My First Soaked Grain Bread

So....BREAD! Guess what? It can actually be good for you. With most healthy folks having a strong aversion to carbs (and for good reason), we've kind of convinced ourselves that all leavened baked goods will make us fat. Now, if the bread that we bought at the store was actually fresh and made from whole grains then this might be a different story.
I'm learning that there are a lot of nutritional benefits to grinding your own whole grains so that they're fresh and to soaking those grains before you bake with them. Lindsey at Passionate Homemaking does a GREAT job explaining this...here! So read what she has to say and then try to make some bread! :)
My recipe below is a combination of hers and my friend Lynette's (here) and my own head.

Soaked Whole Grain Bread

3 c whole wheat flour

3 c all purpose flour

1 c coconut flour

2 c steel cut oats

1 c oat bran

1 c flax seed meal

1 c flaked coconut 

1 c sunflower seeds (ground)

¾ c plain yogurt

¼ c apple cider vinegar (I used the yogurt and vinegar because I didn’t have any kefir on hand, but you can definitely use 1 c kefir here instead)

¼ c honey

¼ c agave nectar

½ c coconut oil

¼ c butter

3 c warm water

Let sit at room temp for 12-24 hours

2 ½ T active dry yeast

½ c warm water

1 t honey

Let yeast fully proof (basically get foamy so you can’t see the yeast granules anymore) then add to dough mixture. Mix until dough no longer clings to the side of the bowl. Knead 10 times. Form into a ball and place in a greased bowl. Cover with a wet cloth and let rise for 1-1 ½ hours (until doubled). Punch down, turn the ball of dough over and let double again. Divide into fourths. Roll each piece out with a rolling pin and then roll up (like a Little Debbie Swiss Cake Roll) place each dough roll in a greased bread loaf pan. Place in oven to rise (you can turn oven to “warm” but no higher) for 45 minutes. Bake bread at 350 degrees for 30-45 minutes. Let cool and remove from pans. ENJOY!

All Natural Baby Safe Dryer Bags

SO...ever since I started using Soap Nuts for my laundry (read info here and here), I've been trying to figure out a way to get my clothes to smell lovely and fresh. There were some suggestions on adding some essential oils to the muslin bag that I put the soap nuts in, but that didn't really work. And I didn't want to use dryer sheets, because they just coat my clothes with chemicals that irritate our skin.
But then I saw these HUGE fusible tea bags on From Nature with Love, where they say one of the uses is dryer bags. What?! What a stinkin' good idea! So I bought some lavender, chamomile, and orange peel (all safe for babies) from the Bulk Herb Store, and started experimenting.
My first bags last for about 5 loads, then the tea bag gets too thin to hold it any more but the herbs are still fragrant, so I can use it then in my pillowcases or dresser drawers. :) Here's how I made them:

Gilmore Baby-Safe All-Natural Dryer Bags


1/2 c orange peel (cut)
1/2 c chamomile flowers (german)
3/4 c lavender buds
12 drops each orange, chamomile, and lavender essential oils
5 Large Tea bags


Shake all ingredients in a tupperware container with a lid.
Scoop approx. 6 tablespoons of the herb mix into each Tea bag.
Throw in the dryer with your laundry.


The laundry (and our laundry room) smell great! I'm trying to see how I can get the bags to last for more than 4-5 loads, because a busted dryer bag is not a good thing. For now though, I'm very happy with this solution.

TIP: If you're still using dryer sheets because of static cling, just throw 1/4-1/2 cup apple cider vinegar in with your clothes during the rinse cycle of the wash. It gets rid of static like a charm and the vinegar smell completely dissipates when the laundry is dry. So here's the laundry routine --> Wash: Soap Nuts (oxygen bleach for nasty stains), Rinse: Apple Cider Vinegar, & Dry: Herb Dryer Bags. All-natural, gets rid of all dirt, bacteria, fungi, and viruses, and keeps your clothing looking and smelling great!

