Normally in the winter months, the rainy season in SoCal, I have the gray water diverer on the washer machine in the off position so it will empty to the sewer, not the garden. Southern California usually gets plenty of rain to take care of the landscape until late March or April. This year is the earliest we have had to switch back to using grey water, since first using it back in 2007. We have had next to nothing…
With the house being closed up so much in the winter months, it can smell stale or sometimes even worse, like our big dog has been in the house all day. However, I refuse to use chemical aerosol air fresheners. I know too many people that are sensitive to fragrance chemicals, and it may aggravate asthma or migraines. Twenty years ago, my husband showed me a really easy way to freshen the indoor air in the winter and fall. The…
Once a jar of homemade jelly or jam is opened, reusing the same metal lid and ring that was used to can it can be difficult and messy. When my neighbor first starting teaching me to can a couple of summers ago, she asked if I had any storage caps or lids, and when I told her “no” she mentioned where I could buy the reusable lids at the best price locally, along with some of the other canning stuff…