Colds and the flu — how can we combat that nagging cough and stuffiness?  Before thinking of running to the local store for a cold and flu remedy, look in your food stock. When we were younger, my mother kept a fresh jar of this homemade cough remedy in the refrigerator. It was a delight to take as a child; its sweet yet tarty taste made it easy for her to give to us. We would even take an extra spoon or two, in between!

Keeping a supply of fresh lemon, honey and garlic during the winter months will give you a natural cough syrup, cough and cold remedy that is both tasty and nutritious, and is safe to take!

Honey is used in many home remedies for cough and congestion.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

things you’ll need:

• Fresh Lemon
• Fresh Garlic
• Honey
• Jar with lid
• Grater (fine) or chopper
• Fork or a citrus juicer

1. Cut a lemon in half and squeeze out the juice into a bowl. Use a citrus juicer or a fork. Insert it into the lemon and twisting the lemon to release all of the juice. Scrape off the pulp, as well. Lemons have hot and dry qualities, which is the opposite of a cold. It cuts and dissolves phlegm, making it a suitable agent against both the cold and flu.

2. Next, use your fine grater to grate 1 to cloves of fresh garlic, according to what you can tolerate. Mix this in with the lemon juice. Garlic is also hot in nature, and its moisture quality also helps it dissolve and break down phlegm, especially in the throat and chest.
3. Add an equal amount of honey as there is lemon juice. Honey is excellent for colds because it also dissolves phlegm. It is also a natural preservative, and it kills infections. It is an excellent food, drink and remedy.

4. Mix all ingredients together and store in a glass jar with a lid. Refrigerating the mixture makes it cool, and is more suitable for children, while keeping it at room temperature will give the garlic extra potency. The natural cough syrup will keep longer if refrigerated.

Fresh ginger

5. As a variation, you can also add other beneficial cold remedies. Grate fresh ginger into the mixture, as well.

6. Cayenne is another natural agent that brings heat and draws out cold. Add a little ground cayenne to the mixture, if you can tolerate the heat.

Add a touch of horehound too!

7. Horehound is another natural cold remedy that can be mixed into the syrup. Add 1/2 teaspoon of dried, ground horehound, or even freshly chopped horehound.

Add peppermint to your cough and cold remedy.

8. Peppermint is another delightful ingredient to add to this mixture. If you have fresh or dried peppermint, you can add this to the lemon, honey and garlic mixture, instead.

Wild cherry bark powder

9. Wild Cherry Bark is another cold remedy that works well with the lemon honey and garlic mixture. Add a teaspoon of ground wild cherry bark to the mixture.

Tips & Warnings

• Take 1/2 to 3 teaspoons of this natural cough syrup every two hours. If the cold or flu is very strong, take every hour.

• Take peppermint tea with honey, or even peppermint tea mixed with mullein tea. They act as an expectorant and will open the lungs and promote coughing. This will force the mucus out of the body.

• Onions can be substituted for garlic, if you do not have garlic. However, garlic seems more potent than onions.

• You can also substitute lime for lemons.

• Consult your doctor or natural health specialist before taking this mixture. If you are currently taking other medications, or have a health condition, even these simple ingredients can have an adverse affect.

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A kitchen island provides additional workspace and storage.

A kitchen island provides functionality, convenience and style. It supplies an additional work surface, as well as storage for utensils, appliances or food. Designing your own kitchen island can be accomplished in a few, simple steps. Measurements are key. When you are done, take your design to your local carpenter or home center, and you will soon have the island of your dreams.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

things you’ll need:

• Measuring tape
• Yard stick, ruler, or straight edge
• Pencil
• Level

1 The first step is to measure for the size of the island that can fit in your kitchen space. If space is not a factor, then decide on the size you would prefer. However, if you have a limited amount of space, then measure for the minimum amount you need to navigate around the idea. For example, if you have a dishwasher open the door and mark its location on the floor beneath. Opposite
the dishwasher, measure, from the wall the minimum amount of space you need to walk on that side. That will give you the maximum width of your kitchen island. Write it down. For our purposes, we will say the island’s width will be 2 feet.