Some Flab-Off Recipes - Coconut Pancakes & Nutty BBQ Meatballs

One thing that has been really fun about this Flab-Off is getting creative and trying new recipes. Monday morning we had flourless coconut pancakes. You can find the original recipe on Tropical Traditions...here. They have several other GREAT recipes! I used honey in place of the sugar and 1/2 plain yogurt, 1/2 milk instead of the heavy cream.
Yesterday for dinner we had lima beans, sweet potato chips (thinly slice a sweet potato, toss in 2 Tbsp. Coconut Oil, place in a single layer on a cookie sheet, top with red pepper, black pepper, garlic powder and salt, cook on 400 for 20 minutes), and BBQ Meatballs. And yes, I made the recipe up all on my own! Here's the thing. All of these recipes include ketchup and worchestershire sauce in their ingredients, which are chock full of corn syrup and sugar. SO...here's the flab-off recipe. Loved by mommy, daddy, and Elliot! This one's a winner for us. Hope you enjoy it too!

BBQ Meatballs

BBQ Sauce

1 cup tomato puree

2 Tbsp. honey

2 Tbsp. soy sauce

½ cup apple cider vinegar

1 tsp. ground mustard

1/2 tsp. pepper

1 clove garlic, minced

1 small onion, minced

Meatballs

1 lb ground beef (grass-fed)

½ cup milk

1 egg

2 stalks of celery, finely chopped (about 1/3 cup)

¼ cup pecans

¼ cup almonds

¼ cup ground flaxseed

¼ cup coconut

Combine BBQ Sauce ingredients in a large saucepan and mix together. Start simmering on low, while you prepare the meatballs.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine ground beef, milk, egg and celery in a medium bowl.

Combine pecans, almonds, flaxseed, and coconut in a food processor and process until mixture is at least coarsely ground.

Knead nut mixture into beef mixture. Roll into small balls and place on a cookie sheet.

Bake for 15-20 minutes.

Combine meatballs with BBQ sauce in saucepan.

Cover and let simmer for 30 minutes.

CoHousing - The Logical Next Step?

For a girl that makes her own soap, is a dedicated member of her CSA, is stoked about her garden this year and desires a stronger connection with her community, this cohousing thing sounds pretty good.
If you haven't heard of it, you can read more about it here. But it's basically a collaborative housing where residents design and operate their community. Most of the cohousing communities are environmentally conscience, having community gardens and the like. And it seems that most of them are run by people with similar values and lifestyle preferences on issues like religion and education. The picture above is from a cohousing community in Nevada. There are currently NONE in Indiana. But there's nice one in Michigan called Newberry Place. The other thing is, all of the residences, finances, etc. are separate, so it doesn't feel like you're living in a commune or anything, but you all contribute to the operation of the community based on your skill set.
When I first heard about it I thought, "That sounds so cool! But it would probably never work." Guess what though? It is. Similar to CSAs, this sort of endeavor to intentionally restructure our lives is catching on throughout the US.
So....who wants to start the first one in Indiana with me?!

My Christmas Eve Eve Eve Projects

Yesterday was the first day home away from work and anything work related. Except for a few frenzied emails, since I'm the only Leadership faculty in the country. This post will include lots of pictures! Hope you're ready.

Project #1: Super Chocolatey Hot Chocolate-on-a-Stick

I started on the hot chocolate on a stick, my recipe was inspired by Givers Log. You can find the recipe here. She has lots of helpful tips! And I will tell you what she does...do NOT get even a DROP of water in your chocolate!!!! I'm SERIOUS! Bad things will happen if you do.
I used candy canes instead of sticks and drizzled white chocolate over all of it and then topped it with crushed candy canes.

Step 1: Get your molds and sticks (or stick substitutes) ready, while your water heats up in your double-boiler (or makeshift double-boiler like I use)

Step 2: Melt the chocolate and add in the other ingredients. I had 16 oz of chocolate, 1/2 cup cocoa, and 1 cup powdered sugar. Mix it all up (it will be very thick! So use your muscles!)

