News from the nest, April 22
Happy Earth Day!
I am an unabashed, unapologetic Earth Hugger. As far as we know, we have this one planet and need to treat it as such.
It’s great to have a reminder on April 22 about taking care of our planet. However, we can do small acts of kindness towards Mother Earth every day to ensure that it remains a livable place for our future generations. Let’s take responsibility and do our part to secure a sustainable future for our children, grandchildren, and their descendants!
You will all be relieved to know that I returned home after being gone for four and a half days to find both Terry and Elsa alive and well…ish. Terry announced the day before I got home that due to the demands of Elsa, he hadn’t had the opportunity to shower or change his clothes! 😲I trust that most of us agree that that is clearly a gender challenge. Luckily, he found the time to clean up before I got home on Wednesday.
But it has taken me four full days to unpack and put away my suitcase. We are laser-focused on her housetraining, which means that unless she is sleeping, we are following her every move and living by timers. To that end, she is really doing well! We go days without an accident, which is pretty darned good considering we’ve only had her for two and a half weeks!
But, oh my, she is a pistol! 😲
Table of Contents
New on the Blog
- I put together this post to share tips and ideas for Environmentally Conscious Living. From ideas on homemade, eco-friendly cleaners to tips to replace paper towels and napkins and ways to upcycle unused items so that they are useful, this is a helpful post if you are interested in a more eco-friendly lifestyle.
- But, we can’t take great care of the Earth on an empty stomach, so let’s make sure we eat well so that we have the energy to do what needs to be done. These air fryer mini tacos are easy to make and delightfully crunchy and cheesy all at once!
From the Knit + Crochet Studio
- This linen throw is perfect for the warmer months. Find a nice piece of linen and add a simple crochet border to create something special and useful.
From the Kitchen
- My dad’s Margaritas are one of the most popular recipes on this site for a reason! They are fresh, tart, and not too sweet. The only negative is that they may get consumed a little too easily. This is it if you want a classic margarita to celebrate Cinco de Mayo!
- For a subtle twist on the classic margarita, try this Jalapeño Margarita. It adds just a wee bit of heat along with the perfectly tart and sweet flavor you want in a margarita.
- This Elote Dip is a lighter version of many Mexican Corn Dip recipes as it is heavier on the fresh corn and lighter on the binders (the cream cheese and sour cream). I don’t want an appetizer to fill everyone up before dinner. Instead, I want to tempt those taste buds!
- A universally enjoyed and easily made appetizer, this layered taco dip recipe can be prepared ahead of time for easy entertaining. Made with refried beans, canned chiles, cream cheese, taco seasoning, freshly grated cheese, salsa, and fresh vegetables, this is dip is always a crowd favorite.
- This shrimp salsa is a breeze to make. Its common ingredients combine for a delicious twist on traditional salsa.
I wanted to inform you of some improvements to Nourish and Nestle’s recipes and craft instructions.
- You can now have the printable recipe or craft sent directly to your inbox. Look for this box in the body of all recipes and craft instructions to have it emailed to you.
- You can now choose the serving size you need, and the recipe will convert the ingredient measurements accordingly. (see 1. below)
- And I’m slowly getting the metric equivalents set for all my recipes. Unfortunately, I need to go recipe by recipe to set the conversion. If there is a recipe you would like converted that I haven’t done yet, please let me know, and I’ll get it done immediately. (see 2. below)
- If you are an Instacart shopper, click this button to add the recipe’s ingredients to your Instacart shopping cart.
- Perhaps my favorite feature is the ability to put all recipes in ‘Cook Mode.’ If you like to cook using your phone or tablet, putting the recipe in Cook Mode will keep your device screen on while you follow the recipe directions. Say goodbye to constantly opening your screen to continue with your recipe.(see 3. below)
- I’ll share some additional Latin-themed recipes next week! Stay tuned.
- Feeling the need for something sweet after all that savory? How about a very easy Strawberry Crisp? This Strawberry Crisp Recipe requires just 15 minutes of hands-on time. Then, the oven works its magic, resulting in strawberries swimming in their lovely syrup and topped with a crunchy, crumbly oatmeal streusel.
