tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44591708449330060612024-03-12T17:09:57.936-07:00Crafts and stuff I do
What started out as a gardening blog and the title derived from that it was making a bigger mess to clean up the yard, it fit well. Now as I'm working on this to someday be a small business of using my herbs and garden produce, I am adding my other crafts to the blog as well. Enjoy!Cheryl Licht-Olsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14737275420894796974noreply@blogger.comBlogger38125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4459170844933006061.post-38093969685998012972016-01-21T11:25:00.001-08:002016-01-21T11:27:50.814-08:00This year's goals 20161. Recycling.<br />
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I made my on vegtable bags to us in the stores to eliminate the flimsy bags that are really no good use that I found as of yet.</div>
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2. Composting </div>
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Throwing a lot of peelings I don't use for other things like potatoes and onions carrots and such for composting as well as the plants that have ran their use in the season like tomatoes peppers and peas. </div>
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3. Making my own socks and sweaters as I found what fits me better. </div>
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4. I enjoy making my laundry soap, shampoos, Herb rinses as well as pain relievers and other things.</div>
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When I go shopping I find myself walking down the ailses saying "I make that". And leave the store with more whole foods. I shop McKay's in Gold Beach on Thursdays for meat I've used during the week and add one more item for stocking.</div>
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This has been the first time in a long time that I haven't had to be creative with rice and bean dishes!</div>
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I am really liking and enjoying my life!</div>
Cheryl Licht-Olsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14737275420894796974noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4459170844933006061.post-66940162186478480892015-12-09T22:30:00.002-08:002015-12-10T12:18:32.569-08:00Fall/winter canning season 2015/16Since I started doing random canning it's not unusual for my hubby to see the canner on the stove at any time day or night. Got the time down to if making chicken broth its 40 min for pints if chicken is added its 70.<br />
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Doing a lot of soups now<br />
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Canned Split pea and ham 4 pints on Saturday night.<br />
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Made a chicken noodle soup that I am going to freeze in smaller containers.<br />
I used 4 pints of broth one that I made from the broth when I did a chicken Adobe (yum!) and also one where I made a raspberry vinaigrette. Soup was very flavorful and added dried celery leaves from my celery plants that I restart.<br />
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Really enjoying this journey of making my own recipes on a budget.<br />
<br />Cheryl Licht-Olsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14737275420894796974noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4459170844933006061.post-74902796943468501802015-09-05T20:04:00.001-07:002015-09-05T20:06:57.277-07:00Starting Paleo cooking I think this fits best for any of my blogs in that I'm back to eating healthy and making my own recipes Paleo/frugal style.<br />
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And yes it becomes a bigger mess.<br />
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Tonight I decided to do Paleo tortillas.<br />
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I made the first try with coconut Flour. Not a good idea.<br />
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I did go against Paleo Mom's suggestion and used tapioca flour. This time they did make nice dough balls to roll out, rolled out nicely and even came off the top layer of wax paper smoothly. Getting it to the pan proved to be more difficult as they fell apart.<br />
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Will try again. I did use PaleoMom's recipe with the exception of the flour she used for both tries. The tapioca was texture was good but felt starchy. Will try a combo of a little coconut flour next time.<br />
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The coconut flour smell I didn't like so it won't make a good main flour for this project.<br />
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There was another coconut flour tortilla but it was a batter and to me that didn't seem quite right.<br />
<br />Cheryl Licht-Olsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14737275420894796974noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4459170844933006061.post-73332736916118103332013-12-17T09:45:00.001-08:002013-12-17T09:45:43.648-08:00<div class="p0" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"> Shampoo recipe from Natural Beauty and Bath book.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Egg shampoo</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">1 egg lightly beaten</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">1/2 tsp olive oil</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">1/2 tsp lemon juice</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">1 cup Castile soap or glycerine shampoo</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Using a whisk mix all ingredients together for one minute apply and massage gently into hair rinse thoroughly. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">This recipe can be kept in the refrigerator for about 1 to two weeks just to make sure to whisk the ingredients for about one minute prior to use.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Cheryl Licht-Olsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14737275420894796974noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4459170844933006061.post-57198147110161306452013-09-21T19:55:00.003-07:002013-09-21T19:56:24.082-07:00Dish Soap RecipeI don't know if I tried this one or not. Hubby wasn't fond of the last one as it seemed to leave our dishes greasy and there were no bubbles. <br />
