New England Holiday Suggestions

Getting excited about the holidays?

Me, too!

If you live in the Northeast or are visiting over the holiday season, here are some great links to the local holiday sights and gatherings you won't want to miss!

Connecticut: http://www.ctvisit.com/articles/follow-lights-holiday-cheer

Maine: http://mainetoday.com/holiday-2/the-holidays/embrace-the-holidays-35-cant-miss-holiday-events-in-southern-maine/

Massachusetts: http://www.massvacation.com/events/

New Hampshire: http://www.nhmagazine.com/Calendar/

New York the-adopted-New-England-State:  https://www.iloveny.com/events/festivals/#.
WEgmQ4WcGM8

Rhode Island: https://www.visitrhodeisland.com/what-to-do/events/

Vermont: https://vtdigger.org/2012/12/02/listing-of-vermont-holiday-events-this-december/

'Tis the Season... to Shop Local Online!

Lean in closely while I tell you one of my all-time favorite, secret tips for buying local gifts...

1. Go to Etsy.com

2. Type in what you'd like to search for in the search bar.

3. When the page changes, look in the left-hand margin, where you will see a section called "Refine your search."

4. Choose a custom location by typing in your state, or a nearby state.

Voila!  Easy peasy, you have just found hundreds of people creating goods right next door to you, often offering custom orders and colors in the exact way you want!  Don't like the etsy price? Message the maker and see if you can visit them locally, avoid shipping charges by picking up, etc!

Today I am looking up locally-made pillows for a sea-obsessed, nautical friend in Maine, and there are almost too many great options, just from that one state alone. How perfect will these pillows from Cobalt Sky Studio be?! I may just have to order one for every local human I know...

Give it a whirl- you, too, will be addicted to easy local shopping from the comfort of your couch in no time!

 

  

Worth the Quick Read

While I sat digesting turkey and pumpkin pie, I came across a great and fast read by MSN money today. As you prepare for tomorrow's Small Business Saturday, here are

9 Things Small Business Owners Wish You Knew for Small Business Saturday 

Small Business Saturday 2016

*** Quick Reminder!***

Forget Black Friday. Mark your calendars! Small Business Saturday is November 27th, 2016!

Check out what I wrote last year about this awesome holiday that supports America's 28 million small businesses, or find out more from the Small Business Association. Nestled between Black Friday and Cyber Monday, this awesome holiday in its seventh year of existence is all about supporting the small businesses found in your community. According to the Wall Street Journal, currently two out of three new jobs in the US are from small businesses, and with 95 million people having taken advantage of Small Business Saturday in 2015, both employment and small spending is expected to rise to even higher levels for small businesses this year.

Dine small, shop small, entertain small.

It's huge.

Election Season: One of the Local Living's Best Tools

I always laugh when someone is surprised by my insinuation that the internet is one of the local movement's best tools.

No, seriously.

The internet is a great resource to figure out the ins and outs of local issues, local producers and businesses, and even local people. And never is this quite so important as it seems to be right before an election.

Yeah. I'm going there. The election.

It doesn't matter whether you love or hate the two most well-known candidates in America. There are hundreds of other candidates that may be just as important to know about.

I'm talking local politics. Critical, crucial, cardinal, local politics. The problem is, few people seem to know who's who. Or what the issues are what. After all, I'll be the first to admit that I watch national news five thousand times more often than local news. And not just because local newscasts -whether in tiny Norcross, Maine, or bustling New York, New York- are the cheesiest things ever recorded. National news "feels" more important talking about its big issues, and therefore people like myself are easily swayed into thinking it matters more. Not true at all.

I have recently returned from living in a country

in which voting was not a reality, I appreciate

my privilege to be able to VOTE today

more than ever!! Thanks, Susan and co! 

