Ageing appreciation – plus another Green Home recipe.
Like I said, when I need motivating, I get stuck into some cleaning. It seems like both Viper and I needed some sort of project to keep us sane over the weekend, so while he started painted Misty’s room, I attacked our bench tops.
We have these nice looking but functionally ridiculous wooden benches. Yes, they please the eye, but they are not really suited to one (me) who is constantly cooking, making a mess and spreading liquid around. Let’s just say that these benches get ugly quickly. I am realising mid-type that I am actually writing a post about cleaning and maintaining my kitchen bench tops. Seriously? Who am I? I think I just woke up this morning and am 63 years old. Seriously.
Anyway, I’ve started writing this “Nana-Post”so I will finish. There is even a pretty useful DIY recipe included. I decided to play around with a home made wood-polish that could also act as a barrier (somewhat) for the constant liquid spills that happen in a kitchen. Enter beeswax.
If you don’t have the need for this polish (read: you have functional kitchen bench-tops) then this works a treat on wooden chopping boards, children’s wooden toys – I even tried it on leather boots and it really made them look spiffy.
It really is the most simple thing…..
- 1 part grated beeswax
- 4 parts oil – I use olive
Melt your beeswax (I have an old saucepan that I use specifically for non-food cooking like this) add oil, pour into a jar, and leave it to solidify.
Easy as that.
All you do is rub it onto your wooden surface, and work it in with a cotton rag or similar. If it gets on your skin, then rub it in there too, as it is a lovely (albeit greasy) moisturiser to boot. Perhaps a lovely home made Christmas present for the wooden-product-enthusiast in your family? Ha.
I don’t care if it makes me a fuddy-duddy before my time; I find making my own “Green Home” products quite therapeutic…. plus you KNOW they are safe and are much cheaper in the long run. Particularly for things like children’s wooden toys, you want something that is natural – because we all know EVERYTHING goes in the mouth, right?
I don’t know – maybe it’s just a sign of “growing up,” or “maturing,” (notice the inverted commas here) but I seem to get a lot of satisfaction from things I used to deem BORING a few years ago. Gardening, craft, cooking, reading a thick novel – even cleaning and home maintenance for Pete’s sake. All-night partying and mischief doesn’t have quite the allure any more.
What do you think? Are there things you have so much more appreciation for now than say a few years back?
16 Responses to “Ageing appreciation – plus another Green Home recipe.”
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Vegan. Stay at home Mum of Misty. Yoga teacher in training. Passionate about REAL food - creating it, eating it, sharing it. I can never stick to a recipe.
I think it’s AWESOME you make your own stuff. Not fuddy duddy at all..I really wanted to say fuddy duddy. This seems like it would smell nice too.
It IS fun to say, isn’t it
I actually put a little clove essential oil in this, and now my house smells like Christmas!
So true. I’ve been looking at wood sealer recipes myself for some wooden toys. My only battle is that Mexico seems devoid of beeswax. I used a small tin of Burt’s bees stuff instead, we’ll see how it goes.
I’m actually finding that after many years of scoffing at domestic skills I’m wishing I had them. Learning to crochet, so I can make my own dish cloths and such actually makes me happy – what the?
Oh I would LOVE to be able to crotchet – my Mum tried to teach me (she’s really good) but I really have ZERO patience! It’s so funny how our perspective changes huh?
Funny how there is no beeswax in Mexico! Can you get honey easily?
I am definitely a Nana!! I love a cup of tea, a good book and a lie down!!
I like those 3 all at once
Bliss!
I have pretty much been a nana my whole life haha. I have always enjoyed baking, reading, warm cups of tea. Growing up I actually preferred spending time with adults to people my own age… not sure what that says about me lol. I have recently developed an interest in knitting (it’s on my to-learn list for 2013)… so that is a new “nana” like interest I guess
Maybe you are just an “old-soul,” Ami
Oh yes, knitting is fab – I just don’t have the patience for it, I can do 2 of the stitches and that’s about it…. I can make a scarf and a really really strange looking something-that-resembles-a-teddy-bear. Good luck!
Yep, inevitable part of the aging process
! I prefer to think of it as becoming more self-reliant.
I like your thinking, Annie
If neither you nor Viper yelled “MIND YOUR BEESWAX” at some point during all of this, I will never forgive you for missing the opportunity.
Oh my golly gosh, I can’t believe neither of us JUMPED on that opportunity! FAIL. Mega FAIL.
Ha, I remember when I was about 5 and I used to think that saying “Buzz Off!” was SO naughty. Ha.
I would love to try this on our wooden chopping boards
I hear you on bench top mess, too, it is amazing how quickly they get messy after being cleaned! Between Mr Bite’s toast crumbs and my kitchen playing, we go through a lot of wiping.
More importantly – my package from you arrived today! Thank you so much Lou, it is gorgeous and I love everything in it
Yay! So glad to hear it arrived, Kari – enjoy enjoy! Also, this works a TREAT on chopping boards – we have quite a collection of wooden ones….. and if you want to get rid of any odour in your wooden boards, you just rub in some dry mustard powder (you know, like the Keens on in the yellow tin?) Rub it in well, and leave it for 15 minutes or so, then rinse out – it’s really effective.
Haha I just laughed hysterically at Hannah’s comment. I am so the type to think of good jokes or comebacks 2 minutes later, I would have missed the opportunity too
Same here, Gabby, same here. Either that or I muck up what I’m trying to say (ie try and get too clever) and look like an idiot. Sigh.