Today‚ 4ocean announced a new partnership to help restore damaged coral reefs while removing trash from oceans‚ rivers‚ and coastlines. 4ocean has been making bracelets from the 30 million pounds of plastic they’ve remove from waterways—and now Coral Gardeners will plant a baby coral onto a damaged reef with every bracelet purchased. Choose one of […] The post New Coral Adoption Program by 4ocean to Help Save Reefs–Every Bracelet Plants a Coral and Removes Ocean Plastic appeared first on Good News Network.

A video captured a heartwarming rescue after a pair of fishermen happened upon a juvenile dolphin tied up in fishing line. Jose Ramón Pérez and Miguel Rodríguez were boating 10km off the coast of Almería‚ Spain when they found the animal tangled up‚ with its mother desperately trying to keep it afloat. The baby’s tail […] The post Fishermen Rescue Young Dolphin While its Mother Held it Afloat as it was Trapped in Anchor Line appeared first on Good News Network.

After Iran-backed Hamas terrorists massacred about 1‚200 Jews in Israel and Iran-backed militias throughout the Middle East attacked U.S. bases across the region‚ the U.S. State Department under President Joe Biden extended a waiver that allows Iran to sell electricity to Iraq and use the money to purchase goods overseas. “It is beyond insane‚” Robert Greenway‚ director of The Heritage Foundation’s Center for National Defense‚ told The Daily Signal on Friday‚ three days after the State Department extended the waiver. (The Daily Signal is Heritage’s news outlet.) “Among the most irresponsible things you can do is to pay your enemies to attack you‚” Greenway‚ who orchestrated former President Donald Trump’s sanctions against Iran‚ added. He described Iraq’s payments to Iran for electricity as a “money laundering scheme.” As of 2022‚ Iraq was the world’s fifth-largest oil producer‚ producing 4.61 million barrels per day‚ according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Yet Iraq imports electricity from its eastern neighbor. “A major oil producer importing electricity? It’s the stupidest thing in the world‚” Greenway said. “Iraq deliberately decides they need electricity and it won’t bring in countries to improve its electric grid.” Iraq also refuses to import the electricity from its other neighbors in the Persian Gulf‚ he said. Instead‚ Iraqi leaders “deliberately” hobble their country because “Iran wants cash.” State Department spokesman Matthew Miller noted in a Tuesday briefing that the waivers allowing Iraq to purchase Iranian electricity date back to the Trump administration. “I would remind you of a few things with respect to these waivers in general‚ and that is that‚ number one‚ there are 20 waivers that have been issued for the payment from Iraq for Iranian electricity imports‚” Miller argued. “They go back to 2018; they started during the Trump administration.” The spokesman also claimed that “none of this money goes to Iran.” Rather‚ it remains “in accounts that are restricted where they can only be used to pay for food‚ medicine‚ humanitarian purposes‚ and other non-sanctionable activities. And it has been consistent with several policies that we have—one‚ to try to reduce Iran’s leverage over Iraq‚ and two‚ to try to wean Iraq from Iranian energy independence.” Greenway acknowledged that the Trump administration issued waivers to allow Iraq to purchase oil from Tehran‚ but declared that it is “beyond disingenuous” to blame Trump for the current policy. The Trump waivers required Iran to deposit the money to pay electricity in dinars‚ the Iraqi currency‚ which made them effectively worthless “Monopoly money‚” as Greenway put it. Trump also enforced economic sanctions against Iran. “We saw every transaction—we could shut down their banks‚” Greenway explained. Yet the Biden waiver‚ issued in July‚ authorized Iraq to move its previously escrowed funds through France‚ Germany‚ and Oman‚ likely to exchange dinars for euros. As the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies put it‚ the waiver is a “radical departure from its predecessors.” “We would not let them pay in euros‚ dinars only‚” Greenway said of the Iraqis. “Euros‚ like dollars‚ have value on the international market. That was a red line we enforced.” Allowing Iraq to make the payments in euros “makes it a direct cash injection into Tehran’s coffers‚” he explained. The State Department told The Daily Signal in an emailed statement that the funds “can only be used for humanitarian trade and other non-sanctionable transactions to benefit the people of Iran.” The department insisted that “the funds do not go directly to Iran but rather to whatever third-party companies provide the humanitarian goods or selected third-party financial institutions for non-sanctionable transactions and humanitarian trade‚ meaning food‚ medicine‚ medical devices‚ and agricultural commodities.” The State Department also explained that “Iraq has made significant progress towards energy independence‚” but “will not wean itself off of Iranian energy imports overnight‚ and without a waiver‚ Iraq would not be able to pay for electricity imports at all.” The department insisted that “none of the Iranian funds held in Oman have been spent.” According to a Daily Signal analysis‚ Iran has received at least $71 billion more under Biden than it would have under Trump due to the relaxation of the sanctions Greenway helped orchestrate. It remains unclear exactly how much money Iran receives from Iraq‚ but estimates put it at $10 billion. Israel is carrying out a ground incursion in Gaza‚ the site from which Iran-backed Hamas terrorists attacked the Jewish state on Oct. 7‚ slaughtering about 1‚200 Israelis‚ including women and babies‚ according to a revised death toll‚ and taking over 200 hostages. Israel has pledged to eliminate Hamas following the attack‚ which represents the deadliest slaughter of Jews since the Holocaust during World War II. The Jewish state faces attacks from Iran proxies from all four cardinal directions: in the southwest from Hamas‚ in the north from Hezbollah‚ in the west from Palestinian Islamic Jihad on the West Bank (and in Gaza)‚ and in the south from the Houthi rebels in Yemen. The U.S. has blamed Iran and militia groups it supports for over launching 60 attacks against U.S. troops in Iraq and Syria since mid-October. Have an opinion about this article? To sound off‚ please email letters@DailySignal.com‚ and we’ll consider publishing your edited remarks in our regular “We Hear You” feature. Remember to include the URL or headline of the article plus your name and town and/or state. The post ‘BEYOND INSANE’: Trump Veteran Condemns Biden’s Gift to Tehran as Iran-Backed Forces Attack US After Oct. 7 appeared first on The Daily Signal.

