My House, My Bed, My Nuts ...
My house is an interesting place.
It is called the ACME Co-op - yes, it is a cooperative. A cooperative is a union of independent people who jointly opperate some enterprise. (At ACME, that enterprise is a house.)
My seven housemates and I get along meltily. It's swell, really. We cook meals for each other, do our part keeping the house clean, and often think about living a more-than-average sustainable life.
I have no bed in my room. Instead, I sleep on the floor. Each night I unroll a foam camping pad onto the floor. Over that, I spread about 7 blankets. I cover my body with clothes (in order to keep my blankets clean), then I lay down and cover myself with blankets. Most people wonder at that. "Isn't it uncomfortable?" they say. No, it is not - at least not anymore. I've gotten quite used to it. In fact, I think the floor is comfortable.
The real problem I encounter when sleeping on the floor deals with warmth. Most of a person's heat is lost to the surface they sleep upon. If you are sleeping on bare ground, you will be very cold (I've done it). As winter approaches, I am thinking of ways to stay warm while sleeping. I think that I may sleep on a cot over the winter (but I don't think that is likely).
It is nut season. I have been busy harvesting nuts: walnuts, acorns, chestnuts. Walnuts are particularly on my mind lately. They grow inside of a green, fleshy husk. To proces them, one must remove the husk, dry and then cure the nuts. The husk can be removed easily by rolling the nut underfoot. However, there is a strong dye in the husk that will stain the ground (and the person) black. The dye will stay on your skin for up to two weeks. After the husks have been removed, one must let the nut dry for several days in a cool, dark place (as heat and light can spoil a nut). When the nuts are dry, let them sit in a ventilated container (such as a mesh bag) that is itself in a slightly humid place (like a basement). The nuts must cure for a minimum of several months (to up to a year). When cured, crack open the walnut and eat the delicious nut meat. Walnuts are high in unsaturated fat and protein, making them an excellent food source.
It is called the ACME Co-op - yes, it is a cooperative. A cooperative is a union of independent people who jointly opperate some enterprise. (At ACME, that enterprise is a house.)
My seven housemates and I get along meltily. It's swell, really. We cook meals for each other, do our part keeping the house clean, and often think about living a more-than-average sustainable life.
I have no bed in my room. Instead, I sleep on the floor. Each night I unroll a foam camping pad onto the floor. Over that, I spread about 7 blankets. I cover my body with clothes (in order to keep my blankets clean), then I lay down and cover myself with blankets. Most people wonder at that. "Isn't it uncomfortable?" they say. No, it is not - at least not anymore. I've gotten quite used to it. In fact, I think the floor is comfortable.
The real problem I encounter when sleeping on the floor deals with warmth. Most of a person's heat is lost to the surface they sleep upon. If you are sleeping on bare ground, you will be very cold (I've done it). As winter approaches, I am thinking of ways to stay warm while sleeping. I think that I may sleep on a cot over the winter (but I don't think that is likely).
It is nut season. I have been busy harvesting nuts: walnuts, acorns, chestnuts. Walnuts are particularly on my mind lately. They grow inside of a green, fleshy husk. To proces them, one must remove the husk, dry and then cure the nuts. The husk can be removed easily by rolling the nut underfoot. However, there is a strong dye in the husk that will stain the ground (and the person) black. The dye will stay on your skin for up to two weeks. After the husks have been removed, one must let the nut dry for several days in a cool, dark place (as heat and light can spoil a nut). When the nuts are dry, let them sit in a ventilated container (such as a mesh bag) that is itself in a slightly humid place (like a basement). The nuts must cure for a minimum of several months (to up to a year). When cured, crack open the walnut and eat the delicious nut meat. Walnuts are high in unsaturated fat and protein, making them an excellent food source.
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