I found this on Facebook and wanted to pin and share.

What a great idea for a back-door Herb Garden.   Put things like thyme (that tends to lay low and trail) on the bottom tier along with Basil (that can get leggy and tall if you don't harvest often enough).  Some oregano and other low growing herbs for the middle tier and rosemary for the top ....

The DH suggests running a pvc pipe or rebar through the holes in the pots to keep them from shifting around.  I think the pvc with holes drilled in it would make a great watering device as well as a stabilizer.  My idea has each pot with it's own bright (think 60's florescent) color ... In Texas and in full sun the black will hold the sun's heat and possibly make it too hot for the plants.  But in semi-shade it would work well.  Most herbs, however, need full sun for an extended period of time.

During the winter months - it would make a great spinach and leaf lettuce garden - that is IF you are using annual type herbs.  In my backyard herb garden I plant spinach and lettuce in the area that later on will be full of basil - basil self-seeds which is so nice.

Last but not least, please note, there is no drainage dish under the large pot.  This is not a good idea for 2 reasons.  1) the water can and will flow straight through the pots and make a mess on the porch beneath it 2) the soil in the pot stack will dry out very quickly and won't have that extra moisture to wick up into itself.

Using God's gifts - great ideas from friends on Facebook .... and making our meals delicious with herbs.  What could beat that??

♪ Raindrops keep falling on my head ♪

The gray and rainy skies of yesterday have given way to bright sunshine today.  Both things Gifts from God that we can make use of especially in providing food for the family and relaxation while working the God-given land.  (*Even if that "land" is composed of pots behind a window or on a city balcony).

The DH came in for lunch and took a look at the new Lemon Balm plants on the kitchen window sill.  "I guess I did something right." says he.  "What's that?" says me.  "I used rain water on the new plants."  Sure enough, the new plants are doing beautifully.  Earlier this season, we lost some broccoli plants to ... you guessed it - regular tap water.  Just one dose was enough to kill them.

We have a couple of 50 gallon "rain barrels" (just old plastic barrels that DH has cleaned out).  These are set up under the rain spouts on the house and with just a drizzle we will have FULL barrels in no time.  Living in Texas we want to take every advantage of harvesting the rain to water our gardens.

It isn't hard to harvest rain water.  You only need a few things -

1. Containers for the water. 
2.  Lids to cover the containers on non-rainy days (or nights) 
3.  A water can that will be easy to fill from your "cistern" or something to transfer the water to a watering can.  

Believe it or not, even a heavy dew will produce some water for plants.  What could be better?  Water that you do NOT have to pay for, is better for your plants, and makes them better for feeding your body.
Like everything today - we need to conserve what God has given us in terms of the earth and our health.

Happy Water Harvesting!!

Dinner is almost DONE!

It certainly has been a red-letter day today when it comes to having my friends (God's gifts) share good things on Facebook!  Here is another recipe for something that sounds like it will melt in your mouth and then some.  Add the Apple Pie Enchiladas to the menu and all I need is a reason to celebrate ... wait a minute...I have that reason. The Lord spared my life on March 3rd (the gallbladder thing was way serious) and that is plenty of reason to celebrate.  So here goes that recipe.

Hot Ham Sammys

Makes 2 dozen 

You will need

• 2 -12 count packages of sweet hawaiian rolls (the small dinner roll looking ones) 
• 1 1/2 lbs of virginia ham (NOT honey ham) 

• 12 slices swiss cheese 

• 1 stick of real butter
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce 

• 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
• 1 teaspoon Onion Powder

• 1 teaspoon poppy seeds

Directions:

1. Using two 9 x 13 pans, place the bottoms of 12 rolls in each pan.

2.  Place ham (about 2 shaved slices or so) on the rolls.

3. Cut the cheese slices into 4 parts and place 2 small pieces on each sandwich.

4. Put the dinner roll tops on.
5. In a sauce pan, mix butter, Worcestershire sauce, onion powder, garlic powder and poppy seeds. Wait until all butter is melted and then brush the melted mixture over the ham sandwiches. 

6. Cover with foil and let sit in fridge for 1 hour or over night. (If you want to bake them right away, you can also.)

7. Preheat oven to 375 and bake for 15 minutes or until cheese is melted. Serve. They are great hot and even at room temperature Enjoy!