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<a href="http://frugallysustainable.com/2011/09/homemade-liquid-dish-soap-that-really/">http://frugallysustainable.com/2011/09/homemade-liquid-dish-soap-that-really/</a><br />
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<br />Cheryl Licht-Olsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14737275420894796974noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4459170844933006061.post-50740714896550389272013-09-02T15:43:00.000-07:002013-09-21T19:56:48.617-07:00Cheryl's version of the coconut milk soapI grated a bar of Kirk's Castile Soap<br />
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put it in the top of my double boiler and added 2 cups of water t</div>
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I added a few pellets of bees wax also.</div>
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When melted I poured 1 cup of the soap in a mixing bowl </div>
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and added some left over hair conditioner and coconut oil and some lavender essential oil.</div>
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Pour in a bottle and you are done! Save the rest of the soap in a jar for later use for other projects. </div>
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Cheryl Licht-Olsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14737275420894796974noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4459170844933006061.post-62804582404166229702013-09-01T14:29:00.002-07:002013-09-01T14:30:06.778-07:00Canned yesterdayI found some great produce at a great price to start canning my corn and green beans. I did them up yesterday and since I'm turning into a Waste no more type person (that is a slow work in progress!), I am using the corn cobs today to make jelly. <br />
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Here's the website if you want to make it yourself. <br />
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<a href="http://chickensintheroad.com/cooking/how-to-make-corn-cob-jelly/">http://chickensintheroad.com/cooking/how-to-make-corn-cob-jelly/</a><br />
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Already before its made I've given two half pints away! But I'll be making more in the next few weeks. <br />
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I've got another crop of peas coming up for the fall, and I planted White and Red Chard last weekend for a couple of clients that love the stuff. I also replanted a couple of herbs that I'll keep indoors during the winter and also sprouting my basil for a winter crop too. <br />
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Today my pastor talked about gardens and having to till the soil and work it and tend it and water it. I've done all that and its the bugs this year that got my beans and my squash. I'm not giving up on this. I will concur my garden woes,<br />
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Here's a thought and somewhere in the Scriptures it talks about how in addictions and such that if by the third generation it has not been practiced that the addiction is out of the family scenario. I believe that our God does the same with the ground we sow our seeds. That which we plant that is chemically protected, and then take the seed from the plant, resow it and do it a third time by the third time it will be rid of the chemical as long as the soil was prepared with natural resources. <br />
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This year, I've been saving seeds from a few things I've grown mainly the snap peas, and also done it with the potatoes, and a couple of onions and celery. Its amazing to see what comes about. <br />
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I should add that this morning as I was eating my grapefruit that I had a peel to use for my spice scented cleaner I use. I really like this stuff! If you haven't used it yet, try it. In a jar you place your peels, a couple of cinnamon sticks and cloves and pour vinegar in it to fill the jar. Let it set for about ten days. I've reused this a couple of times as the vinegar is a preservative and the peels do not rot. I have sprayer that had like the original spray cleaner in it, rinsed it out and poured that in it. The vinegar smell is what you smell first but after a few minutes you smell the citrus smell from the peelings. Let me know what you think!<br />
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<br />Cheryl Licht-Olsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14737275420894796974noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4459170844933006061.post-78347206066642248232013-07-19T18:56:00.000-07:002013-08-20T20:14:48.363-07:00A few websites I have on handI haven't tried this one yet but if you do and like it leave a comment!<br />
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<a href="http://www.organicauthority.com/delicious-beauty/homemade-shampoo-and-conditioner-recipes-for-natural-hair.html">http://www.organicauthority.com/delicious-beauty/homemade-shampoo-and-conditioner-recipes-for-natural-hair.html</a></div>
