Thunderwolf Ranch

Dealing with Moles in the Garden

{ Posted by Crystal Miller }
{ 12:39, 2009-Jul-5 } { 0 comments } { Link }

Moles are such a huge nuisance in my garden. They dig tunnels all through and wreak havoc with my veggies, uprooting them and such. The watering we do sometimes ends up down the mole hole instead of the plant roots. I was getting very tired of fighting them for another year. So I started doing a little research on how to get them out of my garden. Poison was my first thought.. but I didn’t want that stuff in my garden. Traps are effective but expensive. So I looked for more affordable remedies. I came up with one that is easy to do. You make a mixture of castor oil and Joy dish soap (2:1 ratio). You add a few tablespoons of this mixture to a gallon of water and pour it down their holes.

I have been doing this with some success. The reason it can work is that moles have a heightened sense of smell and can’t stand the smell of castor oil. They also don’t like the feel of it on them. After a couple of applications some of the holes were not bothered any more but I still had some. So the next time I put in more of the castor oil mix into my gallon of water and made the applications a little stronger. I had been using 2 to 3T tablespoons per gallon.. so I doubled that. Well I am happy to say that yesterday while in the garden I saw that all my mole holes had not been disturbed again.. so success maybe? We will see.

If my pesky mole just makes holes in other areas of the garden I will try another solution I read the other day and that is bubble gum. You drop pieces of bubble gum (or Juicy Fruit I also read they like) into their holes. The reviews I read said this was effective and will end the problem permanently! I guess their digestive systems can’t handle gum.. they are eaters not chewers.. haa.. haa. So if castor oil does not solve the problem.. I will try bubble gum.

Just thought I would share this bit of mole info for anyone else battling them in their gardens this summer..

Inspiration and Creation.

{ Posted by Valkyrie }
{ 10:25, Sunday, July 5, 2009 } { 0 comments } { Link }

"Conditions for creativity are to be puzzled; to concentrate; to accept conflict and tension; to be born everyday; to feel a sense of self."---Erich Fromm

I'm working on a rolling needle holder for my knitting needles. I chose the one from the blog Alexandra Knits
it has multiple pocks for different sized needles, double points and circulars. It's versatile and the design is simple.

However, it's been YEARS since I've done any serious sewing. I recently purchased a new Brother sewing machine. It's divine! I've fiddled with it, played with all the stitches it can do, learned how to use the automatic threading feature and loaded a few bobbins. It's so smooth and easy to use compared to my 60 year old Kenmore. Don't get me wrong, I love my in cabinet Kenmore, but it's a chugger. I may take it in for an overhaul yet.

I also dragged out my Baby-Lock serger, cleaned it up and oiled it. I had to look through the user manual for a refresher. Wow, I also found the original receipt from 1987, when my parents bought it for my 25th birthday.

Pulling out my supplies that have been nestled in the antique tiger oak buffet, that has kept everything safe and secure all these year and through 3 moves, my mind drifted to those days and nights slouched over my machines piecing together projects. I was never good at sewing, mostly due to my impatient desire for the finished project. That has always been my downfall. Impatience. The willingness to allow mistakes to remain if it meant being that much closer to finished.

The years have mellowed me, I guess. Yesterday I actually, not only ripped out a seam I had just completed, but re-cut 2 pieces when I noticed how crooked they had turned out. Working with silky acetate material can be a challenge when cutting. I had chosen this project to improve my rotary cutting wheel skills which wasn't the wisest choice of material.

Another thing I was able to do that I was not able to accomplish 20 years ago, when my back got sore and I felt myself getting frustrated, I quietly and resolutely put everything away, cleaned up my working area and walked away to do something else. Never before would I have done that, I would have just charged through the project, crooked lines be darned. It was a new feeling, a good feeling. I wasn't angry, like I would have been so many years ago, I wasn't frustrated, sweating and hurting. I simply thought to myself, "well, I think I've worked on this long enough, I want this to turn out nice, so I think I'll go do something else for a while."

I enjoyed my dinner and when I thought about going back to the project, I waved the thought away with, "Nah, I need a break, I'll pick it back up tomorrow." Which I will likely do after this post.

There's a glow inside me now. It's not just knowing that my youth wasn't such a waste as I've thought over the last 10 years. It's learning that being older comes with wisdom that I didn't have then. It's feeling the warmth of creativity and inspiration, this time without the harried frustration.

I've learned something else over the last week. I'm happiest and most content when I'm being creative. I spend a lot of my time working, taking care of our homestead and, of all things, playing "World of Warcraft". I enjoy all those things. But when knitting, spinning, sewing, beading and other crafty creative things, that's when I bask in a glowing sense of self.

