Smelling Bottles

What's Schoolin'?




If I were making smelling bottles right now I would dig around my kitchen cupboard first. You could use lemon extract, vanilla (although mine smells like rum because it's real from a local farm so that wouldn't work!), orange extract; or spices such as cloves, cinnamon, garlic powder, etc. I'm thinking that if you use spices you could still put it in the bottom of the bottle and put a cotton ball on top so it won't spill out. OR, maybe (thinking out loud, I haven't actually done it), simmer in some oil like you would to make garlic oil and put a few drops on a cotton ball.

Here are some bottles that could be used for Montessori Smelling Bottles:

This is my favorite because it closes to seal in the scent but flips open easily for the child to use:











I like these because they have the porous lid under the screwtop lid. I actually use these for homegrown spices and find them for the same price locally $1/bottle is not a bad price:





What's Cookin'?

I'm determined to learn to make some cheese.  We already make cream cheese and I would like to learn to make Mozzarella from fresh milk at least.  I've checked out a million books on cheese making which are competing for my time with the chicken books that I had already checked out!

A friend told me today that you get approximately 1 pound of cheese from 1 gallon of milk.  Bummer, not a great money saver.  However, with my $5/gallon milk it STILL comes out to the same price as the Wal-Mart brand cheese plus no freaky Frankenstein additives [and certainly no "mold inhibitors" - in cheese?  They're kidding right?  Mold is what makes cheese... cheese.  Plus, if cheese (or any "food" for that matter) can't mold  due to additives then I don't want to eat it.  I'd rather cut off mold or have to throw some away now and then - which never happens around here! - than eat food that is so far removed from nature that it doesn't mold.  Getting off of my little soapbox now!].  At least I'll have lots of whey for a boost of glutathione-building.

I've learned that it wasn't such a great idea to cook the chickens immediately after processing.  They're a little tough (okay, stringy is more descriptive but it sounds much too unappetizing).  We should have just packed them raw and frozen them uncooked or let them sit in the fridge for 2 days before cooking and freezing. [Thanks to those who gave me such good advice - I only wish I has asked beforehand!]