mad scientist sunday

Many, many moons ago I resolved to stop buying pre-made, bottled cleaning supplies and try out some of the super-simple 'recipes' that are always popping up on homemaking blogs (to prove exactly how many moons ago this decision was made, I just came across an email to myself from September 24, 2010 with the beseeching subject line "MAKE THIS!" in which I listed several links for cleaning concoctions I think I should make).

I should also mention that since discovering that we were with child last fall we completely abandoned using any cleaning agents around the house (aside from soap for dishes). That means for about 8 months I've been using lots of muscles and effort to scrub down the bathroom and kitchen with nothing but rags and hot, hot water. Obviously this is not the best- nor the preferred- method of keeping a healthy, clean living space.

Well it only took the better part of a year, but after a shopping spree for some essential items, I finally set aside a morning to boil, stir and brew up three cheap, easy, and non-hazardous cleaning agents for our household use.

Behold:

Photo from here

Concoction #1: All-purpose Cleaner

In my pursuit of a chemical-free, fresh-smelling and disinfecting all-purpose spray I first wanted to try a recipe from Ashley English. I mixed up 32 oz of it this morning in less than 10 minutes and immediately (and eagerly) went to work in the bathroom. I decided to use lemon essential oil because I think most of us associate "clean" smells with citrus-y products. I have to say that the bathroom smells fresh, the counter tops are aglow, and I've found a winner of a cleaner! Try it for yourself!

Photo from here

Concoction #2: Diaper Wipe Solution

Luke and I are planning to cloth-diaper our baby. I hope to write more about that decision and also the learning curve in the future. But for now I'll just say that we are excited to try cloth-diapering both for its economical and ecological benefits. Not only are our diapers reusable, but so are our diaper wipes, which means that I am planning to use some sort of liquid that will moisten the cloth wipes, soothe the baby's bum, and also serve as a cleaner/disinfectant. My sister-in-law makes her own spray using some combination of Dr. Bronner's Baby Soap and water. So simple! I decided to try something very similar (if not a bit more complicated) for the Little Oyster's little bum.

The diaper wipe solution took about 1/2 hour to make (since you have to let the boiled water cool), but I doubled the recipe and it's sitting in a canning jar just waiting for the baby to arrive! I haven't yet decided whether to a) keep it in the canning jar and dip in the wipes when necessary b) place a bunch of wipes in a bigger container and cover them with the solution (just like the disposable wipes come) or c) invest in a bpa-free spray bottle. I'm guessing a little trial and error will be helpful in making that decision when the time comes.

Photo from here

Concoction #3: Laundry Detergent

A few months ago another sister-in-law undertook making her own laundry detergent and reported back to me with rave reviews. Apparently this is one of the simplest and cheapest homemade cleaning agents to make. I bought the three ingredients for $11 and it produced 10 gallons of wonderful smelling, delightfully thick and gel-like laundry detergent. Oh, and it took less than an hour to make! The solution has to sit over night to cool and thicken some more, so obviously I haven't got to try it yet. But I can't wait to see how it works! In the meantime I'm going to take this blog's word for it and say that it is well worth the $11 and 1 hour.

After an invigorating morning I'm feeling inspired to clean, clean, clean! We'll see how much actually gets done, but at least for now cleaning is something to look forward to rather than something to dread! Do any of you have favorite cleaning supplies or tips like these? If so, feel free to pass them along!

plaster as salve

Are you familiar with the strange sensation that you have undeniably exciting news to share, that you're bursting with information of epic proportions, that your life rather suddenly seems changed or altered? But you have no gosh-dern idea how to relay that reality to other human beings? I'd say that's probably where I am right now.

Last week was a frustrating one for Luke and I. Even in the midst of some quite happy and positive changes in our lives we were overwhelmed by the feeling that our deepest goals and dreams for the future seem so very elusive. We harbor the hope that someday we'll cultivate a homestead and farm, practicing many of the new skills Luke is learning in his permaculture studies, providing for our basic food needs as much as possible, and spending glorious amounts of time outside. But dreams like these, though so simple at first glance, are much more complicated (and costly) than they seem. I think every person I've ever met has had a vision like this- that seems so close at hand, but whose realization is still so distant. And at times (like last week) that reality is frustratingly clear.

But then, like salve for our souls, a group of good friends organized a trip to the mountains of West Virginia to practice some natural building techniques at an intentional community just off the Appalachian Trail. There we were warmly welcomed by a group of men and women who've spent their adult lives living in community and are now creating a spiritual retreat center in the mountains. They were funny, they were hospitable, they were knowledgeable, and they served us abundant amounts of delicious food. Needless to say, we are smitten with these new friends. Quite literally, our weekend was spent massaging the walls of a cordwood, cob house with sand and clay plaster. Think finger-painting:

And you know how you mix cob with sand and water? With your feet! Here, Emma demonstrates:

In the morning we ate breakfast on some straw bales (notice the recycled glass bottles used as natural stained glass in the cordwood wall):

And by evening we'd crafted a cob bench for the dining room:

The weekend was a time of real learning and discovery for me. It was incredibly helpful to see some of our own ideas for building and community being practiced and turning out wonderfully in someone's home. From the incredibly efficient masonry stove to the odor-free composting toilet to the beautiful but practical cob walls, it was a feast for the eyes both aesthetically and environmentally-consciously (sorry about the grammar folks!).

We returned home Sunday night with rosy cheeks from the sun, clear minds from a hike in the woods, fatigue from the laughter and camaraderie, and perhaps most importantly: hope. For some reason our dreams and goals seem tangible again. And it's just glorious to have that hope.

hey, wanna get on my tandem bicycle and ride with me into eternity?

Another weekend, another side of the family! It's October and Luke and I have our traveling shoes laced up for what is becoming a month-long tour of the eastern seaboard. Most recently we spent time in Maryland with my in-laws then journeyed to rural Virginia for a cousin's lovely wedding.

Rest assured, it was a weekend full of silly puns, baby antics and roasted pork. I can't decide which made my heart race more: the caramel apple cheesecake, the 500 acre plantation (passed down through several generations), the charming, hand-built chapel/church, or the absolutely perfect 2-bedroom log cabin where my sister-in-law, Mollie, gets to live. I seriously spent 3 days drooling over all this and more.

Let's take a moment and focus on those 500 acres. While we thoroughly enjoy our small city, 2-bedroom apartment existence, it is no secret that Luke and I dream of ultimately buying a piece of land on which to homestead and pursue all of our loves: fresh food, free movement, mindfulness, cultivation, simplicity, sewing, etc etc etc). What excites me most about my aunt and uncle-in-law's land is that they have chosen to use it in so many capacities. They have a generational home which they share with her parents. There are gardens. There are chickens. There is a church where he preaches and leads. There are trails. There are tracts of land left to grow and overgrow as nature might intend. And there is space for her to pursue her existing writing career. They have shaped a life and a community which is both openly hospitable and wonderfully self-sufficient.

So here I am- back to everyday life- feeling refreshed and inspired. Also I am further convinced that all the people who are doing what I dream of doing are either a) blessed by a benevolent benefactor or b) beloved writers. Since Luke and I are neither of these, we have other plans in mind that might bring us ever-closer to our homesteading dreams.

Until then, you'll find me here dreaming and scheming. And on that note I leave you with a wedding card creation I choose to call "hey, wanna get on my tandem bicycle and ride with me into eternity?"