New Year's Solution #1: A Natural Woman

Sorry, this is not a baking post. These are the ingredients for my no'poo hair cleaner!

Very handy to have if you are going no 'poo: a funnel and plastic bottles to hold your concoctions.

If you read my last post, you know that I had decided to try the no 'poo method of hair washing. This was just one of the steps to eliminating harmful chemicals from my life and that of my family's. There are lots of horrid chemicals in commercial shampoos, conditioners, soaps and facial cleansers (and many other products we use every day, but for now I overwhelm you.). And though there is debate as to how unsafe these chemicals are, I say why risk it? If I'm going to take a risk, I'd rather do it on something fun like bull riding or sky diving, or even eating a hot dog from one of those vendors in New York City. (O.k., really I don't want to do any of those things, but you get my drift right?) Or maybe going out looking for big foots (feet?) or wearing leg warmers. (Sorry, got off track a bit, huh? :^)

So, in addition to going no 'poo, I also started washing my face with honey. (I'll be giving a list of links for more information on all of these things.) It really works and my skin is super soft. The only draw back is that right now my skin is going through a transition period of break outs (And I nearly sprained my tongue trying to lick my face- just kidding!). But this is normal, so I'm sticking to it. I also swapped out my store brand Oil of Olay moisturizer for a drop or two of glycerin and an olive/vitamin e oil mix. I was really hesitant about this, as I have REALLY oily skin, but you really only need a drop or two and I haven't had any of that winter time flakiness. (Not on my face, anyways!)

The next step in my heave-ho the chemicals was to swap out my body was for an all natural castile soap. I opted for a bar of Kirk's Natural Coco Castile soap. There are other companies that offer castile soaps, but Kirk's is the most budget friendly. I was afraid it would dry out my skin, but it hasn't. In fact, my skin is super soft and smooth. I've even used it to shave my legs and underarms with. Of course, my legs still needed lotion, but they did even with the supposedly super moisturising body washes, too.

Speaking of under arms, I was running out of my Secret Coco Butter Kiss deodorant, and figured I might as well take the plunge into homemade deodorant. I've decided to take baby steps on this one, which I figured is o.k. to do since it's winter. (You can read more at Kitchen Stewardship about taking baby steps in this process, as well as some recipes for the deodorant.) This morning after my shower I used a cotton round to apply some baking soda to my under arms. So far, so good, I don't stink. (O.k., so it's only been about 4 hours and the most strenuous thing I have done so far is hefting a gallon of milk into the house. But it's start!)

So, here is the run down on my morning routine. I'm not always so good at explaining things in paragraph form, and I'm a take-it-a-step-at-a-time sort of girl, so here it is, step by step.

1. remove my eye make up with an olive/vitamin e oil mix and a cotton round if I didn't remove it last night (I'm not good at washing my face at night or removing makeup)
2. turn on the shower and get in. (did you know you actually have to be in the shower for it to work? Shocking, I know!)
3. wet my hair, using my finger tips to make sure my roots get wet.
4. apply my baking soda/water hair cleaner, working it into my scalp with my finger tips
5. let the BS solution sit while I wet my face and apply a quarter size dollop of honey to my face, avoiding the eye area for now (once or twice a week a dd a little sprinkle of baking soda to my honey to exfoliate)
6. rinse out the BS solution very, very well, then apply my apple cider vinegar/water solution to the ends of my hair.
7. let the acv/h2O sit while I later up with the Kirk's bar, then rinse off
8. take a tiny bit more of honey to clean my eye area and then gently use a wash cloth to rinse my face of all honey
9. rinse the acv out of my hair, turn off the water and dry off
10. get dressed, put on baking soda under arms
11. apply my acv/water toner to my face, let dry and apply glycerin/oil
12. apply make up, comb out hair and dry

Some helpful tips for making your baking soda cleaner and ACV "conditioner:

• I mix up 6 Tbsp. of baking soda with 6 cups of water in a half gallon mason jar. This makes my mornings go quicker than having to measure out every thing every morning. I just use a funnel to pour it into my "shampoo" bottle, and set the bottle in a quart size jar of hot water so that I don't freeze my self
• I use a condiment bottle for my baking soda "shampoo", you know the type with a narrow tip. This really helps in getting the solution all over your scalp. Before I used a regular travel type bottle, and it was taking me forever and I had to turn my head upside down and get the stuff in my eyes. This is a real winner of a tip, believe me!
• I keep my ACV in a pint jar, and pour just a little bit in the bottle (using my funnel, so no mess!) then add warm water.
• You can add essential oils to help with certain hair issues, or just so that your hair smells good. (the ACV smell really does go away once your hair is dry) I'm using tea rose right now because I like the scent. (Wish I could say that it drives my DH crazy, but so far I've only had a kindergartner tell me that my hair smelled "different" and not to put that stuff in my hair again. Thankfully I'm only a substitute!)

