Today I found out that English ivy can be used to make laundry soap. Since it grows next door, I'll see about getting some prunings and trying it. You boil the leaves, then next day strain them, and the liquid works like soap. It's one of the saponiferous, just means foam-making, plants. There are quite a few but this one's the handiest to me.
I wouldn't mind planting yucca, too, same reason, also you can make sandals from the dried foliage. Indigenous people have done this for centuries in the South West in places where it grows wild. I'll have to check whether the northeastern climate will suit it.
The person I learned the laundry soap idea it from is, at my suggestion, going to learn paper making from plants, and string making from foliage, too. Each one teach one.
Aside from that possible new adventure, winnowing continues pretty successfully. Last night I pulled out my collection of scarves
So, back to now, I winnowed out some nice things I don't need to keep
Not that I'm deprived. Here's the tidied up scarf repository
In other gripping news, since my doctor, as well as advising to watch salt, also wants me occasionally to check bp, Handsome Son is coming over this afternoon to lend me the family bp cuff.
This involved bustling about to make a batch of blueberry muffins
Because I can't give him a cup of tea without a little something. I might get some over to Gary, to cheer him up, too.
About cutting back salt, I made yesterday's soup without salt but with extra spices, and it works fine, so now I'll continue. Taste reeducation. And I have to make a new supply of berbere spice mix.
Happy day everyone, may your all your taste experiments turn out well.
I've always liked the look of dressy scarves but alas! I have a short little neck and they don't look good on me.
ReplyDeleteI have drafty neck so I wear them. And I like big ones that drape around. But I tend to wear the same old few!
DeleteGlad you’re not losowing at winnowing.
ReplyDeleteWhat a prat am I.
🤓🥸😎
See now, if I disagree, it's a bit rude. And if I agree it's a bit rude. What to do, what to do..
DeleteHow fun that you and a friend will be teaching each other something new. I'm looking forward to hearing how soap-like boiled English Ivy is. And how many leaves one needs to make how much liquid. Give us all the lowdown please.
ReplyDeleteAbout 60-100 mature leaves to about a gallon, is all I know just now.
DeleteF's nephew's wife makes her laundry 'soap' from ivy, but has ever commented on how well it works. An interesting experiment no doubt.
ReplyDeleteWorth a try. I'm not sure how well it will work with our water supply.
DeleteI made several of that green scarf with the slip through end. I also grew a mighty stand of yucca in my front garden. If you transplant them, the roots must be oriented the same direction as you found them. They are invasive; the roots spread and spread and new yucca plants sprout up everywhere in the garden. They are great for all the projects you have in mind.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if I can grow one in a container. Yucca, not slip scarf.
DeleteYuccas grow well in containers. They keep their toes to themselves then.
DeleteYou are very brutal with the winnowing. I’m very impressed.
ReplyDeleteI might have to do the same with my scarfs. I think I’ll add them to a dress up box for the granddaughters to play with when they come over.
Does that count as winnowing?
It will if they take them home! Sounds as if you're not quite ready.
DeleteI love how you always have "a little something" with your tea. It is so English and takes me back to my childhood.
ReplyDeleteI have a feeling my son will remember it after I've gone. He always gets a little homemade something with a pot of tea when he visits.
DeleteI have made various spice blends to add to recipes. Salt is a no-no here and the spice blends work nicely. No salt took getting used to though.
ReplyDeleteI think it will need some reeducation! Do you omit salt from baking, too?
DeleteWe have plenty of English Ivy here too but I don't know that I have much interest in making soap of the leaves. I have the pinecone lilies that are also called "shampoo lilies" for the obvious reason. I've never tried those out either.
ReplyDeleteGood for you for taking the lower sodium thing seriously.
Sodium is tricky. You can't let it drop too low, or your heart struggles. In the acute care rehab they used to keep small salted potato chip packets to give to patients when their sodium level dropped. So I'm not cutting salt or related items out totally.
ReplyDeletesalt and sugar. the two things big food loves to put in everything, a boon to the health insurance industry. we use almost no sugar, just if I'm making a desert which I don't very often (high blood sugar/diabetes runs in my family, obesity in his) and very little salt. in Portugal they don't have salt and pepper on the table in restaurants. I spent three weeks there and it didn't take long to not miss it. salt is a habit that hides the more delicate flavors of food.
ReplyDeleteI've never added salt at the table. I don't own shakers. And all the added salt and sugar in store-bought dishes is one reason I cook just about everything I eat. I like to know what I'm getting! Some of my recipes add sugar -- muffins, pancakes, bread -- which I routinely omit.
DeleteBut despite all this, my DNA governs high bp high cholesterol. Cardio vascular is the issue throughout my family. So I've always been in management mode, and now more so.
I live on Cape Cod, and yucca does grow here.
ReplyDeleteThank you. I think I've seen it around here but haven't been noticing much.
DeleteI'm very pleased you are not deprived in the scarf department! Making soap may be an interesting diversion. I'll stay tuned in.
ReplyDeleteIt may be while before I can do the soap, but it's in mind.
DeleteEnglish ivy for laundry soap? That's a new one on me. Let us know how it works out. I wonder how well it cleans in addition to its foaming properties. Good for you for giving your scarves a new home.
ReplyDeleteWe'll see about the soap. It won't brighten like a detergent, but people have used saponiferous plants for centuries for laundry.
DeleteWell, it's happened again. I learned something because I didn't know English Ivy could be used to make soap. Will be interested to see what you think of it once you try it.
ReplyDeleteAs for salt and the reduction thereof - Resident Chef has high blood pressure and was told to cut way down on salt (we never used that much anyway) and so he did, only to be told at his last check up that he'd cut out too much and now has to increase it. Balance in all things.
Yes, it's the balance of sodium that's important for heart function. I'm trying for that.
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