Sharon Wray's Blog, page 54

March 8, 2022

Sarah Munro’s Spring Cleaning Spray

Homemade cleaners have been around for centuries. It wasn’t until the 20th century that we began purchasing household cleaners from the store. During the 17th and 18th centuries, vinegar-based cleaners were all the rage, and Sarah Munro (my PhD historian, is the heroine in book 2 of the Deadly Force series, ONE DARK WISH), has added the rebooted recipe below to her collection of DIY herbal recipes.

white kitchen with wooden counter and brown spray bottle and red apples

The recipe below is for an all-purpose lightly-scented cleaner. It only uses four ingredients, but the catch is that it needs to infuse for a week before you use it so you’ll need to plan ahead. This recipe uses fresh lemon rinds (for scent and cleaning power) as well as fresh rosemary (for its antifungal and antibacterial properties). It’s perfect for wiping down cabinets, sinks, bathrooms, trash cans, and even glass. But do not use it on granite because the acidity will etch the stone.

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Safety Note on DIY Cleaners

Never, ever, ever combine ammonia-based cleaners with chlorine bleach or any products containing bleach (like powdered dishwasher detergent). The chloramine fumes are EXTREMELY dangerous and potentially deadly. So ALWAYS read the labels before mixing any products on your own.

Sarah Munro’s Spring Cleaning Spray@media all and (min-width: 768px){#kt-layout-id_6e4872-87 > .kt-row-column-wrap > .inner-column-1{flex:0 1 65%;-webkit-flex:0 1 65%;}#kt-layout-id_6e4872-87 > .kt-row-column-wrap > .inner-column-2{flex:0 1 35%;-webkit-flex:0 1 35%;}}#kt-layout-id_6e4872-87{margin-bottom:32px;}#kt-layout-id_6e4872-87 > .kt-row-column-wrap{padding-top:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;padding-right:0px;}.kt-row-layout-inner > .kt-row-column-wrap > .kadence-column_66e689-0d > .kt-inside-inner-col{padding-top:30px;padding-bottom:30px;padding-left:30px;padding-right:30px;border-color:#eff301;border-top-width:2px;border-right-width:2px;border-bottom-width:2px;border-left-width:2px;}@media all and (max-width: 767px){.kt-row-layout-inner > .kt-row-column-wrap > .kadence-column_66e689-0d > .kt-inside-inner-col{padding-top:30px;padding-bottom:30px;padding-left:30px;padding-right:30px;}}Ingredients:1 spray bottle 1 part white distilled vinegar1 part waterFresh lemon rindFresh rosemary sprigsOptional: few drops of lemon essential oil.kt-row-layout-inner > .kt-row-column-wrap > .kadence-column_ce8b40-e7 > .kt-inside-inner-col{background-image:url('https://sharonwray.com/wp-content/upl... center;background-attachment:scroll;background-repeat:no-repeat;}.kt-block-spacer-_0b8d7c-c5 .kt-block-spacer{height:200px;}.kt-block-spacer-_0b8d7c-c5 .kt-divider{width:80%;}#kt-layout-id_ff748c-c6{margin-bottom:32px;background-color:#fafafa;}#kt-layout-id_ff748c-c6 > .kt-row-column-wrap{padding-top:30px;padding-bottom:30px;padding-left:30px;padding-right:30px;}.kt-svg-icons_540ed9-44 .kt-svg-item-0:hover .kt-svg-icon {color:var(--global-palette2, #2B6CB0)!important;}#kt-adv-heading_f7fca3-4c, #kt-adv-heading_f7fca3-4c .wp-block-kadence-advancedheading, .wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading_f7fca3-4c[data-kb-block="kb-adv-heading_f7fca3-4c"], .kadence-advanced-heading-wrapper .kt-adv-heading_f7fca3-4c[data-kb-block="kb-adv-heading_f7fca3-4c"]{text-align:left;font-size:35px;margin-top:0px;}Directions:#kt-adv-heading_f4c592-bd, #kt-adv-heading_f4c592-bd .wp-block-kadence-advancedheading, .wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading_f4c592-bd[data-kb-block="kb-adv-heading_f4c592-bd"], .kadence-advanced-heading-wrapper .kt-adv-heading_f4c592-bd[data-kb-block="kb-adv-heading_f4c592-bd"]{text-align:left;}

For every 2 cups of vinegar and water, use 2 sprigs of fresh rosemary and the rind of half of a lemon.

