Life With a Possum

...Again

2011-08-01T16:17:00.000-05:00

Winston caught a bird in mid flight. Then he ate it. A little morbid, but damn, does my dog have skills or what?
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Korea, here we come!

2011-07-31T08:42:00.002-05:00

This guest post from Werner Rogers
I love being able to travel and I’m just really happy we’ve worked hard and long enough to afford such great vacations. This year my husband and I are going to Korea, where he’s from, and he’s going to show me around for the very first time! I can’t wait to see all the cultural things that make him who he is and I love Asian food so I’m pretty excited about that, as well. We’ve done a lot to prepare the house for us to leave like going to HTTP://WWW.ALLHOMESECURITY.COM and checking with the neighbors and now all we’re waiting on is our Korean visas to come through! We shouldn’t have any problems, though, since Ken goes all the time for workanyway. I love the idea of being a world traveller and if it were up to me I’d just spend my whole life crawling all over the globe. I love adventure and getting out there and experiencing new things so this should pretty much be the perfect trip for me!

Compare

2011-07-31T08:37:00.001-05:00

I found an awesome website for comparing prices on appliances. www.canadapost.ca/shopper/dryers/sc/252 I wish I had found this website a long time ago, it would have saved me a lot of time and frustration. It is great to be able to browse multiple stores at one time to compare prices and availability on items. A little over a year ago, I got a washer and dryer set. It took me forever to find what I needed, wanted, and could afford. If I knew about this website, I could have gotten the washer and dryer that I needed faster and with greater ease. The website also offers laundry parts, which I realized did not come with what I purchased... after I had purchased it.

The site also provides comparison opportunities for other things as well, from clothing to camping equipment, and almost everything in between. The site is set up fairly simplistically, so that it is easy to navigate around. There is even an option of "best deal," which will come in handy quite often. The site will even tell you how much longer an item will be listed at that price, and how much of a percentage you would be saving.

Wordless Wednesday

2011-07-13T08:05:00.003-05:00

Headaches... Get Rid of Them!

2011-07-08T07:38:00.030-05:00

Photo credit

Headaches seem like something that is required for humans. Before we can treat them naturally, we need to know what they are caused by. Stress, food, and withdraw can cause them. There are other factors as well. What happens is that the blood vessels constrict or expand, and the pressure within the skull produce headaches. Read on for some simple tips and natural ways to get rid of them.

Avoid stimuli. Turn off the television, draw the curtains, and turn on a fan. Create a soothing environment, and try your best to relax.
Using your thumb and index finger, press against the bridge of your nose at the corners of your eyes. Also, rubbing the enter of the webbing between your thumb and index finger may help alleviate the pain.
Put your feet in a water bath, starting at 95 degrees. Every five minutes, add more hot water until the water is 115 degrees. Soak for another five, the pour in cold water until the bath is lukewarm. Then put on some thick socks and lie down for 20-30 minutes.
Add three drops of the following to cream or honey, and add to bathwater; chamomile, lavender, rosemary.
Sip on black coffee with a few drops of fresh lemon juice. Make sure you stomach can handle it!
Soak a wash cloth in cold water, and put 2 drops of peppermint oil on it. Apply to forehead for about 15 minutes.
Make a poultice out of potato or horseradish, wrap in a cloth, and apply to the neck for 5-15 minutes.

Wordless Wednesday

2011-07-06T08:03:00.000-05:00

Keeping The Bugs Away

2011-07-05T06:23:00.001-05:00

Right about now, gardeners and farmers all are dealing with pests in one form or another. Many turn to chemical pesticides to do the work, but some want a more natural option. I will try to share with you today a few things that you may want to try in your backyard.

Aphid vs Ladybug. Bug wins!

Beneficial Insects. There are hoards of companies out there that sell insects whose sole purpose is to kill off the baddies. I'm really thinking about doing this for the Aphids that tend to hurt my trees.
Marigolds. Not only is this a companion plant for tomatoes and asparagus, it keeps away a multitude of unwanted insects - including mosquitoes! Keep a few of them in pots around your patio furniture, it will help out all around!
Beer bottles. Bury beer bottles with about an inch's worth of beer left in it. Keep an inch of the neck exposed, and you can keep away moles. It also attracts slugs, so they stay in the bottle, and not in your garden.
Soap. Not as "natural," but it works. Take a bar of soap, and put it in a mason jar. Fill it with HOT water, and let it soak overnight. Then put the water in a spray bottle and go to town. Keeps away squash bugs.
The hose. Spray the plants when you see aphids. This will have to be done every 2-3 days.
Floating row covers. These are usually advertised for vines. This keeps bugs off the plants completely, which prevents the need of using something to get them off.

Fourth

2011-07-04T06:43:00.002-05:00

Happy Fourth of July. I hope you have a wonderful day!

photo credit

Good News, Bad News

2011-07-02T09:35:00.000-05:00

I have a wild petunia growing in my yard. It is so completely random, because I haven't had any petunias in my yard since I moved in. It is beautiful, and a nice surprise.

