Fall seems to be taking its time this year...

What a beautiful fall we have had this year. I can't believe how long it has taken for all the leaves to drop. The colder weather came on rather quickly, but the last week or so has actually warmed back up a bit, with the temperatures staying in the 40s. It has been raining a lot, and I'm a bit worried that its going to be another year where it rains until December. That is NO fun. I've mostly given up on the fall garden preparation for the year. I got one of the weedy beds tilled under to try and kill the weeds, but I'll have to wait until next spring to add the compost and steer manure. Oh well, you do what you can. I have lots of ambitions, but truth be told, my 4 month old is just taking most of my time, and those ambitions will just have to wait a bit.

We broke down and finally got a dehumidifier for the house, and I'm so glad we did! The average indoor humidity was a whopping 77% and the windows were all starting to grow mold. The dehumidifier has been running for 3 days now, and I've already pulled about 6 gallons of water out of the air. Amazing! The less humid air feels so much warmer, and even my husband commented on what a difference it was.

I have been starting to expand my homemaking skills some more. This week, I successfully learned to make laundry detergent, and have switched to vinegar solutions for cleaning, rather than the normal chemicals you find in the cleaning supply isle. What a difference! I think that the diluted vinegar actually works better, and doesn't leave a lingering smell like most commercial products do. This winter I want to really focus on getting the chemicals out of my home. I don't want them in my food, so why would I want them in my air?

Lily is getting big... its hard to believe she is 4 months old already. She is still nursing exclusively right now, but she'll be starting solid foods in a few months. I need to start learning to make baby food, as I don't want to feed her the preservative-laden baby food you find at the stores. Our veggies that we get from our CSA (which I LOVE) are strictly organic, so we are off to a good start. I think I will invest a little money in a good quality baby food mill. I'm sure that in the long run, I'll be glad I did.