Summertime is fun time and these summer blog posts will take you from homemade crafts to the kitchen, to identifying wildflowers to the right way to cut off shorts, and to making delicious homemade drinks. Read on for the best summer blog posts!

Free Canning Basics Blog Post

When I started canning, this was the part that caused me the most grief. A good cookbook is a helpful start, but there’s no way for it to SHOW you what happens when. There’s no shame in admitting that, hey, you don’t really cook all that often and having 3 pots going on the stove at once is kind of overwhelming. Really, no shame from this girl. I am here to tell you (and explain, in detail in the course) that canning is WAY LESS COMPLICATED than cooking a big family dinner.

I always say that I’d rather can every single day than cook Thanksgiving dinner once. The basics course teaches you what is supposed to happen when and how to be efficient with your time at the stove.

How To Cut Off Shorts

There are a few tricks to making perfect cutoffs that I will share with you here. I hope the next time you wear the knees out of your favorites or score some secondhand jeans that are too short the way I just did, you can spend a few minutes cutting them off the right way to wear all summer long

Pickled Bread and Butter Jalapeños

This post will share a recipe for pickled bread and butter jalapeños and a few clever techniques for keeping your sweet and sour pickles crisp and delicious.

I don’t can a lot of pickles. I also don’t can much that is very spicy, either. As you learn more about canning and develop the set of recipes you enjoy making and your loved ones enjoy eating, you will too find that there are some foods you can over and over and others you don’t end up trying.

Sidewalk Paint

Not only is sidewalk paint an easy, fun, fast, creative, and inexpensive outdoor activity for kids, but it is actually a really pretty medium that is beautiful to play with for kids and grownups alike. Get to mixing, Wildflowers! This recipe will teach you how to make sidewalk paint and will end up in your regular summer rotation in no time.

2 Easy Salsa Recipes

Making homemade salsa is a great way to use up all of the extra tomatoes from your garden and store them for winter. Discover how to make these 2 Easy Salsa Canning Recipes for Beginners.

Raspberry Jam recipe

Raspberry jam is one of the fastest preserves a person could make. Canning has a terrible reputation as being time-consuming- this recipe proves that canning can be quick, easy, and is a simple extension of the cooking process. Raspberry jam is a delight to give as gifts, easy to pick at U-pick farms, and delicious preserved in mason jars. 

How to Identify Wildflowers

This post will share some of our favorite resources for identifying wildflowers in your area and includes both helpful apps and books that are sure to educate and inspire.

Tomato Sauce Recipe

Oh, canning tomatoes! Canning tomato sauce is one of the most satisfying tasks a home canner could ask for because of the versatility of tomato sauce. When people start preserving, they often make jam because it is fairly simple and of course delicious but I find the savory preserves, like this tomato sauce, are far more useful. I guess we just don’t make enough toast to feeling like my time making lots of jam would be worth it. Conversely, my family eats a lot of tomato sauce. Last season I canned over 100 pounds of tomatoes, grown in a friend’s garden a few ridges down the road, and only made it to late spring before running out. I am busy working up Romas, 12 pounds at a time, and sharing about it here and on my YouTube Channel and on Periscope. I’d love to have you follow along there if you’re inclined!

Free Shrub Making Course

Shrubs aren’t just for the garden. Shrubs are a no-cook, easy homemade cocktail or mocktail mixer that’s delicious and fun. This is the new & improved, free, shrubs email course that will help you master the ratio behind these fruit and vinegar syrups.

How to Hang Laundry on the Line

Not only is a clothesline full of wet laundry idyllic and romantic, but it is also frugal, sensible, and not much work at all. Hanging your clothes out to dry imparts them with a delicious fragrance that cannot be replicated nor poured from a bottle and it saves on the damage the high heat of a dryer causes (goodbye fried underwear elastic). Whether a washline conjures for you images of the country or of Mediterranean apartments high above the stone streets below, you can employ a few of these techniques to dry your clothes the old fashioned way.

Absolute Best Way to Get Started Canning

If you want to know the absolute best way to get started canning, this post will tell you the fastest, easiest, and best way. Read on for the tools, tips, and tricks from a busy mom who understands what it is like to not have enough hours in the day.

