Homemade Flops and Triumphs

Homemade liquid hand soap: a lesson in persistence

Homemade liquid dish soap: a flop, but I'm still researching

The garden: A triumph due to diligence, persistence and research

Greetings everyone! I hope you are all having weather as lovely as we are up here on our hill.We had quite a bit of rain and strong winds last night, but awoke to cool breezes, clear skies and sunshine. The perfect morning for baking. Saturday is my baking today, and so far I have a batch of snack mix done and 4 loves of chocolate zucchini bread in the oven. When that comes out, breakfast cookie bars and raspberry blondies are going in.

Saturday also means checking in with Amy at Homestead Revival for the Preparedness Challenge. This week I have grown in preparedness by:

• processing and freezing zucchini
• investing in a large waffle maker and another bread pan (both thrift store finds!)
• researching feeding programs for chickens
• taking out books from the library about chickens, canning & freezing foods, self-sufficient gardening and wild berries.
• baking extra loaves of bread to freeze
• researching liquid dish soap and dishwasher detergent recipes (more about that ahead!)
• purchasing school supplies on sale
• researching canning applesauce and maple syrup

As you may have gathered, I'm having problems with some of my homemade detergent recipes. I was finally able to make liquid dish soap, and the first time I was used it, it seemed to work well. Maybe I was delusional that first time, I don't know, but it just wasn't cutting it in subsequent loads of dishes. Actually, it wasn't cutting the grease, despite the fact that I doubled the amount of lemon juice in the recipe and added white vinegar to both the rinse and wash water. I was bummed- but not defeated! So, I've been cruising the Internet in my "spare" time.

Also, after over a month or more of using homemade dishwasher detergent, I bought a box of Cascade to use until I can get the right homemade formula worked out. I was continually disappointed to see a film on our glassware and flatware. I put white vinegar in the rinse agent dispenser and added it to the washer before starting it. And the dishwasher itself was looking dingy- there was a rusty brown residue. I'm thinking that there wasn't enough citric acid, but I don't have anything else in the house right now that contains enough to test out this theory. For now, I think we'll do the homemade in the pre-wash cycle and commercial detergent in the other cup.

Well, that's it for now. everything is out of the oven, but I'm still in my nightgown, so it's time to get on with my day. Hope you all have a wonderful weekend!
Blessings,
Kelly