Vinegar Fridays

TGIVF!

Another week has flown by so quickly. So, did any of you try out Martha's facial mask? I'd love to hear your personal testimonials!

Today we're going to continue on in our quest to look lovelier than ever, thanks to our old friend, Vinegar.

Part Two: Head to toe tips

Haircare is getting more and more complicated these days with all of the toxic chemicals being added to our shampoos, conditioners and styling products. Maybe it's time we went back to using natural products right out of our kitchen cabinets. For example, remember the 3 week facial astringents I mentioned last week? Well, you can make a hair rinse following the same procedure. Grab a dark glass jar and fill it with a pint of white wine vinegar (note: this is different than distilled white vinegar), 1 cup orange peel and 1/2 cup orange leaves. Seal tightly and place on a sunny window sill for 3 weeks. Make sure to shake the jar daily. Strain and pour over your hair after shampooing.

Hair expert, Karen M. Shelton of HairBoutique.com has stated that cider vinegar is proven to rehydrate hair that is structurally weak, dry, or unmanageable, as well as strengthen hair that has been chemically treated by restoring the natural pH balance. So you can count on your hair looking and feeling healthier when you use ACV (2 tablespoons to 2 cups warm water) as a final rinse. This will strip away all the residue left on your hair by whatever shampoo you are using. ACV is especially beneficial to brunettes, while distilled white vinegar can be used for blondes.

There has been an outpouring of love for my friend, Sharon. For those of you who know and love her, I thought you'd appreciate having the address for the hospital she's in. She's currently in the CICU at Allegheny General Hospital 320 East North Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15212. No flowers, plants, balloons, etc. in the CICU, but I'm sure cards will be appreciated.

She made it through the night without complications.

In the blink of an eye

I received an upsetting phone call around 4:00 on Wednesday. A friend of mine was about to go into surgery after suffering a massive heart attack.

Sharon is a diabetic who lost her vision to diabetic retinopathy in her early 40's. Now she's facing life with a heart pump, slightly too large for her small frame, and a battery pack. Of course, the next few days will be touch and go for Sharon and she probably will be out of it for at least a week.

I spent the late afternoon and early evening pacing a lot, followed by wretched sobs that eventually forced me to my knees crying out to the God who specializes in healing and miracles. What more could I do?

One of my fears

As a grandma, I have a fear of something...well, when I think about it, I probably have a fear of a lot of things when it comes to my grandbabies, but today I want to talk about something in particular: tipping furniture.

The fact of the matter is most furniture is not made for climbing. But that doesn't stop curious toddlers or determined preschoolers. That's what concerns me. My youngest daughter was a climber and I'm often amazed she lived long enough to bless me with my first grandchild! When you discover 15,000 children end up in the ER each year after a piece of household furniture comes toppling down on them, it kind of makes my concern a bit valid. Not that I sit around worrying about it, but I am hoping my daughters will read this and do whatever's necessary to make their homes safe from this kind of tragedy.

A love story

Most of us try to do what's best for our kids. Whether it's the food we feed them, the diapers we put on them, or the products we choose for them, it's all done with their health and well-being in mind. But there's one thing we can do for our kids that helps ensure their emotional and mental health -- love their other parent.

Before those of you who are single parents start getting defensive, please don't. I know that marriages sometimes don't work out. Some of you may have been married. I will say, that while you may not love your children's other parent, I truly hope you can at least like them. Nothing is as damaging to children as parents who tear each other down and make their children feel torn between them. Divided loyalties are tough on kids.

Anyway, today's post is not about divorce. It's about a long-time loving marriage between two special friends of mine. The story appeared in Chicken Soup for the Grieving Soul in 2003 and a revised version was featured in yesterday's Pittsburgh's Post Gazette. I thought you might enjoy it.

Bug off!

I was sitting at a baby shower for my daughter yesterday (yes, another one) where I engaged in some interesting conversations. One of which revealed another natural way to repel bugs. Thanks, Erica! I'm thrilled about this one and actually came home and whipped up a batch. She swears it works, and I'm hoping she's right. After all, none of us like getting bitten by bugs, nor do we like spraying ourselves with toxic chemicals. Well, I should say, most of us don't like spraying chemicals on our bodies. I was talking to someone at a party on Saturday who didn't go for my suggestion to rub pure vanilla extract on her skin to keep the bugs away. "I just spray the horse fly spray all over me whenever I'm at the stable. I figure, if it doesn't hurt the horse, it can't hurt me!" Wow. I was speechless.

But for those of us who choose to be wiser about what goes on our bodies, here's a simple solution for keeping the bugs away:

Fill a medium-sized spray bottle with witch hazel and add 8 - 10 drops of peppermint oil.

That's it. Sounds simple enough. Now let's see if it works.

We cannot be all that God wants us to be

without caring about the earth.

-- Rick Warren                             

Vinegar Fridays

TGIVF!

Ready for some vinegar-related beauty tips? Here goes:

Part One: Skin problems

For those of you struggling with oily skin, a natural remedy is like an answered prayer. Here's what you'll need:

• a dark glass jar with a tight-fitting lid
• 1 cup lavender petals
• 1 cup lemon rind
• 1 cup rose petals
• 1 cup sage
• 1 pint apple cider vinegar

Combine the ingredients in the jar and place it on a sunny window sill. You'll want to mix the solution every day for 3 weeks by shaking it before opening and straining the liquid. Apply this natural astringent daily.

If you have the opposite problem and are constantly battling dry skin, you'll want to do the same thing, but change up the recipe a bit:

• 1 cup chamomile
• 1 cup mint
• 1 cup parsley
• 1 cup primrose petals
• 1 pint apple cider vinegar

Another astringent for your skin, which will not only dry up acne, but will also help to heal minor cuts and scrapes can be made by combining 1 cup chopped marigolds with 1 pint of any type of vinegar.

First first lady, Martha Washington, supposedly won the president's heart after he was drawn to her glowing skin. Her secret? Vinegar, of course!

Martha Washington's Vinegar Facial Mask can be whipped up by combining the following ingredients:

• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

Apply the mask to your face and relax for 20 minutes. Rinse with warm water and pat dry. Better watch out, though -- people might look at your radiant complexion and start assuming you're pregnant!