Two of my rabbits died yesterday from the heat. Even with a fan on and ice bottles, they couldn't handle the heat. I have lost 3 rabbits this year due to heat. So I now only have one breeding pair. I'm thinking about putting them in my basement until cooler weather is here. I just don't want to risk loosing my last two, especially since they are everyone's favorite bunnies.

This is just a reminder that you should be careful with the heat. These high temperatures are not healthy for any mammal (and lots of other animals, as well). So stay indoors, or in the shade and very hydrated!

Salt Candle Holders... Guest Post

2011-07-01T06:01:00.002-05:00

This great idea is brought to you by Require Life. The author is not only a fellow blogging friend, but a friend to me in real life. Read on for a great craft for all ages. I'm going to do this with Shiva and her brother this weekend!

Epsom Salt is something that I always like to have on hand mainly for times that a nice warm soak in the bath would do wonders for achy bodies.

Around blogland there's been a lot of buzz about Salt Candle Holders. I wanted to try my hand @ the creations...and my daughter wanted in on the fun too!

Not only are the salt crystals green from food coloring, the jars have been reUsed & UPcycled instead of reCycled too!

:::Please continue to read for a Picture Heavy Explanation of how to do it!!! :::

apply Mod Podge generously
Not so much that it's dripping though

Jar/ModPodge/FoodColoring/EpsomSalt
Spoon for Stirring in food coloring
Surface for Dipping painted glass in
not pictured: Paint Brush

DIP turn DIP turn DIP
!!!All Salted Up!!!

dipping away
i helped her paint this jar
in order to get the stained glassish look

so happy she loves crafting!

the other jar was a jar that Caveman used for pipe tobacco
we couldn't get the smell out of it no matter what we did
so we weren't able to use it for spices like intended

Let us know how you like this project!

Cuz I'm Bored

2011-06-30T15:47:00.000-05:00

Maggie modeling off my newest crochet project - a simple blanket with an openwork mesh pattern. This isn't for anyone in particular, but I'm liking the way it looks already.
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Sales and the Half-Dead

2011-06-30T07:02:00.022-05:00

For most of the country, now is the time where garden centers and greenhouses are selling the rest of their plants for insanely low prices. Some places the plants are half-dead, which isn't too bad. They just need some lovin' care, with lots of water and fertilizer when they bounce back. Some people shy away from buying plants this time of year, especially veggies. This is actually a great opportunity. It isn't too late!

You can actually plant fruits and veggies til August. They will be late crops, but they will grow very well until late September when the sun really starts to diminish and the cold air comes in. There are a handful of annual plants that you only really need to buy once, because they self-seed. I have a few listed, but this is by no means a complete list. These I would grab first off the clearance rack:

Herbs. Basil, chamomile, cilantro, dill, and parsley.
Veggies. Amaranth, arugula, beets, carrots, collards, kale, lettuce, mustards, pumpkin, tomatillo, tomato, turnips, winter squash.
Flowers. Snapdragons, geraniums, bachelor button, calendula, celosia, cosmos, sunflowers, poppies, sweet alyssum, viola.

To make sure the plants seed themselves, let them flower and don't pull off the dead buds. They will go to seed and fall to the ground. If you want the seeds to grow in a different location, grab the entire flower head (after it's gone to seed), and throw it where you would like. Make sure you can identify these self-seeders so that you don't accidentally pull them when weeding next spring!

Destruction

2011-06-29T09:22:00.000-05:00

Winston attacks... Again!
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Wordless Wednesday

2011-06-29T08:00:00.003-05:00

Make Your Own Whistle

2011-06-28T09:39:00.000-05:00

My cousin shared this with me a while ago. This is way too cool. It's how to make your own Willow Bark Slip Whistle. When I have children and they are old enough not to stab themselves (does that age exist?), I will do this with them. Until then, I'll just have to get a hold of Shiva and do this with her.

Website synopsis:
The Willow Bark Slip Whistle is a nice easy little project requiring only a small knife and a piece of freshly cut willow. The piece of willow should be about thumb width in diameter and about a hand span (150mm) in length (this will be plenty for the whistle and also give you a good length ‘working handle’ to carve with safely). For this example I’m using a piece of Grey Sallow as it is locally abundant in the area, but any willow will work just as well. It works best in the spring or early summer when the sap is rising in the trees.

Check it out at the link below:

http://www.tardigrade.biz/?page_id=739

picture from here

Weekend Work

2011-06-27T09:42:00.000-05:00

This weekend, Shiva came over to help me with the garden. We pulled weeds, trimmed mints, and pulled suckers off of the Maple trees. I found something that Winston is good at in the garden: eating weeds! After our garden chores, we went out to Milford lake to cool down. Shiva and the dogs all fell asleep when we got back. I guess I'm too hard on them!

The Dalmatians helping Shiva with the weeds.

Relaxing in the shade.

Why am I the only one up?

Passed out, still in her bathing suit!

Garden Lighting

2011-06-25T14:33:00.000-05:00

I love to lie on my hammock and enjoy the sounds of the flora and fauna as the sun goes down. What I do not love is when I decide to go in my home, it's rather pitch black and I trip over something trying to go inside. I found an awesome website of contemporary furniture that has a beautiful selection of firefly garden lights. These glowing orbs come in a few different sizes, and one cube. They would be perfect for my garden, giving the yard a delicate accent of light.

