I can clearly remember being a little girl and my mother slathering sunscreen on the skin of my sisters and I. All of us had, and continue to have, very fair skin so sunscreen was very important. Honestly, though, even if you have darker skin that doesn’t burn as easily, you should still protect yourself … Read more
As a little girl, I used to visit my grandma and grandpa’s farm on the weekends. The place was very picturesque complete with cows grazing in the pasture and an old tire hanging from a tree limb that served as a joyous swing for my siblings and I. Grandma was always cooking yummy things up … Read more
Bats have gotten a bad rap over the years, thanks to their associations with blood-sucking vampires, and the scare of them carrying rabies. However, despite these myths, bats are actually really useful in the garden. In fact, only 3 species of bats carry rabies and all of them live in Central and South America. Instead, … Read more
Kālua is a traditional Hawaiian style of cooking that involves an imu, which is a type of underground oven. This is the traditional “pig roast” that you see during luau feasts where the pig is placed in the ground and roasted. It has gained great popularity with tourists who visit the area, and you can … Read more
When I was a kid I can recall my mother constantly using a red powdery thing in her beverages and on her food. It always looked like she was in pain when she’d take a sip or bite. I asked her what she was doing, and she told me, “I’m using cayenne pepper to keep … Read more
Do you ever feel like you just don’t want to wash your hair? My kids are older now, but when they were little I didn’t even have time to breath let alone wash my hair. There needed to be a solution for those in-between-hair-washing days. But what? I can recall turning on the TV and … Read more
I have always been into making my own health remedies. Not only is it cool to try and heal yourself but making your own remedies is seriously satisfying. It’s amazing to think that you have healing foods, herbs, and spices hanging out in your kitchen. For most people. Running to the doctor at the first … Read more
For years, grape jelly has always been my go-to jelly for peanut butter sandwiches and even meatballs! Yes, I have a recipe for slow cooker meatballs that require a jar of grape jelly to be pored over them and they are DELICIOUS. When my kids were little they always asked for grape jelly. If I … Read more
With the fall months quickly nipping at my heels, I am beyond ready to start canning up my favorite winter soups. A family favorite is homemade vegetables… My kids and husband love reaching for a jar off the pantry shelves during the blusteriest parts of winter. Nothing beats a hot bowl of homemade soup when … Read more
It must have been about 10 years or so ago. I was still living in Michigan (go Blue!), the state that I grew up in, and visiting a local apple orchard. This orchard wasn’t just any orchard as it had quite an elaborate gift shop and bakery attached to it. You could get anything from … Read more
A while back, I was considering some different health remedies to add to my arsenal. I had seen an article about goji berries and my curiosity was piqued. You see, I am always looking for ways to keep myself strong, vibrant, and healthy. At the time, goji berries seemed to be all the rage. Now, … Read more
Rose hips are a wonderful herb to have on hand in your herbal toolkit. But, how on earth do you get them? You can certainly order them from a variety of health and wellness stores, but what fun is that? I firmly believe that planting and harvesting your own herbs brings you far more joy … Read more