I hope you loved all these summer blog posts! Which are you going to try first?

This homemade tooth powder recipe is the answer to your natural toothpaste desires. Read on for the homemade tooth powder recipe that’s easy, natural, and healthy!

This post contains affiliate links.

The internet is full of friends, Wildflowers, and I had the pleasure of connecting with Nikki at The Little Farmhouse.

She’s a girl after my own heart; I could tell immediately by her Instagram and her thoughtful, well-written blog posts helping newbies adopt a more healthful life. We are both Laura Ingalls in modern day, basically 🙂

This is Nikki.

When I saw that she made her own homemade tooth powder as a replacement for potentially toxic toothpaste, I asked her to share her recipe for homemade tooth powder with you all. She kindly agreed, and I know you all will enjoy the following recipe.

How To Make Homemade Tooth Powder

I’m Nikki from The Little Farm House, guest posting!

I haven’t used toothpaste in over 9 months! Call me crazy but this tooth powder is magic. When I was switching out my icky filled products in my home I got to my toothpaste, I hit a wall. I wanted something that didn’t contain glycerin, which can prevent remineralization. I found a few brands but they were crazy expensive. I’m all about affordable!

I came across several recipes on Pinterest. I was overwhelmed by all the options you can do! But don’t worry, this recipe is here to help!

I wasn’t sure how this was going to go at first. It took me a few days to get used to it because the texture is of course different from conventional toothpaste. The main difference is it doesn’t foam up like the other toothpaste.  

I can say this tooth powder is life changing.

Over the last 9 months I have noticed my teeth are whiter and less sensitive. My mouth just feels cleaner and stays ‘fresher’ longer. It’s hard to put it into words. I always tell people to just try it to get the full experience!

The base or main ingredient is Bentonite Clay. From there you add baking soda, activated charcoal, cinnamon, turmeric, and essential oils.

Let’s look at each ingredient and their importance.

Homemade Tooth Powder Ingredients & Their Uses

Bentonite Clay– when this clay gets wet it expands and changes its electrical charge to a negative charge. It becomes like a sponge that can absorb toxins and heavy metals. At the same time it replaces what it takes away with healthy, strengthening, and replenishing minerals such as calcium and magnesium. This is awesome for remineralization (aka rebuilding of the tooth)!

Activated Charcoal– is effective in absorbing plaque. Because it has a negative charge and is super porous it binds to toxins and doesn’t let go, which results in whiter teeth.

Cinnamon– is loaded with antioxidants and works  as a highly effective anti-inflammatory agent, so healthy gums! It also has amazing antibacterial, antifungal, an antiviral properties, so no stinky breathe and no cavities!

Turmeric– is another great anti-inflammatory agent that aids in the fight against periodontal disease.

Baking Soda– helps whiten teeth by removing stains. It also contains minerals and is alkaline.

Essential Oils– I (Nikki) use Plant Therapy, DoTERRA, and Young Living. Please do your own research on oils before using them. I like to use peppermint, tea tree, clove, and a protective blend (germ fighter/  OnGuard/ Thieves just depends on what brand you go with).

If  you’ve been excited to try essential oils, this is a great recipe to try them with. The Domestic Wildflower suggests DoTerra.

Supplies for Homemade Tooth Powder

• 4 Tablespoons of Bentonite Clay
• 1 teaspoon activated charcoal
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 3-5 drops each of the following essential oils: clove, melaluca, OnGuard (protective blend), and peppermint
• Half pint canning jar

Directions for How to Make Homemade Tooth Powder

1. Add bentonite clay in the jar.
2. Then add your other other powder choices (activated charcoal, baking soda, turmeric, and cinnamon) You can do all or one, whatever you would like!
3. Add the essential oils. I add 3-5 drops a piece. You can pick and choose your oils to suit your tastes and needs.
4. I normally shake the jar from side to side so the oil drops get covered up. Then I place the cap on and roll and shake it till it looks evenly combined.
5. To use I always recommend tapping the water off your tooth brush twice before dipping it in the powder and taking a sip of tap water before brushing. If you don’t have enough moisture in your mouth it will get really dry and no one likes that!
6. Brush as normal.
7. This little jar lasts me 3-4 months if not longer.

