Author: Earthy Views

Life has many adventures and paths, I choose to share my ideas and writings, hopeful to make the world a better place with deep thoughts about many varying ideas. Be kind to all living things.

Details for the difference

Earthy Views

If you are a project person like me you will know that small fine tuned details can be just the finishing touch you need.

Whether you are painting, detailing a vehicle or putting trim around a door put the effort into the whole project. 

In repairing and doing touch ups in and around our home I noted many things that take a short time to finish up. Like the windowsills, paint them and paint the ends.

Photo by me. This was what professional contractors left unfinished from our building’s retrofit.

Painting the baseboards with fresh paint and taking a Dremel to some of the lack of fine tuning left behind from people before us. It also helped me notice that the Baseboards were overlapped with the door frame so the door frame did sit flush on the wall. The Dremel came in handy again to the baseboard to size now the door trim is flat on the wall.

Photo by me, this is where they overlapped the baseboard and the door frame.

When I was doing touch ups to the wood laminate floor due to not replacing them, it made a huge difference. I washed them well, dried them and used a colour match pen to fill the scratches.

Photo by me, before the touch ups, I will likely do a full tips blog on touching up floors.

When doing wall touch ups or a full repaint I take off electrical covers and put tape over the outlets. I also tape baseboards and put a piece of tape over switches or holes for things like drapes going back up. I take out old unneeded anchors. When I do the paint in a small touch up area I get my small brush or a makeup sponge with to colour doing a few light coats over the patching after priming the area with primer to let everything blend well.

Photo taken by me, those are metal anchors I filled in where the holes where I still need to sand clean and prime the area before putting the colour on.

I washed the van this week. There was pollen and build up in all the groves. So I grabbed my little bucket with soapy water along with a brush and the toothbrush. Took a bit of time but the fine tuning made the van look and feel fresh. I use a brush on the vents inside. They are really hard to clean with a cloth.

What projects have you done and did the final details? Do you notice when details are not done?

Or is it just me that crawls in odd spaces to clean or detail that sees unfinished work.

Spring flowers after April Showers

Earthy Views

When you walk around do you notice the flowers and things growing? 

Photo taken by me. might be a Aquilegia vulgaris ‘Rose Barlow’ Columbine

Out on my walks I see so much growth. Some of the flowers I saw this week were Columbine. It comes in a variety of beautiful colors. I saw a deep purple one. You can collect the seed when the pod turns brown. Just cut the seed stems off and shake them in a plastic bag or a really big bowl. They take a long time to germinate 60 to 90 days, they need a cold resting time of 4 degrees Celsius or 40 degrees Fahrenheit. So if you are going to grow them in the house you will need to put them in the fridge for 3 to 4 weeks. You can also  sow the seed right on the dirt in the fall and they will grow in the spring. Tips on gathering the Columbine seeds

Photo take by me. Might be a William Guiness Columbine

Little blue Forget Me Not were in bloom around one of the Columbine. I have not grown Forget Me Nots on purpose from seeds. It sometimes finds its way into the garden. 

Photo taken by me. Forget Me Not

April showers bring May flowers, It came from the United Kingdom. It is very wet in April so I guess they thought it fit.

As we grow out of spring and it to summer there will be many more beautiful flowers and growth. Keep growing, I would love to know some of the flowers you have seen in your time outside. have a great week. If you know if I’m correct on the types of Columbine I have shared please let me know.

Helping Without First Aid

Earthy Views

As I mentioned 2 weeks back in my blog, I was taking advanced first aid. It is called Occupational first aid level 2.  As someone that has held some form of first aid I recommend getting at least your basic first aid. It can be a life saving intervention. 

