Saturday, September 26, 2009
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Summer Heat and Other Annoyances
Summer Heat and Other Annoyances
In case you cannot tell, there is something dreadfully wrong with this tomato plant! And it's not just the heat. It was sometime after I applied the elephant dung that my tomatoes and even my okra began to do this strange leaf-curling thing and becoming obviously stunted and malformed. They are barely producing, if at all. In fact, I lost most of the tomato plants already to whatever strange malady this is.
Any ideas, any input?
Help!
More to come... I'm struggling with my phone and the pictures on it.
Then on top of that, as if it were not enough, we are suffering a drought here and the watering is just not enough to keep up with the demand. I have a LOVELY St. Augustine lawn that I really enjoy and I feel a wee bit guilty watering it, but I don't want it to die anymore than the garden is!
Woe is me...why oh WHY do I live in Texas?! (Oh that's right, I have children here....heh)
In case you cannot tell, there is something dreadfully wrong with this tomato plant! And it's not just the heat. It was sometime after I applied the elephant dung that my tomatoes and even my okra began to do this strange leaf-curling thing and becoming obviously stunted and malformed. They are barely producing, if at all. In fact, I lost most of the tomato plants already to whatever strange malady this is.
Any ideas, any input?
Help!
More to come... I'm struggling with my phone and the pictures on it.
Then on top of that, as if it were not enough, we are suffering a drought here and the watering is just not enough to keep up with the demand. I have a LOVELY St. Augustine lawn that I really enjoy and I feel a wee bit guilty watering it, but I don't want it to die anymore than the garden is!
Woe is me...why oh WHY do I live in Texas?! (Oh that's right, I have children here....heh)
Weedeaters and Wheelbarrows
Weedeaters and Wheelbarrows
May 25, 2009
Today I bought a wheelbarrow. I've been needing one something fierce, but I had a borrowed one so I guess the need didn't seem so urgent to him. Or maybe it's just that money has been so tight that this really was the first opportunity we had to buy some much needed tools.
I also got a great weedeater. I had to put it together myself which was right up my alley. I love doing stuff like that. But once I got it done I found I couldn't start it. I had to have Harold start it (which he did on the second pull - grrr) when he got home. Now if only it will start for me when I get ready to use it this evening after work...
Oh, and pruners! I've been needing a good pair of pruners. Yay! I got right to work on the shrubby brush around the trees that line the driveway. It creates such a cleaner look with all that pruned away.
I will keep you informed as to how the yard is looking as the summer progresses! Stay tuned....
May 25, 2009
Today I bought a wheelbarrow. I've been needing one something fierce, but I had a borrowed one so I guess the need didn't seem so urgent to him. Or maybe it's just that money has been so tight that this really was the first opportunity we had to buy some much needed tools.
I also got a great weedeater. I had to put it together myself which was right up my alley. I love doing stuff like that. But once I got it done I found I couldn't start it. I had to have Harold start it (which he did on the second pull - grrr) when he got home. Now if only it will start for me when I get ready to use it this evening after work...
Oh, and pruners! I've been needing a good pair of pruners. Yay! I got right to work on the shrubby brush around the trees that line the driveway. It creates such a cleaner look with all that pruned away.
I will keep you informed as to how the yard is looking as the summer progresses! Stay tuned....
Flowers
Flowers
I went to a Master Gardener's sale around the corner from Ruby Lane, a lady I know who is a Master Gardener has an annual plant sale, and she specializes in daylilies.
Now, daylilies are not my very favorite flower, but they do withstand a lot of neglect, can handle the hot Texas sun, and they multiply on their own. I thought I'd get one (ONE) for Ruby Lane and let it take over. Lo and behold I found one named RUBY.
Ok, actually it's proper name is Ruby Spider, but it's not a spider lily, so I don't get it. Anyway, here it is having bloomed!
Gorgeous...
But THEN in my backyard bloomed an EASTER LILY...and it should be named Ruby if it isn't already! Look:
Right next to that one is a white one:
These shots were all taken in May 2009.
I went to a Master Gardener's sale around the corner from Ruby Lane, a lady I know who is a Master Gardener has an annual plant sale, and she specializes in daylilies.
Now, daylilies are not my very favorite flower, but they do withstand a lot of neglect, can handle the hot Texas sun, and they multiply on their own. I thought I'd get one (ONE) for Ruby Lane and let it take over. Lo and behold I found one named RUBY.
Ok, actually it's proper name is Ruby Spider, but it's not a spider lily, so I don't get it. Anyway, here it is having bloomed!
Gorgeous...
But THEN in my backyard bloomed an EASTER LILY...and it should be named Ruby if it isn't already! Look:
Right next to that one is a white one:
These shots were all taken in May 2009.
On Potatoes and Radishes
On Potatoes and Radishes
If you plant your potatoes deep and then pile up the soil around them as they grow they will give a better yield.
Not a great picture, but can you see how dead the top is? When the tops begin to flower is when you're really meant to harvest. Fact is, I buried my potatoes deep and then began to add mulch and soil around them as they grew. Unfortunately, I really set them deep and with all the rain, they drowned. Now I see the real advantages of barrels, or bins.
I can never wait quite long enough for my radishes to grow. It's not like they take that long, either! So I pulled up a perfectly healthy white icicle radish this morning with nothing to show for it. Look on the page called Rebecca's Garden, though, for more info on what I was able to harvest this morning! Peace Out.
If you plant your potatoes deep and then pile up the soil around them as they grow they will give a better yield.
Not a great picture, but can you see how dead the top is? When the tops begin to flower is when you're really meant to harvest. Fact is, I buried my potatoes deep and then began to add mulch and soil around them as they grew. Unfortunately, I really set them deep and with all the rain, they drowned. Now I see the real advantages of barrels, or bins.
I can never wait quite long enough for my radishes to grow. It's not like they take that long, either! So I pulled up a perfectly healthy white icicle radish this morning with nothing to show for it. Look on the page called Rebecca's Garden, though, for more info on what I was able to harvest this morning! Peace Out.
Recent Harvest
These are some pics of my more recent harvests.
They go in order of more recent to older.
They go in order of more recent to older.
Practice Garden
These are Dana Lynn's beans. I planted them whilst on the phone with her, so they've been known ever since as her own. When they are good, I don't mind taking the credit, but like a child who is naughty while Daddy is away at work, the bean patch is now hers.
See the weeds? They're not half as high as they would be if the ground were worth much. I chose an old house site as the perfect place to orient my garden. I never thought about the fact that since there was no grass there the soil might just be barren.
And it is.
Well, it was, but I've added so much elephant doo over the past two months that next year this plot should be prime!
Oh well, this can be my practice garden
First Harvest
First Harvest
Onions grew well... and the potatoes drowned so I didn't get nearly the harvest I should have from a three pound investment. And there are two radishes...so far.
I'm having trouble with my crop yellowing. Look:
This morning I bought some liquid iron/copper/sulfur. Tomorrow or this evening I will apply it at the recommended rate and see if that helps.
Stay tuned!
Developments at Ruby Lane
by Rebecca
Ruby Lane is a real place. It's in Cut & Shoot, TX, and consists of 2.89 rented acres and a lovely brick home.
At Ruby Lane we grow gardens, organic and wholesome, raise chickens and basically try to become not simply self-sufficient but also more healthy. By working the land we promote health, and by eating what we raise we allow our bodies to function more healthfully.
And as many of us know, gardening is one of the better forms of therapy out there! (Thank goodness cuz I'm 'bout as nutty as they come!)
Here's a pictorial introduction of the building of the chicken coop at Ruby Lane.
View from the front of the house, looking down the lane:
(You can see my truck, Lurch, and just beyond it the chicken pen area.)
This is what the chicken coop looked like as I first began working on it.
Then I added some stuff (notice I am RARELY without my coffee):
Then I built a door out of discarded cedar fence boards. It is big and heavy and probably overkill but I wanted to be able to contain goats at some point.
I still haven't shored up all the small cracks and crevices that racoons and possums could come through to get to the chooks, but I have bought chickens and so far they've survived inside this pen. I open it in the day and block the entrance with boards so they have to stay in and so the dogs (who killed my earlier flock of babies) can't get in. This will work till they get a little larger
Ruby Lane is a real place. It's in Cut & Shoot, TX, and consists of 2.89 rented acres and a lovely brick home.
At Ruby Lane we grow gardens, organic and wholesome, raise chickens and basically try to become not simply self-sufficient but also more healthy. By working the land we promote health, and by eating what we raise we allow our bodies to function more healthfully.
And as many of us know, gardening is one of the better forms of therapy out there! (Thank goodness cuz I'm 'bout as nutty as they come!)
Here's a pictorial introduction of the building of the chicken coop at Ruby Lane.
View from the front of the house, looking down the lane:
(You can see my truck, Lurch, and just beyond it the chicken pen area.)
This is what the chicken coop looked like as I first began working on it.
Then I added some stuff (notice I am RARELY without my coffee):
Then I built a door out of discarded cedar fence boards. It is big and heavy and probably overkill but I wanted to be able to contain goats at some point.
I still haven't shored up all the small cracks and crevices that racoons and possums could come through to get to the chooks, but I have bought chickens and so far they've survived inside this pen. I open it in the day and block the entrance with boards so they have to stay in and so the dogs (who killed my earlier flock of babies) can't get in. This will work till they get a little larger
Old vegetable recipes
Pumpkins
New England Housewives slice ripe Pumpkins, dice them, and fill a pot to 2 or 3 gallons, and stew gently a whole day. As they sink, they refill the pot. Stewed enough they look like bak'd Apples; this they Dish, add Butter, Vinegar, and Spices, and serve to be eaten with Fish or Flesh.
Creamed Potatoes
Ingredients
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 cups milk
1 teaspoon lemon juice
6 cooked potatoes, peeled and cubed
chopped parsley
In a pan seated over boiling water (double boiler), melt butter. Stir in flour and seasonings. Slowly pour in milk, stirring constantly, and cook, continue stirring, until sauce thickens. Sprinkle lemon juice over cubed potatoes, and add potatoes to cream sauce. Cook over hot water in sauce pan until potatoes are hot. Sprinkle with chopped parsley or chives. Serves 6
Peas were often added to the above recipe. New potatoes were favored for this version.