Here's another recipe guaranteed to give your skin that rosy glow: simply apply ACV directly to your face. It is a natural exfoliant. Some people swear by it, although I must admit I've not tried it yet...maybe tonight I will.

Check back next week for Part Two: From head to toe

Keeping you beautiful with vinegar,

Hana

A drop in the bucket

"What I do really doesn't have an impact on the environment. It's just a drop in the bucket."

I hear that a lot. But guess what -- each drop in the bucket combines with the other drops in the bucket and before you know it, the bucket's full! That's how it works. You carry your own coffee mug and skip the styrofoam, drip. You take your reusable cloth bags into the grocery store and bypass the paper or plastic question, drip. You decide to carpool one or two days a week, drip. You switch to cold water wash cycles, drip.

Did you know it was World Breastfeeding Week? The World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA) and advocates for breastfeeding in more than 170 countries are celebrating WBW for the 19th year with the theme, "Breastfeeding: Just 10 Steps. The Baby-Friendly Way".

Why is this important? Well, according to researchers, the best feeding option globally is the initiation of breastfeeding within the first half hour of life, exclusive breastfeeding for a full six months and continued breastfeeding through the second year or beyond. Notice, the second part there -- "exclusive breastfeeding for a full six months." That kind of contradicts the popular advice many mothers are given to start giving their infants cereal to help them sleep through the night -- sorry if this sounds harsh, but... that's a bunch of rubbish!! Introducing food too early can be harmful to your children in so many ways, including causing food allergies that may stay with them for the rest of their lives!

A little bit of green mixed with a whole lot of blue

Wow, what a busy week it was. A few of us threw a baby shower for my daughter, Bethany, and her soon-to-be-born son, Lincoln, on Sunday at my home. We planned the party for outside on the patio, and cast a concerned glance toward the sky throughout the day as I started thinking maybe God misunderstood my whole concept of a shower!

Unlike my daughter, Jess's, shower two years ago, this time around I was more environmentally conscious, so I decided to forgo the usual baby shower paraphernalia, like decorative paper plates and napkins.

My daughter's best friend, Nicole, bought compostable plates and bowls made from sugarcane. My daughter, Jess, made napkins out of old receiving blankets. Now they can be washed and given to Bethany to use as diaper wipes. How awesome is that?! Game prizes included hanging baskets of flowers, which also served as decorations for the shower. It all took a little bit more planning, but it was worth it.

After the shower was over, I had to fight the temptation to simply toss the clear plastic cups and forks into the recycling bin. It would have been much easier than hand washing them. But, they got washed and put away for the next event anyway.

While other people spent lots of money, and I do mean lots, on expensive presents from my daughter's registries, I opted to buy some personal care products (from Earth Mama Angel Baby, of course!) and organic clothing, which I arranged, unwrapped, in a wicker laundry basket with a slew of other items, most of which I picked up at garage sales and consignment shops. Appalling, I know, unless you think like me and realize there's nothing wrong, and quite possibly more right, with buying pre-owned items. Unless, of course, you're buying from places like Happy Baby Company where Bethany was registered. What an incredible assortment she received from there, including a  Baby So Smart Everyday Silk Demi Sling, a Tummy Tub with Two-Step Stool and Stand, Sophie the Giraffe and an actual Pittsburgh Cloth Diaper in the city's legendary signature colors.

Since she will be breastfeeding, I also bought Bethany a Mommy Necklace. If you haven't checked them out, you really should. They are a perfect gift for mothers of infants, whether they're nursing or not. The necklaces are unique in that they are designed for the purpose of giving a baby something to hold on to while being fed, without the threat of breaking when being tugged on. Plus they're stylish! Like I said, you should check it out. Unfortunately, you'll have to wait until later in the month to do so, since this small operation is taking a well-deserved break. They'll be back online later in the month.

It was so nice to have my mom and her cousin come into town for the festivities. They stayed through today, and while everything was quite wonderful, I can honestly say I'm now exhausted. But, of course, there's work to be done, blog posts to write and a granddaughter to hug. So, with that said, I think I'll go get to it. I hope you were able to glean some ideas for your next shower. All-in-all, I'd say it was a success...and the fact that it didn't rain was just a bit of delicious icing on the cake!

Keeping it green,

Hana

Another look at fabric softeners.

I hope you all enjoyed your weekends. Mine was insanely busy, and quite honestly, I'm beat. So I thought I'd post one of my articles that is currently running in Pinpoint Publications Zip Code magazine in Las Vegas. I know I've touched on this subject before, but the info is so important, I thought I'd post this for you.

Health vs. Soft Clothes...an Even Trade?

by Hana Haatainen Caye

Ah, the smell of a clean breeze…right out of the dryer. What exactly is in that dryer sheet that makes your laundry smell oh so “off the line” fresh? And if you knew that those ingredients could potentially cause harm to your health, the environment, and even your dryer, would you think twice about using them? Often made with harsh chemicals, the unfortunate truth is, those little wonder sheets aren’t quite as innocuous as the snuggly mascots and fluffy blankies might suggest.

Consider the ant

Go to the ant, you lazybones;

   consider its ways, and be wise.

Without having any chief

   or officer or ruler,

It prepares its food in summer,

   and gathers its sustenance in harvest.

                                 -- Proverbs 6:6-8

Vinegar Fridays

TGIVF!

Last week my neighbor's Jack Russell terrior, Jake, got into a scuffle with a skunk. Not a pretty sight or smell! I never did get around to asking my neighbor exactly what he did to eliminate the odor, but I wish I had known about the occurence at the time. Because, guess what? Vinegar could have rode to the rescue! What else?

If one of your furry friends needs fumegated, try a rub down with vinegar (any kind will do, but I'd recommend the cheapest you can find). It should do the trick.

While we're talking pets ... have any of you had a flea problem this year? So far, our cats have remained flea-free, and we're hoping it's because we've been adding that splash of distilled white vinegar to their drinking water, like I recommended in an earlier VF.

