Before we get into today’s post, I have to tell you about a fun little event happening right now!
This week Nourished Living Network is having a Valentine’s Day Progressive Dinner Party! We kick off the party today with Valentine’s drinks. My contribution is my Peppermint Milkshake recipe. KerryAnn at Cooking Traditional Foods submits her Spicy Hot Chocolate and Jessica at Delicious Obsessions shares her Peppermint White Hot Chocolate. Adrienne at Whole New Mom shares her Sugar-Free Lemonade and Coffee Substitute. Tomorrow we’ll have dishes for a Valentine’s breakfast, so stay tuned!
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Guest post by Holly of Your Gardening Friend
As I was thinking through Jill’s Homemaking for the 5 Senses series, the Lord flooded my mind with ideas for the sense of touch. The sense of touch is not one we give a lot of thought to, but there are so many ways we can make our homes more inviting, more cozy, by maximizing the sense of touch.
1. Comfortable Front Porch Seating. John and I spend a lot of time just sitting on our covered porch, enjoying the scenery of our woods, and all the wildlife. It’s so calming to sit outside, while sipping on a beverage, and listen to the wind, cicadas, and chirping of birds.
One of my favorite things to do is watch the hummingbirds hover, while they drink the homemade nectar. Not only are hummingbirds fascinating to watch because of their sheer beauty and amazing mechanics of flight, they’re also rather comical. All too often, a single bird will attempt to guard an entire feeder – consisting of 5 or more feeding ports – ALL for himself.
At dusk, we also enjoy catching a fleeting glimpse of garden-friendly, mosquito-eating bats.
We get a LOT of use out of our comfortable front porch seating.
2. Warmth of a Fireplace (or wood-burning stove). I can’t think of a more appropriate item for this homesteading list than a warm, nostalgic, crackling, wood-burning fireplace. If you have a hanging cast iron kettle, you could even cut up an onion from your garden, drop it into some water, and let it simmer. The savory aroma will permeate the rooms of your home.
3. Flannel Sheets. This is a must in our house. As soon as cool weather arrives, we break out the flannel sheets. Cotton sheets are great in the summer because they’re cool. In the winter though, you DON’T want to climb into a cold bed.
4. Faux Mink Throws. We have a couple of these throws on our couch. We LOVE them! They’re warm, and incredibly soft. We use them when we’re watching television. (Purchased at Bed Bath & Beyond two years ago.)
5. Soft Slippers. Not only can YOU enjoy soft, plush slippers, but you can keep a couple spares for overnight guests. What a perfect way to make a guest feel pampered and at-home. It’s also a fun tradition for everyone to put on their soft slippers, and cozy up on the couch for family movie night.
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6. Body Scrubs. Stacy, at A Delightful Home, has an eBook full of how-to recipes for body scrubs. You’ll want to check it out.
7. Homemade Rice Heating Packs. Michele, at Frugal Granola, shares how to make and use these rice heating packs. She likes to mix in some lavender for a relaxing scent.
8. DIY Hand Balm. If you’ve not already read Jill’s post on how to make hand balm (or udder balm), click here to check it out.
9. Lots of Hugs. Of all the ideas, these last two use the sense of touch in the most traditional way. Everyone needs to be hugged BUNCHES! Even if your kids pretend to not like it, they need it anyway. 🙂
10. Animals. I love animals – dogs, cows, goats, squirrels, deer, hummingbirds, you name it. I left no doubt of that with my recent post, Our Air-Conditioned & Heated Dog Houses.
Animals are not only fun to pet, but they also offer a psychological “healing” effect. I don’t mean that in a new age kind of way, but rather, they put a smile on your face, or make you laugh, which probably releases endorphins into the body.
What a wonderful way to make use of the sense of touch, by petting all the furry animals on your homestead.
What other ideas do you have for homesteading for the sense of touch?
Holly is a wife to her loving husband, John, and a “mother” of three canine “kids”. She loves sharing her faith; spending as much time as possible gardening and landscaping; sharing recipes you can make from your garden; and enjoying all the garden critters and wildlife at her country home, nestled in the woods. She blogs at Your Gardening Friend.
Other posts from the Homemaking on the Homestead Series:
- Homemaking for the 5 Senses: Sight
- Homemaking for the 5 Senses: Hearing
- Homemaking for the 5 Senses: Smell
- DIY Repurposed Chicken Wire Frame
- Homemade Laptop or TV Screen Cleaner
- A Cute Solution to Muddy Mudrooms
This post shared at: Frugal Days Sustainable Ways, Women Living Well, WFMW, Healthy 2Day Wednesdays, Our Simple Farm
Rose says
February 8, 2012 at 8:41 amGreat ideas. My favorites are the comfortable seating and the animals. 🙂
Valerie says
February 9, 2012 at 1:53 amWood lots and lots of wood. My log cabin feels so cozy because of all the wood.
Jill says
February 9, 2012 at 7:17 amSo jealous! 😉 I would love a woodstove.
Amber says
February 13, 2012 at 8:07 amIt reminds me of whenever I’m in a store. Even if I don’t intend to buy the items I pass, I often touch them because they look soft. The sense of touch is probably a subconscious thing that we use very often. I find myself idly twirling my little girl’s hair between my fingers because I love how soft it is. I don’t realize I’m doing it until she says, “Mommy!” and pulls away. 🙂
Your Gardening Friend says
February 16, 2012 at 8:39 pmTwirling your fingers through your daughter’s soft hair is a nice tactile experience. John and I sometimes say that our “daughter’s” (German shepherd) hair (her ears) are like velvet. Is that the same thing? 😉
Heather says
February 15, 2012 at 7:38 pmHere from YGF. I’ve started to make a list of things I really hope to have in whatever house we live in next. A couple of things I hope for is mature trees and a big porch, and also more windows (in every direction). I hope to have a nice, cozy porch experience too, like you.
Jill says
February 16, 2012 at 3:46 pmYes, you can hardly put a price on mature trees! Our backyard has plenty, but unfortunately, our front is rather bare. Windows are a big plus, too. Especially south-facing ones that let in warm winter sunshine.
Your Gardening Friend says
February 16, 2012 at 8:35 pmMature trees and a covered porch are great to have on your list. Our porch isn’t big, but it’s cozy.
Until you have the trees and porch you’d like, maybe a tent-like structure would be a great solution. It would create shade, and with a few comfy lawn chairs, a couple shepherd’s hooks for bird feeders, and a windchime, it would sure create a relaxing, shady, wildlife experience.
The Sage Butterfly says
February 16, 2012 at 6:58 amOne of my favorite things to do is sit outside and watch and listen to the wildlife. It is so peaceful and calming–something that refreshes. Perhaps if more people knew about this little secret, there would be less fighting. Because the hummingbirds fight over the feeders, I have never seen more than one at a feeder. They are very protective of the feeders….and I have four scattered around the yard.
Your Gardening Friend says
February 16, 2012 at 8:28 pmI usually only have two or three, occasionally four, hummingbirds at a time (with two feeders). My neighbor usually has more than I can count – literally.
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