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Here is a web site that I go to on occasion. Will be pursuing it more often in the next few months.</div>
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http://frugallysustainable.com/</div>
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A website with lots of products is </div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 21px; white-space: nowrap;">www.mountianroseherbs.com </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 21px; white-space: nowrap;">The prices are reasonable but its the shipping that is costly. </span></span></div>
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For making oils to get started on some of the projects. </div>
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http://www.ehow.com/how_5352082_make-essential-oils-home.html</div>
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For some of the things that you make </div>
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Bentonite Clay, Coconut Oil, Witch Hazel and Castor Oil, and beeswax pellets as well as Carrier oils of Sunflower, Almond Olive and Aloe are what are mostly used when making some of these. <br />
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<span style="color: magenta;">http://www.ehow.com/way_5422101_homemade-liquid-castile-soap.html</span><br />
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I am going to try this some time. However the Potassium Chloride is no longer OTC and is only by prescription. I was told that there is an OTC Potassium vitamin that can be used as a substitute but I don't know what the difference would be in the measuring. </div>
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http://www.ablossominglife.com/ is a good one too.</div>
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<span style="color: blue;">Homemade pain reliever Creme</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue;">http://www.onegoodthingbyjillee.com/2012/09/make-your-own-homemade-pain-relieving-cream.html</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue;">This does work. However I melted it and made it into a bar as its is rather hard to get out of the dish. </span> </div>
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<a href="http://omirus.tripod.com/1hydrosols.html">http://omirus.tripod.com/1hydrosols.html</a> For making your own hydrosols.</div>
Cheryl Licht-Olsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14737275420894796974noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4459170844933006061.post-38538024699734113732013-05-13T08:32:00.001-07:002013-05-13T08:32:14.722-07:00I've been finding some great websites online from frugal living to diy's that I'll share periodically. Since we have an infestation of dandelions in my yard that get out of hand this one has some great things to do with them. <br />
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<a href="http://thenerdyfarmwife.com/">http://thenerdyfarmwife.com/</a><br />
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I'll add others along the way. Cheryl Licht-Olsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14737275420894796974noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4459170844933006061.post-23623402103951421362013-04-20T16:42:00.001-07:002013-04-20T16:42:42.012-07:00Starting the Garden!Dale and I worked in my garden area this afternoon. Was so grateful for a helping hand as we leveled the ground on the side of my garden area for cinderblocks to be laid out to hold my container gardening that I'm doing as well as the ground. <br />
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I planted six Early Girl tomatoes, two pickling cukes and six pole beans. I've got at least one pea plant coming up but will have to do more in the next week. I've been saving my eggshells to plant some of my seeds in this year to help hold down the slug population. I may have to put slug bait down in the next day or two as well. <br />
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Here are the first pics!<br />
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In the front of my "plant stand" I may be putting down my mulch bark I bought and work it around the walkway I'm building that goes into the garden area. </div>
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Cheryl Licht-Olsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14737275420894796974noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4459170844933006061.post-30457718029071547452013-03-28T12:42:00.000-07:002013-03-28T12:42:37.699-07:00something I'll look into<br />
Making oragami pots out of newpaper to plant seeds. A great idea. <br />
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I did start my peas and beans in egg shells this past week end. When they are ready to transplant, I just have to put the whole eggshell in the ground. It will keep the snails away too. <br />
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Will be looking at making the newspaper pots in the next few weeks. <br />
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<a href="http://naturemoms.com/blog/2013/03/26/10-steps-to-planting-organic-veggies-in-newspaper-pots/">http://naturemoms.com/blog/2013/03/26/10-steps-to-planting-organic-veggies-in-newspaper-pots/</a>Cheryl Licht-Olsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14737275420894796974noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4459170844933006061.post-58782960305530351472013-01-24T11:12:00.001-08:002013-01-24T11:12:10.142-08:00Starting early.....So I'm more scoping then doing at this point.<br />