Step 3: Dump that deliciousness into a ziploc bag and snip off the corner with a pair of scissors. Then pipe the chocolate mixture into your molds and wait for it to harden (it will obviously harden faster if you pop it in the fridge)

Step 4: Pop your chocolate sticks out of their molds and place them on some wax paper for their finishing touches.

Step 5: Finishing touches. This can be whatever you want. The chocolate looks a little chalky when it dries, so if you want it to be shiny and smooth you might want to dunk it in some more plain chocolate. I melted some white chocolate and drizzled it over the sticks, then I crushed the leftover candy canes and sprinkled them on top.
Who knows! Some of you might be getting one of these for Christmas. :)

Project #2: Christmas Wreaths

When I saw this wreath on Thrifty Decor Chick, I knew that I wanted to make one. Now, about three weeks later, I did. Mine isn't as pretty, but hey, it was worth a shot. If you're going to make one, PLEASE follow Sarah's advice and hot glue all the bulbs to their little toppers before you start. It will save you a lot of trouble. I thought that because mine were plastic and not glass that they were on there really good....not so. I had to go back and glue them all.

This wreath is hanging in our Christmasy Kitchen.

This is about step 3 on the wreath I've been promising Evan that I will make, ever since we put our tree up. We saved the branches that fell off or that we had to saw off our tree from the bottom and have been preserving them in water for the past couple weeks. They were still quite fresh. Then I took a wire hanger and reshaped it into a circle to be the base of the wreath. THEN... I tied all the branches around it and wove some of the branches through other ones, added a bow, some pine cones and couple ornaments....and VOILA!

Evan's wreath. We still need to hang it up, but hey. It's finished.

Project #3: SOAP! (of course)

I tried two new soap recipes last night (which I'll detail in another post). But it was a crazy adventure. At 11:30 my comatose husband was being a gem and standing next to me to help me stir. SO now, coconut milk and green tea soap are curing on my table. Hurray!

Project #4 was wrapping a ton of gifts, but I won't bore you with a picture and I still have more to wrap. So before my little guy wakes up, I better get to that.

Shampoo Bars

My newest soap making adventure was embarked on this weekend, when I decided to make shampoo bars. I learned a lot from my last soap making endeavor that helped this process immensely. And I believe my hubby is going to make me a big soap mold for my next soap project. Below is the recipe that I used. Refer to this post for tips and links on soap making procedures, but I have two more tips for you.
First, stir your lye solution a couple times as it is cooling to make sure the lye doesn't just stick to the sides of the container. Second, keep on mixing that sucker until you're sure it has traced. This batch took about 30 minutes of mixing...that's a long time. But it helps it harden up really nicely. It will look like soup, then a milkshake, then pudding. Wait for the pudding look.
This recipe made 20 bars. Here's the recipe:

Gilmore's Shampoo Bar Recipe


33 oz. Extra Virgin Organic Coconut Oil
10 oz. Pure Organic Jojoba Oil
16 oz. Distilled Water
6 oz. Lye 
.25 oz. Essential Oils (I used 6 parts tea tree, 3 parts spearmint, 1 part patchouli)

Trying Toothpaste - Homemade and Natural

So...at the Gilmore house we now make our own soap, deodorant, and laundry detergent. Next on the list, shampoo bars this weekend! But first, I think I'm going to try a homemade toothpaste.
Let's just say it, "The overabundance of fluoride that we ingest FREAKS me out!" So...:) I found several toothpaste recipes online and a way cool new blog (check out The Organic Sister).

Gilmore's Original Toothpaste Recipe:


3 T. Baking Soda
2 T. Extra Virgin Coconut Oil
1 T. Hydrogen Peroxide
1 t. Salt
5 drops of Tea Tree Essential Oil
5 drops of Spearmint Essential Oil

Since I haven't used it yet, I'll have to get back to you and let you know how it goes. From what I've read about the ingredients, it should be a killer combo, but I'm no chemist so we'll see! At any rate, it has to be better than fluoride and sodium lauryl sulfate, wouldn't you think?

