A few weeks ago, I got a new computer. Yesterday, it decided to ditch the disc drive. So very early this morning, I loaded it into the car and headed for Newport. Didn't take long to find out I needed a new one, so was soon headed back up the mountain. My son spent a good share of his morning putting all the stuff back in and getting me connected again. Good thing we ran a back up yesterday, and even more good luck, when they rang up the new computer, it was on sale, so added a two year insurance policy, and got a nice amount of cash back too. It will take me a while to regroup but for the most part, I am up and running again.
In a week, my little grand daughters from Nebraska will be on the way to Tennessee. First time they have visited. Well, kind of, the oldest who is 3 and a half came when she was just a few weeks old so her grandpa could see her. At that time, he was very ill, and died a few months later, She was so small she will never remember being here. I visited them for Christmas when the youngest was just a bout 8 weeks old, so very small and cuddly. She is now 6 months old and learning so many new things. Can hardly wait to see them, and their parents too!!!
I have some recipes to share, for home made ketchup and mustard. Why not just buy them? Well, of course it's easier, but this way you avoid the chemicals, and preservatives and know exactly what you are eating.
Mustard:
1/2 cup of mustard powder(buy at grocery store, or order organic from herb company)
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup white vinegar
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 clove minced garlic
Stir all ingredients in a pan until smooth, bring to a boil and immediately lower heat. Simmer while you add 1 teaspoon of cornstarch mixed with 1 teaspoon of water, and simmer 1 more minute. Cool, put in glass container and refrigerate.
Ketchup
1 and 1/2 cups tomato paste, home made or organic
3/4 cup honey
1 teaspoon molasses
1/2 cup water
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1 clove minced garlic
1 cup apple cider vinegar
2 teaspoons sea salt
Put all in pan, whisk well, and simmer on low for 20 minutes. Put in container and refrigerate.
If you are in the mood for an easy dessert, how about an Apple Clafouti
1 cup of flour(unbleached)
1/2 teaspoon of salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup cold water
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
2 large granny smith apples, 3 tablespoons of sugar
Mix flour, salt, eggs, milk and cold water til smooth. Peel and core and thinly slice apples, add to batter with the sugar. Oil a deep pie pan, place in 450 degree oven for 5 minutes, until it's hot, pull out rack, add batter and bake for 40 minutes.
Well, time to get going on all the stuff I have put off this morning, it's a lovely day, rain was predicted but right now the sun is shining., time to water the garden if that rain holds off. Hope you have a lovely week, spent with family and friends. Stay well, eat healthy, as they say, you really are what you eat.
Friday, May 17, 2013
Friday, May 10, 2013
No rain today! Spring wonder foods, thoughts on Docs
There are two programs I watch when I can, The Doctors and Dr Oz. Today on The Doctors, they are going to discuss a new cancer treatment that does not leave the patient ill. I have been watching this develop, it's incredible and I hope it helps in the way cancer is treated in the future, if you can tune in to this, it would be worth the watch. Yesterday Dr Oz astounded me, he had an alternative medicine person on his show that told him about plant sterols for fighting cholesterol problems. Funny, we used that for my hubby for years, and it works wonderfully, no side effects like taking out your kidneys and liver, as the statins do. Those of us who have tried to learn better ways than medicine over the years have known about alternatives for a lot of things for a long time, and doctors are amazed to learn them. Shows how we have not learned preventive measures for health, but instead get sick then rely on toxic medicines to mask symptoms and give us more problems. The body is an amazing machine, but requires caring for if you don't want your life filled with illness and medicines that cost an arm and a leg.
Been outside this morning, we have had a day and a half of glorious sunshine, what a welcome break! My strawberries are getting ripe, all the rain has provided a bumper crop. And I have a tree full of a little bigger than a fat almond size peaches. For some reason, getting them to picking stage has been a challenge. they seem to rot and fall off the tree just before being ripe enough to pick. My garden is up and doing well, but think some days of sun would help a lot, we are still having cool weather and a lot of rain, There is talk of frost the next night or so in Virginia, and maybe parts of the Smoky Mountains, hope not here. Not too worried.
It is spring and time to get your body tuned up. There are some great super foods to keep you healthy, lets start with berries. They are considered the most nutritious fruits, and include raspberries, strawberries, cranberries, blueberries, pomegranate seeds, cherries goji's and grapes. You can snack on them alone, or make fruit salads or smoothies, any combination works to improve your anti oxidant levels.