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I did start my "Lasagna Garden". Its where you start with either cardboard or newpaper (Newspaper ink has vegtable oil in it) and then do a layer of dirt and debris such as leaves. From the continue as you would a compost pile and add the other refuse from the kitchen that would be biodegradable. The newspaper will tone down the weeds from underneath. <br />
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However the weeds in the lawn and surrounding areas of the garden is another issue that I'm working on. <br />
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I posted a pic the other day on Fb of some ideas with making the garden more presentable and not looking like it does now. Mostly in the outsides of the garden beds I built. Not sure how I'm going to proceed with the root garden yet on the weed issue. <br />
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The plan is to go completely organic this year. I'm going to put black plastic down inbetween the garden beds and between my stepping bricks in the walk way. I'll either do wider bricks and gravel inbetween the beds or just gravel, haven't decided yet. <br />
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I think I'm also going to redo some of the other walkways and patios I've done in the last couple of years with the plastic. That will stop some of the weed population. <br />
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I've got some time until May when I start work again so I'm hoping to get most of my garden together so its easier to manage.<br />
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Working on some other crafts as well for future things. Cheryl Licht-Olsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14737275420894796974noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4459170844933006061.post-10155964513184551542012-05-14T16:51:00.000-07:002013-03-28T12:52:35.535-07:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Here are updates to my backyard. The patio is Phase one of project one and the cinder block table under the window is Phase one of project two. Ejoying the nice weather we've been having to start these projects.</div>
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Hubby informed me today that I was using the wood to make my beds in the garden that for the last several months he'd been using as lifts for working on the cars in the driveway. He was feeling bad to buy new wood for the work on the cars as I used the junk wood for my garden beds. I'm not worried as I was trying to keep the costs down on the garden. Thats been my goal all along :)</div>
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Cheryl Licht-Olsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14737275420894796974noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4459170844933006061.post-70750227711672743602012-05-10T11:50:00.000-07:002012-05-10T11:50:10.455-07:00This morning I was listening to Kim Clement as he spoke from his prayer garden. While listening to him, God showed me that for years He has been trying to put my backyard into His sanctuary, and my home to be His home. It makes perfect sense when you think that when we bought this house, it was because the pastor of the Foursquare Church bought the church across the street from us. <br />
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On one side of the street it is zoned for residental and business. Buying a property (an older mobile home to boot) near a commercial property isn't the best investment at times. We didn't want a lot to be where a lot of traffic would be going on down the street and really liked that it was a quiet neighborhood. <br />
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We knew when we bought our home it was to be a place for God to dwell and for us to serve Him. It kind of lost that over the years due to different legs in the journey that we as a family have been on and I can see that God has had enough and is working to get us back to where He wanted us to be in the first place. <br />
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So as I'm listening to Kim speak, I'm hearing "keys" and "prayer" which means that my prayer garden is expanding. God wants His property back and in the service He's set it up to be in. Its my goal as a wife, as a mother to do that by prayer and supplication. He promised to provide all I need to have that happen. I need to learn what a blessing is and not turn it down when it comes. <br />
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The past week when I've opened my front door, I really haven't known what I was going to do until it has opened. I've had plans as I take my first step, but it changes on the second step. Yesterday was a good example. <br />
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I was getting ready to go out and work on the patio when my friend who gave me a pressure cooker last week came over with the pressure valve to it. In fact I hadn't even opened the door yet and she had alredy knocked when my hand was on the handle. I went to show her what I was doing and she told me I could take the sand she had as she wasn't going to be using it. So while she gave me her shovel and a bucket and I was carrying out out to the piles of sand she had, she looked at me and said "I have a 50.00 gift card from Home Depot. I'll get you your sand." So we got in her car. I had also shown her another section I'm putting together and trying to find cinder blocks for it. She asked me how many I needed. I said nine. She bought that for me also. <br />
