It's Not Easy Going Green

I don't claim to be a Green Genius. I wish it was that easy, but it's going to take years to unravel the consumerism and find the pathways to those places nearby that sell products without packaging, and learning to do without things that I have always used, like tin foil and baking paper. It seems that to cut back on waste every little thing needs to be reassessed.
Sometimes I slip up and feel bad - like all that disposable stuff you get when flying, (let alone flying itself), although we could have taken our own food. But it's not just me in our household. I have to gently green our household in a manner that others can live with too, and that takes time.

I have just started reading "Zero Waste Home" by Bea Johnson, which I found in our local library. I have to take my hat off to this author. She has gone from living the American Dream life to virtually zero waste - it is an inspiring story.
She has recipes in the book for all sorts of things, even mascara and hairspray. I've put a link to her zerowastehome blogspot here.
Her mantra is to use the 5 Rs in order, so that by the time we get to recycle, there is very little. Her order is
1.Refuse - turn down unnecessary things, like plastic bags and dockets, junk mail and freebies.
2.Reduce - what we do need and can not refuse.
3.Reuse - what we consume and can not refuse or reduce
4.Recycle
5.Rot - what is left can be composted 

I am re-inspired

What's the buzz?
I've just been for a walk outside, it's Spring! It is heartening to hear the buzz of bees around the blossoms in our fruit trees...now if we can just keep the possums away...

busy bee

  We are lucky to have a lot of hives in the vicinity.
I am delighted to be able to walk outside and pick flowers for the vase. In this day and age it seems like a luxury.

Making Mustard

I thought making mustard was going to be difficult - boy was I wrong.

I found two helpful sites for mustard recipes here and here.

All it involved was soaking some mustard seeds - in a ratio of 1:1 with vinegar, although one site says water can be used. 

It was supposed to soak overnight, but I am too impatient, so it soaked for a couple of hours. I used:

 3 tablespoons of mustard seeds

1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar and 2 tablespoons of cider vinegar

I just used the mortar n pestle and enjoyed the popping seeds. I found the mustard a little bitter, so added a teaspoon of honey, which helped, and 1/3 tsp of salt. Still a bit bitter so I ran for Google, and on one of the sites above it states that the bitterness will fade and the taste improves within a few days.

finished product ready to jar up

I'm happy enough with it now, and I use grainy mustard quite a lot when making my vinaigrette dressings.