It's been too long

Well, my daughter Fern had her kidney surgery yesterday. It went splendid, and she's already home and recovering with lots of vegging in front of the computer with movies.
I was sick all last weekend, and going a bit crazy in my head because I wasn't able to get anything accomplished. Once I was feeling better, I set to work on a couple of projects that had been brewing in my head.
We ran out of toothpaste the other day, and since I watched 'No Impact Man', I have really been going crazy with the eco-movement. I also watched 'Food, Inc.' while I was sick, so that also spurred me on. I recommend both films, and if you have Netflix, they are both on instant watch. I don't know if it was the pregnancy hormones or what, but I cried a LOT watching Food, Inc. Especially the parts about Polyface Farms.
So to some pictures:
first, toothpaste, made with my friend Lois' recipe:

and the progress on the bike:

and lastly, the rain barrel I made at a demo put on by Sustainable 19125 the other night: