Tag Archives: household

Complaining, Venting or Whining…Cannot decide!

August 15, 2014 A Labour of Love 2 Comments

In Psychology Today, complaining, venting and whining are described this way: “Complaining and whining can be distinguished by the nature of the dissatisfaction and by our motivation for expressing it. Complaining involves voicing fair and legitimate dissatisfactions with the goal of attaining a resolution or remedy. When we voice legitimate dissatisfactions but do so without the goal of attaining a resolution we are merely venting. And when the dissatisfactions we voice are trivial or inconsequential and not worthy of special attention, we are whining.” I guess I am slightly complaining in this post about what took place last night. Or, I guess you could consider it venting as it’s over and done with so there is no goal of resolution at this time and to some it could seem like whining since the first part of this post is inconsequential since it was yesterdays issues. Either way, here we go…

It’s been a year since being diagnosed with Lymes Disease and all of the wonderful co-infections that come along with. I am pleased to have come so far in my healing and really have nothing to complain about. That being said, I would very much enjoy getting through a day without a headache. For the last few weeks I have been getting these mild headaches that hit in the afternoons. Most of the time I get through them with a little peppermint oil on the temples and back of the neck, however, last night was very different. I was beginning to wonder if my husband should take me in to urgent care it was so bad. Usually laying down with my eyes closed helps, yet last nights migraine actually got worse as I lied down. Not sure what triggered it other than I was once again on my feet getting things done in the kitchen. It took 2 Aleve (which I hate taking unless absolutely necessary), 1/4 of a melatonin and 2 TBS of liquid Magnesium over an hours time frame before I could lay down and fall asleep without the continual throb that was keeping me wrapped up in the fetal position. Praise God I slept all night and woke up refreshed and surprisingly not tired.

Hence the reason I was unable to share what I accomplished yesterday as far as canning and fermenting. Well, we tried something new and I am excited to taste the end result.

Fermented Fennel, Onion, and Carrots – Taking the fennel and trimming it up, I then placed it in the food processor using the mandoline tool to slice it thinly. Doing the same with the onion and mixing together in a large bowl. I then switched out the food processor tool to the shredder and shredded the carrots. After mixing all together I added sea salt and mixed thoroughly once more. Gathering up some clean sterilized jelly jars I began spooning in the fennel salad mixture pounding each spoonful down into the jar with a wooden mallet. Leaving 1 inch at the top I then added 1 TBS fresh whey and filtered spring water. I will again leave these out for 3-7 days to ferment prior to putting them in the fridge. Burping daily of course. 🙂

The second recipe I made was supposed to be a fennel jelly. I thought maybe I could use the trimmings of the fennel to make a pepper jelly like sauce. Well, after boiling it down all it smelled and tasted like was apple cider vinegar. So, rather than throwing it all out, I went out to the freezer to find something to resurrect the ingredients. Well, it worked. It is really yummy too!

Cranberry, Fennel Chutney Sauce

1 – 1/2 Cups Fennel bulb and fennel trimmings

1 – 1/2 Cups Apple Cider Vinegar

5 to 6 Cups sugar (because I cannot do the sugar, I used birch tree Xylitol. Next time I would likely use only 4 cups as it was quite sweet.)

4 – 5 Cups cranberries, finely chopped

2 small onions, finely chopped

1 tsp. Cinnamon

I boiled down the Fennel, Apple Cider Vinegar and Sugar until it came to a rolling boil for about 5-10 minutes. Then I strained out the liquid and placed it back on the stove adding in the cranberries, onion and cinnamon. I again brought it back to a boil. Turning off the burner I added natural pectin. Unfortunately I hadn’t followed the pectin recipe and it clumped up, so for future I would have kept the fruit and onions in the final product. This time however, because of the pectin clumping, I strained out the fruit pouring it into clean sterilized jars and put them into the hot water bath to seal. Serving it over some cheese with some crushed walnuts will be a yummy winters treat for the family.

Still have to do something with the beets and the cabbage. Maybe today!

Seek the Lord and his strength; seek his presence continually! 1Chronicles 16:11

Menus / Recipes

Why bother…?

August 14, 2014 A Labour of Love 2 Comments

(This painting hangs in my kitchen… It’s so me!)

Why fermentation? Why canning? Why grow your own food when you have grocery stores on every corner? Why go through the work?

