Susie’s Chem Free Zone – Pollywog's Place Blog

Spring Cleaning With Easy DIY Cleaners

Published on April 8, 2026 by Susie @ Pollywog's Place Blog1 Comment

It’s that time of year when the urge to clean and declutter often hits me… it has hit me, but I’ve been too sick to really do anything about it right yet.

Over the past several years, I have been replacing a lot of the store bought cleaners with ‘cleaner’ versions that we can make here at home.

Most of our DIY cleaners involve vinegar and/or rubbing alcohol. On occasion, I do purchase some cleaner concentrates from Amazon that we dilute for all purpose cleaners around the house. I will link those at the bottom of the post.

Home Remedies, Homemade Cleaners, and Miscellaneous Tips and Stuff

We really like to make citrus vinegar to use in our DIY cleaners, as it smells AMAZING! We have found that it can also help to repel flies and other insects. Check out some easy recipes below:

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Stocking Your Emergency Pantry

Published on February 7, 2026January 2, 2026 by Susie @ Pollywog's Place Blog4 Comments

We don’t like to think about the possibility of any emergency, and definitely not one that might last for an extended period of time. With Hurricane season fast approaching, we do need to give it a little thought.

When we first moved here, I was totally unprepared for the two hurricanes that hit us back-to-back. We had not even had a chance to get to the grocery store, but we made it through with what we had. Fortunately, we are a little better prepared for emergencies now, but something could always take us by surprise.

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Seasonal Food Preservation Guide

Published on January 29, 2026January 2, 2026 by Susie @ Pollywog's Place Blog4 Comments

Many of us drool over the beautifully crafted pantries we see on Pinterest or Instagram. They have neatly arranged shelves lined with beautiful canned goods. This doesn’t happen by accident… those jars of proof of lots of hard work that went into growing and preserving each of their contents.

I did a lot of preserving many years ago. I had a garage with custom-built shelves to display our garden’s abundance, but my situation is different now. We dream of a pantry with beautifully stocked shelves, but it hasn’t quite happened yet. I can’t build the pantry today, but I can work on getting some jars filled with delicious food to nourish my family.

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Mini Garden Makeover and Fall Reset

Published on October 21, 2025October 21, 2025 by Susie @ Pollywog's Place BlogLeave a comment

How are you doing? I’m praying all is well… everyone here is good. We’ve really enjoyed having a week of reflecting on our blessings, and eating outside was a hit with the weather being just right. We will definitely be observing Sukkot in the future and plan to make a few small changes in the future.

This week, we are taking a breather from school for ‘Life Skills’ as the gardens need a little attention and revamping. I’ve had a vision for part of the garden, and we’ve been working on making it a reality. We haven’t had to buy any materials as we have been repurposing some things that we already had on hand. I am contemplating the purchase of some fencing for the garden, but seeing it come together makes me second-guess that idea.

You may remember the Pallet Gate project that we did a bit ago… this is another baby step towards the goal! We put together a small raised bed just enough to allow the guys an edge to weed eat and maybe save my chives… lol.

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Comfort Foods for Cold Weather Cravings

Published on October 11, 2025November 2, 2025 by Susie @ Pollywog's Place BlogLeave a comment

I don’t know what it is about the cooler weather that makes me want a bowl of something hot, but I sure have been wanting some here lately… I usually have my cup of coffee in the morning, and then the weather warms up through the day, so my craving fades.

I wanted to gather our favorites here in one post so I can find them a little easier and share them with you… just in case you have those same cravings! These are also the perfect ‘comfort foods’ for sick days or times when you just feel a little down. There are a lot of chicken recipes, but that’s probably because our bodies crave the healing properties that come from broths, which we use a lot in different recipes.