That time of the month

Okay, this one's for the ladies. Unless you sensitive, loving, wonderful guys in the community want to read this to gain a valuable understanding of what the beautiful women in your life are going through on a monthly basis : )

That said, here we go. Whatever is a grandma doing writing about that blessed time of month, formerly known as "the curse" in earlier generations? Well, because, unfortunately it's something I'm still dealing with -- cramps, leakage, bloating and all. Yippee. While I know some women, well, actually I know of one woman who bemoans the fact that she's done with her period, but as for me...I can't wait!!

Cramps are bad enough any time of the year, but in the summer...yuck. Don't you agree. I mean at least in the winter you can curl up under the covers with a heating pad and receive a little bit of comfort. But when it's 90 degrees out....

Lemon-fragranced...naturally!

I received a question on Facebook after my post yesterday regarding the use of lemons in natural cleaning products. In addition to adding a truly natural lemon scent to your home, here are some of the things you can do with a lemon:

• Polish up your brass and copper by halving a lemon and rubbing it on the tarnished items.
• Dissolve soap scum and hard water deposits with undiluted lemon juice.
• Scrub kitchen surfaces with a halved lemon sprinkled with baking soda. Use it the way you may have used Comet years ago. This is a wonderful way to get stains out of your sink or off your counters. You can also wash dishes, pots and pans with this handy little lemon scrubber. When done, toss the lemon into your garbage disposal. Ahh, the energizing aroma of lemons! 
• Polish your hardwood furniture with a solution of olive oil and lemon juice (1 cup to ½ cup). Guaranteed to make your home smell yummy – naturally! 
• Disinfect a cutting board by rubbing a cut lemon across the surface.

Speaking of disinfecting -- lemons are natural disinfectants. As a matter of fact, researchers at Tsyuma Central Hospital determined that lemon juice kills 99.9% of microbes, including the strain that causes strep infection. To make a natural disinfectant, simply mix up lemon juice with water (50/50) in a spray bottle and apply to non-porous surfaces.

Make sure you wear gloves if you have any cuts on your hands or fingers when cleaning with lemons. Lemon juice can sting when it seeps into an open wound!

Hope I’ve cleared up some of the questions about using lemons in your everyday cleaning. Keep the questions coming! I’m happy to find an answer for them when I can!

Keeping it green,

Hana

Photo courtesy of Petr Kratochvil

Gravitating toward "all natural" cleaning products

"All natural." Wonderful. This one goes into the shopping cart.

But wait...is that such a good idea? Trusting a phrase like "all natural" could actually be deadly. After all, arsenic is all natural! And natural doesn't necessarily mean eco-friendly either. As I keep saying, label-reading is a necessity these days, but first you have to know what key terms/words/phrases to look for. Here are just a few terms to look for that are a bit more specific than "all natural:"

• plant-based (I know, plants are always safe, either)
• readily biodegradable
• synthetic-free
• free of dyes

Another thing you can look for on a label is this symbol on the right. When something is marked DfE, it means the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) has given it a thumbs up as a safer, greener cleaner. 

Of course, if you've been following the blog for very long, you know I'm a huge proponent of developing your own natural cleaning products (just check out a few Vinegar Fridays' posts)! I mean, why choose "lemon-scented" when you can use real lemons? And did you ever wonder exactly what it was that created the "lemon scent?" In most cases, scents in traditional cleaning products, whether they're lemon, pine or that ever popular "fresh" scent, are derived from toxic chemicals. Did you really think there was a pine forest in that bottle?! Of course, you didn't. Fragrance-free is generally the better option.

Same goes for all the stuff that makes your house smell fresher. They're toxic, folks. Whether you opt for aerosol sprays (no comment) or energy-sucking plug-in or battery operated fresheners, the bottom line is they're just not healthy! Sprinkling baking soda on your carpet or upholstery before vacuuming can freshen your home the natural and safe way.

I hope these suggestions can help to guide you to a greener and healthier home. A little bit at a time....

Hana

Ignorance is bliss....or is it?

Shopping is getting more and more complicated these days, don't you think? It used to be I simply shopped for a bargain. Coupons, grocery store specials, etc. dictated what went in my shopping cart. But with all of the warnings about carcinogens and toxins lurking in everything from milk to produce to cleaning products to fabric softener....yikes!! I'm starting to gain a new appreciation of the phrase, "Ignorance is bliss." I guess that is until someone I love ends up with cancer or severe asthma or fibromyalgia or....oh wait, I've had all of those! Hmm. I wonder where they all came from.

Let's see. Asthma...maybe that's linked to being raised in a home of smokers...or perhaps it has to do with spending 18 years of my life breathing in asbestos-tinged air from the asbestos plant two blocks away. Fibromyalgia. That's linked to my Epstein Barr Virus Syndrome that I've been suffering from since 1973, before they even had a name for it! We've discovered a sensitivity to chemicals, particularly formaldehyde, is to blame for that. As I've been struggling to walk lately, I'm wondering how much of it has to do with the body powder I use daily that I just discovered over the weekend contains that dreaded toxin. Of course, having been married to a husband who worked at a chemical plant and brought all of the super-toxins home on his clothing every day couldn't have helped matters much when I was a young wife and mother. As far as the cancer goes...who knows? There are so many possibilities there.

"After all, I don't see why I am always asking

for private, individual, selfish miracles

when ever year there are miracles like white dogwood."

-- Anne Morrow Lindbergh (1906-2001)

Photo by Jessica J. Taylor

Vinegar Fridays

TGVIF!

For quite a few months now, I've spent my Fridays with you extolling the virtues of vinegar. Today I thought I'd explain why vinegar is a better choice when it comes to cleaning by exposing the dangers of common household chemicals. After reading this, you may be even more motivated to go back and read earlier Vinegar Fridays' posts to see how vinegar can be used to clean and disinfect your home, car, laundry, etc.

Cleaning solutions for glass and floors, as well as furniture polishes often contain ammonia.

Why is that a problem? Because ammonia can cause eye, nose and lung irritation, as well as causing skin rashes. Ideally, you should wear gloves, goggles and a mask before using ammonia.

When it's More Than Teasing -- Keeping Bullies at Bay

The following is an article I wrote for the current issue of Pinpoint Publications magazine, just in time for back-to-school preparations.