Do you know when to call for help in a health crisis? Call out anyone around that has first aid (I need a first aider). Make sure things are safe for you and the person needing help. Then call 911 to tell them where you are, cross street, address, landmarks. If you are alone, ask for an ambulance and put your phone on speaker. They will give you instructions. Don’t leave the person, even if a person with first aid is there stay with the first aider they sometimes can use your help. Stay calm. (Breath in through your nose out through your mouth)

A B.C. Ambulance Service paramedic wearing a face mask to curb the spread of COVID-19 moves a stretcher outside an ambulance at Royal Columbia Hospital, in New Westminster, B.C., on Sunday, November 29, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

If you are alone and needing emergency medical help, call 911, give them your name and location, if you are able to get to the door unlock it. Let the 911 operator know what is going on, if you have a pet let them know that too so when they come in they know what to expect. Do not get off the phone with 911 unless they advise it.

Find out if they are awake? In a loud voice are hay hay are you awake. If they don’t respond.

It can be as quick as ABC 

Airway – can you hear or see them breathing. Is their breathing gurgly or like something is in there throat? Airways get blocked. Teaching your family the universal sign for chocking. It is putting two hands to the throat.

https://www.hems.co.za/choking

Breathing – Do they have regular full breaths? Watch and listen for 10 seconds to see and feel if they are breathing. If you don’t have first aid, describe the breathing to 911. Deep or shallow, slow or fast, or almost nothing at all. Because of covid we at the time of this blog are still asked to not do assisted breathing for people outside our immediate family.

Circulation – If you have ever seen someone check a pulse. When we are doing a pulse we are seeing if the heart is beating and how many beats happen in 1 min. You can count the heartbeats for 15 seconds and multiply it by 4. If you don’t know how, that is ok. Here is a link to taking a human pulse.

https://medlineplus.gov/ency/imagepages/19395.htm

If you touch the person, note if they are cool, pale and clammy. Tell 911 you don’t have first aid what you noted. Tell them about their breathing and skin if they are normal colour pale or blue, If they are an adult or a child and rough age.

If you note any blood on the person’s clothing or under them.  Tell the 911 person if you see an visible damage to someone body, broken bones, bad wounds that are bleeding, bad burns or large burses.

How much and where you see it. It can be worrisome to see things that need emergency care. 

Keep up the good breathing. 

My guidance is on personal experience and training. I think taking an in person class is the best way to know what you are doing. There is some free online first aid also.

I did pass my Occupational First and Level 2. I’m certified for 3 years, it was a hard week. Once that was done I did my Naloxone training, so I’m also certified in case of an opiate overdose.

I hope you have some basic knowledge to be able to help someone in a medical crisis. Recognizing the need to get medical assistance and calling 911 is the first step. Something to be mindful of is the laws in your area. Different countries and places have different laws about helping someone

Study Skills

Earthy Views

Studying and research are similar. You have to be determined to make the time to learn

. 

This week has been a heavy week of studying. I have decided to take my occupational first aid level 2. This involves 2 books and being able to cross reference.

If you have the chance to read a course completely before the class you are lucky. If not, you must pace yourself. Each thing you learn will take different amounts of time.

Read through the material, take notes as you need in a notebook. In the notes put the date then write down key points and words that are repeated many times. One of the things I was struggling to remember is AVPU. The letters will not be important to you, for my class it is used in every case you are looking at. I looked it up again and wrote it down. I had to recheck it for this blog. When I’m reading it out of the textbook I say it out loud to remember it.

Alertness 

Voice

Pain

Unresponsive

Our brains work better the more senses we use. Seeing the information, reading it out loud and writing it down. If we share it out loud, then it helps build the idea. Sometimes I close my eyes and visualize. Sometimes like in the case of first aid, going through what you would do step to step and doing it with my hands too. I read once that many athletes will close their eyes and visualize themselves doing the race. They use this to help them practice. 

If your studies have more than one book, and one references the other, then write down what you need to read in the other book and the page you found it on in the first book. 

https://www.pexels.com/photo/adult-blur-books-close-up-261909/

If what you’re reading is harder to understand or you’re a slow reader. Give yourself enough time to read and re-read. My class suggested 1 to 3 hours of reading including homework a night. I will allow for 4 hours. Key to studying after listening to a teacher/ speaker: Hear key words or repeating ideas. If they mention book text, read that carefully. I also like quizzes and chapter tests and flash cards.

