Thursday's Truths and Tidbits

Photo by Jiri Hodan

Truth: I like wine. 

Truth: I like beer, too. But not as much as my husband.

That is why today's tidbit has to do with wine and beer bottles and a wonderfully creative reuse idea.

I saw this on Earth911.com and ran all the way down to the basement to tell Bill about it. That's how excited I was about this project. All we need for it is a whole lot of wine and/or beer bottles. Too bad we didn't know about this sooner. Now we have to start collecting them from friends and family ... and maybe a bar or restaurant or two. 

We live in a state that does not take back bottles. When I was growing up, I loved scouring the neighborhood with my cousin, Kelly, looking for bottles to turn in for a deposit. We were saving up for a horse. We had a purpose! Now, few states motivate kids to similar tasks as we see bottles tossed along the roadside, in the woods, scattered along riverbanks, etc. It's sad.

I love when I find an alternative to simply tossing my bottles into the recycling bin. And this one beats all! A wine/beer bottle garden border! Have you ever heard of such a thing? Apparently, it's an old school idea that is being resurrected in our age of creative reuse. Yippee! And Bill and I are so going to do this!

Since I don't have the rights to the photos on Earth911.com, I encourage you to head over there to see the awesome picture. There are links to a step-by-step tutorial and to the following video, which you can just view here. This is from the Gardener's Notebook. If you want to know how to do it, here you go! 

Let me know if you decide to try this, and please, post a picture on the Green Grandma Facebook page. I'd love to see your handiwork!

Review It Wednesday -- Wildwood SoapWorks

A couple of months ago, I won a bar of soap. As I sent my address to the company, I added a note about how I review things on Wednesdays on my blog. Would they like to add anything for a review, I asked. They apparently liked the idea and a few days later, I received a package with the soap I chose for a prize (Ice Storm), along with four other items. Surprises like that always make me smile!

So here is my take on the products I received, at no charge to me, from Wildwood SoapWorks.

First, is the soap I won. I was able to choose, so I requested the Ice Storm, which contains the following ingredients: saponified organic oils of: extra virgin olive, coconut, palm fruit, high oleic sunflower, shea butter, castor bean, and jojoba; distilled water, peppermint and spearmint essential oils, blue poppy seeds, and rosemary oleoresin extract.

Yummy. The scent of this soap is invigorating and simply lovely. I've been using it for over a month now, and am pleased to say the scent is as potent as it was when I first received it. Oftentimes, a soap will have a marvelous scent initially, only to lose it after several uses. This is not the case with the Wildwood SoapWorks soap.

The blue poppy seeds, generously sprinkled throughout the bar, add a nice exfoliating texture to the soap, although at times it is a bit abrasive. I would not suggest using this on sunburned skin, for example.

To complement my soap, the kind folks at Wildwood also sent me the Ice Storm Lotion Bar. Again, the minty scent is wonderful. The lotion is in the form of a solid cylinder that pushes up with a twist of the bottom of the plastic bottle, similar to a solid deodorant bar. Again, there are all natural and safe ingredients: organic shea butter, organic beeswax, organic jojoba oil, organic high oleic sunflower oil, a proprietary blend of therapeutic grade essential oils and vitamin E.

I have mixed feelings about the lotion bar. I love the scent and the packaging is convenient for travel. However, I find the bar to be a bit sticky when trying to apply it to my skin. But ... I love it for my heels! When my heels are dry and I don't have time to soak my feet in apple cider vinegar, I can do a couple of swipes with the lotion bar and go on my way. It's great for that! It works well to soften elbows, too.

I also received a small .5 oz. tin of Healing Balm, listed as a natural antiseptic ointment, made up of extra virgin olive oil, natural beeswax, goldenseal root, myrrh powder, echinachea, black walnut powder, calendula, tea tree essential oil, and lavender essential oil. Again, it has a pleasant scent. Quite honestly, I haven't had much of an opportunity to try it out. No cuts, no burns. I have tried it on mosquito bites and found it does not relieve the itch. My husband, on the other hand, used it after shaving and was happy to report zero razor burn!

