Help in the Bathroom and Seedling Update

This post is for those that worry about stock piling enough toilet paper for a crisis.

I am also adding in some extras as well.

In the center is a cleansing bottle. Many hospitals give these to new mothers. I have kept mine and continue to use it for cleansing. If you do not have one of these you could use something like a dish soap bottle as the blue one just to the left of center. There are many other plastic bottles that can be used for cleansing yourself after you do your business.

For basic use, warm water does a fine job of spraying off the "cling-ons" and reduces the amount of toilet paper needed. Most of the time you will be clean enough to just dry off.

What if you run out of toilet paper?

It is a good idea to keep old clothing, sheets, and other cloth and cut them into "do rags" about the size of a washcloth. Get a special container to stack them in and keep within reach of the toilet. Keep a pail near the toilet for soiled rags. As long as you use a cleansing bottle the do rags should not have much of a smell. When they do smell add warm (not hot) water to the pail and pour in a small amount of bleach. Let soak for no more than one hour and proceed to washing them to use over.

Now let's talk about the bottle of witch hazel. Why is that in the picture? Well, if a person should have hemorrhoids, adding one ounce of witch hazel to your cleansing bottle and filling the rest with warm water can make you feel better. Just do a quick test to make sure you are not too sensitive to it.

Now on to the bottle of apple cider vinegar. There are certain conditions that the ladies can get that can be very uncomfortable as well. One ounce of Apple Cider Vinegar (please not the white vinegar)  to 7 ounces of warm water to cleanse with can help you. This you must also test for sensitivity. There may be a slight sting, if it stings too much use less ACV to water or stop and see a doctor. Use after each visit to the toilet. This is not for every female problem and if your condition continues after a couple of days or get worse seek medical attention. Make sure you use raw, organic apple cider vinegar for this. And treating at the first signs of an itch is the best. Never use full strength ACV. 

NEVER USE RUBBING ALCOHOL IN YOUR CLEANSING BOTTLE

The hydrogen peroxide is not for the cleansing bottle either, it is used for cleaning blood from cloth bandages and such before bleaching and washing.

If you would rather use leaves of a pine cone to clean yourself when you run out of TP that's your call. I would prefer the do rags.

SEEDLING UPDATE

Between the two seedlings is a very tiny green speck of a new sprout. There are also two red dots between the large plant and the green speck that are pineapple seeds as well.

And I have pepper plants that are sprouting here too.

I put them outside every day that it is warm enough and bring them in at night.

I have also started broccoli, cabbage, and leeks. I will be starting herbs and other things soon. I am running out of counter space.

I need to go work on my garden. Enjoy your day!

Thank you for reading my blog!

Dee Dee

Planning Next Year's Garden -The Beginning

If you are in the Northern hemisphere Now is a great time to start planning next year's garden. If you are in the Southern hemisphere I would think that you would have your planning complete and you are either putting things in the garden or waiting to.

"Why start now?", you may ask.

Let me share a few things with you.

These are some of my left over seeds. Some, I am sure, are no longer viable but I have decided to try to use them up next year and maybe a few this fall.

My garden will be done in cooperation with a few neighbors and not only will we be sharing the fruits of our labor, it will be a wonderful opportunity to learn from others and share knowledge and to just enjoy the company of others. 

The first part in planning is deciding what to plant. "They" say  "Plant what you eat!" 

I say, "Why limit yourself?"

While many people won't try new things, there are others that are bravely forging a new food path. In the USA we have people here from all over the world and those who are Indigenous. They all have brought their different foods and a piece of their own cultivation experience and we learn from each other. When I was young I did not like garlic, today I love it. Some day you might like spinach. Why not grow it and try it from time to time.

Many of us are looking back at the old ways of growing as the best tasting produce, and most responsible to the planet. No Chemicals, all natural. I know that some of you will be able to pick out the fact that I have some old hybrid seeds in my basket. I will be quickly using them up and starting heirloom seeds when all the hybrids are gone. Some of the hybrids are so old I am sure they won't sprout. I will be getting into seed saving as time goes on.

So I need to sit down with my lovely neighbor and go through the planning of planting. What to plant and where, and how much should be planted.  We will draw out designs so that we can have a beautiful garden that will feed the eyes and soul as well as the body.

In the mean time, here is a tip for this time of year.

Start saving the empty toilet paper rolls and clean out empty one pint (milk, half & half or cream) containers.

Rinsing out and cutting off the top of the pint container, then poking some holes in the bottom make great starting pots. The thrifty have been doing this for decades.

The toilet paper rolls are for putting collars around plants to prevent cut worms from wiping out your seedlings.

Now to show you what we are up against and what we have to work with.

This is what happens when you have a garden and you get sick and have no one else there to help with it.

That lush growth there is where my compost pile was. It is weeds now.

These just happen to be my raspberry bushes.

At least I am providing a nursery for Monarch Butterflies.

This is my Asparagus row on the back side of the garden.

My Strawberries are lost and the Rhubarb is close to dying too. I couldn't even find the onion beds I had.

So as you can see there is much work to be done to get it ready for next year and I am still hoping against odds that I can just maybe get something this year.

What is needed is hard work. I hope I can rise up to the challenge. 

I hope you come back to watch the progress. I will try to post on it at least once a week.

Thank you for stopping by.

Dee Dee