And here are the links. I'm not going to put a link for every blog post, but both Crunchy Betty and Heidi at Frantically Simple have multiple posts on the no 'poo method and washing your face with honey, just search their blogs!

Crunchy Betty, No 'Poo
Crunchy Betty: Washing Your Face with Honey
Frantically Simple: Honey Face Wash
Frantically Simple: Going No 'Poo

There, you probably learned more about my grooming habits than you ever thought possible (or cared to know!) I hope this has helped someone out there make a conscious effort to ditch the chemicals in their personal grooming. Of course, this is just the beginning. There's more to learn, make and do. (Bet you can't wait to read more about my personal routine, can ya? ;^)

Blessings,
Kelly

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

Good Bye Mr. Meanie!

Mr. Meanie in solitary confinement.

The "Big Kids" checking to see if he's really secure in there. Or maybe taunting him!

Not very pretty, but effective mulch on the cucmbers.

The bush beans and green peppers mulched and thriving!

It's been a good week up here on our hill, despite vehicle troubles and one mean rooster! Again we were surprised with another rooster in the run, but we weren't in any hurry to find him a new home. We had (finally!) named him Midnight before we knew it was a him, but the name could belong to a bot just as nicely as a girl. Then he showed his true colors- grabbing a hold of the girls heads, jumping on them, pecking for no reason. He seemed to single out Princess (the hen, not my daughter!) for his, er, amorous attention , but it seemed really mean to me. Not that I have a clue as to the amorous habits of chickens, but he was biting the back of her head and pecking at her. Last night was the last straw when he picked on poor Stella. Wheels, Princess (my daughter, not the hen!), and I chased him around the yard with the net, until he jumped into the coop and I nabbed him! I put him into the cage that the "big kids" had been in, and there he shall remain until we can find him a new home.

Last Saturday the kiddos and I weeded and mulched the veggie garden with the help of my mother in law. There was some early grumbling from Teddy Bear, but I took a page from the Good Book and told him that if he didn't work, he didn't eat. This was the first time I had ever had a massive project in the garden (except for planting) where all the kids helped out all at once. It was lots of work, but completely worth it. We weeded between the rows and plants in the bush beans and the green peppers, then laid down a thick layer of newspapers to be covered with a layer of bark mulch. I would have used hay, but my darling husband brought home mulch from work at the saw mill. I was also able to get the cukes done as well.

I had read about using newspaper to mulch with in Mother Earth News, and thought it sounded like I should give it a try. We've had a garden every year since living in the house, but we had never mulched it. With my back problems, a hard working husband, 3 kiddos and chickens, I felt that mulching for weed suppression (at the very least of benefits) was smart. I had done the pumpkins and zukes about 2 weeks earlier, and they had really taken off! The best part is, the mulch was all free. Actually, it paid to mulch! My husband got newspapers at the recycling center at our local dump and as we were laying down the papers, I found stacks of coupons! I pulled out the ones that hadn't expired yet and set them aside to go through at night. It was one of those win-win situations.

This week I also put the herb garden to work for more than culinary purposes. After having my pastor (who is an avid gardener) tell me that you can make tea out of catnip, I did some research on line Then last night my baby girl was complaining of an upset tummy, so out to the herb garden i went for some peppermint leaves. I made her some tea, which she was quite impressed was and hailed me as the best Mom ever! (She is soooooo good for my self-esteem!) I did feel pretty awesome about being able to make my daughter something that helped her feel better, naturally.

Last night I was also able to make a batch of homemade liquid dish soap, which I had meant to make all week long, but couldn't make because I couldn't find a bar of darn castile soap! My mother (bless her!) brought one to me yesterday afternoon, and I was so thrilled! Out came the grater and soap pot! I'll share more about it early next week, but I can tell you that I'm pleased with the results.

