Make A Victorian Ant Trap

Even in the Victorian ages pesky ants were bothersome and invaders of the home. You never seem to see just one plodding along, with one comes a whole army. Getting rid of them can be tiresome, and if you're like me and want to do it without pesticides, you may want to give this old fashioned remedy a try.

I'm not sure I'd want to set this somewhere in my home though, with sugar as the ingredient. These pests would be marching in to the cottage in droves, hungry for their dessert! Perhaps outside under our tree where they congregate to plan their attack might be a better idea.

Here's how to make a Victorian Ant Trap:
Procure a large natural sponge, wash it well and press it dry, which will leave the cells open.

Sprinkle the sponge with a bit of fine white sugar, and place it near where the ants are troublesome.

The ants will soon collect upon the sponge and take up their abode in its cells. It is then only necessary to dip the sponge in boiling water, and the ants will be destroyed.

It may then be set out over and over again.

For The Love Of Tea And Silver

The earliest known silver tea pot was made in 1670, now in the Victoria and Albert museum in London. Prior to 1727, due to the expense of tea, teapots were quite small in size. It wasn't until 1727-59, during the reign of George II, that teapots were made of a larger size. As the public demand for tea wares grew, what began with rather simple styles developed into exquisite masterpieces of creativity.

Although quite rare, silver tea cups and saucers exist dating from 1684 to 1700. Influenced by the early Chinese forms, they were made without handles, with both the cups and the saucers in the convex fluted style.

The popularity of tea drinking brought with it the use of sugar. Silver sugar basins were first introduced under the reign of William III, 1695-1702. Originally Chinese influenced, they were made with a rounded base and saucer like cover, transforming later to the three footed style to compliment the tea pots they accompanied. Silver sugar baskets first appeared at the time of Queen Anne and reappeared with colored glass linings at the end of the eighteenth century.

The English, during the Queen Anne period, were the first to use cream (milk) and sugar in their tea. The earliest silver specimens were simple with round feet, evolving in later years to the style of the tea services of which they were a part.

Did you know the words "tea caddy" were derived from the Malay word “KATE” which means a weight equivalent to 1 and 1/15 of a pound? As tea was always sold by the "Kate", the name caddy became associated to the container in which the tea was held. In order to keep blends separated, tea caddies were originally made with a lock and key in sets of three and later in a set of two. As the price of tea became more affordable, the sizes of tea caddies increased.

With no known existing examples, the earliest tea kettle was in 1687 of Royal Warrant. In keeping with the high costs of tea, infusion at the table not only prevented waste, but insured that the water was served at the correct temperature. When purchasing antique silver kettles, insure the hallmarks on the bodies and stand match.

In 1790 the incorporation of the first silver tea service containing a tea pot, sugar and creamer came to be. The complete tea service of six pieces with a kettle, coffee pot and waste bowl of uniform design was introduced in the mid 1800s. Queen Victoria's love of afternoon tea produced an enthusiasm matched by many fine silversmiths whose tea services are greatly sought after even today.

THE CARE AND CLEANING OF SILVER:
All silver should be cleaned on a regular basis and with great care using a standard polish or paste applied by hand. No dipping solutions, as they strip the patina of the silver. Always use a soft cloth or sponge, rinse with warm water and dry with a soft cloth or towel. Never use steel wool or any solutions that would cause abrasions to the silver. If silver is left to tarnish to the point where buffing is required, the piece is in danger of eradicating its hallmarks. Fine silver may be individually wrapped in protective anti-tarnish bags for storage. Silver lacquering is not approved of as it causes a glaring finish, which detracts from the beauty of the natural patina.

Victorian Hot Salt Packs For Pain...

The Victorian cure for some ailments included using hot salt packs. For neuralgia, premenstrual pain(although hot packs should not be used while menstruating as they may encourage more bleeding), stomachaches, arthritis pain and more, nothing is better than a bag filled with hot salt.

An application of heat can help stiff muscles and joints feel better as well. Though you can use heating pads, salt is an excellent retainer of heat and its weight can help soothe you further.

