MONEY SAVER - Using stuff in your kitchen to clean with

Okay, so I like my house to smell like fresh air and newly cleaned linens as much as the next person but the reality is that between two (soon to be three) large dogs and two outdoor enthusiasts, keeping things stink-free is a bit more difficult then I'd imagined. Well no, I knew it would be hard so I guess I'm finally and openly admitting that man, it's hard to keep up with all the dirt we drag in! And with no signs of slowing down, I needed to start exploring cheaper and more environmentally friendly cleaning supplies. A big one that I've discovered is vinegar! Yes, vinegar, the stuff that helps make cucumbers into pickles also helps degrease your oven and remove static from your laundry. Not only is it cheap but it does just about anything! Though I've yet to use it as a wood cleaner, I have used it on my bathroom tiles (avoid the grout guys, it's a sad day when you have to re-grout your bathroom), my kitchen counter, in my washing machine to a) clean the washing machine b) act as a natural fabric softener.

So you're probably thinking, "your house doesn't smell like dogs anymore, it smiles like a salad." But no, it's not true. Once the vinegar has dried, it leaves no scent and if you do want a scent, you can add a few of those concentrated scent drops available at your local co-op or health food store.

Another kitchen item that's really useful is Apple Cider Vinegar. When I was still down at LSU my old roomies and I discovered some of the perks of ACV including that it is a metabolism booster (one tablespoon a day is supposed to increase your metabolism) and helps soften your dogs coat as well as prevent the pesky flea.

Oh and while we are on the subject of fleas...try Borax or Moth Balls. I used moth balls when I vacuum to not only help with the neutralizing odors but also to kill all those determine flea eggs. I just put a couple of moth balls in my vacuum and remove them when I'm done. And Borax is another one of those miracle household items that you can kill fleas with, scrub your counters and your floors with, and drop it in your laundry to boost the colors and reduce static.

All of these items can be found at your neighborhood grocery.

Peace out,

B'Belli

Ascending 6 inches sheet of ice

How do you do it? Okay, at first I was literally clawing my way up the hill and just hoping that I could hurl my body into a pile of snow if things got a little too slick. Then, after some investigating, I invested in these:




They're called ice cleats, and to be honest, I feel like I could walk up the side of an ice burg in these things.



However, winter roads don't just present the issue of ice. Sometime we've got snow too so that's when I turn to these lil' guys:

The Cadillac of snow shoes if you will; these MSR Lightning Ascent 25 snowshoes have turned out to be a TRUE life saver! I purchased them after explaining that not only would I be experiencing my first Idaho winter, but my first real winter in general.

So far so good! I'll keep y'all posted about how well these winter tools continue to work!

Peace out,

B'Belli

Before and After Pictures - the first of many

Good morning!

As you know we've been working diligently at getting the house "winterized" and then all of a sudden, winter was upon us. So now we've just been working, literally, through snow, ice, sleet, fog and whatever other intense weather an Idaho winter has to offer. The locals weren't kidding when they all smiled at me teasing, "you haven't experience a winter here yet have you?"

(ABOVE) The photo to the left was snapped when we first purchased the property so the beginning of August. The photo to the right was shot several weeks into October.

(ABOVE) Again, the photo on the left was snapped in the first couple of weeks of August and the photo to the right was snapped the second week of December, after the first snow. At this time, we only had about 8 inches. Since then, we have had as much as 5 feet! But with the crazy weather, a lot of that has melted off and now we're hiking up a 6 inch sheet of ice to get home from work everyday.

PEACE Out for now,

B'Belli.

What's All this Blogging Business About?

So after bouncing between this blog and my other blog, I've come to one conclusion - what's everyone blogging about? And where? I initially abandoned this site for a less complex, more "user" friendly site and have subsequently decided that was a bad idea. So I guess I'll try and keep up with both...and actually do it this time. Yeah, that'll be my New Year's resolution along with losing weight and saving the planet one plastic bottle at a time, I will also commit to writing and recording my activies more consistently. I'll also work on the picture thing...as in taking more.

And just for good measure, check this out:

It's an areal view of the property. In the bottom corner is the "Lake House" and up the road is the "Road House."

PEACE