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Please note how hard this was for me. I knew it was a blessing that God was bringing me and I really had a hard time accepting it for a while. Then I remembered something I learned in my Bibical Foundations of Freedom class on rejection. "It is a sin of idolalitry to put words or actions of another person above God." ( page 152, Bibical Foudations of Freedom). I could not reject the blessing my friend was giving me by listening to things from the past. If God was giving me a blessing through her I needed recieve it. <br />
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Later I went over to help her out with a project she has and we had some things in our wood pile that she needed also. God is so good as I shared things with her that I knew she needed to hear about God and who He is. At the end of the day, I felt the presence of God as He showed me things in my life that still need correcting. <br />
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I also discovered my new occupation title. "Prayer and Benevolence." I kind of like that!<br />Cheryl Licht-Olsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14737275420894796974noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4459170844933006061.post-57818665181944295382012-05-02T16:36:00.000-07:002012-05-02T16:36:03.266-07:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHmrGW9Bq-Aa8OVCh0Oz966dVL63_ePCB2kEbF043MFPE1zUVswi_7TO364TNYLiiEGOoiA3T3bNnXQ2ecpkgqLSEE4DZV4qoV7QuwFuHr0PIYjLmTW8jhNbmFvmktaEzQpnY3Q4Qpi1QV/s1600/SANY1143.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHmrGW9Bq-Aa8OVCh0Oz966dVL63_ePCB2kEbF043MFPE1zUVswi_7TO364TNYLiiEGOoiA3T3bNnXQ2ecpkgqLSEE4DZV4qoV7QuwFuHr0PIYjLmTW8jhNbmFvmktaEzQpnY3Q4Qpi1QV/s320/SANY1143.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Here are some updated pictures of the garden area. <br />
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I'd like ot put some flowering plants in the front area to brighten it up, but I'm running out of plants to transplant. <br />Cheryl Licht-Olsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14737275420894796974noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4459170844933006061.post-23614971578960884322012-04-28T14:48:00.002-07:002012-04-28T14:48:46.008-07:00My Garden area that I've been working on<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ8e8CTHRHjaHaWlUNlzgASKYvM3tUg8Q9ppLNezPZcAeJcqTuNL2ZCbVQ36QsulLTO6LhVOAclNJhV7OFHMoAVaQxi2KzAzYqGw_bjCBestHss0KBLMngABunpFXxcraa-faeXIrL7_R4/s1600/Veggie+Garden.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ8e8CTHRHjaHaWlUNlzgASKYvM3tUg8Q9ppLNezPZcAeJcqTuNL2ZCbVQ36QsulLTO6LhVOAclNJhV7OFHMoAVaQxi2KzAzYqGw_bjCBestHss0KBLMngABunpFXxcraa-faeXIrL7_R4/s320/Veggie+Garden.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Here are updated photos of what I've been working on the last couple of weeks. Cheryl Licht-Olsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14737275420894796974noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4459170844933006061.post-49596237893669213772012-04-25T09:40:00.001-07:002012-04-25T09:40:24.206-07:00The war is on!I'm declaring war on my garden. Last year, what the deer and I'm assuming slugs didn't get get from the top, the gophers or moles got from the bottom. I'm making boxes with hard cloth either stapled or tied to the boxes on the bottom and I'm going to make a cage at the top with a way to open that will have to take a security code to do so. <br />
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I'm taking on a project (why I keep doing this I don't know!) of making a garden for my kids club kids to have also. The plan is to make birdhouse gourds to sell at our craft fair out benevolence group is putting together in September to raise funds for the club so it doesn't come out of the church fund. <br />
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I'm also having to do this by way if whatever I have and can find to use here or what other people are throwing out in the driveway for those driving by to pick up. I'm really turing into a DIYer and I'm loving it!<br />
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So let the war begin!!!!!<br />Cheryl Licht-Olsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14737275420894796974noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4459170844933006061.post-9971821814037466342012-04-14T09:42:00.000-07:002012-04-14T09:42:44.270-07:00My commitment for spring and summer 2012My commitment is to make improvements from last year in my gardens. I usually start out with a grand scale of things and by July (or the first snake in the yard), I retreat.<br />
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This year I'm going to try to commit to it. Was playing Hidden Chronicles and got into the scene of "Bessie's Shack". Was looking a little too much like home.Cheryl Licht-Olsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14737275420894796974noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4459170844933006061.post-88900849790537642892012-04-05T13:30:00.001-07:002012-04-05T13:32:06.538-07:00Getting an early start on some late start on othersI started planting my seed starts about a month ago and found old plastic containers to use for "Hot beds". We've had several storms in the last three weeks that have caused a lot of rain fall and some chilling nights. I went out to look at the "beds" when the sun started peaking through the sky and saw some starting to sprout up. <br />
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I'm thinking of finding someone one with a rotertiller to dig up my garden this year. Once its dug up I can work in it. I'm getting a late start on that as I want to put some screen under about 6 in of dirt before I start planting or transplanting to keep the gophers from digging it up. I have old pallets that I can tear apart to make larger beds to screen over my beans, peas and tomatoes. I still want to do the square gardening as I get more room in my small space. Cheryl Licht-Olsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14737275420894796974noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4459170844933006061.post-77253357137130654922012-03-27T08:52:00.000-07:002012-03-27T08:52:07.160-07:00A new concept in gardeningA film on using your own resources that God gave us to produce a garden by nature. Very cool!<br />