Buttered Radishes
Lightly fry 1/2 onion in butter, add 1 cup sliced or tiny whole radishes. Cook 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Sugar Peas
Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds baby green sugar peas in pods
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup butter
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon mace
1 egg yolk
2 tablespoons dry sherry
2 tablespoons vinegar
Removed strings and stems from pods. Rinse pods. In saucepan, combine water, butter, salt and mace. Bring to a boil and add peas. Cover pan, reduce heat to medium and cook 6-8 minutes or until peas are tender-crisp. Stir once or twice during cooking.
Beat egg yolk with sherry and vinegar. Turn heat under peas to low, and add egg mixture slowly in a thin steam, stirring constantly. Serve at once. Serves 6.
Parmesan Potatoes
Parmesan Potatoes
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
salt and pepper to taste
10 potatoes, peeled and cubed
1/2 cup butter, melted
Preheat oven to 350 F (175 C). In a bag combine Parmesan cheese, flour,
salt and pepper; mix well. Place potatoes in bag and shake to coat. Pour
butter into a 9x13 inch baking dish. Stir in potatoes. Bake in preheated
oven
for 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.
Becca Away on Assignment
Becca Away on Assignment
Becca Has been away on *cough* assignment to Anchorage, Alaska, where she was given the unexpected opportunity and honor to see Jerusalem Hale graduate from the IDEA High School Program in Alaska. Reports from Becca indicate that two rows of 20 people each stood to cheer her on as she made her way to the mic. As the audience listened closely with compassion and pride, Jerusalem haltingly read from a well wrung paper a heat breaking tale of gratitude to her new family and spoke of the wicked life her father had forced on her and her siblings and mother. When Becca returns I hope to hear more about this heartbreaking and uplifting story.
To read more about this chilling tale please click
HERE
Becca Has been away on *cough* assignment to Anchorage, Alaska, where she was given the unexpected opportunity and honor to see Jerusalem Hale graduate from the IDEA High School Program in Alaska. Reports from Becca indicate that two rows of 20 people each stood to cheer her on as she made her way to the mic. As the audience listened closely with compassion and pride, Jerusalem haltingly read from a well wrung paper a heat breaking tale of gratitude to her new family and spoke of the wicked life her father had forced on her and her siblings and mother. When Becca returns I hope to hear more about this heartbreaking and uplifting story.
To read more about this chilling tale please click
HERE
Airplane Seating
Airplane Seating
Airplane seats, in coach anyway, are created for the average size 12. I am not a size 12. In fact, I'm not even a size 16. Nope, I'm a 20. See to me that is twice as good as 10, but apparently Continental doesn't feel that way. I had to ask for a seat belt extender when I laid down across the seats to rest. Sitting up, that belt was snug but I could click it. I can't tell you how embarrassed I was to have to ask a skinny little stewardess for an extender!
Look: (this picture makes me ill)
Okay, 20 is not good. I know this. Thus it is placed in the daily rant.
I have to lose weight.
Airplane seats, in coach anyway, are created for the average size 12. I am not a size 12. In fact, I'm not even a size 16. Nope, I'm a 20. See to me that is twice as good as 10, but apparently Continental doesn't feel that way. I had to ask for a seat belt extender when I laid down across the seats to rest. Sitting up, that belt was snug but I could click it. I can't tell you how embarrassed I was to have to ask a skinny little stewardess for an extender!
Look: (this picture makes me ill)
Okay, 20 is not good. I know this. Thus it is placed in the daily rant.
I have to lose weight.
Harold Bell Wright Festival
Harold Bell Wright Festival
My DH and I went out and about last Saturday looking for something to do I stumbled across a little festival in Hollister, Mo. So camera in hand I took pictures of the handy work and crafts of days gone by.......
these are a display of 1920's items
Look at this old Victrola - beautiful
My husband says these are old railroad tools
More tools!
The lady infront of "Cuddles" Is Nancy Ford. She is an expert in 1920's womens fashion as well as the womens lib act of the 20's. Nancy too is a pioneer of womens lib; she was the first woman to receive a wife initiated divorce. This was in 1973! Prior to her case only the husband was allowed to file. ( Nancy nor I advocate divorce but after hearing her story i can understand why she filed.)
Cuddles is a 1927 model Pontiac made by the Oakland Motor Car Company. Her body made by the Fisher Body Company, is sheet metal nailed onto a wooden carriage.
The seats are wraparound buggy seats with luxurious mohair upholstery, thus her name, "Cuddles."
The fuel is supplied by a Stewart Warner vacuum-gravity system and the gas gauge is a cork in the tank.
this man made this himself it is completely made of wood except the saw blade
see the detail.
this is one of his finished projects so beautiful.
We really enjoyed seeing all of the old time crafts. True craftsmanship.
My DH and I went out and about last Saturday looking for something to do I stumbled across a little festival in Hollister, Mo. So camera in hand I took pictures of the handy work and crafts of days gone by.......
these are a display of 1920's items
Look at this old Victrola - beautiful
My husband says these are old railroad tools
More tools!
The lady infront of "Cuddles" Is Nancy Ford. She is an expert in 1920's womens fashion as well as the womens lib act of the 20's. Nancy too is a pioneer of womens lib; she was the first woman to receive a wife initiated divorce. This was in 1973! Prior to her case only the husband was allowed to file. ( Nancy nor I advocate divorce but after hearing her story i can understand why she filed.)
Cuddles is a 1927 model Pontiac made by the Oakland Motor Car Company. Her body made by the Fisher Body Company, is sheet metal nailed onto a wooden carriage.
The seats are wraparound buggy seats with luxurious mohair upholstery, thus her name, "Cuddles."
The fuel is supplied by a Stewart Warner vacuum-gravity system and the gas gauge is a cork in the tank.
this man made this himself it is completely made of wood except the saw blade
see the detail.
this is one of his finished projects so beautiful.
We really enjoyed seeing all of the old time crafts. True craftsmanship.
Killers and Communists
Killers and Communists
Lest you think I am joking with that title, let me assure you I am not. Today I am reading more about the murder of Dr. Tiller, a prominent abortionist, and upon awakening I saw the news that our president has given himself the right and the power to take over companies - all in the name of helping out our failing economy.
It is a rare day that I get het up about anything political, and as for Obama, I pretty much ignore him. I voted against him, and I'm not surprised at anything he does. Period. Unhappy occasionally, but not surprised.
As for the doctor, vigilante justice is NOT supported by the Bible, and I'm appalled tho happy for the little ones who may survive because of this man's death. If nothing else, I hope it will make women think twice (twenty x twice!) about abortion and instead consider adoption. I know several families personally who would LOVE to be given the opportunity to raise a child.
Lest you think I am joking with that title, let me assure you I am not. Today I am reading more about the murder of Dr. Tiller, a prominent abortionist, and upon awakening I saw the news that our president has given himself the right and the power to take over companies - all in the name of helping out our failing economy.
It is a rare day that I get het up about anything political, and as for Obama, I pretty much ignore him. I voted against him, and I'm not surprised at anything he does. Period. Unhappy occasionally, but not surprised.
As for the doctor, vigilante justice is NOT supported by the Bible, and I'm appalled tho happy for the little ones who may survive because of this man's death. If nothing else, I hope it will make women think twice (twenty x twice!) about abortion and instead consider adoption. I know several families personally who would LOVE to be given the opportunity to raise a child.
Getting over the loss of a child
What Makes A Mother?
A Mother has a baby
Dylan Charles Pasquale was born and died January 2, 2006. He was about 12 inches long. He had his fathers nose, his mothers hands and feet, and his great grandpa Burgess ears. He had the perfect kissing shaped mouth and just wasn't ready to come into this world.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
These were the only words I had when I lost my son. I was so in shock. I didn't know what to say or how to express my feelings. It just broke my heart. So at first I was numb. I felt nothing, I saw nothing, I heard nothing. People would be right in front of me talking to me and I didn't hear them and I didn't care to hear them. I was in nothingness.
Then I began to grieve. Now, a lot of time when I grieve or am emotionally hurt I get mean and hateful. I pushed my husband, Chuck, away, I pushed away my parents. I said mean and hurtful things. I went home and stayed there for almost a month. I didn't answer the phone and wouldn't see friends. Then I would cry. I would cry until there were no tears and then I would scream. My insides were ripped out my heart into a million pieces. Things in my house got broken just like my heart.
Next came the guilt. I felt so guilty, maybe if I had done something different. If I hadn't worked, if I hadn't had the caffeine in my tea, too much sugar. I had an unusually hard case of "Morning Sickness" I couldn't eat anything with out getting so ill. I started to lose weight. I was miserable so much that one night I said the word that I wish I would have never said and they still bounce through my head. I told Chuck if I could end this pregnancy I would. I didn't mean it. I had just been so sick and run down for so long that I just needed a break from it and had a moment of weakness. I regret those word and always will. I didn't mean them but the guilt-oh the guilt-it still kills me to this day.
Then there was anger. I raged out of control; why had this happened to me? Why had God taken my beautiful baby boy from me? Why was I a childless mother with empty arms. When there were so many unwed young girls that rushed to have a abortion or the ones that had abandoned their children, babies found in dumpsters - why couldn't I have a baby. I would be a good mother! I would love and cherish the child and raise him up to be a good and honorable man that loved the Lord! Why me? I was mad at God.
Then one day I got in a fight with Chuck. I started yelling at him about how he never wanted that baby and how it didn't hurt him and how he had just left me at home to go to work when we had just lost OUR son. Then I got a bat between the eyes metaphorically. It was then I realized Chuck had lost his son too. That was just his way of coping. I was not the only one going through this. He had lost his son too. I was not alone. I had him. He went to work that day because he needed to be busy, so he wouldn't go stir crazy, not to mention the fact that he was making us a livng. Oh how horrible I felt-my man did not deserve the way I had treated him.
After that I had fear. Fear of getting pregnant again, fear of losing Chuck, fear of going crazy. Just Fear of Everything. I was over watchful of Chuck, constantly calling my mom to make sure she was ok, calling friends to make sure we were still friends; I was afraid of losing every one. Now - it has taken time but I am now ready to try to have a baby again but the fear is still in the back of my mind. the best way to overcome fear is to face it.