To make a pack of your own you will need:
2 lbs. kosher or sea salt
Stainless steel pot
Wooden spoon
Cotton pillowcase
Essential oil (if scent is desired)

Heat the salt over medium heat in a pot until it's very hot. Stir with a wooden spoon as you heat so all of the salt is equally heated. This usually takes about 10 minutes.

Pour salt into a cotton pillowcase. You can tie off the end with a ribbon or elastic band or wrap the pillowcase around itself so the salt will not spill. You may want to put the first pillowcase inside a second one to make sure the salt stays inside.

Immediately apply the salt pack to any area of your body that is stiff, to stomach for menstrual cramps or stomachache, or to any painful joints. Relax and let the weight and heat of the salt pack soothe you.

Reheat the salt when it looses its heat. You can use it four to five times, after which it stops retaining heat.

*When the salt can no longer hold heat, add it to your bathwater to soften the water or use it as a body scrub.

Oh To Dream...

Under a canopy! I have loved canopy beds for years, and perhaps one day I will own one. For now, it would be quite unpractical, as our resident feline would be found happily hanging from all sides of it and I would be setting him up for many scoldings.

My perfect canopy bed would be as the one above. Lovingly draped with netting, enveloping us in a tent like cocoon as we slept. Do you know how the canopy bed came to be?

In days of old, there was nothing to stop things from falling into the house. This posed a real problem in the bedroom where bugs, mice and other droppings could mess up a nice clean bed. Hence, a bed with large posts and a sheet hung over the top afforded more protection.

It's not exactly a romantic beginning, but canopy beds are lovely nonetheless. Do you love them too?

Have An Extra Onion?

Restore shine to your rusty garden tools! To clean off the rust, simply stick the corroded metal in a raw onion half and carefully wiggle it around to release the juices. Allow the tool to remain in the onion for 1 hour, then rinse away any residue and wipe dry with a lint free cloth. The bulb's enzymes split the rust forming bonds between iron and oxygen, and will leave the tool gleaming.

Brown Sugar Body Scrub

I don't always wear gardening gloves while working in the soil, and I've found that this body scrub works great on your hands as well as your body after a day of gardening. Mix ingredients in a pretty jar or plastic container and enjoy! It will leave your skin feeling wonderfully soft.

Brown Sugar Scrub
1/2 cup of brown sugar
1/4 cup of almond oil
1/4 cup of liquid Ivory hand soap
1/4 tsp of vanilla

Scenting The Cottage Today...Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls

It was baking day yesterday and I wanted to use some of the sourdough starter I have on hand. We didn't need yet another loaf of bread, so I decided on a recipe for sourdough cinnamon rolls. They're wonderful! If you'd like to bake a batch for yourself, you will find my sourdough starter recipe on the left sidebar under archives.

This recipe claims to make 18 rolls, but I found it made only 12 and they weren't all that large. If you want to make larger cinnamon rolls than you see in my photo, I would estimate you may get 8 to the batch.

Happy Baking!

Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls
1 1/2 cup sourdough starter (see my archives on for recipe)
2/3 cup milk (room temp)
2 Tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1 Tablespoon melted butter (I use "I Can't Believe It's Not Butter")
1 teaspoon salt
2-3 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon soda

For Inside Filling
2 Tablespoons melted butter (I use "I Can't Believe It's Not Butter")
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon mixed with 1/3 cup brown sugar

Powdered Sugar Glaze
Mix 2 cups powdered sugar with a small amount of milk until it's the consistency for frosting/glaze that you like.

Mix together first five ingredients in a large, non-metallic bowl. Stir in salt and enough flour to make a soft dough just stiff enough to handle. Turn out onto a well-floured board and sprinkle with 1/4 cup flour which has been mixed with the baking soda. Work flour in and knead for five minutes or more, adding more flour as necessary.

Place in a buttered bowl and turn once to butter top. Cover and let rise until double, about 3 hours.

Punch dough down, turn out onto floured board and roll out to 9×18 rectangle. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle evenly with cinnamon sugar mixture. Roll up and cut into 1 inch slices (or larger if you want larger rolls). Arrange with sides touching in a buttered 9×13 pan. Cover and let rise until doubled, 2-3 hours. Bake at 400 for 20-30 minutes.

Brush warm rolls with your glaze.
Makes 18 (small) rolls.