<a href="http://vimeo.com/28055108">http://vimeo.com/28055108</a>Cheryl Licht-Olsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14737275420894796974noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4459170844933006061.post-16538566783327466562011-06-25T12:13:00.000-07:002011-06-25T12:13:10.064-07:00Garden updateLike I've said expert gardeners would frown at my handiwork. <br />
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My first crop of beans were eaten the day after I transplanted them. My musk melon that I planted was dug up by a gofer then next day so I planted another one and it took was dug up as well. I'm also missing a squash plant.<br />
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What I'm thinking of doing today since I'm off for the rest of the day is to look up what herbs are good deterents to the animals that like my plants. I did a study of it many years ago when I did another square foot garden when we lived in Central Point but I don't think we had the problem with the deer there as much as we do here. <br />
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I've got two chamomile plant starts that I'm going to wait another couple of weeks to transplant. The same with one of the beans that decided to sprout. I've got two cuke starts that my makeshift hothouse has kept them protected for the last month but even now I may have to take the cover off and think about transplanting them. <br />
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Basically what is surviving is the tomatoes my zucch and my yellow squash and my peas, my basic vegtable staple anyway.<br />
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Its a study day for sure. I'm also wondering of clay pots play a part in basil growing as well as other herbs.Cheryl Licht-Olsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14737275420894796974noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4459170844933006061.post-14718910220779167682011-05-16T12:53:00.000-07:002011-05-16T12:53:34.284-07:00Plans for the week<span class="messageBody">Accomplished a lot this morning! Planted my onions and lettuce, and transplanted 2 bean plants. Wed, thurs and Friday mornings before noon I need to get my other section dug up for the rest of the beans, squash, cukes and other root veggies. </span><br />
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<span class="messageBody">I'll try to upload pics when I get the other section done. Right now I think expert gardeners would be turned off of what it looks like right now. </span><br />
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<span class="messageBody">Planting the cukes in the ground last week seem to ward off anything that was trying to eat them while there were still in the containers. They are doing fine planted next to the marigolds which are starting to bloom more each day also. </span><br />
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<span class="messageBody">I'm getting excited as I see the peas coming up which I'm told in this area they will do great here, and the beans will too, as I remember from the one pea plant and one bean plant I did last year. I did 8 peas and 9 beans this year. I am looking for a processing canner or I'll can them in vinegar in a water bath if I can't find one. (A good excuse to get the processing canner is hubby doesn't like vinegar, and the peas would be great for the tuna salad he and dd do quite a bit.)</span><br />
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<span class="messageBody">I'm taking on another caregiving job this week so I'll be having to get up earlier before Curves as the weather warms up to work out there. </span>Cheryl Licht-Olsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14737275420894796974noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4459170844933006061.post-82000318751831552372011-05-06T15:17:00.000-07:002011-05-06T15:17:09.884-07:00What a day!The other day I was getting discouraged when I walked out to my square foot garden area and saw that something ate one of my cukes. One of my tomato plants it gone as well. The weather was actually one of the best it had been but I was in no condition to work on it. (see my developing eagle wings blog and put the pieces together :) ).<br />
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So this morning I went out and harvested from my herb garden my rosemary, sage and English and French lavender. I was surprised that when I was done putting them in the jars to make my bath oils that I filled all four jars that I had. Now I need to go get some cheesecloth to cover the jars, and allergy pills for my husband. <br />
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I feel renewed today with my garden. I started Chamomile, Oregano, a second batch of Basil, and transplanted my Cilantro and planted a second batch of that also. I still have four marigolds that I haven't planted in the garden yet to heed off the aphids that I think is what got to my cukes and the one tomato plant. I put newspaper around both of the tomato plants that are out there as I was told deer would stay away. <br />
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I really want to get a 5 ft high wire fence around this area of the garden to keep some animals out of it when I plant my root plants later this week. Its going to be spendy and I'm trying to come up with an inexpensive way to do it. The deer did leave my trellis alone, so I'm thinking that might be a good deterrent if my cukes and peas last. <br />