Cue “these are a few of my favorite things…” I hope you enjoy this round-up of over 40 of our top favorite useful homesteading gifts‚ including holiday gift ideas for gardeners‚ chicken keepers‚ the eco and health-conscious‚ folks who love to cook and preserve food‚ and more. All of these things are items we truly love and use around our homestead – some fun‚ some pretty‚ some plain practical. I’ve also noted discount codes and holiday sales where available! This Homestead Gift Guide is broken up into four sections for your browsing ease and pleasure. Click on any below to jump right to it: Homestead and Chill’s Top 10 Favorite Homestead Gifts 10+ Gardening Gift Ideas 10+ Kitchen and Preserving Gifts 10+ Green Home and Body Gifts Looking homemade DIY gift ideas? Pop over to this Homemade Holiday Gift Guide. It includes tons of easy eco-friendly crafts‚ edible gift ideas‚ mason jar gifts‚ and more. (Coming next week‚ stay tuned! In the meantime‚ see our 2022 gift guide DIY section.) To shop this article‚ please use the links and buttons provided throughout. Some are affiliate links‚ meaning we gain a small commission from purchases made through those links‚ but at no additional cost to you. Using our links directly supports our small business‚ and is a very meaningful way to say thank you if you value the work we do here at Homestead and Chill. And for that‚ we are so incredibly grateful! Our Shop: Homestead and Chill Goods Before diving into the list‚ I can’t help but give a little plug for our small business too! Using homegrown‚ certified organic‚ and the highest-quality ingredients possible‚ we take great pride in crafting unique and sustainable goods for you‚ including: Our best-selling natural skincare items like chamomile-calendula face oil‚ calendula salve (proven to heal stubborn skin issues)‚ Bug Off Balm (our popular natural insect repellent that really works – perfect for anyone who loves the outdoors)‚ aftershave and beard balm‚ lavender salve‚ lip balms‚ herb and mineral bath salts‚ and more. Check out the rave reviews! Our 5-star organic sourdough starter is an easy and foolproof way to start baking sourdough! It comes dry‚ is easy to reactivate with a little flour and water‚ but doesn’t have to be activated for up to a year – so there’s no pressure for the recipient to use it right away. We also offer nature-themed greeting cards (printed on 100% recycled paper)‚ Homestead and Chill t-shirts‚ canvas tote bags‚ and new this year: punny garden lover “crop top” t-shirts (they’re full-length) on organic and sustainable fabrics. Small Business Saturday Sale: enjoy 10% off with code “shopsmall23” now through Tuesday Nov 28th! Shop Homestead and Chill Here Our Top 10 Favorite Homestead Gifts 1) Sourdough Baking Kit  Here is a super cute homestead gift idea: a sourdough baking kit‚ complete with sourdough starter‚ a bread proofing basket‚ and a few smaller supplies tucked inside like a dough scraper or bread lame. A cast iron combo cooker (what we bake ourdough bread in) would be a useful addition!  Baking fresh sourdough bread is incredibly fun‚ rewarding‚ reduces wasteful packaging‚ is more nutritious and easier to digest than regular bread. Plus‚ it’s not difficult to do! We’re here to help with plenty of start-to-finish tutorials and recipes. Buy Sourdough Starter Shop all sourdough supplies 2) Garden Kneeler Every gardener kneeds one of these! I’ve used a number of simple padded garden kneelers over the years‚ but this elevated padded kneeler/garden seat combo is the bees knees. It’s reversible so you can either use it as a tall seat‚ or flip it around to kneel lower to the ground – where the handles make it so much easier to stand back up too! It comforts my knees‚ and reduces pressure on my ankles and feet. Plus‚ it comes in several fun colors! Enjoy free shipping on orders over $124 from Gardener’s Supply now through 12/31/23 with code GARDEN23. The Best Garden Kneeler 3) Homesteading Books: Gardening‚ Preserving‚ &; More One wonderful thing about gardening and homesteading is that there is ALWAYS something new to learn! New plants or varieties to grow‚ projects to tackle‚ growing or preservation methods to try‚ or garden-to-table recipes to enjoy. I love getting new ideas and inspiration from books. Check out our list of top-favorite garden‚ recipe‚ and homesteading books here. Many of the books on the list are by my good garden friends! Browse My Favorite Homestead Resources and Books 4) Food Dehydrator This homestead gift idea is must-have for me! We use our food dehydrators almost non-stop and year-round‚ drying and preserving everything from herbs and flowers to fruits and veggies.  There are a lot of food dehydrators out there‚ but Excalibur machines are top-notch – and far superior to others we’ve used in the past! They’re efficient‚ made in the USA‚ BPA-free‚ and some models are available with convenient timers. I personally love the large capacity of the 9-tray models to fit all our goodies. The precise temperature control is also fabulous‚ especially if you’re into raw foods and preserving the maximum nutrients and medicinal properties possible.  