the Trash vitae

Trash is the editor-in-chief of an independent Colorado micro-publisher/ design studio. I dabble in digital photography, the lost art of film image making, and guerilla digital video. DrMAC Studios specializes in books and videos on self-reliance, gardening, dumpster diving, urban foraging and living off the excesses of others.
This blog documents my daily experiences with the rest of the world

Saturday, October 31, 2009

backdoor finds this morning

lots of bags of greens for the birds.
Some over ripe corn on the cob for the squirrels,
an english cuke and a cuppla frozen carrots for the rabbits in the neighborhood.
the coup de'tat was about 6 organic lemons useful for lotsa of things.
I just dont understand why the stores throw this stuff out when its perfectly goo and useful. Given the state of the economy right now I expect to see more of us freegans out there ..

the day before Halloween




Spent the day in a stupor as I couldnt get motviated to do anything after almost 3 days off. Ate burritos for breakfast, chicken and taters leftovers for lunch and nachos with JAlapenos for snack.. After the work party in Babylon I brought home a gallon of chili, a quart of nacho chees and abut 2 pounds of jalapenos.. What a weekend snack.
Mrs Trash had gone over to the Safieway and their discounted aisle was full of deals. Pounds of coffee for 65 cents a can.. She bought 10 1 pound cans.. Whole bean coffee was $1 a pound bag.. She bought 6. They also had imported Italian pasta (high dollar stuff) for 60 cents a box. She cleaned them out..
I love Mrs Trash..
They also had 10 pound slabs of bacon for $20.. She bought one.
Went over to SOnic burger for dinner.. good treat and well deserved.
BTW the pic is of me at the Babylon party. I went as a people of Walmart victim

Thursday, October 29, 2009

its still snowing.

430am and all is well. Babylon is closed today. SO I can relax at the 'stead. Snow has let up a bit so it wont be so bad this morning. Spent the evening at home smoking and listening to classical music on the radio. Ate some roasted roadkill (chicken) and some more taters and coon gravy. Washed it down with some kool-aid. What a meal.

Snow total thus far 18 inches at the 'stead.Measured at 430am/

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

its snowing out there



Guvt shut down at 12.. Higher ed shut down at 1 so i was home before 3. Shovelled snow hit the trees and am now drinking beer and smoking.. Gonna be a restful afternoon./.

Before the storm:

Mrs Trash back went out again so I spent the day helping out around the stead. Did some dishes, cleaned up a tad inside and began to rake up all the pretty leaves which will become next years compost.. funfun.. crush them all. Coffee grinds, veggie leftovers and fruit scraps go into the pile all year. We turn once every 2 weeks and the snow/moisture keeps them wet and rotting..The heat during the day aids in the cooking.
It really helps with the soil. I cant see them going to landfills when our beds are in such dire need..
Anyhow took junior for a bus/bike ride down to the game store yesterday.. I am really beginning to like the warranties offered with game systems these days. For $15 you get a warranty with the system that if Anything goes wrong in 12 months bring it back and they wil give you a new system. Good call Gamestop. And these are on refurbished machines.
We left about 1 and came back a tad after 4.. While out we enjoyed a trip to the DOllar store.. .
By eveing mrs T felt a tad better so she made squirrel belly and taters with coonfat gravy ( haha chicken tenders and country gravey) With rooster sauve made for a yumyum dinnner.

Sunday, October 25, 2009

Sunday update

took a dumpie ride this morning back to the local strip mall..
unopened pkg of Oreo double-stuff
unopened deli hero sandie
unopened turkey pepper jack sandie
3 pounds of potatos
1 pound of onions
1 pound of carrot sticks packaged
pckg rasberries
garlic cloves
pckg diced onions

good haul

reprinted interview with the Nearings




click here

The Nearings are one of Trashs inspirations. What they did and how they lived their lives can be an inspiration to all.

Weekend meanderings

bfast- pbj burrito coffee
lunch- hoagie sandie, tater salad, iced coffee. birthday cake.
dinner- leftover fried chicken ( bought 16 pieces for $5 on clearance at Wallie Deli), chips, water
Friday afternoon I hit the old used bookstore on the hill and picked up a cuppla goodies. A Jeremy Bernstein Memoir.. Many of you might remember remember this nam as the author of our General Physics textbooks in high school and in college. good read.
I thought of a highschool buddy of mine who has gone on to develop internet science after losing patience with the academe'.
SAturday I took Junior down to DTC for a trip to grannys.. While others would drive cars. Junior and I rode bike to the bus staion , about 4 miles. Rode the express bus to the train, then the train to a local bus.. About 1 hour and 10 each way. We had a lovely little convo about how people could effect the environ by travelling like we do and not become dependent on the auto. People who consider themselves green ought to have the discourse also. Its rather enlightening.

Friday, October 23, 2009

Friday morning yumyums

breakfast-- at a seminar we had eggs, biscuits, toast, meat juice and coffee
lunch- sirloin tips, chicken breast, veggies and sweets. All at seminar
dinner-- Mrs Trash made about 3 pounds of fried tates and onions and some hot links .. yumyum. I helped her peel the taters and took the skins out to the compost bin and bird feeders.

Sat outside for a while when I got back to the 'stead about 4ish.. Relaxed the rest of the evening..
Busy weekend ahead..

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Living with Ed premieres tonight



While I am not into yuppies like Ed I like some the goodies he does do.. Watch it for some entertainment on the green channel

its chili for pasta fazoo

As the cold weather and the wet came across to the 'stead Mrs Trash decided we was goona eat chili for dinner.. yumyum All I needed to add was some kidney beans.. NOw what she calls chili I call Pasta fazoo. (an Italian goulash) yumyum

Kidney beans, turkey meat, sauteed onion, spices, elbow pasta, and tomatoes.. All mixed in for a few hours.. love it..