Critical, crucial, cardinal, local politics are where we have the most power. -And feel the effects of our politicians so incredibly directly, whether its on the roads they've approved, the schools they've carried out initiatives for, or hospitals they've funded. Some of them may be all the way over there in Washington, but they still are representing things that are important to little ol' us in our neighborhoods, our states, and our regions. You can imagine, then how alarming it is to me that so many of my local friends and readers have expressed a lack of knowledge about how to know who to vote for in upcoming local elections. Or how to even find out who's on the ballot.

But don't be embarrassed. And don't worry. You're not alone. It's not too late.

You don't need a law degree to make an educated vote. The internet has some answers for you. Or at least, is again, a great resource to help you figure out the ins and outs of local issues, local producers and businesses, and local candidates stances. Find reputable sources and dig in!

What is the second most powerful thing a person who wants to support local can do? A thousand times over, the first thing has to do with your dollars: how you spend your money sends the loudest message about what you support near and far. But the second thing is your homework for today:

Do your research. And VOTE!

Here's some fantastic help:

https://ballotpedia.org/Main_Page

http://www.vote411.org/

https://projects.propublica.org/represent/

Supporting Local Seasonal Festivities: Roger Williams Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular

Living it up in a New England fall?

I think so.

The leaves are in their full glory, the weather's gorgeous, and the festivities are endless.  While we try to pack in what we can before a New England winter takes hold in just a few short weeks or months (why, why, why?!), there are oodles of local activities designed to bring people out of their homes to, as a community, enjoy the local fall fun of living in such a place! While we relish our local community-based apple orchards and pumpkin patches, my family discovered another fall festivity that is sure to become a family tradition.

Let me introduce you to the Roger Williams Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular, located in Providence, Rhode Island. As a nighttime display of 5,000 illuminated jack-o-lanterns on the ground, in the air, and sitting atop water, this walk along the Roger William's Zoos pristine Wetlands Trail will tickle your sense of whim, art, and magic, whether you are nine years old or ninety. This was truly the most fun "art show" my child has ever walked through, visiting the elephants before taking in incredible pieces of skilled pumpkin carving and creative landscapes. It's worth a drive and a late night for the little ones. Just the way this 7 year old's mama likes it: not bloody or gory or spooky, but yet somehow magically Halloweeny in every way.  I highly recommend this spectacular "Spectacular":

http://www.rwpzoo.org/jack-o-lantern-spectacular

  

If Rhode Island's too far, don't fear! Here is a fantastic list by New England.com of the 5 best pumpkin festivals in New England. Apparently we have some traveling to do next year!

https://newengland.com/today/travel/new-england/things-to-do/5-best-pumpkin-festivals-in-new-england/

Baking Fall in New England

My middle name is pretty much "Hides-Veggies-In-Everything." It's true. I never make a baked-good without a fruit or veggie hiding inside. But as my child will attest, it's not as painful as you'd think.

As we celebrate our local fall products and produce, I have a great recipe to share with all you baked-goods lovers out there who think it's impossible to make a healthy donut. In New England, not an apple orchard or grocery is without apple-cider donuts come October. And though I love them, my family has recently found a recipe we've latched onto that is by far the healthier (dare I say tastier?!) fall equivalent. These donuts, in which I use roasted mashed butternut/pumpkin from my backyard New England garden, are chocked full of healthy hidden veggies and nostalgia-inducing fall flavors.  Whether you find some apple cider donuts or try making these healthy Baked Fall Donuts yourself, it's a great time of year to live in New England! Happy Fall!

 Baked Fall Donuts

Preheat the oven to 350°F / 175°C

Donuts:

1 and 3/4 cups of flour (we use gluten free, which works very well in this recipe!)

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ginger

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon allspice

1/3 cup high heat oil (coconut, sunflower, and safflower all work well)

1/2 cup brown sugar or raw sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3/4 cup roasted and mashed or canned pumpkin or butternut (butternut is naturally a little sweeter, so I healthily lower the amount of sugar slightly when using it!)