Put the rosemary and lemon rind into the bottle. Fill the bottle half way with vinegar and then halfway with water. Leave some space at the top for an air bubble.

If you’re using lemon essential oil, add it now. (5-6 drops per 2 cups of water and vinegar)

Put the lid on the spray bottle, shake well, and set the bottle aside, in a dark cabinet, and allow the liquids and herbs to infuse for a week.

Use like any other cleaner. Spray and wipe!

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER ABOUT WILD PLANTS, FORAGING , AND MAKING HERBAL REMEDIES:

I am not a medical professional and nothing written on this blog is medical advice. None of my statements have been evaluated by the FDA (I am legally required to give you this disclaimer).

It is important to do your due diligence before foraging, harvesting, and/or consuming any type of medicinal plant.

If you are taking any medications, talk to your doctor about any potential drug interactions.If you are allergic to anything, make sure whatever you are foraging is not in the same family. Example: While dandelions are typically considered safe, those who are allergic to ragweed, latex, daisies, or any other plants in the same or similar families, may not be able to consume dandelion.

Always research potential side effects, dosage recommendations, and how to properly prepare and consume each medicinal plant.

Always make sure you are foraging what you believe to be. Fully prepare and study the anatomy before harvesting wild plants.

Always make sure your kitchen/work area is clean and that all materials are sterilized.

Do not forage plants from areas that have been sprayed within the past 2 years at the very least.

I am not legally or morally responsible for the health of any of my readers. Please do your own research!

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Published on March 08, 2022 03:30

March 7, 2022

Goddess, Saint, Mother of Fae & Men

Last week I wrote about St. Brigid, the Patron Saint of Ireland. And a few weeks ago, I shared one of the most famous stories about St. Brigid, her blue cloak, and the Nativity. Since then, I’ve had many readers email me about the connection between this famous Catholic Saint and the pagan goddess also called Brigid. So today I’d like to discuss the pagan Brigid who came centuries before Saint Brigid.

While Saint Brigid is the Patron Saint of Ireland, her predecessor was a beloved pagan goddess and an Irish Fairy who was revered up until WWII.

Long before Christianity came to Britain and Ireland, the British lands were ruled by a pantheon of Celtic gods and goddesses. While we now associate Celtic traditions with Ireland, and sometimes Britain and Brittany (in France), the Celtic people originated in mainland Europe (around 1200 BC) before being forced out by the Romans. These Celtic tribes shared a similar language, culture, traditions, and belief in a specific pantheon separate from the Romans and Greeks (although similar in many ways). Their tribe names are familiar even today throughout France, Spain, Ireland, Wales, England, and Scotland. They were known as the Gauls, Galli (from the Latin word meaning barbarian), Britons, Irish, and Galatians. Eventually, the Romans pushed them out of Europe, murdering most of them along the way. They ended up settling in the Northwestern corner of French, known as Brittany, and throughout the British and Irish islands. While the Romans eventually took over southern Britain, neither they nor the Anglo Saxons (who ended up throwing the Romans out and conquering the native Britons) ever successfully conquered Ireland. Until 432 AD (when St. Patrick arrived), Ireland remained a pagan country with Druidism as the main faith.

So what does this have to do with Brigid the goddess?

According to Celtic mythology, the pagan Brigid was a child of the Dagda (Celtic equivalent of Zeus) and the Morrighan (Celtic equivalent of Hera). Before the Celts left Europe, a tribe of fierce Celtic warriors who lived in Bregenz (current day Austria) began to worship Brigid as their mother and protector. Under her stewardship, these soldiers destroyed Roman legions on a regular basis, and from those battles we get the word “Brigand”. When the Celts reached the shores of ancient Briton, they offered their thanks to the goddess Brigantia, from which we get the words “Britain” and “British” and “Bride”.

Anyway, as time went on, Brigid was transformed from a simple goddess in the Celtic pantheon to a member of the Tuatha de Danaan, the ancient fairy race of Ireland. This change in status set off a Cult of Brigid that lasted up until the Nazi bombardment of Britain in 1940. In 400 AD, when the Romans finally left Britain, the Celtic gods and goddesses were firmly in place. But none of the other gods and goddesses rose to the level of fame that Brigid attained. Some historians say that it was because she was the patroness of soldiers and the mediator of peace between tribes. Others say it’s because she was the patroness of childbirth and of farm animals. There are so many stories and folktales about her, it’s hard to keep them straight. She protected sailors, blacksmiths, female seers (called augury), and she was the patroness of all poetry and oral storytellers. And, her most important job, was to protect wells. In ancient times, clean water meant life whereas tainted water literally led to death.