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Yes I feel like Noah did when he went to build the ark. Granted I do have people who have treaded this path of Northwest Coast Gardening and we've all had tried and true experiences to find what really works. We've got the climate for most of it as we are an even temperature all year around with the exception of mid July and early August. Trust me its not an "I'll show them" attitude that I do this. Its more out obedience to a call that I have. And its more of my frustration that I share with my God as I ask Him "Are you sure I'm the one you want?"Cheryl Licht-Olsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14737275420894796974noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4459170844933006061.post-78824327596493185582011-04-15T08:17:00.000-07:002011-04-15T08:39:50.979-07:00What Noah would say if he had a blogI was wondering this when I looked outside to rain again. <br />
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I've started my square foot garden over the weekend, planning it and I bought two tomatoes and a six pack of marigolds to plant through out. I even set the boards to eye ball what a foot was and thought I didn't have enough room. <br />
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Then Monday I got out my tape measure and realized that it was actually 2ft by 2ft and was relieved! I cut off the excess over one foot of my smaller boards to make temporary borders until I can get some string. I had only laid out the boards for a plan on Saturday so my removing of the nails from the boards was necessary on Monday which as my husband stated "that's the least of my worries" with this garden. <br />
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Its been questioned if tomatoes will ripen in our climate. I know last year with the tomatoes in the containers, they didn't ripen at all and I put the tomatoes still on branches in brown paper bags to ripen. The reason I'm doing them in the ground this year is because in the container they didn't grow as large as they should have. That's my logic anyway. <br />
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So back to the rain. My plan was to go out again after work and dig up another section while also still planting in the first section (the beauty of having a square foot garden so the book says!). I still need to make a trellis of sorts for my pole beans and for my cukes and zuccs. The rain changed that plan, however I do know that there are some brookingites that don't mind the rain. However, I"m not one of those species yet. <br />
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I will probably start some seeds indoors any like my beans and some more herbs that I'm using for pest control and maybe peas, even though right now they could go in the ground. The rainy day alternative.<br />
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I'm not sure if my father would be proud or disappointed in how his daughter is taking on his trade. I'll send him pics if it turns out great.Cheryl Licht-Olsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14737275420894796974noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4459170844933006061.post-54841767716533757142011-02-27T14:02:00.000-08:002011-02-27T14:15:49.720-08:00A gardening goalSince I'm doing an actual garden this year, I figure I should start looking over the area I'm planting in. <br /><br />I started with my herb/rose prayer garden this afternoon. Yes, its a bigger mess then last year or the pic above. My lavendars need clipped back of dead branches and I cleaned up one while I was there. I also noticed that the rose bush that was small last year and had black spots ( I cut off the infected leaves but didn't do the soap mixture for black spot that I do), is growing nicely and no black spot as of yet. <br /><br />My rosemary bush has really over grown, and I noticed that the rose bush that is in front of it is still rather small for a minature so I cut back the Rosemary quite a bit. <br /><br />I've labeled my herb/prayer garden on FB as to who is who so if you are friend on FB and I tag you in the photo, that's your plant! (If you aren't there, don't fret, I probably have you indoors!) The herb/prayer garden is from a past bible study I was in and a few women from a message board I'm on that have encouraged me over the years.<br /><br />The main area that I'm going to be working on this year I do need to find new homes for my daisies. The mums have run its course out there so I'll be digging them up in the next few weeks. I'm studying what type of soil I need for the ground. <br /><br />I did discover a few days ago that pouring a little lime on the soil where an Oregano is planted helps with the acidicy of the soil for the plant. I don't know if I'm transplanting my Oregano yet this year in the herb garden. It might grow better out there as it didn't do much this past year but is still alive. Funny thing was, I have it under the same florecent lamp as the basil, and when the first basil died, the oregano grow about a couple of inches. It stopped growing when I replanted the basil again. And they are in different pots! <br /><br />So my goal is to try to spend at least 20 minutes outside investigating my garden area for the next few weeks. I still need to do the two small bags of weeds everytime I go out to start toning down my weed problem. Clover has really taken over in many areas of my yard where it was not a problem in past years. Not liking that at all!Cheryl Licht-Olsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14737275420894796974noreply@blogger.com1