World Water Day

learn more at  World Water Day site

—According to the World Economic Forum, nearly 60% of the world’s population will be living in cities causing a shortage of clean water for people and business in the urban environment worldwide.
—A third of humanity will have only half the water required to meet basic needs, which is likely to impact food production because agriculture accounts for more than 70% of water usage.

All things living are due the respect to sustain the life there in. 

Water is living and life sustaining. 

There is an old saying...

walk softly upon the earth.

Preserve what is here so it will not all be gone tomorrow.

Plug the tub. Then use the hot side to fill the tub while the cool water clears the line. As it gets hot then turn hot off. Then fill up with cold. The result is warm water. No water down the drain.

 

When doing dishes fill your washing sink up only 1/3 of the way. Rinse first load over the  washing sink until it is half full. Then fill up the rinse sink, that is what it is made for. Running water down the drain is just silly.

Keep a low sink of warm water in the kitchen sink and wash your hands in it through out the day (rinsing over it) . When just a few dishes need to be tended water is there simply add a little hot to it. If your using water that is set to boil pour it in the dish water after it has served it's use. Heats up the sink water and washes the last of the supper dishes. The rinse water in the other sink clears off all soap and such.

At the end of the dishes when it is time to rinse off the oils or muck off pots and pans use a measure or large bowl and simply transferred rinse water over to main wash sink.  Use paper toweling or newsprint to wipe off oils/grease. Run VERY hot water over the oily pans. Set water in a pot or pan that is caked on turn the burner on and let it boil. When soft shut it off. Pour off of soiled water a hot pan then will reheat the washing water.

This is just the method I have always used. 

Growing up poor has a way of instilling a healthy humility.

This all sounds complicated but it is not. Just makes good sense. Think of the souls in history...who would just walk on over to the well? They would never think of using so much water as now? Water is so very heavy to carry. I seriously doubt it would be wasted so. It would just ware your legs and shoulders so.
The cost of heating it (cutting a log) would also cause one to think twice. That is another story in itself however.

Hand Washing is the single most important means of preventing

the spread of infection but turn the water off while you soap up. 

Lower the flow as well.

 Do not just let the water run full blast.

Walk softly respecting this life sustaining gift.

Offer up to the future a cool drink of water.

Also consider rain water harvesting.

Philippians 4:19 But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

It would be against all I am to disregard this provision. 

Tackle it Tuesday

I tackled it!

"Send help Scottie"....said the captain (Star trek)

Well now we thought we might just build another wall in the hallway and just enclose all the toys but...I kept hitting my elbows on the wall.

5-6 hours of toy sorting!

Ever single thing was individually touched by me!

This nice stand was found at the good will.

These are the bins I used during the infancy and homeschooling days.

I gathered them from all corners of the house and set them to task

Did you ever see a boy with so many LEGO

My dear friend gave us at least half of them when Dash was 6 years old or so.

Dash builds, and creates this kid is very mechanically minded just like his Mother and Father.

the last of it for tomorrow

The big box is yet to get cleared out of trash and papers.

It has large things I think in it.

The bag is stuff to sort into the other sites that it belongs in.

The plastic bin also things that go else where.

Embraced round the hip "thanks mom for cleaning my room" hugs and humility gratitude gushing like a sweet candy center. Comes he to me after a while...

"O.K. here the deal mom...cause you cleaned my room you ask anything of me..anything mom and it is yours...do you need help with anything I got you covered.."

"Keep it that way is all I ask son...that was a lot of work child...I touched every single thing in all the bins..."

"woe , mom..."

"It's a deal, you got it mom"!!!!!!!

All in a Day...

Hello, I have started another Blog

A Place To Create...
I worked hard on this project, I'll talk more about it over there.

I hope your all having a nice weekend.
I am getting ready for a new week.
My Darling used his last Gatorade so...
Lemon aide was in order.
This task awaited his help to pour the new bag of sugar for me.
I buy it in a 25 pound bag.
GASP!
Yes but think about what you consume...
Now although sugar is not "good " for you. It is processed by use of animal bone to whiten it...interesting tip:)
If you look at what is being consumed...
HIGH FRUCTOSE Corn Syrup...it is in everything.
It is processed as a by product, from Genetically Modified Corn!
So now the sugar looks a bit better :)

So remember cooking from scratch means buying in bulk the best you can acquire.
A 25 pound bag will last a long time. It does not spoil and it is often cheaper per pound to buy. Be sure your storage is ready to receive it.

Remember those winter Lemons from the neighbor I gleaned, juiced, and froze
It is now summertime. I wish I would have juiced more.
By the end of that I was very tired of juicing. :)Lemon aide for lunches for Steve and the kids.
Real lemon juice, sugar and reverse osmosis water...
that is all...
nothing else...but love mixed in it.

Speaking of Love, not perhaps agape but non the less a pleasing part of life.
Simple Syrup is a great source of many things one of them being my own homemade flavoring/sweetener for my coffee.
This bottle "butter scotch",
a half of that little jar made a nice concentrated flavor, more flavor use less.

Now the soy milk is organic.
Oh that butterscotch oh...oh... that is a good cup of Joe!

To the last drop friends!

Well we all went up to Costco for the monthly stock pile shop.
I found something for the skin of our darlings, and for myself to have in my purse.
Summer is coming fast this is a must in the desert.
I have to remember to make good use of it now.
I put it on a shelf by the back door.
I think the other will go on a shelf by the front door.

