Nontoxic ant repellent for home interiors

Last year when I posted about our ant problem, a friend of mine posted her suggestion for ridding our living area of ants. Baby powder.

Baby powder? No way. I was so skeptical, I never tried it. But this year rolled around and the boys had so many ants crawling on the ceiling and walls around their beds, the big black yucky ant kind, that I needed a nontoxic repellent to eradicate ants since it was in their sleeping area. I remembered her suggestion and decided it was worth a shot. The worst it would do is make the house smell like a clean baby's butt.

So I went around and puffed baby powder along the wall, floor, and ceiling cracks where we had ants and beyond, and watched and waited.

Within 24 hours, we saw a 99% reduction in ants! The day before I applied the powder, the kids counted the killing tally and within an hour were in the 30s. The next day I saw one ant on the wall.

I wondered if it was a fluke or just a dramatic answer to prayer, so I asked God to show me. The next day I happened to look at the doorway threshold and saw an ant writhing in the powder like he's eaten ant poison. Amazing!

Thanks, Kelly, wherever you happen to be, today. Your suggestion reversed the ant invasion on our family!

Check out more Works for Me Wednesday posts at Rocks In My Dryer.

---

Tech Tags: ant ant killer house natural ant killer nontoxic bugs infestation remedy solution

Bookmark It Technorati Stumble It Blogmarks Del.icio.us Digg it Flog this! Furl Linkroll Simpy Spurl TalkDigger Stumble It!           Content including images © 2005-present by Brandy Brow except as noted in policy.

Green Up Day in Vermont

Today is Green Up Day in Vermont, the one day in spring reserved for road-side clean up by Vermont residents, all volunteer. The first Green Up Day, according to Green Up Vermont, was April 18, 1970 in response to reporter Robert S. Babcock, Jr.'s reaction to the mounds of litter from spring thaw he saw along the road during a commute to work at the Burlington Free Press. Green Up Day has been going ever since.

We did not participate this year because I was unavailable, but several area locals did. CJ and her Girl Scout troupe greened up Vermont last year. I recall doing it as a Girl Scout, too. I hadn't heard of Green Up Day prior to our troupe's participation, but it felt great knowing that picking up trash along the road made a difference. Besides, I felt important and privileged walking along the road with cars going by.

I understand New Hampshire has a Green Up Day, as well as Vermont. I wonder if any other states or towns have similar things. If you have participated in a Green Up Day or similar event, I'd love to hear your experience.

---

Tech Tags: environment ~ Green Up Day ~ Vermont ~ litter

Bookmark It Technorati Stumble It Blogmarks Del.icio.us Digg it Flog this! Furl Linkroll Simpy Spurl TalkDigger Stumble It!           Content including images © 2005-present by Brandy Brow except as noted in policy.

Garden Co-ops

Opinion Polls & Market Research

After some incredible high April temps and dry weather that made a dust bowl around here, we're finally getting much needed rain. Vegetation is the greenest I've seen it in months and I noticed yesterday grass is starting to grow. When we first moved in here, I wondered if we'd ever see grass, but I think God orchestrated his creation so there are seeds in just about any soil. (Well, maybe not the clay stuff...)

Speaking of seeds and soil, we haven't tried a garden here for two reasons:

1. I think I'm garden handicapped.
2. I doubt anything will grow in sandy soil.

The first I can take care of by educating myself. There are some great gardening websites and books. The second, I can now solve much easier than buying top soil thanks to my friend. Yesterday she asked me if I was interested in sharing a garden with her.

A garden co-op? Whodathunkit? We must be in tune with each other, perhaps by God's spirit since she loves Jesus too, because if you read yesterday's post, you know I mentioned growing food. I just didn't know how I was going to succeed at it with our sandy soil.

So now the two of us are going to grow a garden at her house where she already has a designated garden plot, and we'll get to share quality time, soak up lovely sunshine and it's precious vitamin D through our much-needed sunblock, give our kids regular play time together, and save money on vegetables! This is a perfect setup for someone like me who is garden green, as in don't-know-nothing-'bout-planting.