The site also has other great contemporary furniture accents and pieces. I wish I could refurnish my house with their products. True, I do like darker natural tones, but there is just something about these modern pieces that just pop. Maybe I can at least have an entire room decorated from this site.

Even though the company is based out of the United Kingdom, I would love to own their products. I've purchased items from overseas companies, and have never had any problems. And with these lovely styles and contemporary furniture, I know it would be worth the wait!

Ducks!

2011-06-25T11:25:00.001-05:00

When I say water the ducks, I mean it!
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CRAFT Decorative Safety Outlet Covers (guest post)

2011-06-24T09:33:00.004-05:00

This is a guest post from Every Day Products and More. If you like this idea, check out her blog. When I get to the time where I am expecting, I will do this for my children. Can you say Peter Rabbit outlet cover?

Fun safety outlet covers for kids rooms and nursery

These are so cute and fun to make go down to your local craft store browse through there little wooden shapes,like bugs,girls, dinosaur's any kinda theme you are going with for your child's room you can find at a craft store you will pay more if you can find some of the wood cuts out already painted.

Things you will need:

Paint if you did not by painted ones

Hot Glue & Glue gun

Any safety outlet plugs you can get as many as you want to make

Now just paint your your wooden decoration you or your child picked out to make it look as much as possible like a butterfly,ladybug,whatever it is you choose to paint let the paint dry hot glue it to the back of the safety plug and you should have something like this Butterfly or ladybug they are so adorable and fun to make.Just plug in to the wall after everything has dried of course, and it is a very cute decoration even though this is cute I wouldn't use for a small baby because I think it would draw more curiosity to it.like a toy but use for a child that is old enough to understand what's behind it.

fun safety outlet covers for kids rooms and nursery

Back in the Saddle Again

2011-06-23T09:06:00.029-05:00

My husband left for Iraq last week, and I've been cleaning up the house and getting back into the groove of life without him. The two week RnR is hard for everyone involved. It's like living with a ghost, but you try to fool yourself so that you enjoy the time you have.

My husband's brother was here for about a week, and we all turned into chore-neglecting night owls. We had a lot of fun, which made the goodbyes that much worse. Luckily, my husband will be back for good in a few short months, and we will be visiting his brother as much as possible. Below are pictures from the RnR, including random daily living and the Sugar Creek Slavic Festival.

James and Joe

Ukrainian Eggs

Joe and I at the Slavic Fest (he really did enjoy it).

Joe playing my Ukrainian flute.

This little girl made our night.

One of the children that danced. She was so graceful.

Christmas in June.

Joe and James reunion.

James bought this for Joe. Special and Rare.

Drooling over firearms.

Dancers at the Sugar Creek Slavic Festival

Wood bowl carvings at the Slavic Fest.

Wordless Wednesday

2011-06-22T07:41:00.001-05:00

Extentions

2011-06-21T19:05:00.013-05:00

When it comes to filing taxes, not everyone knows that they can file for an extension. I recently found out that military personnel may be granted an extension by June 15th and don't have to file until October. This is great for anyone who wants to be absolutely sure that the information they are submitting is correct. There are IRS extension forms that do need to be filled out, and not everyone is eligible. However, this is a helpful tool that may be used when completing taxes by April 15th is not possible.

If anyone is considering this, or wants to learn more, I suggest reading an extension guide to become more educated about the topic. There are multiple forms that must be completed, as well as certain criteria that must be met in order to do this. However, if one is eligible, take the opportunity! Even with extensions, there are options of filing electronically. Even though it is too late for many of us this year, this is something to research about for next year's tax season.

Dog Toy

2011-06-20T16:30:00.001-05:00

Indestructible my foot.
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Credit Scores

2011-06-19T18:52:00.017-05:00

Knowing what your credit score is as important today as knowing your social security number. From getting a savings account to a house loan, your credit score is taken into consideration. Many people do not know what their credit score is, and this becomes a hindrance after time.

Your credit score is created from what you owe, what your balances are, payment history as well as how many accounts you have open. It only takes a minute to find out, and there are sources for getting a free credit score. Do not wait, and save the embarrassment. Find out where you stand now, so that you can improve your score, and next time you need to deal with lenders, you know what to expect and what you deserve.

Identity Theft Protection

2011-06-18T18:43:00.016-05:00

Multiple times, I've had my bank account information compromised. It is something that is a daily hassle for anyone that has a bank account and does any sort of online transactions. I have worked for banks in the past, and have been educated in how people steal identities. It is so simple, all one needs is a business card, and a cashier's check or false identification card can be made.

It is of the utmost importance to have your identity protected. Identityhawk is a company that offers this protection by monitoring credit scores and keeping track of other important personal information. They offer a free trial, and I am sure that anyone who uses it will continue with their service. Having your information compromised is a frightful experience, and even harder to take care of after it has happened. Anyone who wants to escape this fear and have identity theft protection needs to check out this company to take care of their security needs.

I was compensated for this post.