(Author's note: Tried this toothpaste the day after posting the recipe. Worked great!!! Pretty salty to the taste, which most people probably will not like, so you can eliminate the salt from the recipe if you think that would be a turn off for you.)

Umm...Is this still good?...Sniff

Have you ever found yourself staring at a food item - be it canned, frozen or fresh - and thinking, "Is this still good?" And then, what about when you open that random piece of something and you have no idea how you're supposed to store it or for how long?
Enter my newest bookmarked website --> StillTasty.com The Ultimate Shelf Life Guide. Way cool website! Did you know that you're not supposed to keep opened cheese in plastic? That's right! The plastic in a ziploc bag or seran wrap messes with it. Instead you're supposed to wrap it in parchment, wax, or freezer paper, and then in plastic, if you please. (my hubby told me this first, and StillTasty confirmed it).
You can search for anything and everything, how to keep it and store it. Also, each day they answer a new question. Some recent ones include:

Can You Safely Drink Milk After the Sell-By Date?

I Defrosted Some Chicken — Must I Cook it Right Away?

Can You Freeze Raw Eggs?

Should You Store Tomatoes in the Fridge?

Does Vinegar Ever Go Bad?

Check it out!

Homemade Natural Soap!

Yes! It's true! I made soap....not just any soap, but soap I almost want to eat. (seriously!) If you'd like to try some, let me know. The bar above is for my friend Heather. :) It still has another week to cure before we can use it, but I think it will be just great.
If you'd like to try to make your own soap. There are a lot of great sites and books out there that are helpful. Little House in the Suburbs has some great links. At some points I will probably do an entry on diagnosing soap problem and the whole process. But for right now, here's the recipe that I used.

Gilmore's First Soap!

21.5  oz.=50% Extra Virgin Olive Oil
10.75  oz. = 25% Extra Virgin Organic Coconut Oil
6.45 oz. = 15% Organic Mango Butter
4.3 oz. = 10% OrganicGrapeseed Oil – 43 oz oils

6 oz lye

16 oz Distilled water

This recipe made about 15 bars, not quite 20 like I thought it would. Here are just a few quick tips. 

1) Your oils and lye solution need to be mixed when they are both between 95 and 98 degrees. For me, the oils cooled more quickly than the lye solution. This is great because the oils temperature can be altered more easily by placing it over heat or by placing the pot in some cold water.

2) Proper measurement is key. Measure by WEIGHT, not volume. So don't measure 16 liquid oz of water, but actually weigh 16 oz out on the scale. You can also convert your ounces to grams to make sure you don't mess this part up.

Happy soapmaking!

The Sickness and Soap

Evan has been sick for just over a week. We went back to the doctor today and they said he probably got a viral infection first, and then a bacterial infection on top of that. I say...test the boy for the flu! They say that if he doesn't start feeling better in a couple days, they will. Heavens!
Elliot seems to be feeling much better. Back to his old playful self with no fever. Praise the Lord. I have also been thinking, that in spite of all of this, I am so thankful for the health insurance and benefits we have at IWU. I can't imagine having the stress of trying to figure out whether we could pay to go to the doctor or not on top of just worrying about my family getting better. But so many people do worry about that, or don't even have medical care readily available to them. These are times that I am so glad to be living in America AND so glad that our healthcare system hasn't changed...yet.
On another note, I JUST MADE SOAP...I think. It's out there sitting in it's containers wrapped in a blanket. I'll be able to tell by tomorrow evening whether or not it worked. I REALLY hope it did. So hopefully, by tomorrow evening, I'll be able to offer you my lovely homemade bars of soap. If not, we will be using a very moisturizing creamy liquid soap in our showers for awhile. Because this stuff is not cheap to make. I figured the batch cost about $40, so regardless of whether or not it firms up - we'll be using it. However, if it does firm up, I think I can get at least 20 bars from it, which is definitely cheaper than buying 20 bars of handmade, natural soap from somewhere else.
So look for me tomorrow with an update on family health, soap, and possibly the how-tos so you can make a batch yourself.

