Infusing Plantain - Natural Remedies

Infused oil made from the plantain plant is an all around great treatment for damaged skin from rashes, insect bites, dry skin patches, help to heal pulled muscles, or anytime you want to relieve pain and swelling of the skin.

What you will need: plantain leaves, knife, virgin olive oil (other oils can be used but olive oil has the longest shelf life), cutting board, glass jar, vitamin E if you want it, lid to seal jar, and something to wash the leaves in if you are wanting to wash them.

I have repeatedly been told by herbalist not to wash the leaves in order to keep all the oils from the plantain plant...but I do and I think you can see from this picture why I do so. I have no desire whatsoever, to have the dirt and other nasty gunk in my infused oil.

After washing the leaves, you can either give them a spin or two in a salad spinner, or do like I do and lay them out onto clean cloths and pat dry. I have heard that you should allow 24 hours of drying time before adding the leaves to the oil, but I don't and it always seems to work out okay for me.

 

Make a medium size stack of the leaves

Then roll the leaves

 

Then slice the rolled leaves into thin stripes. What we are looking for here is as much exposed surface area as possible so as much of the oil in the plantain leaves can be infused into the oil

Next, put the leaf stripes into the glass jar and cover them with the virgin olive oil. Make sure all of the leaf strips are submerged in the oil or you risk mold forming. If you wish, you can add vitamin E at this point. Then, poke around the jar with a knife to get rid of the air pockets.

Now, screw on the lid. Some people place cheese cloth over the top of the jar before screwing on the lid, but I never have done this. Label the jar and keep the infusing oil at room temperature and where oil will not ruin the surface that it is sitting on. Mix the contents daily. (I just shake the jar one or two times) After several days, it will start to smell like salami. This is very normal. Allow to sit for 4-6 weeks but no longer than 6 weeks or your oil may go rancid. Strain off the oil and discard the leaf strips. Keep the infused oil in a cool dry place in a dark bottle or jar.

Thanks for reading and visiting my blog. :-)

Fitness, Homesteading, and Confession time

A few months ago, one of the authors on a YouTube channel that I really enjoy watching, did a video about the need to get in shape. While I wasn't offended by what the author said, (for he only spoke the truth), some of the comments posted below the video were very hurtful and mean to those that are overweight. Honestly, I ended up in tears over some of the remarks and it did a real number on me because it hit so close “to home”..and those same comments had been directed towards me many a time in years gone by. Words have meaning and they hurt...sometimes a lot.

This is toughest thing that I ever had to admit to publicly, but since the truth is suppose to set one free...I have always had a struggle with weight. Four different times in my adult life I have dieted that resulted in major weight loss. By that, I mean weight loss of 100+ lbs. for each of those times. I know how to lose weight. I know all to well what is involved. Its tough and not just a matter of will power (or won't power). It's more than just getting up and exercising. In order for me to lose weight, I have to drop my daily calorie intake to between 400-600 calories a day. To maintain the weight that I want I can only eat 800-1200 calories a day. Anything more than that and I am packing on the pounds no matter how much exercise I do. Call me crazy, but sometimes I want to eat more than that...and then the weight comes back on. But, it is not as bad as what it sounds. I have learned how to fill up on salads (no dressings) and other low calorie food. And I do take a vitamin supplement to make sure that I am getting the nutrition that I need. Still, it is tough.

While I don't “run” (shoot, I don't even get runs in my nylons **lol**) I do walk about 9 miles a day. Plus I garden, do housework, and homestead. None of which are “lazy” things. However, I am still considered overweight and very much out of shape by a lot of people. It didn't help anything, that I was injured this past winter and had to stop exercising for several months...I could tell just how out of shape I had become this spring when I started gardening. Once I got down on the ground, I couldn't get back up...without some kind of help. I also didn't have the endurance to do the heavy work like I have in the past. I have found that a person needs a certain amount of fitness in order to do all the heaving lifting and strenuous work that is involved with homesteading. You don't have to be skinny, but you do need to be in shape in order to homestead.

