Compostable Holiday Decor

...took about a half hour to make, and I made it more for the pleasure of the making than anything else. It is worth remembering that you can throw together a wreath or swag or centerpiece out of whatever fresh plant matter you can find, and it will look fresh for the rest of the day. It’s really nice to have fresh, fragrant greenery on the walls and tables for parties. Here’s a thoughtstyling for you: maybe holiday decor should be as compost-able as...

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An Easy and Healthy 100% Whole Rye Bread Recipe

I’m a huge fan of making your own rye bread. Why? The rye bread you get at the market ain’t rye bread. It might have a bit of rye in it but it’s also got a lot of other stuff: often white flour, caramel coloring, dough conditioners and preservatives. This recipe that I often teach as a class, has a lot going for it: It’s 100% whole rye. Whole grains, as most of you know, are much better for you than white flour. Nothing has been removed and no st...

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An Early Resolution

...all back at my feet–how high would the pile be? As big as my house? So I’m making a resolution. Instead of berating others, I’m declaring a personal moratorium on to-go cups–all disposable cups for both hot and cold drinks, actually, because why not? I banned plastic water bottles from my life long ago. Why it took so long for me to eschew the cups, I don’t know. I guess I was always able to mutter, “Well, at least they’re paper.” Denial is a beau...

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028 Radical Homemaker Shannon Hayes

...l Homemakers Gender roles Her new book Homespun Mom Comes Unraveled Messes Making relationships work Perfectionism Home schooling Higher education Student debt Occupy Wall Street Reclaiming the holiday season Shannon’s sock knitting machine If you want to leave a question for the Root Simple Podcast please call (213) 537-2591 or send an email to rootsimple@gmail.com. You can subscribe to our podcast in the iTunes store and on Stitcher. The theme m...

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2015 Resolutions

...gain. (For reference, see this post from 2013) 3) Learn to surf. I’ve been making a little progress. I’m not a surfer yet by any means, but I’m getting good at paddling and spinning the board, but need to work on speed and timing. I need to spend more concentrated time in the water this coming year. So, what is my score? About 60%? Next up: resolutions for 2015 A joint project for Erik and Kelly: Refurbishing the kitchen: new paint, new floor, cle...

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