Water Conservation

All the traffic flashy type signs say 'Conserve Water-Extreme Drought Conditions'-At least around here.

In general, I think that our family does small things that do conserve water.  For example, when we brush our teeth, we turn the water on to wet the tooth brush, turn the water off, and then back on to rinse mouths and tooth brushes.  Ray and I have a shower head that uses less water and has a cool function to reduce the flow to almost nothing-so that when you are washing your hair or body you don't waste all that water.  The boys have a similar shower head that uses less water, but doesn't have that cool low flow option.  

When I shave my legs, I do not run the water in the shower.  I keep a big cup in the shower, fill it with water during my shower, and when I'm done getting clean I turn off the water.  Then, I take a dab of hair conditioner, put it on the bits that need a shave, and use the water in the big cup to keep the razor clean.  Risking TMI territory-I am a hairy girl, and this is the way that I have shaved for 2 years-and it works just fine.  The conditioner has the added bonus of acting as a moisturizer-just rub in whatever the razor leaves behind and you have nice smooth legs.  The past 2 winters I have not gotten dry legs like I had in before I started this method.

Also, risking more TMI-ahem.  'If it's yellow, let it mellow.  If it's brown,  flush it down.' (ew, I can't believe I just said that.)

I just read a way to wash hair less often.  Take a cotton ball, soak it in witch hazel, and rub it on your scalp.  This helps to soak up the oils on your head.  Then the article says to blow dry on cool, but I bet you could get away with air drying.  I will try this when it cools off.  Right now, I get sweaty enough that I have to wash twice a week.

I am working on a project right now out in the yard.  I REFUSE to water my grass, but it has gotten so very dry here that I have finally put a soaker hose out around the house.  I'm working on sheet mulching the entire perimeter of the house.  I have gotten the back yard done and about 10 feet in the front yard.  The cool thing is that I had enough soaker hose to snake it in the blackberries and strawberries-so that's 2 beds that I don't have to hand water any more.  The sheet mulching will keep the water where I want it to be-in the ground not in the air.

Yesterday I found 2 fire ant beds along the front side of the house.  I tell you what!  Nothing makes me scream like a girl and stop yard work like putting my hand in a fire ant bed.  I need to get orange oil to take care of the suckers, but Lowe's was out of it.  Dilute a little orange oil, pour it on the fire ant bed, and they come streaming out, exoskeletons melting off.  It'll kill the bed in about ten minutes.

Texas fire ants are not to be confused with Vermont fire ants that are just toucans in disguise.