As you can tell, Brigid was a very busy goddess. But as Ireland transitioned from paganism to Christianity, the stories of the goddess Brigid and the Patron Saint Brigid began to meld together. So much so that some people say that neither woman existed, that the Christian ideal just overtook the pagan ideal. That’s an interesting idea, except there are too many historical written records and letters that mention St. Brigid. Written records by a Roman General, a Spanish Saint (St. Teresa of Avila), as well as a number of British and French historians of the time. Brigid is also mentioned in the records of monasteries around Britain as well as early sermons. St. Brigid was definitely a real person.

But the devotion to the pagan Brigid didn’t end because a new Brigid showed up on the block. Up until 1940, people kept eternal flames devoted to the goddess lit near the holy wells that dotted Ireland and parts of Wales and Britain. But when the Battle of Britain began, and Ireland, Wales, Scotland, and England were ordered into a full nighttime, blackout, the eternal flames were extinguished. Many of the sites sacred to Brigid were destroyed by German bombs, including an 18th century London church devoted to St. Brigid designed by Christoper Wren. After the war ended, no one seemed particularly interested in resurrecting the dedication to the goddess or the Saint.

Then, in the 1960s, Irish people began leaving cloths and ribbons tied to trees around the sacred wells. This was an ancient practice that meant people were asking to be healed of illness, disease, heartache, anything that was causing them difficulty in their lives. Since then, the interest in both pagan Brigid and Saint Brigid has revived. Now there are tours offered around Scotland, Ireland, and Britain that take you to all of the sites deemed sacred to both the goddess and the Saint. While I love the stories revolving around these women, I’m not sure what is driving the resurgence. It could be the increase in fictional stories about the Irish Fairies, or maybe it’s because as Mara Freeman (author of Kindling the Celtic Spirit, Harper San Francisco, 2001) suggests, ‘Brigit is the nearest thing we have to a Great Mother of the Celts.’ Maybe Ms. Freeman is correct. Maybe, in this wild and crazy world, sometimes we just all need a mother.

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Published on March 07, 2022 03:30

March 4, 2022

FOREVER & ALWAYS

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On May 24, I will be publishing a Deadly Force short story, Forever & Always, in the Hope for Ukraine Charity Anthology. I don’t have a lot of details yet, but this story will be about Rafe and Juliet’s wedding day (A prequel to Every Deep Desire). Many, many things go wrong… yet Juliet learns there is always hope.

Per the publisher: “The struggles faced by the Ukrainian people are grave, their situation heart-wrenching. But their bravery during these dark days has been a light that has captivated and won the hearts of the world.

The stories compiled in Hope for Ukraine seek to capture the essence of resilience and courage that we see daily in the Ukrainian people. This anthology includes tales of perseverance, overcoming insurmountable odds, sacrifice, tenacity, and redemption from a variety of genres.

While no one knows what the future holds, one thing is clear: the road forward for Ukraine will be a difficult one. As such, all proceeds from sales of Hope for Ukraine will be donated to the Ministry of Social Policy of Ukraine, in the hopes that we, too, can be a beacon of light, love, and hope for those facing darkness and despair.”

.kt-btns_c9e2e1-0f .kt-btn-wrap-0{margin-right:5px;}.rtl .kt-btns_c9e2e1-0f .kt-btn-wrap-0{margin-left:5px;margin-right:0px;}.wp-block-kadence-advancedbtn.kt-btns_c9e2e1-0f .kt-btn-wrap-0 .kt-button:hover, .wp-block-kadence-advancedbtn.kt-btns_c9e2e1-0f .kt-btn-wrap-0 .kt-button:focus{box-shadow:2px 2px 3px 0px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.4);}.wp-block-kadence-advancedbtn.kt-btns_c9e2e1-0f .kt-btn-wrap-0 .kt-button::before{display:none;}CLICK HERE TO Preorder!Follow me on Instagram:

Despite all the sadness in the world, I hope you a

Despite all the sadness in the world, I hope you all enjoy Mardi Gras, the last day before Lent. Laissez le bon temps rouler.#mardigras #lent #mardigras2022 #laissezlesbontempsrouler #writersofinstagram #amwriting#amediting

I wish you all a Happy New Year and hope that all

We’ve chosen the winners and they are on the @ii

this post. Then, in the comments, let us know your favorite genre of romance and tag a friend2. follow @iiromanticbookclub and EVERY account they are following (yes, all 50!)3. Good Luck!!

