Pioneer Woman at Heart

One Flourishing, Frugal and Fun Family!

One family learning to live off the land, cut back on expenses, and to live a simpler and a more self-sufficient lifestyle.

Adopted Motto

"Eat it up,
Wear it out,
Make it do,
Or go without."
~A Pioneer Sampler, by Barbara Greenwood~

Showing posts with label Natural Pet Care. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Natural Pet Care. Show all posts

Friday, May 1, 2015

Natural Insect Repellent Oil for People ~ Pet Flea Protection?


Now I'm taking the herbs to a different level.  There are so many uses for herbs (and oils) it's so much fun to research and try them.

To make the insect oil, I used a 1/4 cup to measure my "parts."  You can see in this quart jar, how much it fills the jar.  We've have good luck with homemade basil mosquito spray, but so far nothing has worked for flies or gnats (or fleas on our dogs and cats).

Saturday, November 10, 2012

One Dog's Anxiety Cure ~ No Pills


We had thunderstorms last night.  My daughter donned her pup with his thundershirtAt first he did shake, but calmed down and even went to sleep during the worst of the storm.


It workedThis is Jesse in the morning.  When we bought it, they offered to embroider his name for free.  His thundershirt is personalized.

By no means is this meant to advertise this product.  We are simply sharing our dog's experience.  

Prior to the thundershirt, he would shake, pant heavily, his veins would stick out from stress, and he'd hide in places like the bathroom.   He would experience this during any storm, loud noises, fireworks, guns firing, orwhen the stone company blasted stone down the road.

Thank goodness he doesn't have to take pills, and we found a healthy alternative. 


Saturday, October 13, 2012

Fall Hike at the Campground Woods ~ Mom Funny

When you have bad allergies, you get tired of being locked up in the house all the time.  I was itching to get out, and so I did.  Although it was the shortest hike in the woods, I still savored it.

My 10 year-old was the only one to join me, and she gathered leaves, as well as myself.

The campground we like to camp at, has many trails for hiking and biking.  

 We each came home with some very colorful fall leaves.  I hope to feel up to collecting more this weekend.  I like to use these for fall house decorations.  They are free, beautiful, and smell wonderful.  When the season is over, we can simply put them back into the garden, or the kids can create pictures with the leaves.
 

 When we got back home, I took a few photos of the foilage that is about one corn field away from the farm.

 Here it is again, with the corn still up, in front of the trees.

Despite morning frosts, we continue to have fall flowers blooming.


Mom Funny ~  I pulled a quadriceps . . .

Yesterday, before the kids arrived home from school, my son got my attention.  "Hey Mom, come look at this."

I first thought we had another stray outside, but he was at the side door looking down. Behind him was Tiger (the golden tiger cat) with a mouse in his mouth. 

Oh this was a joy.  While we tried to get the mouse out of the house, Tiger was bent on keeping it.  He kept playing with it, and it would run up and down the hall by my bedroom door.  

We grabbed a bucket and tried to get it, but it went under my son's legs and right into my bedroom.  Tiger went after it.  

My son, waiting for the cat to catch the mouse again, took the dogs outside for an outing.  

While he was out, I went in search for Jasper (our other black tiger cat).  I put Jasper under the bed too, but he had no interest, as he could not see the mouse or Tiger, who were both buried under my bed (ugh).

I grabbed the flashlight, bent down on my knees, pulled the bed cover up and moved one box.

BAM!  That beady eyed black beast, flew out from under the bed, and straight at me.   I flew my body up, and out of there in less than a second. 

We eventually caught that little booger, but my leg remains strained.  Oh the joys of getting a mouse in the house, and those little surprises that come with it.


Today  
 
Today it is very chilly inside the house.  My coffee is not staying cold in the mug.  I need to crochet a few of those mug covers, to help keep it warm.  I'm not ready to start burning wood just yet.

Hubby has to work 10 hours again today.  I hope to get some help from the kids, and start pulling out tomato plants.

I don't have a mask (to block out allergens) this season yet, so I am praying the farmer does not take out the corn while we are out there today.

Tea update:  The Edlerberry Immunity blend tea (organic) seems to be doing some work.  It's only been a day and a half, but the kids feel that the lymph node swelling is going down a teeny bit.  It's still very much there, and still painful, but I have faith it will reduce completely.

This tea does wonders on the body.  Be careful though, it works like laxative and also a diuretic, as it flushes the toxins out.   The seawater nasal spray is wonderful.  However, it shoots clear up in there, unlike those spritz nasal sprays from the pharmacy or over the counter.  It really gets up in there to do it's work.   

We also have one dog and one cat that are suffering from bad allergies this season (worse than ever).  Right now, we are trying a granule that is simply placed in our pets mouth and dissolves itself.   It is organic and natural.  If it works, I will post the information. 

We have also switched to a dye free, natural pet food that we buy at the Tractor Supply Store.  It's more expensive, but we care about our pets (I just haven't found an affordable way to make this myself yet).  I won't be buying them pet treats at the store anymore either.  The dogs love the dehydrated treats I made.  They run to the kitchen when they hear the ziploc bag open (no kidding).  I just have to come up with a cat treat now.
 

Thursday, August 16, 2012

Canning Season Still Chugging Along ~ Oatmeal Wedges

I got 3 1/2 quarts of Seasoned Tomato Sauce canned.


Dug up the last of the carrots and froze two bags of them.  It's not much, but more than I froze last year.  I'll need to plant more next year.  


Canned 7 more pints of beets and 5 half pints of Pear Jam.

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Dog (and Human) Tick Repellant ~

Yesterday I pulled a tick off of one of my daughter's necks.  I first used the dawn soap and cotton ball method, but it didn't release the tick.  Later in the day we found another tick on the couch.  The dogs will be getting a good shampoo scrub, then will be rubbed with this oil we make.  Ticks are very bad this year already.

I found this recipe in a copy of The Herb Quarterly several years ago. I lost it, then ordered a back issue of the magazine.

Tick-Repelling Oil

(for adults, dogs, and children older than 5 - otherwise they recommend using a gentle rose geranium hydrosol)

2 oz. jojoba oil
20 drops geranium essential oil
10 drops lavender essential oil

Combine all ingredients, place in small bottle and label. To use: Before going outdoors, apply this oil to any exposed skin. For dogs, place a few drops on your hands and then gently smooth the oil over the coat. If you prefer spray, substitute 2 oz. of distilled water for the jojoba oil, and place all ingredients in a small spray bottle. Spritz over your hair, clothing and skin. Repeat as necessary. (From The Herb Quarterly Magazine, Summer 2009).

I do recommend organic oils. So far, this is working for us and for the dogs. I'm not sure if you can use it on other animals, but wanted to share. There is a concern for using it on young children, but you could research it for other animals. 


My son is constantly picking up ticks on his legs when he walks the dogs around the 6 acres here. He just rubs some on his legs and arms to prevent them from attaching.  It's a nice way to repel ticks naturally. 

Note:  It was recommended by my Herbalist to never store your oils in the refrigerator.  She recommended storing them in a cool/dry place.  There is too much moisture in the refrigerator.