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Ok…I admit it; I can’t stand to shave my legs! I abhor the razor burn that it leaves and up until now, the only other choice out there was the “environmentally unfriendly” chemicals that just conveniently “dissolve” the hair from your body! Slightly disturbing to say the least!

So, I went out and tried that new product, Smooth Away, and WOW I love this thing! No razor burn, no freaky chemicals just really smooth, hairless legs without the ick!

The object is to “buff” away the hair with a pad that is covered in superfine crystals; it also exfoliates your skin, leaving it extra smooth!

That being said, check out the link to Smooth Away for yourself, it’s environmentally friendly and much cheaper than the razors on today’s market!

~Wind

So, I’m searching through my daily sites when I run across this picture of a two-headed turtle! Shocked, I show the picture to my better half, whose reaction was, “Oh, yeah, that happens all the time”, and goes back to what he was doing…WHAT?!?

This happens all the time? I immediately have to know more (it’s what I do) and start searching the web for two-headed turtles, ya’ know what? He’s right, this happens all the time…

Here’s what I learned: Apparently, two headed turtles pose a risk of drowning as they don’t have the diving and swimming ability of a single headed turtle, if put in deep water they will actually drown! They also have a tough time maneuvering themselves and eating properly as the two heads will fight over food! I promise; I’m not making this up…

It seems as if a two headed turtle is similar to conjoined human twins with a shell!

Some things are just worth sharing!

~Wind

With the “new” green revolution, according to the New York Times, more and more college students are seeking a major in environmental studies and environmental science!

The Obama Administration is focusing on creating more green jobs in the United States and the young people of today are preparing for the change! At Boston college alone; 17 students minored in environmental studies in 2003; 44 students are enrolled this year! We see this same rise in enrollment at Iowa State University and The University of Virginia!

It does my heart good to know that the next generation is focusing on preserving and protecting the planet that we live on!

~Wind

You just finished cooking up your last egg, what can you do with that egg carton? Do you throw it out? Do you pitch it in your recycle bin? hmmmm… Here’s a few ideas that you can reuse that egg carton for:

Cut the top of the egg carton from the bottom half, poke small holes in the bottom for drainage, and use both pieces as seed starter trays.

Cover with a nice piece of fabric and use the cup portion for a jewelry organizer.
You can use the top portion for a way to organize your pierced earrings by just poking them through the container itself.

Cut the top part away of the container from the bottom part and use the cups as a place for different colored paints when painting a project (like a palette).

You can use the egg carton as a storage compartment for different beads and other small craft items.

How about ice cube trays?

or golf ball storage?

There are many possibilities for an old egg carton. Use your imagination…if you can think of anything that I didn’t place on the list, feel free to add your ideas with your comments!

Time to get crackin’ (sorry, I couldn’t help myself)

~Wind

Spring is creeping up on us fast, so now is the time to start getting your garden/yard prepared. We are hitting the tail end of winter, but there are still some things that you can do to prepare for the upcoming season.

Start by raking up all the leaves around your home; this will enable the grass to grow without any inhibitions. You can always use the leaves for mulch in your garden to keep the weeds down to a minimum. If you plan on fertilizing you will want to do it soon, before the weather gets too warm and the spring rains come.

This time of year would also be a good time to start pruning your fruit trees, bushes and hedges. Remember not to prune the middle of the branches just cut them back at the ‘intersections’ to ensure that they grow back nice and well, bushy!

Now for the fun part…Start planning out your garden! Decide what kind of vegetables you want to plant and where you would like to plant them. Start building a fence that will keep the deer and other critters away from your garden. A good hearty low cost fence can be built with pallets. Many companies just give them away, so the only cost to you would be the posts and the nails! You can also begin planting your seeds in some recycled items from around your house!

There’s much to be done, spring is right around the corner!

~Wind

other related articles
Keeping it Green with Recycled Seed Starter Trays
Preparing Seedlings for Spring
Bag Gardening

When people think of water shortages or the drought that their local community is experiencing, it’s hard to contemplate that the water shortage isn’t just a local problem or even a state problem; it’s a worldwide problem!

Thinking about things on a global scale is sometimes hard to comprehend, the enormity can be breathtaking! However, it’s true; this ‘water’ planet of which we live on is indeed running out of water.

The main causes for this travesty are the increasing world population and global warming! The world population is already at 6 billion and is projected to reach 9 billion by 2050. With the increasing population, the demand for water is reaching levels beyond the earth’s ability to provide.

