Swales

I have a bit of really dedicating to research. When I get in the mood to learn about something, I really commit.

Today on a local Facebook gardening group, someone posted a video which linked to a cool page about "greening the desert". Basically, at one point, huge swales were built in the Sonoran desert (where I live!) and one of them has become an oasis.

Being who I am, I went in to hard core research mode. I found the coolest swale guide! It even includes a list of saline tolerant plants!

As you can probably tell, this is a big deal to me. Living in the desert is hard. Growing in the desert is hard. Raising livestock in the desert is pretty impractical, to be completely honest.

We have a few problems that are unique to living in the desert, besides just the lack of rain. We get about 10 inches of rain a year. Let that sink in. Now, getting so little rain means 1. our soil is very salty and 2. our dirt is hard packed and water just runs off (erosion!) without really absorbing and redepositing in our water table.

So what's a swale? Well, the easiest way I can explain it is: A swale is a trench (filled with organic matter) with a berm (full of plants of varying root depths) beside it. The swale is supposed to help catch water and allow it to seep in to the water table and prevent run off and the berm with plants helps to prevent erosion as the water sinks down. Trees are planted nearby to help prevent evaporation while the water is still filtering into the ground. The swale helps water the plants that grow along the berm (further inhibiting erosion by helping to establish strong root systems) as well as helping water the trees. Beyond this, it helps create a fertile area for plants to grow and improves the local water table. This is all great. Modern agriculture is rough on the land, but by creating swales and  by planting  in the berms, perhaps it can help the desert thrive? 

So I did more research. Swales are actually pretty highly recommended regardless of annual rainfall, but swales in the desert need to be built differently because we do not have steady rain year around, but instead intermittent flash flooding over about 3 months.

I've reached out to a few local homesteading groups in the hopes that some have first hand experience. As we're hoping to find a property with a well (or install one after the fact), it'll be really important to manage our water table efficiently. I can't think of anything worse than running out of water in the desert.

So When are You Having Kids?

I get asked a lot about babies. Maybe it's because I'm in my twenties, maybe it's because I'm a woman and feminism hasn't really gotten that far, maybe it's because I'm engaged to a man who already has a kid, or maybe it's because I'm engaged at 21.

It surprises a lot of people to find out that I'm engaged already. I know that I'm really young to be getting married, which is why I'm not getting married right away. From the time I got engaged (and we set a tentative date) to the time we plan to get married is almost two and a half years. This really confuses people, and I think it has to do with babies.

Anytime I tell someone I'm engaged, I frequently get a "Are you getting married young because you want a big family?" type question. When I tell them no, I'm not planning on breeding (and I do use the word breeding,) it's too often followed up with the a "Why are you getting married?" type question. This kills me.

I think a big part of why people are shocked to find out I'm waiting so long to get married is because of this baby based assumption of wanting a big family. My fiancé's son will be almost 4 by the time we get married (and who knows how old he'll be once custody is figured out). People like to remind me that if I got married sooner, our kids would be closer in age to their brother.  Even after I've told them I don't want kids.

This always leads to my favorite conversation of "But what will you do without kids?"

What will I do without kids? Anything I want!

Literally, anything I want. If I want to be irresponsible and quit my job without notice, get drunk on a Tuesday morning, and then fly to Hawaii and live there until I'm broke, I can.

Alternatively, if I want to start my own business, take the trip of a lifetime, switch careers because I'm miserable, or retire young, I can do that too, and without any guilt.

Don't get me wrong, those people who want children should by all means have as many children as they can afford to raise! This isn't about me thinking all women should be sterilized or that parents are throwing their lives away when they have kids. That's not it at all. I know there are people who dream of having to children, and who live for them. They aren't wasting their lives by having kids, they're living out their dream! That's awesome. Everyone should live for their dreams.

My dream just doesn't involve children. It doesn't involve pregnancy weight, morning sickness, alcohol abstinence, poopy diapers, tantrums, or stepping on legos. That all sounds awful.

On the other hand, I also don't dream of those "magical" moments, like when my kid learns to walk, develops a personality, when I teach them how to do things from tying shoe laces to driving, seeing him or her graduate and start a life for themselves. I won't experience any of those great moments, and that's fine. They also all sounds awful, to be honest.