Pro Tip: Once you have the powder made up you can keep it in powder form or to turn it into a paste by adding some filtered water or coconut oil to it. I recommend doing this for the kiddos because accidents tend to happen and you don’t want to try to clean up the fine powder!

Here’s the wooden toothbrush that I love (that my sister always makes fun of me for haha!) to accompany your tooth powder.  It’s totally compostable and a great value.

If you would like to learn more about other affordable DIY swaps, raising cattle, farm field work, gardening, preserving, and fantastic food ideas you can head over to https://thelittlefarmhouse95.blogspot.com/. If you choose to subscribe be sure to check your junk folder for the confirmation email.

Happy trails my friends!

Thanks so much to Nikki for this post! I am excited to hear how you all like it! 

Want to know why your succulents keep dying? Need tips for healthy succulents? Read on for how to keep your succulents alive and well with this expert post.

This post contains affiliate links.

Wildflowers, this is a guest post written by an expert gardener because I am a dismal gardener. You know me as a canning enthusiast, probably, and as such, most people assume that I also garden. I don’t. I struggle to keep the pot of mint (which essentially is an invasive weed, if given enough water) by my steps alive. I can, however, grow a fantastic jar of sprouts (read how here) I had so many readers ask questions about gardening I thought I needed to ask for some expert advice. My friend Emma from Fixtures and Flowers shares her best tips for keeping succulents alive and identifying why yours aren’t. Read on for 7 tips for keeping your succulents alive and thriving, Wildflowers!

Growing Succulents

Human beings have an innate desire to nurture and make things grow. This primary drive applies to loved ones, pets and yes especially to the indoor plants and flowers in the backyard garden as well.

For experienced but busy gardeners that still want to make something grow, most peers would recommend growing succulents. They always look beautiful, have a wide variety to choose from and are supposedly easy to take care of. Its common knowledge that succulents don’t need as much water as regular plants.

With everyone saying succulents are very easy to maintain, its a wonder when they end up dying for one reason or another. Killing a succulent can become a severe blow to the ego of a gardener. These are the reasons why the plant died, so all one needs to do is avoid making the same mistake twice, and the next succulents will thrive.

7 Reasons Why Your Succulents Keep Dying

Granted that succulents are supposed to be the easiest plants to care for, almost every gardener has made the mistake of nearly killing or accidentally killing their first succulents.

Overwatering

Too much water can be the death of any succulent which is often the case. When gardeners see any plant, it is pure instinct to water that plant every day. Some catch themselves about to water their succulents a day or two after they watered them and are able to stop themselves.

Most people ignore the reminders of their peers to not water succulents too frequently. Succulents are cacti, but they do look exotic and beautiful, unlike spiky cactuses.

It can be somewhat confusing so watering these eye-catching plants becomes natural and is the most notorious culprit for the death of many succulents.

There are ways on how to save overwatered succulents. The first sign of an overwatered succulent plant is falling leaves. When one notices that a slight bump to the plant results in leaves just dropping to the ground, then that means the plant has been overwatered.

The simplest and most effective way to know the right time to water a succulent is by touching the soil. If the topsoil feels damp then it’s too soon to water the plant again.

One can go a step further to check the moisture in the ground by using a stick or even a finger to push down into about an inch of the soil to review its internal moisture level. There really is no set number of days when one should water succulents.

Pro Tip: Some say every three days should be fine but sometimes even a week later the soil is still moist. It really depends on just how wet the soil is to know the right time to water.

If the succulent has already turned black, don’t worry, one can still save the plant and salvage the situation. Take a pair of shears or scissors and cut out the blackened parts. It is essential to cut the rot from the rest of the healthy plant before it spreads.

In case the succulent is also a cactus, meaning it has thorns, make sure to use gardening gloves before handling the plant.

Removing all the rot from the plant should be enough to save it. The decay is a result of too much watering. Use the tap, stick or finger method to gauge the moisture level of the soil before watering again.

Lack of Water

On the opposite end of the spectrum, some succulents die from being completely ignored. That may work if the plant is located outdoors. If the plant is positioned on an elevated level away from the garden sprinklers, the moisture in the air, morning dew will help water the plant.

