Homemade Dish Soap Recipe

Homemade Dish Soap

1 bar of soap, grated
1 3/4 cup boiling water
1/4 cup vinegar

Optional: a few drops of essential oil

I made a batch of this dish soap today. It's a quick and easy recipe. Most of us have the ingredients on hand. I used my homemade Coconut Dream soap, because it's very cleansing. It also has a terrific lather in hard water, which we have. I was very pleased with the results. It's much cheaper than buying the commercial brands at the grocery store. It's also greener.  

I received some more beautiful free yarn today, at one of my knitting groups. This will make gorgeous baby blankets and sweaters. Such a treasure! I am almost done with the first sock for the lady who gave it to me. She picked out the yarn, so I know she will like it. The pattern is by Yuko Frederick, and is available for sale on Ravelry. It is a simple sock with a short row heel. I rib mine on the top, so that the leg is elasticized. The yarn is Cascade Heritage Hand Paints. My friend purchased it at Creative Ewe in Canyon Country, California. I love self patterning sock yarn. It's so much fun to watch the colors develop.  

A Very Relaxing Weekend Gardening

I had a wonderful weekend. I made a real effort to slow down,  enjoy the days off, and to spend time in nature. Saturday I planted most of the snapdragons and begonias. I went to a neighbor's garage sale, and bought a few things from him for the garden.  For $13.00 I got two used gardening tools: a long handled metal rake and a hoe. I also bought a potted loquat tree. There was a baby loquat tree in the soil with it, as well as a small rose bush. The pot was kind of heavy for me, because of my replaced hips, so I wheeled it home on my Burley Travoy shopping cart/bike trailer. I hesitated to purchase it a few years ago, because of the price. It's an expensive and  very quality bike trailer. Boy has it come in handy! I use it all of the time. It's so much better than lugging things around,  and straining my back, like I used to do.

The weather has been glorious. It's such a relief not to be barely existing in that sweltering heat that we were having. I hope this weather lasts. It's heaven! I scooped up  some of my homemade compost from the backyard, and brought it into the front garden. After digging some holes for the transplants, I added water, compost, and soil from my neighbor's pot. There is such a difference in the consistency of our soils. I combined them together. His holds moisture much better than mine does.

The sunflowers look spent, so I will be pulling up the last of those today. I planted some more amaranth seedlings that had come up from my compost pile. Some of them are as tall as I am! They are quite impressive. I love them, because they reseed themselves, they are easy to grow, and they can handle our brutally hot temperatures. The birds like them, too. One of my neighbors asked me as he walked by,  "Stephenie, what are the red ones?" I explained that they are actually a grain, used in cereal, and gave him some seeds. He's an excellent gardener. I also harvested some berries off of a mystery volunteer plant. It turns out they are choke berries. They taste absolutely delicious! They remind me of a cross between a blueberry and a blackberry. One of the forest teas that I drink has them listed as an ingredient. I recognized the photo of the flower, and that's how I figured out what they were. I didn't want to be eating something that was poisonous! They have a lovely little white star shaped flower, too. They are so easy to grow. It's amazing how many attractive and unexpected plants from seed  land in my garden. I think the birds spread them. I also planted the paw paw tree that grew from  my compost. It looks very green and happy.

On Saturday afternoon I went to a crochet group that meets at our local library. There were just a few of us there. It was nice to chat, have a cup of tea, and work on some socks. They will be a gift for the knitter who gave me so much beautiful yarn.   

Yesterday I took Lana and the neighbor's puppy on another hike. There are some great new trails in our area. We took a lovely drive through Sand Canyon, too. I came home and spent a lot of time reading. It was so relaxing, and it felt good to be home at the cottage. I pulled up the balloon curtains so that I could see the snapdragons in the window boxes. I love that look.  How was your weekend?

Planting Snapdragons

This morning I took a gorgeous hike with Lana and our neighbor's dog. It was sunny and 74 degrees, ideal weather for Fall in Southern California.The views were spectacular; I wish I had brought my camera. My hands were full, though. As we were getting ready to leave, the puppy jumped into the driver's seat of the car. I had to correct her. "I'm driving," I told her. She's very smart, and she understood. She leaned over and licked my face and nodded. She likes discipline.