You know what I'm going to do instead of have kids? Have a house that is as clean or as dirty as I want it to be (with the exception of when John's son is over). I'm going to have a farm, and sell crafts, and file taxes, and work really hard but not know quite where my income is coming from for most of the year. I'm going to take a vacation as often as I can, anywhere I want. I'm going to work as long as I want to, but I'm going to retire as early as I want to and can afford it. I'm going to get married and I'm going to build a life with my wonderful husband (and his son).

Why should I need to have kids of my own to validate my life?

Credit Improvement!

John's credit score is now only 20 points from letting us qualify for a loan! All it took was a month of purchasing (about 50% of his credit limit) and paying of 95% of that amount.

Why only pay off 95%? Well, we were advised that we shouldn't pay the whole thing off because it may not have been recorded as having been used. From what we were told, credit is only recorded once a month. If the bill is paid off and then not used during the time of recording, it's as if the card was never used.

We also learned that you aren't supposed to use 50% of your credit limit. It's better to use 30%-35%.

Either way, we're pleased with the progress. Due to work schedules, we won't be able to move in January, but we may at least qualify for our loan by then.

Spicy Lentil and Black Bean Soup

Although our weather is just now dipping in to the 80s, I felt it was soup season yesterday. It was rainy and it was a chilly morning. This is a hearty and filling soup that has the perfect amount of spiciness. It tastes even better reheated!

I started with a recipe from Cook like a Champion. The recipe I borrowed was Lentil and Black Bean with Andouille Sausage (see link). It sounded great! There were just a few problems:
1. I don't know what Andouille Sausage is.
2. I don't like celery.
3. I've never seen smoked spices
4. This didn't have the Mexican flare that most of my cooking does.

Growing up in the southern Arizona, my mouth was taught to prefer Mexican food over all else. So, here's my version:
1.5 tblsp Olive Oil
1 pound Spicy Herb Sausage (from my sister's pigs)
3/4 of a large White Onion, chopped
10 Mini Sweet Peppers, chopped
2 heaping tsps Minced Garlic (I buy mine in a jar, if using fresh use 2 cloves)
2 tsp. Paprika
1 can Diced Tomatoes and Habaneros (juice and all)
1 cup Dried Lentils
4 cups Beef Broth 
2 cup water
1 can Black Beans (juice and all)
1 can Sweet Corn (drained)
1/2 cup jarred Green Chilies
Seasoning Salt and Pepper to taste

In large pot or dutch oven, heat olive oil. Brown sausage. Once browned, remove sausage with slotted spoon, leaving juices and grease in pot. Set sausage aside. Add peppers and onions. Sautee until onions become translucent. Add in garlic and paprika, stir for a minute or so, mixing spices in with veggies. 

Dump in tomatoes and habaneros. Add lentils and 3 cups of broth and 2 cup of water. Bring to a boil. Stir occasionally. Add drained corn. Leave on med-high heat (continue periodic stirring) until  lentils are tender - about 20 minutes. Remove from heat.

While lentil mixture cools, add 1/2 of the black beans,  1 cup of broth, and the green chilies to a blender. Pulse a few times. Once pot mixture is no longer hot, put 1/3-1/2 of mixture in to blender. Pulse until mixed but not liquefied. Add blender mix back to pot. Put pot back on heat, add remainder of black beans and sausage. Heat until warm and serve.

I like mine with sour cream and cheese!

Marginal Improvements?

You know why scientists do double blind studies? So they can be objective, of course. So they can't "think" they see the changes they want in the test group. I don't have that benefit. I think that I'm having improvement in my cavities.

Before

After

My gums look healthier! I'm not sure what that red spot is in the center, but it seems to be fading. It's hard to tell in the picture, but I did have some dark spots along the gum line. They're fading!

Before. Lots of inflammation along the eye tooth.

After: Less inflammation. If you look closely there's still a dark line along the gum line.

Cavities aren't quite gone yet, but definitely healthier gums, which I think is a great start.

First Craft Fair Weekend

I just finished my first craft fair weekend! It was great. Everyone was so nice, I had a lot of fun, but man, I'm exhausted. Working full time, going to school full time, plus the craft fair. It's been a crazy week.

There was no table fee, and after my initial yarn purchase (which I can make many scarves and headbands from still), I've made a profit of $14. That doesn't sound like much, but between display stuff for my table, supplies, and lighting, I ended up spending about $70. I'm just happy to have made a profit after three days. It gives me hope I could actually make money doing this.

Oil Pulling Update 2 and Crafting!