Aspirin For Your Tomatoes...

I always have a hard time growing any tomatoes other than cherry tomatoes. If it's not disease or brown spot that attacks them, it's giant creatures that lurk amongst the leaves. (See my post "The Beast In My Garden") One trick I have come across to help with some tomato ailments is to use aspirin to assist in maintaining their health. The main benefit of aspirin in planting involves aspirin's ability to fend off potential plant diseases. The salicylic acid found in the aspirin is the ingredient that helps ward off the afflictions.

Here's how to use it:
Purchase regular strength aspirin. The brand doesn't matter; purchase the cheapest brand that is available and make sure it is the uncoated type.

Mix together one aspirin with one gallon of water. Combine the ingredients well, so that the aspirin is distributed evenly throughout the liquid.

Add a dash of mild liquid soap to the mixture. This is used as a way to help the aspirin water stick better to the tomato plants. Once the soap is added, attach a spray nozzle to the gallon jug and it is ready to use. (Or put in a smaller spray bottle)

Spray the tomatoes when you first set them in the ground. This is going to help germinate the plants and stimulate the growing process. There is no need to soak the area. A light and gentle spray is perfect.

Continue to spray the aspirin mixture on the tomato plants every 2 to 3 weeks. You will notice that the plants stay healthier and attract fewer insects.

I've Returned...

Did you miss me? Sometimes even the shortest of holidays away can be so relaxing! Although we live near the beach on one area of the California coast, it's nice to see other areas as well. This is the view from our room over Pismo Beach. It was beautiful and a perfect way to relax. The drive was gorgeous, as the rains we've had here in California have painted all of the usually brown hills green.

As nice as it is to get away, it's also nice to return home. Now I have a bit of catching up to do around the cottage so I'd better get to it!

I hope your day is a wonderful one!

Cottage Garden Plantings...

Today you'll find me planting lupine seeds in our cottage garden. I am redoing a bit of the landscaping and it will look lovely later in the season. I had lupines in my garden while living in the Pacific Northwest, and I miss this little flower.

The flower symbolism associated with lupines are of imagination. The name "lupinus" actually means "of wolves" due to the mistaken belief of ancient people that lupines robbed the soil of nutrients. Lupines actually add nitrogen to the soil and fertilize the ground around them.

Did you realize that there are more than 200 species of lupines and that they are the only food for the Karner Blue Butterfly caterpillar? The larvae crawl up the stems of wild lupines to feed on the new leaves in mid April.

Lupine seeds are rich in protein and can be used in feed for cattle, to aid digestion, used in skin care for removing spots from the face, and the Romans used the flat seeds for theater money. The Romans also used lupines for fertilizer and ate the high-protein seeds. The flowers are useful for dyeing cloth.

If you have a dry area of your garden where you find it difficult to grow flowers, give the lovely lupine a try. The lupine blossom scent is like that of honey, and I'm sure you will find it to be a lovely addition to your landscape.

Celtic Tree Zodiac ..The Alder March 18- April 14

If you are an Alder sign within the Celtic tree astrology system, you are a natural-born pathfinder. You’re a mover and a shaker, and will blaze a trail with fiery passion often gaining loyal followers to your cause. You are charming, gregarious and mingle easily with a broad mix of personalities. In other words, Alder signs get along with everybody and everybody loves to hang around with you. This might be because Alder’s are easily confident and have a strong self-faith. This self-assurances is infectious and other people recognize this quality in you instantly. Alder Celtic tree astrology signs are very focused and dislike waste. Consequently, they can see through superficialities and will not tolerate fluff. Alder people place high value on their time, and feel that wasting time is insufferable. They are motivated by action and results. Alder’s pair well with Hawthorns, Oaks or even Birch signs.

Fairy Spotting

Blame it on my Irish roots but I believe in fairies. I love the myth and lore of them and have even been found talking to them in my garden (on the sly lest my neighbors overhear and think me a lunatic :). I came upon a Guide To Fairy Spotting and thought I'd pass on some of the information to all of the other Fairy Lovers I know are out there.

Authored by C. Austin, it is an enjoyable read.

