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Salves, Balms & Lotions

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🥳 NEW product announcement!!! 📣 Are you ti

🥳 NEW product announcement!!! 📣

Are you tired of trying to grow plants that just shrivel up and die no matter what you do? Have you had enough with overwatering, underwatering, repotting, and moving plants to the shade just so you can move them back to a sunnier spot in a few weeks?

You’re in luck.

PhilosophicalFolia is now selling “Grow Your Own Mold Kits!” These kits are absolutely foolproof, making it easier than ever to grow something — ANYTHING — that is technically alive. Each kit comes with an old, soggy sesame bagel, a dirty box, and a spore syringe with Rhizopus stolonifer (black bread mold). You simply squirt the syringe onto the bread and wait a couple days, take a picture, tell all your friends, then cross that off your bucket list!

Order today for an April 1st SALE of only 14.99 on philosophicalfolia.etsy.com (link in bio)!

🥯🥯🥯

#growyourownmold #rhizopusstolonifer #breadmold #smallbusiness #April1

A “paludarium” is an enclosed ecosystem made u

A “paludarium” is an enclosed ecosystem made up of both aquatic and terrestrial elements!

🌱🌿🌸🐠🐌🐚

I spent the entire day re-housing my fish and snails, woodworking (and woodburning) to make the separator frame, and battling with a huge piece of wire mesh to make the terrarium part of my paludarium! And I’m pretty happy with the results!

The plan is for the nasturtiums, spider plants, willow tree, and variegated pothos to root down into the aquarium, but I currently am using a cotton wick (twine) to carry the water up to the nasturtiums until they grow up! I can’t wait to see them fill the terrarium with greenery.

Fishy and his many unnamed friends are happy with the new setup. The terrarium also features a fish fossil and some bones to add to the “circle of life” aesthetic. It’s lit by a repurposed fluorescent bulb from a fish tank that was beyond repair, and the water is filtered and aerated by a “waterfall” filter.

#paludarium #aquarium #terrarium #diy #fish #plants #ecosystem #horticulture

Happy Sustainability Saturday! ♻️ Love garlic

Happy Sustainability Saturday! ♻️

Love garlic and onion powder? Hate food waste? I sure do!

🧄🧅🧄🧅🧄

It’s extremely simple to get your own garlic and onion powder for free using only food “waste”. All you have to do is store the garlic and onion shells (and bits you don’t use for cooking) in a baggie in the freezer instead of throwing them away. When the bag is full, rinse thoroughly and dehydrate everything in a dehydrator or oven, then grind it all into a powder. Voila! There you have it — easy, free, and much tastier than storebought.

Tips: It’s ok to compost or throw away questionable bits, including those hard, dirty root bits on garlic. I usually make a combination garlic/onion powder that works perfectly well instead of keeping them separate. If you want more powder more quickly, it’s also great to simply slice or crush whole garlic or onions to blend into the powder, but be sure to dehydrate everything completely or you will have a mess!

If you try this, let me know what you think!

#sustainabilitysaturday #sustainability #foodwaste #homemade #garlic #onion #powder

Just made a fresh batch of one of my best-sellers,

Just made a fresh batch of one of my best-sellers, the Cinnamon Sugar Latte Exfoliating & Skin-Brightening Shower Scrub!!!

☕️☕️☕️

With brown sugar, roasted coffee powder, pink Himalayan salt, epsom salt, arrowroot powder (NEW - added for a smoother, less oily scrub), coconut oil, jojoba, cinnamon, hemp seed powder, vanilla essential oil, cinnamon essential oil, vitamin E oil (NEW), and grapefruit seed extract (NEW)… EVERY SINGLE INGREDIENT IS TAILORED TO SERVE ITS PURPOSE, which is to make your skin look and feel healthy in the most natural way possible!

Check it out on philosophicalfolia.etsy.com and stay tuned for new products to come!

#showerscrub #allnatural #hygiene #etsy #allnaturalskincare #healthy #sustainable

My lungwort grew a gorgeous little flower! 🌺 🤩

The bunnies ate part of it so I moved it to the window…

Tapping the trees this year for some extra fresh a

Tapping the trees this year for some extra fresh and delicious syrup! We’re lucky to have two maples AND a black walnut in the backyard!

