I wrote the bulk of this post mid-February...with the intention of it having a different conclusion. It still applies...mostly. Tomorrow's post will reveal the next chapter in this saga.  ;)

Like a broken record, I've been mentioning Kamm pants for a long time (years). I'm sorry. But...well, a bit more affordably priced clothing companies have obviously heard me + are now offering this shape!  :)

I actually tried on the Madewell's versions this fall + really liked them. I just didn't know where + under what conditions they were made, so I couldn't quite make them mine. Everlane's version is so very tempting...and again...I tried them. I know...weakness. I really like that both Madewell + Everlane added a bit of stretch to the fabric, but I don't exactly like how wide the legs end up being at the ankle (on me).

​Lacausa's California-made version is my current favorite. Esby also offers a USA made pair.

But...I made a commitment. (What am I doing even looking at these sites? Please don't ask. I am weak...er, um, just looking for inspiration...right.)

So yes...sewing. My first sweep (early this year) turned up some good pattern options. New Look 6459 looks like a good one + this version over at Tessuti is lovely. True Bias's Emerson Pants are great too, although I'd like mine to have a higher waist and maybe a little less volume in the legs (doable, I think).

I already have this pattern that I've tried + tested...and it has a simple elastic waist...so there's that too. I could widen the leg a bit a la Lauren Winter. No zippers to insert + a more forgiving fit make this a simple option.

More recently, Megan Neilson came out with Flint. A closer look reveals the lack of a zip closure...so clever + much less intimidating! I also found the Strides in this book (and traced the pattern). I think they'd be amazing with a cropped leg. 

I'm not exactly sure that my clumsy ways or my rear view can handle the creamy glory of my imagined (creamy white) pants. Murphy's law has never been quite so pertinent as when I put on something white. Do I ever miss my mouth + drop a raspberry down my front or overtip a cup of tea up to my mouth any other time? Nope. But put on something white + all bets are off. The great thing about white, however, is that it can handle bleach + can be dyed if necessary. Believe me, I know...so white is quite a tempting choice.

Love,
Jane

It's no secret that I'd love to live in a little(r) house. We'd have less environmental impact (heat, AC, building materials used), less to pay for, less to fill, less to care for. We tasted this simpler life for a few days in Colorado last week. What an idyllic setting this charming abode enjoys...mountain views shaded by towering cottonwoods and surrounded by green pastures.

Jo's favorite spot to hang, journal, + read after days spent exploring...birds singing, goats bleating, and donkeys braying nearby.

Friendly (and adorable) neighbors.

I love to have access to a space to make our meals while on vacation...but I don't want to spend a lot of time cooking. We eat things like vegetables + hummus, bread + cheese, fruit + chocolate. The compost + recycling we make is easily saved + disposed of in town.

Here we were able to pop some popcorn + watch a couple movies (Moonrise Kingdom + Synge Street). We don't have TV at home, so it was a treat. And even though the screen was a novelty...everyone chose to spend the other evenings reading.  :)

The newspapers on the wall were from 1939 + 1940 and were found in the flooring during renovation. The girls slept on the (they said comfy) sofa bed. Unhurried mornings are a treat. We like to explore + adventure, but it's sweeter when there's no rush.

A few lessons learned from living (for a few days) in a little house.
-It's great for a few days...but if we wanted to do it with our family of four...
-An extra bedroom for the girls = must. Everyone needs a space of his or her own.
-Closets (or armoires) would be very important. Just a few items laying around seem like clutter .
-One bathroom demands patience +/or careful scheduling.
-Less stuff is really, really important.
-A place for everything + everything in its place.

This amazing spot is available here.

Love,
Jane

We took a little road trip to Boulder last week. It had been a long time since we'd been there, but it used to be a regular day trip when we lived in Denver years ago. 

A mix of mountains, town, + country make it a pretty great destination...especially for a short trip. I'll admit that my plans didn't always pan out...prices might be higher for meals than expected, hikes might be closed off because of falling rocks, or a museum might disappoint, prompting a text from Mr. Tribe asking if we'd seen the exhibit including three trash cans labeled with their purposes (not an exhibit, but may have been better than some of the pieces that were at the time).  :)

​Anyhow...here are a few things I would recommend in Boulder:

A drive up into the mountains. The Peak to Peak scenic byway is amazing. 

A stroll up + down Pearl Street. Lots of local + not as local shops to peruse. Some of our favorites were:
-Cedar + Hyde. One of those shops where I see brands I don't usually get to touch...like Homecore and Rachel Comey...yeah, like that...but, I found a lovely little ceramic pot to bring home. Yes, I bought a little pot in Boulder.  ;)
-Fjall Raven. Where this lovely lady was repairing someone's worn shorts right in the shop!
-Patagonia. Their initiatives are always inspiring (+ did you see this serene beauty surfing in the catalog? Transporting.)
​-Boulder Book Store.
-University Bicycles. Rentals + a parts vending machine.
-Buffalo Exchange. Found Julia a Patagonia fleece for a steal.