Having someone else to study with who is focused, committed and not distracting can help to get the most out of the studying.

I find having water is very important when you study. Easy thing to forget, helps your brain. I also use herbal teas that help enhance memory. Eat light, not sugar snacks. Sugar and heavy meals can make us crash. Not saying starve yourself. A healthy breakfast and a light walk before getting down to studies can make you feel better. I read small amounts of coffee, green tea, bigger amounts of foods high in omegas, nuts, seeds and berries can help the brain to think clearer.

If you can study at a time when you’re more alert. I read for an hour at a time then get up and walk around. I really like to walk outside, breathing fresh air is powerful in helping refocus. 

Wish me luck on learning to save lives! Have a great week to come. I might need to skip next Thursday’s blog, I will be back soon.

Photo by Pixabay

Smoothies for life on the go!

Earthy Views

When you are living the busy life having something quick that is packed with nutrition like a smoothie, you can make a smoothie in under five minutes provided you have the ingredients on hand.. Some blenders even come with to-go cups with leak proof lids.

This is my Ninja, my travel lids are packed.

With all I have packed to get ready to sell, my Ninja will be one of the last things to pack. Likely it will be transported in the vehicle.

Smoothies are something you can modify for all kinds of diets and tastes. 

Vegan proteins that can be added to smoothies

If you are into animal dairy somethings you can use

You can use any fruits you enjoy. If you are diabetic, use blueberries, green apples or cherries. Some people think diabetics can’t have fruit, they just can’t have multiple cups in one sitting. Earlier in the day is better to have your fruits when dealing with diabetes. One cup of Cherries rates 20 on the glycemic index. 

People enjoying the Keto diet can enjoy smoothies, you must be more mindful of weighing your ingredients and cross reference your own keto lists and books, pending on the guidelines you have. Smoothie ideas for Keto.

You can be creative with your smoothies, veggies can work great in smoothies.

Thank you to Cathy’s Gluten free

I have added carrot, greens like spinach, cooked beets, sorrel and celery. I recommend using a good quality blender for raw veggies. I have also used cooked yams and sweet potatoes.

I don’t add a lot of sweet additives. I have just been introduced to dried dates. They are sweet and low on the glycemic index. I have also used honey. I really mostly let the fruits sweeten my smoothies. 

I’m not fond of heavy seeds in my smoothies so I don’t use a lot of blackberries and raspberries. The crunchy bits make me feel like I need to wipe out my mouth every sip.

When you are on the go, what smoothies or foods do you enjoy? Maybe you can share your recipe.

Changing a basic light switch

Earthy Views

You might just turn on a switch to turn on your lighting. What if you think I want a new switch?

Tools needed for the job!

Changing a switch has some basic principles. 

Safety is something I try to always consider. Knowing where your electrical breaker is in the place you live is a good thing to know. Ours is in the front entrance behind the front door (I always thought it was so ugly). The next to learn is what breakers switch off power to switches, appliances and plugs.

Things you will need:

I keep the light on till I know what breaker turns off the light then I unscrew the cover plate. Once it is off there often are 2 more screws to undo. If your light switch mounts have been painted over you might want to take a razor blade and score the paint till you can pull the switch. Get the mounts as clean as possible, it doesn’t always come away as clean as I would like. The last thing you want to do is repair damage to the surface of the wall. 

When you can get the switch to move you want to pull it out so you can see all the wires

The ones changed at our home had the wires poked into the back of the switch.

This is the back of the switch till now I could not see the words on the back, “Push to release” NOW If I could have read that before struggling. I’m new to changing electrical switches and plugs.
My partner is teaching me I did this one alone and broke it.

Before you disconnect the old switch grab the voltmeter, turn it to the lowest ohms setting. I think that is 200. This is to test what position the switch will be on and off. When I changed out the switches, I wanted the on position to be up and the off to be down. So you put the two prongs on to the two screws and if you get a number reading that is on, when there is no reading then that is the off position. 