After the hike, I went and bought some colorful annuals to plant in my front cottage garden. I love snapdragons. I haven't purchased them in years. I am going to try them in pots this time. I put them in the ground several years ago, and they kept getting eaten. I also bought some pink and white begonias. They bloom year round here. I like them in the window boxes. I also found this gorgeous squash. I love how bumpy, pale, and feminine it is.

Lana was very strong and enthusiastic on the hike today. I am amazed at how she has improved this week. She seems to really want to show the puppy what she can do. It's like a healthy competitiveness. She is just a completely different dog compared to last week. I let her go first, (well I should say second, I go first,) through the doorways and into the car. She just loves that ritual, it's so funny. Dogs really do have a pack mentality and a pecking order. Sometimes they jockey to be top dog.

I've been keeping her ecollar on, or else she licks at her sores. She sleeps all day. Last night she was banging around in her bonnet. It was keeping me awake. The sound of the plastic against the wall seemed amplified. It's a challenge to have an older dog. She wanted to go out twice, in the middle of the night. I always go with her, and check for coyotes. She would get out there and look at me like, "What are we doing again?" I think she has dementia. At the same time, she is very funny.

I sent out an order of soap this morning. I need to make another batch of regular goat's milk soap. It's fun to see the turnover. I've got a couple of ice cube trays of goat's milk in the freezer, ready to use. What are your plans for the weekend?       

Catching Up on Cooking and Housekeeping

The weather has been much cooler this week, and I have been doing more cooking and cleaning. Yesterday I made artichokes. My mom always cooked them this way, and they are delicious. You cut them in half, and lay them cut side up, in a casserole or baking dish. Generously pour  vinaigrette and fresh lemon juice over them. Cover with the lid or aluminum foil, and bake for an hour, or until tender when pierced with a fork.

I turn them over and let them marinade in the salad dressing. They keep well in the fridge, and taste delicious either hot or cold. You can dip the leaves in mayonnaise.  They are just delicious. I love making my mom's recipes. They remind me of her; she was such a good cook. I'm sure she would be happy that I am continuing to cook and bake her favorite dishes.

Yesterday afternoon,  after I got home from my knitting group, I got the urge to do some housework. I vacuumed, dusted the living room, and scrubbed the bathtub with my homemade liquid soap and baking soda. I also did a quick mop of the kitchen floor with the swifter and white vinegar and water spray.  I took a nice warm half bath, and soaped myself with a new bar of homemade She Butter Goat's Milk Soap. It felt so good this morning to get up to such a clean house. It was so nice and  peaceful as I enjoyed my morning coffee. I realized that I was getting very down on myself about letting the house go. It wasn't awful, but it feels so pleasant and healthy when it's spick and span. I'm going to invest more time in the chores that I have been neglecting, and make them a priority. I can always reduce the time I spend on line. I tend to loop between Etsy, the blog, forums, and Facebook.         

I've realized that I need to cut down on my knitting time, too. I love it, but I can knit less hours per day.  Today I washed Lana's bed, and the sheet that I keep on top of my bed, in case she sneaks up there. (which she  did today when I went to Costco.) I put out some old linen sheets on her bed and on mine, while ours are on the clothesline, drying. The hot sun does a nice job of bleaching them.  I made a pot of cream of broccoli soup, and another batch of chicken broth. I reused the carcass for a third time,  and added more vegetables and herbs. Lana is eating her kibble again. I pour a cup of chicken stock over it, and tuck in a few small pieces of chicken that have fallen off the bones.

I discovered that I made an error in my vintage sweater. The front has more stitches than the back, and I was following the increases for the back. I will have to rip it out quite a ways...just like I did with the baby blanket last week. Oh well. It's only knitting. I wish I had read the pattern more carefully. The vintage patterns are written differently. It's good practice.  It's such a relief to not be frying in the heat anymore. I am going to drink some chicken broth, enjoy a pot of fruit tea, and spend an hour or so knitting. Thanks for stopping by; I hope you are doing well. 