I just wanted to walk you some of the emotional steps, all of which are normal. I love my son even though I have no photos of him. I remember his face, his body, fingers, and toes. And in my mind he was perfect. Now I have moved on. I remember him on his birthday and on Mothers Day; those days are hard for me. It is still hard to see a newborn and to hold one. I have detached myself from young babies. It is self-preservation but in time the pain fades in the background and you go on with your life. You take joy in the small things and hope that God will bless you later with the bigger things. Just try and move on as best as you can and focus on the positive.
Dana-Lynn
I thought of you and closed my eyes
And prayed to God today.
I asked what makes a Mother
And I know I heard him say.
And prayed to God today.
I asked what makes a Mother
And I know I heard him say.
A Mother has a baby
This we know is true.
But God can you be a Mother
When your baby's not with you?
Yes, you can He replied
With confidence in His voice
I give many women babies
When they leave is not their choice.
Some I send for a lifetime
And others for a day.
And some I send to feel your womb
But there's no need to stay.
I just don't understand this, God
I want my baby here
He took a breath and cleared His throat
And then I saw a tear.
I wish I could show you
What your child is doing today.
If you could see your child smile
With other children and say
"We go to earth and learn our lessons
Of love and life and fear.
My Mommy loved me oh so much
I got to come straight here.
I feel so lucky to have a Mom
Who had so much love for me
I learned my lesson very quickly
My Mommy set me free.
I miss my Mommy oh so much
But I visit her each day.
When she goes to sleep
On her pillow's where I lay.
I stroke her hair and kiss her cheek
And whisper in her ear
"Mommy don't be sad today
I'm your baby and I'm here."
So you see my dear sweet one
Your children are OK
Your babies are here in My home
And this is where they'll stay.
They'll wait for you with me
Until your lesson is through
And on the day that you come home
They'll be at the gates for you.
So now you see what makes a Mother
It's the feeling in your heart.
It's the love you had so much of
Right from the very start!!!
~author unknown~
Dylan Charles Pasquale was born and died January 2, 2006. He was about 12 inches long. He had his fathers nose, his mothers hands and feet, and his great grandpa Burgess ears. He had the perfect kissing shaped mouth and just wasn't ready to come into this world.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
These were the only words I had when I lost my son. I was so in shock. I didn't know what to say or how to express my feelings. It just broke my heart. So at first I was numb. I felt nothing, I saw nothing, I heard nothing. People would be right in front of me talking to me and I didn't hear them and I didn't care to hear them. I was in nothingness.
Then I began to grieve. Now, a lot of time when I grieve or am emotionally hurt I get mean and hateful. I pushed my husband, Chuck, away, I pushed away my parents. I said mean and hurtful things. I went home and stayed there for almost a month. I didn't answer the phone and wouldn't see friends. Then I would cry. I would cry until there were no tears and then I would scream. My insides were ripped out my heart into a million pieces. Things in my house got broken just like my heart.
Next came the guilt. I felt so guilty, maybe if I had done something different. If I hadn't worked, if I hadn't had the caffeine in my tea, too much sugar. I had an unusually hard case of "Morning Sickness" I couldn't eat anything with out getting so ill. I started to lose weight. I was miserable so much that one night I said the word that I wish I would have never said and they still bounce through my head. I told Chuck if I could end this pregnancy I would. I didn't mean it. I had just been so sick and run down for so long that I just needed a break from it and had a moment of weakness. I regret those word and always will. I didn't mean them but the guilt-oh the guilt-it still kills me to this day.
Then there was anger. I raged out of control; why had this happened to me? Why had God taken my beautiful baby boy from me? Why was I a childless mother with empty arms. When there were so many unwed young girls that rushed to have a abortion or the ones that had abandoned their children, babies found in dumpsters - why couldn't I have a baby. I would be a good mother! I would love and cherish the child and raise him up to be a good and honorable man that loved the Lord! Why me? I was mad at God.
Then one day I got in a fight with Chuck. I started yelling at him about how he never wanted that baby and how it didn't hurt him and how he had just left me at home to go to work when we had just lost OUR son. Then I got a bat between the eyes metaphorically. It was then I realized Chuck had lost his son too. That was just his way of coping. I was not the only one going through this. He had lost his son too. I was not alone. I had him. He went to work that day because he needed to be busy, so he wouldn't go stir crazy, not to mention the fact that he was making us a livng. Oh how horrible I felt-my man did not deserve the way I had treated him.
After that I had fear. Fear of getting pregnant again, fear of losing Chuck, fear of going crazy. Just Fear of Everything. I was over watchful of Chuck, constantly calling my mom to make sure she was ok, calling friends to make sure we were still friends; I was afraid of losing every one. Now - it has taken time but I am now ready to try to have a baby again but the fear is still in the back of my mind. the best way to overcome fear is to face it.
I just wanted to walk you some of the emotional steps, all of which are normal. I love my son even though I have no photos of him. I remember his face, his body, fingers, and toes. And in my mind he was perfect. Now I have moved on. I remember him on his birthday and on Mothers Day; those days are hard for me. It is still hard to see a newborn and to hold one. I have detached myself from young babies. It is self-preservation but in time the pain fades in the background and you go on with your life. You take joy in the small things and hope that God will bless you later with the bigger things. Just try and move on as best as you can and focus on the positive.
Dana-Lynn
Becca got stuck in elephant poo
The photo is titled "Becca got stuck in elephant poo."
For the record, my truck is white, the pile of well, poo, behind me really is from an elephant, and my cousin drives the awesome Ford.
For the record, my truck is white, the pile of well, poo, behind me really is from an elephant, and my cousin drives the awesome Ford.
Homemade mousse and hairspray
Homemade mousse and hairspray
I’ve been doing some research on hair and skin care products, and my findings haven’t been pretty. For most products they scored a 6-8 on a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being the most hazardous. I’ve been looking for a more natural approach to this area since for the past few months I’ve been having some skin problems. I’ve forgone wearing any cosmetics for the past week or so and my skin appears to be clearly up, and while I still have blemishes I have noticed that their occurrence is decreasing. I’ve been letting my hair go a little wild these past few days too because I wanted to stay away from what we had, and see if there were any natural ways to mimic hairspray and mousse. There is usually a natural solution to everything, even if sometimes it’s cutting out the process completely. I was happy to find several sites and info on how to create your own hairspray with just a few, everyday household items. I was happy to have a little science lesson and nature study today!
The mousse was super easy. You just need two egg whites (you can use the yokes for washing). You put the egg whites into your mixer and whip until mousse-y. It may take five to ten minutes to get it to peak. haha I loved watching the process and having white, fluffy homemade mousse that was guarantied to be safe within minutes. This will keep for a week or two, but must be refrigerated. I waited too long to use it so it became watery, so I just turned the mixer back on for a few minutes and it whipped back up. There is no smell to it at all, which surprised me. It must be the yoke that makes the eggy smell.
While the mousse was whipping I made the hairspray. You will need a small saucepan, two cups of water, and a whole lemon or lime or orange. I have not done research on anything else, but I assume there is more you can use then just these. I know you can make a sugar or oil mixture as well. I decided just to stick with the easy stuff. I wasn’t sure how well sugar or oil would be with my hair either. So, just cut up the fruit (entire thing. Rind n’ all) into chucks and put into the pan, then add the water. It’s probably a good idea to squeeze the fruit a bit before you add the water. Cover and let it simmer until the rinds are soft. Let the mixture cool, strain, and put into a empty hairspray bottle. Then you’re good to go. This is stored and will keep the same as the mousse.
I also thought the hairspray would have a strong citrus smell, but it doesn’t. In fact my hair doesn’t smell like anything and you can’t tell I did anything different, except I think it looks fuller and I know it’s healthier!
The Many Uses of Vinegar
The Many Uses of Vinegar
To make basic vinaigrette salad dressing use 1 part white distilled vinegar to 4 parts oil.
Make creamy vinaigrette by adding some plain or whipped cream to a mixture of 1 part white distilled vinegar to 3 parts oil.
Tenderize meat with white distilled vinegar. Use it in marinades or when slow cooking any tough, inexpensive cuts of meat.
When poaching eggs, add a little white distilled vinegar to the water. The whites stay better formed.
For extra tenderness with boiling ribs or stew meat add a tablespoon of white distilled vinegar.
To add a zesty new taste to fresh fruits such as pears, cantaloupe, honeydew, or others, add a splash of rice or balsamic vinegar. Serve immediately to prevent the fruit from becoming mushy.
Freshen wilted vegetables by soaking them in cold water containing a spoonful or two of white distilled vinegar.
When boiling or steaming cauliflower, beets or other vegetables, add a teaspoon or two of white distilled vinegar to the water to help them keep their color. This will also improve their taste, and reduce gassy elements. This also works when cooking beans and bean dishes.
Make pasta less sticky and reduce some of its starch. Add just a dash of white distilled vinegar to the water as it cooks.
Give some extra zest to your white sauce by adding 1/2 teaspoon of white distilled vinegar.
Try cider or malt white distilled vinegar instead of ketchup with french fries—that’s how the British like to eat them. Either one is also great on fish or any fried or broiled meat.
Remove kitchen odors that come from burnt pots or when cooking certain foods by boiling a small amount of water with 1/4 cup white distilled vinegar so that the steam circulates throughout the room.
Make onion odors disappear from your hands by rubbing with white distilled vinegar.
Add moistness and taste to any chocolate cake—homemade or from a box—with a spoonful of white distilled vinegar.
To keep frosting from sugaring add a drop of white distilled vinegar. It will also help keep white frosting white and shiny.
Make perfect, fluffy meringue by adding a teaspoon of white distilled vinegar for every 3 to 4 egg whites used.
Perk up any can of soup or sauce with a teaspoon of red or white wine vinegar.
Eliminate the greasy taste in food cooked in a deep fryer by adding a dash of white distilled vinegar.
If you’ve added too much salt to a recipe, add a spoonful of white distilled vinegar and sugar to try correcting the taste.
Keep molded gelatin desserts and salads from sagging or melting in the summer heat by adding a teaspoon of white distilled vinegar for each box of gelatin used.
When making tuna salad add a dash of any herb-flavored white distilled vinegar.
Turn out great rice by adding a teaspoon of white distilled vinegar to the boiling water.