Image courtesy of Katrina Joyner

Bullying. It’s an all-too-common occurrence in today’s society. Reports from the U.S. Department of Justice reveal that one out of every four school-aged child deals with bullying at some point during the school year. It can take on many forms, from physical and verbal abuse, to cyber stalking, racial and gender slurs, to intimidation, ostracizing and public ridicule. In short, it is aggressive behavior aimed to intentionally hurt another physically and/or emotionally. While every child may encounter a bit of this from time to time, it’s the constant onslaught that needs to be dealt with swiftly, before it results in serious, if not grave consequences. Some schools have been proactive in eliminating bullying; however, it usually requires the parent, child and school administration working in tandem to find a solution.

Mirena -- What are the facts?

Let's talk birth control...specifically the supposedly "safe" Mirena IUD. And let's look at what the word "safe" actually means.

Is it safer than the Pill? Perhaps, but if you're considering using Mirena for birth control, there are a few facts you must consider.

First of all, contrary to popular opinion, Mirena, like all IUDs, does not prevent conception. When you use this type of intrauterine contraceptive, you will continue to ovulate. It is not a spermicide, so sperm will continue to travel in search of an egg to fertilize. And many times, a successful fertilization occurs. However, Mirena keeps the fertilized egg from implanting in the uterus, so your body will eventually expel it. For some, that's no big deal. But if you believe, as I do, that life begins at conception, you could be aborting countless children without even knowing it!

Teach your kids not to share

Okay, I'm beyond annoyed right now. I was paging through my new Parenting Early Years magazine when I came across an ad that made me quite angry.

The ad is for an automobile and the words at the top say, "Teach your kids not to share." Below the two pictures that follow is the statement, "Sharing is for other cars." This vehicle features a dual-screen rear seat entertainment system so kids don't have to negotiate which program to watch or video game to play...and they don't have to share! Isn't that nice? Don't I wish I could have just switched on the onboard entertainment system for my kids when they were growing up so I wouldn't have had to be bothered with conversation on the way to the grocery store, church, or even on the 4 1/2 hour drive to Grandma's? Not!

The whole earth

is a living icon

of the face of God.

-- John of Damascus (675-749)

                                                                                              Treatise

And the winner is....

Erika Gohl! Congrats Erika...some Rockin' Green is headed your way.

Email your address to me (greengrandma@comcast.net).

Thanks to everyone who participated.

Don't forget...the drawing for the free bag of Rockin' Green ends at 9:00 p.m. EST tonight! Thanks to Happy Baby Company for making this deliciously watermelon scented detergent available!

Vinegar Fridays

TGIVF!

For many of us, summer means hitting neighborhood garage sales, right? Especially for those of us with kids or grandkids...or home daycare centers for that matter. Since babies and toddlers outgrow their clothing so quickly, it seems rather foolish to buy new when used generally looks new anyway.

But what about toys? Do you ever debate whether or not it's wise to buy used toys for your children? What about all of the germs?

Well, thanks to our good friend, white distilled vinegar, most toys can be passed down from one child to the next without a problem.

Today's vinegar tips are for those of you with little children in your lives.

Another blogger loves Rockin' Green and tells us why!

I had the pleasure of meeting Adam, the owner of Happy Baby Company, (formerly Pittsburgh Cloth Diapers) last week. He and his wife own the natural baby products store in Pittsburgh, where you can not only buy a wide array of safe and healthy goods for your baby, you can also go there for classes, such as the Cloth Diapering Orientation held on alternate Saturday afternoons.

Adam took the time to talk to me about a variety of things and even went so far as to check to see if my car seat was installed correctly. It wasn't. He removed it (despite the tether buckle burning his fingers in the 95 degree weather), re-threaded the strap and then reinstalled the seat, kneeling on top of it in order to ensure a solid, tight fit. That's what I call going above and beyond the call of duty. Awesome.

As we talked about my blog, he offered to give me a bag of Rockin' Green Cloth Diaper and Laundry Detergent to use as a giveaway for you, my readers. He also introduced me to another Pittsburgh-based blog, imanimama.com, singing the praises of Jen, who pours her heart and soul into it.

I discovered Jen's blog was worthy of his praise. I also discovered a wonderful post she did with a thorough review of Rockin' Green and she has graciously allowed me to repost it here. For all of you who like reading about common sense parenting, you have to check out her blog!

Don't forget to head on over to Facebook and become a fan! Love to see your comments there as well!

Simple tips for backyard pools and spas

We don't have a pool, unless you count the little blow-up kiddie pool we fill for our granddaughter from time to time. Nor do we have a spa. But I know that some of you are fortunate enough to have one or both. My sister does.

So I thought you might like some energy-saving tips related to them. For instance, did you know that by covering your pool when it's not in use you can reduce evaporation by up to 90 percent! Plus, if you have a heated pool, it will retain the temperature better when covered.

In the same way, covering your spa will naturally keep the water temperature up when you're not using it. That way you won't use as much energy to heat it up when you're ready to slip into the hot, bubbling water.

Inconvenient? Perhaps. Budget- and eco-friendly? Absolutely.

Simple tips. Short post. Enjoy the sunshine and soak up some vitamin D!

Keeping it green,

Hana

Dangers in your car

I watched an interesting segment on Good Morning America on ABC this morning. It was about how dangerous loose objects can be in your car because in the case of a crash, they can become projectiles and cause serious injuries, or even deaths.

What they had to say was really common sense, but sometimes we have to be told about something before our common sense kicks in. Do you know what I mean?

George Clark was traveling in a car that got hit going 50 mph. Since a child was not in the car at the time, the untethered booster seat went a-flyin', slamming into George's head and basically annihilating his cheekbone and jaw. Ouch.

Win a bag of Rockin' Green!

The Happy Baby Company has graciously donated a bag of Rockin' Green Cloth Diaper & Laundry Detergent to be given to a lucky GG community member. All you have to do to win this 45 oz. bag of Classic Rock Smashing Watermelons scent RG, is:

1) be a follower on this blog
2) go to the Happy Baby Company website and pick your two favorite products there. Then post your choices on the GG Facebook page or in the comment section for this post.

That's it! The winner will be randomly chosen on July 16th.

Good luck!

