steelnut

Have you SEEN the price of laundry detergent lately?  Good grief!   I'm going to try this because even the sensitive skin A & H is giving me rashes and rough spots.

I think you'll really like it. I have very sensitive skin too, and this detergent is so great, very gentle and it doesn't have all of those additives that others do. The first time I used it, when I took the clothes out of the washer, I could actually feel the difference. I know that sounds weird, but it's true. And sooo easy on the wallet. There's only hubby and I, but I wash a load and sometimes two loads of clothes each day and change bedding every Saturday morning. I wish that I would have kept the date that I made the first double batch, but I know it was a long time ago. Only 1 tablespoon per load, hard to believe, but it's true. Try a single batch to see what you think. I'll forever be indebted to KittyMommy for this wonderful recipe!  Thanks again, KittyMommy!

 

I made my second double batch today. This stuff is the best, I swear I'll never buy detergent again!  

Has anyone started ordering their plants/seeds yet? I can't wait!

I'm a football nut and I know that in two weeks it's all over, so that's when I go into my "spring" mode.

I cannot wait to go dig in the dirt again, I can just feel the dirt right now, soft and warm....LOL, hubby thinks I'm crazy, but I honestly can't wait to start planting. I'll have some new lillies to plant this year, thanks to a friend.

And I can't wait to see how the cactus that I planted last year do this year. A big thanks to Bon!  

Thanks lavender! I dug some up yesterday. The garden is now bare except for what herbs I left for next year.  

I love cooking with fresh herbs, I started about 6 or 7 years ago. Each year I've added something else to the garden. The thing is that each year I let them go and just buy the fresh herbs to cook with, which is such a waste.

From googling a bit, I've found that oregano, chives, thyme and rosemary are perennial. I already knew about the chives, because they just keep coming back each year. The thing is, do you just dig some up and pot them to use over the winter, or do they just kind of die off like perennial flowers? I have a nice big kitchen window, but it only gets afternoon sunlight, would that be enough to sustain them if they don't die off? I truly appreciate any advice, thanks!

I will have to send you some pictures of my second garden.  I didn't plant much but everything is growing very nicely.  I saw the first blossom on my squash plants today and my beans are almost ready to bloom.  I also have volunteer tomatoes and onions growing

Lol, I'm jealous! There's James Taylor in my ear again...."Goin' to Carolina in my Mind".

 

I am already looking forward to next spring, I've saved a lot of seeds, etc.

We're putting manure on the garden again this fall and hubby wants to put some winter wheat on it, too.

I still have a lot of Stella's in bloom, which I love and the sunflowers are still beautiful even though Sunday nights high winds had them splayed out a little ...so it's not all bad, but it's still sad, darn it.  

 

 

 

...in my garden tonight. Every single year when it's that time....I go and pick what's left and look around at all of the dying plants and sit down and have my yearly cry! Ugh!

I know a lot of people love the fall, but I'm not a fan, everything is dying off and it's just a heartbreaker for me, winter is coming. Now, springtime...that's my time of year, everything is coming to life, I'm planning my garden and looking forward to summer......I'm already thinking of next spring...   

Question, I thought that I read somewhere that the original Dawn was great to use on tub/shower walls?

One of our bathrooms has the old bath tub and shower surround. I hate it and especially scrubbing it. I've tried to talk hubby into re-doing the whole thing and tiling it. It would cost a lot because when the house was built, they built the surround in, so everything would have to be gutted. So for now, it'll have to wait for a year or two.

 

Does anyone know about the Dawn cleaning method? I'm wondering if you just put a coat of it on and let it sit for a while??

Kittymommy, thank you so much for sharing your soap recipe! I just got my front loaders last week and made the soap, and I LOVE it! I've always used liquid soap, but I thought that I'd try the powdered. And as it turns out, powder is recommended for the front loaders. I'll never go back to the others, this soap is great, thanks again!