To make the perfect picnic potato salad dressing combine 1 cup mayonnaise, 3 tablespoons white distilled vinegar, 1 tablespoon sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
Olives or pimentos covered with white distilled vinegar can be kept almost indefinitely if refrigerated.
To keep eggs from cracking when boiling add a tablespoon or two of white distilled vinegar to water.
Give acid-loving plants like azaleas, rhododendrons, hydrangeas and gardenias a little help by watering them with a white distilled vinegar solution now and again. A cup of white distilled vinegar to a gallon of tap water is a good mixture.
Stop ants from congregating by pouring white distilled vinegar on the area.
Discourage cats from getting into the kids’ sandbox with white distilled vinegar.
Preserve cut flowers and liven droopy ones by adding 2 tablespoons white distilled vinegar and 1 teaspoon sugar to a quart of water in a vase.
Get rid of the water line in a flower vase by filling it with a solution of half water and half white distilled vinegar, or by soaking a paper towel in white distilled vinegar and stuffing it into the vase so that it is in contact with the water line.
Clean out stains and white mineral crusts in clay, glazed and plastic pots by soaking them for an hour or longer in a sink filled with a solution of half water and half white distilled vinegar.
Remove crusty rim deposits on house planters or attached saucers by soaking them for several hours in an inch of full-strength white distilled vinegar.
Clean a birdbath by scrubbing it often with undiluted white distilled vinegar. Rinse well.
Get rid of rust on spigots, tools, screws or bolts by soaking the items overnight or for several days in undiluted white distilled vinegar.
Neutralize garden lime by adding white distilled vinegar to the area.
Avoid skin problems after working in the garden by rinsing your hands in white distilled vinegar.
Increase the acidity of soil by adding white distilled vinegar to your watering can.
Eliminate anthills by pouring in white distilled vinegar.
Cure a cement pond before adding fish and plants by adding one gallon of white distilled vinegar to every 200 gallons of water. Let sit three days. Empty and rinse thoroughly.
Sanitize outdoor furniture and picnic tables with a cloth soaked in white distilled vinegar.
Kill slugs by spraying them with a mixture of 1 part water and 1 part white distilled vinegar.
To catch moths use a mixture of 2 parts white distilled vinegar and 1 part molasses. Place mixture in tin can and hang in a tree.
Keep rabbits from eating your plants. Put cotton balls soaked in white distilled vinegar in a 35mm film container. Poke a hole in the top and place in the garden.
Remove berry stains on your hands by rubbing them with white distilled vinegar.
Clean plastic patio furniture with a solution of 1 tablespoon white distilled vinegar to 1 gallon of water.
Wash fresh vegetables with a mixture of 1 tablespoon of white distilled vinegar in 1 ½ quarts of water.
When cleaning an outdoor fountain, soak the pump in white distilled vinegar to remove any mineral deposits.
Clean a hummingbird feeder with white distilled vinegar—soap or detergent can leave behind harmful residue.
Remove mold from terra cotta pots by soaking in a solution of 1 cup white distilled vinegar, 1 cup chlorine bleach, and 1 gallon of warm water before scrubbing with a steel wool pad.
Make your own scouring cleanser by combining 1/4 cup baking soda with 1 tablespoon liquid detergent. Add just enough white distilled vinegar to give it a thick but creamy texture.
Clean counter tops and make them smell sweet again with a cloth soaked in undiluted white distilled vinegar.
Clean and deodorize a drain by pouring in 1 cup baking soda, then one cup hot white distilled vinegar. Let this sit for 5 minutes or so then run hot water down the drain.
Deodorize the garbage disposal by pouring in 1/2 cup baking soda and 1/2 cup hot white distilled vinegar. Let sit for 5 minutes then run hot water down the disposal.
Deodorize and clean the garbage disposal with white distilled vinegar ice cubes. Make them by freezing full-strength white distilled vinegar in an ice cube tray. Run several cubes down the disposal while flushing with cold water.
Clean the microwave by mixing 1/2 cup white distilled vinegar and 1/2 cup water in a microwave-safe bowl. Bring it to a rolling boil inside the microwave. Baked-on food will be loosened, and odors will disappear. Wipe clean.
Clean the shelves and walls of the refrigerator with a half-and-half solution of water and white distilled vinegar.
Cut the grime on the top of the refrigerator with a paper towel or cloth and full-strength white distilled vinegar.
Avoid the bad smell when you heat up a newly cleaned oven by using a sponge soaked in diluted white distilled vinegar for the final rinse.
To clean a grease splattered oven door window, saturate it with full-strength white distilled vinegar. Keep the door open for 10 to 15 minutes before wiping with a sponge.
Remove soap buildup and odors from the dishwasher by pouring a cup of white distilled vinegar inside the empty machine and running it through a whole cycle. Do monthly.
To prevent good glassware from getting etched by minerals, wash then spray with full-strength white distilled vinegar. Give the glasses a hot water rinse before letting them dry or drying them with a towel.
For cloudy glassware, soak paper towels or a cloth in full-strength white distilled vinegar and wrap around the inside and outside of the glass. Let sit awhile before rinsing clean.
Get rid of lime deposits in a tea kettle by adding 1/2 cup white distilled vinegar to the water and letting it sit overnight. If more drastic action is needed, boil full-strength white distilled vinegar in the kettle a few minutes, let cool and rinse with plain water.
Remove mineral deposits from coffee makers with white distilled vinegar. Fill the water reservoir with 1 cup or more of white distilled vinegar and run it through a whole cycle. Run it once or twice more with plain water to rinse clean. (Check the owners’ manual first.)
Remove stains from coffee and teacups by scrubbing them gently with equal parts of salt (or baking soda) and white distilled vinegar. Rinse clean.
For stained and smelly plastic food containers, wipe them with a cloth dampened with white distilled vinegar.
Remove odors from a lunch box by placing inside a slice of bread that has been soaked in white distilled vinegar. Leave overnight.
Remove ugly film in narrow-necked glass jars, flower vases, and bottles by letting undiluted white distilled vinegar sit in them for a few hours. Add a little rice or sand and shake vigorously to loosen stubborn stains. Repeat if necessary.
To clean tarnished brass, copper, and pewter, use a paste with equal amounts of white distilled vinegar and table salt.
Make a metal cleanser by adding enough white distilled vinegar to 2 tablespoons of cream of tartar to make a paste. Rub it on and let it dry on the surface. Wash it off and dry with a soft cloth.
Polish brass and copper with a mixture of 2 tablespoons of ketchup and 1 tablespoon white distilled vinegar. Rub it on with a clean cloth until dry and shiny.
Remove dark stains on an aluminum pot by boiling a mixture of 1 cup white distilled vinegar and 1 cup hot water.
Discourage ants by spraying undiluted white distilled vinegar outside doorways and windowsills, around appliances and wherever you find the pests coming in.
Get rid of fruit flies by setting out a small dish of undiluted white distilled vinegar.
Clean the wheel of a can opener using white distilled vinegar and an old toothbrush.
Remove the smell of spoiled food from a refrigerator by first rinsing the area with soap and water. Spray surfaces with full-strength white distilled vinegar and wipe them down with a damp cloth or sponge. Fill some containers with baking soda and place inside. Close the door and leave for a few days.
Wipe grease off exhaust fan grids, the inside of your oven, or anywhere grease gathers with a sponge soaked in white distilled vinegar.
To make cleaning the grill easier, spray a solution of half water and half white distilled vinegar on the cooking surface.
To remove a label, decal, or price tag, cover with a cloth soaked in white distilled vinegar. Leave the cloth on overnight and the label should slide off.
Renew sponges and dishrags by placing them in just enough water to cover them. Then add 1/4 cup white distilled vinegar. Let them soak overnight.
Get rid of calcium deposits on faucets by soaking a cloth or paper towel in white distilled vinegar and wrapping the area tightly. Let this sit for a couple of hours or overnight.
Remove soap buildup from faucets by scrubbing them with a solution of 1 part salt to 4 parts white distilled vinegar.
Rid a faucet of lime deposits by tying a plastic bag containing 1/2 to 1/3 cup of white distilled vinegar around it and leaving it there for two or three hours. If mineral deposits don’t wipe off, scrubbing with an old toothbrush should complete the job.
Shine colored porcelain sinks by scouring them with undiluted white distilled vinegar.
Rinse away soapy film on countertops with a solution of white distilled vinegar and water.
Clean grout by letting full-strength white distilled vinegar sit on it for a few minutes and scrubbing it with an old toothbrush.
Kill germs all around the bathroom with a spray of full-strength white distilled vinegar. Wipe clean with a damp cloth.
To remove grime, mildew, and scum from the tub, tile, shower curtain or door, wipe with undiluted white distilled vinegar. Rinse with water.
Spray shower doors with full-strength white distilled vinegar after you’ve squeegeed the glass, or before you step in and turn on the water. It will help release the hard water deposits so they don’t remain on the glass.
Mix up an inexpensive tile cleaner by adding 1/2 cup baking soda, 1 cup white distilled vinegar, and 1 cup ammonia to a gallon of warm water.
Get rid of stubborn bathtub film by wiping it with white distilled vinegar and then scouring with baking soda.
Soak a sponge or loofah overnight in a strong white distilled vinegar and water solution to remove dirt and slime. Rinse several times with cold water and let air dry (in the sun if possible).
Clean shower door tracks by filling them with white distilled vinegar and letting it sit for a few hours. Pour hot water into the tracks and wash and scrub away the scum with a toothbrush.
To clean a scummy showerhead, pour 1/2 cup baking soda and 1 cup white distilled vinegar into a sandwich bag and tie it around the showerhead. Let this set for an hour after the bubbling has stopped. Remove the bag and then turn on the water.
Deodorize the toilet bowl by allowing 3 cups white distilled vinegar to sit in it for about a half hour before flushing.
To make the toilet bowl sparkle, pour in a cup or more of diluted white distilled vinegar and let it sit several hours or overnight. Scrub well with the toilet brush and flush.
Freshen air in the bathroom by spraying into the air a solution of 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 tablespoon white distilled vinegar, and 1 cup water.
Get a shining finish on a no-wax vinyl or linoleum floor by cleaning it with a solution of one cup white distilled vinegar for every gallon of water.