So.....starting this morning, I will be getting my fitness on....AGAIN....The difference tho is that this time I will not only succeed at the weight loss, I will keep it off!!! I will be upping my workout program to include other forms of exercise and weight lifting. I promise that I won't give updates on my workouts, unless of course I happen to fall off the treadmill and smack my face on the exercise bike. Then I will share that with you so you can enjoy the laugh too. (lol)  Have an awesome day everyone. Thanks for reading and visiting my blog. :-)

Common Plantain – Your New Best “Friend”

Last week I posted on my FaceBook page about using common plantain (as opposed to the plantain that looks like a banana) to relieve the itching from insect bites. While doing so, I thought that I was being redundant and saying what everyone already knew. I was amazed at the response. Some people knew exactly what I was talking about but several people were totally clueless and even private messaged me for more information. So I thought that I would blog today about this wonderful and useful plant..

Common plantain, or Plantago major, grows about every where in the United States and Europe. It was called “White Man's Foot” by the Native Americans, because the Puritans brought the plant from Europe to America. It is a very versatile plant as it is both edible and used for medicine but is thought of as a weed especially here in the states.

If you gather the leaves when they are young, they are edible in both salads and soups. Once the leaves have matured though, they become tough and bitter. I have tried eating plantain raw, and to me it tastes very...well...green. (I am sure you understand what I mean by that.) In a salad or soups, it does tastes pretty good. One hundred grams of plantain, contains about the same amount of Vitamin A as a carrot. Seeds from the plantain plant can be ground into flour.

Used as a medicine, plantain can be used for insect bites, and applied to wounds to promote healing. The reason that this works is because the plantain plant contains many bioactive compounds. It can used as an astringent. And the root of the plant has traditionally been used to treat fevers and respiratory infections. Due to its astringent properties, a tea of plantain leaves can be drank to treat diarrhea or dysentery. It can be chewed or pounded into a paste and applied to a wound to stop minor bleeding. It is very soothing and cooling as it heals.

The stems from the plantain can also be used to make rope. In the coming weeks I will try to add just exactly how to prepare plantain for medical purposes. Thanks for reading and visiting my blog. :-)

Mosquito Bites – Natural Remedies

It has been hot and rainy here, which made for the perfect conditions for mosquitoes. The other day, I was working in my yard and of course I forgot to use any kind of insect repellent before I went outside. Needless to say, I ended up with a lot of mosquito bites. Not wanting to miss this golden opportunity to see what worked and what didn't work, I tried several different natural remedies to stop the itch and swelling from mosquito bites.

Why a mosquito bite swells and itches is because when a mosquito bites, venom from the mosquito is injected into your skin which causes pain and sometimes triggers an allergic reaction. How bad the bite swells and itches depends on your sensitivity to the insect venom or how many bites you have.

Of course the best way to treat mosquito bites is prevention. Always use some kind of insect repellant when outdoors to keep from having this problem in the first place. But, if you end up forgetting, like I did, here are few things that you can try to stop the itch and swelling:

