Late Night Thoughts

Okay. I can't sleep. I was almost asleep until the snoring distracted me (not Steve. It's our cat). So I'm awake now & thinking of a question someone asked me about storing the necessities. I think I have an answer for her. You just have to image this.
It is the middle (or end or beginning) of winter. An ice storm rolls in. Power goes out. Trees are blocking the roads. Streets & main roads are a sheet of ice. No snowplows are going to salt. No one is going to come & save you. Things could be this way for days. I know for some it is hard to imagine. In the sixties, we had an ice storm like that. We lived in the country. Only a mile or so from town. But for a couple days, we lived with no electricity. Our family had friends in town so after a few days we went to their house & ate some hot meals. We also had a fireplace, but that really wasn't an efficient heat source. There were four of us kids. No flushing toilet. We had a basement which was warmer than upstairs so we slept down there.
What I am saying is that it could happen. It has happened. Recently. Down South. It really is wise to be prepared.
So what should you stock up on? I have been going over this the last few weeks myself. We have two homes. The townhome in Illinois & the farm in Wisconsin. Some things are here, some there. Not very good preparations. It's difficult to buy for both places. With that in mind though I have been looking up one-burner camp stoves & small propane heaters for the townhome. I am asking myself "Could we live here for a week without electricity, which means no heat or cooking meals?" I can say "yes" to the farm for that. We have lived there that way. We have a wood stove & camping equipment there. Most of our food stores are here though. We do have Amish neighbors that can get to town with the horses through almost any weather but would stores in town be open? Here we hardly know the neighbors. Everyone is gone working (including us) & we are gone most weekends.
So, the answer is... store those necessities. Water (drinking & for flushing the toilet), toilet paper, canned foods, extra dog food, can openers, medical needs like band aids & medications, etc. Have an alternative heat & cooking source. Go to a website or blog that survivalists write. They have lists of what you might need in an emergency. You're not being radical. Your being smart. Go with your gut feeling.
Now I can go to sleep....

Lavender

Lavender is a great antibacterial. There are many uses for it. Here are a few to try.

Use lavender (or any other essential oil you might like) as an air freshener. Just take a small spray bottle, fill it almost full of water (avoid tap water if possible, especially if your water is chlorinated or contains fluride), add about 10 drops of lavender. That's it! Save money & keep the nasty chemicals out of your home.

Ever use those pre-packaged wipes or baby wipes for travel? Here is what you need to make your own.

Container that seals

Either cut up material (old t-shirts work great) or use paper towels cut in half

Pure water (enough only to moisten the wipes)

Lavender essential oil

Pour water into container, add the lavender (about 2 drops per the number of cloths you are using). Mix well.

Put your wipe material in the bottom of the container to absorb the liquid.

Now you have a great antibacterial wipe to use anytime. Put them in a small container & put them in your glove compartment. Take them on the plane with you. Personally, I'd rather use them than wash my hands with the airplane water :-).

Another item made with lavender that you can use when you will be in crowds or on a plane.

Take Q-tips with a few drops of lavender on them & swab your nasal cavity with it before you go out or fly.

There are so many uses for lavender & other essential oils. Replace the expensive products you use now & save money & the planet at the same time.

Studying Again (Yeah!)

Tuesday was my weekly appointment for therapy. Liz (my therapist) decided I should crack the books again as part of my homework for her. I am to read two chapters a night & write an outline of them. Saturday is a day off & Sunday I need to write from memory what I remember about what was read. The book I'm studying now is the Textbook of Natural Medicine, Volume I. This is no small book! About 1400 pages. I had just purchased it right before the accident so I am starting from the beginning. Last night I started the process around 5pm. I'm still not finished writing the outline as of this morning. I have a problem with distraction & we all know that life is full of distractions. Since I also tend to get overwhelmed very easily now, I am thinking maybe one chapter a night might be better. I've left Liz a message & am waiting a call back. She has no idea what book it is I'm dealing with :-)
It does feel good to get back into the swing of things again, though. I just hope I remember what it is I read.

