Busy

I'm not sure what is wrong with me.

The housecleaning obsession

 appears to have departed,

but the new obsession is gardening.

And not even at home.

Well, yes, some of it is at home;

the rest, however, is down at the cabin.

We've spent the last two weekends

working on the area behind our cabin.

We've planted peach, apple, fig,

 pear, and plum trees.

And blueberries.

And daffodils down by the tree line 

along the creek.

Fee built two frames for raised beds.

I helped--a little.

Amelia and I planted the daffodils.

Who knows how the vegetable garden

 will turn out?

Right now, we are full of ideas and enthusiasm.

Summer comes earlier and earlier, though,

and hotter and hotter.

I suspect my enthusiasm 

will decrease as the temps increase.

Nevertheless, for the moment at least,

I look forward to the drive to the country,

full of plans and energy.

-------

At home, the back garden 

occupied me during the fall.

Yesterday, garden clean-up was in order.

Picking up little limbs and branches

 that have blown down

over the last couple of months,

weeding, getting leaves out of the pond

and into the compost bag took most of the day.

Good thing we have a TINY back yard!

I've tried several methods for cat hair

 and rely on The Furminator 

(around $20 from Walmart

 and well worth it) 

for grooming The Triad.  

They love it!

The biggest problem is

 they jostle for position 

and push and shove 

to be the one getting the stroking.

With three cats, however, 

there is always an abundance of cat hair.

  The worst location is the cat tower,

 a favorite spot for all three 

and vacuuming just wasn't

 working well enough. 

 Oh, and the fact that I often neglect this chore.  

So I turned to Pinterest for some helpful hints.
     Tried the rubber glove tip 

and was pleased that it worked.

 Quickly.  

And with little effort.  

Cat tower is now cleaner 

than it has been in a long time!

Antonis Achilleos

Rubber Glove as Pet Hair Remover

Put on a damp rubber dishwashing glove and run your hand over hair-covered upholstery—the hair will cling to the glove, not the sofa. Rinse off the glove in the sink alcohol, two parts water, and a dash of dishwashing liquid onto vinyl wallpaper or 

via Pinterest, via Real Simple.com

(note: it doesn't work exactly the way 
the picture implies!)

After grooming with the Furminator,

a stroke or two with the rubber glove

also helps pick up fly away hair.

Of course, this is an alternative solution.

And if all else fails:

Amelia, something of a smart ass, 
gave me this book.  
I plan to make her a muffler.

Moodling and Bobbin Wrangling

I haven't been as active in posting 
so far this year.
:) Guess I haven't had much to post about.

Took these pics of Bryce Eleanor,
who after insisting on getting up early,
took a morning nap in Fee's recliner 
last weekend.

The only creative (?) thing,
I've done since Christmas is work on
the slow cloth shirt.
This one of Fee's old shirts that
 was serving as a smock.
I've been slowly embroidering for months now.

One of the more recent areas with
lots of running stitches.
I just start anywhere and 
stitch until tired of it.
Moodling.

While standing in the hair care aisle
 the other day
 looking for an extra large clip for my hair, 
I noticed those small, colorful scrunchies for kids and remembered seeing a Pinterest Tip on using them to keep bobbins tidy.

With a little research, 

I discovered the original tip came from 

Karen at Sew Many Ways.

She has lots of other sewing organization tips.

Anyway, I bought a 42 count 

Goody Ouchless Ponytailer package

for $2.17 and plan to corral a bunch of bobbins.

Other ideas for bobbin wrangling

 from Annie's Crafts.

Love the way they keep the thread in place!

Did You Know?

Fluoride has long been controversial, but it is getting a lot of attention now, and some of the information is pretty scary.

 A qualitative review of the studies found a consistent and strong association between the exposure to fluoride and low IQ. The meta-analyses of the case-control studies estimated that the odds ratio of IQ in endemic fluoride areas compared with nonfluoride areas or slight fluoride areas. The summarized weighted mean difference is -4.97 (95%confidence interval [CI] = -5.58 to -4.36; p < 0.01) using a fixed-effect model and -5.03 (95%CI = -6.51 to 3.55; p < 0.01) using a random-effect model, which means that children who live in a fluorosis area have five times higher odds of developing low IQ than those who live in a nonfluorosis area or a slight fluorosis area.
 (excerpt  from Fluoride and children's intelligence: a meta-analysis)

Time listed as one of 10 Common Household Toxins.

Fluoride and Intelligence:  the 36 Studies  -- suggests that the results of 36 separate studies in different countries can hardly be considered a fluke.

And then there is this (from Dr. Mercola, frequent visitor on Dr. Oz):

Parents Beware: Never Use Fluoridated Tap Water when Making Infant Formula

Most of the people who are educated about fluoride will avoid drinking municipal tap water that is fluoridated, and a reverse osmosis system is about the only way to rid your water of fluoride. However, there are many who simply don't have the resources or the know-how to protect themselves and their young children. In November of 2006, the American Dental Association (ADA) sent out an email to alert its members of their recommendation to parents to not use fluoridated tap water to make infant formula. A few days later, the CDC followed suit.

