Repel Fruit Flies with Rue

Beautifully elegant, and energetically "protective" rue.

          We recently noticed that our herb lady at the farmers' market has been selling rue. Our only familiarity with the plant was from lines in Shakespeare (Ophelia used it in her garland), so we asked for recommendations on what to do with it. She told us that rue has traditionally been used in folk remedies, but that most people find it too bitter to eat.

          She also had another intriguing suggestion. posted originally from: AT:Kitchen Put it in the kitchen, she said. It will keep flies at bay! So, we grabbed a bunch and found the perfect opportunity to test its effectiveness when we brought home a stem of fresh dates. Hung by the window to ripen, the dates soon attracted a small cloud of fruit flies. We tucked a few sprigs of rue between the fruits and, lo and behold, the flies quickly lost interest. In fact, they disappeared altogether. (One might even say they rued the day they entered our kitchen!).

           Although flies hate the strong aroma of rue, it's fortunately rather pleasant to humans. We will definitely be keeping the herb around our fruit bowls from now on. Have you ever used rue or other herbs to repel kitchen bugs?


Source: http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/tips-repel-fruit-flies-with-ru-63641

O, Beautiful Terra

Written and performed by Ánne Máddji Heatta
Composed by Thomas von Sonnenberg

Iđitguovssus girdilit
Hávski lei go iđistit
Vilges dolggiid geigestit
Várrogasat salastit

Njukča, njuvččažan
Buokčal, ligge varan
Njukča, njuvččažan
Ovdal iđitroađi

Iđitguovssus girdilit
Hávski lei go iđistit
Jaskatvuođain savkalit
Nuorravuođain njávkalit

Njukča, njuvččažan
Buokčal, ligge varan
Njukča, njuvččažan
Ovdal iđitroađi

Riegádahte áibbašeami
Oktovuođa váillaheami

Njukča, njuvččažan
Buokčal, ligge varan
Njukča, njuvččažan
Ovdal iđitroađi

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A Tasty "Triple Lemon" Drink

by Elaine Johnson


          I was cruising the Sunset test garden yesterday morning and came across just the combo to throw together for a bright-tasting, super-aromatic drink to have on the stove for guests this holiday season. Lemongrass, lemon verbena, and fresh lemons all go into the mix, and it’s good as a virgin drink—like a sophisticated version of lemonade—or with a splash of brandy. (Perfect for those multi-age gatherings.)



The lemon corner in the Sunset test garden, with bushy lemon-
grass, a Eureka lemon tree, and a lemon verbena shrub.

          Here’s how it came together...

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Use Bentonite Clay ...for Just About Everything

Adapted from "The Benefits of Healing Clays"
by Katie "The Wellness Mama"
http://wellnessmama.com/5915/the-benefits-of-healing-clays/


What is Bentonite Clay? 

Bentonite Clay is composed of aged volcanic ash. The name comes from the largest known deposit of Bentonite Clay located in Fort Benton, Wyoming.  Bentonite Clay is a unique clay due to its ability to produce an “electrical charge” when hydrated.

Upon contact with fluid, its electrical components change, giving it the ability to absorb toxins. Bentonite is known for its ability to absorb and remove toxins, heavy metals, impurities and chemicals.

Healing clays like Bentonite have a high concentration of minerals including silica, calcium, magnesium, sodium, iron and potassium.  Dr. Weston A Price, in his book “Nutrition and Physical Degeneration” reported that several native cultures including those in the Andes, Central Africa and Australia consumed clays in various ways, most often my carrying balls of dried clay in their bags and dissolving a small amount of the clay in water with meals to prevent poisoning from any toxins present.

In a study from Arizona State University, bentonite clay was found to be highly effective at killing MRSA as well as Salmonella, E.Coli and others.What is promising as research continues in this area is that depending on the method in which the clay kills the infection, it may not be possible for the MRSA or other bacteria to develop a resistance to it as it does with antibiotics.


What Exactly Does it Do? 

 As Mountain Rose Herbs explains:
“Bentonite is a swelling clay. When it becomes mixed with water it rapidly swells open like a highly porous sponge. From here the toxins are drawn into the sponge through electrical attraction and once there, they are bound.”

It is a common ingredient in detox and cleansing products, having an alkalizing effect on the body.  When taken correctly, it can help balance gut bacteria.  Personally, I’ve seen people benefit from taking Bentonite Clay to help with: 

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Balcony & Patio Gardens

by Nancy Mitchell
for apartmenttherapy.com

Few things are more satisfying than growing your own food. Few things are more frustrating than being a garden lover trapped in a teeny-tiny apartment. What to do? Here are some gardening projects that will work on even the smallest patio or balcony...plus tips for growing citrus indoors if you don't have a balcony at all.

1. Increase growing space on a tiny balcony with this DIY pallet garden.

2. Canning jars mounted to the wall are cute and practical.

3. Possibly the cheapest and easiest gardening idea I've seen yet...re-purpose an old shoe organizer.

4. Here's another vertical solution. You could grow an entire salad.

5. Gutters easily mount to a wall or balcony railing for plants that don't have deep roots.

6. This patio garden is made from a couple of galvanized tubs stacked together.

7. How to make a container water garden.

8. If you're looking to grow larger plants, these self-irrigating planters made from plastic tubs are a great idea.

9. Linsey of LLH Designs planted herbs in wine boxes.

10. For those of you with no outdoor space, here are some tips for growing citrus indoors. Bonus: your apartment will smell amazing.


Source: http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/gardening-without-a-garden-10-ideas-for-your-patio-or-balcony-renters-solutions-167221

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Indoor & Outdoor Vertical Gardens

By Tom Corson-Knowles


Planning out your vertical garden can be a very fun endeavor that you should be a good bit of thought into. If you’re a beginner at gardening, then you will find this information to be very beneficial.

Otherwise, planning a vertical garden is very similar to planning a traditional garden except that you may need to use some different supplies and landscape design to help your garden grow vertically. 


Choosing a Site for Your Vertical Garden
The first thing you’ll need to do is find an area that can be used for your vertical garden. The location of your vertical garden is very crucial. Having sufficient sunlight for your garden is a given, so make sure to time how much sunlight your plants would get per day.

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The Benefits of Tooth Powder

by Andrea

So, I’ve pretty much decided to abandon my quest for a “paste-like” alternative in part because I am thrilled with our newest concoction…tooth powder.

This is not just your usual baking soda.  By the way, I love occasionally brushing my teeth with straight baking soda, but I do worry about it’s abrasive nature.

Lately I’ve been researching the benefits of bentonite clay, and wow…I love all that I’m learning.  Rich in vital minerals that are very beneficial for our teeth and gums –like calcium and potassium, bentonite clay is a fantastic non-toxic, and not to mention very affordable, product that has become my new favorite for brushing my teeth because…

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