If you are planning a garden, why not ask a friend or two if they want to go in with you? Or if you want to save money but don't have the space, ask some of your land-wealthy friends if they might be interested in a garden co-op. Or maybe you have land, but don't know how to garden. Get some friends and learn gardening together. You don't even need that much space. The return might be worth turning a postage stamp parcel's tiny lawn into a garden for a season.

Garden co-ops--what a great way to grow friendships, food, and that green wallet stuff.

---

Tech Tags: garden co-op grow plant save money share weather

Bookmark It Technorati Stumble It Blogmarks Del.icio.us Digg it Flog this! Furl Linkroll Simpy Spurl TalkDigger Stumble It!           Content including images © 2005-present by Brandy Brow except as noted in policy.

Beach Sand

Sand.

It's all over our driveway, and when rain stays away, sand gets everywhere. Especially when the boys and Jim go wheeling on the four wheeler and go cart.

It's perfect sand box sand and feels just like walking on the beach. We ought to package this stuff and sell it.

---

Technorati Tags: sand ^ driveway ^ beach sand

---

Bookmark It Technorati Stumble It Blogmarks Del.icio.us Digg it Flog this! Furl Linkroll Simpy Spurl TalkDigger Stumble It!           Content including images © 2005-present by Brandy Brow except as noted in policy.

Fire on the Mountain

This is why fireworks are illegal in several states. And if they aren't it's wise to never ignite fireworks close to forested areas in dry seasons. I took this picture on the way home from a nearby town, in Vermont where fireworks are illegal, but this mountain is in New Hampshire where they are not.

It took firefighters several hours to get the fire creeping up the hill under control, but they finally did. Fortunately, Rattlesnakes didn't come down into the town this time like they did many years ago when another fire raged up the mountain. That first time garnered a nickname for the mountain: Rattlesnake Mountain.

---

Technorati Tags:  fire ^ mountain ^ fireworks ^ safety

---

Bookmark It Technorati Stumble It Blogmarks Del.icio.us Digg it Flog this! Furl Linkroll Simpy Spurl TalkDigger Stumble It!           Content including images © 2005-present by Brandy Brow except as noted in policy.

BYB Sunday: Ticks & Poison Ivy

Welcome to Blog Your Blessings Sunday.

We've seen three ticks, so far this spring, one of them in my 1 year old daughter's ear. AAAAHHHHH! Fortunately, it was walking around and was easy to remove. However, the incident started me on another round of "I hate living in the woods. I hate perpetual camping." Especially now that we have a dog.

As I parked the car after returning from church, today, I muttered "home, dirt, home" and then watched the dust settle in our driveway. Something triggered the memory of our former home and the poison ivy spread throughout. I stopped complaining. Wait--we have no poison ivy. At least not where we normally walk. Poison berry bushes, yes, but no poison ivy.

After getting poison ivy six times the first year we moved into our old home several years ago, because it was all over, I felt our family couldn't go outside. Even though I hate ticks, I don't feel that way about them.

There will always be troubles no matter where we go. So I've exchanged poison ivy for ticks. Neither is great, but it's a blessing to no longer have the itchy stuff.

Thank You, God, for no poison ivy!

---

Technorati Tags: blessings ^ spring ^ woods ^ ticks ^ poison ivy

---

Bookmark It Technorati Stumble It Blogmarks Del.icio.us Digg it Flog this! Furl Linkroll Simpy Spurl TalkDigger Stumble It!           Content including images © 2005-present by Brandy Brow except as noted in policy.

Fresh Snowfall

Here are some pictures from this morning after last night's snow.
It's beautiful outside.

 

Bookmark It Technorati Stumble It Blogmarks Del.icio.us Digg it Flog this! Furl Linkroll Simpy Spurl TalkDigger Stumble It!           Content including images © 2005-present by Brandy Brow except as noted in policy.

Blog Foliage Tour 2006 -- 3rd Leg

The Building Brows Blog Foliage Tour 2006
~continued~

There was a beautiful sunset,
but my digital camera wouldn't capture it.

In this field above, geese are taking

a water break. If you look closely,
you will see black blobs. That's them.

These pictures look down into a ravine.
The leaves give an illusion of a cushiony floor,
but the floor is actually a lot father below.
I think these pics look like something from
a fantasy world.