I'm up to about 15 minutes now on oil pulling! I've also started taking 2000mg of Vitamin D3. I'm not sure which vitamin D is best to take, but that's what I found on sale. I'm experiencing a little less sensitivity to cold things.

I've also noticed that I'm less hungry after oil pulling. Normally I'm starving in the morning, but after oil pulling I've got no appetite for a couple of hours.

No visible cavity reduction yet, but it's only been a few weeks.

As for my craft fair, things are going really well!

Slytherin Headband

I've sold two scarves! I would've sold a third, but I wasn't done with it at the time. I'm going to be doing a lot of crocheting this week.

Yesterday was the second night (out of 12) and I broke even! Of course, today I'm going to the store to buy some lighting so my table isn't quite as dark, which will put me back in the red, and there isn't a table fee, but still, not too bad for two nights.  I'm trying to talk the venue in to doing a holiday craft fair.

I currently sell at a local non-profit community center. They hold plays a few times a year to earn money. Everything is organized and run by volunteers and they don't receive any state or city funding. I really like this place. They do good work for the community and a lot of the kids are from low income families. They can't all afford to do sports or summer camps. Instead they do the plays that raise the money. It's wonderful. I think they should do a holiday craft fair and make people pay to set up tables. Our huge street fair that we have biannually down town charges $150 to set up your own table for two weekends. If they were to charge $40 and ask for donations as well, they could earn quite a bit of money and help support local artists. Plus $40 is pretty on-par with other small craft fairs around town. They could even bring in food trucks! Food trucks pay a lot of money to set up at our downtown craft fair.

I'm hoping I don't get roped in to organizing it. It's all volunteer and I don't want to be volunteered. I don't have the time to do it.

Speaking of time, I'm really hoping to quit my job. I shouldn't, since we're working on getting a house, but they just don't pay me enough at work to justify the misery.

Oil Pulling Update!

I've been faithfully oil pulling 3-5 days per week for the last month and I'm seeing some improvements. I can't say my two or three small cavities (all right along the gum lines on two teeth for sure and possibly a third) look better, but my teeth look better over all. I know longer have dark stains on my front teeth and they feel smooth, not rough like before.

Silly face, but shiny teeth!

I've given up my daily soda habit as well. I used to drink a 2-liter every two days or so. I'm down to a glass if we go out or special occasions (about once a week). While this is also likely healthier for me, I did it for my teeth. In addition, I've started taking 2400mg of flaxseed oil daily. Some websites recommend fish oil, cod liver oil, or flaxseed oil because of the omega 3s. I used to do keto (an ultra low carb diet) and flaxseed oil was one of the recommended supplements, so that's what I have on hand.

My current oil pulling routine:

• Oil pull with cold pressed coconut oil for 10-12 minutes right after waking (I haven't worked up to 20 yet) - spit in trash.
• Rinse and swish with warm water - this is okay to spit in the sink.
• Take 2400mg of flaxseed oil.
• Brush teeth as usual with traditional toothpaste (fluoride).
• Rinse with alcohol free and non-fluoride mouth wash. 

My new plan is to introduce a new homemade toothpaste.

I found this blog post that also shows healing: Regrow Enamel and Heal Cavities Naturally from Marvinsblogsite. He thoroughly documents his experience with many pictures. He didn't even oil pull and seemed to have healed a pretty significant cavity. He recommends fish oil, a daily multivitamin, Vitamin-D, Calcium supplement, and drinking copious amount of water during and immediately after a meal as well as nightly mouthwash (though he doesn't specify what kind or give any details). At the end of the post he also cites some research and links for further education (something I really appreciate!). 

I'm going to introduce vitamin-D and a calcium supplement next time I have some extra cash.

Credit Card Success!

John's credit card finally came in the mail! I'm so glad. I was a bit worried he would be denied.

This is a great start! John has a plan to pay off some of his smaller debts using his credit card. Hopefully this will improve his credit faster and we can be out of here before next summer. Our summers are brutal and I do not want to be moving, much less fixing up a place, when it's 115 degrees out! It's not happening.

The credit counselor said that it'd probably take us about 8 months, but our loan agent is optimistic and thinks that we could be good to go in as little as a few months. I don't want to try to move during the holidays (not that we do much decorating, but it'll be tough to recruit moving help between work schedules, kids' vacations, and holiday plans.

We're going to check John's credit score in January. If his credit is anywhere near 650 we'll reach out to the loan officer again and see what he says.