Things Are Looking Up For Lana

Lana is doing much better now. I am so happy. I really was afraid that I was going to lose her, too. The new medication has made a huge difference. She is sleeping calmly through the night, and no longer seems to be hypersensitive.  I followed the vet's advice, and started giving her cottage cheese and plain white rice instead of her regular food. She's now eating again, and is very enthusiastic about this new diet. She was acting like a puppy when I was dishing it up for her last night. I also fed her some potatoes that I had saved from a batch of homemade chicken soup, and a few small pieces of chicken. She lapped it all up, eagerly.

This morning I took she and the neighbor's puppy on an easy hike. They loved it. They get along really well, and look so cute riding in the car together. They each sit up very straight, right next to the window. It was good to be out in the fresh air and sunshine. I love the canopy that the oak trees create.

I'm still working on my vintage sweater. I have knit up to the armholes on the front. The back is complete. The sleeves are short, so it shouldn't take me too much longer to finish. I plan to knit a pair of socks as a thank you to the woman who gave me all of this lovely yarn. Some of what she gave me is sock yarn. I've gotten so many compliments on the Silky Wool that I'm using for the sweater. It's really excellent  quality.

I've been getting behind in my housework, so I need to spend more time on those duties. The dogs have been taking up a lot of my energy. I will get some cleaning done tonight before bed. One of my soap orders has been delayed, due to Hurricane Irma. I am working on filing a claim on line with the post office. I just entered all of the information, and then lost it. After my mini ipad has recharged, I will enter it all again. Computers take patience.     

Gifted Baby Yarn

This morning I dropped off the pink baby blanket to the woman who ordered it. She was pleased, and loved the border. That was such a good lesson for me. "You are good with color," I told her. "I never would have picked those colors, and I really like them together." "Yes, I am good with color," she agreed.  It's always such a good feeling to finish a project and have it in the hands of the customer. I was frustrated that I had to start over because of the mistake that I made, but it was worth it.

My friend Mark sent me this photo of his blanket and scarf. The colors of the two items don't really look good together, but it was so sweet of him to take a picture for me.  He said that it's getting colder in New York, and that he is already putting them to use. I see love seeing the gifts and orders that I have knit in their new location. He told me that he had talked to his mom, and that his niece was wearing her the alpaca throw that I had knit for her grandma. She had it wrapped around her body like a cape, and was running around the house. That made me giggle. Children always seem to feel  and respond enthusiastically to the energy of hand knits.

I showed some of the ladies in one of my knitting groups the baby blanket, and a few of them mentioned that they have baby yarn that they aren't using. They asked me if I would like it. "Yes!" I answered, thrilled. I had just been thinking about stopping by Hobby Lobby to browse through their baby yarn. In the car this morning, my intuition told me, "You probably already know someone who has some  that they don't want."  I have a few leftover balls in my stash. It's Bernat Softee, which I love. It's so soft! It's leftover from a blanket that I made for my neighbor a couple of years ago. She's the one with the dog that I borrow. I remember working on it at my first doctor's appointment for my hip replacement surgery. The baby blue was given to me by a fellow knitter. Between the two of us, it's made two baby blankets already. It was one of those huge oval balls.

Thank you for all of your messages about Lana. She is doing so much better today. I called the vet yesterday afternoon, and he suggested that I try feeding her cottage cheese and rice. Later that afternoon I went to Food For Less and bought a huge bag of white rice, and two large cartons of cottage cheese. She ate a whole bowl full of it last night. At 6:00 p.m. she played a vigorous game of frisbee with me, and then happily went for her walk. She spends most of her time sleeping. The vet prescribed a new medication for her, and it seems to have given her immediate relief. My neighbor has been kind enough to let me borrow her puppy each morning. She's just filled with sunshine, joy, and enthusiasm. Lana loves puppies, they energize her.