The second great group is greens. We have had some wonderful spinach already, love it. But also my kale is producing and has all winter, greens are endless, contain vitamins, minerals, amino acids and proteins. Try broccoli, collards, cress, chard, cabbage, and all herbs you can grow. Use them in salads, soups, casseroles even add to those smoothies.
Try adding quinoa to your meals, it's usually treated as a grain but is actually a seed. Very impressive in protein amounts, and zinc. Good for your hair and skin, has B and E vitamins. it's kind of a cross between pasta and rice, can be used as a main dish with additions you like, or put into soups or salads.
Vegetables, well, there is no end to these, and the Farmers markets are open now so if you are not growing your own, try and find a place to buy the fresh stuff, grown without pesticides and weed killers, The taste is so different from the stuff we find in stores Maybe the kids will even learn to like veggies if they are fresh and tasty Eat as many a day as you can, they are not fattening and do such good things for your bod!
Got a couple quick recipes for you, my 3year old+ grand daughter and her baby sis are coming to visit, and I am brewing up soap for bubble blowing, so here's how. In a jar mix 1/4 cup soap, like dawn, 3/4 cup of water and 5 drops of glycerin, the longer it sits, the bigger and better the bubbles will be.
Do you like tacos? Bet you buy those envelopes of seasonings. Why pay someone else to mix something so simple, its just this easy:
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon salt, this much for 1 pound of meat. You can make larger amounts and keep in your pantry for future times.
Mother's day is this weekend you don't know how much you miss your mom until she is not here to celebrate with . Dad's too, they are special people, Treat them well while you can. Have a glorious weekend, hope you spend time with family or friends. Til next time, enjoy the warmer weather and eat some of the wonderful fresh things available now.
Been outside this morning, we have had a day and a half of glorious sunshine, what a welcome break! My strawberries are getting ripe, all the rain has provided a bumper crop. And I have a tree full of a little bigger than a fat almond size peaches. For some reason, getting them to picking stage has been a challenge. they seem to rot and fall off the tree just before being ripe enough to pick. My garden is up and doing well, but think some days of sun would help a lot, we are still having cool weather and a lot of rain, There is talk of frost the next night or so in Virginia, and maybe parts of the Smoky Mountains, hope not here. Not too worried.
It is spring and time to get your body tuned up. There are some great super foods to keep you healthy, lets start with berries. They are considered the most nutritious fruits, and include raspberries, strawberries, cranberries, blueberries, pomegranate seeds, cherries goji's and grapes. You can snack on them alone, or make fruit salads or smoothies, any combination works to improve your anti oxidant levels.
The second great group is greens. We have had some wonderful spinach already, love it. But also my kale is producing and has all winter, greens are endless, contain vitamins, minerals, amino acids and proteins. Try broccoli, collards, cress, chard, cabbage, and all herbs you can grow. Use them in salads, soups, casseroles even add to those smoothies.
Try adding quinoa to your meals, it's usually treated as a grain but is actually a seed. Very impressive in protein amounts, and zinc. Good for your hair and skin, has B and E vitamins. it's kind of a cross between pasta and rice, can be used as a main dish with additions you like, or put into soups or salads.
Vegetables, well, there is no end to these, and the Farmers markets are open now so if you are not growing your own, try and find a place to buy the fresh stuff, grown without pesticides and weed killers, The taste is so different from the stuff we find in stores Maybe the kids will even learn to like veggies if they are fresh and tasty Eat as many a day as you can, they are not fattening and do such good things for your bod!
Got a couple quick recipes for you, my 3year old+ grand daughter and her baby sis are coming to visit, and I am brewing up soap for bubble blowing, so here's how. In a jar mix 1/4 cup soap, like dawn, 3/4 cup of water and 5 drops of glycerin, the longer it sits, the bigger and better the bubbles will be.
Do you like tacos? Bet you buy those envelopes of seasonings. Why pay someone else to mix something so simple, its just this easy:
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon salt, this much for 1 pound of meat. You can make larger amounts and keep in your pantry for future times.
Mother's day is this weekend you don't know how much you miss your mom until she is not here to celebrate with . Dad's too, they are special people, Treat them well while you can. Have a glorious weekend, hope you spend time with family or friends. Til next time, enjoy the warmer weather and eat some of the wonderful fresh things available now.