The reality of it

The weekend brought with it many trials and tribulations for people we know and care about. Between children being put in foster care to affairs being exposed, families are being town apart. Not to mention the devastating effects of cancer and other diseases as they threaten to take loved ones away from their families. Wow.

I was on the phone with my daughter this morning and said, "Can we just go back and start this year over?"

The earth is our home

"The family needs a home,

a fit environment

in which to develop its proper relationships.

For the human family, this home is the earth,

the environment that God the Creator

has given us to inhabit

with creativity and responsibility.

We need to care for the environment;

it has been entrusted to men and women

to be protected and cultivated

with responsible freedom,

with the good of all

as a constant guiding criterion."

-- Pope Benedict XVI, 2007 World Day of Peace message

Vinegar Fridays

TGIVF!

Here it is again. After a brutally hot week in Pittsburgh, it's Vinegar Friday once again. Too bad I don't have a vinegar remedy for the heat!

While you might want nothing more than to stay out of the kitchen in this heat, I thought I'd give you some vinegar-related food tips today.

Some of you have complained a bit about the smell of distilled white vinegar, even though it does dissipate quickly. But do you know what's worse? The smell of fish! To minimize fishy odor, just apply some of the distilled white vinegar to the fish, rub it in, and suddenly neither the vinegar, nor the fish, smell too bad.

Cut out another foul odor by boiling cabbage in water with a touch of vinegar added.

Hands smelling oniony? Rub them with some distilled white vinegar. Problem solved.

Unfathomable grief

I heard the saddest story at church on Sunday. The wife of a friend's friend was backing out of her driveway thinking all six of her children were in the car. Unfortunately, she was wrong and it cost her husband and her their 7-year-old son, who died in the arms of his older brother.

I haven't been able to shake the effects this story has had on me. Such unimaginable loss. My heart bleeds for this family, so new to this grief. I heard that the mother does not cry; she wails. Wailing for a child she will never again hold safely in her arms while on this earth. Wailing out of loss. Wailing out of pain. Wailing from regret and remorse. Yes, it was an accident, but that doesn't take away her misplaced feeling of guilt. Think about it...how would you feel. I think I would want to die.

The demands of time and attention

Did you ever notice there are some weeks where the demands on your time seem overwhelming? Yeah, I'm kind of feeling that way today.

It's easy to push aside the little ones in your life when you get busy with other things and to view them as nuisances at times. This is not good. When I child feels he is "in the way," it knocks him down a notch in the self-worth department. On the other hand, children need to know they're not the center of the Universe, either. It's a tough juggling act, and the answer lies mostly in your attitude and how your react to their wants, needs or demands.

Right now, my grandbaby is sleeping in the other room. She needs absolutely nothing from me at this time. But that could change at any minute. And when it does, guess what? This blog post will fall by the wayside. Not that it's not important for me to get it written and posted, but priorities change at the sound of a little one's cry. Know what I mean? I hope so.

Common sense and the 4th of July

What do common sense and the 4th of July have to do with each other. Well, apparently not a whole lot when it comes to some people.

According to a local emergency room physician, the holiday weekend casualities included eyesight, fingers and a hand, all lost to amateur fireworks accidents. Like I said, a lack of common sense.

I live in Pennsylvania where explosive fireworks are illegal, unless one has a permit. Perhaps where you live these dangerous "toys" are legal. But legality doesn't make it smart. Take, for instance, the legality of riding a motorcycle without a helmut on a highway....ummmm, I don't even know what to say about that.

I'm celebrating the holiday with my husband. Check back tomorrow for a new post.

We hold these truths to be self-evident,

that all men are created equal,

that they are endowed

by their Creator

with certain unalienable Rights,

that among these are

Life,

Liberty

and the pursuit

of Happiness.

The Declaration of Independence July 4, 1776

 

 

 

 

Vinegar Friday

TGIVF!

I hate polishing metals. For one thing, I just don't like the smell of the polishes I've used, whether it's for silver, pewter or brass. So, if you're like me, you'll like today's vinegar tips. Of course, vinegar doesn't have the best smell around, but we're all getting used to it, right? Besides, you can add a little bit of lemon juice to fragrance it up a bit. At least you'll know where the lemon smell comes from in your homemade remedies, unlike the secret lemon scent of commercial products!

Let's start off with brass and copper. Of course, you want to grab your distilled white vinegar, but this time you have to reach into the refrigerator and take out your Heinz ketchup (you can use another kind, if you must, but I'm a Pittsburgh girl, so Heinz is the only way to go!). Mix 2 tablespoons of ketchup with 1 tablespoon of vinegar. Smear it on your brass and copper pieces and rub until dry. Check out the shine! Let me know how many of you headed out for some fries after finishing this task!

Random tips and thoughts

You may have read some of these in previous posts, but thought you could use a reminders....

Did you know that Heloise preached about cleaning with the things you already have in your cupboard (vinegar, baking soda, etc.) 50 years ago?!

Did you know hydrogen peroxide (3%) is effective in killing mildew on tile and bacteria on plastic cutting boards? Just pour enough to cover the area, let it sit for 30 minutes; scrub, rinse and dry.

Sick of junk mail? Get off the lists by registering with Direct Marketing Association's DMA Choice Mail.

To call or not to call...when to ring your pediatrician

When my oldest child was an infant, my mother insisted I call her pediatrician on a holiday. I was not thrilled about this, but she was insistent, so I called to appease her. You see, Mom was visiting for the weekend and when she realized her grandbaby had not moved her bowels in three days, she panicked. I told her it had been more like five days and that's when she demanded I call the doctor.

I left a message with the answering service and a little while later the pediatrician returned my call.

"What's the problem?" he asked.

"My three-month-old hasn't moved her bowels in five or six days."

"Is she breastfed?" he deadpanned.

"Yes," I answered sheepishly.

"Perfectly normal."

Maybe I'm not remembering the details as well as I should, but I do believe he hung up with that. No goodbye. No question about other symptoms. Just a statement of fact. "Perfectly normal."

My breastfed baby just didn't poop much. I always felt a bit of pride when I hung her diapers on the line because they were the whitest diapers around! No nasty poop stains marring their pristine appearance as they blew lazily in the breeze.

Do you ever struggle with whether or not to call the pediatrician?