But neither of them openly informed the public!

So millions of parents are still using tap water to make up formula, oblivious of the fact that the agencies that promote fluoridation in this country have issued a specific warning against using fluoridated water for this purpose. Not only that, but by fluoridating the municipal water supply, you doom many low income families to fail to protect their young children from this dangerous drug, even if they have this information.

I mean, am I the last to know about this?

Shouldn't everyone be informed that

mixing infant formula with tap water

could reduce the infant's IQ?

And if there is little evidence that

fluoridation reduced tooth decay,

why is our water still being fluoridated? 

Tried and True - Mayonnaise as Furniture Polish

Most of you are probably
familiar with using mayonnaise
for those awful water rings on wood furniture.

During a recent rain, 

a wet newspaper was plopped 
on our dining room table.

And left for a while.

Not a good idea.

So out came the miracle condiment.
I had two  bottles in the fridge.
Another case of duplication.

The area was so large that I ended up

spreading the mayonnaise over about 

half the table; rubbed it in and left it 

for about 10 minutes.

Nice!

The area cleaned with commercial product 
vs mayonnaise  area--

No comparison.
Spread miracle mayo over the entire table.

Buffed with a clean cloth and marveled.
Now it isn't as glossy, but looks great. 

What next?

Tried it on the old wooden trunk.

The difference is obvious.
Look how try the untreated section is.

Buffing it out with a soft cloth
 took off excessive shine, 
but none of the revitalized appearance!
Days later, it still has a soft, mellow look.
When I'd clean/polish with lemon oil, 
Endust, or Pledge,
it looked dry again within a day.

Looked around for something else to try.

No more Pledge or Endust or Lemon Oil for me.  

Added benefits:
All it takes is a buffing every once in a while
to make it look like new,
 and
it doesn't have the oily or waxy look
that other products have left.

The smell is minimal and quickly disappears,
but I may add some essential oil next time.
Have to label this mayo jar:
For Cleaning Only.

Update:
Used it to clean/polish
my wood kitchen cabinets.
:)
Success!

And it makes a great moisturizer
for your hands!

Update 2:
After a few days, I tried Pledge on the table, 
just to see the difference.
Hated it.
Cleaned it off with a mild vinegar/water solution,
and used the mayo again,
 but this time with
lemon eucalyptus essential oil mixed in.
This really is my new furniture polish.

Has anyone else tried mayo 
(not Miracle Whip),
as a polish?
I've known about its use
 on water marks forever,
but never considered using it for more.

A little goes a long way,
but when I finish with this bottle,
I'll buy a cheap mayo for polish...
one in a squeeze bottle.

Still Here

I've not been blogging as much lately

because I'm still engaged in a cleaning

and organizing process.

(Have to admit, this is the longest

C & O binge I've ever managed.)

Fee calls it a compulsion.

And it really has been.

I'm almost embarrassed to admit how 

much time I've spent lately in this process.

For example, in the kitchen, 

I've emptied every cabinet, purged & discarded,

cleaned shelves, and washed every item

to be replaced.

The same with every drawer.

And the pantry.

I usually quit after a couple of drawers,

but have compulsively continued.

Two Possible Reasons:

1) I can't quite get back into crafting and

creating at the moment, so I have
extra time on my hands.

2) If cleaning is a compulsion, then my 

recent fascination with cleaning tips

on Pinterest and elsewhere has

become an obsession.

No one is more surprised
about this new version of me, than me.
Well, my husband may be more surprised.
-------------

I have put out a few Valentine decorations.

Added a lavender scented
sachet heart
to the Victorian baby shoes.

And I'm reading, of course.
In between cleaning out cabinets, etc.

Recent books that I've enjoyed,
but haven't reviewed yet:

The Thief of Auschwitz by Jon Clinch
The Twelve by Justin Cronin
Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater.

I'm almost through reviewing books
from last year on my book blog.
Soon, I'll be able to review my
more recent reads.

Tried and True-- Eucalyptus Essential Oil for Coughs, Congestion

I read a tip on Pinterest a while back that suggested putting drops 

of eucalyptus essential oil on cotton balls and putting in pillows to reduce nighttime coughing and nasal congestion.

Of course, this makes perfect sense to anyone familiar with eucalyptus or Vicks Vaporub.  Eucalyptus oil has many benefits and one sniff will give instant proof of its effect 
on sinus congestion.

Lately, Fee has had a lot of nighttime coughing as a result of allergies,

 and I have had a bit of a stuffy nose, 

so I placed about 15-20 drops of eucalyptus oil on two cotton balls 

and placed one in each of our pillows.