Excalibur has a great holiday sale going on now too! Shop Excalibur Dehydrators 5) Elderberry Syrup We love to share jars or small bottles of homemade elderberry syrup with friends and family as a thoughtful homestead gift idea. It’s a delicious natural immune support remedy – perfect for winter time! My friend Sarah (TC Elderberry‚ a small woman-owned business) sells dry DIY elderberry syrup kits – an awesome gift idea‚ especially paired with a bottle of local honey! Sarah also offers loose-leaf elderberry tea‚ tinctures‚ and bottles of fresh organic elderberry syrup. I personally love the “Kicked Up” version. Use code “deannacat” to save 15% at TC Elderberry here. Elderberry Syrup Recipe Shop TC Elderberry 6) Birdies Raised Garden Bed Kits If you’re in the market for raised garden beds (and aren’t up for building your own)‚ I highly recommend Birdies metal raised bed kits. They’re high-quality‚ long-lasting‚ garden bed kits that are easy to assemble. They come in a variety of heights‚ shapes‚ colors‚ configurations and sizes. We absolutely love the Birdies beds in our new berry patch. My good friend Kevin at Epic Gardening sells them here – where discount code “deannacat3” saves 5% off – plus Black Friday sales! Shop Birdies Raised Beds 7) Backyard Birding Supplies No garden is complete without bird friends‚ IMHO! Goodies like cute bird houses‚ hummingbird feeders‚ bird baths and bird feeders make wonderful garden gifts. They add charm and interest to a garden while also providing valuable resources to wildlife! Most of our favorite bird houses and bird feeders are from Gardener’s Supply – check them out below! Or‚ pop over to this Bird Lover’s Gift Guide for even more ideas. (coming next week) Enjoy free shipping on orders over $124 from Gardener’s Supply now through 12/31/23 with code GARDEN23. Shop Bird Houses Shop Bird Feeders 8) Omlet Automatic Chicken Coop Door Speaking of bird friends… This homestead gift idea is for all the chicken ladies and gentlemen out there! We have an Omlet automatic coop door and absolutely love it. It’s battery-operated‚ can be set to open and close at specified times or via a sunlight sensor‚ and can be mounted on a variety of coop types. We’ve relied on an automatic coop door to safely let our chickens in and out of their coop for years. It’s incredibly convenient for everyday use‚ and a total lifesaver for times we’re out past dark or away from home for a few nights! Omlet auto doors are currently 20% off for Black Friday‚ now through midnight on November 27‚ 2023. Shop Omlet Automatic Chicken Coop Doors 9) Organic Olive Oil and Vinegar Here’s a great homestead gift idea anyone can enjoy: delicious‚ high-quality‚ certified organic olive oil and vinegars. We discovered Enzo olive oil several years ago now‚ and it’s become a staple in our kitchen as well as a go-to holiday gift for both of our families. It is SO good! The small California-based olive oil company specializes in estate-grown classic and flavored olive oils‚ balsamic vinegar‚ and recently added white and red wine vinegars too. The lemon olive oil and fig balsamic are my favorites! They offer a variety of gift sets including oils and vinegars along with specialty treats like biscotti‚ granola‚ dips‚ nuts and dried fruit. Shop Enzo’s Table Here 10) Harvest Storage Rack We recently got this awesome orchard harvest storage rack to store winter squash and onions‚ and I love it! We have it stored in a cool spare closet on the north side of our house‚ serving as our makeshift “root cellar”. It also comes in a shorter 6-shelf version. We also got a couple of bamboo tray shelf liners‚ perfect for storing onions and garlic. Enjoy free shipping on orders over $124 from Gardener’s Supply now through 12/31/23 with code GARDEN23. Shop Our Harvest Rack Top 10 Garden Gift Ideas 1) Garden Lover “Crop Top” Who doesn’t love a good garden pun? Every gardener needs one of these cute t-shirts‚ IMHO! The garden lover shirt is the newest offering from us here at Homestead and Chill. I designed it myself! The beautiful rainbow heart vegetable comes printed on several t-shirt options and in a wide variety of colors: a super-soft women’s fit organic cotton‚ unisex organic cotton (both made in the USA) and a classic women’s fit tee. All shirts are regular full-length‚ not really CROP tops! Small Business Saturday Sale: enjoy 10% off with code “shopsmall23” now through Tuesday Nov 28th! Shop “Crop Tops” Here 2) Seed Storage Organizer Box – and Seeds! Many years ago‚ we started using photo storage boxes to store and organize our seeds. It’s now trending in the gardening community – and rightly so‚ because it simply works all too well! The main storage box is full of individual cases (perfectly sized for seed packs) that will keep your garden seeds nicely organized‚ dry‚ easy to find and grab-and-go as needed. We love to use these boxes to organize our favorite seeds from High Mowing Organic Seeds‚ a fantastic small company with superior quality! I label and group seed packs together in separate cases‚ such as one for “tomatoes”‚ “peppers”‚ “leafy greens” and more. One box holds our warm weather crops‚ with cool spring and fall veggies in the other. Note: there are several versions of similar photo storage cases‚ but we’re particularly fond of ours – they’re made in the USA‚ BPA-free‚ and very durable. (Other versions are prone to breaking.) Buy our seed storage box Shop High Mowing Organic Seeds 3) Gorilla Garden Cart I never thought I’d be “in love” with a garden cart‚ but here we are. After years of fighting with flat tires‚ wobbly wheelbarrows‚ and other inefficient means of hauling heavy garden materials‚ we finally invested in a highly-praised Gorilla Cart – and I’m like where have you been my whole life? We got this heavy-duty Gorilla cart that can hold 1200 pounds or 7 cubic yards of material‚ and has a super convenient easy dump lift. Even in our soft sandy soil and deep leaves‚ it maneuvers like a dream! Shop Gorilla Carts 4) Cute Plant Protection Covers We’ve relied on hoops and row covers for many years to protect plants (seedlings especially) from birds and pests. This year‚ we discovered these adorable sturdy chicken wire cloches from Gardener’s Supply‚ and find ourselves grabbing them just as often! They block out wild