Friday, May 3, 2013
Green Cleaning, non toxic and CHEAP
Before we get going, this morning on GMA, there was a report on antibacterial soaps, cleaners etc, They are being investigated by the FDA and are being considered not safe. If you have any products in your home containing Triclosan or the words, antibacterial dump them. You will find them in soap, laundry detergent, trash bags, sponges and cleansers. You need to be exposed to some germs to build resistance, and viruses are not caused by germs so even your baby needs to build a tolerance to germs in order to stay healthy. If you want more information, just google antibacterial soap and you will find a lot of reading to do.
What do you spend on cleansers, toilet bowl cleaners, disinfectant cupboard cleaners, and just your normal cleaning products in a year? For a fraction you can purchase 5 or 6 items that last a very ling time and cost so little. The list would include a big jug(gallon) of white vinegar, about 3 bucks, a big box of baking soda and one of washing soda, both found in the laundry section and about 3 bucks a container, some essential oils if you want fragrance, a little olive oil, and some lemon juice, and a bottle of hydrogen peroxide complete the list. This whole shebang should be about 20 bucks and last maybe a year. In my blogs from back a while, is a recipe for laundry detergent, you would need a bar of Fels Naptha soap, 99cents, added to your list for a years supply and about 7 cents per load. No chemicals, cleans great. I also gave you a recipe for fabric softener, which has several uses, including a mattress refresher that is super. So a basic cleaner would be 1 cup of vinegar and 4 cups of water, add a splash of lemon juice. In a spray bottle, this cleans counter tops, bathroom surfaces etc and it does disinfect. Not for use on granite. If you add a little olive oil to a small amount of this you can use to polish any wood surface in your home. For a scrub , to use on sinks, pans etc, mix baking soda with enough water to make a paste, store in covered container. For a basic cleaning scrub, dry, equal parts of salt and baking soda make an excellent cleanser. Rivals Comet. For your wood floors, use 1 cup vinegar or lemon juice, 1 gallon hot water, 1 tablespoon lemon juice and 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1/2 cup liquid soap, like castile, or I make my own with grated bars of aloe melted in boiling water. You do need to follow with a clean damp mop to remove any slickness from the soap. To freshen and clean carpet, sprinkle soda mixed with ground clove, or essential oil, a few drops, over all carpet, let set an hour or so and vacuum well. Prestain for clothes- 1/2 cup vinegar, 1/4 cup soda and 3 cups of water, put on stain for a few minutes before washing. Instead of bleach which is toxic use 1 cup hydrogen peroxide 1/4 cup lemon juice and 12 cups of water. Use as you would bleach. To keep mold off you bathroom shower walls, use 1 cup vinegar, and 1 cup water with 1 tablespoon of soda, spray, let sit 30 minutes and rinse. I used this on the back of my house, north side, which was green, and it took off the green. I had no power hose, but we got 3 inches of rain a day after I sprayed and it washed off all the green. For your dishwasher, mix 2 cups washing soda, 2 cups baking soda, 20 drops of lavender or grapefruit essential oil, use 2 tablespoons per load. Oven cleaner- 1 cup each of baking and washing soda 1 tablespoon liquid soap, a few drops of vinegar and enough water to make a paste. Spread on, let sit over night and wash off. Drain cleaner- each time you clean your sinks, bathroom or kitchen, put 1/2 cup baking soda in drain, followed by 1/2 cup vinegar, let sit 1/2 hour and flush with hot water. There is just no end of ways you can use these product to have a sparkling fresh home, with no chemical fumes.
To end today, I have a healthy recipe for a dip . In your blender puree 10 ounces of roasted red peppers, you can roast your own or buy a jar, drain, 1/4 cup walnuts 1/2 teaspoon cumin and 1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar. Puree, dip away. This is high in selenium which helps fight wrinkles.
Hope you are enjoying this lovely weather, it's so good to be out in the yard again, planted flowers yesterday. Stay well, be green.