• The first thing that you need to do is wash the bite area with soap and water. If you see a stinger, scrape, or brush off the stinger with a straight edged object. Don't try to pull the stinger out, as this may release more venom.
• Plantain – I tried this and it worked very well. To use, make a fresh leaf poultice. Pick a leaf, chew it well and put it on the bite. The pain, heat, itching, and swelling, will disappear fast.
• Baking soda – This one works well also. To use, make a past of baking soda and water and apply over the bite area. I put a band-aid over the top of the mixture to keep the paste in place.
• Vinegar – Apply a small amount directly to the bump.
• Ice – Apply ice directly to the bite.
• Dry Bar of Soap – Rub a bar of dry unscented soap directly on the bite.
• Lemons or Limes – Apply a small amount of the juice directly to the bite.
• Banana peel – rub the inside of a banana peel over the bite. I tried this one and it surprisingly worked pretty well.
• Crushed Dandelion leaves – Apply fresh crushed leaves every hour. This didn't work for me.
• Salt Paste – Mix salt and water together to form a paste and apply to the bite. I tried this and it didn't seem to do anything for me.
• Onion – Place a fresh slice of onion on the bite for several minutes until the itching goes away.
• Toothpaste – Rub a small amount onto the bite. Allow to dry and leave for as long as desired. I tried this and it didn't do a thing at all to help me, but it did leave my foot smelling minty fresh. <lol> (Please don't ask me how I know that one. <ROFLOL>)
• Cucumber – Apply the skin of a cucumber over the bite.
• Honey – Using a small amount of honey, apply directly to the bite. Honey has anti-microbial properties so it will help to prevent infections.
• Rubbing Alcohol – Using a cotton ball, lightly rub alcohol over the bite. I tried this and it helped somewhat but it did need to reapplied often. What I finally did was to soak the cotton ball in the alcohol and placed it onto of the bite. Then I held the cotton ball in place using medical tape.

I hope that one of the above will help you the next time you are bite by a mosquito. If after trying to stop the itch and swelling yourself without any relief, or if the symptoms get worse, contact your doctor to see what treatment would be best for you.

Thanks for reading and visiting my blog. :-)

Disclaimer: (Legal stuff my lawyer said I should include in this section of my blog.) I am not a doctor or a member of the medical community. The content of this post is solely from my own personal research and use and the information provided here has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This post is intended for educational purposes only and not intended to treat, diagnose, cure or prevent any condition or disease. Be sure to consult with a medical professional regarding the treatment of any condition or medical symptom you may experience. 

Dryer Sheets – Make Your Own

In my opinion, dryer sheets are far more expensive than what they need to be. I have tried the liquid fabric softeners, while they are less expensive and just as good as the dryer sheets, I always forget to add it to the rinse cycle. So, I prefer dryer sheets. A low cost alternative to buying the dryer sheets is making your own.

What you will need:

• ¼ cup of white vinegar
• Couple drops of your favorite essential oil
• 6X6 inch old cotton fabric. This can either be dishcloths, t-shirts, or as shown men's cloth hankies. It doesn't really matter as long as it is cotton.
• Some kind of container that you can seal. Shown above are a few examples: empty diaper wipes box, plastic zip-lock style bag, pint jars with lids.

Mix vinegar and essential oil together. Place the cloths into your container and pour the mixture over them until the cloth is dampened but not soaked. Use like a purchased dryer sheet. The vinegar will work as a softener and the oil with leave your clothes smelling awesome.

Thanks for reading and visiting my blog. :-)

Maple Keys (Samaras) – Wild Edible

If you have a Maple tree in your yard, or in your neighbor's yard, you will have a ton of Maple “Keys” or “Whirlygigs” or “Helicopters”, in your yard, sidewalk, street, garden...they are everywhere. Most people consider them a nuisance, but did you know that they are edible?

The actual name for these are Samaras, Samaras are paired with the seeds joining each other in a straight line, but the wings are separated by about 60 degrees and are considered the fruit of the maple tree. They can be eaten raw, roasted, or cooked. When cooked, they taste like a cross between hominy and peas.

The bigger the Samaras are, the more bitter they will be. It is best to harvest the them while they are still green and on the tree. However, you can still harvest them once they have fallen to the ground and are brown. Once they have turned brown, they will still be edible but they will be more bitter.

Once you have harvested the Samaras, remove the hull from the seed (tannins) and discard the the hull. Rinse off the seeds and taste a few of them to see if they are bitter.

If they are bitter, boil them in water for 15 minutes. Drain water and taste the seeds again. Repeat until the bitterness is gone. You can then season them with salt and butter and enjoy.