Look what I splurged on!
I know me...splurge it does happen from time to time.
This is a gift for all my hard work and good service:)
It was really a great deal. Under $6. for 10 pods.
I look forward to using it.
Make my own extract from recycling them.
Make use of the pods for baking and such.

They are beautiful!
At least 6' long!

Now we know the U.N. is is trouble ,but really Russia is going to get in some bad press if they do not make a better vehicle. :)
This was given to Dash on an adoption day. I found it for him when we were in Russia. I gave it to him a little too early I think.
It took well to the gluing.

Used a few cups of vinegar in the dishwasher to remove the hard water build up.
Just run it on a soak cycle.
Vinegar!
Good stuff!
I watched a show that in Europe they even have shops with many different flavors/strains of it.
It can be very costly.
Over at Down to Earth she has a nice tutorial on making the "mother of vinegar" sounds nasty, but it does have many health benefits.

Well Daddy man finished Dash's room.
He deserves a trophy!

I worked hard in the garden.
Spent time working on
"A Place to Create",
in more ways than one.
On to other things....

Tackle it tuesday #2 Reflective Film on the patio door, electric conservation

Wow it is finished.
I have wanted to do this for several years.

Outside it is totally private now in the day time.
I can even watch the kids when they don't know I am )

Total difference.
It is so much cooler and it is not even summer yet.
This wing of the house gets warm in the heat of summer.
We will be doing the windows near the bead table and the computer corner too.
We will just have to budget for it.

I would like to do the master bedroom windows as well
Although they do have the exterior screens on them, this would still improve the installation value.

We just filled this with a week soapy solution when we ran short.
The kit will be reusable .

Worth the investment if you can.

All I have need of....for the garden.

Now ya know...
I have a budget...
I had a desire....I asked Him.
I just did not like that feeling ya get when you see something at a store and just can not get it out of your mind.
Well when your on a budget that feeling gets annoying fast.
So Ya know...
I asked and told Him all about it.
My back is needing and He thought so too.
Came back from the store and there across the street at a friend/neighbors house.
Both! not only the wheeled can to use for the planting soil, even a little wheel barrow small enough for my little garden.

Ya know He even cares for my back.

It is said that of late much to do has been made about gardening and living simply.
Living green.
Well I have not really made a big change in who I am or in how I have always lived.
This last year I have worked hard at increasing my skill.
A change is good.
Yet even in change if it is just about showing off it is nothing.
If it is just about gaining resources or saving them It is a little more a value.
Ye t I too think as others do...

If it is about the humility of knowing that even with all the best efforts offered it is "little" more,
if it is not about Lovin'
Loving the God who created the beauty around us enough to offer it respect just because He created it.
Without Him nothing would live, or thrive.
There would be no prosperity.

So ya know...
If, I have ever left anyone with the impression that it is the "I" who is at the root of all I am,
or do... well then I speak up to correct any misconceptions.

Knowledge is a wonderful tool.
Many perish because of a lack of it.
My blog is (in part) about sharing what I have and who I am.
What I have being in part the knowledge from a life time experience.

I love to gain from all of your knowledge likewise.
I do not often think I need to explain who I am.
I know from "Whom" I come.
Without that I am nothing.

Tackle it Tuesday

The Salvation Army Guys came today and hauled off a good amount of toys and home school books and many other things.
A garden center for me
and...

a shop for my Beloved
<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>
There is a lot to do yet,
I know he will be surprised.
Just one more hour and he will be home.
I am so excited and dusty and tired:)

updated

On Friday evening we received an automated phone call from the
Salvation Army,
they would be in our area on Tuesday to collect. They asked if we might have donations. OH YES! We have donations!
That phone call set the schedule for today and tomorrow.
Today I set to task.
Filling both the recycle can and the black trash can.
Many, many toys were collected as I went through the collections boxed and also scattered on the garage floor.
My kids had found a new place to play.
Monday Morning
Steve had to shut down the party on Saturday last so I could get Dove to her engagement in a hurry. So left for me was the large box of decorations and such to put away and stow into the rightful places.
I am done with this mess!
Between medical appointments, dental implant, IEP"s for Dash, Death and life I had yet to get to do this job.
It has awaited my attention for almost 7 months!

Dash had found all of his cars and in the process get into boxes of toys and scatter them.

Monday mid-day

All of this was separated to be incorporated into the house.
The camper has also been emptied. Many of the things from it are going into the kitchen to be made use of.

In a way it looks little different, yet all those boxes are books that I am not able or willing to hurt myself lifting. Soon they will come back into the house and placed in the prospective book shelves. So many things to weed through and sort out, but I took a lot out of it today.

See the empty boxes...Those are toys there to sort.
Lunch came and this task will be worked on more in the morrow.

So far several boxes of things going out...folks will find uses for them and the Salvation army an income from them. There are many things on the side of the truck as well.
Ya, lot done here.

Mid afternoon
forced rest :)
That big box is those toys to sort. All of the other boxes are in the house to be unloaded onto the book shelves that are hungry to absorb them.

This much clear, many many boxes of good books.

That is all books or photo albums or my novel stuff.

Monday and Tuesday and many more days....
The Garage of
"we are moving...No, we are not moving..."
Eight months later...

Enough!
This is being forced to the top of the priority bubble.

yes!
6 pm Monday!
Car in the garage!
Other side tomorrow.
Pain Pill tonight!
:)