Knitted Washcloths/ Dishclothes

I have been knitting my own dishcloths for sometime. I am a beginner knitter and am self taught over the internet. Once I got the hang of it, it was very easy.

In our never ending quest to simplify our lives I have found that knitting is a good skill as well as a wonderful method of relaxing in the evening time. I like to think that anything you can make for yourself at home is a wonderful alternative to store bought items. Not to mention that these cloths make wonderful Christmas presents.

Knitting is rather easy to do, there are lots of great tutorials and videos on the internet to help you get started.

Here are a few of my favorite knitted dishcloth knitted washcloth patterns.

PurlBee -Wedding Washclothes

Rainy K dishclothes

Homespun Living - Waffle knit dishcloth

Dishcloth Pattern Corner ( They update their site often with new free patterns)

Dish and Wash Cloth Mania

Rigid Ribbon Dishcloth- Down to Earth

Groovy Mom

Once you learn how to knit or crochet your own dish/wash cloths you will never go back to store bought again.

How to be Happy

1. Make up your mind to be happy. Learn to find pleasure in simple things.

2. Make the best of your circumstances. No one has everything, and everyone has something of sorrow intermingled with gladness of life. The trick is to make the laughter outweigh the tears.
3. Don't take yourself too seriously. Don't think that somehow you should be protected from misfortune that befalls other people.
4. You can't please everybody. Don't let criticism worry you.

5. Don't let your neighbor set your standards. Be yourself.
6. Do the things you enjoy doing but stay out of debt.
7. Never borrow trouble. Imaginary things are harder to bear than real ones.
8. Since hate poisons the soul, do not cherish jealousy, enmity, grudges. Avoid people who make you unhappy.
9. Have many interests. If you can't travel, read about new places.
10. Don't hold post-mortems. Don't spend your time brooding over sorrows or mistakes. Don't be one who never gets over things.
11. Do what you can for those less fortunate than yourself.
12. Keep busy at something. A busy person never has time to be unhappy.
- Robert Louis Stevenson -

Hello November

This was this mornings coffee view. This is the beauty I get to look at from my front porch on a daily basis. It happened to be a crisp and frosty morning with the fog rising. Beautiful and so peaceful!

There is just something about November that I love. Come November my simple living and down to earth love goes into overdrive. I am baking, cooking, canning (deer season) my tush off. I have 4 great hunters in the family that provide us with plenty of fresh game throughout the hunting season.

I love wrapping a homemade quilt around my shoulders in the crisp morning air and drinking a cup of coffee on my porch swing while enjoying the view. In my mind and notebook I write down what needs to be done throughout the week. This makes my week run so much more smoothly; Business plans, paperwork, household chores, dinner menus, appointments- the basics. They are prioritized as to what needs to be done first second and so forth. I also have learned to block out a time of the day when I get to do the things I want to do. Some days it might be food storage, baking, visiting with friends, quilting, or knitting. I am currently crocheting a baby blanket ( no , not for me!) but for some dear friends that recently had a baby.

I try to get my more strenuous and the most hated tasks (hello paperwork and business calls) done first so all the rest fall into place and then I can relax if I get too tired or I can do the fun- me things. Even if the afternoon proves to be as hectic as the morning I make sure to find time in the evening to re-connect with me and my family. A very wise woman once told me that I tried to carry the world on my shoulders when in reality the only person you can control is yourself.

My point is this - sometimes we get so caught up in the day to day busyness that we truly do forget to smell the coffee! When I go outside in the mornings not only are the visual stimuli there to greet me, but the smells of fall are there too. Morning smoke from the wood-stove chimney, hickory and oak leaves, the birds getting their morning breakfast from the birdfeeders and of course- the smell of my French Vanilla coffee creamer Yum!

