Green Living
Natural Approach to Biology
This year I entered the world of high school level science. There are many great books and programs out there. Apologia science is probably the most well-known in the home school world. It is a solid program with a text, lab work, tests, etc. However after years of observing nature, reading great informative books, and raising tadpoles in a fish... »
Applied Kinesiology
If you are like me the first time you ever heard the words, "Applied Kinesiology," you pictured high school coaches or college students seeking a degree in kinesiology. Kinesiology is the study of the way a human body moves. If that is what you thought, do not be embarrassed. If it was not for my good friend, Marjorie, I would... »
Shark Steam Mop
Once we laid all the tile in my bedroom, bathroom, living room, and dining room, I started looking for the best way to clean the floor. I wanted to find something that was easy to use. I wanted it to do a great job. I preferred to not use household chemical cleaners. I... »
Dryer Balls
One of the most thoughtful gifts I received for Christmas was from my son, Jake. He decided to use some of his own money he earned from working for my father to go shopping for a few people on his Christmas list. I happened to be on his list. Early one morning he happened to see part of an infomercial on... »
A Breath of Fresh Air
For some time now, I have been saving up to purchase an essential oil diffuser. I wanted to be able to fill the air in my home with the refreshing and healing scents of my essential oils. Since Jake is allergic to formaldehyde, I have steered away from store-bought air fresheners. I have... »
Grapefruit Seed Extract
Last Saturday my whole family began feeling under the weather. We had scratchy throats and stuffy noses. I immediately began giving everyone garlic, vitamin D3, and astragalus. Early Sunday morning I woke up with the worst sore throat I have had since I was a little girl. It hurt so bad that I decided to get up at this insane hour... »
Pumpkins
It is that time of year again. The night air is getting much cooler. The leaves on the trees are beginning to fade into different shades of yellow-green. And, pumpkins are everywhere. Churches are selling them in big lots. Stores have them out as decorations. I sadly did not get any pumpkins from... »
Liquid Goat Milk Soap
When you make goat milk soap, the bars have to go through a process of saponification. They have to cure for 5-6 weeks before use. I have been making soap at home and trying a few different combinations of essential oils. Therefore I have several curing batches of soap at home. I read... »
Honeybees
Just the other day, I watched a documentary called, "The Last Beekeeper." I had heard about the declining population of honeybees, but did not know the reason. It seems that neither do scientists. They are calling the sudden and unexplained death of hives "Colony Collapse Disorder"... »
Harmful Ingredients in our Soaps
The other day a good friend of mine and I were talking. She revealed to me that she had made laundry detergent from the recipe on my site. She also was concerned by the minimal amount of suds in the washing machine and thought that perhaps she was not using enough soap. We discussed several different possibilities to the lack... »
Our Camping Trip
One of the great things about living in the country is that you can throw together camping trips easily. You do not have to make reservations. There is always availability, and it is free. My father owns a ranch nearby and we can use the property as if we owned it ourselves. As... »
The Cleaning Power of Vinegar
I am still amazed at the cleaning power of vinegar and water. Since one of my sons is allergic to chemicals in cleaning products and another son received a third degree burn from a household cleaner, I have been even more diligent than ever at using all-natural cleaning products. We are in the process of... »
Making Laundry Detergent
I have already posted most of my cleaning recipes in an article creatively named, "Cleaning Product Recipes." As I was preparing to make another batch of laundry detergent, I thought I would photograph the process for those who were still unsure if it was easy enough to do by themselves. It took us less than thirty minutes to have a... »
No Shampoo? No Worries
In my search to find household products without formaldehyde in them, I ran across several websites that discouraged the use of shampoo. One only wanted people to use water to clean their hair. I have to say that I was not quite comfortable trying this water-only method. Several used baking soda and vinegar in many different ways. Regardless of the... »
Anything Bugging You?
As much as I love the springtime with the revival of nature, pests are also awakening and coming to life. Three main pests really bother me: mosquitos, june bugs, and ants. When Hurricane Ike blazed through our area late last summer, we were inundated with mosquitos. Electric service was out in most areas for days if not much longer. Residents in... »
