if they were planning on raising a whole bunch of ruminants.  Mrs. D’s first consideration, however, was to find affordable land.  Any affordable…

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Ham and Bean Soup

Nothing warms me up on a rainy winter day like homemade soup. This Ham and Bean Soup uses up that big ham bone I stuck in the freezer after Christmas. Watch and see how easy it is to make, then print out the recipe! And the recipe Ham and Bean Soup Recipe Ingredients: Hambone with meat 2 pounds white beans,…

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Puttin’ Up Fence

(This post first appeared on this blog in 2008 while we were still on the Arizona Homestead) I finally got to puttin’ up fence this year.  With rising gas and feed prices, I need to find more creative ways to keep everyone fed.  The most commonsensical thing seems to be to let the critters out to graze.  The neighbors, however,…

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Lettuce on the Menu

One good thing about Southern California is that if the spring and summer garden fail, I can keep gardening through fall and winter. Because of this, we have lettuce on the menu, despite the ecoli scare that made it scarce everywhere else. I planted some black seeded simpson last month in my new front beds and last week I harvested…

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Confessions of an Exhausted, Caregiving, Homesteading Homeschooler

Caregiving can be exhausting. Continuing to lead a frugal, homesteading lifestyle while caregiving sometimes seems impossible. I have a confession to make. I am an exhausted, caregiving, homesteading, homeschooler. Ugh. Seeing it in writing makes me want to take a nap. My dad was diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment several years ago. As it has progressed I have moved back…

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Today I was the Maytag Repairman

After our recent unpleasant experience with our Sears protection plan I was glad today that I took our Maytag dishwasher off of it because it was so old and we weren’t using it. So naturally we started using it again and the handle broke. Being disgusted with repair persons in general at the moment, I decided to take matters into…

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Solar and Greywater Puzzles

An urban homestead presents many solar and greywater puzzles. What is the best way to hook up solar panels? How to reuse greywater to water the lawn?

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Homemade Washer Cleans Up

  No washer, no problem! My homemade washer cleans up for me once again. Homesteading skills are not just for when the SHTF, as they say. They have served me well in the RV and now in the city. Our washer broke down on Saturday. Luckily, I had done my wash on Friday, but my daughter-in-law just started a new…

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