2

*I have made these with turkey also and they are good. Not as great as the ham, but they are good.

Comments from others that sound great too....

•  

• We have been making similar sandwiches for years, but with mustard in the "special sauce" like Adam states -- and, the sauce goes on the inside instead of on top of the buns. That gets a bit messy and greasy. We also individually wrap them in foil before baking -- keeping them hot longer.

This recipe comes from about.southernfood.com

Another FB find - Apple Pie Enchiladas

Today is my day for finding great ideas on Facebook.  This one came through a dear friend whom I am sure got it from a friend of hers.  I am definitely going to try this one ... maybe even this weekend when family and friends have a Tex-Mex Pig Out.  The DH suggests adding some chopped pecans to the filling.  Pecans are like bacon ...everything tastes better with pecans.

Apple Pie Enchiladas

• 1 (21 ounce) can apple pie filling
• 6 (8 inch) flour tortillas
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup water

1. Spoon about one heaping quarter cup of pie filling evenly down the center of each tortilla.
2. Sprinkle with cinnamon; roll up, tucking in edges; and place seam side down in prepared dish.
3. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine butter, white sugar, brown sugar and water. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly; reduce heat and simmer 3 minutes.
4. Pour sauce over enchiladas and let stand 45 minutes.
5. Bake in preheated oven 20 minutes, or until golden.

Serve with vanilla ice cream

 

A Gift in a Can ~ WD-40

I find the neatest gifts from God on Facebook of all places!!  Today, it came from You Know You're A Texan When ...  supposedly known to all is that Texans always have 2 things in their tool kits ... Duct Tape and WD-40!  LOL!  My DH has several T-shirts with various cute Duct Tape sayings like "Real Men Use Duct Tape" and "I can fix anything...where's the duct tape?"  But WD-40 who knew?

"Water Displacement #40".
The product began from a search for a rust preventative solvent and degreaser to protect missile parts.
WD-40 was created in 1953, by three technicians at the San Diego Rocket Chemical Company.
Its name comes from the project that was to find a 'Water Displacement' Compound.
They were finally successful for a formulation, with their fortieth attempt, thus WD-40.
The 'Convair Company' bought it in bulk to protect their atlas missile parts.
Ken East (one of the original founders) says there is nothing in WD-40 that would hurt you.
When you read the 'shower door' part, try it.
It's the first thing that has ever cleaned that spotty shower door.
If yours is plastic, it works just as well as on glass.
It's a miracle!
Then try it on your stovetop.
It's now shinier than it's ever been.
You'll be amazed.

DISCLAIMER: here is a link to the company web-site product page ... no guarantees are made by me or anyone else that these ideas actually work ... but if you are from Texas (or just the south) you can say "Hey, ya'll watch this" and see what happens (or not) ..

