Sunday, May 15, 2011

Too Much Stuff

Yep, that’s what I got.  Waaaaaaaay too much stuff.

But it’s not like it’s all useless stuff.  Really.
Those two dozen empty half-gallon cider jars will one day hold our homemade wine.  We’ll eventually get to building that lean-to with all the reclaimed decking we got from a friend.  And that bailing twine I’ve been saving?  Well darned if I’m not going to figure out something to do with it even if I have to make myself one of those old-lady macramé plant holders.
Any homesteader (or packrat, hoarder, recycling junkie, etc.) would agree with me on saving the above items.  You’re with me….right?  Please say you’re with me.  Please.  (muffled sobbing)
Anyhow, I’ve been trying to do some much needed Spring Cleaning.  I’ve been working very, very hard to get rid of the (real) junk around here as well as finding homes for those other useful-to-someone-else items. 
Like books.  I’m a book junkie.  Not only a book junkie, but a hardcover book junkie.  I can’t pass up a library book sale.  I can sniff out a pile of old cookbooks or how-to books stuffed under a pile of musty wool army blankets at the local thrift store.  Fortunately, I’m pretty specific on the subject matter and have very few fiction or New York Time’s “best sellers” in my library.  Not that there aren’t some darned good ones out there, and I admit to having a number of science fiction novels, but I’m more of a reference or history book kind’a gal. 
I don’t think I’ll ever get to the point of giving away my Storey’s Guides, Peterson’s and Audubon’s field guides or how-to books, but there are definitely a bookshelf or three of other bound parchment treasures that I can manage to part with.
And that’s where you - yes you - my lucky blog addicts, can help me with my Spring Cleaning.
As much as I’d like to be able to ship out all my discarded and unloved books (I swear, I feel like I’m hurting their feelings when I get rid of them), I can’t really afford to do that with everything.  So I’ll be giving away only the homestead-y type books when I can scrounge up some extra egg or milk money.  Here’s the first book:

 
I believe I got it from my friend Kathy (another book junkie whom I believe has no less than thirty-six-thousand-four-hundred and twenty-two books in her second bedroom alone), and I hope she understands that this is in no way dissing her gift to me.  I’ve had this book for some time now and have read it at least twice.  And honestly, I’m probably going to read it again before I ship it out , because if I don’t, the next three months I’ll be wishing I did then end up going out and buying another copy just so I can read it one last time.
So if you want to win a gently used copy of Hen and the Art of Chicken Maintenance, just post a comment here and I’ll pick a winner next week……let’s say next Sunday.  Oh, and to make it even more interesting, give me the name(s) of your chicken(s) - you do name your chickens, don’t you??? - or, if you don’t have any chickens, what you would name your chicken.
Oh, and if you’re a book junkie, but can manage to actually part with your books, might I suggest becoming a member of Paper Back Swap?  The web address is www.paperbackswap.com and it’s a pretty cool site.

8 comments:

  1. I just gave my guide books a permanent home on a pretty little shelf. Can you ever have enough though?

    Ok, Chicken names. We have Kelso, Henrietta Magillicutty, EJ, and Dixie so far. Of course the only one I can pin a name to, because they all look the same right now, is Kelso. :)

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  2. I'm sorry, I don't name my chickens. That way I don't feel so bad come Fall when they become chicken soup. You just can't kill something name Fluffy.

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  3. I have read that book and it's great, but I don't need it, thanks tho. I just wanted to let you know that I do save hay twine, I have lots of plastic juice bottles that I save to store beans, rice and pasta in, and for homemade laundry detergent. I also save lint (for fire starters) so don't feel all alone. We can be "weird" together...

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  4. I have my own Storey chicken book so don't need another.

    I don't name my chickens....I don't even name some of the cats....

    I am a saver too....you never know when you will need some of that stuff! I have buildings filled with it...something seriously needs to be done.

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  5. I have to admit that very few of my chickens have names. There was Kathy, but she was eaten by a 'possum. Then there was Kathy 2, Kathy 3....both which met with a similar nasty death. So I've stopped giving them names (although, maybe the name Kathy is just an unlucky chicken name?). Although I've been known to scream "Pecker Head!" at any ill-behaving rooster.....does that count?

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  6. You make me smile! :)

    Our hens are Jackie Blackie and Vamp (the Black Aussies), Buffy and Josephine (the Buff Orps), and The Rockettes (2 Barred Rocks whom we can never tell apart!)

    And, yes, of course, I'll post pictures of the kitchen! Just as soon as I find my USB cord...

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  7. Chicken names, ready?

    Mrs. Puff and the Buffs, Gertie, Vegas, Bear, Shoulder, Gabby, Feather Foot, and Chowder. :)

    I love books too...you just can't have too many...right? :)

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  8. This is my first time visiting your Blog. But being a singel (male) homesteader in hopes of growing and raising as much of my own food as possible, I realy want this book!! Chickens are my next project and I'm reading everthing I can on them.
    I found your Blog at e-i-e-i-oing and will now go to the first post you wrote and read from there (as is my normal habit when I find a Blog that I feel I can learn from).
    Looking forward to the journy!
    Tom

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