Building a "stairway to heaven"...

"Craigslist" is my husbands favorite website and he recently found an outdoor staircase for sale. Somebody had torn it down but left it in sections. After an interesting loading and hauling procedure we had a big heap of cedar stair parts next to the house. A good friend helped recalculating the stair structure and made a cardboard-model that now is turned into a fully functional set of stairs. Every piece of wood from the original parts have been used and including some extra bolts, cement and a few boards, the total price: $150.

Estimated cost if we would have bought the material new..a couple of housands!
Ok, I have to brag yet again, T is brilliant. He wanted to build a set of stairs, he found the ad, saw the potential and ran with the idea. And he built it all by himself.
Frugality goes hand in hand with living "green". A heap of wood, destined for the dump, revitalized and beautified. Our own "stairway to heaven"...the beautiful meadow above the house...

Free music for the frugal!

First, I have show off a little....I have a friend who plays in the famous, classic rockband,  The Brymers, from the 1960's. They play great 60's garage rock. Great dance music and Indie rock.

They had many great hits in the past and the group is still very actively writing and recording music.

I was telling my friend about my blog and he offered to give away free CD's to the first 3 people who go to The Brymers web page and mention my blog there! I am honored.

You can check out the music, videos and photos on:  www.thebrymers.com

The CD that you'll receive is called "40 year brotherhood".( 19  tracks of rock-n-roll!)
I already have one and now you can have one too. For free!!!!

Movies to your mailbox!

Having no TV reception at our house we relay on Eugene public library for movies. But we also subscribe to Netflix which deliver the movies right to your mailbox. I go to the website, make my choices and the movies arrive within 2 days. Great selection, many different plans from 4.99 and up. Once you set up an account you can switch the plan easily. We use the 3-at-the-time plan but if we find that we don't watch the movies right away we change the plan for a few months. If you have fast speed internet you can watch movies instantly- anytime and as many as you want  as part of your "unlimited" plan.
The shipping is free and the return fast. Once in a while a disc might be broken in the mail, just email a report and they will send a replacement. No questions asked.  Also, sometimes a disc has scratches and might get stuck.
Netflix will send replacements if you ask them. We've used Netflix for many years. TV series, new movies and foreign films are our most rented items. Easy to sign up, easy to cancel.
Nothing to loose.

The Fruit-fly Trap

All you need is a jar ( any container will work), a small piece of plastic wrap,

a rubber band, a bit of applesauce, apple cider or something 

else fruity and sticky, for fruit-fly "bait" and a toothpick.

*Pour the bait into the jar.

*Put the plastic on the top, tight and wrinkle free.

*Hold it down with the rubber band.

*Use the toothpick to make 5-10 small holes in the plastic wrap.

Place the trap near the favorite fruit-fly hangout in your kitchen.

It takes a day or two for it to work but it will.

After the flies are caught, bring the trap outside, rinse the jar, replace the bait
and re-use the plastic for the next round if needed.

What to do with bruised, over-ripe fruit?

Use a food dehydrator!
The very ripe pears, apples, plums make the best tasting snacks for kids and adults alike.
A good friend picked bags of pears of the ground in her garden and gave it to us to feed to the chickens.
The happy egg layers we have roaming around the barnyard sure got their share but I kept the best ones for ourselves.
It takes some time to cut off the bad parts, slice them and load the dryer but it's well worth it.
Food dryers is an item often found at Goodwill for a few dollars. Or if you want to, you can build you own. There are many plans on line.
After the pears are dried ( no more "moister"-pockets ) I put them in bags and store in the freezer.
When winter comes around and fruit is expensive and tasteless in the grocery store, you have your own, healthy, preserved fruit waiting. Perfect for a day on the ski slope, the hike, the school lunch...

Warning: Fruit-flies! Don't store the over ripe fruit indoors. You'll have fruit flies hovering in your kitchen and they are hard to get rid off. I'll post my favorite fruit-fly trap in the next post

To can or not to can, that is the question...

Canning season is in full bloom and if you are the lucky owner of a big garden/ orchard or the recipient of free fruits and vegetables from a friend, don't get overwhelmed by the prospect of canning.
It doesn't have to be whole day event that leaves you exhausted and a kitchen in need of serious scrubbing.

It can be done in smaller batches and very simply. I canned peaches yesterday and it took an hour from start to finish for 7 quarts ( one batch in the canning pot).
The dishwasher washed and sterilized the glass jars while I was peeling the peaches and  took out the pits.
The tea kettle heated the water for the "sirup" and I had the big canning pot full of water pre-heating on the stove.
After the peach pieces were packed in the jars, I added 1-2 Tbsp of sugar to each jar and poured in the boiling water from the teakettle (leaving 1/4 inch from the top). Then I attached the sterilized lids and rings and into the canning pot the jars went for 20 minutes
While I kept an eye on the timer I quickly cleaned up the kitchen.
It was fun, easy and I'm looking forward to opening a jar of home-canned peaches during the dark winter months.

Favorite coffee shops in Eugene

( the not so frugal part of our lives...)

Usually we make all our coffee drinks at home with the stove-top espresso maker but ones in a while, hanging out in a coffee shop is a very nice treat.
Also, the fast speed internet now available in almost every cafe' is a bonus when you usually only have access to dial-up.
 
Wandering Goat coffee Company (268 Madison St, Eugene)
VERY good organic coffee. You can buy green beans for $5/Lbs and roast them to your own perfection in a popcorn popper! Yes. That is the only frugal part...
The lattes are beautiful art creations to perfection. 2% milk or whole milk are the only options for drinks with milk. Great atmosphere and WIFI is free.
Prices? Fairly high but well worth it when you have a need for a splurge. As my mother said after her first visit: "the best latte I ever had"


Vero (205 E 14th Ave, Eugene)
A new coffee shop in a beautiful old house. Very nice staff and good coffee. Old furniture, close to downtown. The play great old jazz in the speakers and serve coffee in large mugs
WIFI, big tables for larger groups or meetings are also a plus.


Barry's Espresso  Bakery & Deli (2805 Oak St, Eugene)
One of the best bakeries in Eugene. Great coffee drinks, staff, homemade breads, cheese-sticks,soups and sandwiches.
No WIFI unfortunately but great lunch! And at very good prices. Our teenagers love the "Black & White" cookies.
Owned locally by Barry and his family.