birds‚ chickens‚ squirrels‚ bunnies‚ deer‚ and more. They’re perfect for protecting just a handful of plants instead of an entire garden bed. Gardener’s also makes a larger chicken wire “crop coop” that covers a two by four foot space. I like using those when I need to cover one row or section of a raised bed‚ such as after direct-sowing seeds. I’ve also used them over trays of seedlings that are outside hardening off. Gotta love a garden gift that is both functional AND attractive! Enjoy free shipping on orders over $124 from Gardener’s Supply now through 12/31/23 with code GARDEN23. Chicken Wire Crop Covers 5) Solar Garden Lights Solar lights add a beautiful‚ cozy‚ magical ambiance to any garden and outdoor space. They also make it more inviting to spend time in the garden once the sun goes down. We use a combination of flickering solar tiki torches‚ string fairy lights‚ pretty pathway lights‚ and overhead bistro lights to adorn our garden spaces. After seeing ours‚ both my mom and mother-in-law asked for solar lights as a garden gift! 6) Grow Light Shelf Here’s a garden gift idea for the serious seed-starter. We’ve been growing food from seed for many‚ many years now‚ but our seedlings have NEVER looked so healthy or grown as quickly as they have since we got this LED grow light shelf from Gardener’s Supply. In fact‚ we now have two – and decided to use those instead of getting a greenhouse at our new homestead. The light shelves simply work too well! Gardener’s also offers smaller versions and other high-quality LED grow lights. Enjoy free shipping on orders over $124 from Gardener’s Supply now through 12/31/23 with code GARDEN23. Our LED Grow Light Shelf Shop other grow lights 7) Organic Insect Repellent Would you believe there’s a natural‚ non-toxic insect repellent that actually works AND moisturizers your skin? It’s true! Our Bug Off Balm is made with organic ingredients‚ leaves skin feeling soft and moisturized (not sticky or greasy)‚ and works incredibly well to repel mosquitoes‚ no-see-ums‚ ticks and other pesky bugs – even in climates with intense insect pressure. Really‚ check out the 5-star reviews! This is a great homestead gift or stocking stuffer for anyone who spends time outdoors – not just gardeners. We wear ours in the garden‚ on hikes and more. Small Business Saturday Sale: enjoy 10% off with code “shopsmall23” now through Tuesday Nov 28th Get Bug Off Balm Here 8) Watering Ollas Are you familiar with ollas? Essentially‚ they’re an ancient passive irrigation system – where clay vessels are buried in the soil‚ filled with water‚ and then they slowly seep water into the soil around them – offering slow‚ steady‚ deep and even moisture as the soil as it needs it. GrowOya self-watering clay vessels are a great garden gift that will keep plants happy‚ and greatly reduce the frequency or need to hand water! We also like to use them in containers‚ including large pots‚ grow bags‚ or half wine barrels. GrowOya’s are currently 25% off for their annual holiday sale‚ and code “deannacat” always saves 10% off! Shop GrowOya Watering Vessels 9) Eley Hose Reel Eley hose reels are so sturdy and amazing! Of all the hose reels we tried before (way too many)‚ they’re the most well-made‚ long-lasting‚ attractive‚ leak-free‚ and easy to use – by far. We’ve been using them for over 5 years‚ and they make homestead life so much easier! Eley reels come with a 10 year warranty and are worth every penny (IMHO). Now that we have a larger property with several garden spaces‚ we have THREE of these awesome hose reel carts to hold our favorite BPA-free garden hoses. Buy Eley Hose Reels 10) SPF Clothing and Sun Hats Wether we’re out working in the garden‚ going on hikes‚ or taking a nice stroll on the beach‚ you can usually catch us sporting Solbari UPF 50+ long-sleeve shirts and sun hats. Gotta keep that skin protected‚ healthy‚ and looking young! The company is based out of Australia… so they know their sun protection! This is another garden gift idea that both my mom and stepmom wanted after trying mine! Lol. They’re currently having a 20% off sale for Black Friday‚ site wide! Shop Solbari UPF Clothes and Hats 11) Personal Weather Station Monitoring the weather is crucial for us gardeners‚ and can be really fun too! We’ve found that our local weather forecasts always seem several degrees off from what we truly experience in our garden‚ so we invested in a personal weather station! Now we can monitor the real-time temperature‚ humidity‚ wind‚ rain‚ UV‚ and pressure in our backyard microclimate. This is especially key when it comes to frost and deciding when to act and cover our most tender plants.  We’ve had our weather station for about a year now. I chose it based on the reputable brand (a small business!)‚ rave reviews‚ features‚ versatile mounting options‚ and range. Set-up was a breeze‚ and I’ve heard from dozens of folks in my Instagram community who say they’ve had the same one for many years and love it! Get our weather station here Top 10 Kitchen and Food Preservation Gift Ideas 1) Primal Palate Spice Set Here’s a perfect gift idea for someone who likes to cook. Primal Palate makes an immense variety of spice and seasoning blends like “meat and potatoes”‚ “gyro”‚ “breakfast blend”‚ “taco seasoning”‚ “pumpkin spice” and more – along with many classic single spices. We use a number of them in our kitchen on a regular basis! They’re delicious AND certified organic. Primal Palate spices and gift sets are currently on sale for the holidays too! Shop Primal Palate 2) Loose Leaf Tea Party Does someone in your life love to drink tea? Consider putting together a cute little tea party gift set! I adore our loose-leaf glass teapot for two‚ or use this high-quality stainless infuser for a single mug. Then pop over to Farmhouse Tea to browse their absolutely delectable tea blends like Cranberry Spice‚ Cherry Chai‚ Apple Cider Fixin’s‚ Pumpkin Spice‚ Gingerbread Spice‚ and Peach Roobis… just to name a few! Some contain caffeine‚ though most are non-caffeinated. Farmhouse Teas is a small family-run business from Oregon‚ where they source all of their ingredients locally and/or organic. Their “trial size” packs are a wonderful budget-friendly gift‚ and still contain up to 12 cups of tea! They also offer larger bags of loose-leaf tea‚ bundles with 3 small bags of choice‚ holiday gift sets‚ and more.  