Mothballs Have All Sorts of Uses

Mothballs are smelly, white balls of the chemical 1,4-dichlorobenzene that are traditionally placed in drawers and closets to keep moths away.  Why?  Moths eat holes in fabric, and can ruin your clothes.

However, mothballs have lots of other uses around the house, too.  Here are a few of them that I've personally tried with some success (check out the linked sites for other ideas):

1.  They stink so much that animals don't want to nest around them.  So, throw some mothballs around and keep rats, bats, and stray cats away from your garage, attic, or shed.

2.  Keep puppies and kittens out of potted plants by putting a couple of mothballs around the topsoil -- IF you're sure that they won't try and eat them.  Mothballs are toxic to the little babies so make sure they hate them before you put them into the plants. 

3.  Put the family silver in a plastic bag with a couple of mothballs and voila! nothing tarnishes. 

Serenity Prayer - Long Version (It's Not Just for Alcoholic's Anonymous)

Written by Reinhold Niebuhr in the early 20th century, the Serenity Prayer has been adopted by many Twelve-Step programs - following the pattern established by Alcoholic's Anonymous, whose use of Niebuhr's short prayer has made it famous world-wide. 

The Serenity Prayer

God grant me the serenity

to accept the things I cannot change;

courage to change the things I can;

and wisdom to know the difference.

Living one day at a time;

enjoying one moment at a time;

accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;

taking, as He did, this sinful world

as it is, not as I would have it;

trusting that He will make all things right

if I surrender to His Will;

that I may be reasonably happy in this life

and supremely happy with Him

forever in the next.

Amen.

May God bless your day, Dear Reader.

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Image: Aviation Machinist's Mate 2nd Class Robert Williams, from Chicago, prays in the ship's chapel aboard USS George Washington (CVN 73), Atlantic Ocean, November 13, 2003. U.S.Navy photograph released into the public domain.

Probiotics Info - You Don't Have to Eat Yogurt to Get Digestive Help

Probiotics - everyone seems to know all about digestive bacteria that help enrich our daily lives (ahem).  What are probiotics?  Probiotics are bacteria -- microorganisms that live within your gut, helping to break down foods and support your digestive tract.   They're such a big deal that there's even an International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics. 

If you like yogurt and you're not lactose intolerant, then eating yogurt (especially that brand promoted by Jamie Lee Curtis) seems like and easy and simple answer.  But what if you're lactose intolerant?  Or you just hate yogurt?

Well, there's other ways to get probiotics into your system -- and into your family's digestive systems, too.  In fact, some are promoting eating more than one kind of probiotic for maximum health benefits. 

Foods Containing Probiotics

Yogurt (if it has ""Live Active Culture" on the label)
Buttermilk
Acidophilus Milk
Kefir
Kombucha
Fermented Bean Paste (Miso, Tempeh, Doenjang)
Sauerkraut
Kim Chi
Brewer's Yeast
Soy Sauce
Pickled Vegetables (yes, including pickles)

And don't forget your PREbiotics....

Prebiotics are foods that your body cannot digest and which boost the work of those probiotic microorganisms there inside the colon.  Essentially, prebiotics feed the probiotics inside your intestine, allowing the probiotics to remain and thrive there - a good thing.  Together, prebiotics and probiotics are called "gutflora."

Foods that contain varying levels of prebiotics include:

onions
leeks
asparagus
garlic
artichokes
Jerusalem artichokes
wheat/sprouted wheat
oats
soybeans.
honey
Apple Cidar Vinegar (with the mother)
tomato