Some people spend their time avoiding the wee folk, others pursue the fairy gentry in search of fortune. Lore tells us the "fairy folk live in the oaks,"...and the hawthorn trees, the fairy forts, even the sea. But just where can the wee folk be found?

The fairy folk, some say, are the ancient citizens of the Tuatha de Danaan, a godlike race which inhabited Ireland generations ago. The de Danaan (Children of the goddess Danu) fell to the invading Milesians.

With their defeat, the de Danaan retreated to the sidhe mounds, circular barrows and other wild places. These circular barrows, or ringforts, forever after were considered fairy forts or raths.

Historically, ringforts are circular enclosures surrounded by an earthen or stone bank which were used as farmsteads from about 500 to 1200 A.D. Within the protective earthen bank, activities such as cooking, grain grinding and pottery making took place along with everyday living. Approximately 40,000 ringforts still dot the Irish countryside.

Two such sites exist on the Burren, County Clare. One ring, Ballyallaban Ringfort, is guarded by a fairy pooka (who takes the form of a pony). The ring possesses an unearthly feel: even a cynical mortal might find themselves fleeing the area, glad to still have their wits about them. The other, a large earthen fort, is enchanting by itself with it's gown of thousands of naturalized irises.

Another ringfort with a distinctly otherworldly atmosphere is Beal Boru, the seat of Brian Boru, High King of Ireland from 1002 until his death in 1014. Located in County Clare between the River Shannon and the Killaloe-Tuamgraney road, the overgrown site is another to be approached with caution lest a trespasser offend the resident invisibles. Close by is Magh Adhair, the Inauguration Place of the Kings of Thomond, including Brian Boru. A quiet site, gorse and fuschia hedges camouflage fairy goings-on and a stone pillar still stands which probably played a part in the crowning ceremonies, much like Lia Fail on the Hill of Tara.

More direct routes to the land of fairie or Tir Na n'Og, exist in cave entrances, two of which are located at Lough Gur, County Limerick and at Rathcrogan, County Roscommon.

The cave at Lough Gur is choked with trees and bush cover. Despite the pleasant day on which I visited the site, an ill will blew about the cave and its darkness permeated the surrounding hill. At Rathcrogan, the cave is a limestone fissure referred to as the "Cave of the Cats" which aligns with the midsummer sunset.

The many standing stone sites also give rise to fairy workings. Perhaps Ireland's best known portal tomb is Poulnabrone, located alongside the Corofin-Ballyvaughan road in County Clare. This Late Stone Age monument, though the topic of much fairy legend, once held the bones of 16 adults and children who lived in the surrounding farming community.

To those searching for the wee kind, these sites are a good place to start. But remember, the fairie folk are felt more often than seen and their fondest sport is that which they make with humans.

How To Clean Your Straw Handbag

Since spring is here and alot of you may be pulling out your straw handbags, I thought I would repost my tip that I first posted for you in 2009.

Vacuum your straw handbag for a routine cleaning, using low suction and placing an old nylon stocking over the end of the nozzle to protect the straw. Use a soft cloth or cotton swab to apply undiluted detergent to dirty or greasy spots, then wipe with a clean cloth dampened in cool water and leave to air dry. Don't use warm water, which can distort the straw. If the straw is reasonably firm, you can apply an aerosol fabric protector to help keep the bag from becoming soiled. Let the coating dry thoroughly before using the bag or it will rub off on your clothing.

The First Robin Of Spring

Did you know there is a superstition on seeing the first Robin of spring? Have you seen the first one in your area? If you haven't yet keep this in mind!

A wish made upon seeing the first robin in spring will come true - but only if you complete the wish before the robin flies away.

OOPS!

I was baking our sourdough bread this morning when I noticed that I typed the wrong amount of salt for the recipe on my blog. I looked at the recipe in my book again and it had the wrong amount too. I can't imagine why I didn't catch that when I was typing, I certainly would not bake a loaf of bread with tablespoons of sodium in it!I wanted to alert everyone to it in the case you too wanted to bake a loaf. I corrected it in my post so if you already printed the recipe, please discard the old one and reprint.