Save 20% off on Farmhouse Teas during Thanksgiving week with code “FARMHOUSE20”. Our Loose Leaf Teapot Browse Farmhouse Teas 3) Ceramic Egg Holder  Anyone can enjoy this stylish little egg holder‚ but it’s an especially perfect homestead gift for the backyard chicken keeper in your life. We keep ours out on the counter to display our girls’ beautiful (unwashed) eggs‚ though it works just fine on a refrigerator shelf too! I also often leave our eggs out in a cute egg collection basket. (If you’re curious about storing fresh eggs at room temperature‚ please see this article.) Get it here 4) Non-Toxic Cookware Health and quality control is a huge motivation for many gardeners and homesteaders to raise and grow their own food‚ right? Yet most traditional “non stick” pans are coated with chemicals‚ including cancer-causing PFAS. Yikes! So‚ we use a variety of non-toxic stainless steel‚ glass‚ ceramic‚ or cast iron cookware instead. I don’t have a full cookware “set” to recommend as a homestead gift (we use a mix of items) but love this generously-sized stainless steel chefs pan‚ these high-quality 12-quart or 16-quart stainless steel stock pots (perfect for big batches of soup‚ sauce‚ broth or jam)‚ this 3-quart stainless sauce pan‚ and cast iron skillets of various sizes. When it comes to nonstick baking pans‚ I really love pans lined with food-grade silicone by USA pans. We regularly use their 9×13″ cake pan for sourdough focaccia‚ 9×5″ loaf pan to bake sweet breads‚ along with their muffin pans and cookie sheets. Shop USA Nonstick Pans See all my favorite cookware 5) Kitchen Compost Crock Don’t throw those food scraps in the trash! Instead‚ save them in a cute stainless steel kitchen compost crock to take out to the compost pile or worm bin later. Ours lives under the kitchen sink‚ where the carbon filter inside the lid keeps smells inside and the fruit flies out! This white ceramic compost crock is another really classy option. Both look nice on the countertop too. 6) Canning Supplies Canning and growing food goes hand-in-hand! While it admittedly isn’t my top favorite way to preserve food (I usually prefer to freeze and dehydrate)‚ canning certainly has it’s time and place in our kitchen too! Homegrown jams‚ tomato sauce‚ cowboy candy… oh my! So‚ consider giving some essential canning supplies as a very practical homestead gift – such as this complete canning kit that includes a large pot‚ rack‚ jar lifter‚ funnel and more. Canning Essentials Kit 7) Immersion Blender Our trusty immersion blender is among my top 5 favorite kitchen gadgets. Sure‚ it isn’t something we use every day‚ but it is SO handy when we do! It’s also lasted us many‚ many years of use. A stick blender makes blending up creamy soups‚ tomato sauce‚ pumpkin puree and more a breeze. I love being able to do it right in the pot‚ rather than the fuss of transferring it to a traditional blender in batches. A simple yet very practical homestead gift! Our Immersion Blender 8) Reusable Freezer Containers Soup‚ sauce‚ chili‚ jam‚ pesto…. you name it‚ we freeze it! Freezing is one of my favorite easy ways to preserve garden goods and recipes‚ and these reusable freezer containers are the best ones for the job. They’re super durable‚ BPA-free‚ and come in a variety of sizes. Durable Freezer Containers 9) Flour Mill This homestead gift idea is for the serious homemade bread baker. There are a lot of benefits of grinding your own flour from whole wheat berries. It’s more fresh‚ nutritious‚ and fun! This is one thing on the list that we admittedly don’t have yet ourselves‚ but it’s been on my wish list forever. NutriMill is the most popular‚ highly-rated home flour mill. It’s a really beautiful machine! NutriMill Grain Mill 10) Vitamix I never knew I could love a blender until we got a Vitamix. I first sought one out years ago because my garden green smoothies were not quite as ‘smooth’ as I’d like them. However‚ we’ve found that the Vitamix does a stellar job for a wide array of homestead projects! For instance‚ our old blender couldn’t grind up homegrown dehydrated garlic into a fine powder. It left behind very hard (inedible and dangerous) little rock-like bits. Yet the Vitamix turns those hard chunks into fine powder with ease! Now we regularly use the Vitamix to grind dry garlic‚ onions‚ turmeric‚ herbs‚ chili peppers‚ lemon peel‚ and more into fine and fluffy homegrown seasoning powders. I happen to like my sauces‚ hummus‚ besto pesto‚ and homemade pumpkin puree really creamy as well‚ and the Vitamix delivers. Shop Vitamix Here Top 10 Green Home and Body Gifts 1) Organic Linens I hate to be doom-and-gloom here… but did you know that conventional cotton is one of the most pesticide intensive crops to grow? On the other hand‚ choosing organic cotton bedding is better for your health‚ the environment‚ wildlife‚ and farmworkers alike! We have organic cotton sheets from Boll &; Branch and Avocado – they’re both wonderful! They also both offer organic cotton bath towels‚ duvet covers‚ blankets‚ pillows and more. You could even take it a step