The rising temperatures are responsible for disrupting the water flow patterns and increasing the severity of floods, storms and droughts, which in turn affects the availability of our drinking water.

There are many ways that we can do our part to save on our water consumption. By doing the little things and changing a few simple habits you will not only help save on your water bill and help save the planet but it kinda makes you feel good when you’re doing it!

Don’t let our precious water just run freely down the drain when it can be used for something like watering plants or filling up your mop bucket for cleaning.

Have periodic water leak checks around your toilets, faucets and any other plumbing within the home. A few clever ways to check for leaks is to check your water meter and write down the number displayed, do not use any water for two hours and then check the numbers again. If they are the same; you’re golden! If not, then you more than likely have a leak somewhere. You can check your toilets by adding food coloring to the tank, within 30 minutes the color will change if you indeed have a leak.

Avoid flushing things down the toilet that can be disposed of in the waste paper basket, such as tissues, bugs or Q-Tips.

Don’t let the water in the sink continually run while brushing your teeth or washing your face.

Use left over water from boiling food like eggs, pasta or vegetables for watering your plants. This will save water and add some extra nutrients to your plants at the same time.

When washing your dishes by hand, fill up one sink with soapy water and place the dishes that you have washed in the other sink and rinse them with the sprayer all at once.

Reduce your shower time. Get yourself wet and turn off the water while you soap up. Then turn the water back on to rinse off. We call them “Caribbean Showers” in our house.

Don’t use running water to thaw out your meat. Place your meat in the refrigerator overnight to defrost. It’s a waste of water and not real reliable when it comes to killing any bacteria that resides in the meat.

Keep a pitcher of water in the refrigerator for glasses of drinking water, instead of running the water every time you need a drink.

Never use your dishwasher or washing machine for a few items, always make sure you have a full load.

Water your garden in the early morning hours. There are actually two reasons for this one! It helps to prevent evaporation and water loss and as a side note: it helps prevent slugs and a few other ‘garden pests’ from munching on your veggies!

It’s all just a matter of changing our habits!

~Wind

The other day I was catching up on the local news when an article in the St. Pete Times in Florida caught my eye! The gist of the story was this: An 80 ft fishing boat collided with a 95 foot barge in Tampa Bay. The collision caused nearly 1,000 gallons of diesel fuel to be poured into the mouth of the bay.

That would be the short of it. Now, here’s the part that has my knickers in a twist; and I quote “the impact on the environment and ship traffic appeared to be minimal” WHAT?!?! 1,000 gallons of diesel fuel just spewed into Tampa Bay and the environmental impact was minimal? Tell that to the wildlife while they’re coughing up a gill! This kind of ‘just sweep it under the rug’ attitude kills me! Just because you can’t see it in the ocean does not mean that it does not exist!

Between the sewage, trash, storm drain and river run off from commercial farms and oil spills; we are killing our oceans! Even the chemicals that are used to clean up an oil spill can be toxic to the marine life. We’ve all seen the pictures of the birds with matted down feathers, struggling to fly, let alone breathe!

A gasoline/oil spill can cause fish gills to stick together, disrupt breeding and poison both the plants and the fish. Please forgive my ignorance, but I would not call this a “minor impact” on the environment!

ok…I’m stepping off my soapbox now!

~Wind

$60 billion of the $787 billion stimulus package that President Barack Obama signed on Tuesday, February 17, 2009 will be invested in our environment!

Some of the details in the plan will provide billions of dollars towards green federal buildings, an effective tax cut for green home efficiency upgrades, intercity rails and transit, Weatherization Assistance Program and a Clean and Safe Water Project. As an added bonus, the bill will extinguish the loan guarantees that the Senate had included for nuclear and clean coal technology!

The Clean and Safe Water Project and the Weatherization Assistance Program together, will create nearly 300,000 jobs alone!

According to Gene Karpinski, the head of the League of Conservation Voters, this is “by far the biggest investment in new green technologies that we’ve ever seen from the federal government.”

This environmental package has the ability to save consumers a whole lot of money, create jobs and aid in the saving of our planet! I’m so excited…

I knew I liked this guy!

~Wind

There are several different ways to start your seedlings. One way of course, is to purchase a million little pots to plant each seedling in, yeah right!