Now, as my friend Jim says "Let's go have a cup of coffee"

I'm Alive

This is a beautiful song. This not the original video version, but a video that features paintings by Monet, Van Gogh, and Sargent with visual arts. Very inspiring video. Sometimes we need to just let the beauty of nature surround us and be at peace with our self. Take a walk though nature breath in the fragrance of the seasons, enjoy your surroundings, there is beauty all around us if we would just take a moment to quit with the hustle and bustle of life and just look around and breath. Now go and be alive today!

Stress management that really works

Anti Stress Therapy
Just in case you are having a rough day, here is a stress management technique recommended in all the latest psychological journals.
The funny thing is that it really does work and will make you smile.

1. Picture yourself lying on your belly on a warm rock that hangs out over a crystal clear stream.

2. Picture yourself with both your hands dangling in the cool running water.

3. Birds are sweetly singing in the cool mountain air.

4. No one knows your secret place.

5. You are in total seclusion from that hectic place called the world.

6. The soothing sound of a gentle waterfall fills the air with a cascade of serenity.

7. The water is so crystal clear that you can easily make out the face of the person you are holding underwater.

There!! See? It really does work. You're smiling already !

Thanks Hermit Jim- I needed this tip after the week I've had!

It's all in the attitude

This is an older post - but a good reminder.

Attitude

There once was a woman who woke up one morning, looked in the mirror,and noticed she had only three hairs on her head. "Well," she said, "I think I'll braid my hair today." So she did and she had a wonderful day.

The next day she woke up, looked in the mirror and saw that she had only two hairs on her head. "H-M-M," she said, "I think I'll part my hair down the middle today." So she did and she had a grand day.

The next day she woke up, looked in the mirror and noticed that she had only one hair on her head.
"Well," she said, "today I'm going to wear my hair in a pony tail."
So she did, and she had a fun, fun day.

The next day she woke up, looked in the mirror and noticed that there wasn't a single hair on her head.

"YAY!" she exclaimed. "I don't have to fixmy hair today!"



Attitude is everything!

Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.

Live simply,

Love generously,

Care deeply,

Speak kindly.

Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass,
It's about learning to dance in the rain.

Dear IRS

Dear IRS,

I am sorry to inform you that I will not be able to pay taxes owed April 15, but all is not lost. I have paid these taxes: accounts receivable tax, building permit tax, CDL tax, cigarette tax, corporate income tax, dog license tax, federal income tax, unemployment tax, gasoline tax, hunting license tax, fishing licence tax, waterfowl stamp tax, inheritance tax, inventory tax, liquor tax, luxury tax, medicare tax, city, school and county property tax (up 33 percent last 4 years), real estate tax, social security tax, road usage tax, toll road tax, state and city sales tax, recreational vehicle tax, state franchise tax, state unemployment tax, telephone federal excise tax, telephone federal state and local surcharge tax, telephone minimum usage surcharge tax, telephone state and local tax, utility tax, vehicle licence registration tax, capital gains tax, lease severance tax, oil and gas assessment tax, Colorado property tax, Texas, Colorado, Wyoming, Oklahoma and New Mexico sales tax, and many more that I can't recall but I have run out of space and money. When you do not receive my check April 15, just know that it is an honest mistake. Please treat me the same way you treated Congressmen Charles Rangle, Chris Dodd, Barney Frank and ex-Congressman Tom Dashelle and, of course, your boss Timothy Geithner. No penalties and no interest. P.S. I will make at least a partial payment as soon as I get my stimulus check.

Ed Barnett
Wichita Falls

Actual 'Letter to the Editor' from the February 6th edition of the Wichita Falls, Texas Times Record News.

ABC 20/20 Special : "Children of the Mountains"

I was reading The Wonders Of: Leanne has a post about an ABC special airing 2/13/09 at 10pm eastern time called " A Hidden America: Children of the Mountains." Like Leanne, I am trying not to judge this show before I watch it- but I can't help but to be leary. I can already see the drama unfolding. Talking to poor toothless, barefoot children that have nothing to eat and live in shanties in the woods- yea something like that.