I guess I better get back to my knitting. It feels good to be working through the stash. I am really excited about making more baby blankets and clothes. They are so sweet and hopeful. I hope you are doing well today.   

Finished the Pink Baby Blanket

This afternoon I finished the pink baby blanket. The pattern is frommoderngracedesign.blogspot.com. Now all I have to do is weave in the ends. The customer who bought it supplied the yarn. She chose a variegated shade for the border; it's quite pretty. Color makes such a difference in hand knit and crocheted items.  I normally edge  these with a solid pink or blue yarn, but I really like the way hers came out, it's subtle.

I had a nice weekend. I took my neighbor's dog for a hike on Saturday. I think it was her first time going, and she loved it. I've been picking her up each morning and taking her for a run alongside my bike. She is so enthusiastic and appreciative. It's really sweet. I brought a recycled plastic cup, and poured her some water to drink after our hike. She acted like I'd given her the world. I lowered the driver's side window of my Beetle as we drove home. She rolled over on her back and stretched out as if to say, "This is the life!" She's a wonderful dog.

It was such a relief to have Hurricane Irma pass.  I didn't realize how much I had been dreading it. My family and friends in Florida and other areas that were hit are all okay. I had been bracing myself for very bad news, and I didn't realize how tired and drained that had made me feel.  There was so much fear and dread with the media and the predictions.

Dear Lana has stopped eating, and I am afraid that she won't be with me much longer. It's hard to imagine life without her. She's ten. She has sores that aren't healing, in spite of being on antibiotics several times. She also has a lump on her leg. I have been talking to her quietly, and I think it is her time. She put her paw on my  hand, as if to thank me and give me comfort. She has been the sweetest and most conscientious dog that I have ever had. I am enjoying each minute that I  have left with her. She is still going for walks, enjoying her treats, and she perks up when she sees the puppy.  How are you?  Did you make it through Hurricane Irma  okay?       

Baby Blanket Photos

Yesterday I received an adorable photo of the baby in the baby blanket that I crocheted a couple of months ago. It was such a nice surprise. They look so sweet in hand knit and crocheted items. It makes me want to start knitting baby sweaters, hats, and booties. Blankets take a long time, but they get a lot of use. Babies grow so quickly; I hesitate to make them clothes in the tinier sizes.

Last night I visited with my neighbor and she talked with me about her dog. She is very busy with three young children, and she told me that walking her dog is last on her list of priorities. I ride right by her house on my bike ride every morning, so I mentioned  that I'd be happy to run her puppy on the Walkydog, if she wanted. She was so appreciative. We eagerly made plans for today.

This morning I ran Lana, and then went down and picked up the puppy. She was wonderful. First I took her for a walk, so that she could get used to me. After that, she ran alongside the bicycle with me, and we rode around the neighborhood. She was so cute! My neighbor said that she looked like she was smiling when she got home.She was pooped. I think they really appreciate a good run. My neighbor sent me home with some delicious homemade banana bread, and some aromatic fresh basil from her herb garden.

I unmolded and cut the batch of rosemary soap that I made yesterday. This recipe uses butter, cocoa butter, olive oil, coconut oil, castor oil, lye, and distilled water. I'm really pleased with how it looks. It has flecks of green rosemary that I grew in my organic herb garden. I didn't use any scent. The cocoa butter gives it a natural chocolate aroma that is divine! It turned out a pretty cream color. It should be a nice hard bar, too. I'm so excited to try it. I have to wait eight weeks for it to cure. I think these will make delightful Christmas gifts. The butter makes a milk soap, without having to freeze or buy milk. I love the natural milk soaps. They're so special.  

 

Moving Forward

Today I took Lana to the vet and got her an e-collar. She still has been licking herself, in spite of having taken several rounds of antibiotics. This way the sores can heal. I thought that she would hate wearing it, but she actually seems to appreciate it. I put some neosporin ointment on the areas that she's licked raw.  I bought some more Advantix while we were at the vet, and gave her the monthly dose. I still have one tube left that I had bought for Carlie. I saved it, in case I get another extra large dog. I decided to take Lana to Fox Feed and and let her pick out a few treats. After losing Carlie so unexpectedly,  I don't want to be too frugal anymore . I wish I had bought her a new frisbee and ball before she died.  She had carried around ragged pieces of a tennis ball for months. My dogs are just as happy retrieving a stick. I have lots of those in my backyard. I washed out Carlie's bowl for the last time and put it away in the cupboard.