Anyhow it stopped snowing here and its almost 40 outside.. good sleepin weather again tonight

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

a cute little video

Somebody took my advice and potatod it

SOmebody took my advice and hit the Safeway before the sale goes off.. Good thing.. Potatos are a staple that dont go bad.. Much like onions, carrots and other crops which can be had fairly inexpensively..

Older lady came over the other day and she was telling us how during the depression she would feed the family (6kids and a single mom) on 100 pounds of potatos a week. She is the one who brought the onions and graced us with the giant cabbage which is still in the garage waiting for me to decide on Kim=chi or sauerkraut,,

Monday, October 19, 2009

Weekend update

bfast- bfast burritos, coffee dumpster fruit
lunch- vegan burritos-potato salad, MD
dinner- chicken quesadillas, potato salad, MDew

Twas a beautiful weekend here at the stead. fellowship and family. On Saturday junior came up and brought some scavenged items. Had a cuppla cokes and smokes and shot the sh-t for a few hours before he had to head south.. Fired up the grill on Saturday evening for some burgers and salad.. yumyum

Sunday we rose early, turned the fresh compost bin and raked some leaves. good compost and mulch. It is never to early to start planning for next gfrowing seaon.

In the afternoon Neighbor came over and we fellowshipped for a few hours until dark. On Friday she brought several home grown onions and on SAturday she brought a fresh, right out of the ground cabbage.. I smell kimchi or saurkraut possibilities.
All in all it was a wonderful weekend.

Friday, October 16, 2009

Potatoes galore




This week the local Safieway had an ad for 10 pound bags of Idaho potatos for 99 cents each. NO LIMIT..

Guess what I now have appx 50 pounds of potatos (3 bags last nigh and already had 2 more bags from last weekend)at the stead for the winter cooking. POtato soup, beef stew, veggie soup, and my favorite fried potatos.. I will prob need to buy more before the sale goes off . But thats ok ..

America in 2009



Thanx to MD for bringing this to our attention. I know the population is rising in Denver also along the Platte river.. As well as in many states out there.

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

you tube video on freegan



The Godly thing is that what she finds she pays forward to the homeless. God will bless her

urban bikes for hauling

check out this article and pix for some creative means of using bikes instead of autos.
Down here at the steaad Trash has ol' blue with baskets and a DIY trailer for hauling stuff But these are a tad over the top.. Some good ideas though

Saturday, October 10, 2009

the week ahead



shorts weather a coming.

19 degrees this morning





I got up early to make coffee and take a few pics (posted)of the snow falling on the 'stead.. People drove by and there I was in shorts and flannel shirt taking pics.. Well the neighbors know that Trash is eccentric..Oh well.
Anyhow its a beautiful fall morning..
The heat tape and heat stick are in place and a spare connector is available JIC.
Given that it is supposed to be 70 by Wed this is a good taste..

Friday, October 9, 2009

Bananas are your friend...


bfast cheesey grits, banana, coffee
lunch- leftover fried chicken, fritos and water
snack banana chips
dinner fried chicken potato wedges, water

The missus and I went shopping last Friday and bought a lot of bananas as ourr youngins love them.. Apparently noone has been in the mood for one or more this week and they are getting overripe. Being the greenie I am I cant let them go unused to a landfill. SO I went a googling for more uses.
Beside fertilizer for roses and chunked for squirrel food I wondered what else I can do..
Banana peel chutney, banana facial masques, banana bread, and banana smoothies are useful recipes and easy to accomplish.. CHeck it out.

Thursday, October 8, 2009

baby its chilly outside

bfast- grits and cheese, banana, coffee
lunch- chicken breast with cheesey taters, veggies and water
dinner- chicken breast on toast with gravy and veggies

yesterday it was 70 today it didnt get to 40.. gotta luv CO. Anyhow the back is botherin me from this weekend still and I need a break. But its too busy.

Monday, October 5, 2009

Roger Swain giving a talk on cumquats


He used to be the host of PBS Victory garen years ago.. Another one of my influences that we have benn talking about elsewhere.. Enjoy

100 pounds of good compost added to the beds

After cleaning out the beds and turning the soil. Its time to use the compost that I made all summer.. Approximately 100 pounds of black gold.. good stuff for the add on bed and to spread around..
The leaves keep falling so even more mulch and compost layers for the making.
I love fall at the 'stead.
Prepping for the next growing season.

Sunday, October 4, 2009

good night sweet zuchs/cukes



well its finally over. I cleaned out the last of he ready zuchs and turned the soil. As the pic abve shows. The smaller of them became squirrel food and bird food. The vines are being prepped for the compost bin..I kind of liked the size of the remainders so photod them for posterity. Before storing them for later meals and seed colletion.
I thought I would savor the moment as I prep for the winter and of orse begin working on new beds for next spring.. God willing

What did you do this week to prep?

Bfast- cinnamon tortillas and honey, fruit and coffee
lunch- leftover chicken and potato salad water
dinner- baked taters with cheese and sour cream and butter lemonade

Its been a warm up here at the stead.. Instead of two nights with the heater we needed the fans again last night. And the lighter blankets.. FAll is freaky this year. Which tends to go along with thentheory I have for a wet cold winter this year..
We put the zuch bed to bed yesterday and am beginning to uncover and prep the next 2 larger areas for growing next season.. That way I have places to toss the coffee grinds and compost during the winter.