What do you spend on cleansers, toilet bowl cleaners, disinfectant cupboard cleaners, and just your normal cleaning products in a year? For a fraction you can purchase 5 or 6 items that last a very ling time and cost so little. The list would include a big jug(gallon) of white vinegar, about 3 bucks, a big box of baking soda and one of washing soda, both found in the laundry section and about 3 bucks a container, some essential oils if you want fragrance, a little olive oil, and some lemon juice, and a bottle of hydrogen peroxide complete the list. This whole shebang should be about 20 bucks and last maybe a year. In my blogs from back a while, is a recipe for laundry detergent, you would need a bar of Fels Naptha soap, 99cents, added to your list for a years supply and about 7 cents per load. No chemicals, cleans great. I also gave you a recipe for fabric softener, which has several uses, including a mattress refresher that is super. So a basic cleaner would be 1 cup of vinegar and 4 cups of water, add a splash of lemon juice. In a spray bottle, this cleans counter tops, bathroom surfaces etc and it does disinfect. Not for use on granite. If you add a little olive oil to a small amount of this you can use to polish any wood surface in your home. For a scrub , to use on sinks, pans etc, mix baking soda with enough water to make a paste, store in covered container. For a basic cleaning scrub, dry, equal parts of salt and baking soda make an excellent cleanser. Rivals Comet. For your wood floors, use 1 cup vinegar or lemon juice, 1 gallon hot water, 1 tablespoon lemon juice and 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1/2 cup liquid soap, like castile, or I make my own with grated bars of aloe melted in boiling water. You do need to follow with a clean damp mop to remove any slickness from the soap. To freshen and clean carpet, sprinkle soda mixed with ground clove, or essential oil, a few drops, over all carpet, let set an hour or so and vacuum well. Prestain for clothes- 1/2 cup vinegar, 1/4 cup soda and 3 cups of water, put on stain for a few minutes before washing. Instead of bleach which is toxic use 1 cup hydrogen peroxide 1/4 cup lemon juice and 12 cups of water. Use as you would bleach. To keep mold off you bathroom shower walls, use 1 cup vinegar, and 1 cup water with 1 tablespoon of soda, spray, let sit 30 minutes and rinse. I used this on the back of my house, north side, which was green, and it took off the green. I had no power hose, but we got 3 inches of rain a day after I sprayed and it washed off all the green. For your dishwasher, mix 2 cups washing soda, 2 cups baking soda, 20 drops of lavender or grapefruit essential oil, use 2 tablespoons per load. Oven cleaner- 1 cup each of baking and washing soda 1 tablespoon liquid soap, a few drops of vinegar and enough water to make a paste. Spread on, let sit over night and wash off. Drain cleaner- each time you clean your sinks, bathroom or kitchen, put 1/2 cup baking soda in drain, followed by 1/2 cup vinegar, let sit 1/2 hour and flush with hot water. There is just no end of ways you can use these product to have a sparkling fresh home, with no chemical fumes.
To end today, I have a healthy recipe for a dip . In your blender puree 10 ounces of roasted red peppers, you can roast your own or buy a jar, drain, 1/4 cup walnuts 1/2 teaspoon cumin and 1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar. Puree, dip away. This is high in selenium which helps fight wrinkles.
Hope you are enjoying this lovely weather, it's so good to be out in the yard again, planted flowers yesterday. Stay well, be green.
Friday, April 26, 2013
Choose your food wisely, lots of good ideas for you
Think back, 30 or 40 years ago. Our grandparents, and even parents gardened. We ate food fresh from the garden, and it didn't take hours to prepare. We were healthier, not so much diabetes, high blood pressure, allergies, ADHD etc. We drank water, not pop, and ate less processed foods. Now the super market is loaded with stuff to stick in the microwave, foods that are tampered with, containing GMO's and chemicals and preservatives. Finding things that are good for us is getting harder because we are getting more tuned in to eating stuff that comes in cans and boxes. We buy into tv ads telling us to do "the smart thing" by eating a container of fruit flavored yogurt instead of cookies, doughnuts etc. Well, those flavored yogurts have 37 grams or more of sugar, more than a can of soda pop. Worse, some of them are sweetened with aspartame which is proven to be a poison to our system, if you see that, avoid the product, also anything with fake sugars, stuff that comes in little pink, blue or yellow envelopes is just a mix of chemical substances. Go for a little honey, or pure maple syrup. Some stevia is good but watch the company and try and get safe, pure, stuff. A good rule to follow when shopping is, don't buy anything with more than 5 ingredients, and never buy things with ingredients your 3 year old c an not pronounce. Make a few changes and start cooking fresh produce when you can. Farmers markets are opening up, most of their produce is safe and healthy, and you will find prepping a good meal can be done in anywhere from 10 to 20 minutes, unless you are baking things and need more time there.