All-Natural, Homemade Laundry Detergent

Okay folks! It cleans dirt just as well as any other laundry detergent I've used, and it's dirt cheap (ranging from approx. 8-25 cents a load, depending on what you use).

So here's what you do. Get a container (tupperware, milk jug, whatever). Gather your supplies...

Supplies =

• Borax (in the laundry aisle, some people use 20 Mule. I used the stuff I ordered from Mountain Rose Herbs for my birthday)
• Washing Soda or Oxygen Bleach (Also, in the laundry aisle, you can find Arm & Hammer brand - like the baking soda. I am finding that oxygen bleach is a really great natural cleanser and it won't mess up your colors or make you dizzy like chlorine bleach does. The oxygen bleach is more expensive than the washing soda, but I had some for other household cleaning so I used it.)
• Grated bar soap (like Ivory, this is obviously not the all natural option) or Ground Soap Nuts (you can find these here and here and here)
• Favorite Essential Oils (I used grapefruit, sweet orange, and lavender)

Once you've got your supplies, you decide how much you want to make (I made about 2 cups). Then you measure out your supplies. 1 part borax, 1 part washing soda or oxygen bleach, 2 parts soap or ground soap nuts. Mix the dry ingredients until it's nice and powdery. Then add up to 10 drops of essential oils for scent.

(There are lots of recipes out there, but this one is pretty low-sudsing so it's good for both top and front load dryers.)

DONE! Now go do some laundry. It takes 2 Tablespoons to 1/4 of a cup per load depending on which ingredients you use. I have a fun little wooden scoop,

Semper Fi...Wait! No, SIMPLIFY!

Yes...I said it. Simplify. Can we really be happy with less? Oh-my-goodness! You'll experience a whole new meaning to being "free."

Now, I know there are a lot of websites out there with tips on how to do this, and I am by no means an expert, but I am in the midst of trying to get rid of the junk (and the debt) and strive for a semblence of sustainability. So I'll just share some things that I'm learning with you in the coming days. Here's the first one:

Purge your closets & cabinets!

(I know it sounds scary)

Here's the thing. Well organized closets can make your life so much easier. This might take a little more than a day, so work on it over time. But decide what the function for each space is going to be, and use it for that. I'm working on this. So far, I've mentally labeled all of our closets and I'm working on the cabinets.

Let's start with the simple things medicines & toiletries. Just in case you didn't know...these things expire! Yes, crazy I know, but even Neosporin and vitamins. So go through your medicine drawer, cabinet, whatever, and get rid of everything that is past its expiration date.

Then condense. If you have three half-full bottles of Advil, put them all in one. If you have three full bottles of Advil, just keep one in the medicine drawer, cabinet, whatever, and create a space with the function of "stockpiling."

"But Megan, you mentioned toiletries too?!" Yes I did! If you have a bottle of ANYTHING be it shampoo, lotion, perfume, and you have not used it for 6 months...TOSS IT! Some of us (I sheepishly raise my hand) have shampoo bottles with about 1/2 inch of shampoo in the bottom, have moved on to another brand, and still have not thrown the thing away. Throw it away! Do it! I mean, really chuck it...you'll start smiling right away. :)

Okay, here's the thing about make-up. It's expensive, and we all have that sapphire blue eyeshadow that we bought for some crazy event....two years ago (or more). Here are the expiration dates on make-up (according to Carmindy...don't you just love her?), stick to these so your not smearing bacteria all over your face.

• Foundation: 1 year
• Concealer: 1 year
• Face powder: 1 year
• Bronzer or blush (cream or powder): 1 year
• Mascara: 6 months (scary huh?)
• Eyeliner: 2 years (but sharpen pencils frequently)
• Liquid eyeliner: 6 months
• Eye shadow: 1 year
• Lipstick: 2 years

If you're going through your makeup and you think, "Wait! I've only had this foundation for 9 months", but it looks chunky and smells funny....Chuck it...you know, it can go in right after your shampoo bottle. If you use brushes and sponges for your beauty ritual wash them weekly and replace them monthly (tip: wash them with warm water and shampoo until the water runs clear and then let them air dry).