http://www.wd40company.com/files/pdf/msds-wd494716385.pdf 

WD-40 Uses:
1. Protects silver from tarnishing.
2. Removes road tar and grime from cars.
3. Cleans and lubricates guitar strings.
4. Gives floor that 'just-waxed' sheen without making them slippery.
5. Keeps the flies off of Cows, Horses, and other Farm Critters, as well. (Ya gotta love this one!!!)
6. Restores and cleans chalkboards.
7. Removes lipstick stains.
8. Loosens stubborn zippers.
9. Untangles jewelry chains.
10. Removes stains from stainless steel sinks.
11. Removes dirt and grime from the barbecue grill.
12. Keeps ceramic / terracotta garden pots from oxidizing.
13. Removes tomato stains from clothing.
14. Keeps glass shower doors free of water spots.
15. Camouflages scratches in ceramic and marble floors.
16. Keeps scissors working smoothly.
17. Lubricates noisy door hinges on both home and vehicles doors.
18. It removes that nasty tar and scuff marks from the kitchen flooring.
It doesn't seem to harm the finish and you won't have to scrub nearly as hard to get them off.
Just remember to open some windows if you have a lot of marks.
19. Remove those nasty Bug guts that will eat away the finish on your car if not removed quickly!
20. Gives a children's playground gym slide a shine for a super fast slide.
21. Lubricates gearshift and mower deck lever for ease of handling on riding mowers...
22. Rids kids rocking chair and swings of squeaky noises.
23. Lubricates tracks in sticking home windows and makes them easier to open.
24. Spraying an umbrella stem makes it easier to open and close.
25. Restores and cleans padded leather dashboards in vehicles, as well as vinyl bumpers.
26. Restores and cleans roof racks on vehicles.
27. Lubricates and stops squeaks in electric fans.
28. Lubricates wheel sprockets on tricycles, wagons, and bicycles for easy handling.
29. Lubricates fan belts on washers and dryers and keeps them running smoothly.
30. Keeps rust from forming on saws and saw blades, and other tools.
31. Removes grease splatters from stovetops.
32. Keeps bathroom mirror from fogging.
33. Lubricates prosthetic limbs.
34. Keeps pigeons off the balcony (they hate the smell).
35. Removes all traces of duct tape.
36. Folks even spray it on their arms, hands, and knees to relieve arthritis pain.
37. Florida's favorite use is: 'cleans and removes love bugs from grills and bumpers.'
38. The favorite use in the state of New York, it protects the Statue of Liberty from the elements.
39. WD-40 attracts fish. Spray a little on live bait or lures and you will be catching the big one in no time. Also, it's a lot cheaper than the chemical attractants that are made for just that purpose.
Keep in mind though, using some chemical laced baits or lures for fishing are not allowed in some states.
40. Use it for fire ant bites. It takes the sting away immediately and stops the itch.
41. It is great for removing crayon from walls. Spray it on the marks and wipe with a clean rag.
42. Also, if you've discovered that your teenage daughter has washed and dried a tube of lipstick with a load of laundry, saturate the lipstick spots with WD-40 and rewash. Presto! The lipstick is gone!
43. If you spray it inside a wet distributor cap, it will displace the moisture, allowing the engine to start.

P.S.
As for that Basic, Main Ingredient.......
Well.... it's FISH OIL....

Next stop for me is the store to buy my own can of WD-40.  I'm thinking of also buying a roll of PINK Duct Tape to cover the can with so the DH knows it is MY can of WD-40.

God given ways to FIGHT Mosquitoes

Well, it has been over a month since I posted here.  Life sure got hectic in a hurry.  My dear son and his precious family moved back to Texas from Virginia.  How glad we are to have them nearby again.  Then on March 3rd, I needed emergency surgery for gall-bladder removal ... the rest of the time has been dedicated to a long term recovery.  Praise the Lord, I am back!

Just this morning I found this post on Facebook and wanted to share it with you.  We had many cases of West Nile Virus in our area last summer and I want to be prepared for the Great Mosquito Fight.  I don't know if this will work or not - but hey, it is worth a try isn't it??  Better than getting bitten by mosquitoes.

HEALTH - LEARN TO MAKE A SIMPLE MOSQUITO TRAP       

Items needed:

1 Cup Water
1/4 Cup of Brown Sugar
1 Tablespoon Yeast
2-liter plastic bottle (top cut off and inverted inside)

How to:
One. Cut the plastic bottle (PET type) in half. Storing the neck portion:
2nd. Mix brown sugar with hot water. Let cool. When cold, pour in the bottom half of the bottle.
3rd. Add the yeast. No need to mix. It creates carbon dioxide.
4th. Place the funnel part, upside down, into the other half of the bottle.
5th. Wrap the bottle with something black, minus the top, and put in some corner of your house.

In two weeks you will see the amount of mosquitoes who died inside the bottle.

In addition to cleaning their homes, breeding sites of mosquitoes, we can use this very useful method in: Schools, Nurseries, Hospitals, homes, ranches, farms, ranches, nurseries. etc.

Recalculated to measurements used in the USA

from http://www.facebook.com/mon.reyes.12
Original Post: http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10201051898006597&set=a.2372074708262.2142409.1442346600&type=1&theater


Let me know if you make one (or several) of these and how they work.  I am going to make some for sure and will give an update with my results.

Another thing you may want to consider - especially if you are a gardener - is to plant mosquito UN-friendly plants around your patio, yard, doorways etc.    Here is a list of 26 possibilities that I have pinned on pinterest.  I hope you can find something to help keep you and your family bite free (or almost free) this summer.

http://pinterest.com/pin/447263806713432559/