Hope you all have a lovely weekend. My baking is done, and there are some plants that need to be put in the ground, so I'm off to the salt mines!
Blessings,
Kelly

Reader Request: Part 2

Happy Friday! It seems as if the heat and humidity have left town for today, atleast. The perfect day to get some cleaning done.(If there is such a thing as a perfect day for cleaning!) I didn't get to post all of my homemade cleaners and soaps this past Saturday, so here are the rest of them. Before I get started, I'd like to give you a couple of links that are very informative, and where you can look up some cleaners that you may need for your home, that I don't have.

Tipnut.com's Homemade Cleaner Tips and Recipes

The Queen of Clean's Top 5 Must-Have Cleaning Products

>Laundry Soap Jelly for Stain Removal<

you can find the original recipe at tipnut.com for this, but i think my way is a bit easier. I used Fels Naptha because that is what I have, but you could use Ivory or another laundry soap. It's pretty simple to make and works well on stains. You'll need:

glass jar (I used a quart mason jar)

bar of soap

hot water

grater, pot and spoon (I have a set that I use just for making soaps, etc.)

Grate enough soap to fill half of the jar, then fill the rest of the way with hot water. Now pour the soap/water mix into your pot and on medium heat, stir often until the soap is completely dissolved. pour back into jar (if your using a mason jar. If you're not sure about how much heat your jar can take, you can let cool a bit) Every 15 minutes or so, you'll want to stir it, as it will seperate. I did this while I was in the kitchen attending to other chores. I do not know if the jelly would have set up if I hadn't stirred like this. One it is set and cool, put on a lid and store in the laundry room. Next time you have a stain, use a soft brush (I use a toothbrush) to scrub the jelly in gently. Wash as usual.

>Homemade Liquid Hand Soap<

For me, this type of soap was a real albor of love! Or perhaps it was just that I wasn't going to let this deafeat me. It took me 4 (!!!) batches to finally get the consistency right. I will warn you that this will not foam up like commercial soaps. I'm thinking that this doesn't really matter-who knows what soet of chemicals are used to give us that cloud of bubbly foam?  Anyway, again you can refernce Tipnut.com for more recipes, but this is what worked for me. Unfortunately I can't give measurements on how much water I used-it's something that you have to determine by consistency and patience. What you need:

one bar soap of your choice

2 Tbsp. glycerine

2Tbsp. honey

about 4 C. hot water, depending on the size of your pot.

grater, pot, spoon, bucket, funnel and plenty of jugs to hold your soap

Grate your soap and add into your pot, then add the water. Over medium heat, stir often until soap is completely dissolved. Add in glycerin and honey. Pour into bucket and add another 2 pots full of hot water and stir well. Put up where little ones and pets can't get into. Now you need to be patient and wait for the soap to set up. It will thicken, it really will, it just takes some time. When soap has thickened (about 12-24 hours later), add  more water until the right consistency. Use the funnel to pour into jugs and soap pumps. I had about 4 gallons of soap, which will last quite a while. The money saved is well worth the time to make it.

That's all for now, but I promise to post more soon. There's much to do today, including a trip to the Rec. Have a wonderful Friday!

Blessings,

Kelly

Reader Requests: Homemade Cleaner Recipes

Happy Saturday! It's been a crazy week with the holiday weekend, Teddy Bear starting the Summer Academy at his school and a mid week bout of tummy issues for Mama. But we're raring to go for the weekend! While visiting with some friends at the Rec, we started talking about our livestock, etc., and a friend said she liked my blog. Somehow we got to talking about all the homemade cleaners that I make and everyone asked me to post my "recipes". So here they are! For some I'm going to give the link to the page where I found the recipe because there's more information than I feel up to (or capable of articulating!) writing.

Before I start, though, I wanted to let you know about my foray into homemade cleaners. For me, the first reason for making my own cleaners has honestly been a matter of finances. The detergents and cleaners I make at home are more cost effective than commercial products, even with coupons, sales, etc. I've never really done the math for some of my cleaners, but as most of them have the same ingredients, I'm not buying a lot of "ingredients". For instance, the homemade laundry detergent I make has borax and washing soda in it, which I also need for my dishwasher detergent, sink & tub scrub and multi-purpose spray cleaner. (By the way, tha laundry detergent is one of the BIGGEST money savers! Ive only made it 3 times in the last year and a half for a grand total of about $2 a batch!!!)

