Stinging Nettles

Today I was pulling nettles out of my wild flower beds and of course they got me!  Not that long ago I got a hens and chicks planter, when I bought it I was told they help relieve be stings.  So I grabbed some and it helped!  Then I used a piece of tape to remove the stingers.

Discover! Millennium Park Nature Trail | Environment | Walker News

We are thinking of doing this this weekend!  Come join the fun!

Discover! Millennium Park Nature Trail | Environment | Walker News

Product Review

I recently had a friend ask me about pet stain and oder remover and thought I would share this great product I have been using.

When we got our dog Izzi last year, she was and 8 month old puppy who had spent most of her life out doors and was not house broke. She had a lot of accidents those first few months. I had been to an Earth Day event at our local zoo and received a sample bottle of Unique's Pet Oder & Stain Eliminator. I had been holding on to it and decided to give it a try. It works wonders! I LOVE this product! Not only does it work on pet stains but it works on kids clothes too!

Izzi the Papeagle

Disinfectant wipes

I was looking for some tips on making some disinfectant wipes using an idea my friend Heather used for baby wipes when her kids where little. I found tis on http://organizedhome.com/.

Materials and Equipment Needed:

• cylindrical or tall square plastic food storage container, 10-cup capacity
• extra-large roll of paper towels
• cleaning agents of your choice (recipes follow)
• electric drill with 1/2-inch drill bit
• electric knife
• liquid measuring cups

Instructions:

In the garage or workshop area, place a small block of wood beneath the plastic food storage container lid. Use electric drill to drill a 1/2-inch diameter hole in the center of the container lid.

For best results, select an extra-large roll of good quality paper towels for this project. Less-expensive towels fray or shred when pulled through the holder; thicker quilted towels have greater cleaning strength and withstand more scrubbing. Even at $1.39 per roll, cost for homemade wipes will be less than 75 cents, not including the storage container.

Without removing the paper towel wrapper, use the electric knife to cut the paper towel roll into two shorter rolls. Save the second roll for a refill later. Be patient! It may take up to two minutes to cut through the towel roll and cardboard tube inside.

Remove the wrapper, and place one short paper towel roll inside plastic food storage container. Using a liquid measuring cup, gently pour one of the following cleaning solution recipes over the top of the paper towel roll.

You will need between 2 and 4 cups of cleaning solution, depending on the size and absorbency of the paper towel product selected. These recipes make about three cups of solution; increase or decrease amounts if needed.

General Surface Cleaning Recipe:

• 1 1/2 cups white vinegar
• 1 1/2 cups water

Disinfectant Cleaning:

• 1/4 to 1/2 cup pine cleaning solution such as Pine-Sol brand
• 2 1/2 to 2 3/4 cup water

Window and Glass Cleaning:

• 1/2 cup rubbing (isopropyl) alcohol
• 2 1/2 cups water
• 1 tablespoon white vinegar

Place the lid on the plastic food storage container, and allow paper towels to absorb cleaning solution for 4 hours to overnight.

Open the food storage container. Gently pull the wet cardboard tube from the center of the paper towel roll and discard. Carefully pull the end of the paper towels from the inside, where the cardboard roll had been. Thread the end of the towels through the hole in the lid, and replace the lid.

Pull gently on the exposed end to separate the cleaning wipe.

Tips:

As you use the wipes, they will begin to dry out, so add more water and/or cleaning solution as necessary. Allow wipes to stand overnight before continuing to use them after adding more solution.

You may vary the strength of the cleaning solutions as necessary for your household, using more cleaning agents for a stronger wipe, less solution and more water for a milder product.

My alternitive:

I however have decided to keep my container (and old butter bucket I got from my mom) in tact and am using old baby rags (about 20) that I still have from when my kids where little. Instead of using one of the recipes above this is what I am using:

2 cups of white distiled vinegar

8 drops Lavender oil

10 drops Lemon oil

5 drops Eucalyptus oil

You could also use just 20 drops of Tea Tree, however with it being nice and sunny and wanting to get started on some spring cleaning, I used a springier smelling blend of oils.

Some new recipes I have been working on/with.

Homemade Deodorant

1/4 cup corn starch

1/4 cup baking soda

2 Tbs coconut oil

few drops of vitamin E (optional)

up to 10 drops of essential oil for sent (optional)

A empty and cleaned deodorant container.



Mix all ingredients together and pack into deodorant container. Let set a few days before use.

My new favorite all purpose cleaner!

Scented Soap and Water

2 cups hot water

1-2 oz unscented Castile soap

5-10 drops essential oil (I used rosemary & spearmint)

16 oz spray bottle.

Gently shake all ingredients in bottle and clean away.

Recycle your Brita filter!

I did not you could recycle your Brita water filter. Unfortunately there is not a place by me that accepts them, but I will hold on to them until I have enough to mail in.

http://www.brita.com/us/support/filter-recycling/

From the garden

Here is the garden Memorial Day weekend.

About a week later I noticed some of my plants were being eaten by Cucumber Beetles.

I used 3 different methods to get rid of them. Because there were so many of them the first method was to use a homemade organic soap insecticide spray (recipe is at the bottom of the post), the second was to plant onions around the plants affected by the beetles. And third to just pick them off as I found them.

And some pics from over the past few weeks.

Cucumbers & Radishes

Tomatoes

Watermelon

Cantaloupe

Corn & Broccoli

Peppers

Zucchini


Fresh picked!

We have picked so much so far, seems like everyday we eat something out of the garden!

In this house (and yard) you can NOT eat a carrot (or apple) without sharing with the dog.

The newest addition to the garden (actually just outside of it), an underground bees nest!

Because I am allergic to bees we will be searching for a beekeeper to come collect them. I am hoping to find one at our local farmers' market this weekend. If not, the search will continue. Because of the reduction in bee populations we do not wanna see the bees harmed in any way.

Soap Insecticide

1 Gallon of water

1-2 Tablespoons Liquid Castile Soap

1 Dropper of Garlic Oil

When using the Soap Insecticide use it later in the day, after the 'good bugs' have gone away. Make sure to spry under the leaves as well as the tops. Wait about an hour and rinse off your plants! If left on too long plants may be burnt. Use once a week until there are no more signs if infestation.