Let's bring back the horse and buggy!

It's that time of year for me -- my annual car inspection is due. I hate, hate, hate when this date rolls around, as I feel completely vulnerable to potentially crooked car mechanics. I know there are a lot of honest ones out there, but I rarely seem to find them.

The problem with car inspections (mandatory in Pennsylvania) is you never know how much it's going to cost you to be able to legally put your car back on the road. At this point, I know I need a new exhaust system. Ouch. I know I don't need tires, but I'm just not sure about the brakes.

Since I'm already thinking about cars, I thought I'd share some green car tips with you. Did you know that if you simply slow down you can save money? Motoring it 10 mph above 60 costs you about 50 cents more per gallon. So rather than griping about the rising gas prices (which are worth griping about, in my opinion) just ease your foot off the gas petal when you're on the highway.

But what about when you're just scooting about town? Fast starts and gunning your engine can eat up your gas rather quickly. While we're all about saving ourselves money, think about saving someone else some money (and gas) by letting your left-turning fellow drivers go in front of you at a light. That way they don't have to gun their engines in order to escape being hit by oncoming traffic. I never thought about this one before, so thanks to Verdure Magazine, Pittsburgh's green publication, for the tip.

Another way to reduce your gasoline consumption is by keeping your tires pumped up -- improper inflation ultimately costs you at the gas pump.

Finally, my last tip for today involves your car's air filter. A clean one helps your car run more efficiently....which reminds me to remind my hubby to check it for me when he gets home from work.

Have an awesome week, my friends.

Keeping it green,

Hana

Photo courtesy of Peter Griffin

If I am going to be

in the right relationship

with God,

I should treat the things He has made

in the same way He treats them.

                                            -- Francis Schaeffer (1912-84),

                                           Pollution and the Death of Man

Vinegar Fridays

TGIVF!

Two weeks ago, I promised more summertime vinegar tips on the next Vinegar Friday. Unfortunately, an emergency prevented me from posting. So, with the old adage "better late than never,' here they are:

Being seen in public in your swimsuit is not the only issue facing swimmers, although I'm sure for some of you, that isn't a problem. For me, personally, chances are pretty good you're not going to see me in a swimsuit any time soon. But that's not the only problem I have when it comes to swimming. I also deal with swimmer's ear any time my ears get wet...even in the shower.

Once again, vinegar comes to the rescue. This time it's distilled white vinegar mixed with rubbing alcohol (1:1 ratio). Put some drops in your ears before you swim and you'll have a good shot at preventing the pain of swimmer's ear entirely. If you don't have a dropper, just saturate a cotton swab with the mixture and gently dab it in your ear. You can also dab some undiluted apple cider vinegar in the outer ear canals for relief.

Keeping it green...in the bathroom Part 2

Other than shampoo/conditioner and deodorant, what are some other ways to be kinder to the environment in your bathroom?

If you're up to speed at all regarding green living, then you've probably heard about how much water is wasted whenever you're brushing your teeth. The estimated amount of water used when doing this daily task is about five gallons per person. According to The Green Book, if everyone across the U.S. would simply turn off the water while brushing, up to 1.5 billion gallons of water could be saved each day. Whoa. So, wet your toothbrush and then turn off the tap until you're done brushing. Easy enough.

Now let's go back to products used in the bathroom, starting with cotton balls. I know, you're thinking, What now? What could be wrong with cotton balls? Nothing, necessarily, unless they're not made from cotton. Many cotton balls actually contain polyester and it requires over 65% more energy to produce this synthetic material than it does to produce cotton. However, if you remember my posting about the chemicals used to treat cotton, your best option here is organic cotton balls or at least buy the ones not treated with chlorine bleach.

Keeping it green...in the bathroom

Still not feeling my best, so I thought I'd just post a couple of personal grooming green tips for you. These are from The Green Book by Elizabeth Rogers and Thomas M. Kostigen.

Did you ever think about all you could save by using a two-in-one shampoo and conditioner rather than buying/using them separately? Well, consider this:

• You'd save money
• You'd save on plastic bottles
• You'd save water (it wouldn't take as long to wash and condition your hair...oh look, that translates to saving money as well!)
• You'd save time -- something we all seem to need more of

According to The Green Book (page 100), "If one in seven U.S. households replaced its shampoo and conditioner purchase with a single two-in-one bottle, the amount of plastic saved per year could fill a football field twenty-seven stories high." That's some serious saving!

For those of you who are heavy sweaters out there -- you might not like this one. When buying deodorant, skip the antiperspirants. Why? Well, antiperspirants contain aluminum salts which seal up your pores -- this is potentially toxic to you. Besides the health risk, there is also the fact that mining aluminum requires an enormous amount of energy. For each stick of deodorant you buy sans aluminum, you save enough energy to power up a laptop for a half hour. Doesn't seem like much of a savings, does it? But, if only five percent of adults crossed antiperspirants off their shopping lists for life, the yearly energy savings could buy 250 new computers for classrooms in the United States every year.

More tips tomorrow.

Keeping it green,

Hana

What is this blog about anyway?

Someone emailed me tonight, and in a bit of a rant, questioned my decision to post yesterday's story about crib death. "Did I assume wrong that Green Grandma wants to promote a clean environment?" she asked. "I thought that was its focus."

Based on her question, I thought that perhaps this would be a good time to reiterate to you, my readers, what the purpose of the blog is.

Let's look at the name of the blog: Green Grandma. Green because I really do want to educate and spur on the GG community to living greener lives. "Promote a clean environment?" Perhaps, but my main goal is to encourage each of you to make more environmentally-friendly choices in your everyday lives. It's not to raise up tree-hugging activists. There are enough other sites to do that. For those of you who have been reading long enough, you know I often focus on trash and recycling issues. And, of course, I give cloth diapers a plug from time to time.

The second half of the name is Grandma. That's where the heart of the blog lies. I'm the grandma of one amazing 20-month-old granddaughter, with a grandson on the way. I care about the world that awaits them. I care about the chemicals and toxins in the products they will use. I care about the chemicals and toxins in the landfills...and in the water...and in the diapers. I care about the emotional environment they'll be raised in. I care about the schools and the television shows and the music they'll be exposed to. I care about the food they eat, the medicines they take, the health conditions they may have. I want my grandchildren to grow up in a healthy environment.