If the plant is indoors then ignoring it, could prove to be a death sentence for it. When the leaves of the succulent start to develop wrinkles, then that would mean that the plant is starved for water. Life can be too hectic even to pay attention to a plant but when one notices wrinkles on their succulents make sure to give them a proper watering.

A wrinkly succulent can get back into shape after a couple of watering cycles. Be careful with over watering as that can be more damaging to the plant then under watering it.

The Container Has No Drainage

Some plant containers that come with store-bought succulents don’t have any drainage holes. Drainage holes allow water to flow through the soil and out of the pot. Too much water can cause the succulent plant to rot, so it is also essential to use potting soil that drains well.

For drainage holes, it is a simple matter to create drainage holes under the container. If one is growing the succulent indoors then putting a net or screen on the bottom part of the pot will prevent soil from escaping.

Succulents need good drainage, the right soil and a container that drains well, without these the plant will end up going black, rotting and will eventually die. Using gravel in your garden can help create a soil mix that drains well.   

The Pot is Too Tiny

Some homemakers love the exotic look of succulents, so they buy some and bring them home. The container that the plants come in is usually too small for the plant to grow properly.

After a few months in the same container and when the plant itself seems to have expanded beyond the circumference of the pot then it is time to re-pot the plant.

Succulents that are watered correctly will thrive, but their growth will be limited to the space they are given. Tiny containers will prevent the plant from receiving enough nutrition.

This succulent pot isn’t tiny AND has great drainage.

They Freeze

Most succulents become dormant during the winter months. They do not need to be watered during this time. Some make the mistake of watering them while they are dormant and end up killing their plant.

Watering succulents during winter will cause their roots to rot which will then spread throughout the plant. In case the plants are located outside bring them indoors to protect them from the frost.

The same thing needs to be done in case the area is experiencing a lot of rains, and the succulents are outside, bring them inside the house.

If the succulents are planted into the garden and not in containers, then one can protect them by covering them with a cloth or a plastic bag. It is best to plant them under large trees which can also protect them from the elements.

The Soil Lacks Nutrients

It is ideal to use a good quality potting mix when growing succulents indoors. Since plants derive all the nutrition they need from the surrounding soil, it is essential to provide them with what they need.

High-quality potting mix is a favorite among gardeners since the soil mixture has been optimized to grow plants to their full potential.

Add some compost, natural fertilizers, or slow release fertilizer to the soil, and the plant will be as healthy as can be. Ignore their nutritional needs, and they become prone to disease or even pests.

Try this potting soil for happy succulents! 

It is The Wrong Temperature

Succulents just like any other plant need the right dose of light and darkness. Too much of either and the plant will not grow properly. Too little of both and the succulent’s growth may become stunted.

There are many varieties of succulents, and each kind has their own set of light or shade requirements. Succulents that are green or yellow in color usually prefer the shade. While succulents that are orange or reddish prefer to bask in the sun.

For best results research the light requirements of the succulent or to be safe provide them with equal amounts of sun and shade.

If you’re not sure about the soil’s temperature, try this soil-specific thermometer! 

Succulent Success

Accidentally killing a succulent is not the end of the world. One just needs to evolve and practice the methods above to maintain healthy plants. Always be aware of the correct watering cycle to avoid over or under watering the plant. Protect them from frost and stop watering during the winter. Save dying plants by cutting out the parts that have decayed.

 

About the guest author

Emma is a part-time property developer, part-time home improvements and gardening blogger at Fixtures and Flowers, and full-time Mum. Given her background, Emma has a lot of advice, tips, and tricks that she loves sharing on her blog.

 

Whether you have an appreciation of all things rural, real, and agrarian, because of blood, birth, or by choice, you will love the sentiment behind these words. Read on for 19 Country Girl Quotes!

I’m an English teacher and lover of literature, which is why I decided to compile a list of my favorite lines that put wings on my heart. Here’s to living like a country girl.

Feel free to pin & share any and all of these pretty images. I made them all just for you and I want them to show what you feel in your heart.