DIY Worm Composter

I dare you to Google Shopping a worm compost bin! They range anywhere from $90-$600!!! Seriously now?! That's ridiculous. But I REALLY wanted one. So I did a little searching and found a tutorial on YouTube. I altered it a bit, and now present it to you! You won't need a starting kit and you'll be able to do it for around $20.

First, buy two plastic totes with lids. Make sure they are a dark color, since worms and light don't mix well.

I got these pretty green ones for $7.97 a piece a Lowe's.

Then get that drill out! You'll want to use an 1/8" bit or around that size. This way you allow for airflow and drainage without losing any soil or worms. Choose which bin you want to be on top. Drill 15-20 holes around the sides of the tub about 3/4 of the way up. I did seven on each long side and 3 on each short side.

Then drill holes 6-10 holes in the lid.

And do the same for the bottom. I put 8 on each.

Then in your bottom bin (the one without holes), set up two milk boxes, formula canisters, coffee cans, or whatever you have two of that are the same height and pretty sturdy. I used two old plastic trash bins.

Now set the top bin on the canisters. This will keep the top bin from getting stuck in the bottom one and will allow for airflow, so your stuff doesn't get stinky.

It's now time to start the layering! Something I didn't know until I started reading about this, is the importance of bedding. Bedding is torn up cardboard or shredded paper or a mixture of both that you can put in your compost bin, it cuts down on the smell and on any bugs. Cool huh? You can also include dry leaves in your bedding if it's fall-ish out.

So...Layer #1-Bedding! Put down a layer of bedding until it completely covers the bottom of the bin and you have a nice little mound of it.

Layer #2 -Throw in your food scraps. I know...EWWW gross! But I'd been saving these scraps for this purpose for the last couple weeks in a small composter under my sink.

When it comes to food scraps, here's the deal -->You can put as much fruit and veggie stuff in as you want, along with any tea bags or ground coffee (filter and all). You can also put in breads, onions, and citrus in moderation. But don't use meat or dairy products or anything with a lot of oil (salad with a bit of dressing should be fine, but don't throw in your favorite greasy pizza).

Layer #3 - Coffee grounds and a tad bit of dirt.

I was so excited to finally be able to use my Grounds for your Garden that I got for free at Starbucks. The pail at my Starbucks was always empty, so I figured "this stuff must be good for your garden!" Without knowing why it was, the first time I saw some in the pail, I grabbed a big bag.

Then I brought it home and I didn't know what to do with it. Everything I read said to add it to your compost or add it to your garden.

I just planted my garden and I didn't have a compost bin....yet! On top of the coffee grounds you want to add a sprinkling of dirt. The grit from the dirt helps the worms...I guess they have weird gizzards for it or something.

Then we start over again....bedding, food scraps, grounds & dirt. The grounds aren't completely necessary, and they can be mixed in with the food scraps, I just like separating them for the sake of smell when I'm making the thing.

You want your top layer to be bedding. They spray it down and get it nice and moist.

You can dump in your worms right away, or you can let the stuff sit for a week or two and give it chance to decompose a bit before you introduce the worms.

I've read a couple places that the best worms to get are Red Wigglers. You want to get about 100 to start with (about $5 most places). Then let the worms do their thing. In about 2 months you'll have 300 worms and a nice compost! Then you can separate the worms out, use the compost, and start a new bin or two.

Hope this helps you! I'm so excited about ours. With this and our recycling, it really cuts down on our waste and the garbage! Woohoo!

Isn't she beautiful? I think I'll call her Elfaba!

Healthy Burger & Fries

I made up this great meal...all by myself! I know for some of you this is no big accomplishment, but the fact is that I am one of those girls that cooks from a recipe for anything that goes beyond cereal and milk.

