Monday, August 30, 2010

Hello again!

Hey there!

It's been a while since I posted something on my wall... not to fear I haven't fallen off of the face of the earth, nor have I caught a cold to die in my sleep.

But I have had some major back pain (from my car accident) and wrist pain (from working as a sign language interpreter).  Both have, at their peaks, limited me to being practically bedridden and wrist-tied ridden.  In other words, I haven't been able to do much of anything due to the pain.

My back is doing much better, and I was able to do a 7 mile hike up the tallest mountain in Minnesota (granted it's only a little over 2,000 feet in elevation which is puny in comparison to the great Rockies that I grew up around).  My wrists are still on the mend, but hurt tremendously after typing this tiny blog.  Hence, I will once again leave this blogging world, uploading pictures from my camera, googling crazy facts to share with you, and all the other awesome things on here.

But not to fear, I WILL RETURN!

p.s. prayers are welcome :)

Monday, August 16, 2010

Herb benefits, and making lip balms and ointments naturally

There are three blogs that I would like to recommend to you, my readers. 

The first is about herbs and their benefits.  There are tips on how to use each of the listed herbs (a pretty extensive list), and I think it would be beneficial for all of us to learn how to use these instead of relying on store-bought remedies. 

The second link includes two reply's and additional advice is on this page. 

The third link was inspired by the first link and gives tips and recipes for making balms and ointments.  I think this would be helpful to know how to make, but they would also make great gifts for family and friends :)

http://www.survivalblog.com/2010/08/medicinal_herb_gardening_by_mr.html

http://www.survivalblog.com/2010/08/two_letters_re_medicinal_herb.html

http://www.survivalblog.com/2010/08/tter_re_medicinal_herb_gardeni.html

Saturday, August 14, 2010

Alternatives to Pectin

For those of you who buy pectin, you know just how expensive it is!  Well, I found this blog that my aunt Cheryl wrote with some good alternatives to using pectin.  Her two suggestions were Clear Jel from Barry Farm, or Pomona Pectin.  Look at her blog for links and her advice:

http://knowandgrowfood.blogspot.com/2010/08/alternatives-to-purchased-pectin.html

Another thing I've heard of is using the apple peels, core and seeds (which have natural pectin in them) instead of purchasing pectin from the store.  Here is a link to a recipe with great instructions on what to do with the apples and how to make Apple Rosemary Jelly.

Friday, August 13, 2010

Cement making

I was curious about the options of mixing and making cement, so I was doing some research on it.  In the process I came across these websites that I thought were interesting.  The first one is an article talking about the option to start your own business making concrete blocks with very little investment; He says that the business is very profitable.  If I had a good back and strong arms and wrists, I might consider it :)

http://www.articlesbase.com/business-articles/make-concrete-blocks-build-a-solid-business-360088.html


The other is an article that talks about all the different designs and options for stainging concrete.  I never thought about the possibilities, or even how it was done, before reading this site.  Maybe you'll find it interesting as well:

http://www.concretenetwork.com/staining-concrete/

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Saving seeds from your garden

This is our first year growing a garden, and we were talking about the options of saving our seeds to plant next year (why buy them when you can get them from your own backyard?!). 

The other day I was looking at a website and wouldn't you know it but I stumbled across the below link.  It looks like a great resource for beginners to experts.  It's a must-read for those interested in saving seeds for future years!

http://www.seedsave.org/issi/issi_904.html

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Homemade Deodorant

The woman of a blog I read is absolutely sure that her homemade deodorant is the best.  She even tried it on and didn't shower for three days just to see how well it worked!  Now that's what I call dedication!

Because of her enthusiasm and guarantee of such a great product, I will post her blog before I even try the deodorant.  If you try it first, let me know!  It is 100% natural without chemicals, aluminum, and propylene glycol (anti-freeze).  I'll be sure to try this soon and let you know what I think about it :)

Here's the recipe from her blog:

It's NO Secret:  Best Natural Deodorant Ever
1/4 cup Baking Soda
1/4 cup Arrowroot Powder
4 Tablespoons Beeswax
1/4 scant cup Shea Butter
1/4 heaping cup Coconut Oil
Favorite good smelling Essential Oils

I used Tee Tree, Lemon and/or Lemongrass, Grapefruit, Rosemary, Orange

5-20 drops of each according to "smell" I used more of the citrus ones and less of the others. You could use Lavender or other oils you like but I would for sure use some Tee Tree and a Citrus I think these are key to smelling good they not only have a good smell themselves they help fight potential bad smell from you.

Mix the Baking Soda and Arrowroot powder in a medium sized bowl. In a double boiler melt the Beeswax, Shea Butter and Coconut oil. When melted remove from heat and add the essential oils. Then pour onto soda mixture and mix. Quickly Pour (before it sets up) into empty roll on deodorant containers or other container of choice. Should make about 3 sticks. Enjoy being B.O. free!! Naturally!

