Tip of the Day - Stain Lifters

I have 4 favorite stain lifters for my dirty laundry.

They are cheap, easy to use and always in my pantry or laundry room.

1. Vinegar- I pour this straight onto grass stains.  I also use it in place of fabric softener. I pour 1/4 to 1/2 cup of vinegar into my fabric softener dispenser.  It leaves my clothes soft and fresh. Plus, it kills any germs that the laundry soap may have left behind, and rinses away any left behind soap.

2. Rubbing Alcohol - Squirt this onto ink stains and it then toss it into the wash.  

3. Hydrogen Peroxide - I most commonly use this on urine or sweat stains, as well as berry or sauce stains.  I spray the stain, let it sit a few minutes before tossing it into the wash.

4. Fels Naptha or Homemade Lard Soap- This is best for oily or grungy dirt stains.  Just moisten the stain and rub the bar of soap into the stain, then launder as usual.

Goose Berries are Ready!!!

 It is time to get yourselves out to the edges of the timber and pluck those tart little gooseberries from their thorny branches!  These little berries taste like a very sour apple.  When sugar is added for a pie or jam, an all together new flavor is created, but the tartness still takes the spotlight.  If you are one of those kids who loves sour candies, you are going to love these!
Here are a few tips for picking:
1. Wear good gloves.  Something that the thorns won't poke through too badly, and something that isn't too big or baggy.
2. Wear long pants and long sleeve shirt.  This will protect you from bugs, thorns and poison ivy.
3. Take a bucket or basket that won't let the tiny berries fall through.
4. Take a kid with you.  Kids can get down and reach some of the hard to get places.  Plus, kids love being in nature.  My 9 year old kept tasting berries, saying, "this is so relaxing and peaceful! I love this!"
5. Don't be afraid to move the branches around. This is where those gloves come in really handy.  Pull, lift and move the branches out of the way, picking the top and underside of each branch.  Part the bush so that you can pick the berries on the top and bottom of the bush, the inside and the outside.
6. Once you have picked all of the berries, walk around the bush and re-check it from another direction.  I bet you missed some.
7. The green berries are the ones you want for cooking.  The purple or black berries have over ripened.
~Rebecca

Tip of the Day~Never Work Wet Soil!

When your soil is wet like this, don't work it.  Don't weed. Don't dig. Don't plant. Don't till.
Don't walk around on it.  Working wet soil, especially if it has a high clay content, makes for hard soil. Hard soil.  Think blacktop, concrete, rocks.  Hard soil.
Just take a moment and thank the Father for the rain and go back inside and bake something, or read a book or look over Mom's comp. list.  Maybe you can work in your soil tomorrow if it dries out a bit.

This is Poison Ivy- Gardeners Beware!

 This beautiful plant with the clusters of 3 leaves, is poison ivy.  Most people are allergic.  The oils from this plant, which are rubbed onto you with even the slightest contact, cause a raised blistery rash that itches so bad it will make you crazy!  Please be aware of what this plant looks like.  When you are harvesting in the garden, or out in nature, be aware of this stuff growing around you.

This is also poison ivy.

Poison ivy vines and is often found in the timber or trees climbing right up the trunks.

This is a rose.

This is poison ivy.

It can also be found in the grass.

Notice the three leaves.

These are sunflowers.

They are babies...aren't they cute!

These are poison ivy. Not so cute!

Nasturtiums.

Poison.

Gooseberries.  Lots of poison around the berry bushes!

Snapdragons.  Lots of poison under these snapdragons.

Poison Ivy.

Geraniums.

Poison Ivy.

Got it? 

Leaves of 3 ~ Leave them Be!

Think you are one of those folks who are not allergic. Still be careful because a sensitivity can rare it's ugly head at any moment.  When it does, you will itch.  Like Crazy.  For about a Month.

Happy Itch Free Gardening!

Tip of the Day ~ Turn up your cuffs!

When wearing rubber gloves to protect your hands, turn the cuffs up to protect your forearms and elbows.  Should you raise your hand, the liquid you are working with will pool in the cuff instead of running down your arm.

Broccoli Salad

This is a crispy salad that has a huge amount of flavor and crunch.  It is one of my family's all time favorites!
Ingredients:
1/4 cup mayonnaise or salad dressing
2 tsp sugar
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
2 slices of bacon - cooked & crumbled
4 cups of broccoli
1/2 cup carrots - shredded
1/2 cup red onion - finely diced
1/2 cup cheddar cheese - shredded
1/2 cup roasted sunflower seeds

Cook up your bacon.  Either cut it into small pieces before cooking or cook and them crumble.

In a small bowl, measure out the mayonnaise, sugar and vinegar.  

Whisk until combined and smooth.

In a large bowl combine your broccoli, onion and carrots. Stir together well.

Add bacon, sunflower seeds and cheese.  Stir well to combine.

Top with dressing mixture and once again stir well.

Chill for 15 to 30 minutes before serving.