Once we arrived at the feed store,  I picked out some peanut dog biscuits for Lana, and splurged on a pig's ear. We both were excited. I let her sniff around the baskets there, and she daintily chose something very beautiful. It was hard, and it felt almost like ivory. I read the label, and it said that it was an antler. The price was $19.99, so I put it back. I sifted through them, and found some smaller ones. Maybe I'll get her one of the $4.00 ones. Lana was so drawn to them. They were really pretty and elegant. I had never seen them until today. I used to buy pigs' hooves for she and Carlie. Carlie would crunch on hers at all hours, sometimes even in the middle of the night. I'd have to take it away from her and put it up on my dresser so that  I could sleep. Dogs are so funny.

Yesterday as I was finishing the baby blanket, I realized that I had made a small error on a couple of rows. I had ended just over the edge on the final stitch. It made the border ripple, so I had to rip out most of my work. I probably shouldn't have crocheted  it when I was so upset about Carlie. Oh well. I still have plenty of time. There were still twenty clusters in each row, but that slight shift on a couple of rows made a difference. I've made a few of these blankets without any problems, so I didn't expect this to happen. I'll work on it this afternoon.

The alpaca throw is now in New York. I'm hoping that my friend will receive it today. I like being able to track all of my orders through Etsy once they have shipped. This one was mailed on Tuesday afternoon, so it's making good time. I plan to make a batch of rosemary soap this afternoon. I love the look of the green needles in a cream colored, handmade soap. How are you doing today?      

Cauliflower Cheese Soup Recipe

Cauliflower Cheese Soup

1/2 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup sifted flour
3 cups chicken stock
1 lb. broccoli or cauliflower
1 tsp. worcestorshire sauce
3 cups shredded cheddar cheese
2 cups half and half (or milk)

In large saucepan, cook onion in butter until tender. Stir in flour. Gradually stir in the chicken broth, then cauliflower, and worcestorshire over medium heat. Cook and stir until thickened and cauliflower is tender. (about 10 mins.) Add cheese and cream. (I use lowfat milk.) Cook until cheese melts, (stirring constantly.)

I made a pot of this soup today. It's really delicious. Yesterday I waited all day for Animal Control to come and pick up Carlie's body. They told me that it could take up to 72 hours, and they couldn't give me an estimated time of arrival. They charge $60.00.  It was frustrating to not know when they would get here. I had an Etsy order to send out, and I have never experienced having a dead body in the house. In the past, I have always put my dogs down at the vet, but Carlie died at home in the evening. This was how the moon looked that night.

I called my vet to ask their advice, and they told me that if I could get her there, there wouldn't be any charge for cremation. My neighbor offered to help me carry her to the car. Because I've had my hips replaced, there is no way I could lift her by myself. As my father says, there is a reason they call it dead weight. She felt like a bag of bricks. My neighbor and her husband came over, and the three of us lifted her into the trunk of my car. It was very sad, but also a relief.

I've been thinking about all the sweet things that she used to do. I miss her terribly. She's left a huge gaping hole in our lives. I didn't realize what a strong presence she had. She was such a faithful and protective guard dog. Lana and I always felt so safe with her here. She reminded me of a police dog, so focused, committed,  and strong.

I had forgotten the level of grief that occurs when you lose a dog. Their love is so unconditional. I keep wishing that she could come back. I always ask my dogs to come back to me in another lifetime, and sometimes it seems like they do. This morning, when I came home from running Lana on the Walkydog, I thought, "Now it's time to walk Carlie," but she isn't here. I automatically started to fill her dish with food, then I remembered. I packed it up, along with her crate, and threw away her soiled bed.

