Thursday, October 1, 2020

Just a Thing or Two

 Happy OCTOBER!  My goodness, time flies.    It sure feels like October here this week.  Breezy, cool, cloudy - refreshing!!!

Today I am just going to throw out an idea or two or three that I use.  Maybe they might help someone else out - some may be old ideas - some may be new.


  • If you have a rain barrel - of course it needs to be emptied before freezing weather - but don't just dump it.   Fill some old jugs or bottles with it.  It is great for your houseplants, it can be useful reserve water for flushing, etc. that is free.  My favorite hint - is I keep several gallons to use during the winter months on my hair.  I rinse my hair with it and it makes my hair so soft.  Make sure you keep your rain water!
  • Conditioner that you don't like or don't use - use it for shaving your legs and under arms.  It helps the razor glide easily and it also softens the skin.  Don't waste it!  SOAP can also be used for shaving - cheap and easy.  Foam it up and shave!  For MEN - Glen had a beard and once a month or so he would put conditioner in and leave it for an hour or two and then rinse out.  It made his skin under the beard soft and not flakey.
  • I use my ice cream scoop when measuring out batter for muffin tins.  Perfect amount.  It also works when making BIG drop cookies.  I use it a lot it for super big sugar cookies at the holidays.  I also use the ice cream scoop when scooping watermelon.  Makes a bigger ball than a little melon baller.
  • Now that it is pumpkin and winter squash season - don't forget to save the seeds!  Wash well, salt and roast for a free and yummy snack.  IF you don't like them for a treat - clean and put them out for the birds and squirrels.  NOTE:  Check your ads - Our Kroger has pie pumpkins on sale this week 10/$10.  My goodness you can't buy canned pumpkin that cheap - and this is pure and healthy pumpkin.  Look for deals and make your own puree.
  • It is baking season again.  If you need to measure honey or molasses or anything very sticky - first measure oil in your cup.  It prevents the sticking - honey rolls right out.  If you don't need to measure oil - spray cup with Pam to prevent sticking
  • Leaves will be falling upon us very soon.  Rake those babies and place them on the garden.  You can till this fall or leave till spring.  Snow will help break down leaves.  Great mulch and additive to garden for free (don't use walnut leaves where you might plant tomatoes)
  • If you get bananas and they get too brown for your eating pleasure - make sure you freeze them.  I just keep a bag going with bananas in peels.  I pull out what I need for bread or muffins and they thaw in no time.  Cut off the tip and squeeze out banana goo!  Super easy and no mess
  • Apple season is here.  That means homemade applesauce and apple butter - pies and cobblers - caramel apples, baked apples, fried apples  - YUM.  I have always kept peels to make apple peel jelly - no waste.  I have been reading a lot lately about people dehydrating the peels till crisp - then they grind up into a powder and use it as a natural sweetener on oatmeal, cereal and on /in all kinds of things.  What a great idea!!!
  • ALWAYS keep some bar soap in your house.  I like Ivory or any other sort of plain soap.  You can not only use it to bathe - but also in a pinch use to wash your hair, your dishes, and your clothes.  Many uses and it sure may come in handy some day.  A cheap and easy alternative.
Just a few tips.  Hope you find something you can use.  Do you have a great fall tip that can help us out?  Let us all know.
Have a great day!!

20 comments:

  1. Love the ideas!
    I need one of those ice cream scoops that release. And I never thought about drying apple peels.
    I got a couple of those pie pumpkins and will use them for decoration for a few days til I make puree.

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    1. Thanks.
      I have one of the old fashioned ice cream scoops (releasing). Good for so many things.

      I thought that was a neat idea on the peels too.
      They will last for a while - so no hurry. ENJOY

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  2. Some great tips. I need to have a sort out of the bathroom toiletries, there is a lot then needs to be recycled.

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    1. Thanks.
      Good idea - I did that a few weeks back - lots to get rid of. Good luck.

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  3. I live in an old apt. building and ever now and again there are issues with the pipes and the water has to be turned off - sometimes with no notice. I've always kept 3 litre (1 gallon) bottles of water. If I have to use one what I then do is refill from the tap and mark it for "cleaning" (it would be fine for drinking although I'd probably boil it first) and then if I need water for washing my hands or some dishes, I've got it.
    I have a few different sized ice-cream scoops so some work well for muffins and others for cookies.

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    1. Good idea on keeping water - you just never know.
      I bet you money you got ones that would be perfect for muffins and cookies!!!

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  4. Great tips. I use most and having a water barrel to water the plants outside saves us a great deal on our water bill.

    God bless.

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    1. Glad to hear it. I bring in a few jugs of water at the start of winter for the houseplants. They love it.
      Blessings

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  5. Oh yea, I forgot to say that I have used the peach peelings and pits to make jelly back when I use to can lots of peaches for our sons treats.

    God bless.

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    1. They sure do make good jelly! I love how everyone uses IT up!!!!

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  6. I had someone mow my yard with a grass catcher getting leaves up with the last mow and dump all the grass and leaves into the chicken coop, just in a big heap. They loved this. And, soon they had it spread all around. The chickens got some protein.

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    1. What a great idea. Yard looks nice, chicks got goodies, and they got a new ground cover. Big win!!!!

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  7. Our water we have for the cats likes to freeze in the winter time, so we keep a metal baseball bat next to it to break it up in the mornings. I'm not sure how good of a tip that is or not. LOL

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    1. Well that is a pretty good tip for sure. Just hope no one else sees it and uses it for nefarious reasons!!! Stay safe and aware.
      I have an outlet in a couple places outside and have heated water bowls.

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  8. Here our winters are harsh, but I have learned that I can overwinter some hardier annuals by turning the pot upside down and tucking it under the overhang of the bay window. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't but I try.

    I no longer cook a turkey for Thanksgiving because it was too much. Instead, we eat a small pork roast that is seasoned with sage, poultry seasoning, salt and pepper. It's not the same but the using seasoning I'd use with a turkey works better. I still make stuffing too.

    Take care and stay well!

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    1. That is a great idea on the plants - never heard that one.
      No need to always have a turkey for the holiday. Now that it is just me - no need to cook a big turkey. I went away to my nieces last year and a few days later I made a turkey breast. I love the leftovers of the holiday best - and I shared with a single neighbor.
      As long as you are eating - anything can be special.
      Thanks

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  9. You always have such good ideas for us! It's always a true sign of the weather changing when we started emptying the two rain collection systems and put the jugs in the greenhouse. Time to pull tomato plants and the rest of the green beans, saving the seeds. The Urban Farmer will collect the leaves to put around the red raspberries to protect them for the winter.

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    1. Yep, it is that time. I picked all the tomatoes - now need to clean out plants. I like fall - just not what comes after!
      Thank you!!

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  10. I have used soap for shaving for a LONG time...have used conditioner but never buy it now. An apple pie sounds good...been a while since I made one.

    While staying with granddog found an Richard not too far from her...their website even said they grew my two most favorite apple. But, this year a hard freeze late in the spring got them...but I sure want to remember next year.

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    1. I got some good ones at Kroger the other day for .60 lb. Adrians has apples - but yeah that freeze did a lot of damage. Love me some apples.

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