Silver Linings Boutique

Silver Linings Boutique

There is a new shoppe opening up in Twin Bridges.  Jessica Hutchinson is the entrepreneur behind Silver Linings Boutique:  a high-end second hand retail outlet.  Silver Linings is located in the Hardware building at the junction of Highway 41 and Highway 287.  Bring in your clean and in good condition clothing and accessories in exchange for cash or in-store credit (by appointment only). 

Jessica is shooting for a Saturday, July 6^th Grand Opening.  The boutique will be open Tuesday thru Saturday, 10 am to 5 pm.  I took in a tote-full of clothes the kids grew out of, clothes I no longer wear, and some extra goodies that we had been given lovingly but were not using.  I walked away very pleased to have turned my “stuff” into cash.  Clean out your closet, grab up your goodies that didn’t sell at Garage-A-Rama and call Jessica to set up an appointment:  684-5325.

Our community will be blessed to have another shop open, especially for our friends and family that are coming to visit.  Tourists will appreciate another open store front and the opportunity to buy cowboy and fishing gear, a swimsuit to wear in the river when they desperately need a dip, and other unique items.  Silver Linings is selling men’s, women’s and children’s clothing.  New moms will benefit from the chance to buy high-quality children’s clothes at a discount price.  Those same moms will benefit by having a place to sell their in-good-condition clothes and toys.  Jessica is going to be selling brand new items as well.  In need of a gift for a friend?  Come to Silver Linings for affordable, cowboy bling handbags.  A dress you wore once that hides in the back of the closet?  A brand new cowboy hat that is the wrong size?  Kids clothes?  Montana, cowboy, or fishing specific (coffee table) books?  Call Jessica and schedule an appointment.  Bring your out of town friends by when shopping after the Farmers’ Market.  

Support your local businesses!  Our area is rich with gift ideas!  Check out the blog, www.sustainablysadie.blogspot.com and comment with your favorite local gift shop.  Thanks for reading!

Twin Bits

The next TBCA meeting will be at Noon at the Ruby Valley National Bank in Twin, Wednesday July 17.

Twin Bridges Farmers’ Market Saturdays, 9 am to Noon, Twin Bridges Main Street Park.  Contact Sarah Miller at tbfarmersmarket@hotmail.com.  The Farmers Market will be at the Fairgrounds the Saturday of Floating Flotillas and Fish Fantasies.  No charge to vendors to set up that day. 

Sheridan Farmers’ Market begins Thursday June 6^th, 4 pm to 6 pm at Sheridan’s Main Street Park.  Contact Ann Goldthwait at Kindred Spirits LLC gift shop in Sheridan. 

Floating Flotillas and Fish Fantasies will be Saturday July 27 at the Madison County Fairgrounds in Twin Bridges.  5k run, cow pasture golf, River Parade, kids games, BBQ, ice cream and beer!

Alder Site for Bountiful Baskets

Alder Site for Bountiful Baskets

A while back I wrote about the Bountiful Baskets program.  Now I am happy to write that there is a Bountiful Baskets site here in the Ruby Valley.  Saturday, June 22, I will be picking up my Bountiful Basket from the Alder School.  Kaycee Gilman is the site coordinator working hard to make sure that everything runs smoothly.  The next pick-up will be Saturday, July 6 with ordering beginning at 10 am Monday July 1^st…you must order by Tuesday July 2^nd at nine p.m. if you want to get a basket July 6.  Ordering early is the best chance to get a basket (there are only so many) and get the add-ons. 

“Bountiful Baskets Food Co-op (BBFC) distributes produce baskets, organic produce baskets, artisan bread and sandwich bread every other week.”  It is “a grassroots, all volunteer, no contracts, no catch cooperative.”  According to the website, bountifulbaskets.org, because they don’t pay employees (rely on volunteers) at the sites, they are able to sell produce for “rock bottom” prices. The program would not happen without volunteers.  If you choose to participate, choose to volunteer once in a while, when you are able. 

Go to the Bountiful Baskets website (www.bountifulbaskets.org) and create an account.  The one-time ‘first time’ basket fee of $3.00 applies to all the sites you visit.  These three dollars goes towards the laundry baskets used at the site.  When you participate, you transfer your basket of produce (approx. 50% veggies, 50% fruit) from the white baskets to your own container(s)—laundry baskets, reusable grocery sacks, cardboard boxes, etc.  There is no commitment.  Close to where we live in the Ruby Valley, there are 2 sites in Dillon that alternate weeks, a site in Whitehall, a site in Ennis and now the site in Alder.  Butte also has a half-dozen sites and Bozeman has sites that you could schedule into a big shopping trip.  There is no commitment to just one site and the benefits of the program are amazing.

