goat in a box

Had the solar cooker out today, attempting to finish cooking a goat roast with fresh local veggies. It was too cloudy yesterday, but today, it worked. We got a thermometer for the oven, and it only reached 200 degrees, which isn't really hot enough for what meat should be cooked at. However, by late afternoon, the goat was darkened and juicy, with the meat literally falling off the bones. The potatoes were cooked, firm and not crunchy. (A good local goat source is my friend Shannon.) I also made some apple crisp from some apple seconds from the farmers market. As my friend Cecily says, "I get my seconds first!" And thanks to Cecily who brought us some good sweet small cookies from the Greek booth from Ethnic Festival.

I attempted to plant carrots today, but my neighbor loaned me their gas mower, and I took advantage of the opportunity. It took me less than an hour to mow, a chore that used to seem like it took forever back when I was a regular pusher of combustible engines around the lawn. I found out when I used a reel mower, it really does take forever! Our neighbors are pretty nice. Tomorrow I'm hoping to make fruit butter from our wine making binge pulp, and can it. Some more cleaning inside & out is in order for the garden tour next weekend, straightening, making walkable paths!

The huge amounts of spiders make outside cleaning tiresome. I was trying to stack flower pots on the great freecycled shelves I got, but the spiders, especially the big and fast wolf spider, got to me. I've also cleaned out and somewhat ordered my sewing corner. I have a lot of material. My friends Abby and Mike will be in town this winter for three months, and I am looking forward to having them around for an extended amount of time. I especially look forward to all the sewing.

Hakim spent some time in the basement, trying to disconnect the gas tubing to the dryer. We freecycled the dryer to someone who needs it, and they are supposed to be picking it up this weekend. We had no gas cap, so Hakim & K biked it to the nearest hardware store on the tag-along bike. Unfortunately, they brought home the wrong size, but they also biked down to the grocery store to spend the last of the month food stamps on some last of the month luxuries. That hasn't happened in a long time! Yesterday, they bussed over to the local health food store for some delicious local cheese, and good dark chocolate. They have been busy.

K is learning how to write cursive. I have picked up a couple of cursive writing books, but she is so not interested. But I am writing in cursive almost exclusively now. She can read most of it, and is learning to write it just because it's Fun. And that's why we're fUnschool at home. She's read about one Boxcar Children series book a day for the last 3-4 days.