Now my husband and I have lived the mountains our entire life as have our ancestors before us. I can assure you that we both have all our teeth as do our children. We do not live in a shanty nor do we live in a McMansion. If we go barefoot it is because we choose to because we like to feel the earth between our toes.

Here are some stats from Wikipedia about Pocahontas County WV - the county I live in:

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 942 square miles (2,439 km²), of which, 940 square miles (2,435 km²) of it is land and 2 square miles (4 km²) of it (0.17%) is water.

As of the census^[2] of 2000, there were 9,131 people, 835 households, and 527 families residing in the county. The population density was 10 people per square mile (4/km²).

The median income for a household in the county was $26,401, and the median income for a family was $32,511. Males had a median income of $26,173 versus $16,780 for females. The per capita income for the county was $14,384. About 12.70% of families and 17.10% of individuals were below the poverty line, including 20.20% of those under age 18 and 14.60% of those age 65 or over.

Now if you look at the above statistics it looks pretty grim: However, we are the diamond in the rough. Most people here live below the poverty level in a financial sense but we are rich in rural self sufficient living.

We live in a small community (see above 10 people per square mile) Our county seat is the only part of the county that has actual stop lights; and we only have 3 of them. We 2 grocery stores, no movie theaters.

We live a simple but humble life. There is a strong sense of community because everyone knows everyone. If they don't know you chances are they will ask who your parents or grandparents are and they will know them. We don't try to keep up with the Jones, because we are all the Jones.

There are some who still do not have electricity. Our state auditor's mother- in-law and father-in-law still do not have power because they choose to. I know because they are my aunt and uncle.

We cling to the simple ways of life because we choose to. Our Appalachia children grow up knowing where their food comes from because they help to raise it. They know that milk comes from a cow and eggs from a chicken not from the grocery store.

We lead the best lifestyle if you think about it:

• We eat organic food (because we raise it ourselves)
• We know how to treat people and come together as a community and share with each other and barter.
  
• We breath fresh pollution free mountain air all the time
• The economy doesn't affect as much because we aren't as dependent on money as most people are.
• Our wisdom to live off the land is tried and true not a fad. We know what works and what doesn't.
• Our children know how to entertain themselves. We have small town entertainment: old time music jams, dances, football games, hunting, fishing fairs and festivals etc.
  
• We don't have to worry about drive by shootings. We encourage our children to learn how to shoot a gun and handle firearms correctly.
  
• We respect our elders and listen to them. We don't stick them into a nursing home for someone else to care for - the family/community comes together to care for them - cooking, cleaning, shopping etc.

You can see that none of this would work if it wasn't for the community. We may live in a modern day Waltons Mountain, but I wouldn't trade it for anything.

It seems to me that in the city you are surrounded by people yet you are isolated; in the mountains you are not surrounded by people you are surrounded by freedom and the people you love.

Good advice to De- Stress One's Life

I came across this in a book I was reading this morning called "Loving and Leaving the Good Life" by Helen Nearing. She gave some advice to de-stress one's life I thought I would share:

1. Do the best you can, whatever arises
2. Be at peace with yourself
3. Find a job you enjoy
4. Live in simple conditions: housing, food, clothing; get rid of clutter
5. Contact nature every day; feel the earth under your feet
6. Take physical exercise through hard work; through gardening or walking
7. Don't worry; live one day at a time
8. Share something everyday with someone else; help someone else somehow
9. Take time to wonder at life and the world
10. Observe the one life in all things
11. Be kind to the creatures.

With the times that we are living in today I think this is good advice. Sometimes we get so caught up in the day to day worries over the financial crisis that we forget to live our life. That is not saying to turn a blind eye to the things that are happening in the world that we live in. Take stock and prepare. Quit spending on frivolous items that you don't need. Build up your food storage and pantry area. Save your money- even a few dollars a week is better than nothing.

Try to stop worrying! You can't control wall street anymore than you can nail jello to a tree. You can only control you. Take charge of you and your well being and learn from this financial crisis. Our grandmothers and grandfathers made it through and so will we. One day and one step at a time.

