Like to dry your own herbs and make your own spice blends? Then, start saving the lids off of your Parmesan cheese bottles. They’re a perfect fit for regular-mouth canning jars.
Just screw one onto a half-pint or full-pint jar, and you’ll have a spice jar that’s every bit as nice as any store-bought version (and with loads more room, too).
A well-made wooden spoon is a joy to cook with. I have my great grandmother’s wooden spoon, a couple hand-carved spoons that I bought from a local craftswoman and a couple more oldies that I picked up at estate sales. I love them all. The weight of them. The way they fit my hand. Their beautiful shape. Their wood grain. Using them just makes me happy.
I want them to last a long time – long enough for me to pass them on to my daughters, so I take care of them. I seasoned each of one when I got it, and I re-season them regularly. It only takes a few minutes, and it’s well worth the effort.
Feel the same way about your wooden spoons? Here’s how to season them:
Pick up a bottle of usp-grade (aka food-grade) mineral oil from the drugstore or hardware store.
Step 1: Use a rag to apply a thick coat of the mineral oil to your spoons. Be sure to work with the grain.
Step 2: Give the oil several hours to soak in.
Step3: Then, come back, and wipe off the excess.
Repeat the process at least once a month.
Seasoning a New Wooden Spoon?
The wood will probably be a lot thirstier. If you find that the spoon has absorbed all of the oil that you applied, give it a second coat. Still thristy? Do a third coat. Keep going until you have an excess of oil on the surface of the spoon.
Washing Your Wooden Spoons
Seasoning your wooden spoons is only one part of caring for them. If you want them to last, keep them out of the dishwasher. Hand-wash them in soapy water (don’t submerge them). Then, dry them off, and set them out to finish air drying.
Take care of your wood cutting boards and someday they’ll be heirlooms. It only takes a few minutes each month to keep them in tip top condition.
Just pick up a bottle of usp-grade mineral oil (also sold as food-grade mineral oil) from the drug store or hardware store, and follow these steps:
Step 1: Use a rag to apply a heavy coat of mineral oil to your cutting board, following the direction of the grain.
Step 2: Give the oil a few hours to soak in.
Step 3: Then, wipe off the excess.
Repeat the process monthly, or whenever your cutting boards seem a bit dry.
Oiling your cutting boards will prevent them from…
Have a new cutting board?
Season it before you use it for the first time by applying a heavy coat of mineral oil; allowing it to soak in for several hours; then repeating the process again and again until it stops absorbing oil.
Washing Your Wood Cutting Boards
How you care for your cutting boards in between oilings is just as important. Never submerge them in water or run them through the dishwasher. Just wash them off with warm, soapy water after each use; dry them with a towel; and allow them to air dry before putting them away.
Attracting butterflies to your garden starts with having the right plants, but if you want them to stick around, you also need to give them a place to hibernate and lay their eggs. This butterfly house does just that, and it’s easy to build.
What You’ll Need:
What You Do:
Pictured left to right. 1st row: roof panel, bottom block, roof block; 2nd row: left side, front panel, back panel, right side
Step 1: Measure and cut the lumber to size:
Out of the 1″ x 6″ x 8′ cut …
Left side - 5-1/2″W x 21-7/8″L* (*Note: Back edge is 21-7/8″L, and front edge is 16-3/8″L. This will give you a 45 degree roof pitch)
Right side - 5-1/2″W x 21-7/8″L* (*Note: Back edge is 21-7/8″L and front edge is 16-3/8″L. This will give you a 45 degree roof pitch)
Back panel - 5-1/2″W x 21-7/8″L (Cut the board to the proper length. Then, set the circular saw to 45 degrees, and bevel the top edge)
Front panel - 5-1/2″W x 17-1/8″L (Cut the board to the proper length. Then, set the circular saw to 45 degrees, and bevel the top edge)
Bottom block - 5-1/2″W x 4″L
Roof block - 5-1/2″W x 6-1/8″L (Cut the board to proper length; bevel the front edge at 45 degrees; then, flip it over; and bevel the back edge at 45 degrees.
Out of the 1″ x 10″ x 12″ cut …
Roof panel - 8-1/2″W x 11-1/4″L Cut the board to the proper size, and bevel the front and back edges, just as you did for the roof block.
Step 2: Attach the sides to the back panel.
Step 3: Attach the bottom.
Step 4: Attach the front panel.
Step 5: Center the roof block on the roof panel. Then, attach it with finishing nails, and set it aside.
Step 6: Mark the butterfly slot locations. Eight in total.
Step 7: Drill a hole at the top and bottom of each slot.
Step 8: Then, finish cutting the slots with a jigsaw.
Step 9: Sand away any splinters.
Step 10: Gather some small tree limbs and bark, and stick them inside the house. Then, set the roof into place (Do not attach the roof with nails; it’s supposed to be removable).
Step 11: Find a sunny spot in your garden for your butterfly house, and wait for butterflies to move in.
For more information about how to attract butterflies to your garden, check out this article by the National Wildlife Federation.
Leaky garden hoses are an easy fix. Once you learn how to repair your own, you may just find yourself rescuing hoses from curb piles, like I do.
Ready to give it a try? Here’s how it’s done …
Step 1: Turn the water on and pinpoint the location of the leak.
Step 2: Cut out the leaky section of the hose with a utility knife (Be sure to turn the water off first).
Step 3: Loosen the screws on the hose clamps, and slide one onto each end of the cut hose.
Step 4: Insert the coupler into each hose end. It’ll take a bit of twisting, turning and grunting to get it to go in.
Step 5: Slide the clamps down to the site of the repair, and tighten the screws.
Step 6: Turn the water on, and check for leaks.