2 Next, measure the maximum length that your island will be, by continuing to measure the walking space around the imaginary kitchen island, on the two other sides. You may also want to consider using the same amount of space that you used in the first step, for uniformity. You will now have the length of your kitchen island. Our example island will be 4 feet long.

3 Measure for the height of your island. You may want to use the same height of your kitchen countertops, or you may choose to have a higher or lower work surface. Subtract 1 inch from the total height measurement. This will allow for adding the countertop later on. Write this measurement down. In our example, we will have a height of 4 feet.

4 Decide on the style of the island. Do you want post legs or a cabinet look? Write down your choice. Decide on what style you prefer, whether it will blend in with the rest of your kitchen, or stand out as a contrasting accent feature.

5 Next, choose a surface type. You can choose a butcher-block surface, a tiled surface, or even a solid granite or quartz surface. With your measurements, your local design center will help you choose the counter of your dreams.

6 Will your island have open shelving? Open shelves are very versatile and work well on kitchen islands for appliances and cookbooks. Decide on how many shelves and whether your design will include both cabinets and shelving.

7 Will your island have draws? You can choose small drawers for utensils or spices, or large draws for pots and pans, or bowls. Make note of your choices.

8 Will your kitchen island be stationary or mobile? You can design your island to have wheels so that you can roll it to any corner of your kitchen.

9 Do you want one side of your island to house a waste receptacle? If so, there are waste receptacle draws available from cabinet makers. Another option would be to have a tall, open shelf to house your kitchen waste basket.

10 Will your island have a sink? If so, decide on which side it is most convenient, and sketch this design idea down, as well. There are as many sink options as there are sinks!

11 Your island can also house special appliance shelves that pull out and up whenever you need to use that appliance. This may be a convenient feature for your island design, as well.

12 You can also elect to have your island house a small refrigerator, your dishwasher, warming drawers, a steamer, or even a microwave. You have many options to choose from when deciding on kitchen appliances for your island.

13 Will your island house your cooking surface? If so, you have a number of choices to choose from, whether source of fuel is  electric, gas or propane. Consider ventilation, as well, whether you will have an overhead hood or a down-draft hood that comes up and out of the island with the touch of a button.

14 Do you need extra counter space for seating? Count the amount of seats that will meet your family’s needs, as you plan your kitchen island.

15 What type of workspace does your food preparation require? If you cook often and in large quantities, you may consider more counter space. If your needs are minimal, then a moderate work surface may suffice. Take all of these factors into consideration when designing your kitchen island. In the end, your kitchen island will be the vacation retreat of your kitchen space.
Tips & Warnings

• Take some time to peruse your local kitchen design centers to see what your design preferences are. You may also get design ideas, as well.
• Get free estimates from several places for your kitchen island design.
• Double check all measurements before having your island built. Even consider having a professional come in to standardize your design.

Resources

Homemade Kitchen Island made from Reused Mess
Eclectic Kitchen
Kitchen Island Pt 2

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Carpet cleaning crayon stains is not a favorite task. Children love to color, and the plush, comfortable rug is the ideal place for their next arts and crafts project. The problem – how to keep the project on the paper and not on the rug? Well, a few simple steps for carpet cleaning can remove those stubborn crayon stains from your rug.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

things you’ll need:

Paper towel
Sponge
Vinegar
Olive Oil instead of a Solvent (WD-40 or Silicone lubricant)
Dish detergent
Scrub brush
Warm water

1 Apply a generous amount of vinegar for carpet cleaning the crayon stains and let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes.

