What is the one thing that give you the most pleasure/pride?

possum · Post: # 65395Post **possum** » Mon Jul 16, 2007 11:37 am

Something that you have done on your road to selfsufficientish
be it, finding a novel use for an item, stopping something from going to landfill or what?

For us, it has to be keeping chickens. I love to see them running round the place and there is nothing nicer than a really tasty, bright yoked egg.

the.fee.fairy · Mon Jul 16, 2007 2:31 pm

Eating my own veg.
Wearing clothes that i've made myself.

Tigerhair · Post: # 65505Post **Tigerhair** » Tue Jul 17, 2007 5:44 am

Eating my own home grown veg... however, there hasn't been an awful lot yet with all this rain!

Millymollymandy · Tue Jul 17, 2007 5:47 am

Definitely my ducks - they are so silly they make the hens look quite sensible. And they lay loads of eggs too!

Best impulse buy ever!

possum · Post: # 65511Post **possum** » Tue Jul 17, 2007 8:36 am

Millymollymandy wrote:Definitely my ducks - they are so silly they make the hens look quite sensible.

lol they do don't they. If I am late getting up in the morning I am honked at outside the bedroom window as they want their food, if I am later they are round by the back deck honking doubly.

Millie · Post: # 65513Post **Millie** » Tue Jul 17, 2007 9:02 am

Has to be the sheer amazement on the kids faces when they see seedlings appear

Milims · Post: # 65528Post **Milims** » Tue Jul 17, 2007 10:07 am

Yesterday the kids came running in from school asking if for supper they could have another of those (home made) scones, with (home made) butter (butter milk used in the scones) with (home made) strawberry (home grown) jam! Time was when they came home from school with hardly eaten packed lunches because the kids had taken the mick out of them for having home made pies and cakes!

I also have to add that I'm proud that my kids have taken the "green ethic" so seriously that my son went to Parliament to debate about the charging for waste issue - he is against it - and he spoke so well that hee was taken aside by an MP and told that he could have a future in politics!! I did tell him that if he did he was to join the Green Party!!

glenniedragon · Tue Jul 17, 2007 10:15 am

Wow Milims, good on your boy!
Home grown meals accompanied by homemade wine (but no longer for me

, gonna try to make cider in tha autmn) and watching the kids eat their veg!, closely followed by the chooks. With food price increases on the news a real feeling of satisfaction!

kind thoughts
Deb

ina · Post: # 65531Post **ina** » Tue Jul 17, 2007 10:17 am

Milims wrote: I also have to add that I'm proud that my kids have taken the "green ethic" so seriously that my son went to Parliament to debate about the charging for waste issue - he is against it - and he spoke so well that hee was taken aside by an MP and told that he could have a future in politics!! I did tell him that if he did he was to join the Green Party!!

How old is your son? This is great!

I must admit that I always feel most pleased when I've finished something that I've worked on for quite some time, and that's mostly knitted jumpers... But I agree with all the other stuff that was mentioned above: a meal that's mostly homegrown gives me a lot of pleasure.

possum · Post: # 65539Post **possum** » Tue Jul 17, 2007 10:41 am

ina wrote:
Milims wrote: a meal that's mostly homegrown gives me a lot of pleasure.

Yes that is definitely a pleasure. One thing I was so pround of was my home made, homegrown, home dried tomatoes bread (OK so I bought the flour, but you get the idea)

Masco&Bongo · Tue Jul 17, 2007 11:18 am

Greatest pleasure from:
1) Making jam for the first time ever last autumn, from home grown fruit, and giving it to people as presents
2) Eating veg that I've grown from seed (that hasn't been flooded!)
3) (this one is sad) Being happy that I get rid of more of our waste through recycling and composting than in our "Black Bin"

Milims · Post: # 65548Post **Milims** » Tue Jul 17, 2007 11:34 am

Ina - he's 12 and I am really rather proud of him. He's also in the army cadetes and the other day as he walked out to the car in his uniform other kids in the street started to take the mick. When we were in the car he said to me "you know mum, I see kids like that hanging round with nothing to do and they tease me - but I'm the one who goes on camps, learns interestsing stuff, has a first aid qualification, goes kyaking,goes on the rifle ranges (:pale:) and swimming and stuff. I'd rather be who I am!"

I also have a rather fab daughter who has over this last two years or so come to terms with and worked hard at moving on from some pretty hairy stuff and she's blossoming into a rather lovely young lady - with a very good school report!

Don't get me wrong - they can still be a pain in the backside at least twice a day - but hey - thats what kids are for!! lol

Masco&Bongo · Tue Jul 17, 2007 1:05 pm

Milims wrote:goes on the rifle ranges (:pale:)

But at least he is being shown how to handle a gun correctly and have some respect for what it is.

He won't see it as a "cool" accessory, or something to have to impress his friends or scare off enemies, and I think that's important to remember.

An aside: I used to shoot on ranges when I was in Scouts, and I really enjoyed it. Obviously have never picked up a gun since, but I remember it as being very enjoyable (plus I was the only girl who could actually his the target!)

ina · Post: # 65584Post **ina** » Tue Jul 17, 2007 1:32 pm

And he's shown he can argue verbally - he doesn't need a gun (or other forms of violence) to get his opinion across. Guns aren't my thing either; but I agree, it's better he does it this way than on the sly...

Silver Ether · Tue Jul 17, 2007 5:28 pm

all the above ....
and the look on folks face when what they have eaten is home cooked, poss home grown or local shopped or foraged ... disbelief is funny to watch ...