Warming our buns for free

For the last few years we have been participating in the Freeze Yer Buns Challenge.  The Freeze yer buns challenge is basically a challenge to turn down your thermostat and bundle up to try to save money on your energy bill.  Over the years we have perfected this challenge and have saved a good amount money.  When we first started I felt like we were going freeze our butts off.  We have a old house with old everything. New windows, added insulation and a fireplace grate with a blower on it should help us save a ton of money.

My hubby build this amazing wood shed to keep the wood from getting wet.  We ordered wood to be delivered and quickly realized this was an expensive option.

 In December 2010 my grandmother was very ill and went to live with a family member.  She was living in a farm house and her only source of heat was a wood stove.  My grandfather had built a wood shed that was very large and filled to the max with seasoned firewood.  My grandmother eventually passed away (miss you Gram) and all the family members were allowed to take any wood we wanted. We quickly filled the wood shed at home and stacked wood anywhere we could.

During the summer of 2010 we replaced a 150 foot long fence in our back yard.  It was the original fence from when our house was built in 1967 so all the wood was very thick.  Back then they used railroad treated wood at the base of the fence. This stuff is so toxic so we paid $250 to have it recycled.  I knew I wanted a organic landscape so that stuff had to go. 

All the wood that was untreated I took the nails out (by yours truly) and cut down into smaller pieces to use as firewood or other projects.  Our neighbors next door also replaced fence between our properties and also gave us his untreated wood. The fence was made up of smaller thinner wood so we use this as fire starter wood.  So remember this when your doing renovations or property maintenance. 

When we cut down a tree in our back yard we also cut and stacked that wood so it could season.  The limbs were cut up and put into that smaller white box.  And speaking of that box it was free from my neighbor.  Free is a good thing!

A couple of weeks ago a co worker of my husband had a tree cut down in his front yard.  Since they didn't have a fireplace they really didn't need the wood and offered it to us.  Two truck loads later we have that wood in our back yard as well.  It will stay in big chunks while seasoning and we will split it later in the Fall. 

My girls also love counting tree rings so they should have fun with these.  Sad to see such a beautiful tree get cut down but they didn't have any other options.  Less expensive to have it cut down than to have it fall on their house.  Thanks Hodad and Annie!!!!

Here's a few tips on how to survive with the thermostat turned down.

-Wear socks, sweatshirts, and slippers all the time.
-Keep throws and quilts handy to snuggle with.
-Do some baking or dishes. This is how I keep warm sometimes.
-Keep all doors shut
-Plastic in the windows help keep warm air in your house. Try to make sure to buy them after the season so you can save money. It can be expensive if you have many windows.
-Utilize your fireplace or wood stove.  Add in a curtain if you have a long hallway. Why heat up the rest of your house when your in the living room most of the day? An hour before you go to bed open up the curtain to let the warm air in.
-Open up blinds or curtains when its a sunny day. The sun will warm up the rooms. Make sure to close them if its not sunny.  The curtains insulate the windows.
-Cover foundation vents and spigots to keep pipes from freezing over. Also stops air from ventilating under your home.  In the summer keep them uncovered and open.
-If you have hardwood floors in your living space then try to pick up some 2nd hand rugs or invest in a new one.  It will keep your feet much warmer and you more comfortable. 
-Candles can keep your room warmer.  Paraffin candles put toxins in the air so invest in some beeswax ones.  Plus at night you will not need to turn on the lights. 
-Candles can lead to other things that can get you warm as well.  A little hanky panky can warm people right up. Well at least for a little while.
-Eat hot food and drink hot liquids.  During a cold day hot cocoa is best and at night try some hot tea's with no caffeine. I try to use seasonal produce to make hot soup for dinner.  A warm belly will sleep much better.

If I left anything out or if you want to add your two bits then leave a comment below. I'm always looking for ways to get more firewood for free or save energy.
Cheers

Salads in my near future

The weather has been amazing in Oregon this week.  As you can see my girls took advantage of the hot weather.  While I was hanging clothes on the line the twins filled their sand turtle with water.  And as you can see they found some mud. Oh to be 6 again.

My pumpkins finally decided to come out and play!!! I should have a ton of pumpkins this year.  My girls will be happy because this means pumpkin muffins all year long. Woot woot!

Also the pea's and beans decided to come out and play as well.  The peas should grow up the chicken wire very nicely.  I'm hoping the Scarlett beans grow up the arbor and show me lots of red flowers.  Should be beautiful!

I picked up this cute bird feeder a couple of years ago at Goodwill.  It is so old that it started to fall apart.  So today I hammered it back to life and made it a home on my new fence in the garden above the flowers.  The sunflowers should grow nicely on both sides of it.  Can't wait till everything fills in.

Everything is filling nicely.  We went through our first batch of lettuce and now are working on our second.  In the place of the first batch of lettuce I planted some spinach. My runner beans are starting to reach for the metal art work I have placed in the center of each bed.  Scarlett beans should give me lots of red flowers. 

I found this cute little sun at Goodwill today for $1.99.  The colors are so beautiful and I knew it would be perfect in the garden.  It's made from a coconut shell and some other dried plant and then it was painted. 

This is my first year growing rainbow chard and i'm loving it.  The colors are just amazing! Should be able to eat our first round of chard this week.  Yummy!

It's also the first year I am growing my own boc choy.  I just love how beautiful these plants are.

Here is  the second round of lettuce getting ready to be eaten.  The seeds were for green lettuce but as you can see a different variety must of snuck in.  Love it!

Strawberries are starting to bloom which means I will have jelly soon.  Well that is if my girls don't eat them all.

My zucchini is looking so beautiful.  Just look at all that fuzz.  Plants are amazingly beautiful.

And look who decided to have babies.  Man I love nature.

I have been way too buzy to share my $50 a week photo with you.  Soccer season started this week and I have been a taxi all week.  Between school, training for my race (which is Saturday!) and soccer....ive been going crazy.  But soon school will be out and I won't have to train anymore leaving me plenty of time  to do gardening, biking, etc.  Oh shoot. Gotta go take the girls to soccer now....have a great evening!