Another way to eat them is to roast them. Place seeds onto a cooking tray, season with salt. Bake at 350°F for 10-12 minutes. You can eat these as a snack or add them to a salad.

You can also dehydrate them and once dried, you can grind them into flour.

Enjoy! Thanks for reading and visiting my blog. :-)

Spring Rush Homesteading Style

Bouquet of "Sensational Lilacs" and purple tulips from my garden this year.

I haven't been able to blog very much this week, because the rush time for planting has begun for the area that I live which has left me very little time for much else. So far this week, I have planted 772 hills of green beans (both heirloom and hybrid varieties), 30 hills of potatoes, transplanted 196 impatiens. I also transplanted 10 gazillion heirloom and hybrid tomato and green pepper plants (not really that many but it sure seemed like it at the time **LOL**), and I also planted leaf lettuce and spinach. That all on top of my dehydrating vegetables that we bought at our local farmer's market, harvesting as well as preserving asparagus and rhubarb. And also fighting the never ending battle with the weeds in my garden and yard. :-)

Then to make the busyness seem even worse, this morning while sitting on the patio with my darling hubs as we ate breakfast, we were going over the projects that yet needed to be done within the next few days. I was starting to feel overwhelmed and frustrated with all that was needed to be done in such a short amount of time. I was also feeling very sorry for myself, because earlier this week I had seen my neighbors, having outdoor parties, swimming in their pools, and enjoying themselves during these warm spring days. And here I was, working so hard and not having time for anything else.

Then...I remembered the Aesop Fable of the Grasshopper and the Ant.

Once there lived an ant and a grasshopper in a grassy meadow.

All day long the ant would work hard, collecting grains of wheat from the farmer's field far away. She would hurry to the field every morning, as soon as it was light enough to see by, and toil back with a heavy grain of wheat balanced on her head. She would put the grain of wheat carefully away in her larder, and then hurry back to the field for another one. All day long she would work, without stop or rest, scurrying back and forth from the field, collecting the grains of wheat and storing them carefully in her larder.

The grasshopper would look at her and laugh. 'Why do you work so hard, dear ant?' he would say. 'Come, rest awhile, listen to my song. Summer is here, the days are long and bright. Why waste the sunshine in labor and toil?'

The ant would ignore him, and head bent, would just hurry to the field a little faster. This would make the grasshopper laugh even louder. 'What a silly little ant you are!' he would call after her. 'Come, come and dance with me! Forget about work! Enjoy the summer! Live a little!' And the grasshopper would hop away across the meadow, singing and dancing merrily.

Summer faded into autumn, and autumn turned into winter. The sun was hardly seen, and the days were short and gray, the nights long and dark. It became freezing cold, and snow began to fall.

The grasshopper didn't feel like singing any more. He was cold and hungry. He had nowhere to shelter from the snow, and nothing to eat. The meadow and the farmer's field were covered in snow, and there was no food to be had. 'Oh what shall I do? Where shall I go?' wailed the grasshopper. Suddenly he remembered the ant. 'Ah - I shall go to the ant and ask her for food and shelter!' declared the grasshopper, perking up. So off he went to the ant's house and knocked at her door. 'Hello ant!' he cried cheerfully. 'Here I am, to sing for you, as I warm myself by your fire, while you get me some food from that larder of yours!'

The ant looked at the grasshopper and said, 'All summer long I worked hard while you made fun of me, and sang and danced. You should have thought of winter then! Find somewhere else to sing, grasshopper! There is no warmth or food for you here!' And the ant shut the door in the grasshopper's face.

It is thrifty to prepare today for the wants of tomorrow

This is the season for planting. The time for fun will come later. Thanks for reading and visiting my blog. :-)

"There is a time for everything,and a season for every activity under the heaven.. a time to be born and a time to die,a time to plant and a time to uproot," Ecclesiastes 3: 1-2 (NIV)

Seal Plastic Bags with Bottle Caps – Does it work?