The second reason I like making my own cleaners is that they are better for my family and the environment. I don't have a lot of harsh chemicals, and I'm saving on packaging. For laundry detergent, i'm reusing 2 bottles for commercial brands, and I use a 5 gallon bucket to hold it in. I re-use sprayer bottles and for my sink scrub I washed out a parmesan shaker. For my dishwasher detergent I use a canning jar, and I've been saving my liquid dish soap containers for when I make my own.

So, now on to the recipes!

$Laundry Detergent from the Duggar Family$

Homemade liquid laundry soap
Ingredients:
4 cups hot tap water
1 Fels-Naptha soap bar
1 cup washing soda
½ cup Borax

• Grate bar of soap and add to saucepan with water. Stir continually over medium-low heat until soap dissolves and is melted.
  
• Fill a five-gallon bucket half full of hot tap water. Add melted soap, washing soda and Borax. Stir well until all powder is dissolved. Fill bucket to top with more hot water. Stir, cover and let sit overnight to thicken.
  
• Stir and fill a used, clean, laundry soap dispenser half full with soap and then fill rest of way with water. Shake before each use. (It will gel.)
  
• Optional: You can add 10-15 drops of essential oil per two gallons. Add once soap has cooled. Ideas: lavender, rosemary, tea tree oil.

Yield: Liquid soap recipe makes 10 gallons. Top-load machine: 5/8 cup per load (approximately 180 loads). Front-load machine: ¼ cup per load (approx. 640 loads).

Powdered laundry detergent

Ingredients:
1 Fels-Naptha soap bar
1 cup washing soda
½ cup Borax

• Grate soap or break into pieces and process in a food processor until powdered. Mix all ingredients. For light load, use one tablespoon. For heavy or heavily soiled load, use 2 tablespoons. Yields: three cups detergent (approximately 40 loads).

Inexpensive fabric softener recipes
Recipe No. 1: Add one cup white vinegar to rinse cycle. Works great. Removes residue and odors. Also helps to keep washing machine and hoses fresh and clean too.

Visit TheDuggarFamily.com for more tips like these, or TLCfor more info on the family. Michelle and Jim Bob’s book, “The Duggars: 20 and Counting,” is out now on Howard Books.

Personal note: I use the liquid detergent. Use 1/2 to 1 cap full for every load, depending on how big the cap is. I've tried adding the essential oils and I didn't feel that the scent stayed on the clothes, so I don't bother.

$Dishwasher Detergent$

There is A LOT of controversy on the web about homemade detergents, how well they work, concerns about the machine and septic systems. As far as how well it works, you may need to tweak your recipe depending on how hard or soft your water is, and what type of dishes you put in the dishwasher. We have few glasses, using mostly Tupperware Tumblers. Here is the recipe that I use, slightly tweaked for our water needs. I'll copy and paste it from the blog I got it from, then add the link so you can read more yourself. She has a wonderful post about keeping your dishwasher clean and running properly.

Homemade Dishwasher Soap

{soft water recipe}

1/2 cup borax ($.18)

1/2 cup washing soda ($.33)

1/4 cup food grade citric acid ($.66)

* for hard water, try increasing the amount of borax or add 1/4 cup course kosher salt, not regular salt! Read more here and scroll to middle of the page where it says "Dishwasher Salt".

Combine ingredients and use sparingly. I use only about 1 to 1 1/2 tsp. per load. (For hard water, you may need more.) Keep in a handy container near your appliance.

 

From Amy over at Homestead Revival

Personal note: For the citric acid component, I used 4 packets of Koolaid Lemonade. (the kind you have to add sugar to.) Because we have so much Tupperware going through, I put a small squirt of liquid dishwashing soap in to help cut grease. I use 1 1nd 1/2 teaspoons in each dispenser and pour in about 1/4 cup of either lemon juice or white vinegar into the washer before running. I also use white vinegar in the rinse agent dispenser.

 

$Sink and Tub Scrub$

This is great for both a staineless steel sink, porcelain sinks and fiberglass tubs/showers. This recipe is actually a combination of 2 found in Linda Cobb's (aka the Queen of Clean) book How the Queen Cleans Everything.

4 parts baking soda

1 part borax

1 part washing soda

 

mix and store in a shaker container. It cuts grease and disinfects. I sprinkle it onto a wet sink/shower/tub and use a wet cloth to scub. Let sit for a minute or two and rinse with hot water.

 

 

$Homemade All-Purpose Spray Cleaner$

Again from Linda Cobb's book. I use this in the kitchen and bathroom. For genral counter cleaning in the kitchen, I spray, let sit and then wipe with a microfiber cloth that I use with only this cleaner. If I'm cleaning up from meat, then I use paper towels.

