What do you have to trade?

This weekend had some amazingly mild temperatures and Ronnie and I took advantage by cutting more wood and hanging laundry outside.  Several things happened during this little adventure: we now need a new chain for the saw as the one we have will not tighten up anymore and is too loose (anyone tried to remove one of the links and then use?) and we completed busting out the back cab window of Ronnie’s truck.  Now he is true red with a piece of Plexiglas screwed into the back.   Yee haw!

I gazed wistfully at our garden spot, waiting for when I can start playing.  I know there are things I can be doing to the garden to help prepare it for the upcoming season yet am paralyzed on where to begin.  Dancingfarmer at WNDN had a great post including some of the goodies that she does to prepare.  If I put a layer of newspaper down, how do I keep it from blowing away?  Wetting it down helps initially; however, once it dries the newspaper becomes flighty again.

Mudrooms:  our mudroom is small, 9×10, and is also the laundry room, recycling center, clothes drying rack holder, worm bin housing room.  I found this cute blog today while reading about an eco-mudroom and the benefits of removing your shoes at the door.  Some of this clay would be nice on the walls.  =)

Bartering – something that seems to come naturally for some (I know they have worked to get it to appear effortless) and a skill at which I will become more skilled.  Skills that I have to exchange would include knitting/crocheting/cross stitch, novice sewing/mending, novice bread maker (need help with biscuits.  Mine do not seem to rise enough, even when using biscuit flour), teach bellydance (not the hoochie coochie), set up blogs for the less computer literate. . . . I am still thinking.  My homesteading skills are not as well honed as my mentors and learning is a constant process.  Perhaps I can make some chutney to sell local restuarants?  Eggs will be great once I have the chickens housed.  =)