P is for .... pallets

so ... hubby has a new fetish ... he is a pallet freak.

in the ethos of trying to recycle and re-use rather than buying new, we have found an endless source of pallets. and of course ...

• pallets = timber
• timber = building projects
• building projects = a happy "permie" family!

so we have our pallets .... what are we gonna do with them????

the great part is that we were able to get good wood ones. a pity that so many these days are built with cork or ply ... which means that using them for any outside projects are an absolute waste.

but these.... these are good! hubby starts imaging how to use them ... what we've discussed as a priority. the cool thing is that intact .... they are free standing walls .... which is really great. so .... first project is .... drum roll ...... a new compost bin! yeah!

way too simple to put together. a back wall made out of corrugated iron that we had, sides out of pallets and the front out of two solids bits of pallets that we managed to get. knock up a simple door frame and voila! you have a compost bin with two stalls! the two stalls allow for easy turning of the compost matter which will help get the decomposition going quickly. note that the two bay doors open out which allows for easy access. i'm going to use the Berkley Method of composting .... which should give me my first batch of good compost in about 3 weeks (i'll report back on that later!).

we are really proud of this project. the only cost to us has been about $5 at the local hardware store for the hinges. and it only took about an hour to put together! can't ask for better than that!

project for next weekend? new chicken coop -- or chicken hilton as it has been code named. come spring i am expecting to at least double my number of chooks ..... let's see how much stuff we'll be able to recycle then!

Contemplation.

i have just turned 50.  woohoo.  <g>  instead of a big party i did something for myself .... i indulged in what has until now been a fairly closet passion: a greenie love of the environment. i went to a permaculture course, had a blast -- and had my eyes opened!

surely my christian friends would laugh at me.  surely compared to the need to show God's love and grace to others this is miniscule in comparision.  so i rarely talk about it .... rarely discuss what sits heavy on my heart: God gave us this world to use, love and be wise stewards of .... and, quite frankly, we've screwed it up.  this time away taught me that i should no longer be quiet about it.

we have a mandate now more than ever to care for the Creation that God has entrusted to us.  i want my kids to enjoy fresh, non GM food and to live an abundant life .... and to know our Saviors love through that.   so for me, being a wise steward (trying ... not perfect, but trying!), and teaching my kids how to cherish God's world will only make them fall in love with the Creator more ... and want to share His amazing Love with others.

i learned a term this weekend ... Evangelical Environmentalism.  it is the new term for those believers who take seriously our stewardship of this world.  now this course was certainly not about faith or about religion!  but i saw the core principles of permaculture and said .... man!  those are straight from the bible!  they are using God's mandate to love others, care for others, live in community and be wise stewards .... all which can be scripturally supported. 

 i am forced to reflect on so much.  i have wanted to live today better than yesterday and hope for tomorrow more than i have today.  i think of two things from the weekend that have been profound for me.
-- life happens!  it is the way that God designed it.  i see this in the area that our chickens are scratching away at ... the left overs i feed them and the borlotti beans and cherry tomato's that can't help but spring up!
-- we have all been made in the image of our Grand Designer.  He has given us the ability to design and reclaim this world in the way He intended it to be.


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reflection  ..... 5 July 2011

so ... i've been doing this blog for over 3 months now .... is my heart still passionate about our role in God's redemption of Creation?  of what he has called us too?  for me, and more importantly, for our family .... that answer is a resounding YES.

each day we are learning a little bit more about the small and big things we can do to honour our Lord by understanding how He created this planet, the systems that are the best for growing things and providing for our family.  what does that mean?  well, truthfully .... it means heaps of fun!  we are learning about cool things in our garden .... mushrooms, aquaponics ... how to grow stuff with less effort and more reward -- and regenerating and making good soil to boot!  understanding that we don't have to have things brand spankin' new .... but that recycling and reusing is actually MUCH MORE REWARDING!  and ... learning about our friends and neighbors .... living in community more.

so yes ... we are continuing to move towards a creation care mentality .... and with each step we take, we are more committed to it and this call that God has placed on our hearts.  will you join us?

This is my Father’s world, and to my listening ears

All nature sings, and round me rings the music of the spheres.

This is my Father’s world: I rest me in the thought

Of rocks and trees, of skies and seas;

His hand the wonders wrought.