Top 3 stains: red wine, coffee, permanent marker, from popular book Spotless by Shannon Lush.

From the popular ABC radio (Australian) segment, Spotless: Room-by-room solutions to domestic disasters by Shannon Lush (and Jennifer Fleming). My book was found for $20 NZ at a Binn Inn (wholesale foods store).

I wanted to see this book ever since I heard it mentioned. The tools for cleaning any stain or mishap, according to where it happened (or what it happened on) are often natural products such as baking soda (bicarb), vinegar, glycerine and so on. Anyways, it's stain removal with expert knowledge.

From their intro: "There are a couple of tricks with stain removal. Firstly, don't panic and put something on the stain that could make it worse. Work out what's in the stain. Then work out what the solvent is. If there are several components to the stain, you must remove the protein part first, then fats, then any chemical or biological dyes, and then any resins or glues. The way to work this out is to remember that proteins are anything animal or seed based, fats are greasy between your fingers, and resins and glues are not water soluble. If you're not sure, clean with cold water first, then use hot water, then any solvents..."

Here are my top 3!

1 new red wine on carpet

"Cover the stain with a good amount of bicarb [baking soda] and let dry for a few seconds. Then vaccuum and re-apply a smaller amount of bicarb, add a little vinegar and scrub with a nylon brush. Leave to dry, then vacuum."

2 coffee or tea on fabric

"For fresh stains, use glycerine applied with a cotton ball, then wash in washing powder."

3 permanent pen on fabric

"You'll need to do this very carefully and quickly. Apply some dry cleaning fluid to a cotton bud and write over the permanent pen while also quickly wiping the dry-cleaning fluid off with a cotton ball, replacing it often. You could also spray Aerogard [aerosol insect repellant] or hairspray, and wipe off with a cloth. Be careful with fabric and test a patch first."

There was also a rotting milk method for ink stains on fabric - apparently placing the milk solids on an ink stain can bring the ink up, then you can wash it away.

P.S. After getting re-inspired about baking soda from flipping through this book, I tried a baking soda paste (and a cloth) to clean a friend's ceramic stove-top. It worked a charm.

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PSS (Dec 8) - Just now we spilled a few drops of red wine on the carpet. We used the advice from Spotless: dropped some baking soda onto the red spots first. Some of the white powder instantly turned browny black, and then we vaccuumed it away. We added a bit more baking soda, and some vinegar onto it, which bubbled. Savannah used a regular dish washing brush to scrub the soda in further, I pinched more on - and when it dries we will vacuum again. Beats scrubbing with energy for 10 minutes - and I already can see no red.
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More background on the book from the ABC store:

Shannon Lush is the ‘sensei’ of stain removal.

Her admiring radio audience around the country have complete confidence in her encyclopedic knowledge of the repair of stains, scratches and other disfigurements as the final word on surviving messy household emergencies.

This book came about through James Valentine and his radio program on 702 ABC Sydney. He asked listeners to ring in if they were having problems fixing a spill or stain around the house and then invited other listeners to give their solutions. One day Shannon rang in and answered every question. She became a regular guest and is now heard on similar ABC Radio programs around the country. ‘Spotless’ is published in response to clamorous listener demand.
If you have ever washed a jumper in the machine and horribly shrunk it, burnt a pan to obliteration or had your pet mess the white wool carpet, you will be pleased to know that there are solutions to these and many other problems. Each chapter in Spotless addresses a particular room in the house or outside area so it is simple to use and incredibly useful.

The section listing inexpensive and easily obtainable ingredients to keep on hand is unique and indispensable. Especially now that Shannon clearly explains exactly how to use them.

Whatever the problem: a filthy oven, a tea stain on the mattress, ink on the lino or just some useful hints on cleaning problem areas such as doors or window sills, Shannon has no-nonsense advice that will work.

- ABC SHOP AUSTRALIA

November Nurture

Really enjoying nurturing my garden.

Enora and the Black Crane (by Arone Raymond Meeks)

I read a very special story called Enora and the Black Crane, by Arone Meeks (Australian aboriginal artist from North Queensland area). In it, Enora and his family live and eat food from the forest. One day Enora sees a rainbow of colour travel through the forest, which he follows. The colours lead to a clearing where he sees the colour fold over cassowaries, scrub hens, lyre birds and parrots (all Australian forest birds). When he returns home, no-one believes him, so he returns and takes a sign back with him to show his family - he kills a bird. He brings the bird back - a crane, and his family is very sad. Then he himself transforms into a bird. But although he joins the birds, of every colour - his feathers remain black.

The artwork on each page is amazing, I love it. But I really love the story. I wish I could contact the artist to ask him if the story means what I think it means. I think I will.

November beans

Hey - I don't have to write "October Garden", and have blog entry each month that encapsulates the whole month, like a religious order! Here is my blog post for November 7, after midnight.

Today was a great gardening day. I am extremely lazy and unmotivated by nature, but Shane and I went to go look at my giant bean plants which were falling over. After a moment, we got sucked in. He said I should just remove them (I hadn't supported them properly at all) - and I agreed, as they were getting broken which was very not favourable to my OCD side. Then I also remembered that I hated beans anyways. I decided the kids could pick the beans, remembering how good it was for us to always experience that sort of thing.

I didn't know that bean plants have the most luxurious soft beds!