Oh my, so many questions. I’ve heard it all. I’ve even heard, “Sherry you are too sick to be doing all of that”, or “I did all that when I was younger and see no need to keep doing it. I hated doing it then with my mother why would I do it now.” Well, the primary answer to everyones “why” about this topic is this:

Neighbor, “Yeah we have so many tomatoes this year that Sally (name changed) is thinking we should make some pasta sauce. We just aren’t sure what to do with so many.”

MY husband, “Oh yeah. Can the sauces so you have them this winter. It was great this last winter when Sherry was so sick and I prepared the meals, those canned sauces really helped out when I needed them.”

Neighbor, “Maybe they can help one another and do the canning together.”

Said and done! Two verses come to mind when I consider this conversation exchange. The first is from Proverbs 31:10- 18 “An excellent wife who can find? She is far more precious than jewels. The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will have no lack of gain. She does him good, and not harm, all the days of her life. She seeks wool and flax, and works with willing hands. She is like the ships of the merchant; she brings her food from afar. She rises while it is yet night and provides food for her household and portions for her maidens. She considers a field and buys it; with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard. She dresses herself with strength and makes her arms strong. She perceives that her merchandise is profitable. Her lamp does not go out at night.” Keep in mind that as I type this I am aware that it sounds boldly prideful on my part to consider this verse and my husbands conversation. However, when you realize that the title of this portion of Proverbs is titled “A Woman Who Fears The Lord” you understand that all that I do is pleasing to the Lord. I understand who the Lord is and why I am here.

Now, I also must admit that the human side of my being, living in a self indulgent world also realizes that homemaking has become a taboo word for women. The thought amongst our peers is that we were either too stupid to make it doing anything else (and yes I’ve even heard of one persons interpretation of my being a stay at home mom described as “not being highly educated”) or we have an overbearing husband who chains us to the house without allowing us to have a mind of our own. That being said, I have to also admit that worldly thinking can and does creep in sometimes. My worldly thought on the conversation was this, “Thank you Lord that my husband appreciates the sacrifices I have made. I was not at the pool, tennis courts, golfing at the club, sitting down watching soap operas (are those still running?) or going out spending money with friends buying designer clothes and enjoying lavish expensive lunches (as many of my friends did at our last place of residence). I will consider this my paycheck… A wonderful compliment from my husband.” Now, being that I started it out as a sort of thanksgiving prayer, one would assume this was not worldly, however, I would argue with you that it was very selfish on my part to look to myself with pride expecting praise from someone for something I’ve done and sacrifices I made. Really? I’ve made no sacrifices, this is my JOB as a wife and mother. Going to the Word of God you see that Proverbs 31 has much more to say past verse 18. And, it’s all to please the Lord. Does that mean there is no laughter and fun? Of course not. There is great joy when you all sit down together for a meal, or when the aroma of dinner tantalizes your husbands nose when he walks in the door, and the pleasing look in his eyes when he knows that he doesn’t have to worry about one more thing after a full day of work away from those he loves.

Gardening, canning, fermenting, and housework is done to please the Lord. Not to please anyone else. Now, in pleasing the Lord, I am also pleasing the family. It’s a win win.

The second verse was from Titus 2:3, “Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled.” Again, God honoring to teach the younger women (Sally) how to please the Lord by also pleasing, preparing, saving money and working for the good of the family.

Now, that I’ve shared what’s been on my mind the last two days, I need to share why it’s been on my mind. Yesterday began canning day. With the harvest coming in from our own garden and the local CSA it’s time to begin preparing for winter. Oh we enjoy enough of our harvest now, however, we also enjoy it all winter long. The first comment of my being too sick actually came to reality when I was on my feet all afternoon without sitting down for a break and by dinner time my right leg was numb and I felt like I was again dragging my right foot. Oh swizzle sticks! (as the little girl next door says) Today is a new day and we will try again. Taking breaks this time so as not to overdo.

Yesterday I canned the two day project I was working on. Chicken Stock. Yes, I canned it. I did some reading and educated myself so as not to ruin anyones day with illness. I made my chicken stock the day before, cooking it in the Nesco all day. Then I poured it into jars, refrigerated it and skimmed off the fat the next morning. I then put it back into a stock pot (2 – 3/4 gallons of it) just to the boiling point, poured it into clean hot pint jars, added a tsp. of salt and placed on the lids and began the canning process. Because water baths are not sufficient enough for chicken stock, I used two of my pressure canners at 10 lbs. of pressure for 20 minutes. I made 23 pints of stock. (See previous post last fall on making the chicken stock.) Disclaimer: I would NOT can any chicken that comes from the traditional conventional marketplace. I would only can organic, non-GMO fed chicken stock that was homemade with all organic ingredients using pure unadulterated water sources.