You’ll notice a theme in this collection. I think country girls are BOTH lovers AND fighters. I don’t know if it is this crazy election, or that I’m thinking (and subsequently crying) about my little girl going to kindergarten next year, or if it is the fierce love I see in so many shapes and sizes all around me. Here’s to loving, and fighting, and to happiness, Dear Readers. May you be lucky enough to have love worth fighting for, in all its packages.    

Here are the words that move me, and that I think will move you. Love you all, Wildflowers.

19 Country Girl Quotes

“What lies behind us and what lies before us is are small matters compared to what lies within us.”

 

“Always saddle your own horse.”

“She who is brave is free.”

“Speak your mind and ride a fast horse.”

“Comparison is the thief of joy.”

“Do you suppose she’s a Wildflower?”

 

Loving these Country Girl Quotes? You’ll LOVE Inspiration for a Wildflower. 

This is an ebook of essays about friendship, motherhood, life well lived, and more.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

More Country Girl Quotes

“Though she be but little, she is fierce”

 

Shakespeare wrote this often quoted line and it makes me think of a beautiful, petite student I taught. This young lady wrote as an 8th grade student (!) about something difficult she had faced in her life in an essay. She wrote about the fact that she had been kicked by a cow in the face and earned a rather large scar across her pretty cheek. She wrote about being fearful of cattle for a long time afterward, of being worried about how people wouldn’t see HER, but only her scar, and and how she overcame those fears because, like scars, those worries will fade with enough time and patience. It has been years since I graded that essay but I’ll never forget it. While my own four year old daughter is becoming a manifestation of this famous line, this student, who is now in her final year of high school, makes me think of this line every time I see her. It breaks my heart to think of the things that force us to be fierce, like the things others can see like scars, as well as the wounds we have on the inside, but the thing that sets us free from them is feeling that despite size, we can be fierce. 

“The Earth laughs in flowers”

“All your life, you will be faced with a choice. You can choose love or hate…I choose love.” 

The most important part of this line is “choice” because sometimes we forget who is in charge of our feelings. We can choose how we react to situations and we can choose love. Choose it, Wildflowers, and that includes loving ourselves.

“Do small things with great love.”

If I could have met any famous person, from any time, Mother Teresa would be my pick. Her story is a fascinating one and I encourage you to read any of the biographies about her. She wasn’t a nun in a church; she begged hotels for discarded soap to give to orphans in the street with which she’d give them a handwashing lesson so they’d be less likely to suffer from internal parasites. She was a badass and learning how to take more action with greater love is something I know I could improve upon.

“Two feet move your body. Four feet move your soul.”

Even More Country Girl Quotes

“Life is the flower for which love is the honey.” 

“She is clothed in strength and dignity and laughs without fear of the future.” Proverbs 31:25

“Some old fashioned things like fresh air and sunshine are hard to beat.”

I’m reading the Little House series to my kids and it is a true joy. If you haven’t read or need to re-read Laura Ingalls Wilder and her stories of living like a country girl, I suggest you get the series. Young and old alike love them, and they are great read alouds.

I was a little girl on my grandma Glory Ann’s couch when she read the Little House series aloud to us kids and I bet I read the series a dozen times on my own once I could. The pioneer spirit, terrific writing style, and wisdom that we can apply to our modern world makes this one of my all time favorite authors.

“I’d rather be on my farm than be the emperor of the whole world.”

“Simplicity is the ultimate form of sophistication.”

“Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap, but by the seeds you plant.”

Eager to plant something? You might love this post on growing sprouts. 

You can take the girl out of the country, but you can’t take the country out of the girl.

Am I right, Wildflowers? We can’t all stay living in the country. Some of us marry those with great jobs far away, build our empires in the city ourselves, or otherwise travel a road that leads us away from wide open spaces. You’ll spot that country girl by the way she pays attention to the weather, can build a fire in the ski lodge, waves at other drivers on the road, knows what to do when there’s a power outage, is the friendly girl in a crowd, and can solve a problem with brain AND brawn. Country girls are lovers AND fighters. You can quote me on that 😉

If you loved this list of Country Girl Quotes, I hope you’ll check out Inspiration for a Wildflower!