Amish Vanilla Pudding Friendship Bread with Starter

{ Posted by Jennifer }
{ 11:30, Sunday, July 5 } { Posted in Recipes } { 1 comments } { Link }

I recently bought a loaf of homemade friendship bread at a local market. I had never had any before, but this was DELICIOUS! Lucky for me it had a label with all the ingredients on it, so I decided to try to find a recipe that included all of the listed ingredients. One item was instant vanilla pudding, so this made my search much easier. I found several that would probably be pretty much the same, but picked this one to try mainly because it had the starter recipe along with it.

Starter

Day 1:
2 cups flour
1 cup warm water
1/4 ounce dry yeast

Stir the ingredients together well in a large bowl. Cover lightly with plastic wrap and let sit for 24 hours.

Day 2:
1 cup milk
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour

Add to Day 1 mixture, and stir well. Cover lightly with plastic wrap.

Day 3, 4 and 5: Stir.

Day 6:
1 cup milk
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour

Add to previous mixture; stir well.

Day 7, 8 and 9: Stir.

Day 10:
1 cup milk
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour

Add and stir well.

Fill 3 containers with 1 cup of starter. Give two of the containers away (along with the recipes). Store the remaining container in the refrigerator. This will leave enough starter to make the bread. To keep the starter going, start the process over at the step for day two. Use the container you saved in the refrigerator as the step for day one.

Vanilla Pudding Friendship Bread
1 cup starter
1 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup milk
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped nuts (optional)
1 large box instant vanilla pudding

Mix the starter, vegetable oil, milk, eggs and vanilla extract.

In another bowl, mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, baking soda, nuts and vanilla pudding. Combine the two mixtures together and stir well. Pour into two large, well greased and sugared loaf pans. Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour.

and a broken foot.....

{ Posted by Chimicole }
{ 09:04, Sunday, July 5, 2009 } { 1 comments } { Link }

I came home this AM as usual, nothing out of the ordinary, everything calm. So, same as every other morning, I sit down at my computer, check my email and eat some breakfast (dinner?).
As I had kicked off my shoes and was readying myself for bed, here come the dogs, wanting to go out, and I oblige. I figure surely my DH isn't far behind, since the dogs sleep in our room too.....
I wait.... no DH....... is he in the bathroom? I wait.... no DH.....

I hear a voice coming from the living room... "Ju? Ju? Will you c'mere?"

So I get up and go to the living room, to see my precious babydoll leaning on the TV stand, holding his left foot slightly in front of him, and he has an awful grimace of pain on his face.....

I help him to his chair and he tells me that Riley, our Great Dane, was "freaked" by the fireworks that folks in our neighborhood had last night, and ran out the back door, past my husband, knocking him down. He said it happened about 10:30 last night, and it is now, 8:30 in the morning!

He said he didn't want to tell me cause he knew what I'd make him do..... that's right, go to the hospital and get it checked. Which we did, and it is broken. In the words of the ER doc, my precious husband has an "acute left 5th metatarsal bone fracture"

We"ve just spent the past 3 hours in ER, 2 hours and 50 minutes were spent waiting.

I think... yes, I do think...... it's time to relax.

Swallows Nesting

{ Posted by LaVonne }
{ 08:07, Sunday, July 5, 2009 } { 0 comments } { Link }

For today's post, click back to the Tropical Montana post to see some additional pictures of the Swallows nesting in my garden. You can also just scroll down to the July 2 posting.

My Favorite Holiday July 4th!

{ Posted by Chella }
{ 10:06, Saturday, July 4, 2009 } { 0 comments } { Link }

Well folks the 4th is almost over, and I am sad. Although we had a lot of people in our house this week it will be sad when everyone leaves in the morning.

I love this Holiday because I love my Country, please pray for the soliders past and present and future that love the Country enough to protect it for us.
And also pray for their families, because they pay a hefty price for our freedom as well.

Love to all!
Chella

Happy Birthday, America

{ Posted by Amy }
{ 8:45 PM, Saturday, July 4, 2009 } { 0 comments } { Link }

"If My people, who are called by my name, shall humble themselves and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked way, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land."

We had a simple day today, but a very good day. I don't have to have big parties and get togethers or go to parades or firework shows...I just love being with my family doing nothing at all. Don't get me wrong, going places is fun, but I am a homebody and as long as my family is home with me, I am great!! One of the best parts was eating the homemade ice cream that my daughter made. I will fill you in later on one of the other things we did today, but it will take more time and detail right now than my mind will allow.

SIDEBAR....