After the chicken stock I moved on to making fermented salsa. I took the beautiful ripe organic tomatoes from the CSA (mine are not done yet), one very large onion, a large bunch of cilantro and about 10-15 garlic. I put them all in the food processor and gently processed them down to a mildly chunky state and poured it all into a bowl. I took clean jelly jars and a few pints placing 1 tsp. salt and 1 TBS fresh whey in each. Then I scooped the salsa into each jar leaving 1 inch space at the top. Wiped each clean and put on the lids. I then shook the jars to mix in the whey and the salt. Placing them on the counter on top of a towel I then unscrewed the lid of the jar so the air would be able to flow. I will leave them on the counter from 3-7 days, burping the jars each day to release the fermented gases before putting them into the refrigerator.

Fermented foods have been a long tradition in many cultures and is wonderful to help aid in digestion. We see the importance of eating yogurt, this is the same only using fresh organic vegetables. Each month my doctor wants to know if I am continuing to eat my fermented veggies, juicing, kefir and kombuccha of which the answer is always yes. We both agree it helps tremendously.

Today, I will be creating and making fermented beats, fennel, cabbage recipes which I will share at the end of the week.

P.S. I am college educated with a 4 year degree. 🙂

Thank you Lord for the blessing of a family to care for. Thank you for the knowledge you have provided regarding health, nutrition, foods, and the human bodies response to unnatural man made resources. Thank you Lord for the daily strength that can only come from you as I open my eyes each day feeling weary. It is only through your almighty grace that I continue on. Lord I pray that I can honor you through all that I do, say and think. Help me to keep my focus on you and you alone so that all I do on this earth will be glorifying to you. Amen…

Household Helps, Menus / Recipes, Why?

Honey Anyone?

June 18, 2014 A Labour of Love 4 Comments

Proverbs 24:13 (ESV) My son, eat honey, for it is good, and the drippings of the honeycomb are sweet to your taste.

Exodus 3:8 (ESV) And I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land to a good and broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites.

Matthew 3:4 (ESV) Now John wore a garment of camel’s hair and a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey.

I have been looking forward to having bees for several years. In fact, I even bought the kids a book on bee keeping for Christmas one year. They knew it was more for me, I was just trying to rope them in to my dream. Last year, I was thrilled to be able to buy my own bees and set up my hive. Although they died this spring and I am trying to built upon an old hive in the woods, I was able to harvest the honey out of my original hive and scrape out the wax.

It took a week for me to complete the process and a week without being able to use my kitchen island, yet I would say it was worth it. Oh how sweet it is. I am praising God for His most delicious and creative creation.

Here is what fun I’ve had in the last week:

First, I scraped the frames into a plastic bin. The frames that had honey I scraped into a colander over a large bowl.

The combs that did not have honey I put into an old crock pot and turned on low to melt down.

Once the honey dripped out of the combs in the colander I strained the honey that was in the catching bowl through a small mesh hand held colander into a half gallon jar.

I cut the top off of an empty 1/2 gallon cardboard container of almond milk and cut up an old white t-shirt rubber banding the piece of shirt to the top of the container. I then poured the melted wax out of the crock pot into the container using the shirt as a strainer for any of the paper comb that did not melt. When it all cooled I cleaned out the pot discarding the waste comb and cut open the box to find a beautiful clean block of beeswax.

The kids want to know what I’m going to use it for and I told them it will be used for either candles or lip balm. They are opting for the candles, I’m opting for the lip balm. A friend of mine from TX gave me a wonderful lip balm las week she made out of beeswax, essential oils and coconut oil. I’m hoping to get the recipe from her when she returns back home.

When I can taste the sweetness of the honey, and smell the aroma of the beeswax, I no longer fear the disease that has consumed my life over the last year. Nature is amazing. God is amazing!

