Recalcitrant Springtime

I have been looking forward to spring for quite sometime now. However, Mother Nature seems to have a different idea as to how quickly Spring will be arriving. Here in the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania area, we have been having a rather strange mix of freezing cold frosty mornings and sunny but chilly afternoons. It has been too cold to do any work out in the garden, so I have been having fun formulating new products for all of you.

Some of the new items are now available on the Devorah Naturals website. One of my favorites is the lovely new Rosehip Facial Crème which is light and emollient. I think you will really like it and it's great for all skin types. Three new bar soaps are also available with lighter 'springy' type scents. They are Bergamot Sage Soap, a subtle flowery citrus with a warm, musky undertone, Orange Lemongrass Goat Milk Soap, a bright, sassy, mouth watering citrus and Lavender Marjoram Goat Milk Soap, a light herbaceous floral.

Bathroon Cleaning

Everyone seems to be afraid of bathroom germs. After all, we deposit bodily excretions in the toilet (the gentlemen of our acquaintance probably sprinkle a bit on the floor too). We brush our germy teeth and spit into the wash basin. We shed dead skin cells plus the accumulated dirt and grime of the day onto the floor of our shower where it then flows down into the dark and dank drain. The moist humid air created from shower usage gathers on the ceiling and in the crevices of our bathroom tile making a perfect home for mildew and mold. It's no wonder we view the bathroom as a large and disgusting bacteria or fungus, reaching out to grab us with imagined germy tentacles. So, armed with a battalion of incredibly toxic cleaners we do battle on a daily basis to slay the demon bacteria. The problem is that while we are busy killing bacteria and fungus, we are also creating a toxic environment for ourselves and our families. The solution then, is to find a safer way to keep the bathroom space clean and fresh. The baking soda and salt mixture that I mentioned in my previous posting is wonderful to scrub tubs, sinks and toilets. Salt has long been known to be a natural antiseptic and disinfectant. Remember gargling with salt for a sore throat or after oral surgery? If you have non-porcelain sinks and / or tubs, a paste of borax (found in the laundry section) and baking soda with a little spritz of vegetable based soap will do a great job of cleaning. Distilled white vinegar in water with a few drops of one or more of the known antibacterial essential oils (tea tree, lavender, thyme and rosemary) is good to spray on toilet seats and door handles. To clean your drains, pour a cup or two of vinegar down them once or twice a week. If they seem a bit sluggish, pour some baking soda down the drain and follow with vinegar. A lot of fizzling will occur and some gunky looking stuff might bubble out. Follow with very hot water 10 minutes later. Then scrub your sink with your baking soda / salt mixture. For mildew and other fungal growth, try hydrogen peroxide, a paste of water and borax or washing soda (also available in the laundry aisle) or 100 proof alcohol. Remember to wear rubber gloves you have designated only for bathroom cleaning. Even though these ingredients are environmentally sound, they can still irritate your skin if exposed over any length of time.

Springtime Haiku

Gentle rain falling
Children dance arms stretched upwards
Greeting spring with joy

Spring is Coming

Despite the vagaries of the weather recently, it is apparent that spring is ‘around the corner’. Even when it’s freezing cold and the sky is spitting snow and sleet, the moist earthy scent that is a harbinger of spring drifts through the air filling my soul with the joy and hope of renewal. I lust for greenery, for the small tender shoots of newborn plants, the pale yellow green buds on shrubs and trees. I pour over gardening catalogues and websites. I daydream about my vegetable and herb gardens, about digging in the moist, fertile soil and planting my tender little seedlings.

I think about hanging my laundry out to dry in the sun. I imagine taking the corners of my white sheets, shaking them and watching them billow out, floating on the air in pristine and sparkling white glory, carrying the scent of the outdoors.

I open windows to rid the house of the stale air of wintertime and freeze myself with the too cold air. I look around the house and realize that she is due for her spring cleaning. It’s time to eliminate the excess accumulation in closets and drawers. It’s time to open her up and shake out the dust and dirt tracked in during the wintertime.

Housecleaning is a somewhat thankless job and I hate it. There are so many other things more interesting to do than cleaning. But even I will say that there is something almost magical about your home when it is clean top to bottom. It is welcoming when you walk in the door and it looks like company is coming, while the natural scents of herbs and flowers drift around you. So, I do a big spring cleaning and then try to maintain a semblance of that throughout the rest of the year.

I use cleaning supplies that I make myself from nontoxic substances that are readily available at the grocery store. If I am going to all the trouble to actually clean my house, I don’t want to fill it with toxins. How can I smell the lavender sachets made with the oil from lavender flowers in my drawers and closets if I have fragrance oils and objectionable chemicals polluting my personal space?

A simple example is what I use to scour my kitchen sinks with everyday.

½ cup baking soda
½ cup extra fine salt (popcorn salt)
A few drops of essential oil of choice, if desired
(tea tree, lavender, peppermint, orange, etc.)

Place the mixture in a shaker jar (I purchased a metal parmesan cheese shaker from the hardware store). Squirt a little liquid castile soap on the sponge, sprinkle the powder into the sink and scrub.

It makes my sink sparkly clean. This works on pots and pans, wooden cutting boards and bathroom fixtures as well.

Try it you might like it. It’s healthier for you, your family and the environment. I will add a few more recipes for you to try over the next few days.