Apply full-strength white distilled vinegar directly to tough linoleum stains. Leave it on for 10 to 15 minutes before wiping it up. If that doesn’t work, apply white distilled vinegar again and then sprinkle some baking soda over the white distilled vinegar. Scrub the area with a brush or sponge. Rinse clean with water.
For an economical and environmentally friendly floor cleaner, mix a solution of 3 drops dishwashing liquid to 1/3 part white distilled vinegar, 1/3 part alcohol, and 1/3 part water. Spray sparingly and mop for a fast clean-up.
Some carpet stains can be removed with a paste of 2 tablespoons white distilled vinegar and 1/4 cup salt or baking soda. Rub into the carpet stain and let dry. Vacuum up the residue the next day. (Always test on an out-of-sight part of the carpet first).
Bring out the color in carpet by brushing it with a solution of 1 cup white distilled vinegar for every gallon of water. (Always test on an out-of-sight part of the carpet beforehand).
To reduce soap bubbles in a steam cleaner add about 1/4 cup white distilled vinegar. Use the same amount in the rinse water to remove detergent residue and make carpets stay fresh longer.
Wash indoor/outdoor carpet with a solution of 1 cup white distilled vinegar in 1 bucket of warm water. Scrub using a brush or a broom and then hose off.
Clean up pet accidents by first blotting up the area and then adding a white distilled vinegar-and-water solution. Blot until it is almost dry. Then sprinkle baking soda over the area and let it dry. Vacuum up the residue the next day.
Create your own window cleaning solution by combining 1/2 cup non-sudsy ammonia, 1 cup white distilled vinegar, and 2 tablespoons cornstarch in a gallon of water.
Remove the wax residue left by commercial window cleaners with a solution of 2 cups water, 1 cup white distilled vinegar and 1 teaspoon of liquid soap or detergent.
To remove paint from windows try using undiluted, hot white distilled vinegar. Give the solution time to soften the paint before removing with a razor edge tool.
To remove paint splatters from windows apply full-strength white distilled vinegar with a clean paintbrush.
Get rid of mildew, dust, and stale odors by wiping down walls with undiluted white distilled vinegar on a cloth or a sponge mop.
Clean woodwork and walls with a mixture of 1 cup white distilled vinegar, 1 cup baking soda, 1/2 cup ammonia and 1 gallon warm water. Wipe on with a sponge or damp—not wet—towel.
Clean wood paneling with a solution of 1/4 cup olive oil, 1/2 cup white distilled vinegar, and 2 cups warm water. Wipe on with a soft cloth.
Remove wallpaper easily by using a paint roller to wet the surface very thoroughly with a solution of equal parts white distilled vinegar and hot water. Or spray on until saturated.
Get decals off walls or doors by letting undiluted white distilled vinegar soak into them for several minutes before trying to peel them off. Repeat if necessary.
Remove white water rings from wood with a solution of equal parts white distilled vinegar and vegetable oil. Rub with the grain.
Remove fireplace soot and grime with undiluted white distilled vinegar. Use a brush to scrub and a towel to blot up the wetness and dirt.
Clean fireplace glass doors with a solution of 1 part white distilled vinegar to 2 parts water. Spray or wipe on, then wipe clean with a dry cloth.
To kill germs, spray full-strength white distilled vinegar on doorknobs and then wipe them dry.
Remove the smell of a dead mouse or other rodent (after removing all animal remnants) by wiping down the area with either white distilled vinegar or bleach. Then place a fabric softener sheet in the area to remove any lingering odors.
Never use white distilled vinegar on marble. The acid can damage the surface.
Before painting old concrete, clean with full-strength white distilled vinegar. Let it air dry.
Clean hardened paint brushes by simmering them in a pot with white distilled vinegar. Soak them first for an hour before bringing the white distilled vinegar to a simmer. Drain and rinse clean.
Remove mud and stains from plastic, fiberglass, or aluminum sports equipment by applying a paste of 1 part white distilled vinegar to 3 parts baking soda. Wipe off with soapy water and rinse with clear water.
Clean your grill by spritzing white distilled vinegar over wadded up aluminum foil and scrubbing the grill vigorously with it.
To remove film in glass baby bottles, fill with equal parts hot water and white distilled vinegar. Let sit for at least an hour. Scrub with a bottle brush.
To clean and disinfect baby toys add a good-sized splash of white distilled vinegar to soapy water.
Clean vinyl baby books or board books by wiping with white distilled vinegar. Wipe clean with a damp sponge or cloth.
Clean scissors that have become sticky (after cutting tape, for instance) with a cloth dipped in undiluted white distilled vinegar.
Clean and deodorize urine on a mattress with a white distilled vinegar and water solution. Then sprinkle the area with baking soda and let dry. Brush or vacuum the residue after it is dry to the touch.
Shine pennies by soaking them for a couple of hours or overnight in a glass or bowl of undiluted white distilled vinegar.
To remove soap residue that makes black clothes look dull use white distilled vinegar in your final rinse.
Get stained white socks and dingy dishcloths white again. Add 1 cup white distilled vinegar to a large pot of water, bring it to a rolling boil and drop in the articles. Let soak overnight.
Some stains on clothing and linens can be soaked out using equal parts milk and white distilled vinegar.
Before washing a mustard stain, dab with white distilled vinegar.
Attack spaghetti, barbecue, or ketchup stains with a white distilled vinegar and water solution.
Remove perspiration odor and stains on clothing, as well as those left by deodorants, by spraying full-strength white distilled vinegar on underarm and collar areas before tossing them into the washing machine.
Forgot that you left wet laundry in the machine and it now smells moldy? Pour a few cups of white distilled vinegar in the machine and wash the clothes in hot water. Then run a normal cycle with detergent.
Remove smoky odors from clothes by filling the bathtub with very hot water and 1 cup white distilled vinegar. Hang the garments above the steaming water and shut the door so the steam can penetrate the fibers.
Keep the steam iron clean and in good working order by getting rid of mineral deposits in steam vents and spray nozzles. Fill the water chamber with a solution of equal parts white distilled vinegar and distilled water. Set it in an upright position and let it steam for about 5 minutes. When the iron is cool, rinse the tank with water, refill and shake water through the vents onto an old cloth. Test before using.
Remove scorch marks from an iron by rubbing it with a warmed-up solution of equal parts white distilled vinegar and salt. If that doesn’t work, use a cloth dampened with full-strength white distilled vinegar.
Remove musky smells from cotton clothes by sprinkling them lightly with white distilled vinegar and then pressing them.
Get water and salt stains off shoes and boots by wiping them down with a solution of equal parts white distilled vinegar and water.
Give patent leather shoes and bags a better shine by wiping them down with white distilled vinegar.
Get cleaner laundry! Add about 1/4 cup white distilled vinegar to the last rinse. The acid in white distilled vinegar is too mild to harm fabrics, yet strong enough to dissolve the alkalies in soaps and detergents. Besides removing soap, white distilled vinegar prevents yellowing, acts as a fabric softener and static cling reducer, and attacks mold and mildew.
Eliminate manufacturing chemicals from new clothes by adding 1/2 cup white distilled vinegar to the water.
Remove soap scum and clean the hoses of your washing machine with white distilled vinegar. Periodically run the machine with only a cup of white distilled vinegar in it—nothing else added to the wash cycle.
Bring out bright colors by adding 1/2 cup white distilled vinegar to the rinse cycle.
Fluff up wool or acrylic sweaters (hand- or machine-washed) and rid them of soap smell, with 1/2 cup white distilled vinegar in the last rinse water.
Get rid of the tiny holes left along the hemline when you take out the hem of any garment by moistening a cloth with white distilled vinegar, placing it under the fabric and ironing.
Soothe sunburn with a spray of white distilled vinegar, repeating as often as you like. Ice-cold white distilled vinegar will feel even better, and may prevent blistering and peeling.
For cuts and scrapes, use white distilled vinegar as an antiseptic.
Get rid of foot odor by washing feet well with antiseptic soap daily, then soaking them in undiluted cider vinegar for 10 minutes or so. Remember that cotton socks aid odor control more effectively than wool ones.
Clean a hairbrush by soaking in a white distilled vinegar solution.
Tone facial skin with a solution of equal parts white distilled vinegar and water.
If commercial aftershaves cause rashes and itching, try using undiluted white distilled vinegar as an aftershave lotion.
Lighten body freckles (not facial freckles) by rubbing on full-strength white distilled vinegar.
Eliminate bad breath and whiten your teeth by brushing them once or twice a week with white distilled vinegar.
Make nail polish last longer. Wipe fingernails with cotton balls dipped in white distilled vinegar before putting on nail polish.
Polish car chrome with full-strength white distilled vinegar on a soft cloth.
Remove unwanted decals and bumper stickers by covering them with a cloth soaked in white distilled vinegar, or by repeatedly spraying them with full-strength white distilled vinegar. They should peel off in a couple of hours.
Rid the windshield wipers of road grime by wiping them with a white distilled vinegar-soaked cloth.
Remove the leftover odor after a rider has been carsick by leaving a bowl of white distilled vinegar overnight on the floor.
Get rid of hard water stains on your car with a rinse made from 3 parts soft water to one part white distilled vinegar.
Wipe vinyl upholstery with a mixture of equal parts white distilled vinegar and water.
Remove winter road salt residue on car carpeting by spraying with a mixture of equal parts white distilled vinegar and water, then blot with a soft towel.
Remove the hazy film that builds up on inside windows by spraying with white distilled vinegar.
Remove dirt and stains from car carpeting with a mixture of half white distilled vinegar and half water.
When doing car maintenance, soak rusty bolts and screws with white distilled vinegar to make them easier to remove.
Loosen chewing gum stuck to carpeting or upholstery by soaking it in white distilled vinegar.
Create an all-purpose window cleaner with a few ounces of white distilled vinegar in a quart of water.
Give leather upholstery an extra shine by cleaning it with hot white distilled vinegar and rinsing with soapy water.
Make your car extra shiny by adding a few drops of white distilled vinegar to your bucket of water.
Keep a dog from scratching its ears by wiping them out regularly with a soft cloth dipped in undiluted white distilled vinegar.
Remove skunk odors by wiping down the animal with a 50-50 solution of white distilled vinegar and water, followed by a plain-water rinse. Repeat if necessary.
