Thursday, June 21, 2012

Steamin' in Dixie

 *waves*
 We're in our third month of temps hitting the nineties, but all is well. :)
I wanted to show you a li'l nifty thrifty thing I learned about last summer that truly helps control one of my least favorite critters. Don't you just love it when fruit flies invade your home? Not me.
 Just fill a small container with some vinegar and add a good squirt of dishwashing liquid, and you'll be on your way to a pest-free home.
 This is German Chamomile that I've been harvesting for use as a relaxing tea. If you decide to grow some be sure it's the German variety.
 In an effort to keep going "greener" and save on our soaring electric bills I asked Goodman to get me one of these. He mounted it right in a corner of the back deck where I can pop in and out with the laundry without climbing any stairs.
 I've got big plans for that clothesline. *giggles* Oh, I know it'll a little bit unorthodox, but my plans for the new clothesline include this fabric. Can you guess what I'm going to do with it?
 No way I can leave here without a bird pic. I found these at a thrift store recently for .50 ea. They're pie birds, of course, but they're not likely to ever see the inside of a pie. They're too cute sittin' around singin' their li'l hearts out.
 How's your summer going? Hope you're stayin' & bein' really cool.

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17 comments:

  1. Debbie JonesJune 21, 2012 at 9:19 PM

    Hi, I just happened on your blog...very interesting. Love your pie birds. Thanks for including the directions for how to make the bug repellant solution for the home. I will try that! I look forward to following your blog.

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  2. AlhanaJune 22, 2012 at 11:50 AM

    I hope that mixture works with mosquitos too. They don't let me sleep in the summer!
    Good you got a clothline for your laundry. Being the weather here so sunny and dry, I don't use anything else. Hope yours will work as well!
    Have a nice and pest-free summer! :-)

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  3. magnoliasnteaJune 22, 2012 at 2:23 PM

    Jones Family, you'welcome!

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  4. magnoliasnteaJune 22, 2012 at 2:27 PM

    Alhana, I have found a housefly and some other bugs in my jars along with the fruitflies. You could try it & see.

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  5. TanasiGirlJune 22, 2012 at 4:10 PM

    Ohhh, I know what you're doing. Well. I know because you told me, so.. I guess that means I have to keep my trap shut, hmm?

    I like your pie birds. I think the painted one is especially exceptional.

    The bergamot is looking good. Why have we never dried any of the leaves and tried the tea? I don't remember.

    The orange gingham, btw, is the bomb.

    Me.^)

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  6. magnoliasnteaJune 22, 2012 at 4:40 PM

    Mum's the word TG. ;) Yeah, orange is really huge this year. Even I like it. O.O

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  7. SusanJune 26, 2012 at 7:48 AM

    Thanks for the fruit fly tip !
    You bee balm is so pretty !
    We may hit 100 degrees this week !
    Too hot to knit !

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  8. magnoliasnteaJune 26, 2012 at 8:01 AM

    Thanks, Susan, I love that bee balm too. Hopefully, I'll be indoors when we hit 100°. Yeah, I just hope my li'l pumpkins live through it. We need rain badly!

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  9. Monica June 26, 2012 at 10:45 AM

    I love those little pie birds! Can you believe I actually use mine? My guess for the fabric and the clothesline is that you will wash the fabric and hang it on the clothes line. That's probably wrong. I'm not very imaginative.

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  10. magnoliasnteaJune 27, 2012 at 9:43 AM

    Monica, I've never used a pie bird in a pie so I'm guessing you're a better baker than I be.

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  11. Eggs In My PocketJune 30, 2012 at 3:07 PM

    It seems like everyone is having a heat surge. I love clotheslines......what are you going to do with the fabric? I have a little blue pie bird, and just like you, I do not use it. LOL

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  12. magnoliasnteaJuly 1, 2012 at 4:37 PM

    Eggs in my pocket, I would love to see a pic of your blue pie bird. They are so cute & useful! Oh, I hope soon to share what I'm making for the clothesline with the fabric- I just hope it works when I 'm finished with it.

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  13. Mary AnneJuly 1, 2012 at 9:24 PM

    I love your little pie birds! I'd not heard of them before.

    My mil had one of those clothesline and I always thought they were a wonderful invention. I dry my clothes on two portable clothes racks that I can put outside on the patio in the summer months (we don't have a dryer).

    Happy 4th of July!

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  14. magnoliasnteaJuly 2, 2012 at 12:44 PM

    Mary Anne, I am loving my new closeline. I didn't have one after we moved here for a long time because we have steep steps off the deck. I don' t know why we didn't install one of these on the deck sooner!

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  15. tammyJuly 20, 2012 at 2:41 PM

    Hi there! I will try your fly remedy. We live within a block of our fairgrounds that also has horse barns and such. Flies are terrible this year!

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  16. hakuchoOctober 26, 2012 at 5:51 PM

    Got to remember that fruit fly trap!!
    Thanks :)

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  17. Lady LocustOctober 22, 2013 at 9:38 PM

    I can't believe you found those birds for 50 cents each! (In the 'olden days' there was a cent sign on the keyboard so we didn't have to spell out the word, a degrees sign too.) I have 2 different pie birds, but have been casually looking for an all white one - so let me know if you are ever tired of it; you might just double your money:) Oh and you should use them. They work great.
    Smiles.

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Thank you for your comments!