by Texas Homesteader~
Whether mirrors or windows, glass cleaning has always been one of the most difficult surfaces for me to clean properly.
Oh sure I can clean the grime off of the surface easily. But trying to get the glass actually streak free used to drive me crazy. My cleaning session went something like this:
“There! Looks great. No, wait… is that a streak? OK, THERE! Wait… “
It was so frustrating. Until I remembered something my dad taught me years ago.
by Texas Homesteader~
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Living and working here on the Homestead means we have to be mindful of our expenses. But here’s the great thing – I have a hearty eco-friendly bend. I’m always watching out for ways to be gentle with Mother Nature.
And I find oftentimes frugality goes hand in hand with eco-friendly living. It’s a two-fer win for me! This week there were many opportunities to save some money (and give Mother Nature a big kiss on the cheek too!)
Come see the 5 Frugal Things we did this week to save money and the environment.
by Texas Homesteader~
We’ve moved away from gifts of toys for our grandkids for Christmas. Instead we now give experience gifts to them. It’s been such a wonderful change.
We get to spend time with our grandkids and create memories for Christmas instead of giving just another toy to be broken & forgotten in no time.
But these excursions aren’t often on the schedule until AFTER the big day. RancherMan & I hate gathering for Christmas and having nothing other than a scheduled event to give to our beloved grandbabies.
So in addition to their experience gift, we usually give them a little sumpin’ on Christmas day. This year I thought it would be fun for that sumpin’ to be a snowman treat jar.
by Texas Homesteader~
I wanted to make a pretty basket of natural wax-dipped pinecone fire starters. These are for our own use, but they make wonderful, inexpensive and very functional gifts too.
My garden basket isn’t used in the winter months. And I had a supply of pinecones I’d gathered for decorative purposes and a couple of half-burned pillar candles that I couldn’t even give away.
Let’s DO THIS!
by Texas Homesteader~
I love herbs & spices, don’t you? But several years ago I ran out of thyme. So I went to the store to buy more. WHEW! You know, there are some herbs and seasonings you can buy pretty cheaply. A big jar will cost very little.
But for some reason thyme was pretty pricey (IMO). Heck, for what they were charging for that little jar of thyme, I could buy a whole plant and harvest from it year in, year out!
So I did…
My most-used herbs are thyme, sage, oregano, basil and rosemary. So I make sure I always have them available, whether fresh or dried.
A Facebook follower asked about my herb-drying setup. Y’all know I’m all about simplicity! So I thought I’d show how I dry my fresh herbs.
by Texas Homesteader~
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I like to make my own products instead of buying whenever possible. And although dog shampoo is not expensive, I’d love to be in control of the ingredients. We’ve all heard the horror stories of cheap items with questionable ingredients that have harmed pets.
Our needs for dog shampoo are slight. We only have one small dog. But she’s a cutie, let me tell ya!
Meet Bailey, our beloved mini-Schnauzer.
by Texas Homesteader~
This time of year, many are dealing with all those falling leaves. It seems they’re EVERYWHERE!
Those leaves can actually be a fun autumn tradition. We used to enjoy raking up huge piles of leaves and laughing as the kids ran through them again & again. Aaaahhhhh sweet memories.
But oftentimes when leaves are raked into a pile they’re simply stuffed into huge plastic trash bags & sent off to the landfill.
But those plastic-entombed leaves sitting in a landfill do no good there. Maybe there’s a better use? Something that could actually benefit me in some way?
As a matter of fact – yes. Leaves can offer many benefits in the garden, including healthier plants, cooler summertime soil temps, better moisture retention, and/or less weeding.
That all adds up to a healthier garden with less work. What’s not to love??!
by Texas Homesteader~
Sour cream is something I enjoy from time to time, although RancherMan’s never been a fan. I prefer sour cream on my baked potatoes instead of butter. And I enjoy sour cream topping quesadillas. There are actually lots of ways I enjoy it.
But since it’s not consumed regularly it seems a waste to buy a tub of it just to throw most of it away. And c’mon, sour cream’s a little less than healthy #amiright?
So instead I use my own homemade yogurt for a healthy substitute for sour cream.