Discourage a cat from sitting on a certain windowsill or other surface, or from scratching upholstery, by spraying white distilled vinegar on the item. Test first on an unnoticeable area to be sure there won’t be a discoloration.
Keep a cat out of a garden area by placing paper, a cloth, or sponge there that has been soaked in white distilled vinegar.
Get rid of the deposits and water lines that form in aquariums and fish bowls by wiping them down with white distilled vinegar and following with a good rinse. For stubborn deposits, soak for several hours or overnight.
Keep the birdbath clean by scrubbing it often with undiluted white distilled vinegar. Rinse well.
Keep flies away from horses or other outdoor pets by spraying a mixture of water and white distilled vinegar around the area where the animals are.
Remove cat litter odor by pouring ½ inch of white distilled vinegar in the empty litter box. Let it stand for 20 minutes, swish it around, then rinse with cold water.
Kill fleas by adding a little white distilled vinegar to your dog or cat’s drinking water.
Stop a dog from barking with a spray bottle filled with equal amounts of water and white distilled vinegar. When the dog barks, spray the vinegar water in its direction but not in the face.
Remove pet odors. After cleaning, cover the area with baking soda. Let it stand overnight. The next day vacuum up the baking soda and wash the area with white distilled vinegar. Rinse and let dry.
Cats hate the smell of vinegar. If you have a cat that is marking its territory around your house, spray the area with white distilled vinegar then rinse with a hose.
Stop cats from fighting with each other with a spritz of a white distilled vinegar and water solution.
Prevent cats from eating your plants by spraying the leaves with a solution of white distilled vinegar and water.
To make basic vinaigrette salad dressing use 1 part white distilled vinegar to 4 parts oil.
Make creamy vinaigrette by adding some plain or whipped cream to a mixture of 1 part white distilled vinegar to 3 parts oil.
Tenderize meat with white distilled vinegar. Use it in marinades or when slow cooking any tough, inexpensive cuts of meat.
When poaching eggs, add a little white distilled vinegar to the water. The whites stay better formed.
For extra tenderness with boiling ribs or stew meat add a tablespoon of white distilled vinegar.
To add a zesty new taste to fresh fruits such as pears, cantaloupe, honeydew, or others, add a splash of rice or balsamic vinegar. Serve immediately to prevent the fruit from becoming mushy.
Freshen wilted vegetables by soaking them in cold water containing a spoonful or two of white distilled vinegar.
When boiling or steaming cauliflower, beets or other vegetables, add a teaspoon or two of white distilled vinegar to the water to help them keep their color. This will also improve their taste, and reduce gassy elements. This also works when cooking beans and bean dishes.
Make pasta less sticky and reduce some of its starch. Add just a dash of white distilled vinegar to the water as it cooks.
Give some extra zest to your white sauce by adding 1/2 teaspoon of white distilled vinegar.
Try cider or malt white distilled vinegar instead of ketchup with french fries—that’s how the British like to eat them. Either one is also great on fish or any fried or broiled meat.
Remove kitchen odors that come from burnt pots or when cooking certain foods by boiling a small amount of water with 1/4 cup white distilled vinegar so that the steam circulates throughout the room.
Make onion odors disappear from your hands by rubbing with white distilled vinegar.
Add moistness and taste to any chocolate cake—homemade or from a box—with a spoonful of white distilled vinegar.
To keep frosting from sugaring add a drop of white distilled vinegar. It will also help keep white frosting white and shiny.
Make perfect, fluffy meringue by adding a teaspoon of white distilled vinegar for every 3 to 4 egg whites used.
Perk up any can of soup or sauce with a teaspoon of red or white wine vinegar.
Eliminate the greasy taste in food cooked in a deep fryer by adding a dash of white distilled vinegar.
If you’ve added too much salt to a recipe, add a spoonful of white distilled vinegar and sugar to try correcting the taste.
Keep molded gelatin desserts and salads from sagging or melting in the summer heat by adding a teaspoon of white distilled vinegar for each box of gelatin used.
When making tuna salad add a dash of any herb-flavored white distilled vinegar.
Turn out great rice by adding a teaspoon of white distilled vinegar to the boiling water.
To make the perfect picnic potato salad dressing combine 1 cup mayonnaise, 3 tablespoons white distilled vinegar, 1 tablespoon sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
Olives or pimentos covered with white distilled vinegar can be kept almost indefinitely if refrigerated.
To keep eggs from cracking when boiling add a tablespoon or two of white distilled vinegar to water.
In the garden
Kill weeds and grass growing in unwanted places by pouring full-strength white distilled vinegar on them. This works especially well in crevices and cracks of walkways and driveways.Give acid-loving plants like azaleas, rhododendrons, hydrangeas and gardenias a little help by watering them with a white distilled vinegar solution now and again. A cup of white distilled vinegar to a gallon of tap water is a good mixture.
Stop ants from congregating by pouring white distilled vinegar on the area.
Discourage cats from getting into the kids’ sandbox with white distilled vinegar.
Preserve cut flowers and liven droopy ones by adding 2 tablespoons white distilled vinegar and 1 teaspoon sugar to a quart of water in a vase.
Get rid of the water line in a flower vase by filling it with a solution of half water and half white distilled vinegar, or by soaking a paper towel in white distilled vinegar and stuffing it into the vase so that it is in contact with the water line.
Clean out stains and white mineral crusts in clay, glazed and plastic pots by soaking them for an hour or longer in a sink filled with a solution of half water and half white distilled vinegar.
Remove crusty rim deposits on house planters or attached saucers by soaking them for several hours in an inch of full-strength white distilled vinegar.
Clean a birdbath by scrubbing it often with undiluted white distilled vinegar. Rinse well.
Get rid of rust on spigots, tools, screws or bolts by soaking the items overnight or for several days in undiluted white distilled vinegar.
Neutralize garden lime by adding white distilled vinegar to the area.
Avoid skin problems after working in the garden by rinsing your hands in white distilled vinegar.
Increase the acidity of soil by adding white distilled vinegar to your watering can.
Eliminate anthills by pouring in white distilled vinegar.
Cure a cement pond before adding fish and plants by adding one gallon of white distilled vinegar to every 200 gallons of water. Let sit three days. Empty and rinse thoroughly.
Sanitize outdoor furniture and picnic tables with a cloth soaked in white distilled vinegar.
Kill slugs by spraying them with a mixture of 1 part water and 1 part white distilled vinegar.
To catch moths use a mixture of 2 parts white distilled vinegar and 1 part molasses. Place mixture in tin can and hang in a tree.
Keep rabbits from eating your plants. Put cotton balls soaked in white distilled vinegar in a 35mm film container. Poke a hole in the top and place in the garden.
Remove berry stains on your hands by rubbing them with white distilled vinegar.
Clean plastic patio furniture with a solution of 1 tablespoon white distilled vinegar to 1 gallon of water.
Wash fresh vegetables with a mixture of 1 tablespoon of white distilled vinegar in 1 ½ quarts of water.
When cleaning an outdoor fountain, soak the pump in white distilled vinegar to remove any mineral deposits.
Clean a hummingbird feeder with white distilled vinegar—soap or detergent can leave behind harmful residue.
Remove mold from terra cotta pots by soaking in a solution of 1 cup white distilled vinegar, 1 cup chlorine bleach, and 1 gallon of warm water before scrubbing with a steel wool pad.
Clan your house
To shine chrome sink fixtures that have a lime buildup, use a paste made of 2 tablespoons salt and 1 teaspoon white distilled vinegar.Make your own scouring cleanser by combining 1/4 cup baking soda with 1 tablespoon liquid detergent. Add just enough white distilled vinegar to give it a thick but creamy texture.
Clean counter tops and make them smell sweet again with a cloth soaked in undiluted white distilled vinegar.
Clean and deodorize a drain by pouring in 1 cup baking soda, then one cup hot white distilled vinegar. Let this sit for 5 minutes or so then run hot water down the drain.
Deodorize the garbage disposal by pouring in 1/2 cup baking soda and 1/2 cup hot white distilled vinegar. Let sit for 5 minutes then run hot water down the disposal.
Deodorize and clean the garbage disposal with white distilled vinegar ice cubes. Make them by freezing full-strength white distilled vinegar in an ice cube tray. Run several cubes down the disposal while flushing with cold water.
Clean the microwave by mixing 1/2 cup white distilled vinegar and 1/2 cup water in a microwave-safe bowl. Bring it to a rolling boil inside the microwave. Baked-on food will be loosened, and odors will disappear. Wipe clean.
Clean the shelves and walls of the refrigerator with a half-and-half solution of water and white distilled vinegar.
Cut the grime on the top of the refrigerator with a paper towel or cloth and full-strength white distilled vinegar.
Avoid the bad smell when you heat up a newly cleaned oven by using a sponge soaked in diluted white distilled vinegar for the final rinse.
To clean a grease splattered oven door window, saturate it with full-strength white distilled vinegar. Keep the door open for 10 to 15 minutes before wiping with a sponge.
Remove soap buildup and odors from the dishwasher by pouring a cup of white distilled vinegar inside the empty machine and running it through a whole cycle. Do monthly.
To prevent good glassware from getting etched by minerals, wash then spray with full-strength white distilled vinegar. Give the glasses a hot water rinse before letting them dry or drying them with a towel.
For cloudy glassware, soak paper towels or a cloth in full-strength white distilled vinegar and wrap around the inside and outside of the glass. Let sit awhile before rinsing clean.
Get rid of lime deposits in a tea kettle by adding 1/2 cup white distilled vinegar to the water and letting it sit overnight. If more drastic action is needed, boil full-strength white distilled vinegar in the kettle a few minutes, let cool and rinse with plain water.
Remove mineral deposits from coffee makers with white distilled vinegar. Fill the water reservoir with 1 cup or more of white distilled vinegar and run it through a whole cycle. Run it once or twice more with plain water to rinse clean. (Check the owners’ manual first.)
Remove stains from coffee and teacups by scrubbing them gently with equal parts of salt (or baking soda) and white distilled vinegar. Rinse clean.
For stained and smelly plastic food containers, wipe them with a cloth dampened with white distilled vinegar.
Remove odors from a lunch box by placing inside a slice of bread that has been soaked in white distilled vinegar. Leave overnight.
