About Tricia

I am Tricia. Momma of nine, homeschooler, artist, foodie and maker of all kinds of things. It's a pleasure to share here our family homesteading adventures, the things we make, and what inspires our days. Read more about my family and work here. Thanks for visiting!

Author Archive | Tricia

DIY Dish soap that works and bubbles

It’s been so long since I shared a recipe here hasn’t it?  We still make all of your own everything and I am constantly improving and tweaking them but dish soap (I’m talking the kind you use to hand wash, we don’t do the dishwasher thing) alluded me for years.  I created dozens of concoctions, tried whatever recipe I found on the internet if it looked promising, oh I am such a sucker for a pretty picture, but they all ended up being not as good as organic store bought dish soap.   Then last spring I spent a day just mixing in the kitchen and I read an article about Sal Suds,  a product made by Dr Bronners which is a detergent not a soap and people were using it to make laundry detergent.   A few hours down a rabbit hole to research why it has SLS in it,  what kind and why this one would be safer than the SLS I have stayed away from for years and in the end,  I felt safe putting it in my dish soap and I trust Dr Bronners.  You may go down your own rabbit holes to see for yourself.  And now onto my dish soap recipe!

We have used this spring now and I love it.  It works and makes so many bubbles which make me happy (I know bubbles don’t mean clean but when I am washing dishes I will pay big money for organic soap that makes bubbles) and it smells so amazing!!  I switch up the oils I add depending on the season.  Right now I am doing lemon and basil and oh mylanta it smells wonderful.  During the holidays I added Thieves and pine to it and I’m telling you, dishes are a breeze.

Farmish Momma’s Dishsoap

1 c Sals Suds

1 c water

1 tbsp Thieves cleaner

1 tbsp baking soda

10 drops lemon essential oil

Mix the Sals Suds and water in a bowl,  add the Thieves cleaner and baking soda and stir it up (I use a whisk).  Finally add your essential oils.  If it gets too thick, add more water.  I love how thick this turns out.  It sticks to the dishcloth and stays put instead of running down the drain.

So there you have it.  Enjoy it and I would love to hear how you like it.

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under the snow, under the weather, under the covers

We are snowed in…or at least I am.  My van is currently stuck in our very long driveway about 1,000 feet away from our door.   Too much ice to make it move even one inch forward or backward.  I have no plans of going anywhere so I am letting it stay there until the ice melts on its own.  I don’t really mind the snow and ice much as long as I can watch from inside.  These days find us all under warm cozy blankets, doing most everything inside which includes all the boys running here and there,  wooden arrows with wool ball tips flying everywhere, wool and tennis balls going all over, skates, skooters and ride ons in our foot traffic areas.   I try to look the other way and not let it bother me too much, they have so much energy and have to use it up somehow.

This week also saw many of us feeling under the weather and so I pretty much missed the snow fun.  I only have a tiny cough left myself but Poppa must have known that I planned on spending time out in the snow and in no uncertain terms forbade me from going out to play as I had planned.  I was mostly disappointed about not getting to go out to the little creek so Ronnie went for a walk and brought me lots of pictures to look at.  It is starting to warm up slightly and the ice covered tree branches will stop looking like they are made of glass and jewels in a few days.  I think that is my favorite part of snow and cold weather, they really do look magical.

Me getting more sick is not a good idea on any day,  but this week is definitely not the time.  I have been playing Florence Nightingale around the clock to each new child that called to me, with a weird feeling in their throat, wanting a warm blanket and some tea.  I think we have mostly all gotten our turn except for the littlest ones and Veronica.  Some have lasted a day and then they were better and some have taken a few days longer.  Raw honey, salt water gargles, lots of essential oils, bone broth, and rest.  Everyone knows what to do and the biggest ingredient is love and care.

Amidst all of this I turned yet another year older.  Luckily only Poppa was feeling unwell on my birthday so I was able to stay in bed all day (as I love to do on my birthday) and dream a little,  knit a few rows on my shawl, get a glorious nap (could there be a better gift for a mama?), watch movies with the kids and eat some very wonderful meals all cooked and delivered to my bed.  Poppa brought me roses that actually smell like roses, so beautiful and pink which matched the hand painted watercolor birthday card that Veronica made for me.  It’s so beautiful and I love to see her talent grow as an artist.  Charlei gave me a very nice bottle of Moscato and it was a perfect evening.  I am so thankful for another year, for all the grays on my head (I have earned each and every one) for the lines in my face that show my age for I hold so many in my heart who didn’t get to live this long (boy am I sounding old huh?  but I have always felt this way about birthdays) and for all the people in my life whom I get to love and spend time with.  So very thankful.

Today I am working on setting up a new office area in my bedroom.  I am quite excited about it.   My bedroom is so large and I haven’t ever been able to find a way to set it up so that I really like it.   I think this will be a great way to use up some of the space.  My old office will now become Nick’s new bedroom and his bedroom will once again become the guest room (code word for where we keep everything we don’t know what to do with until guests arrive).

So much to do.  How is your weekend shaping up?

 

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