Must be 18 or over to enter

Must be following EVERY account @iiromanticbookclub is following to win (yes, all 50!)

International (must be able to accept & use Amazon Gift Cards)

Giveaway not affiliated with IG/FB#bookstagramgiveway #authorsofinstagram #bookgasm #bookstagramfeatures #bookstagrammer #romancereader #romancebooks #romancebooks #freebie #booksofinstagram #bookstagrammer #bookgiveaway #giftcard #giftcardgiveaway #contemporaryromance #romancenovels #rbooksofinstagram #readingislife #iirbc #isntitromanticbookclub #videobookclubs #romancebookclubs" data-recalc-dims="1">

I’m about to put a turkey in the oven and clean

I’m about to put a turkey in the oven and clean bathrooms. I so wish I was back in Jamaica right now! #sandalssouthcoast #vacation #beach #thanksgiving #sandalslife

It's week 5 in the Prep and Plan series and we're

⁣⁣#mindset⁣#prepping⁣#planning⁣#disasterpreparedness⁣#homeprepared⁣#preparedness⁣#preppingforwinter⁣#preppingfortheholidays⁣#beatthesupplychain⁣#thewriteprepper⁣#plannerlife" data-recalc-dims="1">

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Published on March 04, 2022 14:47

The Hungry {Romance} Writer: Guinness Beer & Cheese Sliders

I can’t believe March is here already. It feels like the year is flying by! Since it’s March, and St. Patrick’s Day is in a few weeks, today I’m beginning a short story about when Alex Mitchell (one of the heroes in my romantic suspense Deadly Force series) challenged the other men in the series to a Guinness Cooking Challenge. This means that Alex has set up a cooking contest where the main ingredient is Guinness Beer.

Alex Mitchell ~ “Since Kells got me out of Leedsville Prison, I’ve been stuck here at Iron Rack’s Gym cleaning the locker rooms, doing laundry, and pulling trash out of the tunnels beneath this pirate-themed dump. While I’m allowed to work out, I can’t teach any classes (even though I just beat Vane in a pull up challenge). And I’m not supposed to fight in the boxing ring set up in the center of the gym. Apparently I’m too violent and anti-social due to all the years I spent in solitary.

Anyway, since our fearless leader Kells Torridan thinks I need something to occupy my time and keep me focused, he put me in charge of Operation Forced Fun. Basically, I have to organize movie night and other fun adventures for my buddies. Although, honestly, there’s not much to do here in Savannah since none of us have much money and we all hate bowling. When the weather is nice, we can play basketball in the parking lot of the abandoned service station down the street. Ty and Cain salvaged a portable basketball hoop and attached it to the old Texaco sign. (I have no idea how they did that).

But since that has been the extent of our fun, which is as lame as it sounds, I’ve come up with the perfect event for March. Last year, Zack Tremaine set up a whiskey challenge where we each had to make a meal using whiskey as one of the main ingredients. I made my famous Bourbon Burgers, which should have won. Except the women who were judging chose Garza’s Bourbon & Bacon Chili–probably because he got the women out of a troublesome situation with a group of mimes during one of their Ladies Night Out. So, as far as I’m concerned, the judges were bought and can’t be trusted.

Now I want a rematch. That’s why I’m naming March as the month of the Guinness Challenge. Every week in March, one of the men (including myself) will make a recipe where Guinness Stout beer is a primary ingredient. Of course there are rules to this event. First, since we know the female judges (wives, girlfriends, fiancees, & Vane’s nana) can be bought, I’m not asking them to judge. So I’m making our XO, Nate Walker, the judge. Nate is such a straight-up guy, no one would dare try to sway him.

