Yesterday someone asked in a comment if I had done all the work yesterday morning just because I hate shopping. I know that what I do is pretty crazy to some of you and if I truly thought about it, it’s probably crazy to me too but I want to do.
I’m not being critical of the comment. I appreciate greatly when readers feel they can ask me anything and she probably isn’t the only one wondering about why I do what I do.
The eccentric part of me, which is probably about 99.9% of me, wants to do it all myself. There are folks who truly don’t even need a kitchen in their house. There are folks who are happy buying pre-made food and heating it up. Everyone should be doing whatever makes them happy and works for you.
Most of you found me because of quilting and the analogy I can use is that you make quilts for your bed. You spend hours making the quilts. They cost you twice as much (or more) than buying a storebought quilt. But you do it because you love doing it, and you love the look of the handmade quilt, and you love knowing you did it yourself. Folks who sleep under a Walmart quilt probably don’t sleep any better or worse than we do, sleeping under homemade quilts. And you know that your non-quilting friends think you’re nuts for spending all that time making quilts when you could buy them at Walmart, right?
Same with knitting. We could go to some department store and buy a sweater for less than $50. To make one often costs upwards of $150 plus lots of time. Is the hand knitted sweater any warmer or prettier than the storebought sweater? Often not .. but we do it because we love doing it.
I want to do everything! Maybe not over and over again but I want to experience as much as I can, at least once. I think to some degree, we’re all that way but in different areas. Some like to travel and see the world.
As I think about our grandparents and great grandparents and generations before us, I don’t ever want to go back to the days of no indoor plumbing and no air conditioning, but I do want to do some of the things they did.
Some things I do and may never do again. Some things, like making bacon, or gardening and canning, I see a vast improvement over the similar items that I buy and so I continue to cure and smoke our bacon and grow our veggies. Free range, farm fresh eggs are amazingly different from most eggs you buy in the store and I love my chickens so I continue to raise chickens.
I never mind you asking why I’m doing something, or how different it is from storebought. I love what I do and I’m happy to explain it. I guess what I don’t want is for you all to think I’m crazy for doing . . I want you to understand that I see value in what I do . . even if there is no value, just let me think there is!
Nancy says
Very nice analogy. But I think I sleep better under a home made quilt. At least let me think so. But like you I love what I do.
I agree about the eggs. We only have a couple of girls now but the eggs are the best. So much better than store bought. So much more expensive than store bought when you to the math but we enjoy having them anyway.
JudyL says
Now that we’re letting ours free range, they hardly eat any chicken feed. I keep calcium in the coop in a little feeder but where I was filling up their big food container every day when they were staying in the pen, now I fill it up maybe once every two weeks. That definitely cuts back on the amount of $$ it costs to keep them.
YANICKA says
I just read your blog and just get to enjoy the happiness doing it yourself bring to you. I like it because I can experience a bit of that happiness without doing the work lol. I like the idea of it but do not have the place / energy / time to do it 🙂
JudyL says
Not having the place/energy/time would definitely preclude me from doing it. That’s why I’m so determined to do everything I can NOW because I know there will come a time when I can’t. It makes me happy to know that what I’m doing and writing about brings happiness to someone else.
Judy Struck says
I so agree with you Judy. I feel the same. I do what I do because I want to do it. We all have our passions and interests. If I had to only choose a few blogs that I would read every day, yours is at the top of the list, followed by Denise Russart and Esther Aliu. Keep on doing what you’re doing. 🙂
JudyL says
Thank you!
Carolyn says
Amen! I lost “friends” when I started traditional rug hooking instead of spending countless hours and $$$ in quilting. Even had one person say, “Well, we no longer have anything in common if you aren’t going to quilt”. Gee whiz! That means we were not friends to begin with, huh? I have various hobbies and yes, I still have several large quilts to make, but was a little burnt out.
You keep doing what you love and works for you. I would like to send my husband over to eat occasionally so I will have more rug hooking time.????
Sherrill says
I knew you did it all because you love and enjoy it! It’s WAY too much work if you don’t like doing it! 🙂
Faye says
Well said.
Joyce says
I would never tell someone else not to do something if they enjoy the process. I always say I’ll do more when I retire…I just hope I have the health and desire when that time comes. I do have a garden partly because I really like home canned tomatoes and fresh squash and okra, and partly because I grew up with gardens. As much as I hated weeding and the work of it as a kid, I did learn a lot on how it’s done. I’m still not crazy about dealing with things like squash bugs. Yuck! I will admit I don’t have a big desire to make butter/yogurt/bacon etc. I’m happy to just buy those things. I’d rather spend that time knitting, weaving or spinning. 🙂
On another note, my hitofude is ready to be blocked. I put it in to soak last night, and then I ran out of energy and desire to pin it out, so it’s still soaking. I plan to block it tonight…if I can figure out how to lay it out. It doesn’t look like it’s going to be easy. LOL
Dotti says
I just think you are so very interesting. I look at the sweaters you make and think they are beautiful. Canning and freezing was such a large part of my early years but I was never rally comfortable with it. My mother in law would can almost anything. Her peaches were put in the jar so carefully, they were a picture.
I read about different veggies than in NE and spices, not sure I would try but interested non the less.
I love singing, some think I shouldn’t but it is enjoyable and relieves stress.
People say why do all the work and pay the price for a quilt? I want to give something I made to people I love. Does it cost more than a bought one? Depends on your tastes.
People will pay $$$ on shows, sporting events, golf and all sorts of entertainment. I quilt. It entertains and I have something to show for the time and money. We all make choices on what we need to fulfill our creative side. Some of us very interesting because of our choices.
I check your blog everyday. And Jo’s Country Junction. It is my early morning ritual while taking my meds.
Kep on keeping on.
.t
Dottie N. says
I think it’s great that you do all these neat things and admire all your energy to do them. AND, we’re not all alike – what’s right for one isn’t right for someone else. Kudos to you and Vince for “doing it your way”!!!
Carolyn S says
You go, girl! Do it while you can, and as long as it makes you happy, that’s what’s most important.
Margaret Priest says
I quilt and knit, so I get the analogy. I think it is more true for food, though, because I feel like the closer you can get to the source of foods, the better and healthier they will be for you. I enjoy reading your adventures, and I try doing some things, and then I can decide for myself if it is worth it for me to do it long term.
JudyL says
Exactly! I’m not sure cheesemaking is something I’ll stick with. It requires very close attention and lots of steps and I’m more of “walk away and forget it” type person and babysitting something for hours may not work for me but it’s fun to try and I’m glad to say I did it.
Amy Makson says
Great explanation. Same goes for why we gro w our own veggies. Does not always save us money but we know what has gone onto/into it and also it gives some pleasure to know we “did it”.
Pam Gonzalez says
I love reading your blogs and feel like you….I would like to make everything we need. But I’m not able to. But I live it through you. Thanks for your fun and different experiences.
Eileen says
You are such a smart person and I so admire all the things you do. I see that in Nicole and Addie too. I love how you aren’t afraid to tackle anything and you excel at it all!! I love you!
Debra Brown says
Great post Judy! I have been going to make Greek yogurt sence you first started experimenting. A quick question….
How did the yogurt maker end up out of your routine? I almost bought one but now that I have an electric pressure cooker, nay be I should look up your instructions and gather supplies to try that.
Pat says
Friends are always asking why my husband and we don’t have certain health problems. I think we are like you we try not to eat too much store bought food with all the preservertives. I agree with you live style. Just wish I had your energy.