🌳🌳🌳

I tapped them in early March, which is maybe a little late… but better late than never! Black walnut trees are lesser known for producing syrup, but in my opinion, their syrup is even more delicious than maple (and yes I already did a side-by-side comparison 🤭). Black walnuts also continue to produce sap longer into the year. Very large trees can be tapped twice or sometimes even three times without causing excessive stress, but I erred on the lower side. The holes can be left alone once the tree stops providing sap and they should heal themselves back up within about a year.

I made my own taps by sticking some fishtank tubing onto the end of a sawed-off plastic syringe and then drilling holes for the tubing in used milk jugs. Then, I made sure everything was very clean and then sealed everything together using waterproof superglue. Finally, I drilled holes about two inches deep into the trees (making sure they were just wide enough to very snugly fit the taps) at a height of about 4 feet from the ground, stuck the taps in, and roped the jugs to the tree.

Tapping trees will always remind me of when I tapped my first maple in the backyard at my parents’ house and made a ton of syrup from just a single tap (even though our fridge and freezers were full of gallons of sap since I waited til the very end to boil it all down 😂). I’m hoping to make maple cream or sugar with the sap this year if I collect enough! Nature is amazing, and developing these kinds of skills always makes me feel more connected to it.

I’d love to hear your experiences about tapping trees if you’ve ever done so, and I’m also here to answer questions to the best of my ability if you’re interested in doing it yourself!

🍁🍁🍁

#syrup #treetapping #maple #blackwalnut #spring #sustainability #backyardforaging

Holy turkey tail!!! 🦃🍄‍🟫 My first thou

Holy turkey tail!!! 🦃🍄‍🟫

My first thought was, “That would make enough delicious cancer-fighting broth for a year!” Turkey tail mushrooms are scientifically proven to have many medicinal benefits, including anti-cancer properties and other healing abilities. They also make a good broth and are QUITE abundant!

@cjordan211 and I had to take advantage of this 70 degree day by going for an 8-mile run through the woods and along the river. It was a wonderful mental health break and physical health stimulus. We spotted a few other fungi (including dryad’s saddle and some other polypores), cute lil gnomes along the trail, a little fawn, some “wood-chucked” stumps, a gorgeous sycamore, and other gorgeous nature sights!

Happy spring! 🌱

🧪👨‍🔬⚗️ One experiment always leads

🧪👨‍🔬⚗️

One experiment always leads to another!

🧴🧴🧴

I tried making liquid castile soap (so-called because it’s made from olive oil, which comes from Spain, or “Castilla”), and then I watered it down a little too much so I cut up some old and used soaps to throw into the brew to thicken it up and reduce waste!

Castile (and other liquid soaps) are typically made using “potash” (potassium hydroxide, or KOH). I only had lye (sodium hydroxide, or NaOH), which is usually used for making bar soaps, and didn’t want to go to the store or order from another stupid big corporation so that’s what I used! With some careful calculating at first, and a lot of experimentation in the end, it ended up turning out! I’m so excited.

On the other hand, I’m on “Trial 10” of my pomade recipe, which is FINALLY almost shaping up, and my toothpaste is a disaster. My mouthwash is going well, too! As you may know, I try as hard as I can to keep my homemade products as natural as possible WITHOUT losing effectiveness when compared to store-bought products. This is oftentimes REALLY hard and can require plunging to the uttermost depths of the internet, especially when scientists and hobbyists online says “you just need to buy X chemical” or “it can’t be done.” I paid close attention in chemistry… watch me! 😝

While I’m going into a YEAR of constantly experimenting with all-natural and nature-related products that will hopefully end up in my Etsy shop and in your home, I do currently have some functional, therapeutic, and hygienic products already on my Etsy shop at philosophicalfolia.etsy.com that I hope you will check out! The link is in my bio as well. I promise you, everything is made with love (and sometimes tears)! 😄

Thank you to everyone who has supported me so strongly this far in this absolutely atrocious economy and political environment. If we keep acting according to decent morals and putting our money where our mouths are, things will get better. ❤️‍🩹

-Josh

Night runs have always been one of my favorite act

Night runs have always been one of my favorite activities. The world (and what we perceive of it) changes so much once the sun goes down, and the experience is quite different from running in the daytime!