Household Helps

A Natural Approach

November 13, 2013 A Labour of Love 2 Comments

Last year we were on vacation and my daughter and I entered into a store that advertised itself as being a “natural” bath and beauty store. Being that we use all natural products I was actually very excited and the colors and smells were delightful. First clue that it really wasn’t natural. As we entered the store there were soaps, shampoos, bath salts, bath sugar scrubs and oils. The word natural on the wall in big bold letters was just shouting out to us, “try me, I’m safe to put on your skin”. Well, we obliged and began testing some of the products. The salts and sugars that you rub on your skin were amazing when you washed them off. Our hands felt like silk or like the skin of a newborn.

As my daughter looked around, she came upon a cream that she really wanted. The smell was fantastic and the cream itself was more of a butter texture that was smooth and felt nice on the skin after the salt scrub. We turned the jar around to look at the ingredients, which we should have done the minute we walked in the store, and let’s just say it was far from natural. The ingredient list was long with great big long words that needed a dictionary to pronounce. One of the ingredients I recognized and I told my daughter that I read about it on a list of things to avoid due to cancer. She of course, being the beautiful smart 13 year old she was at the time, informed me that I was paranoid and needed to quit looking at lists like that and enjoy the fun smelling creams and toiletries that could only enhance the aroma we were already putting off. (Not really, after all it was over 85 degrees at the time.) That being said, I whipped out my phone and told her I would enjoy how I smell, enjoy my life without the product, and gave her my phone with the product description. I told her that if she wanted it, she needed to read about the ingredient first, and I was not going to buy it for her. She politely read it, of course this is after the long drawn out sigh, gave me back the phone and put the cream back on the shelf. I asked her why she wasn’t buying it and she informed me she wasn’t putting that on her body.

What did she read? Well, my daughter got an education about much more than just creams that day. The information I pulled up said that tumors and fast growing cancers were detected in trials using this particular ingredient. It also said that anyone handling the ingredient should not breath it in, nor touch it with bare skin. It went on to say that in small amounts this particular ingredient has been used in various consumer products for adults and children, as a preservative. Yes, it really said that. Used as a preservative, even though in the first paragraph it advised upon protecting ones self from direct contact. My very smart 13 year old, turned around, looked at me, and a discussion ensued about how natural doesn’t always mean natural. That you have to read ingredient lists. We also discussed how even in small amounts, ingredients that are known to cause health issues, can harm us just for the mere fact that we don’t use small amounts of those products nor do we use them just occasionally. After all, a dime size dollop of cream will not cover your body once a month. Between cancers, endocrine disrupters, learning disabilities in children, neurological disorders, etc., I think avoiding unnatural products is the way to go. So, the end of our shopping in the “natural” bath and body store ended when we found one sugar scrub in the store that had only 3-4 known ingredients in it, and that is what we purchased. As for the cream, we went home and followed up the scrub with some coconut oil.

Over the years, I have switched out all of my cosmetics from toxic to more green and safe alternatives. There are websites online that will list the toxicity levels of all your favorites. It’s not easy finding products that match the colors you like or the coverage you like, I admit, it takes time to find a pleasing alternative.

Although I still color my hair, I try to choose healthier alternatives in the products used. Talk to your hair dresser and see if he/she is willing to work with you using more natural organic hair care products. It’s been quite a while since I’ve used products to keep my curls and shine my hair.

As for creams and astringents, there are organic and inexpensive items that work great. For people with skin that has acne or that is oily, a great facial wash is a bar of black soap. You can buy it by the pound online very inexpensively. Make sure you get it from a fair trade company. Black soap is made in Africa and takes days to make. It’s made of leaves and plants that are non toxic. If you find black soap in a liquid, beware, it’s not the same and it’s likely made of some form of chemical.

You can safely use apple cider vinegar as an astringent, yes it smells nasty yet it works for bacteria. You can also use it under your arms to help cut down on the bacteria in the arm pits. Apple cider vinegar is a safe natural alternative to cleaning as well. Great for sinks, tubs, counters, floors.

Coconut oil has so many uses. You can use it on your skin as a cream, you can use it as a mouth wash as long as you expectorate it into the garbage not your sink, or you can use it on a babies butt as an alternative to diaper creams. Coconut oil is a healing alternative that helps with burns and skin irritation as well. Nursing moms will find healing that is more natural as well. Coconut oil can also be used as a conditioner for the ends of your hair. Claims are made that it helps with taming the hair in the summer.