Bill also gave the bug spray a try on a hot, humid day when the bugs were threatening to take him down as he worked in the yard. Success! And with the "Buzzed" Natural Bug and Tick Spray, he wasn't walking around smelling like a citronella candle! The natural blend of essential oils with a proprietary extract, repels mosquitos, ticks, gnats, no-see-ums, black flies, green head flies, chiggers, and other insects. Since it is in a fractionated coconut oil base, it doesn't sweat away or stain clothing. My husband does reapply it throughout the day if he's outside for an extended period of time.

So, for the most part, it works. But we were unhappy to discover that it isn't particularly effective at night when the mosquitoes are on a rampage. However, our property borders the woods where deer bed down for the night, and an occasional morning or afternoon, so ticks are a concern. And it's safe enough to spray on the grandkids when they're playing in the yard. This stuff is essential in anyone's home where ticks are a potential problem!

Finally, we love the additional bar of soap that Wildwood SoapWorks sent to us! The Gardener soap is "A sweet penetrating aroma of eucalyptus and Sage essential oils. Blueberry seeds, corn meal and extra fine pumice are added for gentle exfoliation." We keep this soap by our stationary tubs in the basement so we can give our hands and thorough, and fragrant, washing after working in the yard. This is awesome stuff!

Wildwood SoapWorks offers a wide array of natural products, using only certified organic, plant-based oils. Even the colors are obtained from the use of ground herbs, vegetable purees, or root infusions. Check out their website to see the list of products for baby, bath, pets, and more! Plus, there's some eye candy for the ladies!

As if the review package wasn't generous enough, Wildwood SoapWorks also offered to send a Gardener's Package to one of you! How nice is that?

So, enter to win and a package just may be on its way to you in a week or two. The Gardener's Package includes:

• Gardener's Soap
• Solid lotion
• "Buzzed" Natural Bug and Tick Spray 

Just enter below, and Good Luck!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Are you crunchy?

Guest bloggers make me happy, and Brittany is no exception. When I posted a need for someone to write about being "crunchy," she quickly responded. You see, even though I'd heard the term over and over, quite honestly, I didn't really know what it meant. I mean, I knew it had to do with a greener and healthier lifestyle, but I wasn't sure of all the details. 

In today's post, Brittany tells you of her own journey into crunchiness. By the time you're done reading, you can determine for yourself whether or not you can claim the "crunchy" badge.

What a Crunchy Mom is and Why I Choose to be One

If you haven’t heard of the term “crunchy” before, you aren’t alone. It’s a somewhat new term and there are many people who look at me funny when I tell them I’m crunchy. For the most part, crunchy gets used a lot like the terms: “granola,” “hippie,” and even “green.” While these terms are definitely similar and there are some who would argue there is no difference whatsoever, I think there’s more to being crunchy then the images most people would bring to mind if they heard “hippie” instead.

What Crunchy Is

Crunchy is generally used in reference to a parenting style, although I think it’s important to remember that anyone can be crunchy. Granted many of the crunchy topics refer to parenting choices, but saying crunchy is exclusive to anyone but a parent would be incorrect.

Those who are crunchy generally do not just go with mainstream ideas and practices simply because everyone else is doing so. I’m not saying all mainstream ideas are off limits to the crunchy crowd, but it does mean that crunchy people research. They choose to make educated decisions and therefore, they usually research things most people wouldn’t bother to investigate. 

Of course, there are plenty of people who research their hearts out as well. Research doesn’t make one crunchy. Being crunchy comes with the decision you finally make. The long and short of it is that being crunchy usually puts you in the “natural” category. For instance, someone who is crunchy may eat organic, cloth diaper, avoid plastics, compost, use alternative medicine, use chemical free/natural products, co-sleep, chose to not, or selectively, vaccinate. 

There is one thing I like to mention when I talk about what crunchy looks like however. Being crunchy doesn’t mean you are 100% crunchy. No one can be 100% of anything and that includes crunchiness. There will always be things you could be crunchier on and there may always be things you decide to never go crunchy with. Doing things that are not necessarily crunchy or even anti-crunchy, does not remove you from the crunchy crowd. Nor does it mean that if you see someone who is not crunchy in a particular area you can then look down your nose at him or her. Crunchies should realize that being crunchy is a journey and therefore there should be no “crunchier than thou”s.

