Peppermint Foot Slather with Neem Oil

As the weather warms up, get those feet ready for their annual unveiling with this recipe for a neem-heavy lotion I can only term a “slather.”  It hits the warmth of your skin and liquefies into a juicy, emollient boon for the toughest hide. Neem and...

Dry Carpet Freshener

I gaze in horror at the tv ads for spray fresheners. The lady of the house spritzes away like a madwoman then sticks her nose right in the middle of it and inhales deeply.  She goes after it all: sneakers, beds, clothes, everything. Why, I wonder, don’t they...

Cloth Diapering Confidential

I’ve been doing cloth diapers for two years and have made a few observations along the way.  Anyone wanting to hear my reflections on the subject of infantile excrement management is so in luck. 1.  I am humbled by the incredible transformative miracle of the...

A Few Firewood Basics

I thought I’d share some of the scintillating facts I’ve picked up about firewood since we started heating with a wood stove.  I say that intending a bit of sarcasm, but the truth is I really do find this stuff way too interesting.  Here we go: 1.  While...

Splitting Firewood

I learned something new recently.  Around here, and presumably in most areas, when a tree trimming crew disposes of a tree it pays a dumping fee.  Our local fee ranges from $50 for easily mulch-able branches to $75 for big trunks.  For the tree trimmers, especially...