Now on with getting the switch off. There are many ways to do this. There is the easy way of using your wire cutter/stripper. If you have enough wire to do that and still reattach your wires to the switch, then cut it and re-strip the wire. When you strip the plastic casing off be careful to only cut the plastic then strip that off. It will be a pain if you cut through the wires again. How to change a light switch.

Way two to get the switch off is the way I did mine, lots of stomping my feet and growling! I said nasty things to my wires. This is where you hold the switch firmly in one hand and the pliers in the other grab one of the wires and wiggle and pull it for the back Then have your hand slip loose grip if the pliers drop them on your toe, scream cuss your in bare feet bend down grab them say more choice word to this piece of junk and think I should have just left the bloody thing in the wall. For the next 10 mins this craziness continues. Finally you reef the wires out and hear plastic breaking. Well good thing it is being changed! So now your wires are out it is time to take the last wire off with a screwdriver that is called the ground, it is what helps your connection be safer. Many light switches do not have a ground.

Both the wires, they explain the right way to do this in the video links

Time to get the new one in, my switches had two screws on the side and the green screw for the ground at the bottom, I put the ground on first. Use your needle nose pliers to make a hook curve on your wires you will likely only need to do that to the two that are going to the side screws. You will want to hook that around one of the screws. It will not matter if it is the top of the bottom screw, it will complete the circuit once you connect them. I hold the wire tight then the hook is under the screw and then keep it tight as I tighten the screw. (My neighbor told me there is a way to put them in to hold it tight, I forgot the details) Before you tighten in place, move the wire so it fits in the little indent in the plastic. Do the same on the other side. Bend your wires back into the holding mount (I find that a little hard so I use the pliers to bend the wires). Line up the holes of the mount and the switch then put the mounting screws back in. This can be a bit finicky. Keep trying and don’t force anything. If it is aligned it should not be too hard. Put your cover plate back on, the screws are short so they don’t take much. Time to go turn on the breaker and test your new switch.

My neighbor also shared that using the screws, not the push holes in the back give you better conductivity. So it is a better and safer way to connect your switch.

Have you changed a switch? Do you have any tips on changing out a switch? If you are not comfortable changing your switches or if there is something different in the light, you might want to call in someone with more experience.

Looking forward to reading your comments.

Edible wild spring flowers and plants

Earthy Views

Maybe when you see dandelions you don’t think food. I have been foraging since I was small. Gathering in the spring can feel more challenging.

Dandelions (Taraxacum officinale) are found in many parts of the world, North America, Europe and Asia. You can eat all parts of them. The younger leaves are not as bitter, you can soak them in water to help the leaves get a bit milder. If you are ambitious you could ferment the flowers to make wine. Their bright yellow flowers in my area are some of the first flowers bees use as food in the spring.

Dandelion,

I eat fresh chickweed (Stellaria media) like a salad green ( I likely look like a wild rabbit when I find wild greens) and have fed it to many pets.

Nettle (Urtica incisa) in a tea or lightly stir fried is very good for your organs. The big tip with harvesting nettles is to wear long sleeves and gloves. Once it is cooked it does not cause that tingle. If you have joint pain with or without arthritis you can thrash the sore joints. You may want to find a traditional healer to help you with pains. A gentler way to use them as a medical aid is to make an ointment with them in it. When looking for nettles you can find them on the outskirts of forests. 

Nettles Photo by Markus Winkler

You can eat a weed called plantain, it comes in broad leaves (Plantago major) and long narrow leaves (Plantago lanceolata). It can be used in medical ways too.

Ever tried pine (Pinus Genus) needle tea? It is very refreshing.


Red (Trifolium pratense) and white (Trifolium repens) clovers are good for helping the liver. You don’t need to cook them. You can pick them wash them in clean water and eat them

Morel mushroom, Photo by my Friend on Vancouver Island

You can have many wild mushrooms, I’m not experienced in harvesting them. I would join a local mushroom or foraging group to learn which is safe. There are many good books with photos on the topic. My friend from Vancouver Island has picked morel mushroom (Morchella), turkey tail (Trametes versicolor) and cat tongue (Pseudohydnum gelatinosum) that she said people soaked in sugar and made them like gummies.