Why I am Crunchy

I never intended to be crunchy. I was as mainstream as they get when I got married and had my first child. I’d hear a friend say they cloth diapered or delayed vaccinations and I’d think they were extreme. However, I then had my second child and he dealt with eczema. Nothing major, but it was enough to move me towards my journey of being crunchy. Due to my son having eczema, I suddenly needed to buy unscented/un-dyed laundry detergent. I switched our cleaning products and my children’s personal products. I even began researching alternatives to steroid cream. Some people get to choose if they want to be crunchy, others practically are forced into it. I was one of those who was pushed into being crunchy. After that initial push, I found I had a hunger to learn more ways to keep my kids and my family safe and healthy.

Being crunchy might mean a bit more work. I have to research our options, I have to spend time comparing products to see which are safer, I have to wash my diapers, I even make many of our own personal products. However, I know that being crunchy is making a difference for my family. We are healthier since we became crunchy, we save money (well, at least in most areas), and my kids will know that life doesn’t necessarily come off a shelf and shouldn’t be taken for granted. Yes, it’s more work, but I am glad to do it; I’m happy to be crunchy.

Brittany lives in Seattle with her husband and three children. She enjoys researching everything that involves living naturally and writes about her increasingly crunchy life at The Pistachio Project. Please check out her blog for more insight into crunchiness!

Are you crunchy?

Some blessed time alone

I am not a fan of sleepless nights. Or of extreme heat. Which is why I ended up climbing out of bed and into the shower before the sun was barely over the horizon. It's going to be a long day.


Saturday, on the other hand, was a too short, marvelously wonderful day. You see, I finally had a day to myself. My husband, who retired 38 days ago and has rarely left the house without me since then, volunteered to help at our church's flea market. I was beside myself with joy! He left around 7:45 and did not return until 4:30 or so. It was the best day ever. You know we don't appreciate what we have until it's gone and looking back, I never truly appreciated my time alone ... until I no longer had any!

Now, I recognize that people are all different. Some of you might hate the thought of solitude. However, I thrive on it. That is not a reflection on my husband. He's wonderful. It's a reflection on me ... my disposition. I do not enjoy being with anyone 24/7. I just don't. But, let's get back to Saturday.

The biggest issue I faced on Saturday was what to do with my time. Part of me was screaming "Get thee to Writerhead," while another part was longing to just sit in the sun and read. Still another side was prompting me to do laundry, clean the fish bowl, make potato salad clean the kitchen, etc. That side won.

Were these things I could do with Bill around? Of course. But did I enjoy doing them in solitude. Oh yeah. I turned on my Singers and Swing music station and listened to it all day long. The volume was turned up loud enough to be heard in the basement, and upstairs, and out on the patio, but not loud enough to be annoying.

I never did get around to doing any personal writing, but I did sit in the sun and work on drafting the first chapter of a book on finances that I'm writing with a client. That's what I was working on when I heard Bill's car in the driveway.

Even though I didn't forsake work for the day, I still considered the day to be a Sabbath rest. Why? Because it was pure refreshment for my spirit. Resting doesn't necessarily mean sitting around doing nothing. Sometimes activity can be exactly what we need. In my case, it was activity with no agenda, no schedule, no to-do list ... and no one to interrupt. That was the divine.

Yesterday, I spent time in worship with my church family. Then I attended a baby shower, finally making it home around 3:30. And then I did what any Sabbath-loving person would do ... I laid down and took a 2 1/2 hour nap! What a luxury!

But then, since I hadn't pushed myself on deadlines on Saturday, I admit, I did sit down at my desk and work for a few hours in the evening. I was rewarded with a delicious dinner Bill planned and prepared himself. We sat outside and ate and then topped off the weekend with a competitive game of Bananagrams. When it comes to weekends ... this one gets high ratings.

Now if I could only figure out how to survive these menopausal night issues ...

Sharing my Sabbath experience,

Han

The luxury of being alone

Being solitary is being alone well: 

being alone luxuriously immersed 

in doings of your own choice, 

aware of the fullness of your won presence 

rather than of the absence of others. 