Our family has been so happy with the Bountiful Baskets Food Co-op.  I know we save money on produce.  We get good quality produce that has allowed us to incorporate veggies into every dinner meal.  It has helped to plan a week’s worth of meals knowing that I have certain items that need to be used quickly.  We eat a lot more fruits and veggies and if there is a vegetable I need for a meal, I just go to our local grocery store.  The friend that got me hooked on the program shared that her family was able to cut back on extra starches, eliminating rice or pasta by adding more veggies to the plate.  There are add-ons:  cases of produce, breads, oils, extra packs with herbs and veggies specific to regional cuisine and they are great deals.  The case of broccoli mostly went in the freezer and we enjoyed some great broccoli-rich meals. 

Talk to friends who have used the Bountiful Baskets Food Co-op.  Split baskets with your friends.  Volunteer!  Check out Bountiful Baskets on Facebook; join the Ruby Valley Bountiful Basket group.  As local produce becomes available, make sure to support your local farmers and Farmers Markets.  Thanks for reading and I hope you are enjoying the short summer.  Share at www.sustainablysadie.blogspot.com.

Twin Bits

The next TBCA meeting will be at Noon at the Ruby Valley National Bank in Twin, Wednesday June 26.

Twin Bridges Farmers’ Market Saturdays, 9 am to Noon, Twin Bridges Main Street Park.  Contact Sarah Miller at tbfarmersmarket@hotmail.com.

Sheridan Farmers’ Market begins Thursday June 6^th, 4 pm to 6 pm at Sheridan’s Main Street Park.  Contact Ann Goldthwait at Kindred Spirits LLC gift shop in Sheridan. 

Floating Flotillas and Fish Fantasies will be Saturday July 27 at the Madison County Fairgrounds in Twin Bridges. 

Wear Sunscreen

Wear Sunscreen

Summer is finally here (at this exact moment, outside my window it is a downpour and the water running down the streets reminds me of living up in V.C. and watching the water rush down the streets and gulch)!  Thursday the 20^th is the Summer Solstice, the longest day of the year and one tip I’d like to start out summer with is wear sunscreen!

When I was younger I would skip the sunscreen, after that initial burn the skin turns that perfect brown.  But the reality is that too much sun damages the skin.  In order to keep the body looking youthful, it is necessary to protect yourself.  Sun burn is hard on the skin and after healing what you will be left with is scarred to some degree.  With the kiddos, I am chasing the older kids around the yard with the spray sunscreen and then just always trying to keep the six month old in the shade (away from mosquitoes! ha!)

I know it does get expensive.  When I started to stock up on sunscreen for the summer, I found myself using $1.00 off coupons on $8.00 a bottle or higher products.  It seems that end-caps and 2-pack offers are the best deal for purchasing frugally.  As the Summer speeds by, the price of sunscreen should drop.  I think you could stock up at the end of this summer to save for next year, and for those warm winter days we get. 

I keep sunscreen by the door, in the car and with the stroller.  I would do anything to save my kids from hurt, so even though they wiggle and complain, I spray them down and wipe sunscreen on their faces (carefully attempting to keep it out of their eyes and mouth).  Anything less than 15 SPF is worthless in terms of protection.  There are natural make-up products that contain minerals that provide protection. 

And you can search the web for DIY sunscreens that are made out of oils, beeswax and zinc oxide.  Putting sunscreen on tattoos preserves your ink.  Take the time to protect your skin.  Thanks for reading, and share at www.sustainablysadie.blogspot.com.

Twin Bits

The next TBCA meeting will be at Noon at the Ruby Valley National Bank in Twin, Wednesday June 26.

Twin Bridges Farmers’ Market Saturdays, 9 am to Noon, Twin Bridges Main Street Park. 

Sheridan Farmers’ Market begins Thursday June 6^th, 4 pm to 6 pm at Sheridan’s Main Street Park. 

Floating Flotillas and Fish Fantasies will be Saturday July 27 at the Madison County Fairgrounds in Twin Bridges. 

Gearing Up for Summer

Gearing Up for Summer

This long weekend marks the beginning of Summer—for us in Southwestern Montana it usually marks a weekend of rain and snow.  Despite the usually drippy weather, many venture out in their campers and head out to enjoy our amazing amenities.  It is a great weekend to check out what’s new in Virginia City as this year they kick off 150 years of history for the mining town. 

Montana summers pass by so quickly; I think it is important to have a plan for taking advantage of the nice weather.  This is a busy summer for us; our daughter will be here in the middle of June to spend six weeks with us and I am determined to do a big grocery shopping trip before she gets here so that we are all stocked up on kid-friendly foods and I don’t have to waste any of that precious time with her.  We are making a list of activities we want to do this summer, accumulating a list of restaurants we want to try.  Crystal Park and rock shops, a day in Phillipsburg, swimming adventures, float trips, camping, hiking...it’s shaping up to be a busy summer and I want it to be organized and fun!

