HennyPenny's random thoughts. New set of goals!

[sundance]

read everything all the way thru, so hope you sell your house. we had our for sale in Fla. Lived there 16 years no problems of bugs of any kind. A couple came by to see it and to my horrow, since it was in Jan, Termites came flying out of the air condition vents.I could have crawled under the couch I was so embarrassed, but they just laughed about it, asked if we were gonna have it sprayed, (in Fla you have to have a termite inspection anyway), and they bought the house. But I REALLY REALLY need to know how you grow lavender, I kill it just by looking at it and I love it so much. marrie

 

[hennypenny9]

I found my camera cord! So pictures.

I'm going to make another loaf today. Fingers crossed that it wasn't a fluke!

Other than my mother's breakfasts, this is my favorite. The long cooking, cream of wheat, none of this instant stuff. I have to drive to a different grocery store to get it.

Sundance- I don't know what I'm doing. I just know that English Lavender doesn't do well inside, or in pots. So the many seedlings I have will go outside when I move. The French Lavender will do okay indoors, but if it gets nice enough, the advice I found is to put the pot outside for about a month in a sheltered place in the summer. Oh, and something about it liking lime and sand in the soil. I haven't repotted either yet, so I don't know.

 

[keljonma]

HP, your bread looks wonderful!

I had to laugh when I saw your Cream of Wheat and Bob's Red Mill Whole Wheat Farina packages. I thought we were the only ones who still bought that stuff. DH prefers cr/wheat over anything. I grew up on Ralston, so Bob's Red Mill is a good substitute for me.

 

[hennypenny9]

Keljonma- I wish more people liked the long cooking stuff. I tried the instant cream of wheat, and I found the texture just plain WRONG. Kind of like instant oatmeal. Other people say there is no difference, but I beg to differ! Give me a blind taste test, I'll show them.

 

[Farmfresh]

Old fashioned Oatmeal for me too! The other stuff tastes like gooey mush.

As for blind taste test ... well I asked my husband one day when he brought me a glass of water if it was bathroom water or kitchen water. "What is the difference?" he said "it is the same water."

I told him I could taste the difference and after a 20 cup blind taste test he now believes me.

 

[Farmfresh]

Oh yeah and that bread looks ............FANTASTIC!

 

[hennypenny9]

This weekend my mom came to visit, and brought her baking stone with her! I made pizza dough for the first time, and it was really good. And today I made French bread on the stone also. I hadn't made that before, either. It turned out surprisingly good. I'm pining for this recipe, which I might try tomorrow. http://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/cheese-filled-sweet-braid-recipe

Someone stop me!

I finally made a homemade powdered laundry detergent with grated Fels Naptha, washing soda, and Borax. Haven't used it yet. (Probably will on my homemade feminine pads)

I've been researching homemade soap a LOT. It's like a disease! I can't really get started on that because I don't have a scale to weight the ingredients, and also am extremely short on money. It would be pushing it to even buy the lye, I'm so broke.

I got my beeswax, which I'll eventually try to make chapstick with. And emulsifying wax for lotion. And essential oils. You can see why I'm broke?! The sweet orange oil is the BEST. Does anyone know if Apple essential oil exists? I ordered from here, and got the order in about three business days. http://www.mountainroseherbs.com/

My hair is extremely soft and doesn't get nearly as oily with the castille soap and vinegar rinse.

I've become so obsessed with homemade things, and generally being less wasteful. No one knows, or even cares, where anything comes from anymore. I'm one step away from buying a few acres and never leaving them.... Okay, so I'm about ten years away from being able to afford ANYTHING, much less property, but I think about it every time I look out my back window and can count six houses.

Now I'm off to haunt soap making sites, and do what I always do. Make lists!!

 

[freemotion]

Talk about your research and the benefits of your intended projects with friends. You never know. I had someone offer to pay me to make them some face cream, and since I didn't want to spend the money on all the ingredients to make a few ounces of cream for myself, I jumped at the chance. She wants to get some for her and her two dil's, and I will make some for me and my mom, and maybe one other friend, so all of a sudden buying all the ingredients is very affordable.

Just remember to charge a bit more, because there is always a certain amount of waste that you have to absorb, plus your time and gas, etc. So for close friends, charge maybe double what the ingredients cost, at least. Those three little pricey bottles of eo's that are sitting on your shelf won't keep forever. Manufacturer's have to factor in waste, discarded failed batches, ingredients that sneak past their shelf life, etc.

And you will be surprised at who would jump at the chance for real stuff made with real ingredients and the chance to live vicariously through you!

 

[SheriM]

Making homemade soap doesn't have to be expensive. If you can borrow a scale from someone, you can get started for just a couple of dollars. My favorite recipe uses nothing but goat milk, shortening and some coconut oil and, in a pinch, you can leave out the coconut and add more shortening. If you want the recipe, let me know and I'll dig it out.

 

[hennypenny9]

I would be super happy if any soap or cosmetic I could make would actually SELL. I did read somewhere that Lowe's might have some drain cleaner that's %100 lye. Cut down on shipping! And I think I can get everything else at the regular grocery store. I hadn't even thought to try to borrow a scale. The only people I know who might have one, are my co-workers. (22 year old college students aren't known for making their own soap) But it's my "weekend" so I'll have to wait for my Monday, which is Thursday.

I work Thursday-Monday, with Tuesday and Wednesday off. Usually.

Sheri- I was going to ask if you watch Corner Gas, but I bet you're tired of that show.