Update!

Sorry we have been MIA for the last 2 months! After our vacation we got insanely busy. Here are some things that we have been working on lately:

1) Our vegetable garden - we are growing corn, peas, cucumbers, and tomatoes. We picked a few peas before the plants seemed to die :( We have harvested a LOT of cucumbers, so many that we've been giving them away to friends and family b/c we cannot possible eat so many of them. Our first ear of corn is almost ready to be picked, I can't wait!

2) Recycling - Peter started recycling without even telling me, but since he does most of the kitchen cleaning it's ok. Our county recently started streamline recycling - basically, you can put everything in 1 container (we're using an large tupperware container that we used to use for 40 lb bags of dog food - see, we're even using something recycled to do our recycling) and there is no need to sort papers, glass, and plastics. Now there is really no excuse for us to not recycle.

3) Reuse! I am addicted to milk from a glass bottle, and we are able to buy it at Mom's Organic Market or Roots Market, bottled @ Trickling Springs Creamery in Chambersburg, PA. Not only does milk taste delicious from a glass bottle, it comes from local (88 miles from our house), grass-fed cows that graze happily in the sunshine. The glass bottles get returned to the creamery, sanitized, and reused - could it be any more "green"?

I hope some of you have been able to use my detergent recipe; I just made another double batch the other night (while my daughter whined b/c she thought I was grating cheese and not sharing any with her). A quick tip - this time, I just put all the ingredients in the bag, sealed it tightly, and gave it to my son to shake it up (then I did a little shaking, just to be sure). This eliminated the need to clean a bowl when I was done. Also, one more tip - don't leave your soap bits out on the counter. Peter came to me today to ask if they were pieces of cheese :)

Hope you're having a green summer - stay cool!