From the Arts + Crafts Studio
Our craft projects today are Earth-Day theme, of course!
- Use scraps of fabric in your stash to make these beeswax food wraps and cut down on plastic waste.
- Make Seed Paper and turn waste paper into beautiful, plantable treasures! It is a perfect activity for those who love to repurpose, recycle, and bring a touch of nature into their lives. This post shares how to make seed paper that you can use to make stationery or include in cards.
In the Garden
- What are good flowers for bees? Is your garden bee-friendly? What makes a bee-friendly garden? Help bees and create a bee habitat with bee-friendly plants and flowers. Save the bees!
- Compost tea is a liquid solution made by steeping compost in water. It’s used as a natural, nutrient-rich liquid fertilizer for plants. The process involves soaking well-aged compost in water for several days, allowing the soluble nutrients and beneficial microorganisms from the compost to leach into the water. So, we are using our food waste and turning it into a liquid fertilizer for our garden. Doesn’t get more earth-friendly than that!
We have everything you need to know about Compost Tea, How to Brew Your Own Compost Tea at home, and How to Apply Compost Tea!
In The Home
- More than fifteen ideas on How to Reduced Food Waste
Some Fun Finds and a Few Favorites
Some of these links may be Amazon affiliate links and I may earn a small commission off of the sale of these products to help defray the costs of operating this site, but the price you are charged is not affected. You can see my full disclosure policy here.
- This darling jigger is the perfect gift for that fancy girlfriend who loves to make cocktails.
- Love a double-walled coffee cup. They just seem…special…for some reason.
- Another really cool puzzle!
- I discovered this Ginger Tea at the Airbnb last week and ordered it before I left. It’s a great price for pure, unsweetened ginger tea.
Well friends, I’m going to hustle and get some work done while the Tasmanian Devil is down for a nap!
Hugs,
So glad Terry survived and aren’t you the busy bee getting so much done! Love the new recipe card and all we can do with it!
Hi friend…he barely survived, according to him!
I can’t believe how busy you are Lynn. Travelling, puppy training, cooking and blogging!! You really are a Wonder Woman!!! I need to take a leaf out of your book!! WD!!
PS I bought a beautiful length of raw linen in Hong Kong in 1979! It’s so beautiful I just didn’t know what to make with it. It’s been sitting (along with many similar lengths) in the cupboard for all these years but now you’ve solved the problem. Many many thanks!!🤩
Hi Jill,
I am never bored, that’s for sure! The beauty of blogging is that I can step away whenever and for ever how long I need. And I’d be doing all this anyway, so the blog is a great vehicle to share and connect with other like minded folks.
And I’m thrilled that you can use that linen for that throw! Pleae do send a picture of it when you get a chance. I’d love to see it.
Have a wonderful day and thanks for writing in.
Hugs, Lynn
Lynn, I chuckled reading about your husband and his four days of babysitting the puppy..leave it to a man..haha! Would’ve been funny to have had a secret camera planted somewhere in the house to watch all the antics while you were away! Do you have a crate for her? At least then, she could go in there so “someone” could at least have a shower! And a dog won’t pee where they sleep either.
Oh Colleen,
Here’s the rub…she is EXCELLENT in her crate! We’ve never had a dog so willing to go into her crate and comfortable with being in her crate, so the whole thing was much ado about nothing! 😏
And sadly, we lost my dad to Alzheimer’s a bit ago. If you know anyone who has struggled with that disease, it was a blessing when he finally passed. We are all at peace that he is finally at peace. Mom is doing great. Truthfully, I forget that she is almost 88! We walk every day and she continues to travel with her BFF. Both of their husbands, who were best friends, passed around the same time. In fact, these two couples travelled frequently, so it is only fitting that the two widows continue.
Thank you for thinking to ask about them!
Many hugs
Oh..and I forgot to ask..how old are your parents? You are so lucky to still have both of them…How I wish!