A hike (or climb).
-Red Rocks Trail at Settler's Park (pictured here). 1 mile loop.
-Eldorado Canyon State Park's Streamside Trail. 1 mile loop.
-First + Second Flatiron Hike. 2.6 mile loop.
-Boulder Creek Path. Paved.
-Longer and more difficult hikes here. Just remember that the altitude matters.

Something good to eat. 
-Rayback Collective. A food truck venue where the locals meet to socialize, play games, + eat tasty fare from a rotating choice of food trucks.
-Ideal Market. Boulder's Whole Foods. Bulk fruits, vegetables, and bins full of granola, nuts, + such.
​-T|acos. Yum.
-Sweet Cow Ice-cream. Handcrafted on site with local ingredients.
-Farmer's Market. Fresh + local produce. Live music. Food tents.
-Alpine Modern. Coffee shop with a lovely patio.
-Dushanbe Teahouse. Built in Tajikistan.
-If we had more money to spend, I would have loved to try a couple of the more expensive spots like The Kitchen which is has a focus on green practices + local produce. This is not really a novelty in Boulder, however. Green + local are pretty easy to find.  :) 

Slightly off the beaten path.
-Innisfree Poetry Bookshop + Cafe. Jo was in her element.
-Common Threads. A bit more upscale thrift. Jo found a Patagonia jacket at a great price.
-Dairy Arts Center. Check the schedule for an interesting event or show.

Get inspired.
​-Neighborhoods. Communities like the one above feature small housing, efficient use of land, + community gardens. A dream.
-Transportation. It seems as if everyone bikes or walks in Boulder. Bike lanes + buses are everywhere. If a city like this, where it snows in the winter + gets hot in the summer can inspire living like this...why can't mine?
-Waste. Compost bins are easy to find. Recycling too. 
-Bike park. This pump track got Mr. Tribe's juices (+jealousy) going.  ;)

The emphasis and value placed on the outdoors is palpable in Boulder. This is a place where sustainability is at work. So many of the movement's principles are being embraced and moving forward. It is easy to want to pick up and move...to join what is already happening there, but I know that each of us has a job to do right where we are. How much more of a difference can I make as one of a few rather than one of the chorus.

Thank you for the inspiration, Boulder. We'll be back!

Love,
​Jane

Live in the sunshine.
Swim in the sea.
Drink in the wild air.
​~Ralph Waldo Emerson

It took me a while to work up the nerve to ask for cheese to be put into my own container at the cheese counter. It's been long enough now that, as with most of these things, I can only wonder why I was nervous. When I ask I can tell that it is an odd request, but I've never felt anything but appreciated + intriguing (in a good way) for bringing my own container. My way of asking is to smile + say, "Hello! Could I please get about a 1/2-3/4 pound pepper jack...just in a block, because we like to grate it? (wait for the answer) And would you mind putting it in this?" Smile + big gratitude! "Thank you so much! I appreciate it!"

I like to get our cheese in a big block, because we like to grate it finely (using a flat parmesan cheese grater) for our meals. I believe that we eat less of the tasty but fatty stuff this way. We love pepper jack cheese (shown here), because it has a lot of taste...but switch it up too.

So in honor of zero-waste cheese, here is one of the ways we ate it this week along with a number of other zero-waste ingredients. Yum.

Zero-Waste Lemon Asparagus Couscous

Israeli couscous
butter
salt
asparagus, steamed
spinach, chopped
pepper flakes
chives
pepper jack cheese, grated
lemon

Once the couscous has "cooked", add butter + salt. Assemble + squeeze lemon over. Enjoy!

Love,
Jane

Most budgets come in monthly form...mine included. My habit has been to budget for generosity, bills, gas, food, + lessons...and then to leave a portion of the budget to miscellaneous expenses. I take these expenses as they come. The flexibility of the miscellaneous category should allow various seasonal costs to factor in seamlessly most of the time.  :) This has worked quite well in general, but my goal is to move on to some advanced level skills this year (ha, ha, maybe I should say 'advanced beginner')...so...

I've realized that budgeting the year would give me even greater "control" over my budget.  :) I had been surprising myself with my discipline and was feeling quite satisfied at the end of January, February and March this year. Money was going toward our mortgage, and I was feeling good!

And then came April. April is a birthday month. It is also the month to plant a garden...and tend to the lawn...and add some flowers. April gave us some very warm days and all the holes in our wardrobes were exposed all at once...literally. April was the month that Mr. Tribe decided that his toes-poking-out shoes could probably be replaced (he chose Allbirds).