The Next Great Depression

History Through A Lens - Migrant Mother
MSNBC recently done an article called "Stocking up for theNext Great Depression" Stockpiling in general has always been part of living the country life. We stockpile when we can our garden produce and orchard fruit while it is in season, we stockpile when we fill our cellars and basements with root vegetables that will get us through the winter. We stockpile when we can or freeze a butchered animal from the farm or from game hunting. We also stockpile when we see a good sale at the store and will call our neighbors to tell them so they can stock up too. We also stockpile cut wood for the winters heat.

Now I know that not everyone likes to stockpile and I even know a few brave souls that fly by the seat of their pants and go to the grocery store on a daily basis to get only what they are going to fix that evening for supper. But as for me, there is a peace that comes after fall arrives and you know that your winters wood is in, your garden and orchard bounty is put up and you can rest well for winter. It is during this time I like to pull out my needlwork, knitting or quiting and sit by my woodstove in the evening time and relax.

I do stockpile food - don't get me wrong but I don't go to an army surplus store and buy ready to eat meals or buy 100 pounds of beans at a time. I know what my family will and will not eat.

Our garden is over and the last of the apples are being canned. Black walnuts are being gathered as is the wood supply. I think with all I have in my larder I should focus more on stockpiling money.

Family Life, Simplified.

Everyone knows I am all about simplifying my life. I have found the perfect online calendar for our family. It is called Cozi. This includes an email friendly calendar that you can share with your family. Each member is color coded and each can access the family calendar via the web or you can print it out to hang on the refrigerator. One of the best features I think is the grocery and shopping list that you can keep a running tab of then print out to take to the market. I highly suggest checking this out. I know around here in the fall with the boys in sports our schedules can get pretty hectic. I will definitely be using cozi this year.

**Link is fixed

Just Listen

Tree on a Summer Night
When is the last time you turned off your tv just to listen to silence? During the summer months when the boys are home it seems like the tv is on from dawn to dusk- even when no one is watching it.

In the warmer months of the year Thane and I love to sit outdoors in the evening time and listen to the crickets and the whippoorwills lovely evening song. We live in a very rural area and can not see another house from our home. We love to just sit listen and watch the stars. In the spring we get to hear the spring peeper and tree frogs and in the the beginning months of fall we get the pleasure of listening to the katydids.

During the day I am treated to all kinds of songs from the morning doves cooing to the goldfinches chirps.

It is so peaceful to listen to nature and soothes the soul and wipes out any stress that the day can carry.

The Waltons and today's economy

Laura over at My Imaginary Blogspot has posted a wonderful article about how we can apply the Walton's mindset to today's economy. You can read her blogpost here

The Waltons were a rural family living during the Depression. They had to make do or do without. Simple as that. I think that is what a lot of us need to do today- make do or do without.

A fun place to visit is Waltons.com they have a great website dedicated to the Waltons.

Simple Living

I am simplifying and going green at the same time. A lot of it is simply lifestyle changes one step at a time. A lot of people try to go gungho and do everything at once and then end up quitting because it is too hard. If you can change one thing and work it into your daily routine and then add another soon it will become second nature.

I try buying used when I can. We as Americans really need to get out of the "keeping up with the Jones" mindset. Really- do you have to have everything new?

I am conserving gas by making a list of everything that needs done in town for that week and then making one trip do it all instead of making mini trips several times a week.

I am making my own homemade cleaners. They are cheap, non toxic (fumes) and safe for the environment and for anyone worried about the clean home smell. I use essential oils in my cleaners that smell wonderful.

We are also growing a large vegetable garden and are canning and freezing the produce from it. We also go berry picking and apple picking also putting up the fruit. ( this helps on your budget as well as the environment- think no plastic bags or plastic containers to carry fruit home from the store plus you get to reuse your jars which keeps them out of the landfill) Canning is really simple to do and there are a lot of websites that give great canning information.