Bookmark It Technorati Stumble It Blogmarks Del.icio.us Digg it Flog this! Furl Linkroll Simpy Spurl TalkDigger Stumble It!           Content including images © 2005-present by Brandy Brow except as noted in policy.

Foliage Tour & Good News

Believe it or not, my silence here has been good. It means I've been doing a lot more with my family like attending IJ's cooking class bonanza (oh the food they served!) and taking kids to doctor appointments.

I had intended to finish the Blog Foliage Tour that week, but was unable to, so I'll continue it at a slower pace until I post all the pictures I gathered two weeks ago. Now that the trees are much barer, it will be nice to see the color-splashed mountains again before that pending blanket of white that's been bearing down on us actually lands.

Great news: Baby KH who was born nine weeks early came home last week!

My brother and sister-in-law extend their deepest thanks to all of you who prayed for their daughter's health. The next two months at home are still critical because she is susceptible to serious viral lung infection and must be isolated from outside people. We're praying God carry her unharmed through this time and beyond so she and her family can begin to find their new normal for life with three kids. I was able to see her briefly for the first time last Wednesday, so that was a treat.

Thanks for your support.

Bookmark It Technorati Stumble It Blogmarks Del.icio.us Digg it Flog this! Furl Linkroll Simpy Spurl TalkDigger Stumble It!           Content including images © 2005-present by Brandy Brow except as noted in policy.

Blog Foliage Tour 2006 -- 2nd Leg

The Building Brows Blog Foliage Tour 2006
~continued~

The second leg of our tour
takes us to the Vermont/New Hampshire line.

I took these photos of New Hampshire mountains
while standing in Vermont. Vermont stops at the water line
because New Hampshire owns the waters.

I wonder if those who camp all winter fishing in their ice shanties--
no kidding, Jim met a guy who does exactly that and camps
in the woods during warm months--
would be considered part time New Hampshire residents.

Bookmark It Technorati Stumble It Blogmarks Del.icio.us Digg it Flog this! Furl Linkroll Simpy Spurl TalkDigger Stumble It!           Content including images © 2005-present by Brandy Brow except as noted in policy.

Blog Foliage Tour 2006 -- 1st Leg

And it's time to begin
The Building Brows Blog Foliage Tour 2006!

Below is the first leg of our trip in Southern Vermont.
Which photo do you like best?

Bookmark It Technorati Stumble It Blogmarks Del.icio.us Digg it Flog this! Furl Linkroll Simpy Spurl TalkDigger Stumble It!           Content including images © 2005-present by Brandy Brow except as noted in policy.

Blog Foliage Tour 2006 PREVIEW

Can't make it to New England to view the beautiful foliage? Then take The Building Brow's Blog Foliage Tour 2006. All this week I'll be posting foliage pictures from around the tri-state area (Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts). Here's a preview of what's to come this week.

Bookmark It Technorati Stumble It Blogmarks Del.icio.us Digg it Flog this! Furl Linkroll Simpy Spurl TalkDigger Stumble It!           Content including images © 2005-present by Brandy Brow except as noted in policy.

Upcoming Blog Foliage Tour

Hey, all. I've been taking lots of pictures so I can show you a true New England Foliage tour. I'll be posting it later this weekend so you can see some real color. If you've never seen beautiful foliage, you're in for a treat. Stay tuned.

Bookmark It Technorati Stumble It Blogmarks Del.icio.us Digg it Flog this! Furl Linkroll Simpy Spurl TalkDigger Stumble It!           Content including images © 2005-present by Brandy Brow except as noted in policy.

Cute Critter

SM found this little creature outside yesterday. I didn't find it until after he had brought it inside to show everyone else. I'm not sure, but I think I pretty much saved it from being squeezed to death. SM had quite a grip on its body.



I decided it was much safer for this beautiful salamander if IJ held it. The only trouble was...





...the little thing didn't want to sit still. It ran...









and ran...










and ran, almost into God's hands.

Bookmark It Technorati Stumble It Blogmarks Del.icio.us Digg it Flog this! Furl Linkroll Simpy Spurl TalkDigger Stumble It!