Remove ugly film in narrow-necked glass jars, flower vases, and bottles by letting undiluted white distilled vinegar sit in them for a few hours. Add a little rice or sand and shake vigorously to loosen stubborn stains. Repeat if necessary.
To clean tarnished brass, copper, and pewter, use a paste with equal amounts of white distilled vinegar and table salt.
Make a metal cleanser by adding enough white distilled vinegar to 2 tablespoons of cream of tartar to make a paste. Rub it on and let it dry on the surface. Wash it off and dry with a soft cloth.
Polish brass and copper with a mixture of 2 tablespoons of ketchup and 1 tablespoon white distilled vinegar. Rub it on with a clean cloth until dry and shiny.
Remove dark stains on an aluminum pot by boiling a mixture of 1 cup white distilled vinegar and 1 cup hot water.
Discourage ants by spraying undiluted white distilled vinegar outside doorways and windowsills, around appliances and wherever you find the pests coming in.
Get rid of fruit flies by setting out a small dish of undiluted white distilled vinegar.
Clean the wheel of a can opener using white distilled vinegar and an old toothbrush.
Remove the smell of spoiled food from a refrigerator by first rinsing the area with soap and water. Spray surfaces with full-strength white distilled vinegar and wipe them down with a damp cloth or sponge. Fill some containers with baking soda and place inside. Close the door and leave for a few days.
Wipe grease off exhaust fan grids, the inside of your oven, or anywhere grease gathers with a sponge soaked in white distilled vinegar.
To make cleaning the grill easier, spray a solution of half water and half white distilled vinegar on the cooking surface.
To remove a label, decal, or price tag, cover with a cloth soaked in white distilled vinegar. Leave the cloth on overnight and the label should slide off.
Renew sponges and dishrags by placing them in just enough water to cover them. Then add 1/4 cup white distilled vinegar. Let them soak overnight.
Get rid of calcium deposits on faucets by soaking a cloth or paper towel in white distilled vinegar and wrapping the area tightly. Let this sit for a couple of hours or overnight.
Remove soap buildup from faucets by scrubbing them with a solution of 1 part salt to 4 parts white distilled vinegar.
Rid a faucet of lime deposits by tying a plastic bag containing 1/2 to 1/3 cup of white distilled vinegar around it and leaving it there for two or three hours. If mineral deposits don’t wipe off, scrubbing with an old toothbrush should complete the job.
Shine colored porcelain sinks by scouring them with undiluted white distilled vinegar.
Rinse away soapy film on countertops with a solution of white distilled vinegar and water.
Clean grout by letting full-strength white distilled vinegar sit on it for a few minutes and scrubbing it with an old toothbrush.
Kill germs all around the bathroom with a spray of full-strength white distilled vinegar. Wipe clean with a damp cloth.
To remove grime, mildew, and scum from the tub, tile, shower curtain or door, wipe with undiluted white distilled vinegar. Rinse with water.
Spray shower doors with full-strength white distilled vinegar after you’ve squeegeed the glass, or before you step in and turn on the water. It will help release the hard water deposits so they don’t remain on the glass.
Mix up an inexpensive tile cleaner by adding 1/2 cup baking soda, 1 cup white distilled vinegar, and 1 cup ammonia to a gallon of warm water.
Get rid of stubborn bathtub film by wiping it with white distilled vinegar and then scouring with baking soda.
Soak a sponge or loofah overnight in a strong white distilled vinegar and water solution to remove dirt and slime. Rinse several times with cold water and let air dry (in the sun if possible).
Clean shower door tracks by filling them with white distilled vinegar and letting it sit for a few hours. Pour hot water into the tracks and wash and scrub away the scum with a toothbrush.
To clean a scummy showerhead, pour 1/2 cup baking soda and 1 cup white distilled vinegar into a sandwich bag and tie it around the showerhead. Let this set for an hour after the bubbling has stopped. Remove the bag and then turn on the water.
Deodorize the toilet bowl by allowing 3 cups white distilled vinegar to sit in it for about a half hour before flushing.
To make the toilet bowl sparkle, pour in a cup or more of diluted white distilled vinegar and let it sit several hours or overnight. Scrub well with the toilet brush and flush.
Freshen air in the bathroom by spraying into the air a solution of 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 tablespoon white distilled vinegar, and 1 cup water.
Get a shining finish on a no-wax vinyl or linoleum floor by cleaning it with a solution of one cup white distilled vinegar for every gallon of water.
Apply full-strength white distilled vinegar directly to tough linoleum stains. Leave it on for 10 to 15 minutes before wiping it up. If that doesn’t work, apply white distilled vinegar again and then sprinkle some baking soda over the white distilled vinegar. Scrub the area with a brush or sponge. Rinse clean with water.
For an economical and environmentally friendly floor cleaner, mix a solution of 3 drops dishwashing liquid to 1/3 part white distilled vinegar, 1/3 part alcohol, and 1/3 part water. Spray sparingly and mop for a fast clean-up.
Some carpet stains can be removed with a paste of 2 tablespoons white distilled vinegar and 1/4 cup salt or baking soda. Rub into the carpet stain and let dry. Vacuum up the residue the next day. (Always test on an out-of-sight part of the carpet first).
Bring out the color in carpet by brushing it with a solution of 1 cup white distilled vinegar for every gallon of water. (Always test on an out-of-sight part of the carpet beforehand).
To reduce soap bubbles in a steam cleaner add about 1/4 cup white distilled vinegar. Use the same amount in the rinse water to remove detergent residue and make carpets stay fresh longer.
Wash indoor/outdoor carpet with a solution of 1 cup white distilled vinegar in 1 bucket of warm water. Scrub using a brush or a broom and then hose off.
Clean up pet accidents by first blotting up the area and then adding a white distilled vinegar-and-water solution. Blot until it is almost dry. Then sprinkle baking soda over the area and let it dry. Vacuum up the residue the next day.
Create your own window cleaning solution by combining 1/2 cup non-sudsy ammonia, 1 cup white distilled vinegar, and 2 tablespoons cornstarch in a gallon of water.
Remove the wax residue left by commercial window cleaners with a solution of 2 cups water, 1 cup white distilled vinegar and 1 teaspoon of liquid soap or detergent.
To remove paint from windows try using undiluted, hot white distilled vinegar. Give the solution time to soften the paint before removing with a razor edge tool.
To remove paint splatters from windows apply full-strength white distilled vinegar with a clean paintbrush.
Get rid of mildew, dust, and stale odors by wiping down walls with undiluted white distilled vinegar on a cloth or a sponge mop.
Clean woodwork and walls with a mixture of 1 cup white distilled vinegar, 1 cup baking soda, 1/2 cup ammonia and 1 gallon warm water. Wipe on with a sponge or damp—not wet—towel.
Clean wood paneling with a solution of 1/4 cup olive oil, 1/2 cup white distilled vinegar, and 2 cups warm water. Wipe on with a soft cloth.
Remove wallpaper easily by using a paint roller to wet the surface very thoroughly with a solution of equal parts white distilled vinegar and hot water. Or spray on until saturated.
Get decals off walls or doors by letting undiluted white distilled vinegar soak into them for several minutes before trying to peel them off. Repeat if necessary.
Remove white water rings from wood with a solution of equal parts white distilled vinegar and vegetable oil. Rub with the grain.
Remove fireplace soot and grime with undiluted white distilled vinegar. Use a brush to scrub and a towel to blot up the wetness and dirt.
Clean fireplace glass doors with a solution of 1 part white distilled vinegar to 2 parts water. Spray or wipe on, then wipe clean with a dry cloth.
To kill germs, spray full-strength white distilled vinegar on doorknobs and then wipe them dry.
Remove the smell of a dead mouse or other rodent (after removing all animal remnants) by wiping down the area with either white distilled vinegar or bleach. Then place a fabric softener sheet in the area to remove any lingering odors.
Never use white distilled vinegar on marble. The acid can damage the surface.
Before painting old concrete, clean with full-strength white distilled vinegar. Let it air dry.
Clean hardened paint brushes by simmering them in a pot with white distilled vinegar. Soak them first for an hour before bringing the white distilled vinegar to a simmer. Drain and rinse clean.
Remove mud and stains from plastic, fiberglass, or aluminum sports equipment by applying a paste of 1 part white distilled vinegar to 3 parts baking soda. Wipe off with soapy water and rinse with clear water.
Clean your grill by spritzing white distilled vinegar over wadded up aluminum foil and scrubbing the grill vigorously with it.
To remove film in glass baby bottles, fill with equal parts hot water and white distilled vinegar. Let sit for at least an hour. Scrub with a bottle brush.
To clean and disinfect baby toys add a good-sized splash of white distilled vinegar to soapy water.
Clean vinyl baby books or board books by wiping with white distilled vinegar. Wipe clean with a damp sponge or cloth.
Clean scissors that have become sticky (after cutting tape, for instance) with a cloth dipped in undiluted white distilled vinegar.
Clean and deodorize urine on a mattress with a white distilled vinegar and water solution. Then sprinkle the area with baking soda and let dry. Brush or vacuum the residue after it is dry to the touch.
Shine pennies by soaking them for a couple of hours or overnight in a glass or bowl of undiluted white distilled vinegar.
Laundry
Prevent lint from clinging to clothes by adding 1/2 cup white distilled vinegar to the wash cycle.To remove soap residue that makes black clothes look dull use white distilled vinegar in your final rinse.
Get stained white socks and dingy dishcloths white again. Add 1 cup white distilled vinegar to a large pot of water, bring it to a rolling boil and drop in the articles. Let soak overnight.
Some stains on clothing and linens can be soaked out using equal parts milk and white distilled vinegar.
Before washing a mustard stain, dab with white distilled vinegar.
Attack spaghetti, barbecue, or ketchup stains with a white distilled vinegar and water solution.
Remove perspiration odor and stains on clothing, as well as those left by deodorants, by spraying full-strength white distilled vinegar on underarm and collar areas before tossing them into the washing machine.
Forgot that you left wet laundry in the machine and it now smells moldy? Pour a few cups of white distilled vinegar in the machine and wash the clothes in hot water. Then run a normal cycle with detergent.
Remove smoky odors from clothes by filling the bathtub with very hot water and 1 cup white distilled vinegar. Hang the garments above the steaming water and shut the door so the steam can penetrate the fibers.