Add tomatoes to your diet, people who have a tomato rich diet have lower risk of coronary heart disease. The color comes from anti oxidants and is even more concentrated in sauce. Watermelon works the same way
Keeping your immune system healthy is as easy as adding a few items, like sipping a cup of hot tea. Tea give you 5 times more germ fighting ability if you drink up to 5 cups a day, Do some stretching, and relaxing. Add garlic to your meals, it has antibacterial fighters. Cuts your risk of high blood pressure and heart problems. And try and stay cheerful, that elevates your mood and helps you feel better.
When you buy your fresh produce, bring it home and wash it with a mix of 1 cup vinegar, 1 cup water, a splash of lemon juice and 1 tablespoon of baking soda. I fill a large bowl and let produce soak for at least 15 minutes, then rinse well and store properly.
I am blessed with green mold on the north side of my house, no sun hits it. Yesterday I mixed a cup of vinegar and a cup of water, and 1 Tablespoon of soda and sprayed the mold. It cuts it well, need a more powerful hose to get it washed off. You can also use this on your bathroom shower walls to stop mildew and mold.
How about some new uses for olive oil? Rub gently into your hands after doing painting chores, it helps remove the paint without hurting your skin. If you have a stuck zipper, try rubbing some on that and working it loose. If your hubby has dry skin he can use it to shave with, or try peanut butter(smooth of course) and just feel the silky skin you are left with, and of course if you have pets drizzle a tad on their food to help with hair balls. Cats of course, dogs don't have that problem. Back in the Roman Empire days, olive oil was taxed because it was such a hot commodity.
If you are a tea drinker and have stained cups and teapots, sprinkle baking soda on stained area, add enough water to make a paste and scrub with a sponge or dish cloth. Use a cotton swab for spouts,.
If you use non stick baking pans for muffins, never use cooking spray on them, it makes them sticky. Use a small amount of olive oil, or better, paper liners.
We have come into a white period, the dogwoods are just breathtaking and the snowball bushes are out of this world, I have one with saucer sized blooms. Right now all the white shows up against the fresh green of the trees, finally everything looks fresh and spring like. So nice after the long winter with the brown dead colors. I love these mountains, the colors are ever changing. We really seem to have periods of certain colors, yellow is always first, with the daffodils and forsythias but the whole summer season is filled with beauty. I think my favorite southern tree is the Mimosa, pink and delicate. It's lumped in with crepe myrtles that range from white to pink, to rose and red and purple, a never ending rainbow. If you have never been south, take a trip to this side of the country and almost any season but November to March will give you a glimpse of splendorific color.
Hope you can get out and enjoy this lovely spring weather, til next time, eat healthy.
Add tomatoes to your diet, people who have a tomato rich diet have lower risk of coronary heart disease. The color comes from anti oxidants and is even more concentrated in sauce. Watermelon works the same way
Keeping your immune system healthy is as easy as adding a few items, like sipping a cup of hot tea. Tea give you 5 times more germ fighting ability if you drink up to 5 cups a day, Do some stretching, and relaxing. Add garlic to your meals, it has antibacterial fighters. Cuts your risk of high blood pressure and heart problems. And try and stay cheerful, that elevates your mood and helps you feel better.
When you buy your fresh produce, bring it home and wash it with a mix of 1 cup vinegar, 1 cup water, a splash of lemon juice and 1 tablespoon of baking soda. I fill a large bowl and let produce soak for at least 15 minutes, then rinse well and store properly.
I am blessed with green mold on the north side of my house, no sun hits it. Yesterday I mixed a cup of vinegar and a cup of water, and 1 Tablespoon of soda and sprayed the mold. It cuts it well, need a more powerful hose to get it washed off. You can also use this on your bathroom shower walls to stop mildew and mold.
How about some new uses for olive oil? Rub gently into your hands after doing painting chores, it helps remove the paint without hurting your skin. If you have a stuck zipper, try rubbing some on that and working it loose. If your hubby has dry skin he can use it to shave with, or try peanut butter(smooth of course) and just feel the silky skin you are left with, and of course if you have pets drizzle a tad on their food to help with hair balls. Cats of course, dogs don't have that problem. Back in the Roman Empire days, olive oil was taxed because it was such a hot commodity.
If you are a tea drinker and have stained cups and teapots, sprinkle baking soda on stained area, add enough water to make a paste and scrub with a sponge or dish cloth. Use a cotton swab for spouts,.