Since this is my blog, I feel I have the right to share whatever I want to on it. Sometimes that means I share my heart with you. I share my pain and my hopes. Why? Because you've become a family to me and I want you to get to know me. Why I'm being questioned on what I choose to post baffles me.

But I hope I've cleared some things up for you. You, who I offer vinegar tips to on Fridays. You, who I warn about toxins and unsafe products. You, who I trust with sensitive issues....like crib death.

Thank you for receiving Patty Gunnett's story yesterday with such warmth. She wrote it in hopes of touching someone's life out there who may be struggling with the aftermath of their own child's death. Her email address follows her story. If you feel a need or desire to correspond with Patty, she would love to hear from you.

In the meantime, please know that every post I write or share, is done with you in mind.

Keeping it real,

Hana

Crib death -- rising above the tragedy

Last week at the writers' workshop I lead, one of our new writers shared a little bit about a painful experience she went through over 50 years ago. I emailed her later and asked if she'd be willing to write about it and share what happened with the GG community. She graciously agreed. So, here, in her own words, is Patty Gunnett's moving story.

REMEMBERING

A Personal Story About SIDS

It was 1958 and my husband and I were enjoying the Christmas season. Married for not quite two years, Bob and I lived in a second floor apartment in the small town of Ellwood City, Pennsylvania with our 6 month old daughter, Beth Ann.

Trimmed with brightly colored ornaments, the Christmas tree looked festive as we stacked our presents under it.

Our small family had plans to visit my husband’s parents in Norristown, Pennsylvania on Christmas day, along with a quick visit with his brother and family, who lived nearby. Our own family celebration with my parents would take place a few days later back in Ellwood City. We couldn’t wait to see Beth Ann’s reaction to what Santa Claus left for her there.

The trip to Norristown was cheerful, yet uneventful. Beth Ann’s car seat was fastened between us on the front seat. Every several miles, I reached over and beeped the horn on the little plastic steering wheel attached to the seat. She laughed with delight.

Grandma and Grandpa were anxious to spend Beth Ann’s first Christmas with us. We enjoyed a delicious chicken dinner at Bob’s brother’s house the day after we arrived, ending the evening with a family slide show which resulted in much laughter. It was December 22, 1958 and my whole world was about to come crashing down around me.

Happy Father's Day!

You will find that if you really try to be a father,

your child will meet you halfway.

~Robert Brault                                              

Photo by Bobby Mikul

TGIVF!

Unfortunately, an emergency situation kept me from writing my Vinegar Fridays post. I'll try to work it into the schedule as the day goes on. If I don't get anything posted, please forgive me and check back next week for some more awesome vinegar tips.

Spent the afternoon and evening with my 20-month-old granddaughter. It was a delightful day but now I'm beat. Plus I think I'm getting sick...or am sick. So, rather than staying up late writing my blog post for tomorrow, I think I'm going to go do my apple cider vinegar gargle and head to bed.

Sometimes taking care of ourselves is the best thing we can do for our families and friends.

Trying to keep it healthy,

Hana

The worry demon

There's an awful lot going on in the world of products-to-stay-away-from. It can get awfully worrisome, can't it? Sometimes you just feel like burying your head in the sand -- the less you know, the better, right? Well, maybe as far as your mental health goes, but if you care about your family's safety, knowledge is key.

A few years ago, while researching for a series of articles on pregnancy and infant care I was hired to write for a client, I discovered the disturbing facts about disposable diapers. When it was time for one of my children to have a baby of her own, I couldn't help sharing what I'd learned. Sure, I could've kept quiet. After all, her life would have been a bit easier had she used disposable diapers. But knowing the facts about the dangers lurking in the chemicals in disposables, Jessica made the inconvenient choice to go with cloth, despite the fact that she was working fulltime! I can't tell you how proud I am of her for making that decision.

Lead in Baby Food...what next?!

Sometimes you just feel like walking around in ignorance of things, don't you? I mean, really...everything seems to be dangerous these days. And now we have to watch out for lead in the foods and drinks we give our little ones. C'mon....this is getting ridiculous.

On June 10, 2010, the Environmental Law Foundation (ELF) issued a press release informing the public of the violation of California Proposition 65 Toxics Right to Know law, by a long list of well-known and trusted companies, including: Beech-Nut, Del Monte and Earth's Best. The charges indicate that the toxic chemical lead was found in the following foods and beverages: apple juice, grape juice, packaged pears and peaches (including baby food) and fruit cocktail. You can find the complete list here.

Recycle Caps with Aveda

When you throw your plastic bottles in the recycling can, what do you do with the caps? If you're like me, you toss 'em right in there with the bottles. That is, up until a few days ago when I found out that many recycling companies simply toss the caps in the trash and don't recycle them at all!

I was at the mall on Wednesday...which is not a common occurence for me, and I stopped by Aveda for some of their wonderful tea, a relaxing neck massage with their amazing blue oil and a bottle of shampoo. While there, I engaged in a rather lengthy conversation with the manager and learned even more reasons why I, and you, should shop at Aveda whenever possible. This is a company that truly cares, not only about the environment, but about so much more.

Which brings us to the plastic bottle cap issue. Aveda has a cap recycling initiative that puts these caps to good use.

Caring for creation

is not a new theology;

rather, it has simply been forgotten.

 -- J. Matthew Sleeth, M.D.

Introduction to The Green Bible

Photo courtesty of Maureen Profeta

Vinegar Fridays

TGIVF!

Once again, I can't believe it's time for Vinegar Fridays already. These late spring weeks are flying by. I wish they'd slow down a bit so I could enjoy more of this beautiful time of year.

One thing I don't like about this time of year is the clothing. For me, the more clothing covers up, the better! I love, love, love fall and winter clothes! Once I hit 50, I started noticing weird things happening to my skin. Veins that used to be invisible no longer are. And what are these age spots all about?! I'm not liking this part of aging.

So what does all this have to do with vinegar? Well, it just so happens, there are some vinegar remedies for these little skin problems we all might face sometime or another.

Children's sunscreens -- which ones are safe?