further and invest in a non-toxic organic mattress from Avocado. We love ours! Both are currently having holiday sales. Avocado Green Mattresses &; Bedding Boll &; Branch Organic Bedding 2) Organic Heating Pad (or Cold Pack) Thinking of someone who works hard‚ needs to unwind‚ or has a lot of muscle tension? An organic heating pad would be a really thoughtful gift! In fact‚ we used to always make DIY microwavable heating pads to give as holiday gifts for family and friends. They can also be put in the freezer to use as a cold pack. I regularly use ours to soothe cramps‚ sore muscles‚ and even to warm up the bed on cold nights! See the tutorial here. If you’re not up for making your own‚ there are a number of small businesses that sell USA-made natural heating pads online too‚ including this one made with certified organic cotton (available in two sizes) or these heating pads with many color patterns‚ sizes‚ organic herbs‚ and more. 3) Air Purifier Between dust‚ dander‚ allergens‚ mold‚ cleaning products‚ wood smoke and other impurities‚ did you know the air inside your home is often far more “polluted” than outside? And‚ that’s where we usually spend most of our time… breathing all that in! Several years ago we invested in an air purifier with a HEPA filter during summer wildfires. The smoke was almost unbearable. Then I realized just how much the air purifier was helping my allergies too‚ so we ended up getting another – one for the bedroom‚ and one for the living room. Now I sleep with one on every night and feel much better about our indoor air quality! Our Air Purifier 4) Beeswax Candles Speaking of indoor air quality… Consider gifting some clean-burning beeswax candles this holiday season! We quit burning traditional petroleum based candles years ago. I also avoid scented candles‚ even ones made from natural waxes. Those types of candles expose you to harmful chemicals‚ including carcinogens and endocrine disruptors. (Learn more here) Instead‚ we love to burn 100% pure beeswax candles during cozy or festive occasions. The natural light honey aroma is scented enough‚ and if I want more aroma‚ I whip up a natural simmer pot instead! I really like these beeswax pillars (which come in a variety of sizes) and these beeswax votives – both from small businesses and made from USA beeswax! 5) Mau Cat Trees We now have two Mau cat trees in our home‚ and our boys absolutely love them. They’re on them all the time! Mau cat trees are incredibly well-made‚ sturdy‚ and I love how stylish they look too. The small company donates to animal welfare nonprofits‚ plants a tree for every cat tree sold‚ and only uses sustainably-sourced wood (from fruit trees that no longer bear fruit and are being replaced). Shop Mau Cat Trees 6) Natural Soaps and Deodorant Here is a great eco-friendly stocking stuffer idea! Last year‚ I discovered a fantastic new natural deodorant company‚ and my armpits have never been happier! I especially love their sensitive skin formulas and cardboard packaging. Humble is a small company with really stellar ethics when it comes to the environment‚ diversity and charitable giving. They also make cold-process natural soaps that are free of artificial fragrance‚ sodium lauryl sulfate or parabens. The soaps are sustainably packaged‚ cruelty-free‚ smell wonderful‚ and come as single bars or mixed sets – including holiday scents! Code “deannacat” saves 15% off at Humble‚ any time. Shop Humble here 7) Joov Red Light Therapy We started using red light therapy in the evening a couple years ago as a way to naturally relax‚ soothe muscle tension and inflammation‚ and improve circulation. It also helps improve my skin complexion‚ as well as balance my natural circadian rhythm and sleep patterns – especially after too much screen time! Learn more about the potential health benefits of red light therapy here. Joov makes some of the best therapeutic-grade red light devices on the market. (Many other makers used modified low-frequency grow lights‚ which are not the same.) They offer their largest discounts around the holidays‚ and code “deanncat” saves $50 off! Shop Joov Red Lights 8) Delicious Superfoods Here’s a gift idea for anyone in your life that’s health-conscious and loves tasty beverages! My good friend Shaina recently started a small business called Allura Superfoods. She offers high-quality organic powdered beverage blends including Boost Blend‚ a delicious cacao and mushroom superfood mix‚ and Golden Blend‚ a soul-warming turmeric golden milk mix (my personal fave). Both are loaded with nutrients and antioxidants‚ and would make a great stocking stuffer! Code “deannacat” saves 10% on Allura Superfoods any time‚ plus she’s running some sweet holiday sales too! Shop Allura Superfoods 9) Stainless Steel Water Filter Chlorine‚ pharmaceuticals… I sure wish our tap water didn’t have so much crap in it! And bottled water is even worse. So‚ here is a green home gift idea for the health conscious: a stainless steel countertop water filter. Radiant Life is a small family-run‚ women-owned company‚ and one of the best home water purification options around! Their filters remove chlorine‚ heavy metals‚ PFOAs‚ pesticides and more. Use code “deannacat” to save 10%. Shop Radiant Life here 10) Organic CBD My dream stocking stuffer… If you’ve been around‚ you’ve probably heard me rave about NuVita CBD more than a time or two. This small business truly changed my life for the better. I take the organic full spectrum CBD every day for anxiety‚ stress‚ muscle aches and joint pain (which comes in an oil tincture‚ softgels or gummies) along with CBN tincture every night for the best sleep ever. NuVita also offers CBD and CBN topical rollers‚ which are absolutely amazing for localized pain‚ inflammation relief‚ and aromatherapy – especially after a long day working in the garden! Use code “deannacat” to save 10% on NuVita products‚ any time. If you like them as much I do‚ you can also sign up for autoship for an additional 15% off – for 25% savings total! 