 

2 C. water

2 Tbsp. lemon juice

2 tsp. borax

2 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. liquid dish soap

mix and store in a spray bottle. Shake well to mix and shake before each use.

 

 

Well, there are some of my recipes. I have more, I'm just worn out! And I'm sure this post has gone on long enough! Enjoy the rest of your weekend, and I'll post more cleaner recipes next week!

Blessings,

Kelly

 

 

 



Plans of the Diligent

The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty. Proverbs 21:5

If you have ever read my blog before, you know that I make a lot of plans. This is both a good and a bad thing. It's good when I remember my proverbs, but bad when I steam ahead with "tunnel vision". I admit to being prone to this, as well as not wanting to plan for things that I'm not really enthusiastic about. That's why the blog Homestead Revival's Preparedness Challenges are good for me. After all, who wants to plan for something we'd rather not think about, such as weather related emergencies or even worse. However, not taking the time to ready ourselves, families and homes isn't going to help us any. (OR delay an emergency!)

Before I get to far, I do want to add, that first and foremost we should not be anxious. Nor should we feel that being prepared in anyway shows doubt in God's faithfulness or love. I believe that being prepared for an emergency is good stewardship.Knowing how to care for your home and family should a disaster strike is just smart. And the more families that are prepared, the more to serve those that are not or that are unable to help themselves, such as the elderly and disabled. Also, depending on where you live and what sort of weather you have, your next door neighbor and you could both be prepared, but their home is damaged while yours is not and vice versa.

So, back to planning. I got the planner pictured above from my mother for my birthday a few years ago. It's blank and empty, as pristine as the day I received it. That's not a good thing. After reading the post at Homestead Revival, I decided it was time to get it out and take a look. It has room for planning as well as soring some important documents. It's handy because you can grab it in the event that you need to leave your home quickly. There are places to record contact information for family members as well as out of town relatives to use as contacts. It also emergency kit checklists and contact info for American Red Cross, FEMA, etc. My goal for this coming week is to get the family contact info. filled out, as well as the contact info. for out of state relatives. I'd also like to get working on our 72 hour kits.

Not feeling ready to tackle emergency prep. on large scale? (If not, I really encourage you to start thinking about it!) What about small scale? Do you have a first aid kit in each vehicle? How about in your purse? I have a kit in each of our vehicles. It doesn't have to be fancy or huge, but it should contain some basics such as:

band aids

antibacterial ointment

hand sanitizer

antiseptic/antibacterial cleaning for wounds

pain relievers such as Tylenol or ibuprofen

tweezers

You might want to include anything that is a special need for your family, such as contact lens solution and lens case, eyedrops, etc. And perhaps an instant cold pack if you have a real accident prone family member. For moms, you might want to consider a bag for every occasion that includes a first aid kit. I have a "Rec" bag that goes to the rec center with us that contains a first aid kit, bug spray, sunblock, baby wipes, and an extra white shirt that will fit any of my kiddos. It doesn't hurt to have a non-aerosol bottle of bug spray and sunblock in the car for impromptu hikes, etc.

Do you have any plans in place in case of an emergency? If you do, please share! You can leave a comment below.

Have a great weekend!

Blessings,

Kelly





What's Up?

Yes, we have 6 more chickens!

Hello all! I know I've been absent lately, and I thought I would share why. Before I do, though, I want to make sure that no one mistakes my intention, which is not to whine or complain, but merely to explain what's been going on here on our hill.

First, there is baseball. All 3 of our kiddos are playing every Tues. and Thurs. evening. This means a very hurried dinner and sometimes a parent taking the boys to one place, the other taking Princess to another. The kiddos don't get to bed until about 9 (an hour and a half past their usual bedtime), so Mama and Daddy don't get to bed until about 10 or even later. Then I can't get my butt up in the morning to get my shower, and I start the day behind already! It only takes one or two mornings of this to get me really behind in house work before I start to feel VERY overwhelmed. Blogging just isn't on the to-do list!