1/2 cup milk (our dairy-free household thinks coconut milk, almond milk, or rice milk work great, too!)

Glaze:

1 1/2 cups of powdered sugar

1/4 cup buttermilk (our dairy-free household thinks coconut milk, almond milk, or rice milk work great, too!)

1/4 teaspoon vanilla

1. Mix dry ingredients together. Mix wet ingredients in until just combined. (Be careful not to overmix or it makes the batter more chewy than fluffy!)
2. Grease a donut or mini muffin pan very well. Divide the batter among the molds. Bake 12 – 15 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.  (I don't own a donut pan, so I use a muffin tin, then punch out the holes after baking by using a small round lid off our jar of olive oil. It doesn't sound fancy, but I promise, it works well! See picture above.)
3. When the donuts are completely cool, dip them into the glaze, or dust them with powdered sugar, or sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. This step is up to you, depending on how much sugar you are comfortable with. Confession? The glaze has the most sugar, but is sooo tasty, you won't want it any other way!
4. Listen to your donuts... I think I can hear the pumpkin thanking you that this was its destiny.
5. Eat! They’re okay on the second day, but insanely delicious when fresh!

**Most recipes I post are ones I have altered so much they don't have an original source outside of my kitchen. But this recipe is very very similar to a recipe on texanerin.com. Do check it out if my chicken scratch above doesn't convince you quite enough of just how tasty these fall goodies truly are!

 http://www.texanerin.com/100-whole-grain-baked-pumpkin-donuts/

Harvesting in the Name of Carrot Caking

Our garden looks insane. I'll admit it.

This is thanks in part to the strange little habits my husband and I have picked up from living in Spain, Iowa, and Zimababwe. You might just say our local backyard garden is a mix of the best of three continents. But thanks to a crazy little gardening method we have adopted called "hugelkultur," we have had the most giant green mess of unwatered growth -despite being in a drought!- that any gardener could hope for.  We have pulled an insane amount of produce out of our 20 x 20 space, and fed a few good bees in the process, thanks to my science-teacher husband, some elbow grease, and the constant supervision of our six year old. This month I thought I'd share a few of my favorite recipes that highlight some of these locally grown treasures, starting with -what else?- dessert.

Because, hey, why not?

I always judge a dish by how many guests have asked for the recipe. This one takes the cake. Literally.Though I can assure you it is the best cake I have ever eaten, it will not look so pretty in my pictures. This is because this time around, I made this a gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free cake (substitutions galore!) that challenged the frosting-aesthetics. Add in my child's blueberry decorations, and well, you get the picture. Literally.

Yup. No lies here. It can feel time intensive if you only have one cake pan instead of two or three (translation: the woman who moved her whole household back to the US with six suitcases may have "more cake pans" written on her Christmas list this year) but it is well worth it, I assure you. Plus, you're eating your vegetables. Literally.

    

Most Delicious Carrot Cake Ever

(Even when you use a lot of substitutions!)

Ingredients

2 cups flour (gluten free 1-1 works quite well, too!)

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

My Secret Desire to Eat Soap...

 

Ah, I love small businesses.

Custom-order-custom-made-obsessed interior designer aside, a number of times in my life I have been able to tackle a personal-challenge with the help of a small business willing to learn just what I am looking for and tweak things to my needs. When I called Sparrow Soaps recently, it was entirely with one of these personal problems in mind. 

I have a dear friend who I'll call Sam who is chemical, VOC, and perfume sensitive. Well, that may be putting things lightly. She's so allergenic, she can't go into most public buildings anymore because of carpet, paint, and construction VOCs. She has used the same unscented shampoo for fifteen years because she knows it's the only one that hasn't made her sick. And she can't have people who use scented laundry detergent or fabric softener enter her home.  You can imagine how difficult it was when she suddenly found out that the unscented soap she used in her home for the previous two decades was discontinued.  She tried unscented soap after unscented soap, each time breaking out in a different horrible list of symptoms that immediately told her she needed to keep searching for a new product. Each soap had its own chemical concoction, and with so many ingredients one was liable to not agree with severely sensitive skin.