Because solitude is an achievement.  

 -- Alice Koller          

$500 can buy a whole lot of vinegar!

Photo by Petr Kratochvil

We all love to win stuff, right? 
 Well, how about $$, as in $500?!

Thanks to the folks at ContestChest.com, 

you have the opportunity to win $500.

And if you win, so do I!

So, I'm really hoping you enter 

and really, really hoping you win!

There are lots of blogs participating, so Good Luck!

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Thursday's Truths and Tidbits

A selection of random thoughts: 

• No matter how much vinegar you use, there are still 24 hours in a day.
• Time does not slow down because you choose to be green.
• Waiting until you're 40 to stop using tanning beds will not prevent damage to your skin that's already been done. You will still look 75 when you are 55. 
• Smoking does not make you look cool (no kidding).
• You can never hug your kids too much.
• Everyone needs to hear the words, "I love you," from time to time.
• Spending a day "unplugged" will not do permanent damage to anyone in your family.
• Ten-year-olds do not need cellphones.
• Parents of children (not adult children) are to be parents and not best friends.
• Preteens should not wear high heels. It's physically bad for them.
• Giving breast implants as a high school graduation present is just plain moronic.
• Allowing your teen to dress like a hooker will produce predictable results ... don't whine about it when it happens.
• Cutting down trees to build more shopping centers while other shopping centers have empty buildings is simply ridiculous.
•  People who need time alone need time alone. Period. 

 So, these are Thursday's Truths and Tidbits. How about adding some of your own. I'd love to read them!

Reviewing colleges and universities -- how green are they?

Compiled By: Online Colleges Guide

Natural Home Remedies ... another point of view

Have I mentioned recently how much I love my guest bloggers? Well, I do. Today, I'm happy to offer another take on natural home remedies, written by Audrey Porterman. She is the main researcher and writer for doctoralprograms.org. A recent graduate from Ohio State with a degree in business management, Audrey's current focus for doctoralprograms.org involves a doctoral nursing program and online phds. A chock full of home remedies also can be found in my book, Vinegar Fridays, available through Lulu.com or Amazon.com.

Photo by Vera Kratochvil

Natural Home Remedies

When you think of a clean home, do you imagine the smell of Lysol, bleach, or something citrusy? While traditional store-bought cleaners may take up the dirt and bacteria and get your house clean, they leave behind harmful chemical residues, turning your home into a toxic environment that threatens the health of your family.

The same is true of beauty care products that leave your hair smelling citrusy and your skin soft, yet leave behind harmful chemicals.

Discontinuing use of these cleaners and beauty products is the first step toward creating a natural, healthy home environment. Now how do you keep your house clean? Organic products are available, but some of these use chemicals or questionable ingredients, as well.

The best way to ensure the purity of your home cleaners and beauty products is to make them yourself. Many can be created with simple ingredients that you probably already have in your pantry or refrigerator.

Here are a few home remedies that you can create:

House Cleaners

The easiest cleaner you can create – and one that can be used for a variety of cleaning jobs throughout your house – is a simple mixture of white vinegar and water. Simply mix one part white vinegar with one part water. You can store your solution in a spray bottle or make it as needed and apply it with a cloth.

This solution can be used for:

• Wiping countertops and other surface 
• Cleaning your refrigerator 
•  Cleaning glass 
•  Mopping floors 
•  Spraying down your tub or shower to prevent mildew   formation

Essentially, this mixture can be used on any surface that can be cleaned with a simple cleaner. Read: One that doesn’t require heavy duty scrubbing, like your oven or your grill.

For tougher scrub jobs – like the bathtub – you can mix a solution of one part baking soda and one part white vinegar. The mixture will form a paste that can be used to clean stubborn stains, tile, chrome hardware, shower heads, and more.

Carpet Stains

Life is messy. Unfortunately, your carpet and your clothing are often the victims of that mess.

You don’t need harsh chemical mixtures to clean up these stubborn stains. For clothing stains, you can simply cut open a raw potato and rub it against the stain. If it’s a tough stain, just dip the potato in lemon juice, then rub against the stain.