Here's what you do!

Mini Turkey Burgers

Ingredients:

1 lb. Ground Turkey Breast

1 package Hawaiian rolls

Veggies (I used Tomato, Cabbage, and Onion - you could add peppers, cucumber, pickles, etc.)

Coconut Oil Mayonnaise (you can check out how I made that here)

Directions:

1. Make ground turkey breast patties (pat on a little garlic salt & pepper) and pop them in the oven on broil until they are no longer pink (inside or out)...usually take about 8 minutes

2. Follow directions on Hawaiian rolls packaging for warming them up

3. Wash & slice the veggies you want while you're waiting.

4. Cut the hawaiin rolls in half, add burger & veggies, and top off with a spread of coconut oil mayo...YUM

Sweet Potato Fries

Ingredients:

2 Sweet Potatoes

Coconut Oil

Paprika

Parmescan Cheese

Garlic Salt

Directions:

1. Wash sweet potatoes and slice in small sticks

2. Throw in a skillet with 1 Tbsp. Coconut Oil and stir periodically

3. When the fries start to soften, you can add the spices & cheese to taste

(You can also bake these at 400 degrees for about 30 minutes)

Catch of the Day!

Our dog, Rory, has been in training for about the past year and a half. Chasing leaves, attacking bugs, and demolishing any toy that moves. Well, just as punching frozen meat prepared Rocky to become a champion, today our little Rory became a victorious protector of our home.

I woke up this morning and Evan had to leave for work, and Rory was out in the sun room barking like crazy. I'm thinking, "Of course, my hubby realized that I'm sleeping with our baby, hoping desperately that he doesn't wake up. Of course, he took the dog out this morning." I don't know why I thought this, because...well, yeah. Anyway, I finally get up in a huff to let the dog out and she is hunched next to her bed (which happens to be torn apart). So I go in to make sure everything is okay, and she is hunting. Y'all might be able to tell me exactly what this little guy is, but it looked like a little mole to me. She finally got it out of her bed, quickly caught it, and with a chomp and shake of her head, dropped it dead. I was in awe! I gave her lots of love and told her she was the best dog in the world. Doesn't she look so proud?! Our little puppy has grown up.

Punch Bowl to Planter

So...I have wanted to start planting stuff, but I haven't been able to this week for various reasons. Finally, last night I put my nasturtium seeds in some water to soak. I'm reading this great book Little Herb Gardens: Simple Secrets for Glorious Gardens - Indoors and Out. It gives step by step instructions on what to plant, where to plant, where to get it, when to plant, etc. For advanced gardners it's probably too limited and elementary, but for me it is fantastic!

It told me that I needed a planter that was about a foot deep and over a foot wide. I only had one that fit those dimensions and I was saving it for my lavender plant. Plus, I wanted to plant this

one in my kitchen. We got this four-in-one cake plate/punch bowl/veggie tray/something else for our wedding, but I think we got about three cake plates and punch bowls and veggie trays.

So I turned this one into an herb sorter and planter! I put my dried herbs on the bottom and I'm not planting nasturtiums in the planter. I can't wait til it starts to vine and bloom! I'll take a picture then too.

To plant your nasturtiums (or similar plant) like I did, find a punch bowl and follow these instructions:

• Soak seeds overnight
• Line the bottom of bowl or glass planter with a layer of decorative rocks, then with a layer of colored marbles (for water drainage - you can put a layer of charcoal in as well that helps with reducing bacteria)
• Wet soil until it is moist, set aside 1 cup of soil
• Sow nasturtium seeds 3 in. apart
• Cover with set aside soil and lightly pack down
• Keep soil moist and spray leaves as they emerge
• Nasturtiums are quick growing and viney with orange blossom (look them up)

FREE SoapNuts Giveaway!

FREE Soap Nuts giveaway today at Passionate Homemaking! Enter there to win and check out Lindsey's website for a bunch of other great advice and fun tidbits. You can enter HERE!