For anyone who read my blog a couple of days ago about the pressure canner that I prayed for...Guess what...I found one this morning at the first booth I went to at a local flea market. Thank you Lord Jesus, I will put it to good use.

Swallowtail butterfly

{ Posted by LKS }
{ 05:26, Saturday, July 4, 2009 } { 0 comments } { Link }

I missed the best picture. On my way in to the house there were 3 of these beautys on the same flower. I ran for my camera & when I came back only this one was left. But isn't he/she gorgeous?

"Tiny caterpillar, climbing up a tree

He wiggles & he wiggles & he wiggles back to me

I put him in a box, "Don't go away" I said

But when I opened up the box, a butterfly instead!

I can never make one, even if I try

Only Jesus Christ can make a butterfly."

Blessings.

Price my $pace at Nesting Place

{ Posted by The Simple Nester }
{ 06:03, Sunday, July 5, 2009 } { 0 comments } { Link }

Ok, I know that my post is NOT really in line with what Nester is proposing - her main goal was to allow people to share how LITTLE they paid for their DIY/remodeling/decorating projects. Our bathroom remodel wasn't done on a shoestring budget in that sense of the word. However, after watching HGTV for the last 6 months and seeing people pay up to $25,000 for ONE bathroom remodel, I am very happy with what we spent on ours! You can click here to see the before photo.

See, I needed to get the remodel "right" the first time because we are NOT going to do it again. The most change I'll make in this room from now on is a shower curtain and towels - LOL! We knew we wanted to gut the room, removing everything but the tub unit. We had a 12-inch dropped down ceiling above the sink area and I wanted it GONE!! I took my time looking at lots of pictures in decorating books and online pictures of bathrooms so that I would end up with exactly what I want. The bathroom has no window, so I opted for bright yellow paint. The dark wood and accessories complement what is in the rest of my house. I'm thrilled with the results and am happy to say that we stayed on budget as I had set aside $2000 for this remodel.

Here is where we are at this point (Sunday evening, July 5th).

We were hoping to have the remodel done by the end of my husband's vacation, but just about everything that could happen on Sunday did and so we still have a lot more to do. We hope to be done by next weekend and I'll post the final pictures when the room is all done and decorated.

I estimate the total cost for this remodel to be about $1915. The breakdown of costs for the bathroom remodel are below (retail only - no taxes. Taxes would bring it up to $2084). I think the best find was the vanity. I saw similar items online for 2-3 times as much as we paid for it. The marble top goes really well with the floor tiles.

- vanity $498 (Lowe's) included marble tile top and drop in sink

- faucet set $118 (Home Depot on sale - retail was $198) - the left hand is the soap dispenser which is refillable from the top (yea!) and the right hand side is the on/off lever.

- lighting $176 (Lowe's) including vanity lighting and fan light

- toilet $168 (Lowe's - Jacuzzi Era)

- travertine tiles $107 (Lowe's - 16 tiles @ $6.68 each which worked out to $2.97/sq. ft - I thought that was a great price for beautiful natural stone tile!)

- beadboard and all trim $186 (Home Depot - bathroom friendly PVC composite)

- floor air vent cover $11 (Lowe's)

- all other supplies $423 (for use in tiling, dropped ceiling and wall repair, installing beadboard, painting, updating electrical, etc)

- bath decor $100 (TJMaxx, Ross - shower rod and hooks, set of towels, vanity accessories, curtain (in photo below), toilet bowl cleaner, picture, peg board to hang over shower for wet items like swimsuits and towels)

- shelf to go over toilet (in the picture above), hand towel holder, & three-hook robe hanger $100?? (Southern Living at Home - I'm a consultant and get all of my SLaH at discount, so not sure what I paid exactly!)

- already own the mirror to go above sink (bought supplies to refinish it to match the vanity) ; still need to buy free-standing toilet paper holder (saw some at TJMaxx for around $20) and a towel holder. I think I'm going to get a double-towel holder by Moen at Big Lots for $7. I have a lamp to put on the counter - and I LOVE lamps in each room, but I'm not sure we have room for me to use it in this room.

So, there you have it - the honest truth of what our remodel cost. Although not exactly cheap, we saved up for this project and are very happy with the results so far. Final pictures coming soon!

Let freedom ring!

{ Posted by LKS }
{ 05:21, Saturday, July 4, 2009 } { 1 comments } { Link }

Happy Independence Day!

Blessings.

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The Seven Pillars Of Health by Don Colbert
Grandma's Wartime Kitchen By Joanne Lamb Hayes
For The Land OF the Lost By Hinno
Earth Children 5 Book Set By Jean M. Auel

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