Oiled Up

Since my pregnancy, I have been interested in less "toxic" and more environmentally conscious beauty products. I even tried the no "poo" baking soda/ACV rinse regime. If you are interested, instructions can be found here. I have also tried a variety of paraben-free moisturizers, such as this and this and this. However, my most favorite, least expensive, and most readily available moisturizer is olive oil. Yes, just plain olive oil - either extra virgin or mild - whatever I may have in the cupboard. After a shower, I rub a little olive oil into my skin or mix it with my body lotion (which makes any lotion sooooo much better, I promise). I also use olive oil on my face - yes, oil on my face, the horror! Actually, it's lovely. I have little blue bottle with a dropper that I picked up at Whole Foods, where I store a little oily potion that I concocted using this book. Incidentally, I've been meaning to pick up more of those little bottles. They are so fun for storing potions and the like, and I feel like a scientist or a little witch when I use them. There are a variety of other carrier oils (apricot, jojoba, etc.) that you can use instead of olive oil, if your prefer, to combine with essential oils that are suited for your skin type. My potion consists of olive oil (mild, I believe), a few drops of lavender oil and a few drops of peppermint. I use it every evening before going to bed, and I wake up with wonderfully soft skin.

I want to grow cherry tomatoes all winter long...

I can do many things around my house but gardening is not one of them. I can't even grow weeds, which may be a good thing depending on how you look at it. When Mr. Saucy and I purchased our house, the previous owners had respectable landscaping....well groomed azaleas, blooming hydrangeas, tulips sprouting in neat rows...but as soon as we took over, something unpleasant happened. Even the relatively mainenance-free ivy-like ground cover around the trees began to look like crappola (possibly because I sprayed it with poison ivy kill and raked it) our lawn, while "greenish," is not technically grass since it's so weedy but from a distance it looks okay. The squirrels dig up my bulbs, my azaleas are overgrown, and my hydrangea bushes barely bloom. But I don't let these little set backs get me down. Ever summer we build a little garden on the back deck (our yard doesn't get much sun, so we keep boxes on the deck). We have grown tomatoes, peppers, and herbs in the past. Despite our best efforts, our plants never yield much fruit, but that single edible tomato is always a treat. But I just decided that I NEED an Aerogarden. An aerogarden is an indoor growing system that enables you to grow herbs, veggies, and flowers right in your kitchen. Apparently, it creates a "near-perfect rainforest growing environment." But the best part is that success is 100% guaranteed. No green thumb required...sign me up! I want to grow fresh herbs and vegetables in my kitchen and feed my family healthy loveliness all year long! I have been making an effort to buy more fresh produce and fully intend to support my local growers come farmer's market season. But, really, what is more local than my kitchen?