Thrift stores have become all the rage. And what’s not to like? You can get some super amazing bargains and you are helping the environment by using what would otherwise end up in the landfill. I’ve written before (like here and here) about some of the great deals to look for at thrift stores.* This past…

There’s an epidemic sweeping the country. It’s not your typical virus, but rather a highly contagious disease of epidemic over-consumption.  The symptoms include compulsive shopping, high debt, overwork, inability to delay gratification, a sense of entitlement, obsession with externals and “having it all,” wastefulness, and stress. Concern over affluenza is more than dismay at the…

For some, prescription medication is a matter of life or death. If you have a medical condition that requires you to regularly take medication, you should consider having an extra reserve of those essential drugs. Good reasons to have a stockpile of medications During a disaster you may find it hard to refill a prescription.…

It can be a challenge getting herbs to survive our Midwest winters. But it looks like most of my herbs survived the winter OK. I mulched the St. John’s Wort and the Arnica Montana last fall. Both were new plants last year and both are hardy to Zone 5 (we live in Zone 4 and…

We live in a disposable society. Just about everything that comes into our house is easily (and readily) replaced with something better, newer, cheaper or brighter. But our grandparents (who lived through some hard times) were just the opposite–they found a use and reuse for just about everything that came into the house. They were…

Cultured dairy is a great way to get calcium into your diet as well as introduce health-promoting probiotics.  When we talk about cultured dairy everyone thinks of yogurt. Unfortunately, many of the flavored yogurts in the store no longer contain live cultures. So you might be getting the taste of yogurt but you’re not getting…

“If ye are prepared, ye shall not fear.” It’s clear that being prepared for the mishaps and disasters that often befall us fosters a sense of calm and well-being. We’ve spent all year preparing for just this reason: so that we need not fear an unforeseen crisis. And then come the holidays. This time of…

Should you worry about a pandemic? A few years ago there was a lot of buzz in the news about Swine Flu (H1N1) epidemics and quarantines. Before that the concern was Bird Flu and before that it was SARS. There’s no way to know with certainty how much of a threat any of these diseases…

Why CSAs? A CSA is just the thing for you if you can’t plant a garden. Even if you have a garden but want more vegetables than you can grow in your own little plot, you should look into joining a CSA  (Community Supported Agriculture.) A CSA is one of the best ways for consumers…

In case you couldn’t tell, I love herbs. I’ve been cultivating a perennial herb garden for four or five years now. I use herbs for everything–home remedies, soothing cosmetics and, of course, cooking. I have some favorites–basil, of course. And parsley is a long-time friend. But I have to say, for versatility, comfrey comes in…

OK, we all know that the biggest reason to garden is for tomatoes. But one of my favorite reasons to garden is for the flowers. I love, LOVE to bring in a nice bouquet of flowers and set them on the kitchen table. These flower bouquets are not at all professional, just a jumble of…

One of the main reasons I garden is to provide fresh, tasty and chemical-free food for my family. But it seems like the bugs and pests are determined to thwart me at every turn. When you see your broccoli covered in green worms or cabbage moths have destroyed your cabbage, it’s enough to make you…

Compost time! It’s the height of the garden season and an important component to gardening is composting. Don’t let anything go to waste—compost it. Every scrap of fruit and vegetable waste in your kitchen should go into your compost pile. Keep an ice cream bucket or any other container with a lid underneath or near…

Your goal this month is to simplify. That’s it. Just. Simplify. Stuff costs more than money People are beginning to recognize the emotional, spiritual and financial weight of consumerism. That is why there is a surge in blogs, Facebook pages and websites that encourage and extol minimalism and non-consumerism. There are several ways to meet…

Be sure to read Part 1: Preparing for a Quarantine When a quarantine is in place A quarantine will be much less stressful if you have prepared ahead of time, making sure that you have supplies on hand and are knowledgeable about caring for the sick. Here are some things that will help you get…

Time to start fresh This is a time of new beginnings and fresh starts. Don’t go into the new year burdened by the unwanted or unnecessary remnants of 2014. Start the new year off with a clean slate. Make a goal to clean one room or closet this month and give at least one box or…