Scattered Sundays – Sustainable Cooks

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It’s actually the most effective time of the yr! The climate is beautiful, the solar is shining, the sky is blue, but it surely’s not HOT.

I used to be actually (October child over right here) and figuratively born for Fall/Autumn. My coronary heart is so full.

a walking path in the woods.
I by no means take it without any consideration that I get to dwell right here.

The times are positively getting shorter, and I discover that I can solely dry 1-2 a great deal of laundry on our clothesline as a substitute of 3-4 in a day. However my goodness, the climate is pure perfection proper now.

I had a realization on Wednesday that we’re nearer to woodstove season than the 4th of July, and I’m right here for it! You understand who just isn’t right here for it? My household.

They don’t seem to be huge followers of my very arbitrary guidelines across the thermostat and our woodstove. I refuse to activate the furnace till October 1st, and no person will get to make a hearth till November 1st.

Is there an precise motive behind these dates? No. Do I maintain fairly steadfast in upholding this stupidity? Sure. My chorus of “effectively, in case you’re chilly, cease carrying shorts and go put some extra garments on” will be heard time and again for the subsequent 6 weeks.

two photos showing printouts of solar production.

Mid-morning final Sunday, we reached an necessary milestone in our photo voltaic manufacturing objectives – we produced the yearly quantity of kWh that our system is constructed to provide. That’s freaking cool!

We should not have a battery system for our photo voltaic panels; reasonably we do web metering. We produce kWh in the course of the day and ship it to the grid and it’s “banked” to our account. At night time, we draw from the grid and “spend down” the banked kWh that now we have produced.

Our panel array system was designed round not producing extra vitality than we use. However, 2023 has been rather a lot sunnier than 2022, and very like Superman, we are able to draw from the ability of the solar. It does make us really feel like nerdy superheroes.

On March thirty first, any kWh that now we have banked and never used is totally cleaned from our account. Our energy firm doesn’t pay one single cent for the additional vitality that now we have produced, which is tremendous duper lame.

Loads of energy corporations WILL pay for extra vitality produced, however ours isn’t certainly one of them. Whomp whomp. However, reasonably than gifting stingy Puget Sound Power any free energy, we are able to use the additional for charging our Nissan Leaf.

purple crocuses.
I at all times thought these solely bloomed in Spring?

On a very dorky word, final week I found some stunning pastel highlighters at Staples after I was ready on a print job for our soccer board. I had sufficient highlighters and didn’t want extra. However I couldn’t cease eager about them.

Bennett had a health care provider’s appointment on Monday and we obtained there a bit too early. I wanted to get Jack a composition pocket book for varsity, so we darted subsequent door to a Ceremony Support.

Their faculty provides have been cleaned out, however there was ONE composition pocket book left on the cabinets. And proper above it, hanging on the rack was ONE package deal of the pastel highlighters. Dream huge my pals, miracles occur.

a packet of pastel highlights over a computer.

Within the Backyard This Week

This week introduced extra scrumptious berry harvesting – blueberry, raspberry, and some random ever-bearing strawberries.

a bowl of raspberries, blueberries, and strawberries.

We don’t have a whole lot of indoor houseplants, as a result of, male kids. However, this week, I took those we did have and plopped them outdoors within the sunshine and recent air.

A mild dusting and overwatering from the hose adopted after which they obtained to spend the day outdoors. I actually need to get greater pots for just a few of them, however till Costco brings their large indoor pots again, that received’t occur. The Costco costs are so significantly better than anyplace else.

I attempted to prep a number of the backyard packing containers for a fall planting of lettuce and kale. Time is a thief and it simply didn’t get finished because of life, soccer, and extra soccer. However, our 10-day forecast is wanting pretty, and I’ll Scarlett O’Hara that ish and give it some thought tomorrow.

What I’m studying this week

Thus far, 2023 has been a low-yield studying yr for me. Life occurs and that’s simply been the theme of this yr. That being mentioned, I did end The Silent Affected person this week and I loved it.

It was really helpful by my buddy Cassie, and she or he claimed to not keep in mind plot factors as I used to be texting her with my predictions. Sure, I’m the child who flipped to the top of Select Your Personal Journey books.

I began a e-book referred to as Flight, and thus far it looks as if a speedy whodunit learn within the vein of outdated Patricia Cornwell books earlier than she jumped the shark and began writing about canine fixing crimes. That’s after I formally “noped” out of the Scarpetta collection.

I lastly converted to the Libby app, after my hand was pressured by our library system. I don’t like it, as I solely get push notifications to my cellphone that books can be found to obtain. I want an electronic mail. I want one thing annoying in my inbox reminding me to obtain books.

If anybody makes use of the Libby app, and has discovered easy methods to obtain reminder emails, please let me know!

WHAT I’M LISTENING TO THIS WEEK

One among my favourite podcast collection of all time, The Dream, is again with season three! Season certainly one of The Dream is perfection in your ears.

When you haven’t listened to this collection but, time to binge! Begin with season one, then season two, and get caught up on season three.

READER SPOTLIGHT OF THE WEEK

Angela left this five-star evaluation on our Crockpot Spaghetti Sauce {Pin this recipe}:

That is such an exquisite approach to make use of up these recent tomatoes! I additionally used my very own recent basil from my backyard. It made me really feel so proud to make a few of our personal meals for winter. This can be a scrumptious sauce, and so versatile!

a bowl of crockpot spaghetti sauce with tomatoes and herbs
Crockpot Spaghetti Sauce

ON SUSTAINABLE COOKS THIS WEEK

No Boil Smashed Fingerling PotatoesYou’ll love these crispy Smashed Fingerling Potatoes for a tasty and simple aspect dish. These oven-roasted potatoes skip the stovetop boiling technique to make your life simpler. {Pin this recipe}

smashed fingerling topped with melted cheese and diced parsley potatoes on a baking sheet.

Canning Apple Butter – this reader favourite obtained itself a glow-up with user-friendly processing charts, extra detailed directions, and much more useful suggestions. It stays low-sugar and completely scrumptious.

Oh, and this recipe is damaged down into two components: 1) making the apple butter and a pair of) canning it. When you don’t wish to can it, you’ll discover directions within the submit on easy methods to freeze it. {Pin this recipe}

a jar of apple butter with fresh apples and cinnamon sticks

MEAL PLAN

Monday:: Testing one other new recipe to your lovable faces.

Tuesday:: Troy is making dinner and we’ll be excited to eat it.

Wednesday:: Testing yet one more recipe!

Thursday:: Breakfast for dinner. Straightforward and it sits okay in Jack’s abdomen earlier than soccer follow.

Friday:: Popcorn, leftovers, and film night time.

Saturday:: TBD. We’re alleged to have a soccer sport in Seattle however the different crew has not but confirmed a time or place. Pretty!

Sunday:: In accordance with our household calendar app, it seems to be like Troy deliberate some folks coming over for dinner. So, I’ll probably have him make his burgers.

What are you having this week?

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