The other is an issue I haven't wanted to share because, well, I just felt it wasn't important. However, to fully understand our family, you have to know. (Are you in suspense, wondering what bomb I'll drop?!) It's not that big of a deal, but it does affect our family life. I have a herniated disc that pinches the nerves in my left leg. I can't lift too much, be on my feet for very long or sit for too long. I often have to take breaks from daily chores, and some days I can't do much at all. Unfortunately, the usual epidural injections that I received in the past are not effective now. Fortunately, I have been blessed with an incredibly understanding and caring husband that is willing to pick up the slack when needed. And I have 3 wonderful children that are very caring, understanding and helpful, as well. They even make our bed for me on mornings that I just hurt too much to do it!  I've had a few days where it's been a struggle to get work done, and again, blogging has had to take a backseat.

Now, on to more pleasant topics! We have 6 more chicks! It amazes me how my darling husband has gone from an adamant no chicken policy, to the owner of 16 chickens! The 6 new additions were an unplanned addition, but certainly not unwelcome. Friends of ours that own a large flock of chickens had given some eggs to a local preschool to hatch. After about a week after hatching, the new chicks needed a home, and our friends asked us if we were interested in taking them in. Without batting an eye, my hubby answered "Sure!". These little ones are staying in the cellar for now, until they have a chance to grow some more. (After moving Stella and Katherine out, I will never have chicks in the living room again!) Unfortunately, we don't know the sex of the birds and one of the little ones is not well. She (I'm assuming) was born deformed. We were going to keep her, however, after observing her, we think it's best to put her down. Her one good leg is unable to support her body weight now, and she has a hard time getting around. We hate to see her suffer, so it's the most humane option.

The garden is doing well. We could use some rain, but we keep it watered with the hose. The pumpkins and zucchinis have sprouted and I hope to see some green bean and pea plants up soon. I just planted cucumbers last night, as I had forgotten all about them Memorial Day weekend! We're hoping to get the raised bed for our herbs done soon. My mouth waters at the thought of grilled zucchini with fresh thyme and oregano, or homemade pesto! I've put the extra catnip plants to use in decorative planters, as they have beautiful light purple blossoms.

I plan on sharing some more homemade household cleaners soon, as well as some more of our summer plans. This week is full of field trips and other end of school events, so it may not be this week, but soon!  I hope you have a wonderful rest of your week!

Blessings,
Kelly

I'm Still Here and Back With New Additions!

The coop beginning to take shape.

My darling husband/coop builder pondering roof design.

Fanny (the buff colored one) and Princess, the "Big Girls".

The younger chicks and one of our girls in the window, unsure of all of this!

Wonderful Wednesday everyone! We're enjoying sunshine and blue skies after nearly a week and a half of gray, damp weather. I've taken advantage and am airing out some pillows and bedding. It seems as if everything is lush and green again, bursting with life!

Well, I've been away from blogging longer than intended, but after losing 2 posts to cyber space, I was fed up for a while. And last week it seemed as if every minute from the time I got up until I went to bed was filled with something that had to be done ASAP. We had so much to do to get ready for our flock of chickens, and with 3 evenings a week taken up and rainy weather, we were slow on progress with our coop.

Finally, Sunday was the day! Thanks to the blessing of generous friends (Thank you sooo much Brian and Abby!), we added 6 more pullets and 2 grown hens to our little flock of 2. The coop isn't completely finished, but it is livable for the girls. The run also has to have some finishing touches but, again, it is serving it's purpose well. On Sunday evening after putting the new girls in the coop, Daddy put Katherine and Stella out to make friends. I think we may have messed up a bit in waiting so long to let them out (or they are just really slow!) because for the first 2 nights my darling hubbie had to reach through the fence (we covered the top due to local hawks) and pull the girls out and put them in the coop. Everyone else had gone in on their own. And then yesterday, Katherine wouldn't leave the coop! She just kept looking out the window and clucking at Stella.

Three of the new girls have names: Princess (my Princesses choice), Fanny (Mama's choice) and Amy(Teddy Bear's choice). We're waiting on Wheels and Daddy's choices, and then I think it will be a family vote to name the remaining girls. Admittedly, I've had a lot of fun watching them and their antics. We're having them stay in the run for now, until they are used to the sights and sounds of their new surroundings. Then we will be letting them free range (with many prayers that it goes well!).