I’m working on a chore list for the kids that will keep them productive during the down time.  I saw an idea on Pinterest.com for assigning a dollar amount to a particular chore making it easier to determine a weekly allowance and I’m hoping that it will help me to keep the house clean.  I’m hoping the incentive of 50 cents will encourage the older kids to pick up a broom and sweep the kitchen.    I’m planning on daily family reading time, for at least a half hour a day. 

I’ve also made arrangements for a family photo shoot with a local photographer so we can memorialize these years that pass so quickly.  It will be time to start saving for a back-to-school shopping trip.  I need to make a list of family friends we would like to have over for barbequing.  What are you doing to get ready for summer?  Share at www.facebook.com/SustainablySadie.  What are you favorite summer activities?  What hike do you have to do every year?  What local events do you make sure to check out?  Where do you look for inspiration for Summer Fun?  Thanks for reading!

Twin Bits

Garage-A-Rama is Saturday June 8^th at the Madison County Fairgrounds in Twin Bridges, 9 am to 1 pm.  

 Twin Bridges Farmers’ Market Saturdays, 9 am to Noon, Twin Bridges Main Street Park. 

Sheridan Farmers’ Market begins Thursday June 6^th, 4 pm to 6 pm at Sheridan’s Main Street Park. 

Recycling Ziploc Bags

Recycling Ziploc Bags

While unloading groceries from massive shopping trip (trying to stock up for the summer), I noticed that the package of Ziploc bags offered this website on the bottom of package, under the “Environmental Facts:” www.ziploc.com/sustainability.  The pervasiveness of plastic annoys me and pushes me to obsess about how much of the potentially toxic stuff enters our home.  I am constantly trying to figure out ways to reuse plastic packaging and finding this Ziploc web address has proven to be serendipitous. 

Locally, we are able to recycle #1 and #2 plastics at the Twin Bridges Landfill.  But what of these plastic bags?  Wal*Mart in Butte accepts plastic grocery sacks for recycling.  A recycling center that processes the plastic grocery sacks will also accept clean and dry Ziploc bags, newspaper bags, dry-cleaning bags, bread and produce bags, toilet paper, napkin and paper towel wraps, plastic shipping envelopes, and all clean bags labeled #2 and #4 (according to www.ziploc.com/sustainability).  Plastic bags are not meant for Single Stream Recycling operations.  The plastic bags will gum up the complicated works of a conveyor belt-style sorter. 

Reseal-able plastic bags have many uses:  food storage for everything from snacks to freezing, and for use as dry bags for valuables when floating rivers or lakes.  Crafting centers and diaper bags can be organized with the help of these containers.  Re-use plastic bags whenever possible.  When heading out on adventures with the kids this summer, encourage each child to bring their own empty bag to fill with cool stuff they find while hiking, biking, and exploring.  Interesting looking leaves, rocks, shells, bugs and more can be brought home for further discovery.  An inexpensive magnifying glass can be found in toy and craft sections of larger stores and your little scientists can do some investigating that will help make learning fun. 

I am encouraged that a large corporation is taking positive steps.  Rinse and dry your Ziploc and other plastic sacks, stash them away in a home recycling center and then drop them at the appropriate recycling locations.  Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, and Rethink your purchases (i.e. Buy More Locally).  Do your own research.  Share your successes at www.facebook.com/SustainablySadie.  Thanks for reading!

Twin Bits  

Garage-A-Rama is Saturday June 8^th at the Madison County Fairgrounds in Twin Bridges, 9 am to 1 pm. 

The next TBCA meeting will be Monday June 10, Noon at the RVNB in Twin Bridges.   

 Twin Bridges Farmers’ Market Saturdays, 9 am to Noon, Twin Bridges Main Street Park. 

Sheridan Farmers’ Market begins Thursday June 6^th, 4 pm to 6 pm at Sheridan’s Main Street Park. 

Floating Flotillas and Fish Fantasies will be Saturday July 27 at the Madison County Fairgrounds in Twin Bridges. 

Make It From Scratch

Weekends are great for so many reasons.  One of my favorite aspects of the weekend is getting to have a large, family breakfast.  Last weekend, my husband opened the cupboard looking for Bisquick and a happy opportunity presented itself as we were out of that particular food item.  The waffles he ended up making from scratch tasted far better than any waffles we had made using the convenience of a packaged food. 

Packaged foods can be a time saver; Bisquick is a mix that makes it easy to prepare biscuits, pancakes, waffles and many other dishes.  It has been around since 1931, but it also contains preservatives to increase its shelf life.  Making biscuits, pancakes or waffles from scratch eliminates the need from preservatives and keeps you in control of the ingredients.  There are organic and natural versions of Bisquick like Arrowhead Mills and Bob’s Red Mill.  Those varieties do not contain Dextrose, Soybean Oil or Cottonseed Oil.  Or you could create your own Bisquick by searching the internet for recipes.  You could also try combining the dry ingredients of your favorite recipe and store in an airtight container.

