Back to Basics Challenge

Sowing seed or Planting

It has been very cold.

Planning for The Future - meal planning, the next seasons garden plan, working out storage plans or more long term goals and projects like plans for digging root cellars

I asked my husband to get the Agee jars out of the shed. Not sure if there are more, there probably are, these are kilner jars. They are to keep open bags of food safe from mice, if more are able to get in to the new house.


I had a brainwave to use the cabinet drier again. The freezer has been removed from this spot to go to the new house, and we will be able to use it as well as drying clothes in front of the fire and on the over-door rack. I think it uses less electricity than tumble driers. I haven't used it for years, I used it for nappies or cotton underwear, sometimes towels I think. It doesn't ruin the clothes as much as a tumble drier, if at all.

I decided to only bring spices from home for the new house if they are duplicates. For example Italian Spice or whatever it is called, is fine to bring as we have oregano etc. at home already and usually use that.

Working for the Future - storing food, managing stores, preserving, building that home made cob or solar oven, adding house insulation, saving for manual grain mills etc

Our louvre windows in the laundry are drafty, the wind coming from down the street. My husband has a fix. It is covered by curtains, terylene, so hopefully not too ugly. We have got rid of lots of draughts, eventually it will be quite cosy, the louvres possibly the only sticking point.


We decided to make a second dog kennel for our usual house. I was telling my husband that last time we managed two houses we had two kennels. He said he had the materials left from the builder's jobs of recladding some of the house after the asbestos people removed some asbestos cladding, some pine lining boards the builder used for the original back porch ceiling. Also this wood that held the lattice onto the verandah. As you can see those materials are just sitting there, the lining boards getting weathered. About time they went into the shed?




A free dog kennel as far as I know. Last time we made one big enough for two dogs, many years ago it still cost over $200 from memory even using recycled materials like an old wooden ironing board.

My husband and son went wood collecting again. We also picked up some more free straw.

Building Community - volunteering, donations, joining an existing community group, forming your own community group, taking a cake to a friend having a hard time, calling someone you just let drift out of your life, etc

I was asked to take some children to a church activity. Even though I wasn't needed in the end, I did meet someone I wouldn't normally see, though I probably would if I looked harder.

Learn a new Skill

Our eldest daughter lit the fire herself on Saturday and kept it going, without firelighters.

This meme comes from Belinda's blog.