Monday, August 9, 2010

Sunday, August 8, 2010

Spice rack idea

I enjoy finding other peoples inventive ideas!  I found a great way to make spice racks in a way that saves and utilizes unused space.  This is going to be put on my to-do list!

http://www.diylife.com/2010/07/16/diy-warrior-back-of-door-spice-rack/

Friday, August 6, 2010

Homemade Dehumidifier

Do you have too much moisture in your home and want to get rid of it, but don't want to buy an expensive dehumidifier?  Try this instead:
(found here)

THINGS YOU'LL NEED:
Drill
Screwdriver
Buckets
Pen
Snips
Salt
Stand
Fan
Hygrometer (measures humidity level)

STEP 1

Drill a hole in the bottom of a medium sized plastic bucket with an electrical drill. The hole should be at least quarter inch in diameter. (Alternatively, you can bore the hole using a screwdriver or other sharp pointed object.) Be sure to wear safety goggles and loves when working with sharp tools.

STEP 2

Place a piece of chicken wire or mesh at the bottom of the bucket to cover the hole. Size to fit by placing the mesh underneath the base of the bucket and tracing the perimeter onto the mesh using a marker pen. Use tin snips or wire cutters to cut the mesh.

STEP 3

Fill the bucket with rock salt (the kind used to melt ice) and place on a stand. The stand should be resistant to drying or corrosion from the salt and be porous enough to allow moisture to drip through. The ideal stand would be similar to a stack of plastic milk crates. The height of the stand depends on the amount of space available.

STEP 4

Place a second bucket underneath the stand to catch moisture content. This bucket does not have a hole in it and is simply a net to prevent captured moisture from seeping onto the floor.

STEP 5

Give the homemade dehumidifier a few days to get working properly. The industrial strength salt should pull water into it and then release it, letting the water drip out of the bottom of the top bucket into the bottom bucket.
Direct moisture towards the bucket system using a box fan to increase effectiveness. This is not necessary in smaller areas, but will help collect moisture in larger rooms.

STEP 6

Check the effectiveness of the dehumidifier by testing the relative humidity inside the home using a hygrometer. Hygrometers are available at large home and garden stores. Increasing the size of the dehumidifier will increase its effectiveness.

Wednesday, August 4, 2010

The Dive: Dairy Free/Soy Free

I've been having some bloating issues and I haven't figured out what is causing the symptoms yet, but I have decided to take myself off of dairy for a month and see how my body reacts to my diet changes (I'm doing research and getting ready for the big leap).  If this doesn't work, I may try going off of grains (gluten free food) and see if that helps my body.  It's scary cutting out comfort foods and "going without" so many things that other people can eat.  But sometimes we have to make changes for our benefit.  I know that making this change isn't impossible, and I have several friends who have removed foods from their diets and have still made wonderful meals.  So here I dive into the world of possibilities... an adventure in learning about how other people eat, gaining new recipes, and having a hope for a better tomorrow. 

Below is a list of links for dairy free recipes and ideas, as well as dairy free + soy free (for those of us who don't like to consume GM foods due to the uncertainty of future health issues, and also due to some of the content combined in the DNA of the plant).  I hope you find these useful, and if you have any other sites/recipes/tips, please feel free to leave them here!

DAIRY FREE LINKS:

http://www.godairyfree.org/

I found a great page that shows different substitution options for those of us who are new at this game.
http://www.livingwithout.com/resources/substitutions.html

This is a great website FILLED with ideas, substitutions, brand names that are dairy-free, and has some great links and resources on the site.
http://www.beanmom.com/nomilk.html

Specialize your menu by using an etensive list of foods you can eliminate from your diet:
http://www.mealsforyou.com/cgi-bin/advancedSearch


DAIRY FREE + SOY FREE:

Soy Free substitues for dairy and cheese:
http://dairyfreecooking.about.com/od/techniquessubstitutions/tp/soysubstitutes.htm

Practical, everyday recipes that can be quick and easy:
http://www.fastq.com/~jbpratt/recipes/allergiesintol/maindishes.html

This lasagna looks delicious!
http://www.bookofyum.com/blog/soy-free-dairy-free-but-still-decadent-cheesy-spinach-lasagna-366.html

Allergy Free Recipes:
http://www.eatingwithfoodallergies.com/allergyfreerecipes.html

Agroforestry

I read an interesting article and I am intrigued by the ideas and possibilities discussed.

First of all, agroforestry is forest gardening, but this doesn't mean that you have to have a large plot of land to do it.  In fact, it can be brought down to a small scale (1/3 acre), or planted on any size lot.  Of course, having a smaller lot verses a larger one will determine what you can grow on that lot.

As an agricultural society, and even for home growers, we often rely on annual plants to sustain our food supply demands.  What we fail to do (often times) to include annual plants that sustain each other and also provide food each year without much maintanance.  Also, we don't always know the benefits of plants around us (i.e. cattails and bamboo for food, ginger for food and medicinal reasons, quince- a natural pectin, blackberries or rugosa rose to provide food and pollen for bees, etc.)  We don't think about all of the benefits of each plant, and if we are ignorant to these benefits, we cannot partake of them.

This article doesn't go into the details of WHAT to plant, or HOW to go about doing it,  but the author provides the pros and cons of planting this type of gardening.

If we ever buy a big plot of land, I think this idea would work well.  With our current plans to expand our garden and add fruit trees to our back yard,  we don't have much space for the forestry planting discussed in this article.  But, that doesn't mean that we can't incorporate a couple of these ideas into our yard.  In fact, I am planning to do more research and see if there's something we CAN add to our yard.

Tuesday, August 3, 2010

iPhone users- beware!

Talk about privacy invasion. 

Read this article! 

Beware, all of you iPhone users!