Tonight I ran 5 miles along the Iowa River with @cjordan211. It felt balmy at 50 degrees compared to the frigid temperatures we’ve been getting the last couple of months! We even saw the rowing team sparkling in the river and found some “charcoal fungus” on a stump that we were analyzing with a headlight at the halfway point.

🌜🔦🏃🏻‍♂️

🍜 “Rebel & Reclaim” Ramen Recipe 🍜 🏳

🍜 “Rebel & Reclaim” Ramen Recipe 🍜

🏳️‍🌈⚧️🏳️‍⚧️

(Everything added *to taste*)

✅ Maruchan ramen
✅ Lobster mushrooms
✅ Eggs
✅ Kale
✅ Wakame seaweed
✅ Basil
✅ Ginger
✅ Black pepper
✅ Sesame oil
✅ Garlic powder
✅ Onion powder

Bring all that sh*t to a boil and eat knowing that your taste preferences are valid and no one can shame you into changing them.

#lgbtq+ #ramen #recipes #rebel #reclaim

Decomposer dramaaaa!!! 💁🏻‍♂️🍄🪱

Decomposer dramaaaa!!! 💁🏻‍♂️🍄🪱

-> Swipe to zoom out ->

This microscopic cup fungus, or ascomycete, called Ascobolus crenulatus found a home in this decomposing compost. This species is vital for breaking down nutrients in the soil, so hopefully it will provide even more nutrients to those seeds that are waiting to germinate! In the last video, you can see nematodes perched atop the caps of this fungi, waving around like one of those giant noodles at the state fair. The nematodes have likely found a preferable microclimate here that provides more humidity, as well as yummy nutrients and bacteria.

#science #ascomycetes #mushrooms #fungus #microscopic #decomposers #compost #nematodes #ascobolus

This country is not okay, but people with willpowe

This country is not okay, but people with willpower, intelligence, and morality are demonstrating their power in the face of the complete abuse of this country. Join the fight! 💪

Cold months got you down? It’s okay. ❄️

Cold months got you down? It’s okay. ❄️

📰 New article on runningforthemind.com!!! (Lin

📰 New article on runningforthemind.com!!!
(Link in bio)

“From Cancellation to Celebration: Community, Nature Appreciation, and Resilience at “Book Across the Bay” 2025 - (Ashland and Glidden, WI)”

While this year’s “Book Across the Bay” 6-mile trek across the frozen Chequamegon Bay of Lake Superior wasn’t possible due to a severe blizzard putting participant safety at risk, the annual celebration was unhindered! Volunteers, sponsors, attendees, and an enthusiastic community put on a successful event in an enormous tent on the frozen shore featuring artisan vendors, delectable food and drink, live music, dancing, a classy sauna, t-shirts, and much more!

Read all about it on my blog, Running for the Mind. Thanks for the support!

The latest from my secret laboratory: a handcrafte

The latest from my secret laboratory: a handcrafted, wood-burned garden box and Wingspan birdhouse! I made them for my boyfriend Craig’s birthday (they are fully original designs).

I didn’t know we had two pairs of cardinals and a red-bellied woodpecker in our Iowa City backyard until they had a field day in the snow when we hung up the birdfeeder!

P.S. I am always open to being hired for custom projects ;)

Bird photo cred: @cjordan211

#homemadebirdfeeder #gardenbox #notpayingbigcorporationsforthingsicanmakemyself #constructionprojects #environment #sustainability #backyardwildlife #woodburning #art

Spider mites: up close and personal with one of my

Spider mites: up close and personal with one of my mortal enemies. 🕷️🕸️

Although spider mites are QUITE a nuisance and very hard to get rid of once they start inhabiting a plant (despite numerous INTENSIVE natural AND chemical treatments to this house plant — including long and thorough showers 🚿), they are actually not harmful to humans, besides possibly irritating your skin if you somehow get a ton on you. 🥴 It doesn’t hurt you to ingest them either (unless you have a very specific allergy and ingest a ton), although the thought definitely isn’t very appetizing!