I recently came across goat's milk soap. Sound gross? Okay, I'll admit, I'm not a goaty person. Some people are; I'm not. So I had no idea what to expect when I was gifted an albeit gorgeous bar of handmade goat's milk soap. But how happily surprised I was! With no goaty smell, I suddenly found myself enjoying washing my hands, feeling fancy with my handmade little treasure next to the sink. It was so smooth, my dairy-free brain had a strange desire to eat the glossy, creamy yellow bar that felt like thick heavenly custard! (Shh, don't tell anyone.) If you're like me and have enjoyed a mouthful of soap or two as a kid, you know how quickly I put that thought out of my mind!

My thoughts began to turn to Sam whenever I washed my hands. Could she use a product like this? Was there any way I could contact this small local business and beg them to make a batch for Sam with no dyes or perfumes?  Maybe if I promised them she'd buy a certain amount... What an awesome thing to be able to call a local small business and ask for their help.

I called Sparrow Soaps, a locally loved goat-soap company snuggled in the Quiet Corner of Connecticut. Though I'm sure the two fantastic ladies that make this soap probably would have bent over backwards to accommodate Sam, in the end they already had without knowing it! Acutely aware of the fact that not everyone could handle their amazing menu of scented varieties, Sparrow Soaps already had a line of unscented soaps in place that was just the answer to all of Sam's problems at the sink and in the tub.  I was directed to Sparrow Soaps' website for not only one unscented product, but six!

Much to the awesome advantage of people like Sam, small businesses often offer products that are more hypo-allergenic and chemical-free. Being closer to the goods that are used to make their products, employees of small businesses are more likely to use less complex-processing in their goods, trading chemical concoctions for simpler materials.  Sparrow Soaps may say they make "Old Fashioned" Goat's Milk Soap but in my book they are really quite ahead of the industry!

Thanks to Sparrow Soaps on behalf of Sam and myself. We have both been converted to the goat's milk soap camp for sure!

Want more info on the incredible benefits of local goat's milk soap? (Who knew there were so many?!) Click here!

Ten New England Design Habits

Though it doesn't have to, Living Local often means embracing the styles you find right in your own backyard.  Frequently inspired by the resources indigenously available to a local region, the lifestyles, trends, and must-haves in a home were long based on geography and economy until the influences of mass media adjusted our eye(s) for fashion. Though trends now differ from home to home and taste to taste more than ever, there are still common home and home-goods designs that remain true to a geographical area, like New England.

Below are ten New England design habits. If you can check some off the list, it may just mean you belong right here in good old New England....

10.  You may or may not have a mudroom full of fancier things, but you love your LL Bean tote and rain boots.

9.  In the summer, you kickback in your boathouse, pull up a chair on a dock, or hop outside for a family canoe race.

8. Firewood is not only a heating must-have, it's also a rustic decoration on your porch.

7. Oars, lighthouses, rope, ships in a bottle, pictures of sailing boats? Yeah, you have 'em.

    
       

6.  Stars and stripes: they come in all shapes and sizes, but no house is complete without them!

5.  Shingles?  For sure.

4. Cottage or colonial, you have wood. Polished or rustic. Rounded or raw.

 

3.  You knew what shiplap was before Joanna and Chip Gaines made it famous.

2.  Without that New-England-history-lesson, it could appear to be simply boring.  But your exterior trim matches your base color, even if it's not fashionable anywhere else.

Until the Industrial Revolution, most paints in New England were mixed in small batches using naturally found earth pigments. Paint colors, therefore, tended to reflect these pigments: red oxide, yellow ocher, lamp black, red and white lead, etc. Common exterior colors were especially reds, yellows, and greens, and most often entire homesteads tended to have one exterior color.

1.  You cannot get enough stone walls!