If you use non stick baking pans for muffins, never use cooking spray on them, it makes them sticky. Use a small amount of olive oil, or better, paper liners.
We have come into a white period, the dogwoods are just breathtaking and the snowball bushes are out of this world, I have one with saucer sized blooms. Right now all the white shows up against the fresh green of the trees, finally everything looks fresh and spring like. So nice after the long winter with the brown dead colors. I love these mountains, the colors are ever changing. We really seem to have periods of certain colors, yellow is always first, with the daffodils and forsythias but the whole summer season is filled with beauty. I think my favorite southern tree is the Mimosa, pink and delicate. It's lumped in with crepe myrtles that range from white to pink, to rose and red and purple, a never ending rainbow. If you have never been south, take a trip to this side of the country and almost any season but November to March will give you a glimpse of splendorific color.
Hope you can get out and enjoy this lovely spring weather, til next time, eat healthy.
Friday, April 19, 2013
Tough Week in the USA
Thinking about a blog subject this week has been difficult. So I have decided to say some of the things that are in my heart instead.
911 shook this country up, and for a while we were all sort of united in a common cause. Faded away to some extent, we forgot to watch our for each other, cover each others backs and stay in communication. So we had two major tragedies this last week. Unless you live under a rock, you have to know about the bombing at the Boston Marathon. It brought back all the memories and thoughts of 911. Once again, someone is attacking our cities. Watching all the videos, it's a wonder no more were killed. But there are many who are severely injured and will not forget this attack the rest of their lives. Many lost limbs, and will require surgery, maybe many times, to help them in their recovery. Months of pain and suffering will fill their lives. Their families and friends will be caring for them the rest of their lives. How can it be that people who hate the Americans so much are among us, talking to us, acting as friends, only to be planning an act of terror. We have always opened our country to immigrants, and hoped they would become American citizens, productive and caring. But that does not always hold true. And it would be impossible to screen out someone set on hurting us very far ahead of time. In fact , sometimes these heinous attacks are done , like at Columbine, by American citizens. It's kind of like this thing with new gun laws, most of us would be responsible and not plan on killing mass amounts of people. But someone who was planning that would likely get weapons whatever the status was for selling them. It's just sad that so many people have so much hatred in their hearts. Who failed them, how did their lives go wrong? Where is God or their power in their lives?
To add to the sadness, there was that horrific blast in Waco, Texas . The town looks like it was bombed. More people died there than in Boston, and this is supposedly an accident. Never the less, it is painful to see so many hurt and gone forever.
I spend a part of each day, reading my bible, spending time in prayer, asking God to watch over all of us, and keep us safe. Big order. Guess it's all part of his plan, and trying to understand it is impossible. Like loosing a child, or a husband, we are not meant to understand His ways, just to keep praying and asking for his help to understand and go forward, trying to do what he has put us on this earth for. I have days when I truly wonder if I am doing anything worth while, so glad I have some volunteer and some church work to help me feel like I am contributing at least a little in the way of compassion and caring. I continue to hope and pray that this world will become a better place for all of us, the fears for my grand kids and great grand kids are immense. Somehow, I am glad I am old now and will not live to see a lot of what this country will become down the line 20 years from now.
For all of us, I hope we can step back, say a prayer for all the hurting families this week, and keep praying for better things in the future.
I hope all of you have a safe and happy week, filled with spring flowers and sunshine, just never forget to be grateful for all the good things your lives have in them.
Saturday, April 13, 2013
Life is full of changes
This last week was full of many changes. We had our first really warm weather, near 80 several days, almost 90 one day, and rain of course. Now it's cooler, but very pleasant. The Redbud trees burst open in all their splendor the last few days, most of the forsythia and daffodils are long gone now. I have some pretty tulips blooming in the front yard. Got the garden ready for planting with the able help of my son. Have put out seeds for things that won't be up for a bit, so should be warm enough when they do pop out, like beans and zucchini.
Missed my normal blog yesterday, my old computer started overheating to the point it would pop off, and give me a shock. So with my oldest son who is a marvel with computers, helped me pick out and get a new one up and running. It changed me from a Vista system to Windows 8 and boy are they different. I spent a while today getting cameras, card programs etc installed, then had a little help finding this blog spot. Good thing I have a son with a great sense of computers to help me out. I am the world's biggest geek when it comes to technology. Smart phones? Hey, just give me one that makes calls and lets me text, all those apps just mess with my head. Same with computers, and this one does apps instead of what I am used to seeing. As time goes by, it will get easy and I will wonder why I could not figure out so many things.