One way to shop healthier at a grocery store/ super market is to shop the outer aisles.  Stick with the fresh foods in the produce section, buy fresh meat and avoid the freezer and packaged food aisles.  Making foods from scratch avoids the fillers and preservatives.  You can control the amount of sugar and fat in your diet.  You can eat healthier by making your favorite foods from scratch.  With a little proper planning, you can make large batches and freeze smaller portions for later. 

I have a friend who is eating Lean Cuisines daily in preparation for her upcoming wedding.  With all the stress that comes with a large wedding, I have decided to not share with her my concerns but it is not only a very expensive way to try to control portions, there are so many extra ingredients in those products.  One suggestion I came across while researching Lean Cuisine, “if you can’t pronounce it or don’t recognize it, don’t eat it!” (Goff, www.fitday.com/fitness-articles)

This is a great time of year to get amazing fresh produce.  Buy in bulk and put up the food.  Share your favorite methods of putting up food at sustainablysadie.blogspot.com.  Canning, freezing, drying…what is your favorite?  What local foods have you stored away for later?  Thanks for reading and sharing!

Twin Bits

Garage-A-Rama is Saturday June 8^th at the Madison County Fairgrounds in Twin Bridges, 9 am to 1 pm.  

 Twin Bridges Farmers’ Market begins Saturday May 18, 9 am!  First 2 Saturdays FREE for Vendors to set up booth.  Twin Bridges Main Street Park. 

Sheridan Farmers’ Market begins Thursday June 6^th, 4 pm to 6 pm at Sheridan’s Main Street Park. 

From TBS Calendar:

Wed May 22:  Kindergarten Celebration! 1:30 pm @ MP Gym

May 24-25:  State Track Meet @ Laurel

Friday May 24:  Last Day of School!  School out at 2 pm

Candles

Candles

I think that candles are wonderful.  They make wonderful gifts.  They are fun to receive.  They make my house smell nice.  There is a comforting glow and warmth that comes from a lit candle.  Besides a sustainable light source for the home, candles are also a great way to support your local economy.

There are local candle makers whose wares can be found are local shops and at your local farmers market.  If you are in need of gift giving ideas, choosing candles can help support your local shops and buying candles from vendors at farmers markets will encourage those vendors to return.  Incense is another product that is being produced locally and makes a unique gift item. 

There are many recipes for making your own candles on-line.  On Pinterest, I pinned a page for making soy candles economically and in large batches.  Stockpiling candles can come in handy for those times when the power goes out unexpectedly.  If planning on camping, candles can be a cheaper way to light a campsite or cabin (and better for the environment) than flashlights with batteries.  Please be safe.  Always extinguish candles before leaving the home.  With our dry, dry, dry conditions please be extra careful with open flames. 

There are LED, battery-operated candles that would be a safe alternative to traditional candles.  They are safe for kids and reduce the risk of fire.  They often flicker to simulate the romantic glow of real candles.  They make excellent stocking stuffers. 

Try making your own.  Search on-line for local, Made in Montana candles and incense.  Use unscented candles on the dinner table (fragranced candles will affect how food tastes).  An all-natural way to fragrance the home, stress relief, and fun to gift.  Support your local economy and your local crafters this farmers’ market season.  Buy candles! 

Share events and news at www.facebook.com/SustainablySadie or email sustainablysadie@hotmail.com. 

Twin Bits

Notre Dame Catholic Church of Twin Bridges is hosting a Rummage Sale Saturday May 18, starting at 9 am.  Carol Wilcox is the contact, 684-5142.  Volunteers and additional rummage sale items will be welcome and appreciated. 

  Twin Bridges Farmers’ Market begins Saturday May 18, 9 am!  First 2 Saturdays FREE for Vendors to set up booth.  Twin Bridges Main Street Park. 

Sheridan Farmers’ Market begins Thursday June 6^th, 4 pm to 6 pm at Sheridan’s Main Street Park. 

From TBS Calendar:

Thurs May 16:  Cheerleading Tryouts @ Main Gym, 3:30 pm; Reg School Board Mtg, 7 pm @ MT Room

Friday May 17:  Divisional Track Meet @ Missoula; K-4 Field Day @ Carroll Field; Seniors Last Day

Sat. May 18:  Divisional Track Meet @ Missoula

Sunday May 19:  HS Graduation 6pm

Mon May 20:  Trailblazers 4-H mtg, 7 pm @ Lunchroom

Tues May 21:  8^th Grade Promotion, 6 pm; Regular School Board Mtg, 7 pm @ MT Room

Wed May 22:  Kindergarten Celebration! 1:30 pm @ MP Gym

May 24-25:  State Track Meet @ Laurel

Friday May 24:  Last Day of School!  School out at 2 pm