The beans had a strong pea plant like smell. The kids thoroughly enjoyed the task, and ripping out bean plants turned into them shelling them, and I wanting to fix a slat that broke of my raised garden. Shane saw the ridiculous way I was going to fix it, and the garden party was on - as he took over. It was so cool! Ended up bringing up the would-be wasted extra grass clippings to spread around the garden as mulch (not too close to the plants), especially the potatoes. I really got into it - and the garden didn't release me for some time, needing mint plants pulled that had fungus on them, etc etc.


Shane fixed up a fan blade I put up attempting to turn it into a windmill - turned it into a real windmill that would easily fly round in the wind. When we finished, it felt really good energy - like we had done something good. I am going to heap compost next, on potato plants - so they keep growing up in mounds that are easy to unearth (apparently), and now I can transplant my tomato babies into the fixed raised garden bed. (After I get some new compost - with my $5 a hessian sack deal with the local soil place.)



Repaired raised garden in the back awaiting tomato seedlings.

The mangrove people in Stillwater

There was a really magic day in Stillwater. I was feeling down - I decided to go on a walk with Troy and Luke. It started to rain, but we went out anyways in raincoats.

The coastline looked so cool, like illustrations of tufts of land I once saw in a children's book that I haven't been able to find again.



As I drew closer to the mangroves, I could almost see little people.

I wanted to paint the mangroves with the little Mangrove People who live right here.

When it rains, and noone is around, sometimes that is the best time for a walk. It is the time the spirits are strongest.

Moss graffiti or garden decor

Spotted on do the green thing, Anna Garforth's beautiful use of it:
http://www.dothegreenthing.com/blog/grow_your_own_graffiti

Original tutorial is here:
http://www.instructables.com/id/Moss-Graffiti/


RECIPE
Several clumps of moss
1 pot of natural yoghurt or 12oz buttermilk (experiment to see which works best)
1/2 tsp of sugar
blender
Plastic pot (with a lid)
Paint brush
Spray mist-er
- If growing you're moss inside you will also need a seed tray containing compost


1 - Horticulturist's of the past came up with a brilliant recipe to encourage the growth of moss to age and add interest to their garden designs, this recipe can be used as an an environmentally friendly alternative to spray paint. The success of the recipe itself can be very hit and miss and is very much dependent upon choosing exactly the right location and weather conditions; moss thrives in the damp and can most often be found growing near to a leaky drainpipe or rain-soaked wall. If you have difficulty finding the right climate in which to grow your moss, grow it indoors (where it can be frequently spray-misted with water) and transplant it outdoors as soon as it has begun to grow.

2 - Moss can often be found growing in damp areas, between the cracks in paving stones, on drainpipe covers or, in this example, near to a riverbank.


3 - Gather several clumps of moss in a bag and take them to a place where you can easily wash them


4 - Carefully clean the moss of as much mud as possible.


5 - Place some of the moss, the buttermilk (or yoghurt) and sugar into a blender and start to mix. This must be done in small phases as the moss can easily get caught in the blades of blender. Keep blending until you have a green milkshake with the texture of a thick smoothie. Pour the mixture into a plastic container.


6 - Paint your chosen design onto your chosen location or (if growing indoors) on top of a flattened layer of compost in a seed tray.


7 - Ensure that your moss design is kept moist by spray-misting it with water regularly. After a few weeks the moss should start to re-constitute and grow.


8 - If growing moss indoors transfer it to a suitable location (where it is likely to be kept damp) outdoors. Return regularly to the location and see its progress, spray-misting it if it starts to dry out.

13-Year-Old Makes Solar Power Breakthrough by Harnessing the Fibonacci Sequence - spotted on Inhabitat.com

by Andrew Michler, 08/19/11.

Spotted on http://inhabitat.com/13-year-old-makes-solar-power-breakthrough-by-harnessing-the-fibonacci-sequence/

QUOTH:While most 13-year-olds spend their free time playing video games or cruising Facebook, one 7th grader was trekking through the woods uncovering a mystery of science. After studying how trees branch in a very specific way, Aidan Dwyer created a solar cell tree that produces 20-50% more power than a uniform array of photovoltaic panels. His impressive results show that using a specific formula for distributing solar cells can drastically improve energy generation. The study earned Aidan a provisional U.S patent - it's a rare find in the field of technology and a fantastic example of how biomimicry can drastically improve design.

Aidan Dwyer took a hike through the trees last winter and took notice of patterns in the mangle of branches. His studies into how they branch in very specific ways lead him to a central guiding formula, the Fibonacci sequence. Take a number, add it to the number before it in a sequence like 1+1=2 then 2+1=3 then 3+2=5, 8, 13, 21 and so on a very specific pattern emerges.

It turns out that the pattern and its corresponding ratios are reflected in nature all the time, and Aidan’s keen observation of how trees branch according to the formula lead him to test the theory. First he measured tree branches by how often they branch and at what degree from each other.

To see why they branch this way he built a small solar array using the Fibonacci formula, stepping cells at specific intervals and heights. He then compared the energy output with identical cells set in a row.
Aidan reports the results: “The Fibonacci tree design performed better than the flat-panel model. The tree design made 20% more electricity and collected 2 1/2 more hours of sunlight during the day."

"But the most interesting results were in December, when the Sun was at its lowest point in the sky. The tree design made 50% more electricity, and the collection time of sunlight was up to 50% longer!"

His work is certainly piquing the interest of the solar industry, and even more impressively he is demonstrating the power of biomimicry -- a concept that many see as the pinnacle of good design, but one that thus far has been exceptionally difficult to achieve. Way to go!


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