cucumbers and yogurt

4 cucumbers, peeled and thinly sliced

1 1/2 tsp. salt

1 clove of garlic, minced

2 tbsp. lemon juice

2 c. yogurt

1 tbsp. finely chopped dill

1/4 c. olive oil

2 tsp. chopped fresh mint

Sprinkle cucumbers with salt; set aside for 15 minutes.
Mix garlic, lemon juice, yogurt and dill; add drained cucumbers.
Cover with oil; sprinkle with mint.

garden by the moon

The moon moves through a complete cycle every 29 days. For moon gardening purposes, this cycle is divided into four quarters or phases. The term phase refers to the moon's apparent shape as viewed from earth during the month. To plant by the moon phases you will need an almanac or calendar,  that lists the exact time and date of the moon phases.

The lunar month starts with the new moon, also called "the dark of the moon. From the new moon to the first quarter and from the first quarter to the full moon, the moon appears to grow from nothing to a crescent and then to a full circle at mid-month. These are the increasing or waxing phases. 

Increasing Light ~ New moon to full moon
Examples of garden chores to do by the light of the moon:
(NOTE: These are general guidelines.)

• Re-pot and groom houseplants
• Sow seeds of plants that grow above ground 
• Fertilize
• Graft fruit trees
• Plant evergreen and deciduous trees

The decreasing or waning phases are when the moon "shrinks" from the full moon down to the new moon (darkness). As the moon wanes during the 3rd and 4th quarters, this is a good time to prune plants, as the water table is diminishing and so less sap will flow out of the cut ends. The plants are said to orient themselves toward their roots, making this a favorable time for planting, transplanting and harvesting root crops in general. The 4th quarter is the most dormant period and is good for chores like weeding.  

Decreasing Light ~ Full moon to dark of the moon
Examples of garden chores to do by the dark of the moon:
(NOTE: These are general guidelines.)

• Plant bulbs
• Plant crops that grow below the ground, such as potatoes, carrots
• Cultivate weeds
• Plant biennials and perennials because they need strong roots
• Eliminate slugs
• Prune shrubs

How is sowing, transplanting and harvesting linked to phases of the moon? One theory is that during the light (waxing) of the Moon, sap is thought to flow more strongly, filling plants with vitality and energy, favoring the planting and harvesting of crops that mature above ground.

watch ~ food inc.

In Food, Inc., filmmaker Robert Kenner lifts the veil on our nation's food industry, exposing the highly mechanized underbelly that has been hidden from the American consumer with the consent of our government's regulatory agencies, USDA and FDA. Our nation's food supply is now controlled by a handful of corporations that often put profit ahead of consumer health, the livelihood of the American farmer, the safety of workers and our own environment. We have bigger-breasted chickens, the perfect pork chop, herbicide-resistant soybean seeds, even tomatoes that won't go bad, but we also have new strains of E. coli—the harmful bacteria that causes illness for an estimated 73,000 Americans annually. We are riddled with widespread obesity, particularly among children, and an epidemic level of diabetes among adults.
Featuring interviews with such experts as Eric Schlosser (Fast Food Nation), Michael Pollan (The Omnivore's Dilemma, In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto) along with forward thinking social entrepreneurs like Stonyfield's Gary Hirshberg and Polyface Farms' Joel Salatin, Food, Inc. reveals surprising—and often shocking truths—about what we eat, how it's produced, who we have become as a nation and where we are going from here.

toilet bowl cleaner

Mix 1/4 cup baking soda and 1 cup vinegar, pour into basin and let it set for a few minutes. Scrub with brush and rinse. 
A mixture of borax (2 parts) and lemon juice (one part) will also work.

fly catcher

A natural fly catcher is to put something really sweet like mango peels in the bottom of narrow-necked wine bottles. The flies can fly in, but can't fly out.

fresh salsa

• 4 cups chopped peeled fresh tomatoes
• 1/4 cup finely chopped onion
• 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon olive or vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon vinegar
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 garlic clove, minced

In a bowl, combine all ingredients; mix well.  Enjoy

green your kitchen

• Reuse glass jars: Glass jars are great for transporting soups, smoothies, and other liquids to work. No more exploding plastic containers! Use them to store rice, pasta, crackers, and nuts in the pantry.
• Take the no paper towel challenge! Use one cloth towel for counters and another for clean dishes. Once either is spoiled by perishables, just toss it in the laundry and grab a clean one. Your wallet and our nations’ forests will thank you.
• Try a multitasking soap, such as Dr. Bronner’s all-one soap. Its gallon jugs, made of 100 percent post-consumer recycled materials, are actually less expensive than the smaller bottles, and can be used on everything from your dishes to your body to your laundry.
• Reuse old bottles: Keep old squeeze bottles from your kitchen to use as bottles for your hair-care and cosmetic needs. Plastic salad dressing and cooking-oil bottles can be cleaned and refilled with soap, lotion, or shampoo.