The second rule is that none of the men who enter my contest can ask for, or receive, help from the women in our lives. Not wives, fiancees, girlfriends, Vane’s nana, or random women who seem to follow Ty around. The third rule is no one can accept help from Calum Prioleau. Even though he owns our gym, and is the richest man in town, no one is allowed to ask Calum for any favors, no matter how small. The fourth rule is that all of the recipes have to be made in our upstairs kitchen or on the grill on our back patio. And by upstairs kitchen, I mean the closet on the second floor of the gym that consists of a hotpot, a slow cooker, and the toaster oven that Nate scrounged from the garbage behind Screamin’ Perks coffee shop down the street.

Now that the rules are set, I’m making the first contest meal. Yes, I know that Vane (the unit’s PIA know-it-all) is annoyed. But it’s my challenge, and I decide who gets to enter and when they get to make their meal. Although I don’t have a lot of time, because I just thought about this plan, tonight I’m making my famous Guinness Beer and Cheese Sliders.

Since the women are annoyed at my decision to leave them out of the judging process, I still need to entice them to come. Especially, Sarah Walker (Nate’s wife). Because if she’s happy, Nate will be happy. And a happy Nate may just choose me as the winner. But, to make sure the women are happy, I did something I never believed I’d ever do. I got myself a library card (I did need Calum’s help with this since I don’t have a valid ID) and borrowed their karaoke machine. I had no idea that libraries had karaoke machines available to borrow, but I snagged one. And it was free!

So now that dinner is cooking, I’m cleaning the back patio (which is more of a concrete square with stray azaleas and a sad palmetto tree along the edges). I’ve got the folding tables up, with paper tablecloths (leftover from a party the women a few months ago that I found in a storage cabinet) and matching paper plates and napkins. Once the sun sets, I’ll crank up the karaoke machine. You see, I have a great voice. And I know the women love karaoke (hence the problem with mimes that Detective Garza had to resolve). Between a fabulous meal and great music, I’m sure to win. I have to go now because Vane–and his self-righteous frown–is lurking around the patio. I swear, if he even mentions the pink flamingos on the tablecloths and paper plates, I’m going to hit him. Then I’m going find Allison Pinckney, Zack’s fiancee, and ask if her girlfriend Maddie Ashton can come. It’s not a big deal, but I would like to see her again. Just don’t tell my buddies. If they find out, they’ll never stop teasing me. And I’d hate to have to challenge them all to a round in the fighting ring.”

Sharon Wray

Yields 12 patties

The Hungry {Romance} Writer: Guinness Beef & Cheese Sliders

These sliders are easy to make, but it's not really a do-ahead meal. You can make the patties ahead and chill them for a few hours before baking them. But the cheese sauce needs to be made right before you use it. If you make it too early, it could separate. While any beer works, it tastes the best with original Guinness.

25 minPrep Time

20 minCook Time

45 minTotal Time

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Ingredients

Sliders1 1/2 lb. ground beef1/2 cup plain breadcrumbs1 large egg1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce1 Tablespoon yellow mustard2 cloves garlic, mincedKosher saltFreshly ground black pepper12 Pretzel RollsBeer Cheese3 Tablespoons flour3 Tablespoons butterKosher salt3/4 cup Guinness beer1 cup whole milk2 cups shredded Cheddar1 cups shredded mozzarella1 Tablespoon Dijon mustardPinch cayenne

