From the Home Remedies Stove

Chicken soup.
Take some advice from your grandma: Sip a bowl of chicken soup. It doesn't matter if it's homemade or canned; chicken soup is calming for coughs associated with colds. While scientists can't put a finger on why this comfort food benefits the cold sufferer, they do believe chicken soup contains anti-inflammatory properties that help prevent a cold's miserable side effects, one being the cough. Plus, chicken soup contains cysteine, which thins phlegm. The broth, chock-full of electrolytes, keeps you hydrated -- although for hydration, homemade soup is best. (Commercially prepared chicken soup is loaded with salt, which may actually dehydrate you.) The steam helps soothe irritated mucous membranes and air passageways. Last, but not least, it tastes yummy.

Steam.
One of the kitchen's best remedies for a cough is also one of the easiest. Inhaling steam helps flush out mucus, and it moisturizes dry, irritated air passageways. Fill a cooking pot one-quarter full with water. Boil, turn off the heat, and if available, add a couple drops essential oil of eucalyptus or a scoop of Mentholatum or Vicks VapoRub. (These work as decongestants and expectorants.) Carefully remove the pot from the stove, and place it on a protected counter or table. Drape a towel over your head, lean over the pot, and breathe gently for 10 to 15 minutes. Don't stick your face too far into the pot or you'll get a poached nose.

Raw honey and lemon for sore throats

A mixture of fresh lemon juice and raw honey provides soothing relief for sore throats and helps stop the tickle that stimulates coughing. Raw honey -- with all its components including royal jelly, propolis and bee pollen -- is high in nutrients and enzymes which kill bacteria and viruses. The vitamin C and antioxidants found in fresh lemons boost the immune system, speeding healing. Together these two home remedies are a powerhouse for getting over a cold and sore throat. Mix the juice of 1/2 the lemon with 2 to 3 tablespoons of honey and sip throughout the day as needed.

Learn more:
http://www.naturalnews.com/035323_home_remedies_colds_coughs.html#ixzz2I3WZV4uv

Also, Thyme.
Store-bought cough syrups are often so medicinal tasting that it's hard to get them down without gagging. Here's a sweet, herbal version, made of thyme, peppermint, mullein, licorice, and honey, that's guaranteed to go down the hatch easily. Thyme and peppermint help clear congested air passages and have antimicrobial and antispasmodic properties to relieve the hacking. Mullein and licorice soothe irritated membranes and help reduce inflammation.
To make the syrup, combine 2 teaspoons each, dried thyme, peppermint, mullein, and licorice root into 1 cup boiling water. Cover and steep for half an hour. Strain and add 1/2 cup honey. If the honey doesn't dissolve, heat the tea gently and stir. Store in the refrigerator in a covered container for up to three months. Take 1 teaspoon as needed.

Winter Weather Got You Down?

Here is something fun to do...

"On Martin Luther King, Jr. Day (Jan. 21, 2013) admission will be FREE for everyone.(Please note that there will still be a $7 parking fee per car)

Worried about the cold? Don’t be. There are a variety of indoor attractions where guests can take a tropical vacation at Discovery Reef and Manatee Coast, say G’Day to some animals from down under at Bob & Evelyn’s Roadhouse, meet the gorillas in the Expedition Congo, slither on over to the reptile building, and explore Asia Quest including a visit with the Hank "The Tank" and our other elephants. Many animals thrive in the cold weather including polar bears Nanuq, Aurora and Anana who can be seen swimming year round in pool water maintained with geothermal energy at a comfortable 40-65 degrees.

Keep in mind that the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium is open every day through February from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The winter months are always a great time to visit the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, especially with 50% off regular admission this January and February."

Our family just loves going to the Zoo, and let us not forget C.O.S.I.

Waste Not, Want Not

Outgrown clothing is still useful. Rugs and blankets can be made from strips or squares of material and scarecrows can be outfitted with old, outgrown clothing.
Consider using cloth baby diapers instead of disposables. (More on this later.)
Getting back to basics means using every part of whatever it is you have. Waste not, want not is the motto of those who live off the land, and ultimately off the grid.