Oooh, a much better night's sleep

 as a result of a dramatic decrease 

in both congestion and coughing.

Another tip suggests rubbing a few drops on the bottom of your feet for the same result.

I've been using essential oils 

for a variety of things for years,

 but if I had not seen that tip 

at the very time I needed it,

 I would have turned to the medicine cabinet instead of the eucalyptus oil.  

Three of my favorite scents.

Several years ago,

I made separate eye Pillows out of muslin with removable covers of pretty fabrics, 

so the covers could be washed, 

stuffed the bags with lavender and flax seed, 

 emphasized the scent 

with essential oil combinations,

and gave them to my yoga class.

I've also made cleaning wipes for my yoga mat, 

air fresheners, etc., using essential oils.

WebMD has more information about 
the use of eucalyptus oil.

Tea tree oil is also a great antibacterial
and antifungal essential oil,
but I use it sparingly 
because the scent is so strong and medicinal.

Update:
Placed some lemon eucalyptus oil
(not quite as strong an odor as eucalyptus alone)
on some of Fee's handkerchiefs 
so he can take them with him.

This and That

I found these random facts fascinating.

30 Random Surprising Facts

Here is an example...

via StumbleUpon   

-----------------------------

From Improve Photography email:
Test Results:  Best Online Print Lab .

 Interesting that the two with which I'm most familiar are at the bottom for quality and price.

----------------------- 

I can't remember where I first saw

 or heard about the recent curious 
cultural phenomenon 
labeled  Herbivore Men,

 but this behavioral change 

among Japanese men is having 
social, economic, and cultural repercussions.

In one way, it seems amusing,
but the effect is pretty drastic
and has the government concerned.

-----------
I've been preoccupied 
lately with tips on cleaning 
and homemade cleaners; 
 Pinterest is full of links.

Perhaps because January is not only
 a consciously celebrated
opportunity for new beginnings,
but a subconscious perspective as well.

I made no resolution this year
 to de-clutter and organize
because I've done that so often and have
so often failed to follow through.

Yet, without even thinking about it,
I'm finding myself cleaning out drawers
and reading about the many uses
of baking soda.

This morning, I used a tip I'd recently 
read about.
After cleaning the refrigerator, try 
lining shelves and drawers with cling wrap
to quickly and easily clean up spills.

While cleaning the fridge this morning,
I turned over one of those large jars
of minced garlic to check the expiration date.
The lid wasn't screwed on.

IT WENT EVERYWHERE.

All the work I'd done, 
and it had to be done again.
On the second cleaning go-round, 
I added plastic wrap 
to all the shelves and drawers.
If I'd done it the first time, it would 
have contained the problem somewhat.

And, uh, had I put the lid on tight
(must assume that I was the culprit),
it wouldn't have happened at tall.

Can you imagine what my house smells like?

Looking for tips on 
getting rid of strong odors right now.
:0

Recuperating

A New Year, and I am still in recovery 

(post-Holiday recovery mode--

happens every year.)  

Well, several times every year,

because it makes for a great excuse

 to pretty much shut down everything 

except what I want to do.

Now, what I want to do can vary greatly.

Some days I might choose to remain 

in my pj's all day with a cuppa and a book.

In the first 3 days of this year, 

I've drunk endless cups of tea and read 3 books.

This may sound challenging,

but consider that I might read from

6:00 PM until 12:00 AM--or even later.

I am a high stamina reader.

Some days I might be in the cleaning

and clearing out mode.

(This is a frequent choice in the delusional

optimism associated with a New Year.)

So far, I've cleaned out four drawers,

and straightened out the linen closet.

Although I had great intentions

of continuing the drawer and closet

challenge...I fear I've run out of steam

(and interest)

in continuing that particular project.

For now, at least.

I make lists.

Long ones.

Of what I want to make, or do,

or should do, 
but probably won't.

I contemplate.

I vegetate.

I browse Pinterest

and ooh and ahh

and make more lists.

Then pick up another book.

Eat the last of the 
tomato basil soup.

I did throw away all left overs from New Year's--
cabbage, black peas, cornbread,
but 
didn't really "clean" the fridge.

I've been in a frenzy of review writing
for my book blog:

The Short Nights of the Shadow Catcher: 
The Epic Live and 
Eternal Photographs of Edward Curtis
by Timothy Egan

The Last Runaway by Tracy Chevalier

Two Dystopian Novels
(One Second After and World War Z)

Why won't I review the darn books
as soon as I finish them?
So many more to review from 2012.

And since right now I'm in an intense
reading cycle, more books to review
keep adding up.
MUST
finish 2012 books first!

I found this list by Rhymes with Magic
that cracks me up
because
it is so real.

Resolutions?
I've had a few...

I suppose that is part
of what all the lists are about.

So, how is your New Year progressing?