Many people have offered me dogs already, but I am grieving for  Carlie. The cottage feels so much bigger without her belongings and  her large, muscular body. She was a magnificent being. I pulled out all of her vet records and papers and put them in the recycling bin. It turns out that she was only seven. I miscalculated. She would have turned eight in November. I'm glad that she she had a happy, albeit short,  life here.  She would always sneak on the bed and lay on that blanket that I had made.   

Homemade Cold Cream Recipe

This is a recipe that I used to use to remove my make-up, before I started making my own soap. It's quick, easy, and natural. Most people already have the ingredients on hand.

Homemade Cold Cream

1 egg yolk, beaten
2 T lemon juice
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup vegetable oil

Combine egg yolk and lemon juice. Stir with a wire wisk, gradually adding oils until mixture thickens. If it's too thick, add more lemon juice.

I used to keep mine in the fridge. It doesn't have any preservatives, so it's best to use it up fairly quickly. It feels so nice on the skin.

Carlie passed away last night. I was with her at the time. She was in her bed. Her ninth birthday would have been the first week of November. It is terribly sad to lose a pet. I will miss her.  

Working on the Weekend

This weekend I got a lot of knitting, crocheting, and soapmaking done for my Etsy orders. The alpaca throw is wrapped and boxed, and ready to ship. Today is a holiday, so I'll mail it out  first thing tomorrow morning. I am nearly done with the crocheted baby blanket. I have a few more rows to complete before I start the border. It's looking very sweet.

On Saturday I made a batch of Yogurt Parfait soap from Ann L. Watson's book. You mix the yogurt with distilled water and freeze it. It makes a lovely soap. I decided to try out my sample of red Brazilian clay that I have in with my supplies. Because this is a milk soap, the final product shifted into more of a pastel pink. I love the shade. It's so muted and soft. It reminds me of a powder puff.

I think I'm going to try using the purple clay again, because I think I might be happier with it as a solid color. I used it to swirl a batch of olive oil soap, and it turned out a bit brown for my taste. We'll see how it looks in this recipe with a larger amount of the clay.  I love that the clay is a natural colorant. When you freeze soaps, it's a totally different effect than what you get when you gel them. The heat brightens and strengthens the colors. The cold and white milk or cream softens them, and gives you pastels.

I picked some rosemary off of my bush in the garden, and am letting it dry on the kitchen counter. (The Aussies would call that a bench.) I am going to use the rosemary in some soaps for Christmas that I'll be making. I have a fir tree mold, and will infuse the oils with the herb. I remember receiving a bar of rosemary soap years ago, as  a gift. It was very special. I liked the healing properties, and the texture. What's happening in your neck of the woods?        

Juliet Prowse - Mame

Yesterday this popped up in my Facebook feed. A friend of mine in New York had posted it from Youtube. I watched it closely, because I did a production of Mame with Juliet Prowse many years ago. After a few moments I realized, "That's me, in the black sequined dress! This is our company!" What a thrill. I had never seen the tape. This was such a fun show. You can really see and feel the excitement in the air. We had a marvelous cast and crew. There was so much talent. Juliet was pure joy.

When Juliet comes down the stairs, I am the girl on the left, with the bob. It's the wildest feeling to watch a tape of yourself and not know for sure whether or not it's you. Once I recognized some of the other performers, I knew that it had to be me. I switched over to my desktop and enlarged the video. I was straining my eyes on the mini ipad.  It sure brings back happy memories. I hope you enjoy it.

I finished the alpaca throw this afternoon. Phew! I sewed in the ends, blocked it, and am now going to relax. I always feel like I need a day off after completing a large project like this one. There's something exhausting about it. It feels good to be on schedule, though. I just balled the yarn for the baby blanket. That's going to be another fun, relaxing knit. I love doing those types of projects. I listened to a podcast by The Gentle Knitter while I was doing the finishing work. It was so peaceful to sit and watch her while I was working. She has such a comforting presence. It was like having a friend over to knit. I hope you have a wonderful weekend. Let me know how you like the tape!