If you have any effective solutions to spider mites, please share them in the comments!

#spidermites #houseplants #plantcare #arachnids

🍄‍🟫📸 I was taking the rabbit litter to

🍄‍🟫📸

I was taking the rabbit litter to the compost pile when I spotted a stick full of edible Exidia fungus, or “jelly fungus” (pictured LAST) in our stick pile! Jelly fungus is similar to wood ear mushrooms (common in traditional Asian cuisine for their vitamins and health benefits). There are really no toxic lookalikes to this winter treat as far as I have read. It made a delicious traditional Chinese soup!

I was so excited about these cool winter finds that I kept rummaging around in the wood pile and finding cool things, so I got out my microscopic camera and got some cool photos of some other fungi, possibly including two “scurfy twiglets” (pictured first).

Happy foraging! ❄️

#winterforaging #fungi #mushrooms #photography #woodearmushrooms #jellyfungus #macrophotography #naturephotography

Have cabbage and salt? 🥬🧂 Those are the ONL

Have cabbage and salt? 🥬🧂

Those are the ONLY ingredients you need to make DELICIOUS sauerkraut that tastes wayyy better than the stuff you get from the store.

I have successfully made plain sauerkraut (recipe below) quite a few times now, and I decided it’s time to experiment a bit! This batch is a miso ginger kraut with onion and fennel (I boiled the miso to prevent fermentation problems). Homemade kraut is packed with probiotics and, obviously, vegetables, and it’s so good for you — it’s also an addictive snack!

👨‍🍳 All you do is:

1. Remove a few outer layers of the cabbage.
2. Cut or shred the cabbage into strips.
3. In a mixing bowl, generously sprinkle salt over the cabbage.
4. Massage the salt into the cabbage until the juices are well-extracted.
5. Press down firmly into a container with a lid that isn’t quite airtight.
6. Add water until liquid is covering cabbage by about an inch.
7. Close lid and store at around 65 degrees Fahrenheit for a month, re-pressing (submerging) cabbage every week or two.

* Cleanliness and sanitization of hands and all equipment is very important! The yeasts from the cabbage leaves and lactic acid will power the ferment!

** Mold, significant film over the liquid, or really funky smells (aside from the normally strong smell of sauerkraut of course!) may mean your batch went bad.

Don’t get intimidated! It only took me a half hour to make my last batch. Let me know if you try this at home!

Wildlife photography from my trip with @cjordan211

Wildlife photography from my trip with @cjordan211 to central Wisconsin this month 📸

Those who have a genuine understanding of nature know that we are part of it and never choose to disrespect it.

To see our political “leader” withdraw from the Paris Climate Agreement on day one after taking office makes living in this country feel like an actual nightmare. No amount of oil, industry, or money will EVER come close to the importance and benevolence of our beautiful Earth. I thank the people and societies in the world who work to support the real ideal of the Future over the false idols of money and obsessively self-absorbed gratification. I will keep battling the infinite rage I feel toward every single hateful and ignorant person who supports such toxic idiocy, and I will channel that energy into education, environmentalism, and activism. I will support those (whether animal, plant, or human) who contribute to the greater good whether they have bountiful power or none at all. I find peace in knowing that karma is indiscriminate of status or power, and that it rewards true goodness and punishes true evil in mysterious ways.

ALL of us already know goodness deep down. The challenge is allowing yourself to wake to the difficulties and beauties of reality not with resentment and self-absorbency, but with intelligence, gratitude and mutual respect.

There IS a future, and whether that future will be good or bad literally comes down to YOUR attitude and decisions. Choose wisely. Take ACTION. The world is too wonderful to let it crumble in the hands of the reckless, the selfish, and the ignorant.

I have control of myself. So I, for one, will not be complicit in ANYONE’S sleazy and hateful schemes to destroy all that is beautiful and wonderful (whether it is the “law” or not). I WILL be focusing my efforts on preserving and accentuating nature, justice, and worldly flourishing. And I so gratefully welcome anyone who chooses to join me.

🌎

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