Keep the steam iron clean and in good working order by getting rid of mineral deposits in steam vents and spray nozzles. Fill the water chamber with a solution of equal parts white distilled vinegar and distilled water. Set it in an upright position and let it steam for about 5 minutes. When the iron is cool, rinse the tank with water, refill and shake water through the vents onto an old cloth. Test before using.
Remove scorch marks from an iron by rubbing it with a warmed-up solution of equal parts white distilled vinegar and salt. If that doesn’t work, use a cloth dampened with full-strength white distilled vinegar.
Remove musky smells from cotton clothes by sprinkling them lightly with white distilled vinegar and then pressing them.
Get water and salt stains off shoes and boots by wiping them down with a solution of equal parts white distilled vinegar and water.
Give patent leather shoes and bags a better shine by wiping them down with white distilled vinegar.
Get cleaner laundry! Add about 1/4 cup white distilled vinegar to the last rinse. The acid in white distilled vinegar is too mild to harm fabrics, yet strong enough to dissolve the alkalies in soaps and detergents. Besides removing soap, white distilled vinegar prevents yellowing, acts as a fabric softener and static cling reducer, and attacks mold and mildew.
Eliminate manufacturing chemicals from new clothes by adding 1/2 cup white distilled vinegar to the water.
Remove soap scum and clean the hoses of your washing machine with white distilled vinegar. Periodically run the machine with only a cup of white distilled vinegar in it—nothing else added to the wash cycle.
Bring out bright colors by adding 1/2 cup white distilled vinegar to the rinse cycle.
Fluff up wool or acrylic sweaters (hand- or machine-washed) and rid them of soap smell, with 1/2 cup white distilled vinegar in the last rinse water.
Get rid of the tiny holes left along the hemline when you take out the hem of any garment by moistening a cloth with white distilled vinegar, placing it under the fabric and ironing.
For your health
Stop insect stings and bites from itching by dabbing them with a cotton ball saturated with undiluted white distilled vinegar.Soothe sunburn with a spray of white distilled vinegar, repeating as often as you like. Ice-cold white distilled vinegar will feel even better, and may prevent blistering and peeling.
For cuts and scrapes, use white distilled vinegar as an antiseptic.
Get rid of foot odor by washing feet well with antiseptic soap daily, then soaking them in undiluted cider vinegar for 10 minutes or so. Remember that cotton socks aid odor control more effectively than wool ones.
Clean a hairbrush by soaking in a white distilled vinegar solution.
Tone facial skin with a solution of equal parts white distilled vinegar and water.
If commercial aftershaves cause rashes and itching, try using undiluted white distilled vinegar as an aftershave lotion.
Lighten body freckles (not facial freckles) by rubbing on full-strength white distilled vinegar.
Eliminate bad breath and whiten your teeth by brushing them once or twice a week with white distilled vinegar.
Make nail polish last longer. Wipe fingernails with cotton balls dipped in white distilled vinegar before putting on nail polish.
For the car
Keep car windows frost-free overnight in winter by coating them with a solution of 3 parts white distilled vinegar to 1 part water.Polish car chrome with full-strength white distilled vinegar on a soft cloth.
Remove unwanted decals and bumper stickers by covering them with a cloth soaked in white distilled vinegar, or by repeatedly spraying them with full-strength white distilled vinegar. They should peel off in a couple of hours.
Rid the windshield wipers of road grime by wiping them with a white distilled vinegar-soaked cloth.
Remove the leftover odor after a rider has been carsick by leaving a bowl of white distilled vinegar overnight on the floor.
Get rid of hard water stains on your car with a rinse made from 3 parts soft water to one part white distilled vinegar.
Wipe vinyl upholstery with a mixture of equal parts white distilled vinegar and water.
Remove winter road salt residue on car carpeting by spraying with a mixture of equal parts white distilled vinegar and water, then blot with a soft towel.
Remove the hazy film that builds up on inside windows by spraying with white distilled vinegar.
Remove dirt and stains from car carpeting with a mixture of half white distilled vinegar and half water.
When doing car maintenance, soak rusty bolts and screws with white distilled vinegar to make them easier to remove.
Loosen chewing gum stuck to carpeting or upholstery by soaking it in white distilled vinegar.
Create an all-purpose window cleaner with a few ounces of white distilled vinegar in a quart of water.
Give leather upholstery an extra shine by cleaning it with hot white distilled vinegar and rinsing with soapy water.
Make your car extra shiny by adding a few drops of white distilled vinegar to your bucket of water.
For your pets
Give your dog a gleaming coat by spraying or rubbing with a solution of 1 cup white distilled vinegar to 1 quart water. As a bonus, you save the cost of an expensive shine product used on show animals. (Works even on a horse!)Keep a dog from scratching its ears by wiping them out regularly with a soft cloth dipped in undiluted white distilled vinegar.
Remove skunk odors by wiping down the animal with a 50-50 solution of white distilled vinegar and water, followed by a plain-water rinse. Repeat if necessary.
Discourage a cat from sitting on a certain windowsill or other surface, or from scratching upholstery, by spraying white distilled vinegar on the item. Test first on an unnoticeable area to be sure there won’t be a discoloration.
Keep a cat out of a garden area by placing paper, a cloth, or sponge there that has been soaked in white distilled vinegar.
Get rid of the deposits and water lines that form in aquariums and fish bowls by wiping them down with white distilled vinegar and following with a good rinse. For stubborn deposits, soak for several hours or overnight.
Keep the birdbath clean by scrubbing it often with undiluted white distilled vinegar. Rinse well.
Keep flies away from horses or other outdoor pets by spraying a mixture of water and white distilled vinegar around the area where the animals are.
Remove cat litter odor by pouring ½ inch of white distilled vinegar in the empty litter box. Let it stand for 20 minutes, swish it around, then rinse with cold water.
Kill fleas by adding a little white distilled vinegar to your dog or cat’s drinking water.
Stop a dog from barking with a spray bottle filled with equal amounts of water and white distilled vinegar. When the dog barks, spray the vinegar water in its direction but not in the face.
Remove pet odors. After cleaning, cover the area with baking soda. Let it stand overnight. The next day vacuum up the baking soda and wash the area with white distilled vinegar. Rinse and let dry.
Cats hate the smell of vinegar. If you have a cat that is marking its territory around your house, spray the area with white distilled vinegar then rinse with a hose.
Stop cats from fighting with each other with a spritz of a white distilled vinegar and water solution.
Prevent cats from eating your plants by spraying the leaves with a solution of white distilled vinegar and water.
Why I'm Gluten-Free
Why I'm Gluten-Free
(and how to start if you need to be gf too) by Kyria Baker
Gluten is not dangerous for everyone, but it seems like daily more and more people are being diagnosed as celiac or at least gluten intolerant. My daughter and I have a gluten allergy. We don't have celiac disease, but if we had not stopped ingesting gluten, it would have become that. I will never forget the first few months of my daughter's life. She colicked almost non-stop and we were both exhausted. I ate cream of wheat for breakfast almost daily, thinking I was being so healthy. She was getting it in the breast milk. I drank a lot of colic tea which helped ease her symptoms, but poor baby! I had no idea that what I ate was causing her intestinal pain!
Oh, how I wish I had known then to check for common food allergens. But I didn't and she was twelve before my doctor discovered the allergy in both of us. However, even after the diagnosis it took me awhile to fully accept it and take steps to change our lifestyle. We went through a period of mourning for what we could no longer have. I kept cheating, thinking that once in a while wouldn't hurt. But it's not like other things. When you are allergic to something, it is poison to your system. For us, it takes about 5 days to clear our system. Five days in which we have some horrible symptoms, some of them physical like stomach cramps and bloating, and some of it mental, like inability to think clearly, make simple decisions, or learn anything new. Each of those five days, I wake up depressed, thinking “what's the use?”. I fight with my husband if he forgets to leave me alone for the duration. Nothing is rational.
But when I'm completely gluten free, ah, the blessed relief! Not only am I in my right mind (for the first time in years, really), but I have more energy and more stamina. And my home is peaceful! I don't feel a need to pick fights, my daughter is able to handle her brother's teasing without a total meltdown, it's incredible! I can finally dream for the future and take steps to make those dreams a reality.
So now that I've experienced the results of being gluten-free, I will never intentionally poison my body again. That's what gluten is to me and my daughter. It's a poison. My doctor says if I had continued to put it into my body, it would have led to complications that include serious illness and even death. Our symptoms included brain fog, stomach cramps and bloating, diarrhea, skin rash and a serious personality switch. It was not pretty! Nowadays, if I suddenly go insane and irrational, we start a scavenger hunt to find out what I ate that poisoned me. Then we hunker down for five days and wait it out. Peace and quiet and not much interaction with the family helps me get through it without being just waaay too ugly to my precious loved ones.
There are incredibly informative websites all over the internet giving you all the information you could ever need about this subject. If you've just been diagnosed, or if you suspect you may be gluten intolerant, Karina has written an excellent article to read first. Then you may want to browse the rest of her blog, since it's all excellent. You'll find that most people who blog or maintain a website related to gluten free living have many links to other people doing the same thing. So there is no end to helpful advice and recipes out there, but read Karina's article first because she has some very important points, the main one being that you shouldn't try to eat gf breads and pastas in the first two weeks of your new life. This is because your taste buds have a memory. You have to let them forget the taste of gluten, then they will be able to appreciate all the new foods you'll be introducing to your palate. After you've stuck to very basic foods for a couple of weeks, you can start branching out and trying new things. There are some fantastic mixes in the health food stores nowadays. The gluten free industry is really starting to explode. There are wonderful cook books available also. Recipes abound online. One of my favorite sites is called A Year of Slow Cooking. When I was still dealing with brain fog, it was so nice to be able to prepare delicious meals in my Crock Pot with little effort.
If you've been diagnosed as gluten intolerant in some way, be encouraged. It's normal to mourn your losses, but don't get stuck there. As soon as your system gets clear, you'll feel so much better that life and your future will once again look bright.
Kyria Baker is a stay-at-home mother of two children. Her family is just starting to home school and looking forward to the adventure with excitement. She lives in Texas and loves reading, sewing, riding horses and rodeos, and no longer has Fibromyalgia! Her driving passion is to learn more about the Lord and how to serve Him better
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