2 Scour with a scrub brush to gently release the crayon stains. Apply more vinegar while scrubbing.

3 Blot with paper towels to see if the crayon stains are coming off the rug. If not, use olive oil for carpet cleaning the crayon stains and repeat steps 1 and 2. The vinegar and the olive oil both act to release the lipid-based wax of the crayon stains that makes it difficult to remove with just plain soap and water.

4 Once the crayon stains are coming off, repeat the steps until it is completely removed, making sure to blot away the released crayon stains.

5 Once the crayon stains are removed, use the dish soap or other detergent and warm water for carpet cleaning up the area. While the vinegar is nontoxic, take care to remove all traces of the solvent from the rug.

6 Wash again, and let dry. For the next kids’ project, use a vinyl mat or table cloth to keep the crayon stains away from the rug.

Tips & Warnings

• Work the vinegar or olive oil into the rug fibers then leave it for a few minutes for the carpet cleaning. This may break down the crayon stains faster.
• If you use a solvent instead of the olive oil, read the warning label of the solvent before using for carpet cleaning.
• If you have to use the solvent, ventilate the room and handle with care.

Resources

Crayons in the Carpet

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Naima Manal - Contentment. Attainment. Acquisition. Reachable. Achievement. These are the meanings of Naima Manal, and this is my writing journey. Welcome.

It may be as easy as speaking, to quickly jot your what you want to say down, but in writing, the expression of your personal words and thoughts may need some time. Time is neither a gauge nor a constraint to limit what you want to say and how you want to say it. The starting point is getting started.

My personal journey in writing evolved over time and emerged as an all-of-a-sudden, on-demand venture. With both feet in, I went forward.

Writing is a Learning Experience

As I delved into writing, I quickly found the importance of knowing how to write. Paying special attention to proper grammar, expressing complete thoughts in sentence structure, choosing or developing a voice, and how to focus on making the finished piece engaging, enjoyable and informative to read are all elements in writing – good writing. However, writing for a client or an audience is more than putting words together – the words must speak what the title and direction of the piece is all about.

The most important thing to do when choosing to write is to write. Much like learning how to ride a bicycle, everything you’ve learned about writing and know about proper speech needs time to work, in motion, towards what will evolve into your personal writing voice.

Writing is a Venue

Writing provides a way to communicate written words on many platforms. A writer can share her work with family and friends through letters and self-published pieces, or she can publish her works online on a website, blog, for a client, in a newspaper or online newsletter. Writers work in every sphere in society that communicates with printed words. So whichever platform or niche speaks to a writer’s style and purpose, she is sure to find a venue for writing.

Writing is a Voice

At the core of a writer’s style is her voice. The tone, perspective and person she speaks in defines her voice. Her voice defines her writing style in the way she chooses her words and puts them together, and this collaboration is as interesting, colorful, creative, professional, neutral and engaging as she wants it to be. The writing voice of a writer expresses the writer’s point of view, and it is the voice that attracts and engages readers to enjoy literary works.

Writing is a Profession

Becoming a professional writer begins with a strong foundation in English and having the skills of effective communication. Writing is developmental, and consistent practice, exercises and application of writing techniques shapes, molds and cultivates a novice writer into a quality-driven, detail-oriented, creatively inspiring writer.

It is easy to begin writing. Just write. It does take time, though, to reach the very attainable goal of becoming an accomplished writer, and there is much to respect of those who have reached this goal. Convenient ways to attaining a writing goal include creative writing courses and writing courses online, which offer an online writing program suitable for self-paced study on a busy schedule.

Enjoy Writing

Writing is a way to express the intellect, the feelings and emotions, and the thoughts, all rolled up into one. In this way, it bridges what is inside of the writer with the readers of the outside world. Have fun and use writing as a medium of expression, a repose and a way to relax, an escape and a refuge for thought. Boundless yet containing words communicating ideas. Enjoy the journey.

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Naima Manal - Contentment. Attainment. Acquisition. Reachable. Achievement. These are the meanings of Naima Manal, and this is my writing journey. Welcome.