In an earlier post I shared some links for recipes for homemade laundry detergent and dishwasher detergent, I've been slightly obsessed with the idea of making and using as many cleaners/detergents as I can. I remembered my How the Queen Cleans Everything book by Linda Cobb, and that it had some recipes for homemade cleaners. (I highly recommend this book, it is a treasure trove of tips and ideas!) Then I whipped up a batch of non-abrasive powder cleaner. In her book, she uses 4 parts baking soda to 1 part borax, and for a formula that is grease cutting, she replaces the borax with washing soda. I said, the heck with it , and made mine 4 parts baking soda and 1 part of both borax and washing soda. I've been using it to clean the kitchen sink and am thinking of using it in the bathroom as well. I also added a couple drops of peppermint essential oil, but it's not necessary. I really like this cleaner, and it doesn't take much. I just wet the sink and my dishcloth, sprinkle some cleanser in and wipe with the dishcloth, let it sit for a few minutes before rinsing with hot water. The sink is clean, disinfected and so is my dishcloth!

I'm interested in seeing if any of my readers have any homemade cleaners that they use, or if you've used any of the recipes I linked to. If you do, please let me know by leaving a comment. I'm looking into a spray cleaner using lemon juice and homemade dish soap. Let me know what you think!

Please remember to pray for our fellow citizens who have been hit by the flooding in the south and the tornadoes in the plains. And also pray that it will bring more to Christ and glorify the Father. Here in Vermont we are blessed with the absence of huge earthquakes, tornadoes, volcanoes and hurricanes. I feel almost guilty in rejoicing in the sunshine today, but in all we need to praise the Lord, for He is good.

Many blessings,
Kelly

Homemade Cleaners and What They Have to Do With Holy Weekend

Ingredients for Soap Jelly (taken yesterday, as you can see the sunshine on the bowl!)

Ingredients for homemade dishwasher detergent

Greetings on this cold, rainy/snowy Holy Saturday. Although I don't care for this weather, it seems a bit appropriate for the day, at least to my way of thinking. I can't help but wonder how the apostles and followers of Jesus must have felt that Saturday so many years ago. Aren't we blessed to know that tomorrow there will be rejoicing?!

So, you're probably wondering what in the world I mean by the title of today's post. (Then again, perhaps some of you are already familiar with the following concept!) In the past, Lent has been a time of Spring cleaning for both the soul and the home. (I couldn't find the specific sites about this, but if you Google "spring cleaning and Lent" you'll find some more info. there.) That being said, don't feel guilty or panicked if you haven't or don't plan on spring cleaning your home. You are in good company! I'm still playing catch up from when I worked nearly a month ago! However, with yesterday's sunshine, an impressive amount of money going out for the kiddo's baseball, and an urge to be more self sufficient, I looked up some recipes for homemade cleaners and detergents. 

I've been making my own laundry detergent for about a year now, and am very happy with the results. I got the recipe from the Duggar Family's site. I've only had to make it twice in the last year, and with it costing only about $2 to make a batch, it is well worth it! I ran out of stain remover, and rather than paying at least $2 for it at the store, I remembered the link to a recipe for homemade soap jelly for laundry stains. It's super easy and cheap to make! I used a one quart canning jar and it took about 3/4 of a bar. The one thing it didn't mention in the recipe is that you may want to stir it a few times as it cools. It separated into a bright yellow liquid with a cloudy white layer at the bottom, and I don't know if it would have jelled properly if I hadn't stirred it. I've yet to use it, but I'm confident!

I had also run out of dishwasher tabs. We use Cascade tabs with Dawn and bleach. After reading this, I returned the unopened bag I had bought and picked up a pack of pink lemonade. (I had the rest of the ingredients already). I doubled the recipe to nearly fill a 1 qt. canning jar. I added 4 packs of  pink lemonade Kool-Aid for the citric acid, and kept one out to clean the dishwasher. (Read this article to learn more about cleaning your dishwasher) Again, I haven't used it yet, but I've had to use borax and baking soda before when we'd run out of tabs, and was fine with the result. I think the addition of citric acid and kosher salt will "pump up" the results! I think I will also add a small squirt of Dawn to help cut grease because we use Tupperware plates and tumblers.  I'll let you all know how it works when I've used it!

My plans for Holy Week did not go as, well, planned! I was gone every evening this week either for a church activity or baseball practice. It seemed as though time flew by and there wasn't any extra to work on crafts or put an effort into special meals that would just get wolfed down before heading off the the field. Next year I won't hold off on the crafts until the end, and try to not book so much during the week. Of course, Lent and Easter were late this year, so baseball shouldn't be a factor for 2012. I'm obviously much better at planning than executing said plans!

Blessing for a Happy and Meaningful Resurrection Sunday friends. May it be filled with joy, love, family and His presence.
Blessings,
Kelly