My friend Pat at "Not Now, I'm Counting!!!" just wrote how she is in a rut. I think everyone needs a little spring right now. Go over & visit her & leave a comment if you can. I know it always makes me feel better when I know that someone is reading my blog. Pat is the one who taught me how to knit. She makes beautiful items that she shows on her blog. I only hope someday I'll be able to do half as good of a job as she does!

Even the sight of weeds are beautiful this time of year!

Last Weekend at the Farm: The Wall in the Foyer

It was a sunny weekend at the farm. The temperatures got into the 30's & it felt like spring. Enough of the zero & teens weather! Unfortunately, today is very, very cold again. We drove up on Saturday morning instead of Friday afternoon. Work seems to get in the way sometimes. Seemed to be less traffic this whole trip due to no rush hour through Madison on Friday & the Super Bowl on Sunday.

Steve brought up his cross country skis hoping to get a little fun time in but the snow was just too crunchy. So we got to work...

There were some holes in the floor to patch from pulleys that the Amish use to run their machinery. First the holes needed to be squared off so we could easily fit a new piece (see the 2 side patches) in place. Another larger piece was glued around the edges & attached under the floor from the basement to hold the new piece.

Next, a new wall needed to be built. This wall forms the foyer hallway & butts up to the stairs (up & down). To build the wall, we laid it out on the floor, then nailed it together.It reached almost 60 degrees in the unheated area we were working in.

Passive solar is great!Here is the wall put together but not yet moved into place.

First we wanted to put the drywall on since it would be against the stairs.

After the drywall is on & put into place.This was exciting for us. To be able to define a space with a wall. In this shot, I am standing in the foyer area looking into our kitchen.
And so ends another weekend at the farm.

Other Uses for Baking Soda & Vinegar

I am all about using less chemicals on & in your body & in your home. I have been using a few different cleaners that are so simple & that you don't have to worry about holding your breath while you are cleaning.

The first can be used for just about anything.

Cleaner for all-purpose jobs

2 cups of white vinegar & 2 cups of water.

Optional: Add essential oils*, about 15-20 drops ( Why shouldn't cleaning smell good while you are doing it).

*A note on essential oils: lavender has been said to be toxic to cats & some essential oils stain (chamomile, cedar and orange) so try on a tissue first in an inconspicuous area.

Warm the mixture for tougher jobs.

Furniture Polish

1/4 cup white vinegar

a few drops of olive oil

2 tsp of lemon juice

This should be stored in a refrigerator. Test in an inconspicuous area first. Use a clean, dry cloth & pour a little polish on it. Rub in the direction of the grain.

Reasons to not use a popular furniture spray

1. Propane

2. Isobutane

3. Butane

4. Isoparaffinic Hydrocarbon Solvent Silicons (say what?)

5. Water (okay, that's all right)

6. Storage: keep away from children. Store in a dry, cool, well-ventilated area. Keep from freezing or excessive heat. (where is your can stored?)

7. Disposal: take to the nearest steel recycling center.

Enough said?


Drain Cleaner


1/2 cup each of baking soda & white vinegar.

Pour baking soda down the drain & follow with the vinegar. Let it sit for around 30 minutes & flush with boiling water. Try again if it didn't work the first time.




