I’d give her a 4’x4’ raised bed kit. https://www.amazon.com/Greenes-Fence-Raised-Garden-Cedar-x/dp/B006VK80AU/ref=mp_s_a_1_12?ie=UTF8&qid=1543094992&sr=8-12&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=4x4+raised+bed+kit ETA: since you are in TX, she can probably start some spinach and kale to set outside right away. You might want to make a protective cover for them, which is easily done with a few hula hoops cut and placed to form a tunnel and plastic drop cloth stretched over it all and secured with big binder clips. I disagree that you have to dig down when starting a new raised bed, that’s the beauty of it! You cover the lawn with a thick layer of cardboard and fill the bed with purchased soil, the weeds/lawn are smothered before the cardboard rots. As long as you set your plants closely, you’ll not have much weed trouble at all.

We are contemplating gettting an artificial tree, but the idea of having to throw them in the landfill after five years or so really bothers me. If we do it, we’ll buy unlit.

Yes! My sisters company! Her fresh boxwood wreaths are wonderful, plus they’ll naturally dry to a golden yellow color and be good for decor the rest of the year. If you want to order, you need to do it soon, because she cuts off orders sometime around the first of December. She’ll decorate with a spray of holday greenery and a big bow. https://www.etsy.com/shop/TheBlaithinBlairShop/items?search_query=Boxwood

Oh eggs. They can cook scrambled eggs.

My two older kiddos can cook pasta and warm sauce without supervision. That might be it. Lol.

Turkey is curing, stuffing is ready to bake, cranbrosia made, cranberry sauce made and the cake for my Boston cream pie is baked. I need to make the pastry cream, cut up a pumpkin for roasting, make cinnamon rolls to rise overnight, and then it’s just a matter of baking and assembling the meal tomorrow.

wire cutters? Lol!

Ive spatchcocked chickens before, but doing a turkey seem borderline insane to me. How on earth would you safely cut the backbone out of a big turkey?? Thier bones are harder.

I dry brine it (herb/salt mixture rubbed onto the bird, wrapped and refrigerated for at least 24 hours). roast hot at 475 for about 20-30 Minutes (get a nice crust), and then turn down to 300 to slow roast the rest of the way. I’ve never tried letting it dry in the fridge first. I think roasting it hot at first probably accomplishes the same thing? I make gravy from my drippings, it’s salty, but I add broth anyway because drippings alone never give enough gravy. Mmmm.

I love those gf Crunchmaster crackers, and I’m not gluten free.

I’m sure it’s the perfectionism. However, I went to Walmart and Kroger at about noon today and while busy, people were genial and understanding of each other. I might have seen crabby to some because my 9 year old came along, insisted on pushing the cart and slowly browsing the store. I was having some trouble being patient.

New measuring cups and spoons. Kids destroy mine. They somehow end up outside for mud pies etc. I just ran over my 1/3 cup in the driveway last week. ? a good lightly flexible paring knife (another item that’s been destroyed) a gift card to Mata Traders featherweight pastry bags, mine got so old they dry rotted.

It’s good in baking. Cookies, nut breads, bars. Here’s a nice biscotti: https://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/ginger-biscotti-recipe

Yes, economic growth is imperative to our monetary policy. I think this is why reporters and commentators are so big on the slowdown of growth = fear; rapid growth = celebration. No one will be happy with fiscal collapse, and in that scenario, the environment will be the last things on our minds!

This probably counts as a celebrity photo.

So trying to quantify who is more wasteful by socioeconomic status is tricky. The working class are not driving suvs, heating 3000 sq ft houses, and buying everything new. But as was pointed out, the wealthy may spend on experiences that have little environmental impact. There is no clear category on who is more wasteful.

As imperfect as GDP is at measuring economic health, yes, services are counted in the number. So travel and experiences would be counted because airfare, lodging and meals were sold. And to say that these things have less environmental impact than manufacturing might be false.

This is fantastic!

Shopping at Kohls is too complicated for me. I’m a big fan of transparent pricing.

I’ve been thinking about this report I heard on npr for the last week or so, and I think it dovetails nicely into this conversation. https://www.citylab.com/environment/2018/11/environmentalist-demographics-race-class/574468/

Catan!

I totally would. I’ve brought specific dishes to the store with me while looking at dishwashers.

We do have a Fresh Market. We also have a church down the street doing Thanksgiving dinner. I’ll talk to dh about these options. ?

I am overwhelmed. My tasks are snowballing, I have no help, my husband has not felt right for months and he is working a second job from home to keep us financially sound. I had thought that mil and I would split the task of thanksgiving, but she had spinal surgery late October, out of town, and won’t be back until two days before, still in no shape to help. So they’ll be over here for dinner. We can’t really afford to go out. Blah. Im whining.

A box of gelatin has instructions on the side on how to make “jello” with juice. ETA - in my experience, kids are not very impressed with pumpkin pie. Mine like it better for breakfast than dessert.