One more question, you put the white vinegar where the Jet Dry goes, right?

Heh Steelnut,

Get any tomatoes done today? Roma's are great but they are so much work to roast first like I do but I love them that way. Sure don't I'm doing them tomorrow morning, bright and early!

How do you roast your romas? I'm intrigued, love new recipes!

 

 

Oh yeah! I hope to get the first load done tomorrow. I did beets today and I'm just to tired to start on the tomatoes!  

Mine calls for Baking Soda.

Thanks, snellma!

 

Do you use the baking soda or the washing soda?

One recipe calls for baking soda and one calls for washing soda.

I really want to give this a try!  

So far, I've only had five ripe tomatoes and a couple handfuls of cherry tomatoes.

Is this really August???

If the weather doesn't turn warmer I'm going to be stuck with a lot of green tomatoes. There have been years when I had to pick the tomatoes green and ripen them in the basement. I sure hope this isn't going to be one of them. I do have a bunch of them this year.

Same here, I have a gazillion green tomatoes and have been frying them for weeks, but no ripe ones, except for some cherry ones.

 

 

 

I thought I was the only one who did that!

I do it too! That came from my Grandma.

 

 

 

 

The Liquid version will do about 80 loads.

 

You need:

 

1 bar of Fels Naptha Soap grated.

1 cup A&H Washing Soda

1/2 cup 20 Mule Team Borax.

 

Place grated soap in a pot.

Cover with water and simmer over medium heat until all soap is melted, stirring occasionally.

Pour into 5 gallon bucket.

Add washing soda and borax.

Add enough hot water to fill the bucket.

Stir (I use a long measuring stick, but any long stick will work)

Let sit overnight to gel.

Use 1 cup per load.

You can pour this into old detergent containers or leave in the bucket.

Cover with a lid if leaving in the bucket to protect children and pets.

 

 

I am so late in reading this! I really want to try the liquid version. When you say to put the grated fels in a pot and cover with water, it is just to cover or a specific amount? Thank you so much for the great recipe!

Now, I have to find a 5 gallon container, lol!

 

LOL, I know that it works for most people to repel bugs, but for some reason, not me!

I've tried it three times and my word, you could just see the skeeters buzzing around me, ouch!  

We have a problem with crows, too.  God, how I hate those birds! They go to our fruit trees and peck away at the fruit until it falls on the ground and then they feast. I told hubby that I'm so sick of them that I feel like gettting out the bb gun and shooting them. (I'm not a violent person, lol) A friend of his told him the other day that if you kill one of them and let it lay, other crows will stay away? Ewwww, but I'm just about to the point of giving it a try.

 

The traps will attract Japanese beetles. You should place them far from your plants. Sevin is what I use on everything. I find the powder is more easily used than the spray. Yes, it can be sprayed directly on the flowers. Read the cautions on the bag.

We made the huge mistake of using the traps last year, ugh! We still have the beetles this year, but not as bad as last year.

Ahhh Gypsy, I'm feeling for you. I hate those darn things! They've been at my peas and sugar snaps something awful! I just noticed last night that they're starting on my green and wax beans!!! Dirty, rotten, ugly, crunchy things!!!

Lavender, I hope your back is feeling better soon!

Yes - I live in South Carolina.  

 

I read online that it is easy to put a tarp or sheet on the ground and shake the vines to get the grapes to drop. So I should not pick them? Or can I clip off the cluster when they turn purple? I'd hate to have them drop off and not get to them in time. I guess I'll be watchful.

Hubby's best friend lives in Alabama and he's supposed to bring up some for us to make wine. His buddy says they makes great wine.

 

I got more!!!

2 raspberry Bee Balm

1 pink Fox Glove

2 Strawberry Candy lilys

2 Bali Hai(?) lilys

2 pink Super Spider lilys

2 Dwarf Persimmon lilys

2 Two to Tango lilys

another Yum Yum Plum lily

 

I gotta lay off the lilys... ;D