You all know how much I love, LOVE honey! Yeah, not much of a secret there. I don’t know if I love eating it or putting it on my face more, but that’s beside the point. While others might freak at a close encounter with a honey bee, me, I see it as an opportunity to say, “Thank you!” And I do, believe me. Years ago, I thought all honey was pretty much the same. Boy was I wrong. Come to find out, not only is most commercial honey heated (killing it’s beneficial enzymes my face so very much ... Continue Reading
Crunchy Home
How to Make Eco-Friendly Cleaning Products
Note from Betty: The following is a guest post from Emily Kil. Do you sometimes feel that your world is spinning out of control because responsibilities you shoulder are overwhelming? Join the club. It’s not exclusive. You pack lunches. Chauffeur the soccer team. Sit up half the night because someone’s cutting a tooth. On the other hand, your home is a happening place and you’re the sun around which all constellations revolve. Thankfully, you’re up to the task—so when we suggest how ... Continue Reading
Ditch the Tampons and Switch to a DivaCup (Sexy? Right!)
It all started two years ago when my sister said, "You should really try the DivaCup," and I said, "Huh. Weird." And every month, I'd think about it, but then I'd look at the price of a DivaCup ($30) compared to a the price of a box of tampons ($7), and I'd say, "Next month. I'll get one next month when we have more money." Clearly, I am not very good at understanding substantial long-term savings, because you don't throw the DivaCup away. Not for years. And then the conversation happened ... Continue Reading
Elderberry Syrup Recipe for Cough & Cold
I thought I'd try my hand at vlogging, and my conclusion is that I'm a much better writer than a speaker or videographer. But I spent all dang day on this, so I'm posting it anyway. This is a recipe for elderberry syrup, which is seriously effective, and MUCH less expensive than any elderberry concoctions or sambucol medications you'll buy in the store. It's easy and it's really, really fun to make. Elderberry Syrup Recipe for Coughs and Colds Here is the recipe for it, or you can ... Continue Reading
How to Keep a Natural Litter Box and Other Cat-Related Nonsense
Did you know that you can train a cat to use a toilet? It's a real thing, and real cats who have brains can do this; they don't even need opposable thumbs or current issues of National Geographic. They are just fine with back issues. I'm thinking about doing this with my cat, but given our recent interactions, it will just give him one more reason to sit on my head. Here are his other reasons: he's hungry, or I'm asleep, or it's less than 86.5 degrees outside, or I'm breathing. But let's ... Continue Reading
And Then the Fires Happen
I have to admit, I'm in a bit of a quandary. Two days ago, I was all excited for the Three Days of Silence. I had lists and ideas, thoughts and plans. And then the fires happened. That is my Garden Tower with the fire in the background, taken about 5 hours after the fire started on Tuesday, June 11. Our community, after going through this last year, is now faced with the challenge of dealing with Colorado's most destructive fire ever. Last year's Waldo Canyon fire was ... Continue Reading