Then of course are the seed starting plastic trays that you can purchase in the gardening department of the big box stores or at nurseries! Or…and this is my favorite way, make them yourself out of stuff lying around the house! Yes, it’s true! You can make your own little seedling pots with things that would either get pitched or thrown into the recycling bin!

A two-liter bottle can be cut in half and used for a seedling pot! Take the bottle cut it half, poke a few drainage holes, add 4-5 inches of soil in the bottom of the bottle and add your seeds! Put the top half back on to the bottle and you have officially created your own little greenhouse!

Old toilet paper rolls or the cardboard that holds your wrapping paper are also great ways to start your seedlings! Cut the roll in half and make four quarter inch slices around the outside edge of the roll, this creates four flaps that you then fold down like the bottom of a box. This will be the bottom of your ‘pot’. Fill with potting soil and add your seeds. I particularly like this approach because when it comes time to plant your seedlings into the garden you can plant the whole pot! The cardboard will disintegrate into the soil slowly but surely!

You can take a section of the newspaper and cut it in half, roll about four or five sheets of the paper around a spice bottle (so that it takes on a cylindrical shape, close of the bottom of the cone and secure with tape. viola! Instant seed pot!

I also have used egg cartons, just cut the top of the carton and use both pieces for separate trays. I have used egg shells, (just be sure to crush the shell a little bit before you place it in the garden), yogurt cups, the packaging that your strawberries come in, and cream cheese containers. Be certain to poke holes in the bottoms of anything that is too solid to let the water drain through.

Use your imagination before throwing things away and you would be amazed at how much stuff can be turned into something useful…again!!

Off to plant my seeds!

~Wind

other related articles
Preparing Seedlings for Spring

Let’s face it, bread is getting expensive…and there really is nothing better than the taste and the smell of freshly baked bread! So, with a ditch effort to enjoy freshly baked bread and save money, I found this recipe in Mother Earth News, it seemed like a really great idea. I haven’t tried it out yet, but I figured I’d pass it along, we can all go out and bake bread and gather back here with the results of our experience!

The article said that the master recipe below makes enough bread for many loaves; you take what you need each day for baking and leave the rest in the refrigerator for weeks! Apparently, dough that is high in moisture, pre-mixed and pre-risen will keep well in the refrigerator!

The Master Recipe

3 cups lukewarm water
1 1/2 tbls granulated yeast (1 1/2 packet)
1 1/2 tbls coarse kosher salt or sea salt
6 1/2 cups unsifted, unbleached, all-purpose white flour
cornmeal for the pizza peel

Heat the water until it is just a little bit warmer than body temperature.
Add yeast, salt and water in a 5 quart bowl preferrably one with a resealable lid. (if it doesn’t all dissolve, that’s ok)
Measure the flour by placing in a measuring cup and level gently with a knife, don’t pat it down.
Mix flour into yeast, salt and water mixture with a wooden spoon, food processor with a dough attachment or a heavy-duty stand mixer with a dough hook, until it is moist. DO NOT KNEAD YOUR BREAD MIXTURE! (strange but true).

Cover loosely and allow the mixture to rise at room temperature until it begins to collapse; this process should take a couple of hours.

Place in refrigerator and allow to cool for at least 3 hours before baking.

When you are ready to bake your bread, use a pizza peel (a long-handled board) for easy sliding to and from the baking stone. Sprinkle the pizza peel with cornmeal to prevent the dough from sticking to the peel. Sprinkle the dough with flour and cut off a piece that is about the size of a grapefruit with a serrated knife.

Take the dough ball and stretch each “corner” to the underneath of the ball, rotating about a quarter inch as you go. Only complete one rotation. Be sure to keep extra flour on hand to sprinkle the ball so that it doesn’t stick to your hands. Place the ball on the pizza peel and let it sit uncovered for about 40 minutes. About 20 minutes before you’re ready to bake, pre-heat the oven to 450 degrees with the baking stone on the middle rack. Place an empty broiler tray on a different shelf in the oven (this will later hold water).

Dust the top of the ball with flour and cut the top of the loaf 1/4 inch deep across the top. Slide the loaf off of the pizza peel onto the baking stone and pour about one cup of hot water into the empty broiler tray. The broiler tray will permeate steam through the bread.

Bake for about 30 mins. Allow to cool completely on a wire rack. Refrigerate the remaining dough until ready to bake next time within the next two weeks.

There are many variations that you can add to The Master Recipe, but I think I’ll play it safe and try this one first! Let me know how it goes!

Happy Baking!

~Wind