The other day I was searching through the Internet looking for inexpensive ideas for storing food that I will be taking soon on a camping trip. I wanted something that if the containers were lost or destroyed, (which is a frequent problem of mine) it wouldn't be such a big deal. In my search I came across the idea, along with lots with of pictures that showed exactly how to do this, of using the neck top and caps from empty soda bottles. Usually the series of pictures ended with plastic bags full of dried beans, cornmeal, or even in one place, green beans. I thought, “Cool. This would be perfect for so many different items.” So I tried it...

Short answer to “Does it Work?”

Not for me. That doesn't mean that it won't work for someone else though.

Longer answer to “Does it work?”

I had to try several different plastic bags with different thicknesses before I could find one that I could even get the cap to screw onto the neck which ended up being the thinnest plastic bag that I could find. While that worked, after screwing and then unscrewing the cap two times, the plastic around the top rim of the neck ripped.

What you are suppose to do:

 

Cut the neck of a plastic water bottle or soda bottle off.

Insert opening of plastic bag through the bottom of the neck, open the bag and cover the neck. Screw on the cap which is suppose to give the bag and “airtight” seal and make whatever is inside water proof.

 Ripped bag (shown inside the black oval)

Conclusion:

While this appears to work for some people, it didn't work for me. I was left with two thoughts: 1) If the bag ripped while it was empty after only two times with screwing and unscrewing the cap, I shudder to think what would had happened if there had been the extra weight of the bag being full. 2) A zip lock type storage bag works just as well, and there isn't usually a problem with the seal so why make more work for yourself than needed. Maybe though, if you tried this, you might have a different outcome.

Thanks for reading and visiting my blog. :-)

Rhubarb Dump Cake Recipe

I am not exactly a big fan of rhubarb, but I do really like this easy dessert.

Shirley's Notes: If you are using a commercially packaged yellow cake mix, omit the vanilla.

Rhubarb Dump Cake

1 pound rhubarb, cut into ¼ inch pieces (about 3 to 4 cups)
1 cup sugar
1 (3 oz.) package strawberry jello
1 package homemade yellow cake mix
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup water
¼ cup butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease 9X13 inch baking dish. Spread the rhubarb evenly in the bottom of the baking dish. Sprinkle the sugar over the rhubarb, followed by the jello, and then the cake mix. Mix vanilla and water together and pour over the top. Finally pour melted butter over the top. Do **NOT** stir. Bake for 45 minutes or until rhubarb is tender and the the top crust is slightly brown. 

Thanks for reading and visiting my blog. :-)

 

DIY Yellow Cake Mix - Make Your Own Groceries

Making your own cake mixes is easy and in-my-humble-opinion they taste better too.

Homemade Yellow Cake Mix

Shirley's Notes: this can be used for any recipe calling for a standard size cake mix box or as a stand alone cake. When using this cake mix, you will need to add 1 teaspoon of vanilla to the cake mix.

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ cups sugar
1 Tablespoon baking powder
½ cup not-fat powdered milk

Combine flour, sugar, baking powder and powdered milk. Store in an airtight container or baggie. Keeps well in pantry for months.

To make a stand alone cake: add 1 tsp. vanilla, ¾ cup water, ½ cup butter softened, 3 eggs. Mix well Place into a greased and floured pan and bake at 350°F until done using the test with a toothpick. Approximate baking times: 8” or 9” in round pans: 20-25 minutes. 13X9” cake pan 35-40 minutes.

Thanks for reading and visiting my blog. :-)

Gardening Journal

Every gardener who keeps a journal has their own reason for keeping it. Some people just like to keep a written record of the progress of their garden. Other people keep a journal for their future reference so that they will know exactly what they did when and how that worked out.