For tough grease stains, spray a little WD-40 on the fabric, then wash as usual. Lemon juice can also cut rust stains (apply and wash).

For carpet stains, you can crush a couple of aspirin in a glass of hot water then pour the mixture on the stain. Let it dry then vacuum the area the next day. You may need to repeat this for stubborn stains.

Beauty Care

To get beautiful skin and shiny hair, you don’t have to look farther than your refrigerator. Many of the home remedies for beauty care rely on a single ingredient – no mixing or complicated recipes required.

For a simple face wash, just soak a potato in water and use the water as you would a cleanser (or use the water from boiling a potato after it has cooled). You can also mix dry oatmeal with water for a simple scrub that exfoliates your skin.

For soft and shiny hair, you need only cover your hair in mayonnaise. As long as you can stand the smell while you’re giving yourself this treatment, you’ll love the way your hair feels once you wash it out. If you don’t want to try mayonnaise, you can rinse your hair in your favorite beer for equally soft hair.

For a deeper conditioning treatment, apply coconut oil directly to your scalp after washing or wetting your hair. Wrap your head in a towel and leave it to set for several hours, then wash it out. This will also help with dandruff and other scalp problems.

There are many, many more natural home cleaning and beauty care remedies that you can create with simple natural products found in your pantry or refrigerator.

What are some other natural cleaning and beauty care products that you use at home? Tell us about them in the comments!

The Sabbath ... and then some

Pittsburgh is block-challenged. In many cases in Pittsburgh, if you start at point A and walk "around the block," you most certainly will not end up back at point A. Chances are, you'll find yourself in an entirely different neighborhood altogether. Block-challenged.

Rochester, New York, however, does not suffer from the same affliction. I love taking walks in Rochester.
 
I'm currently staying at the exquisitely wonderful Edward Harris House, beautifully situated between Park Avenue and University Avenue (the Neighborhood of the Arts). This is one of my very favorite places on earth. Last night, despite the rain and cooler-than-normal temps, I thoroughly enjoyed a nice long walk along the tree-lined streets graced with magnificent old homes. I felt as if I could breathe again after being emerged in a low-oxygen tank for weeks. There is something about this section of Rochester, NY that feels like home to me, even though I've never lived here. I just feel like me when I'm here.

Have you ever felt like that about a place?

I'm in Rochester on business, but feel as if it's sheer pleasure. I used to come here every 9 months, but then life changed ... my business changed ... and I no longer had a professional reason to visit. That is why I was thrilled to have this opportunity again.  And to revisit "my" room -- Emily's Suite in the Inn.

More than anything, I'm enjoying spending time with innkeeper extraordinaire, the lovely Susan Alvarez (and her husband, Manny). What a delight.

The weather is crappy, however. So after I returned from my morning appointments and enjoyed a delicious breakfast, artfully prepared just for me by Susan, I climbed into a hot bath and took a nap (yes, in the tub. And no, I didn't drown). Heavenly. I could get used to this kind of life.

You see, resting and refreshing is not just for the Sabbath, although I truly enjoyed my Sunday with a relaxing drive from Pittsburgh to Rochester. I decided to map out my 270-mile journey without the use of freeways. The drive took a couple hours longer than what I was accustomed to, but it was amazingly relaxing and delightful. There were plenty of horses and cows and very few cars. It was so lovely, that I just might head back home that way tomorrow. Sometimes, it's good to just slow down.

One more perk of the slower route -- my Honda Insight did it with 55 miles per gallon! Go Insight!

It's been a good couple of days ... thanks to my Sabbath Experiment and the lessons it's taught me about slowing down. Life is not an emergency, after all.

Sharing my Sabbath, and the next day, with you,

Hana

Click here to read a previous post about this wonderful Inn.

A servant's heart

O the bliss of one

who identifies with 

and assists others in need --

who gets inside their skin

so completely

he sees with their eyes 

and thinks their thoughts

and feels with their feelings.

The one who does that will find 

that others do the same for him

when he is in need.

-- Charles R. Swindoll

The Gentle Art of a Servant's Heart