Yikes. April really piled it on. I sold a few things (from my closet) and we were still able to send a little bit of money to the mortgage...but it was close! And of course, some of April's issues turned into May's issues...so...

I decided to budget the year...as well as the months. I've written in expenses that I can predict ahead of time + my list currently looks like this:

January :: replacements + plan/budget replacements
February :: replacements
March :: save + plan/budget warm weather wardrobes, garden + birthday gifts
April :: birthday + garden + sell/buy clothes
May :: clothes + sell/buy school books  
June :: vacation
July :: save + preserve farmer's market food (corn + blueberries)
August :: save + plan/budget cold weather wardrobes
September :: replacements + clothes
October :: clothes + plan/budget birthday/Christmas gifts
November :: gifts
December :: gifts + festive fun

As the months actually come and go, I will be able to shape this list to suit reality a little better. It just makes me feel so much better to be able to see it all in one place, to be able to look ahead...and it doesn't look impossible. Although I can't schedule car or home repairs, I think they might be a bit more manageable as I keep our spending a little bit more consistent and in check.

Love, 
Jane

Be happy whenever you can manage it.
~​Jon Cage

I was excited to finally receive the Merchant & Mills Workbook via interlibrary loan last week. On the first flip through, I knew I wanted to try the Bantam with its narrow straps + racerback shape. I was intrigued by the idea of forgoing bust darts in favor of a looser fit. It sounded like just the shape for pajamas (which I were on my list).

This Shabby Chic voile adorned the fireplace cover in the living room until recently, + I thought there might be just enough for some pajamas. I really wished that the print was a little bit more muted, so I used the reverse side of the fabric as the right side. With some creative positioning of the shorts pattern, I was able to just eek out the set.  :)

I have to say that I think I have finally found my signature tank pattern! I feel that the thin, close-set straps are very flattering. The loose fit is so breezy and just the sort of simple that I love. A few more Bantams will be just the thing for summer in the form of tops + dresses.

This tank will inevitably be worn not only as pajamas, but also with jeans or shorts...and the shorts are so comfy that they will do lots of lounging outside of the bedroom too! It's the perfect minimalist set!

top pattern: Bantam from Merchant & Mills Workbook
shorts pattern: my trusty vintage Esprit Simplicity 6487
fabric: old Shabby Chic voile (I don't see it offered on their website any more.)

Love,
Jane

Spring brings some fresh tastes onto our plates, and I'm so grateful for them after a long winter. All the flavors in this bowl go really nicely together + it's a colorful way to have all kinds of different combinations in each bite. We thought that this could be called a bunny bowl, because I know all the rabbits in our yard would enjoy a lot of the things here.  :)


Zero-waste Spring Bowl 

asparagus, steamed 
chickpeas, cooked and seasoned
quick pickled carrots
spinach
rice
avocado
chives

-I steam asparagus by cutting it into about 1 inch pieces, discarding the woody bottoms, and adding all but the tips to a pot with about 1/2 inch of boiling water. Cover and let boil for about 5 minutes. Add the tips + continue cooking for another 3 min. Drain + salt.
-I like to add a bit of olive oil, salt and pepper flakes to the warmed chickpeas. Tossing them in the drained asparagus pot browned them up a bit.
-The pickled carrots can be made quickly by adding vinegar, salt + a bit of sugar...tossing periodically. The excess "dressing" was poured onto the spinach.
-I seasoned the rice this time by adding salt, cinnamon, a touch of brown sugar, and cayenne.
-Enjoy!

Love,
​Jane

I've always had a budget...and I've always tried to keep the budget. I think the bulk of my problem had to do with the fact that we never had much wiggle room...none really. If our car broke down (and it often did)...the budget became almost irrelevant. We just hunkered down + tried to hack our way out of the hole that had been created (often with the "help" of credit cards).

It took a lot of time, but we have been able to save some money and now have a buffer. We do our best to only spend what we have in our monthly budget. The vast majority of the time that works out very well. But sometimes a large expense can't be sourced from our monthly budget. This is where the buffer comes in. We can use some of the buffer money to pay the excess portion of the bill (avoiding credit card interest). We then work to pay back our buffer (from our monthly budget) in months to come.

Saving money for a buffer can be really tough, when there is just enough to make ends meet. Cutting expenses + indulgences is imperative...but another thing that has really helped us build our buffer is that we let the government take more than their share up front. I know there are two ways to think about this:
1. We could use/save that money now.
2. It's easier not to spend it, if we don't have it.

To each his own, but we choose #2. When our refund checks come, we top up our buffer (to the amount we feel wise) and then send off the rest to our mortgage. It feels spectacular!

​Love,
Jane