lunchtime

When bringing your lunch to work, use glass jars, tupperware or reusable containers instead of plastic and paper bags.

donate old towels, blankets, rugs

Donate your old towels/blankets/rugs to an animal shelter and give a furry friend a soft place to rest.

aloe vera

Aloe Vera is a rather easy to grow plant. It can be grown indoors almost anywhere and outdoors in select climates. Aloe Vera plants are prized for the gel substance inside their leaves which is used for many types of medicinal purposes.  Growing Aloe Vera plants can be something anyone can do and it lets a person keep an Aloe plant on hand for whenever they need a little Aloe Vera gel.

Aloe Vera is grown naturally in Africa and the Mediterranean(warm climates). In areas that experience cold winters Aloe Vera can be kept as a houseplant or in a pot outside that is brought inside during the cold months. There are almost 250 species of Aloe Vera, but generally all have the same look. Aloe Vera is green, which can vary from dark to a yellowish-green. Some aloe have white markings on them as well. If kept in a warm environment aloe can even produce yellow or orange flowers, but this is rare for Aloe plants that are kept indoors.

Taking care of the plant is quite simple. They do not need a large amount of care and if a person forgets to water them it is actually a good thing for this plant. Aloe Vera needs soil that is well drained, like a light mix of part potting soil and another medium. It should be kept in a sunny location when inside and in sun or partial sun outside.

The main problem with growing aloe is usually over watering. It is easy to tell when the plant has had too much water as it becomes dull in color and the leaves become very soft. If this happens the plant should be allowed to dry out and then watered lightly. This should cure the problem.
Aloe plants reproduce by little off shoots at the base of the main or mother plant. These smaller plants can be taken and potted in their own pot. Cuttings form the leaves can also be taken and re-potted to produce more aloe plants.

boiling eggs

Add 2 tablespoons of white vinegar per quart of water before boiling will prevent the eggs from cracking, and make the egg shells peel off faster and easier.

save energy save money

1.  Set your thermostat a few degrees lower in the winter and a few degrees higher in the summer to save on heating and cooling costs. 

2.  Install compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) when your older incandescent bulbs burn out.  

3.  Unplug appliances when you're not using them. Or, use a "smart" power strip that senses when appliances are off and cuts "phantom" or "vampire" energy use.  

4.  Wash clothes in cold water whenever possible. As much as 85 percent of the energy used to machine-wash clothes goes to heating the water.  

5.  Use a drying rack or clothesline to save the energy otherwise used during machine drying.

ways to use coffee filters

Did you get an new coffee maker and have left over coffee filters?  Ever buy the wrong size coffee filters?  Here are some other uses I found for them. Even if they aren’t the wrong size for your coffee maker, they can still be a perfect solution to many small problems around the house.

1. Clean windows and mirrors. - Coffee filters are lint-free so they don't leave behind any residue.
2. Save a bottle of wine. If your cork accidentally breaks when opening a bottle, wrap a filter around the top to strain any particles. Use a piece of ribbon, and it looks nicer than you’d think.
3. Line flower pots. Place a filter at the bottom of the pot to prevent soil from leaking out of the drainage hole.
4. Protect china and non-stick cookware. Place a coffee filter between dishes or pans when storing or packing. 
5. Eyeglasses.   You can use a filter clean eyeglasses.
6. Keep your microwave clean. Prevent splatters by covering dishes or bowls in the microwave with coffee filters. Using another plate is your best bet, but filters are a good alternative to plastic wrap. And you can easily reuse them a few times.
7. Diffuse the flash on your camera. Place a coffee filter over your flash to soften the brightness.
8. Make sachets. Tie lavender or other dried flowers and herbs in a coffee filter to make great-smelling bundles you can store in drawers and closets.
9. Use for sewing projects. Coffee filters make a great backing for embroidering or appliqueing soft fabrics.
10. Make tea bags. Wrap loose tea in a filter and tie with a string.
11. Use for storage. Wrap Christmas ornaments and other rarely used fragile items before packing away.
12. When making soups or sauces. Tie up flavorful, but inedible, ingredients- such as bay leafs, cinnamon sticks, woody herb stems – in a coffee filter and float while cooking for easy removal. The French call this a bouquet garni.
13. Dryer sheets. You can put a few drops of your favorite essential oil or fabric softener on a filter, rub sides together, and put in the dryer to make your clothes smell fresh.  
14.  Dry wine glasses to prevent ugly water marks.
15. Computer monitor and TV screen.  Coffee filters are strong and have no lint.