While growing up, even though our vegetable garden was over an acre, plus we had “truck patches,” we never kept a journal. The garden was plowed, harrowed, and fertilized along with the fields. We just planted when it was time to plant using seeds that were saved from previous year's garden. The garden was watered when it needed it and the produced picked when it was ready. Simple. But now as I get older, I wish that records would had been kept, so I would know exactly what was done and when. For now the wisdom of that era is gone forever.

My gardening journal is little different than other journal's that I have seen. I keep my journal in a three-ring binder, with each year having its own section. In each section I have:

Page 1: Sketch of garden: Just what it sounds like, I have a sketch of what vegetable and where I planted it in my vegetable garden. I also list if and what was added to soil such as compost or manure.

Page 2: Chart of weekly average temperature and rainfall: In this section I also have a place for notes so I can add if there was unusual weather conditions such as high humidity, hail, or a tornado.

Page 3 - ?: Plants Planted: Each variety of vegetable or fruit has its own page. On this page I list:

• Name of plant and variety
• How many were planted
• Day planted
• Day sprouted
• Day transplanted (if applicable) and how many were transplanted
• Date budded
• Date of first harvest
• Number of harvests and how much harvested
• Pictures of the plants and their produce through out the growing and harvest times.
• Empty packet of the seed taped to the page
• A place for notes

Other things that you might want to include:

• A large envelope for keeping receipts and gardening notes that you collect over the year
• A suggestion sheet for the next year. Included on this page could be plants or a new variety that you want to try.
• Watering chart. How often did you water and for how long.
• Results of any soil tests and how the soil was amended

If you don't already keep a gardening journal, I hope that this will help to give you some ideas on how to set up your own journal. If you already have a gardening journal, please feel free to share how yours is set up in the comment section below. Thank you for reading and visiting my blog. :-)

Simple Soil Test – Does it Work?

We all have seen it, the “simple soil test” that is going around on the Internet that claims that you can test the alkaline and acidic in your soil using vinegar and baking soda. It sounded to good to be true so I thought that I would test it to see if it really did work as it claimed it would. I also wanted to see if it was something that homesteaders could use to test their soil if commercial testing was not available in their area..

Short answer to "Does it Work?":

Yes and No

Longer answer to "Does it Work?":

Yes, in that it the soiled bubbled if it were alkaline or acidic as the claim said it would when the baking soda or vinegar was used.

No, in that it does not indicate what the pH actually was so you do not know how much of sulfur or lime to add to amend the soil.

How the test was conducted:

1. I had five different soil samples that I had previously had tested by a commercial company. So not to prejudice the outcome of this test, I covered the labeling that identified where the soil samples came from, and used numbered labels to identify each sample.
2. For each soil sample, I placed 40 ml of soil into two glass beakers, Into one beaker, I added one half cup of vinegar to test for alkaline. Into the the second beaker, I added one half cup bottled water and one half cup baking soda to test the acidic.
3. Beakers were cleaned with distilled water between each soil sample testing.

Test result:

The presence of alkaline and acidic matched up perfectly with the result from the commercial testing.

Conclusion:

If a person didn't have access to some kind of commercial soil testing, this would work in a pinch. However, it would leave the question of how much to add to correctly amend the soil. It is best to find what the existing pH and use an online garden calculator from the National Garden Association, and find out how much of what to use for your type of soil.

Thanks for reading and visiting my blog. :-)

Washing Soda – Make Your Own

Most “make-your-own” laundry detergents call for “washing soda.” While this is readily and cheaply available in some areas , it isn't as easy to find in other parts of the country. Also, it might be a good idea to tuck this recipe in the back of your mind if you ever want or need to make some laundry detergent, but are out of washing soda and for some reason you are unable to get to the store.

The recipe for making washing soda is very easy and straight forward.

What you will need:

Baking soda

Yep that is it. One lone ingredient. Baking soda. That is because baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) turns to sodium carbonate (washing soda) after it has been heated.

