Laundry Day + Homemade Detergent = Perfect

aundry day at the cottage yesterday. I finally got a good day to hang out a couple of loads of sheets and towels. The weather was nice with temperatures in the 40s and a nice breeze. I couldn't wait to jump into bed last night. There is nothing to compare to the smell and feel of line dried bed linens. I haven't been happy with my laundry detergent for quite some time. Everything I buy is too highly scented. I don't like many scents except citrus, spice, and vanilla. I am especially not fond of floral smelling anything except flowers themselves. I finally used up a tub of powdered stuff from Costco that literally took my breath away when I took off the lid. And it didn't get my gardening clothes clean either. I got some liquid from Costco last trip and it is even smellier though it did a pretty good job of cleaning. I am taking it back. I read a bunch of recipes online for a simple homemade natural detergent and this is what I made. I grated one bar of Octagon soap with the big side of my box grater. Then I put these shavings in my food processor and buzzed until I had tiny pellets. (This step was my idea and it worked perfectly.) I dumped these pellets in a stainless steel mixing bowl and added one cup of Borax and one cup of Washing Soda. I mixed it all together and then transferred the mixture to an airtight container. It smelled fresh, that's all. I have a front-loading washing machine that requires low-sudsing HE detergent. The blogger who wrote this recipe (altered a bit by me) said this would work well in such a machine. And would you believe you only need 2 Tablespoons for an entire load? When I took the clothes out, guess what they smelled like? NOTHING. Perfect. After a day on the line the bedding smelled like sunshine and wind. The photo was taken yesterday just to prove that we can still have nice weather and blue skies with white puffy clouds in January. I am going to do a dark load or two today. xxoo Rosemary

Here is a link with 10 homemade laundry soap recipes.
This is a photo of my finished product. I put it in a tall glass jar that once held dry roasted peanuts. It's perfect. I can roll it around and mix everything up to evenly distribute all the ingredients before every load. I have darks in the washer right now. So happy!

Audrey Hepburn Stamp With Quote

I never tire of reading about the inspirational Audrey Hepburn, do you? "Others matter more than you do, so don't fuss, dear, get on with it." Now what could be more to the point and funny too? She was beautiful inside and out. Love her, Rosemary.




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No-Knead Bread Video + Recipe

Mark Bittman, a.k.a. The Minimalist, visits The Sullivan Street Bakery and watches Jim Lahey make his famous No-Knead Bread. The secret is letting time do all the work. I've made it and it is easy and delicious. Jim says even a 6 year old can make it.



Recipe and short article from The New York Times. This is great bread using only 4 ingredients. All-purpose flour, yeast (the instant variety), salt, and water. You stir it all up and let it sit. Watch the video and you'll be a pro in no time. This recipe has been around for quite a long time, since 2006. This is for those of you who haven't tried it yet. Winter is the perfect time for some nice crusty bread fresh from the oven. Enjoy, Rosemary.

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My Dog's Brain | Stephen Huneck

My Dog's Brain by Stephen Huneck. My dust jacket is somewhat skuffed but the interior is perfect. It's full of wonderful illustrations about a dog's life by the very talented Vermont artist who passed away less than 2 weeks ago. The image can be enlarged so you can more clearly see what's on Sally's mind. Yes, the black labrador dog's name is Sally.

R.I.P. Stephen Huneck 1948-2010




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Extreme Birding | The Big Year | Fowl Obsession

I don't know when I've been so entertained by a book on birding. Actually this is the first one I've ever read and I am only on page 181 of 268. This was the top book at the free book exchange at my local Post Office one day last week and I snatched it up immediately. I was thrilled that the upcoming long weekend would be the perfect time to sit down with it. It is wonderful. THE BIG YEAR, A Tale of Man, Nature and Fowl Obsession by Mark Obmascik. I really can't put it down but I had to this morning because I had a real estate showing.

It is the tale of many world-class birders in the US who took off for one year to see how many birds they could see. This isn't a sport/hobby for sissies. You have to be tough and it helps to have money because it can be very expensive. Some did it on the cheap and were successful too.

I don't want to ruin it for you but I can promise you will learn a lot about the inside of a true birder's head and be totally entertained with the trials and tribulations of this competitive sport that's so much more than a hobby. Even couch birdwatchers will love it. Go to the library right now and reserve it. I know you'll be happy you did. Rosemary
I blogged about another book on birding but still haven't read LIFE LIST by Olivia Gentile. Maybe that will be next on my list.




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Sassafras Tree With Three Different Leaf Shapes

Today was a great day for me. I stayed in my pajamas all day and read, watched movies and had a lovely time. It was dark, gloomy and rainy outside anyway so there was no guilt. I looked through old photos and was reminded of last spring when I photographed new leaves just beginning to appear on my Sassafras tree. It's not unusual to see three different leaf shapes on one branch. I love it. Enjoy the rest of your long weekend. Rosemary




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A Pile Of Newly Cut Logs

ll of this firewood that was cut on May 29th last year is almost gone. I hope I will get buttercups in this same spot again. They were so beautiful. You can never tell where they will pop up since they like to jump around from year to year. I had a very busy day yesterday with real estate customers, both buyers and sellers. I think this will be a good year.
I am finally beginning to feel like my old self after the first cold I've had in 3 years. I am not a complainer, I just like to suffer in silence. Now that I'm better, I don't mind telling about it. Webster was the one who suffered the most because his walks were not nearly as plentiful as he would have liked. We played ball yesterday now that all of the snow has melted and that made him very happy. He got the "crazy runs" and made me laugh as he zoomed around at 90 miles an hour. He wore himself out.
Enjoy your Sunday. I know I will. Rosemary

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Beautiful Sunrise

A beautiful sunrise is definitely one of the rewards for getting up early. This was the view out my window one morning earlier in the week. Today is almost like spring. No coat needed, a vest is plenty. So nice. Enjoy your weekend, Rosemary.




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Jane Austen Exhibit At The Morgan Library and Museum

"A Woman's Wit: Jane Austen's Life and Legacy," a new exhibition of letters, engravings and manuscripts at the Morgan Library & Museum, is drawn from the institution's extensive Austen holdings. Slideshow via The New York Times Read more in the NYTimes article.
Exhibit runs through March 14 at the Morgan, 225 Madison Avenue at 36th Street; (212) 685-0008; themorgan.org

Have a great weekend, Rosemary.




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My Favorite New Year's Card | Letterpress

This is by far my favorite New Year's card. My friend Richard McGeehan always uses the best letterpress stationery. My photo doesn't do the card justice. The wonderful paper is almost as thick as a coaster and the impression is very deep. Thank you Richard.

Here is his design website: http://www.mcgeehandesign.com/

He is very talented and we have been friends for years. The website is relatively new and doesn't begin to show his true talent.




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Dog Rules For Property Ownership

Very cute. via




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Life's Little Instruction Book, page 152

Great advice from H. Jackson Brown, Jr.




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Quiz: What Font Type Are You?

This site is wonderful. You answer four questions and the perfect font is picked out for you based on your answers. Make up a name. The password is 'character'. You must do this before you can enter the site. It is fabulous. What type are you? Wasn't that fun?
The resident psychiatrist told me I am Marina Script.




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Orangutan And Dog Are Soul Mates

One of my readers (she has a brand new blog) sent me a wonderful video this morning about a very unusual friendship between an orangutan and a dog at the Tigers Sanctuary in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Watch it. It will definitely make your day. It's very uplifting and so happy. Enjoy.




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