I am learning to take my time and enjoy what I have instead of running the rat race everyday in order to just buy more and more.

I am cooking a lot more from scratch and not going out to eat in the restaurants. Cooking from home can become a hobby by trying out new recipes. Place a tablecloth over the table use the fancy dishes, light a candle, serve locally made wine with your dinner and your family will never want to dine out again! Even hot dogs can be served in style! This saves gas from going to the restaurant and also save the landfill from styrofoam containers if you order takeout.

I am learning a lot from my elders. I am in my 30's and all my life I have watched them reuse, make do, repair or do without. Not because they couldn't afford it but because they were raised that way. I am learning to sew and repair a lot of items that I would have threw out 10 years ago without a second thought.

Conserve water- don't leave the facet on when brushing your teeth! Water is a precious commodity that other countries and right here in our own United States are fighting over today! My Grammy used to have a wash basin that held water and instead of running the water to wash your hands everyone washed up from the basin. When the water got pretty dirty it was recycled into watering the plants in the garden!

Hang your clothes out on the clothesline- this saves energy and gives to time to think and enjoy the outdoors while your doing it. Your dryer is one of the biggest energy hogs in your home next to the water heater. Nothing smells better than clothes dried on the line. - Don't complain about the clothes being stiff either. Quit using fabric softener and start using vinegar. It will help get the soap out of the water and will also soften the clothes better than fabric softener. Give the clothes a good shake before you hang them up. This helps in 3 ways- getting the wrinkles out, helping in the softening process, and getting all your frustrations out!

Make it from scratch- Just about anything you purchase can usually be made from scratch with better quality, cheaper and less waste. Toothpaste, shampoo, soap, cleaners, clothes etc.

Look to the internet for help. There are some wonderful websites that have tutorials on how to make things and will give you some great ideas in simplifying and going green.

Never Buy Onions Again!

Green Onions
Originally uploaded by pdicko

My Byrd House has a great onion recycling tutorial.

Basically you just cut off the root end and replant it in your garden or a tub of soil and after a few weeks you will have fresh onions. This is one tip I am going to try.

Homemade Laundry Detergent

Laundry Day
Have you seen the price of laundry detergent lately? My goodness, everything seems to be rising in prices. Here is an article I found on Tipnut on making your own laundry detergent.

10 Homemade Laundry Soap Detergent Recipes

Recipe #1

1 quart Water (boiling)
2 cups Bar soap (grated)
2 cups Borax
2 cups Washing Soda

• Add finely grated bar soap to the boiling water and stir until soap is melted. You can keep on low heat until soap is melted.
• Pour the soap water into a large, clean pail and add the Borax and Washing Soda. Stir well until all is dissolved.
• Add 2 gallons of water, stir until well mixed.
• Cover pail and use 1/4 cup for each load of laundry. Stir the soap each time you use it (will gel).

Recipe #2

Hot water
1 cup Washing Soda
1/2 cup Borax
1 Soap bar

• Grate the bar soap and add to a large saucepan with hot water. Stir over medium-low heat until soap dissolves and is melted.
• Fill a 10 gallon pail half full of hot water. Add the melted soap, Borax and Washing soda, stir well until all powder is dissolved. Top the pail up with more hot water.
• Use 1 cup per load, stirring soap before each use (will gel).

Recipe #3

Hot water
1/2 cup Washing Soda
1/2 cup Borax
1/3 bar Soap (grated)

• In a large pot, heat 3 pints of water. Add the grated bar soap and stir until melted. Then add the washing soda and borax. Stir until powder is dissolved, then remove from heat.
• In a 2 gallon clean pail, pour 1 quart of hot water and add the heated soap mixture. Top pail with cold water and stir well.
• Use 1/2 cup per load, stirring soap before each use (will gel).

