Cooking

Oatmeal Cups

Easy Homemade Chicken Broth


Strawberry Poppy Seed Salad



Dandelion Poppers

Lilac Syrup

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DIY Wooden Garden Signs

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 I was shopping for some natural-looking garden signs to add to my garden, but struggled to find something that I liked. I already had some old lathe and extra bamboo stakes laying around, and thought it would be perfect for making some simple wooden signs! It's biodegradable, unlike those plastic labels you get with the typical nursery plants. I had some garden twine (jute, I believe) to tie the bamboo stakes to the lathe. Perfect! I did purchase some special paint markers, since regular Sharpies do tend to wear off in the rain throughout the growing season.  Here's how I did it: Materials: Lathe Bamboo stakes Garden twine, jute or similar Paint markers Spray polyurethane (optional) Process: 1. Cut the lathe into desired length. I eyeballed about 3-4". I cut a few with a hand saw, but quickly switched to a battery-powered circular saw! 2. Sand edges and any rough faces. 3. Cut bamboo to desired length. I cut about 12" pieces using a circular saw, which did splinter t...
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How to Make a Natural Rooting Hormone Using Willow

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Big box stores sell a small jar of synthetic rooting hormone for only a few dollars, but many people want to avoid exposing themselves to this. A DIY alternative is willow water. Have you ever tried to cut down a willow tree, only to find a few months later that it is sprouting everywhere? This tree just wants to grow and roots so easily. You can take advantage of this natural tendency for rooting by making willow water. The magic behind this phenomenon is in 2 compounds that are found in willow trees: salicylic acid (the stuff in aspirin that helps with resistance to pathogens) and IBA (indolebutyric acid, which stimulates root growth).  First, find a willow tree...any variety of willow will work here. Willows love water, so check by ponds, rivers, and streams. The best time to collect would be early spring or summer. If you're collecting in the summer, you'll need to remove the leaves. Focus on getting the new growth - the ends of the branches that are thin and pliable.  Nex...
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Lilac Syrup Recipe

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  When the fragrant lilacs are in bloom, do you ever want to bottle up that aroma? Try this simple lilac syrup for a unique and fresh way to sweeten up your day. You can also freeze this syrup to use later, so you can enjoy fresh lilacs year-round.     Ingredients: 2 cups lilac florets 1 cup sugar 1 cup water 3 blueberries (for color) 1 lemon wedge or 1 tsp bottled lemon juice     Instructions: 1. Add sugar and water to small saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring frequently, until sugar is dissolved. 2. R emove from heat. Add blueberries and squeeze lemon juice into the syrup. 3. Pour mixture over the lilac florets. 4. Cool in fridge several hours. 5. S train out the florets and blueberries. 6. S tore in a glass jar in the fridge.   To make a simple springtime “soda,”, simply add 3 tablespoons (more or less to taste) to about 8 oz of sparkling or mineral water. Alternatively, add some vodka and make it a happy hour!   This reci...
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