Happy baking!
Laura

Flowered Ice Cubes

I know it's hard for some of you in freezing weather to think about iced drinks, but it will be warm soon and you'll love making these pretty little ice cubes. They are a nice touch when you're entertaining or just want to treat yourself to an elegant appearance with your iced waters and teas. Please be sure that you use pesticide free herbs or flowers. You can also use small slices of fruits or even berries in your ice cubes.
Ingredients:
Unsprayed, pesticide-free choice of flowers or herbs such as marigold, mint leaves, lemon balm leaves, Johnny-jump-ups, pansies, plum blosssom, scented geranium flowers or violets. If using leaves from herbs choose tiny, new leaves.

1). Remove petals and stems from the flowers or remove herb leaves from stems and brush to clean off any dirt or dust.

2). Place 3 to 4 petals or leaves in each compartment of an ice cube tray, fill halfway with water and freeze for 2 hours. Fill tray with water to top and freeze until solid.
TO SERVE
Place one or two cubes in a glass and fill with beverage of choice.

The Lovely Anemone

Anticipation, expectation, dying hope and forsaken are the meanings for the Anemone, derived from the Greek word for windflower. Mythology relates that the anemone sprung from the tears of Aphrodite as she mourned the death of her love, Adonis. In folklore the anemone is believed to bring luck and protection against evil. It has been said that the flower foretells rain by closing it's petals, and fairies were believed to sleep beneath the petals of the wood anemone during the night after they closed at sunset.

Some legends believe the flower to be associated with healing and health, others, notably the Chinese, call it the flower of death and plant it on grave sites.

For Your Spring Roses...

Did you realize baking soda can be used to ward off black spot, a terrible fungus that usually hits roses by late spring?


I like to use safe items I have in my kitchen to fight off garden pests when I can so here is what I use.


1 tablespoon of baking soda
1 teaspoon of dishwashing detergent
1 gallon of water

Mix together and spray on roses early in the morning once a week until disease has disappeared.

Test Your Soda...

Do you have an old box of baking soda in the pantry and you’re not sure whether or not it’s still fresh? The claim is that the shelf life for this product is 35 months, but if you want to make sure yours is still going to be effective in your baking try this:

Fill a small cup half full with vinegar and drop a teaspoon of baking soda in it. If it starts fizzing, the baking soda is active.

If you find your baking soda is not as effective as it once was, recycle it and use it in your refrigerator, freezer to absorb odors, or to clean your counters, floors or laundry.

Sourdough Starter...

As we all know, homemade is money saving and healthier. I love breads (as I'm sure you have noted by now)and sourdough bread is a favorite at our cottage. This recipe is easy and if you wish to do so, the bread can be baked in a bread machine. I will be using the cottage oven for our loaf. If you've ever desired to try your hand at baking your own bread, give this recipe a try. It isn't as hard as you may imagine.

Ingredients for Sourdough Starter:
1 package Yeast
1 tablespoon vinegar
2 1/4 cup warm water
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar
2 cups flour

Directions:
Dissolve yeast in 1/4 cup warm water.
Add sugar, vinegar, salt and flour.
Add remaining water until a creamy batter is formed.

Place in a glass bowl, cover and let sit until it starts of ferment, which takes about 3 days.

The starter will take on a powerful boozy smell. Stir again until creamy and measure out what is called for in the recipe.

Replenish starter with equal amounts of flour and water. Store your starter in the refrigerator and bring to room temp before using. Allow to ferment for 1 week between uses.

This starter takes about 1 1/2 months to become really sour, but who can wait that long?

Sourdough bread for the Bread Machine
1 1/2 cups sourdough starter
3/4 cup milk
2 1/2 Tablespoons margarine/butter
2 2/3 Tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
4 cups bread flour
2 1/2 teaspoons yeast

Put everything in the machine in the order requested by your manufacturer.
Bake on regular cycle.
Makes 1.5 #loaf

If you wish to use the oven to bake your bread, as I will, turn dough out onto a floured surface and knead for 8 to 10 minutes.

Place in a greased bowl, turn once to oil surface, and cover. Allow to rise for 1 hour, or until doubled in volume.

Punch down, and let rest 15 minutes. Shape into loaves. Place on a greased baking pan. Allow to rise for 1 hour, or until doubled.

Bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for 30 minutes, or until golden brown and loaf sounds hollow when tapped.