Need a Little Accountability

The past year has been a great year in terms of us becoming more conscious of the resources we are using and being more locally/self-sufficiency focused.  In addition to this, I have been doing much better in my own exercise routines and goals.  However, January, the month that is supposed to be set aside for making new resolutions, has seen a rapid decline in both areas.  I have been reading a fellow coach's running blog the last few weeks and realized that, like her, I need to do something to keep myself accountable (since I know so many of you do a really good job kicking my butt when I need it).  As a means of using my wonderful readers to keep me accountable, I am going to start posting how we are doing is the areas of self-sufficiency and also how I am doing pulling myself off the couch to run and get out and enjoy the snow--even though it is insanely cold out there right now.
Of course I need to start out with a little reflection back, for my own sake, in order to motivate myself to keep moving forward.  For today's blog I am doing a delayed New Year's look back at how we have done this past year in terms of sustainability and tomorrow I will reflect on what I have done so far in January for getting my butt outside and moving. Bear with me and please feel free to pick up the phone and tell me to get off the couch and get moving at any point.  I need it.

While we have had some epic failures, such as dandelion fritters (yucky) and trying to make pasta with gluten-free flour,  we have had some amazing culinary favorites that have been locally sourced, homemade and much cheaper and tastier (in most cases) than buying the pre-made stuff at the store.

Homemade pastas: We have made a variety of different pastas this year.  The one above is homemade ravioli made from King Arthur flour and eggs from our chickens, homemade ricotta cheese (we also made mozzarella, that was amazing) topped off with pasta sauce that I made (Although I will admit Boves of Vermont makes an amazing vodka sauce that you have to try.). And to go with that, homemade bread that Andy makes on a weekly-if not daily- basis. 

Quiche: This has become a favorite of not only us but friends and family as well.  Once again, King Arthur flour, eggs from our chickens and cheddar cheese.  Sometimes a little bacon also gets added in.  And evidenced by my husband's efforts to cut corners one night, it does not taste as good without a home-made crust.  Which, by the way, is so easy to make. 

Preserving: We picked our own strawberries, apples and blueberries this summer and froze a ton for the winter.  Last week I was eating Greek yogurt with blueberries we picked down the road this summer, it was wonderful.  We also made raspberry jam from our own bushes, froze some basil from the garden, made pasta sauce, and pickled beets.  It has been a nice winter so far.

We made raised beds this year

We made a bird feeder for our wonderful mosquito eating friends.  Ever since we kicked the bats out of the house we have had bug issues. 

We winterized the house by weatherizing the pipes and caulking every gap that air could come in . 

 To top it all off Little Man helped daddy with various household projects. 

There you go, that is what we have been doing the last year or so, now I just need to get my butt in gear and keep going.