After the rainout we had in Pittsburgh on Wednesday, it's hard to think about the need for sunscreen. But before you take your children outside on a sunny day, you really ought to read this blog post.

According to ModernMom.com, there are some sunscreens you need to keep away from your little ones. From claims of staying power that give false security to potential hormone disruptors to poisoning dangers, the following sunscreens should be avoided:

• Banana Boat Baby 100 SPF
• Panama Jack Baby Sunblock
• Aveeno Baby
• Hawaiian Tropic Baby Cream Lotion

So which ones are considered safe? Again, according to ModernMom.com, you want to look for sunscreens containing zinc or titanium. This will give you, and your kids, the best UVA protection while eliminating the chemicals that are linked to hormone disruption.

The Environmental Working Group named these sunscreens among the best:

• California Baby
• Bullfrog
• Badger
• Jason Naturals

The above links take you directly to the products' websites, but you can find good deals on them on Amazon.com and sites like Drugstore.com. Some stores, such as Whole Foods carry some of these lines as well.

While it's essential you keep your children safe from too much sun exposure, it's also important to protect them from harmful chemicals. It all goes with this parenting package you accepted the day they were born.

Keeping it healthy,

Hana

Too much sun

Despite our best efforts, sometimes we, or our kids, get burnt while enjoying a day in the sun. My daughter is on vacation in Savannah. She and her husband decided to spend the day at the beach on Tybee Island.

"Don't get burnt again," I warned her on the phone today.

"I won't," she assured me. We even rented an umbrella to keep me in the shade."

Relieved, I didn't give it any more thought, other than a quick reminiscence back to 2001 when she asked me to go to Savannah with her on vacation in lieu of her going on a senior trip with friends. I was honored and thrilled to go.

So just the two of us headed out by car for the 700+ mile drive. We grabbed a copy of the audiobook, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, from the library to accompany us on the way down.

On one of our first days there, we hit the beach on Tybee Island where she got severely burnt. She spent the next day or two moaning and groaning on the bed in the hotel. Not fun.

How full is your trash can?

Are you a typical American? If so, did you know that your production of garbage averages about 4.5 lbs./day.  Does that not disgust you?

My husband and I have really become conscious of this over the last 10 months or so, since I created my alter-ego, The Green Grandma, and I'm happy to say, we didn't even bother putting out our garbage this week. There wasn't enough to bother with. Our recycling bin was full, of course, and we took some bags of paper over to our church's paper recycling bin. But our garbage can had one small bag in it. And that makes me happy!

A hairy dilemma

I have a dilemma. I may be The Green Grandma, but that doesn't mean I want to be The Grey Grandma! I don't want grey hair. Period. But this hair dying routine I go through every six weeks or so has me feeling a little bit guilty. After all, the toxins and heavy metals I'm putting onto my head and then washing down the drain cannot be doing me or the earth any good, and chances are, they're doing both of us a bit of harm.

As a matter of fact, research shows that home-dye solutions can contain quite a few known carcinogens, including Acid Orange 24, 2,3-Naphthalenediol and F,D,&C, D&C, and P-phenylenediamine.  So what do I do?

Around the world,

we can see the results of exploitation

which destroys much

without taking future generations
into account.

Today,

all men have a duty

to show themselves worthy

of the mission

given them by the Creator

by ensuring the safe-keeping
of that creation.

-- Pope John Paul II, press conference, Antannanarivo, Malagasy Republic

Vinegar Fridays

TGIVF!!

While I may say Thank God it's Vinegar Friday, I'm not quite sure I mean it. This week flew by and I'm not at all ready for it to be over. It was a busy week and I didn't accomplish nearly what I set out to do. Which means Saturday will be spent in my office working. So you all can celebrate Friday, while I pretend it's Thursday. Fair enough?

The last couple of weeks I wrote about the health benefits of apple cider vinegar. There are lots more, and I'll be sharing them in the next month or so, but for today I want to go back to our old friend, distilled white vinegar.

My daughter, Jess, and her friend, Erin, have launched a green cleaning business and are introducing DWV to homes in the Pittsburgh area, as they demonstrate the extraordinary cleaning and disinfecting properties of vinegar, baking soda, lemons and more. See where a simple thing like Vinegar Fridays can lead?!

Color your world...the green way

With the season of open windows and good ventilation, many of you might be considering putting a fresh coat of paint onto a wall or two inside your home. Well, before you head out to Home Depot to pick your colors, why not consider greener alternatives to traditional paints. By choosing paints made from minerals, beeswax, plant oils or milk, you eliminate just one more toxic substance from your home.

Milk paints go back to Colonial times and actually do contain milk, along with lime and natural pigments. These are good when you'll aiming for a textured look, as the brush marks will remain.

You can get similar results without the milk by using a whitewash. The lime and water combo gets its tint from natural pigments. Click here for a recipe for homemade eco-friendly whitewash.

Both milk paints and whitewash can be used outdoors as well.

Another natural texturing idea is tinted plaster made from natural clays. Make sure you use a primer if you decide to use plaster on new drywall or any surfaces that are already painted.

Natural clay paints are another good alternative and work well on most surfaces.

For a list of non-toxic earth-friendly paints, check out eartheasy.com.

There are so many choices out there, and granted, some are more expensive than traditional paints you can pick up at your local hardware store. But in the long run, isn't your family's health worth it? You never know how many doctors' visits you may avoid by limiting the amount of toxins you invite into your home. Just saying....

Keeping it green,

Hana

Looking for a college? Why not go green?

While my parenting posts generally address issues with smaller children, today's is directed at those of you who have teenagers looking into college choices for next year.

There are many reasons to choose a college from majors to location to, God forbid, partying status (as in Penn State, voted the #1 party school in the country...wonderful). But if your teen has a heart for the environment as well as a head for learning, he or she may want to consider a green college or university.

I hope you all enjoyed your long weekend. I know I did. Lots of time with my family and three days in a row with my grandbaby. It doesn't get any better than that. Since it was a busy weekend for me, and I'm assuming a busy one for many of you as well, I'm not going to blog today, in hopes you will take the time to read yesterday's post which you may not have had the time to read.

So, enjoy your shorter work week and I'll be back with a new post tomorrow.