Powdered Laundry Detergent - Recipe #4

2 cups Fels Naptha Soap (finely grated - you could also try the other bar soaps listed at the top)
1 cup Washing Soda
1 cup Borax

• Mix well and store in an airtight plastic container.
• Use 2 tablespoons per full load.

Recipe #5

Hot water
1 bar (4.5 oz) Ivory Soap - grated
1 cup Washing Soda

• In a large saucepan add grated soap and enough hot water to cover. Heat over medium-low heat and stir until soap is melted.
• Fill a large pail with 2.5 gallons of hot water, add hot soap mixture. Stir until well mixed.
• Then add the washing soda, again stirring until well mixed.
• Set aside to cool.
• Use 1/2 cup per full load, stirring well before each use (will gel)

Recipe #6

2.5 gallons Water (hot)
1 Bar soap (grated)
3/4 cup Washing Soda
3/4 cup Borax
2 TBS Glycerin

• Melt bar soap over medium-low heat topped with water, stir until soap is melted.
• In a large pail, pour 2.5 gallons of hot water, add melted soap mixture, washing soda, borax and glycerin. Mix well.
• Use 1/2 cup per full load.

Recipe #7

2 cups Bar soap (grated)
2 cups Washing Soda
2 - 2.5 gallons hot water

• Melt grated soap in saucepan with water to cover. Heat over medium-low heat and stir until soap is dissolved.
• Pour hot water in large pail, add hot soap and washing soda. Stir very well.
• Use 1 cup per full load.

Recipe #8

2 gallons Water (hot)
1 bar Soap (grated)
2 cups Baking soda (yes baking soda this time–not washing soda)

• Melt grated soap in a saucepan with enough hot water to cover. Cook on medium-low heat, stirring frequently until soap is melted.
• In a large pail, pour 2 gallons hot water. Add melted soap, stir well.
• Then add the baking soda, stir well again.
• Use 1/2 cup per full load, 1 cup per very soiled load.

Powdered Laundry Detergent - Recipe #9

12 cups Borax
8 cups Baking Soda
8 cups Washing Soda
8 cups Bar soap (grated)

• Mix all ingredients well and store in a sealed tub.
• Use 1/8 cup of powder per full load.

Recipe #10

1 cup Vinegar (white)
1 cup Baking Soda
1 cup Washing Soda
1/4 cup liquid castile soap

• Mix well and store in sealed container.

Note:

Soap will be lumpy, goopy and gel-like. This is normal. Just give it a good stir before using. Make sure soap is covered with a lid when not in use. You could also pour the homemade soap in old (and cleaned) laundry detergent bottles and shake well before each use.

*If you can’t find Fels-Naptha locally, you can buy it online (check Amazon).

Optional:

You can add between 10 to 15 drops of essential oil (per 2 gallons) to your homemade laundry detergent. Add once the soap has cooled to room temperature. Stir well and cover.

Essential oil ideas: lavender, rosemary, tea tree oil

Making your own laundry detergent is a discipline and it’s not for everyone. But it definitely saves money.

Tips:

For the bar soaps required in the recipes, you could try Fels-Naptha, Ivory soap, Sunlight bar soap, Kirk’s Hardwater Castile, and Zote. Don’t use heavily perfumed soaps.

Washing Soda and Borax can normally be found in the laundry and cleaning aisles.

Some people with really hard water or well water may have to adjust the recipes if the clothes look dingy.

Although several of the recipes have the same ingredients, the measurements are different–some contain a higher soap to water ratio. Test and see which works best for your laundry needs.

You can make huge pails of this at once, or smaller quantities. Also if you can get your hands on a few empty liquid laundry detergent bottles they work great for storing the detergent. Just make a big batch and pour in bottles, cap then use as needed–shake before use.

Some of the recipes call for large amounts of water. Check with a local restaurant to see if they have any empty large pails from deep fryer oil–that’s how many restaurants buy the oil. See if you can have one or two of the pails after they’ve emptied it–just wash them out really well before using. They’re big, heavy plastic and very sturdy when stirring the soap and hot water.