Household Energy Savers

Laundry is one chore that can run the electric bill sky-high. But with a few tweaks, you can be doing your laundry for much less. If you aren't of a mind to hand-wash your clothing, you are not alone. But when it comes to drying your clothes, don't forget about Mother Nature. Rinse the clothes with one or two cups of vinegar before hanging them in the sun upside down to keep them from losing their shape. Vinegar keeps the clothes from becoming too stiff. To remove most of the wrinkles, simply shake out each article of clothing with a snap before hanging.

An umbrella clothesline only takes up a small amount of space and can be folded and removed after clothes are dry. Retractable clotheslines work well, also, as long as you have two buildings or posts close enough so that the clothesline can stretch to both. After drying the clothes, simply retract the line and it's as if the line was never there.

The Bartering System

Bartering has been used since the beginning of time. It's a great way to network and keep the channels between neighbors open and to keep your community prosperous. Each item you grow or produce on your property helps provide you with a bartering system. If you have too many eggs and your neighbor has too many fish, bartering is a great way to purchase what you need. You can also sell a one-hour fishing spot to neighbors in exchange for something they have that you need. The point to remember is that bartering items back and forth is a wonderful way to exchange needed goods without cash, leaving both parties happy.

Perhaps you have a sewing talent or a talent with wood. You can barter something you sewed for a chicken or a rabbit. Use your talent to make rabbit hutches, aprons or baked goods. Or, if you have the extra time, barter brute strength and time during harvest season. When you have a project that requires additional hands, you'll already have a crew in place.

Living off the Land

Rural living provides the perfect location for gardening. Take whatever space you have to spare and turn it into vegetable gardens and areas for livestock. Vegetables can also be planted in pots and hung to make use of every available space. Foods that cannot be eaten quickly can be saved for winter use. Foods that will be canned should be picked, washed and canned within several hours to preserve as much of the vitamins and nutrients as possible. Fruits and vegetables can also be dried and stored for some months in a root cellar.

When raising animals for food, choose animals that will not require additional store-bought feed and which can be housed easily.

Cattle:

One steer will provide you with enough meat for an entire year. If using cow chips, you'll be able to harvest plenty over the course of one summer.

Chickens:

Let the chickens run loose on your property, but make sure you have a chicken coop for them to return to each evening that is safe from predators. A few healthy chickens will provide more than enough eggs for a family.

Rabbits:

Rabbits can be kept in a hutch, which doesn't take up much space. Pick clover and grasses for them and offer an orange slice and salt block once in a while and your rabbits will be happy and healthy. Make sure they have plenty of hay in the winter months to pad their homes. In the summer fill old two-liter soda bottles with water and freeze to provide additional comfort. They'll love stretching out alongside a frozen bottle and cooling down as the heat index rises.

Fish:

Adding a fish pond to your property is another great way to provide protein. If you already have a pond on the property, chances are it is spring-fed and will be relatively maintenance-free. On occasion a pond will require dredging to remove a buildup of sledge and silt.

Take Advantage of Existing Waterways

If you already have a pond or a stream, take advantage of the Omega 3 possibilities. Dredging an area and diverting a small stream so that you have a body of water that remains year round or that can be drained every couple of years is ideal.
Purchase fish from a commercial fish hatchery. Take care deciding which kinds of fish you will stock together in your pond. Rainbow trout is a good fish for ponds but should not be mixed with brown trout, as they require different water temperatures.
Make sure you have enough room in the pond for minnow, crayfish and water plants, all of which are important to sustaining and growing trout.
Sunfish and bluegills also are not the perfect fish for a pond, as they reproduce quickly and require plenty of food in order to grow. Too many fish means only small fish to harvest and the possibility of fish dying due to lack of food.
Stock about 50 fish to every one acre of pond space, then allow fish two to three years for reproducing before you begin harvesting.