Turkey Tail mushroom, Photo By my friend on Vancouver Island
Cat tongue mushroom, Photo By my Friend on Vancover Is

Sorrel (Rumex acetosa) is something you can grow in the garden or find in the wild. There are a few types. It is used like spinach. It has a bitter flavor, I would say it would be very good with lemon or lime juice. 

Many of the plants and flowers you can find in the wild are good for your health, they also can have some side effects like making you pee alot (diuretics) if you have any health conditions, allergies including hay fever please talk to someone in the natural health field, always better to check out anything you as adding to your diet. Some can have adverse effects with medications you are taking. 

Happy foraging, have a great week enjoying the wild! 

Blogging In The Middle Of Chaos!

Earthy Views

So many things went through my scrambled brain this week. I was thinking, do I start the blog with “this blog is brought to you by the letter ‘S’ and the number 13..!” or “Star date April 14, 2022.. Captain’s log..”

My organized chaos.

If you have been reading or even enjoying my blog for sometime you will know sometimes I keep it real, show you the human side of this blogger.

I almost was going to post a short note blog to tell you I will be back in a week or two.. I must tell you being in disorganized chaos with packing an overstuffed townhome as one packing, sorting and repairs. I’m tired, overwhelmed and feeling like there is no light, maybe no tunnel.

Some of this week’s repairs like re caulking a bathtub and changing different ceiling fixtures will be topics for upcoming blogs.

This fan came down without threats of ripping it off the ceiling, blog topic for latter.

This week we changed out old lights and fans to more modern led lighting. I helped a family member paint a room at their house and tried to defrag my living area. I had it down to small boxes of hair things and jewelry, house hold things like door stops and reno junk, kitchen appliances that are older than me, lost toys of younger times, Lego… how do I still have a Ziplock of Lego? Personal hygiene stuff, office thrift store bin… Ziplock of board game pieces that escaped… 

I have no idea how they became separated from their boxes.
Lego in a bag is less scary then in a dark room on the floor.

To say my mountain of donations is growing is an understatement. Finding a good place to donate is not always easy. I like to share in a way that people that need something can do it without financial hardship. I found a cool place that asks for a small fee to come in and people can pick out what they need and love. Clothes 2u really helps people!

New Led light!

In the busyness of my life I was missing plants. They have already gone closer to my ‘hope to be soon new area’. So I sprouted a garlic clove my neighbor gave me so I had something growing near me.. My friends and family are sure I’m a crazy garden person. Perhaps they just think I’m crazy.. I don’t recommend you ask them. I’m sure you will get an ear full. 

Have a great week, if you would like to cheer me up share a moving or reno story..

When Bulbs Tell Us It Is Spring

Earthy Views

Out walking I saw so many bulbs some are at the end, others in full bloom. In my area the Daffodils and the Tulips are opening or are ready to open this week if the weather stays dry and warmer.

Photo by me Daffodils.

Some of the bulbs you will see around my area. 

If you want to plant bulbs the recommendations are September to mid October when the ground is 16C ( 60 F). You can plant them into November if the ground is not too frozen. 

Photo taken by myself. One garlic clove and 4 bulbs from other years.

I have read you can layer bulbs. You put bulbs that grow at different times at different depths so you can have bulbs all season. From my experience it is better to plant bulbs in groups, helping them to hold each other up.

Starting bulbs indoors, I start mine in lava rocks and glass. I also like the net cups for growing, it lets the roots grow without the plant sitting in the water.

Photo by myself. my red onion is rooted!

When they get roots I start to give them fertilized water.

When they are done flowering you can dry them out for a week then layer them with hay, newspaper, moss, sawdust or anything that keeps them safe and drier.

Garlic bulbs can be planted in the fall and the spring. You will have a different end product. A spring garlic clove will give you lovely greens, they are a bit milder and can be sautéed in a stir fry. Gallic scape recipe. Because it takes 9 months for a new bulb to form from a clove you need to plant them in the fall garlic for cooking cloves or to be able to have enough for the next season.