Baking soda is also great as a toothpaste, powder under the arms, and an alternative to chemical cleaning solutions. It also is a great wash for vegetables. I’ve read that you can also use it for a shampoo. (I’ve tried making my own out of other products, and was very disappointed. I buy organic shampoos now.)

Essential oils are great for shining up your granite counter tops, great for helping the laundry to smell nice, and are great alternatives to any chemical spray that is supposed to help your home or car smell better.

Did you know you can make your own laundry soap? It’s less expensive, easy to make and cleans just as well as the commercial brands without the chemicals. There are many “recipe’s” out there. For the most part they are all the same. The only thing to remember is that you need to stir it up before using it. Use an essential oil in addition for a clean smelling load. Some of the ingredients used for the laundry soap will also do well for your dishwasher.

If all else fails and you don’t have the time yet can afford it, buy organic. Stay away from “natural” and go for certified organic. There are food co-ops available all over that are more affordable than the local grocery store.

Lesson of the day: Read your labels! Learn about the products you use daily and see how they can affect your body. Always remember that whatever you put on your skin, does soak in and enter into your blood stream. If there is something you can change and have the ability to change, then take a chance and see if you notice a healthy improvement.

Menus / Recipes

Healthy Eating starts in the Home

October 13, 2013 A Labour of Love Leave a comment

Genesis 1:29
And God said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food.

People ask me quite often how long have I been eating healthy and organic. I tell them it’s been a 20 year journey. Honestly, it began just after my husband and I were married. I read a book that helped me to see beyond what I thought I knew about food. To add to that book, my cousins soon to be husband had a heart transplant and his doctor told him to only eat real butter, real sausage, real foods. If you cannot pronounce it, stay away from it. I remember thinking how different that was from what I was buying and from what I had known about food. I mean, isn’t low fat supposed to be good for you? Shouldn’t vegetable oils be good for cooking? What do you mean real sausage and real meats? What about all the fat?

When we were starting our family, I read about MSG not being good for you so I checked every label and avoided it when I was pregnant. I learned about High Fructose Corn Syrup when our son was very young, so we avoided it and only let him have soda on special occasion (although now, it’s completely avoided). By the time our daughter was born, I was learning about organic foods and was already buying it when I could. When our son was 5 he was tested for allergies and we found out he was allergic to tomatoes, wheat and dairy. So, once again I read all I could and changed what the pantry held. When we moved to our current home, in a completely new state, I learned about raw foods, Kombucha, beet kvass, fermenting, soaked and dried nuts, and my all time favorite book Nourishing Traditions and the Weston Price Foundation.

More recently, with my Lymes diagnosis, 3 of the 4 of us testing positive for Celiac, and food intolerance testing, 3 of us needed to again rethink how our bodies handled the food choices we made. We now eat nearly 100% organic and most of our meals are cooked in our kitchen. We belong to several food co-ops for discounts and eat raw as much as possible. This summer we had two gardens and also our CSA vegetable share.

I have learned over the past 3 years that from August through early October life will be spent canning all that the harvest produced. Canning Chili sauces, Salsa Verde, Pasta Sauce, Victory Sauce, beans, Ketchup, jams & jellies, fruits, and fermenting pickles, kimchi, sauerkraut, carrots, corn relish and oh so much more. Another great process to keep some of the fruits is to dehydrate them. Great snacks for the family on road trips or when your walking through Disney. 🙂

There is nothing like opening the cupboard or fridge and seeing it filled with the harvest that you spent the summer caring for with tenderness and eagerness. This year, my mom, my daughter and one of my dear friends were a tremendous help since I was getting sick half way through the summer. Canning and preparing the harvest for winter is not easy. It’s literally a labour of love.

The journey has been long, yet well worth it. People ask me why we eat the way we do when we still get sick or in my case, I still have Lymes. I tell them that I feel this journey has been a blessing. It’s been one that has taught our children more than a conventional health class, and is continuing to teach skills that will carry them through adulthood for the benefit of their own families one day. By growing your own vegetables, canning your own harvest, and preparing and utilizing what you have for future meals saves money as well. We don’t spend as much over the winter months when we have all we need in the cupboards.

Along with my blogging of Why? I look forward to sharing some of our favorite menus, recipes, and healthy household alternatives that have been learned through many years of studying and research. I tell everyone that it’s not something you can just do in a day, it’s a process. Just like a new Christian and his/her sanctification, it will not happen over night.

When you think about it, what could be better than God’s naturally grown foods!