11) Compost Tumbler Last but not least‚ a compost tumber… This homestead gift idea could have gone under the garden gifts section‚ but you don’t necessarily need to be an avid gardener in order to compost! Ideally‚ anyone with a little outdoor space should compost some of their kitchen scraps to help divert food waste from the landfill. A compost tumbler is a great option since it’s contained and easy to maintain. Or‚ consider setting up an inexpensive DIY worm compost bin‚ which is even more compact for small spaces! Our Compost Tumbler And that’s a wrap! Well friends‚ I hope you found some new and fun homestead gift ideas after browsing this list! We hope you have a wonderful winter holiday season ahead. I’m always extra-reflective this time of year because it was Thanksgiving week 2018 when I sat down to start building this website… and what a wild ride it’s been ever since! We truly can’t thank you enough for being a part of our community and journey. Homestead and Chill wouldn’t be the same without you!  Did you enjoy this article? Want to hear more? Stay in touch! Sign up below to receive weekly updates on new posts from Homestead and Chill. The post Homestead Gift Guide: 40+ Garden‚ Kitchen and Green Home Gift Ideas appeared first on Homestead and Chill.

The Talent Show: Sunday Reflection

Not So Fast‚ Nikki: DeSantis Rakes in $2M in 48 Hours

A woman in Melbourne‚ Australia‚ removed the floor of a friend’s house and discovered a creepy-looking ‘network’ of strange‚ slimy black threads. Hannah Sycamore opened the wooden floorboards in her friend’s house after they became very wet (apparently due to a flood‚ though not specified). What she saw horrified her because it resembled something from science fiction or horror films. She took a couple of photos and posted them on social media‚ asking if anyone knew what it was. Her post quickly went viral‚ but commenters were puzzled. Mostly‚ opinions were expressed that these were the roots of some plant‚ overgrown mold‚ or mycelium. However‚ no one has yet been able to identify an exact match with any particular biological species. “It’s new to me too. It’s definitely not like traditional mold‚” said an expert from the State Herbarium in Brisbane‚ who was contacted by local reporters. Viewers theorized that the black spiderweb-like mass could be everything from black mold to tree roots.CreditL Facebook / Australia &; New Zealand Fungus Identification “The only thing I can say is that it looks vaguely like rhizomorphs of Armillaria‚ but that doesn’t provide much insight‚” he added. Mushrooms of the genus Armillaria (including common honey mushrooms) form the largest mycelium networks in the world. However‚ their rhizomorphs still look different from what has grown under Hannah Sycamore’s floorboards. Another plant scientist‚ Elizabeth Aitken‚ from the University of Queensland‚ agreed it looked like fungal filament rhizomorphs and said samples needed to be taken for study. Mycologist (mushroom expert) Heike Neumeister-Kemp also believes that it looks like mycelium and is confident that it is not at all dangerous to humans. The post Mysterious network of black slime found under floorboards appeared first on Anomalien.com.

Archaeologists from Turkey have discovered a 2‚800-year-old elephant tusk. This unique artifact not only stands as a testament to the ancient masters of art‚ but also reveals the secrets of the Iron Age settlement of Hattusa. On the surface of the found tusk‚ a mythical sphinx with the body of a winged lion and a human head is carved. In addition‚ images of a real lion and two tall plants‚ possibly symbolizing the tree of life‚ were discovered. The artifact is about 12 inches (30 centimeters) long and 4 inches (10 cm) wide‚ and Schachner said it may have been part of a piece of furniture. Hattusa ivory ornament‚ dating back 2‚800 years has been recently discovered and showcases depictions of sphinxes‚ lions‚ and trees of life on its ivory surface. Source: Anadolu Agency “It was probably added as an ornament to a wooden box or furniture made of wood in its own time‚” Andreas Schachner‚ an archaeologist with the German Archaeological Institute told the Turkish state-owned Anadolu Agency. “The work is broken on the right and left sides‚ and the upper and lower sides are in our original form. Therefore‚ it is possible to guess that it was longer.” Although the item dates back to the Iron Age‚ it was discovered in the archaeological layer of the Bronze Age Hittite capital Hattusa. Lead archaeologist Andreas Schachner from the German Archaeological Institute says the discovery confirms the importance of the Iron Age settlement‚ despite its foundation after a collapse in 1200 BC. “We discovered that this place was probably not an ordinary town. It appears to have played a key role and may have served as a center of power‚” notes Schachner. Archaeologists plan to conduct further research on the artifact to uncover its historical and cultural significance. After completion of scientific examinations‚ the tusk will be presented at the BoÄŸazköy Museum. The artifact is distinguished by highly detailed images‚ which makes it unique among artifacts from Iron Age settlements. Carved symbols on the tusk can reveal connections between cultures of this period and shed light on the secrets of antiquity. The post Image of Sphinx discovered on Iron Age elephant tusk appeared first on Anomalien.com.