When you plant them in the spring you will need time in the fridge for 4 to 8 weeks. Many plants need this cold to be able to grow. It tricks them into thinking they went through winter.

When you plant garlic in the fall you want to do it 30 days before the first frost. Because they have no roots. You can cheat your garlic roots, put them in a container with marbles, lava rocks, rocks then put water in over whatever you choose. Then put the base of the clove in the rocks and within a week or 2 you will have beautiful roots! Normally it takes days to germinate roots.

Photo taken by myself. My growing garlic stem and a clove I’m rooting this week.

If you plant them before your first frost then they get that dark quiet time to rest till spring. You want to put them 2 inches past the bulb. If you get very cold winters you will want to put some straw on the top to keep them from freezing. Some garlics are less cold tolerant.

Garlic is a great thing to plant between other plants. If you have deer and elk, planting garlic around anything you hope to not be eaten will help deter the animals from eating your good plants. As I have seen, butthead squirrels will likely dig them up for you! They are helpers!

You can also crush the cloves, soak them in water and make a natural pesticide that can be sprayed on once or twice a week if you get rain. Garlic pesticide spray

What bulb or flowers catch your attention? Hope you have a great week.

How to be a good house and pet sitter

Earthy Views

Being trusted with someone’s beloved pet and home is an honor.

Photo take by myself March 30 2022

Be the keeper that gets invited back!

If this is your first time watching their space or pet there are things you will need to ask. 

If I’m watching a pet I ask the human to please type or write me out a schedule that includes times of the pet’s daily routine. How much to feed the pet, do they have any medical conditions or medications. The contact information for their vet. Emergency humans to contact too if I need help. If the animals are allowed treats. Words the person uses. Where the food is kept. Where equipment needed is. When my dog was still alive I would type out his schedule including things like please avoid other dogs and people. If you have challenges with what the needs of an animal are then let the owner know to see if there is a workaround. if you for some reason can’t do the takes tell the owners so the owners can ask someone else.

Random from the internet

Sometimes I ask them things in person.

I like to go over early to spend time with the pet while the human is there. Try to put on equipment like a harness. If they have special equipment, learn how to use them and when. Like fish or reptile tanks. 

If you are minding their house things to know. 

  • When is garbage day including instructions like where to leave the cans.
  • Where does the recycling/ food scraps go? What goes in the bins?
  • How to use the appliances (house watching, I found out by curiosity they had an ice maker) so I then made some lovely blueberry frozen yogurt. The dog I was watching got a taste because all the ingredients were safe for this dog’s diet. Made up for the late dinner the first night. Human moments!
  • If the home you are minding has any allergies. 
  • What you are allowed to eat.
  • Find out if you are to collect the mail, where they want it. 
  • Rules if they are in a community or strata. 
  • If you are hoping to have guests. Ask if the owners mind. Being respectful in people’s spaces helps to have you invited back. 
  • Always clean up after yourself and the pets.
  • If you are caring for their yard or garden. Know the water rules.
  • Find out their emergency safety plans, where safety equipment is kept. Like the fire extinguisher and Emergency grab kits!
  • Unless asked, don’t move or tidy things. Some people really feel lost when they come home after being away, and things have changed. If you know them well or have an open means of communication(such as texting)  then you might be able to do things for them
  • Know the address and phone number of the house you are watching.

People’s homes and pets are safe to them. Unless you ask, do not take photos of their space or pets.

Photo taken by me. My lovely dog we had a few people we trusted to watch him.

If you take a photo of anything personal without asking. Keep it private. In the fast electronic age it can be very easy to just post without thinking, remember this is a borrowed time in someone else’s space. 

Don’t post about the pets on the Internet without asking..

Final touches, strip the bed the day they are coming home, wash it for them. If you know them well enough to make a meal or leave a treat. Check with them if that works for them. 

Enjoy the space and maybe if they feel good about you keeping their space, you might be invited back.

May you have a great week! If you have had a good house or pet sitter please share what you enjoyed about their skills. If you have enjoyed watching a house or a pet, what were the highlights!