What to do

**Preheat your oven to 400°F

**Cover a baking sheet with baking parchment paper

**Pour a box, or just a few cups, of baking soda (not baking powder) onto the baking sheet. Make sure to break up all the large clumps.

**Put it in the oven and bake for 1 -2 hours. I have heard that some people bake it for 45 minutes, but I recommend at least 1 ¼ to 1 ½ hours just to make sure the chemical reaction is complete.

**Allow to cool and store in a clearly labeled air tight container.

Thanks for reading and visiting my blog. :-)

Keeping Your Cool

Yesterday here in the mid-west, it was 86°F. Today it is suppose to be even warmer, so a lot of my neighbors have their air conditioners going to try to keep cool. Since I am trying to cut back on our dependency on the grid, we haven't turned ours on...yet anyways. ;-)

Air conditioning is kind of like crack, the more you use it, the more you think that you need it. There are those who need it for medical reasons, such as those with heart conditions, or the elderly, but for most of us, we don't really need it. We only think that we need it. Having said that I will admit though, I like air conditioning especially during the mid summer months when the average daily temperature is 90+°F, but when the electric bill comes, I'm not liking it near as much so I found some ways to help cool down my house and myself, without the use of the AC.

• If you have a basement, use it during the heat of the day or if it doesn't cool down at night. The temperature in my basement remains between 63-68°F no matter how hot it gets outside. So we have basically a second home set up down there with a kitchenette, beds, etc. It isn't perfect, but we do stay cool without to much problems.
• This sounds counter productive, but only have your windows open during the night and early morning. Then shut them during the rest of the day. This will allow for the cool air to get into your home but when the outside air becomes warmer than your inside air, and you shut the windows, it will trap the cool air inside your home.
• If you must have your windows open during the day, wet bath towels or bed sheets and hang them in front of the windows. This will lower a room temperature by 3-5°F. While that isn't much, every little bit helps.
• Avoid strenuous work and play during the heat of the day.
• Drink plenty of water. Your body will feel cooler if you stay hydrated. Stay away from alcohol, sweet drinks, tea and coffee. Alcohol will not cool you down. It will just make you not care if you are hot or not. Sweet drinks adds a lot of unnecessary calories. Tea and coffee both have a natural diuretic in them which is just the opposite of what you are wanting to happen.
• Make use of box and ceiling fans. Remember that fans will not cool a room. They only cool people so keep the fans pointed at you.
• Freeze water in large containers, such as a milk jug, and place it in front of the fan with the fan blowing on you. This will help cool the area around the fan and make you a lot cooler.
• To help cool you during the night, put a small pillow covered in a couple of plastic shopping bags in the freezer for an hour or two and sleep on that. It will cool down your head which in turn will cool you down.
• Wet your head. The evaporation of the water will cool you down.
• Soak your feet in ice water.
• Fill your bathtub with cool water and get in. Once your body gets use to that temperature, let some of the water out and add more cold water. Your body will stay cool for a long time after this. Kids wading pools are also good for this.
• During the daytime, not only close your blinds, but also use insulated curtains to help keep the sun and heat out of your home.
• Keep lights, TVs, and electronics off. These all produce heat and every little bit helps.
• Banish all cooking to outside. If you don't have outside space, cook your meals during the coolest part of the day and then rewarm them in the microwave.
• During the night, open all cabinet doors, closet, and attic doors so the hot air can get out and these spaces can cool down.. The heat is trapped in these places and will keep the house warmer during the day. By cooling them down during the night, it will help to keep your house a little cooler during the day.
• Eat frozen fruit and other frozen treats. Cooling down the core body temperature helps to keep you cooler for a longer period of time.
• If nothing else, during the heat of day, visit your local library, mall, or other places that have air conditioning.

There are solar power air conditioners on the market. I have never used one so I cannot recommend it. If you have any other suggestions on how to keep cool without air conditioning, please leave your suggestion in the comment section to this post. Thanks for reading and visiting my blog. :-)