Nearly 20 years ago, we set out to create a self-reliant homestead. Now we produce our own food and our own power, and can tackle whatever craziness this wild world throws at us. If you’re ready take back control from Big Pharma and Big Food and feel confident facing Everyday Emergencies, join us.
Common Sense Home Good News Letter 2/2/25
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"I was brushing my hair the other day and came across one of my "crazy hairs", as I call them. Coarse and grey, sticking out all wild while the hairs next to it were smooth and cooperative. I paused for a moment, considering pulling it out. Then I thought about those I've lost who won't have a chance to have more crazy hairs, and I let it be." I submitted my introduction and first chapter to the publisher this week. Now it's time to celebrate - by writing more chapters. It's a different way of writing than online articles, but hopefully the end product will be worth it. I have to build up new "writing muscles" to speed up my writing so I can tackle more online and off. There are some interesting learning opportunities coming up this month, and I'm looking forward to sharing them with you. First up, the Herbal Academy is hosting its first ever Virtual Herbalism Conference February 16-21, 2025. They have a wonderful lineup of speakers, presenting on topics that are extremely timely, such as:
With over 30 world class herbalists, this conference has something for everyone who is interested in learning how to use plant for food and medicine, and connecting back to our roots. You can register to watch for FREE here - https://commonsensehome--herbalismconferences.thrivecart.com/2025-virtual-herbalism-conference/ I was reading more this week about boosting cellular function and energy levels by spending more time outside (in the Good Energy book), and got curious about how much difference there was between inside and outside light. We have large south facing windows because of our passive solar setup, so our house is brighter than most. Rather than buying a lux meter (which measures brightness), I found a phone app that measures it. Not perfect, but close enough for rough measurements. The difference was impressive. Outside on a sunny day, I had readings up to around 150,000. Inside, standing in the sun, it dropped to around 70,000 to 80,000. Still high, but what a difference two panes of glass make. In our home office, which still has a big window, but is on the north side of the house, the reading dropped to around 100. Even on a completely overcast day, the meter read 6000-7000 lux outside (and 20 in my office without the light on). It was yet another reminder to take breaks from writing and get my backside outside. Have you ever checked the brightness in your home? If you have a cellphone, you should be able to find a free app to measure it. Not enough light during the day and too much at night can cause significant health issues. Just taking small steps like more time outside in the morning (and less screen time at night) can help reset our circadian rhythms to improve our sleep quality and overall health. In other news, our honeybees made it through the (hopefully) worst part of the winter. They took advantage of an unusually warm day this week to do cleansing flights and remove a few dead bees from the hive. August V noticed them outside when he was gathering some kindling, and Duncan and watched them for a while to see how they looked. The ladies were landing on the top of the hive and by the hive entrance, sunning themselves and inspecting each other. It's a little too early for pollen here in northeast Wisconsin, but come March, the trees and shrubs should provide a nice buffet. All our best you you and yours, Laurie (and August IV, August V, and Duncan) This week's featured articles...Speaking of bees... whether you want to raise honeybees or welcome native bees, here are five tips to help you create a bee friendly yard. You may have seen advertisements about this "powerful natural pain reliever" - wild lettuce. We skip the hype and share how to identify this wild plant and how to use it safely. Fires, hurricanes, train derailments, and other disasters have become commonplace in the news. August put together a list to help you prepare a bug out bag for emergencies. |
Laurie Neverman @ Common Sense Home
Nearly 20 years ago, we set out to create a self-reliant homestead. Now we produce our own food and our own power, and can tackle whatever craziness this wild world throws at us. If you’re ready take back control from Big Pharma and Big Food and feel confident facing Everyday Emergencies, join us.
"The tiny killdeer chicks ran along the edge of the road, so small that they almost looked like toys. I'd seen eggs in a nest before, and adults, but never babies. They were tiny, fluff-covered bundles of energy, looking like miniature adults on stilts." We saw some precious little ones on our way to a friend's graduation party last weekend - killdeer chicks. I didn't realize this until I started doing some research, but these chicks are precocial, meaning they’re born ready to go—running...
A few petite blossoms lingered along the path to the coop, strewn like shiny pennies in the sunshine. Though the main bloom time was past, the ever resilient dandelions still put on a bit color here and there, until winter's chill lulled them to sleep for the season. I realized this weekend that I sometimes take wild plants (weeds) for granted. I can't look at a dandelion (or plantain, or lambsquarters, or...) without knowing the plant like an old friend, and thinking about how I could use...
"They looked other-worldly, almost prehistoric. First one enormous ghostly white shape alighted on the pond, followed shortly thereafter by four more. As they moved closer to the house and were no longer blocked from view by the island, their silhouettes became clear - pelicans! Our main pond is not that large, only about 1.3 acres, so we were surprised to see these large water birds stop in. They stayed for less than an hour, but it was a memorable visit." I also found out that pelicans can...