I have not taken time to compile a real blog for this week, so I will just let you know I am still around, just behind the eight ball.
Next week I promise to do better!
Friday, April 5, 2013
List of GMO free companys, lots of household ideas
Ok, so Spring is taking it's time, but they are saying by tomorrow we will be much warmer, in the 70's. Can hardly wait. This has been the 6th coldest winter on record, and my icy feet can attest to that.
This week has been full of strange and useful ideas to share with you. Did you know that you can rub a stick of chalk on a grease stain, let it set a few minutes, then wash as usual? Should remove the grease. Or if you have cookie sheets or baking dishes that have been burned a bit, you can make a paste of 1/4 cup baking soda and enough peroxide(hydrogen) to create a paste, rub it on and let it sit a while then wash. You can use this on discolored white refrigerator and stove handles too.
If you are fighting ear wax, mix equal parts of rubbing alcohol and white vinegar, I would only do a small amount, like maybe 1/2 teaspoon of each, put a few drops in each ear, give it a bit, then tip head and drain it out. May need to repeat for a couple of days.
This idea came up on face book, but I am not too sure about it. Its a flea and tick treatment for dogs and cats. Mix 8 ounces of apple cider vinegar with 4 ounces of water, and carefully add 1/2 of salt, it may react slightly. Put in spray bottle and use on pet, maybe several days running. However, I did a little research and found that if licked excessively, it may change the pet PH which might cause problems, so not sure if I would use it. I would however use it on furniture and carpets to kill fleas. You would want to check materials in an inconspicuous place to be sure of color fastness. I think for the pet, I might still use a little bag of mint tied to the collar. This idea came from a site called allthingshomemade, but it just referred me to Pinterest and got no further information.
Saw a way of creating tiles for your walls that sounds interesting. Cut cardboard squares the size you want the tiles, use cereal boxes, shirt card boards, anything about that thick. Using your imagination or a pattern, create a design you like on the cardboard with white glue, let it dry. Cover tightly with aluminum foil. securing on back. Then rub with shoe polish or stain to get desired color. Glue on prepared surface.
A few thoughts on OTC medicines. Almost all of these, be they for pain, heartburn, etc, cause liver failure, internal bleeding, and the danger of strokes. Please take time to read all the side effects. I had considered taking Pepcid, thinking it was safer than prescription stuff, but I was wrong, it has the same side effects. I learned to eat earlier, a little less, and leave at least 5 hours before lying down for the night. So far I have had good luck. On occasion I do grab some DGL, deglycerized chewable licorice. Great for tummys. If you want to avoid medications, there are so many alternatives. For pain, headaches or body, try feverfew or white willow bark, shades of Dr Quinn and the indian remedys, but they work, and no side effects.
If you have arthritis pain, try bromelain, maybe just eating pineapple everyday, or capsaicin capsules or rubs, devil's claw, fish oil(capsules)or my faves, turmeric and ginger. Back to the headaches, you can also try aromatherapy, put a few drops of eucalyptus, lavender or peppermint on a hanky and inhale. Chamomile or lemon balm tea also help.
For muscle aches, good old epsom salts in a tub of warm water is great.
If you have IBS, or that kind of problem, add a couple of drops of peppermint oil to your tea or cocoa.
I found a good list of company's that are GMO free, their site is http://nourishedkitchen.comgmofree-food. In case you don't want to look them up, here are a few of them: Arrowhead Mills, Eden Foods, Purity Foods, Genesoy, Earth's Best, HealthyTimes(baby foods), Bob's Red Mill, Whole Foods stores, Cascadian farms, Muir glen, Nature's path and the list goes on.
There is a fairly new product out, I find it in my vitamin catalog, Swansons, called avocado oil. If you use this in place of some of the olive oil you are used to, it protects your eyes and vision against macular degeneration, cataracts etc. It's tasty so no problem working it into your diet.
Can hardly wait for tomorrow, sunshine and warm temps to get out and do some spring gardening,. We have had a lot of rain lately, know it's good for the ground, but this old bod could use the sun for a while. I see the red bud trees are looking pink, so will be blooming soon. Easter week makes me feel like rebirth, all things new again etc. Hope you are getting spring in your area too.
Remember, you get one body, it's your most precious possession, so guard and care for it. Happy spring.