How big can the planets be in the Universe? Is there a limit to how large a planet can grow‚ or are there some colossal worlds out there that dwarf even our own Sun? To answer this question‚ we need to understand what a planet is and how it forms. A planet is a celestial body that orbits a star and has enough mass to be spherical and clear its neighborhood of other objects. Planets form from the leftover material of a star’s birth‚ called the protoplanetary disk. This disk is made of gas and dust that clump together under gravity and eventually become large enough to be considered planets. However‚ not all planets are the same. There are two main types of planets: rocky and gaseous. Rocky planets are mostly made of solid materials‚ such as iron‚ silicon‚ carbon‚ and oxygen. They tend to be smaller and denser than gaseous planets‚ which are mostly made of hydrogen and helium. Gaseous planets are also known as gas giants or Jovian planets‚ after Jupiter‚ the largest planet in our Solar System. The size of a planet depends on several factors‚ such as its mass‚ density‚ composition‚ temperature‚ and distance from its star. Mass is the amount of matter in an object‚ while density is the ratio of mass to volume. Composition is the type and proportion of elements that make up a planet. Temperature is the measure of how hot or cold a planet is‚ which affects how much it expands or contracts. Distance from the star determines how much heat and radiation a planet receives‚ which also influences its size. Generally speaking‚ rocky planets have a smaller range of sizes than gaseous planets. The largest rocky planets‚ called super-Earths‚ are about twice as wide as Earth. For example‚ Kepler-10c is a super-Earth that has a radius of about 2.3 times that of Earth and a mass of about 17 times that of Earth . However‚ rocky planets cannot grow much larger than that‚ because they would start to accumulate gas‚ ice‚ and water that would gradually transform them into gaseous planets with a rocky core . Gaseous planets have a much wider range of sizes than rocky planets. The smallest gaseous planets‚ called mini-Neptunes or sub-Neptunes‚ are about four times as wide as Earth. For example‚ Kepler-138d is a mini-Neptune that has a radius of about 4.1 times that of Earth and a mass of about 1.5 times that of Earth . The largest gaseous planets‚ called super-Jupiters or ultra-Jupiters‚ are about twice as wide as Jupiter. For example‚ HAT-P-67 b is a super-Jupiter that has a radius of about 2 times that of Jupiter and a mass of only about 0.34 times that of Jupiter . However‚ gaseous planets also have a limit to how big they can get. As they grow in mass‚ they also become denser and more compact‚ which reduces their size. The most massive planets are around 13 times the mass of Jupiter . Beyond that point‚ they would become brown dwarfs‚ which are failed stars that are too small to ignite nuclear fusion in their cores. So‚ what is the biggest planet in the Universe? Based on current observations and theoretical models‚ the biggest planet in terms of width is likely to be around twice as wide as Jupiter ‚ while the biggest planet in terms of mass is likely to be around 13 times as massive as Jupiter . However‚ these numbers are not definitive‚ as new discoveries may reveal even bigger or heavier planets in the future. The post Giant Worlds: How big can the planets be in the Universe? appeared first on Anomalien.com.

Astrophysicist Professor Jane Breaves from Cardiff University has warned that two distant exoplanets‚ called HD 76932 and HD 201891‚ may harbor more advanced life forms than Earth. In her latest study published by the American Astronomical Society‚ the professor emphasized that these worlds are 70 and 110 light years away‚ respectively‚ and are 8 billion years older than our Earth. Professor Breaves offers our world a unique opportunity to look into the eyes of possible alien life. She believes that “the prospects for finding rocky exoplanets with continents seem very promising.” She told MailOnline: “These stars are much older than the sun (about 8 billion years older)‚ which means any planets have had time to get less radioactive.” She added it’s “worth a look ASAP” to see if these rocky worlds really do exist – and if they do‚ there’s a chance life up there “could pre-date that on Earth”. However‚ she also warns: “If there is more advanced life somewhere‚ it could put us at a huge disadvantage if they decide to play with us – or simply destroy us.” Is there a real threat from aliens? The question remains open. Many scientists believe that the idea of ​​UFOs and highly advanced alien life forms is pure fantasy. However‚ Professor Breaves insists that we should not ignore the possibility of more advanced civilizations and should begin researching celestial bodies to find out whether these worlds are indeed habitable. Why haven’t aliens shown interest in Earth yet? There are several theories: perhaps they have already manifested but we don’t know it‚ or perhaps we are so unimportant in their eyes that they simply ignore us. The post Astrophysicist warns: Alien life on two exoplanets could threaten humanity appeared first on Anomalien.com.