Reasons not to use a popular drain cleaner (right from their material data sheets)
Warnings: CAUTION: Eye irritant. May be irritating to skin. For sensitive skin or prolonged use wear gloves. FIRST AID: EYES-Flush with water for 15 minutes. IF SWALLOWED-Drink a glass full of water. Call a physician. KEEP OUT OF REACH OF CHILDREN. Avoid contact with clothes, fabric or carpet. Do not use or mix with other household chemicals as hazardous gases may result.
Acute Health Effects: From MSDS Inhalation: Exposure to vapor may irritate eyes, nose, throat, and lungs. Injures mucous membranes on direct contact. Skin Contact: Injures skin on contact. Some clinical reports suggest a low potential for sensitization upon exaggerated exposure to sodium hypochlorite, particularly on damaged or irritated skin. Eye Contact: Corrosive to the eyes. Ingestion: Nausea, vomiting, and burning sensation of the mouth and throat may occur.
Chronic Health Effects: From MSDS Occasional clinical reports suggest a low potential for skin sensitization upon exaggerated exposure to sodium hypochlorite if skin damage (e.g., irritation) occurs during exposure. Routine clinical tests conducted on intact skin found no sensitization in the test subjects. The MSDS further states "The following medical conditions may be aggravated by exposure to high concentrations of vapor or mist: heart conditions or chronic respiratory problems such as asthma, emphysema, chronic bronchitis or obstructive lung disease."See the accompanying chemical database file for a further discussion of potential health effects of the chemical ingredients that are found on the label or mentioned in the MSDS.
Carcinogenicity: From MSDS The manufacturer's Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) states that the product contains no substances that are considered carcinogenic or potentially carcinogenic by NTP, IARC, or OSHA.
Handling: From MSDS Keep out of reach of children. Wear safety glasses and gloves. Use general ventilation to minimize exposure to vapors Avoid all splashing; particularly in eyes, on skin and clothing. Keep children away from basins containing Liquid Plumr. Do not use plunger with Liquid Plumr. Do not use with ammonia, toilet bowl cleaners or other drain openers. Do not reuse empty container.

Just think of how much money you will save by using these cleaners & there are no metal or plastic containers to recycle. You can re-use the empty glass bottle of vinegar for the furniture polish or other cleaner. I know it is "easy" to just go out & buy the ready made stuff, but you really do owe it to yourself & your family to clean up your home of chemicals. Break the habit & start a new tradition in your home of safe cleaning.

7 Things Meme

Judy at My Freezer is Full tagged me for this meme:

Link to your tagger and list these rules on your blog.
Share 7 facts about yourself on your blog - some random, some weird.
Tag 7( I could only think of 5) people at the end of your post by leaving their names as well as links to their blog
Let them know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

1. I have always wished I had a different first name.

2. I clean dishes as I go when I am baking or cooking.

3. If given the opportunity, I will put black olives on my fingertips to eat them.

4. Little House on the Prairie & The Walton's are my "comfort" TV shows.

5. Had the opportunity to tour with a band (I played guitar & sang) the summer I was sixteen. Couldn't understand why my mom & dad said "no"!

6. Got drunk & played music in a catholic church (at sixteen, after hours) with the band I wanted to tour with. We were all in high school. Crazy kids!

7. Still have my old Barbie dolls.

Okay. Here are my tags. Play if you want, if not it's okay.

Peggy at Hidden Haven Homestead
Pat at Not Now, I'm Counting!
Pelenaka at Thirty Five by Ninety
Melissa at Melissa's Ramblings
Earth Heart at From My Homestead

Shampoo No More!

Okay. My challenge is done. For a week, we have been washing our hair with baking soda & water. I won't go back to shampoo if my hair stays looking like it does now. I cannot tell the difference! My hair usually requires washing every day to look good. I have always had oily hair & it looked oily after skipping a day. I haven't used a cream rinse in quite some time but always felt I needed it in the winter with the dry air. I have to say that now, my hair is clean & not fly-away. I am so happy to report this! No more questionable chemicals being absorbed into my skin. In the past I have used an herbal vinegar rinse that I made. I used that every other day this week. I really don't see any difference when I do. If you are using "regular" products on your hair, I would try the rinse to get the build up out. For a simple vinegar rinse use either apple cider vinegar (which is quite strong smell-wise) or use white vinegar (organic if possible). Add water to it at about one part vinegar to 3 parts water. Rinse well.

Washing hair can be so simple & now cheap. With most people trying to save money now, I feel this is something to try. Please don't go to the dollar stores & stock up on cheap shampoos. The chemicals in those shampoos are terrible. Your skin is the largest organ in the body. Don't put anything on it that you wouldn't eat. (I know you are picturing yourself eating your lotion right now :-)