One last shot, President Obama signed the bill allowing Monsanto and other growers to expand their list of GMO produced foods. This means more poison in what we eat, our government sure is not concerned about keeping us healthy, just selling medicine to us after we are sick. Somehow, that does not seem right.
This week has been full of strange and useful ideas to share with you. Did you know that you can rub a stick of chalk on a grease stain, let it set a few minutes, then wash as usual? Should remove the grease. Or if you have cookie sheets or baking dishes that have been burned a bit, you can make a paste of 1/4 cup baking soda and enough peroxide(hydrogen) to create a paste, rub it on and let it sit a while then wash. You can use this on discolored white refrigerator and stove handles too.
If you are fighting ear wax, mix equal parts of rubbing alcohol and white vinegar, I would only do a small amount, like maybe 1/2 teaspoon of each, put a few drops in each ear, give it a bit, then tip head and drain it out. May need to repeat for a couple of days.
This idea came up on face book, but I am not too sure about it. Its a flea and tick treatment for dogs and cats. Mix 8 ounces of apple cider vinegar with 4 ounces of water, and carefully add 1/2 of salt, it may react slightly. Put in spray bottle and use on pet, maybe several days running. However, I did a little research and found that if licked excessively, it may change the pet PH which might cause problems, so not sure if I would use it. I would however use it on furniture and carpets to kill fleas. You would want to check materials in an inconspicuous place to be sure of color fastness. I think for the pet, I might still use a little bag of mint tied to the collar. This idea came from a site called allthingshomemade, but it just referred me to Pinterest and got no further information.
Saw a way of creating tiles for your walls that sounds interesting. Cut cardboard squares the size you want the tiles, use cereal boxes, shirt card boards, anything about that thick. Using your imagination or a pattern, create a design you like on the cardboard with white glue, let it dry. Cover tightly with aluminum foil. securing on back. Then rub with shoe polish or stain to get desired color. Glue on prepared surface.
A few thoughts on OTC medicines. Almost all of these, be they for pain, heartburn, etc, cause liver failure, internal bleeding, and the danger of strokes. Please take time to read all the side effects. I had considered taking Pepcid, thinking it was safer than prescription stuff, but I was wrong, it has the same side effects. I learned to eat earlier, a little less, and leave at least 5 hours before lying down for the night. So far I have had good luck. On occasion I do grab some DGL, deglycerized chewable licorice. Great for tummys. If you want to avoid medications, there are so many alternatives. For pain, headaches or body, try feverfew or white willow bark, shades of Dr Quinn and the indian remedys, but they work, and no side effects.
If you have arthritis pain, try bromelain, maybe just eating pineapple everyday, or capsaicin capsules or rubs, devil's claw, fish oil(capsules)or my faves, turmeric and ginger. Back to the headaches, you can also try aromatherapy, put a few drops of eucalyptus, lavender or peppermint on a hanky and inhale. Chamomile or lemon balm tea also help.
For muscle aches, good old epsom salts in a tub of warm water is great.
If you have IBS, or that kind of problem, add a couple of drops of peppermint oil to your tea or cocoa.
I found a good list of company's that are GMO free, their site is http://nourishedkitchen.comgmofree-food. In case you don't want to look them up, here are a few of them: Arrowhead Mills, Eden Foods, Purity Foods, Genesoy, Earth's Best, HealthyTimes(baby foods), Bob's Red Mill, Whole Foods stores, Cascadian farms, Muir glen, Nature's path and the list goes on.
There is a fairly new product out, I find it in my vitamin catalog, Swansons, called avocado oil. If you use this in place of some of the olive oil you are used to, it protects your eyes and vision against macular degeneration, cataracts etc. It's tasty so no problem working it into your diet.
Can hardly wait for tomorrow, sunshine and warm temps to get out and do some spring gardening,. We have had a lot of rain lately, know it's good for the ground, but this old bod could use the sun for a while. I see the red bud trees are looking pink, so will be blooming soon. Easter week makes me feel like rebirth, all things new again etc. Hope you are getting spring in your area too.
Remember, you get one body, it's your most precious possession, so guard and care for it. Happy spring.
One last shot, President Obama signed the bill allowing Monsanto and other growers to expand their list of GMO produced foods. This means more poison in what we eat, our government sure is not concerned about keeping us healthy, just selling medicine to us after we are sick. Somehow, that does not seem right.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)