Instructions

SlidersPreheat the oven to 400 degrees F.Line a baking sheet with tin foil and spray with a cooking spray (I prefer coconut oil spray).In a large bowl, use your hands to mix together the ground beef, breadcrumbs, egg, Worcestershire sauce, and mustard. Once it's all mixed together, add Kosher salt and pepper to taste.Make 12 patties out of the beef mixture and place them on the prepared baking sheet.Bake the sliders for 15-20 minutes, or until cooked through.Or, if you prefer, you can cook the sliders on a gas or charcoal grill.Beer CheesePlace a small saucepan on the stove and turn the heat to medium. In the saucepan, melt the butter. Then whisk in the flour. Stir and cook for one minutes. Slowly, while whisking, pour in the Guinness and mix well. Cook for five minutes, until the beer is slightly reduced.Whisk in the milk and bring to a simmer, whisking regularly.Stir in the cheddar cheese and mozzarella cheese, cayenne, and Dijon mustard. Once everything is blended, add salt and pepper to taste.Cook for 5 minutes or until the sauce is thickened.Place the pretzel rolls on a plate, add a beef patty, and cover with the cheese sauce. Enjoy!7.8.1.2211https://sharonwray.com/the-hungry-writer/the-hungry-romance-writer-guinness-beer-cheese-sliders/ { "@context": "http://schema.org/", "url": [ "https:\/\/sharonwray.com\/the-hungry-writer\/the-hungry-romance-writer-guinness-beer-cheese-sliders\/" ],"name" : "The Hungry {Romance} Writer: Guinness Beef & Cheese Sliders","description" : "These sliders are easy to make, but it's not really a do-ahead meal. You can make the patties ahead and chill them for a few hours before baking them. But the cheese sauce needs to be made right before you use it. If you make it too early, it could separate. While any beer works, it tastes the best with original Guinness. ","prepTime" : "PT25M","cookTime" : "PT20M","recipeYield" : "12 patties","datePublished" : "2022-01-25 10:31:08","recipeInstructions":[ { "@type": "HowToSection", "name": "Sliders", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. " }, { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "Line a baking sheet with tin foil and spray with a cooking spray (I prefer coconut oil spray)." }, { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "In a large bowl, use your hands to mix together the ground beef, breadcrumbs, egg, Worcestershire sauce, and mustard. Once it's all mixed together, add Kosher salt and pepper to taste." }, { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "Make 12 patties out of the beef mixture and place them on the prepared baking sheet. " }, { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "Bake the sliders for 15-20 minutes, or until cooked through. " }, { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "Or, if you prefer, you can cook the sliders on a gas or charcoal grill." }]}, { "@type": "HowToSection", "name": "Beer cheese", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "Place a small saucepan on the stove and turn the heat to medium. In the saucepan, melt the butter. Then whisk in the flour. Stir and cook for one minutes. Slowly, while whisking, pour in the Guinness and mix well. Cook for five minutes, until the beer is slightly reduced. " }, { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "Whisk in the milk and bring to a simmer, whisking regularly." }, { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "Stir in the cheddar cheese and mozzarella cheese, cayenne, and Dijon mustard. Once everything is blended, add salt and pepper to taste." }, { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "Cook for 5 minutes or until the sauce is thickened. " }, { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "Place the pretzel rolls on a plate, add a beef patty, and cover with the cheese sauce. Enjoy! " }]}],"keywords" : "The Hungry {Romance} Writer: Guinness Beef & Cheese Sliders","recipeIngredient" : ["1 1\/2 lb. ground beef","1\/2 cup plain breadcrumbs","1 large egg","1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce","1 Tablespoon yellow mustard","2 cloves garlic, minced","Kosher salt","Freshly ground black pepper","12 Pretzel Rolls","3 Tablespoons flour","3 Tablespoons butter","Kosher salt","3\/4 cup Guinness beer","1 cup whole milk","2 cups shredded Cheddar","1 cups shredded mozzarella","1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard","Pinch cayenne"], "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https:\/\/sharonwray.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/blog-posts-16.png" }, "author": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Sharon Wray" }, "@type": "Recipe"}

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Published on March 04, 2022 03:30

March 3, 2022

Prep & Plan: Week Nineteen

A few weeks ago, we discussed building a Home Emergency Binder, a home inventory, as well as the Family Emergency Communications Plan. Now that things in the world have changed again, and not for the better, today’s a great day to take about the possibility of cyber warfare and our own personal backup strategies. While I don’t wander around in a fog of paranoia and fear, I do like to be prepared (as you can tell from this series). So today I’d like to do a quick rundown on how we can protect our own homes and important files from cyber pirates.

I’m sure many of us have active digital backup plans, including thumb drives, portable hard drives, cloud backups, email servers, etc. But how many of us have all of those things organized? How many of us know exactly what is stored where? Some people are very strict about how they store all of their files, both local and remote. But a recent study (September 2021) found that more than 50% of Americans would rather deep clean their entire house than spend an hour cleaning up their digital files. One of the reasons given is that more than 50% of the respondents are afraid of losing photos, videos, and other memories. Another 49% are afraid of losing their passwords. There were many other reasons as well, but they all came down to one thing–Fear. Fear of losing things that can never be replaced.

Yet, if a cyber attack hit tomorrow, we could lose everything. And with the state of the world, it’s a good idea to get prepared now rather than later. Because later may be too late. In today’s post we’re not talking about organizing files — we’re focusing on saving our files. While you save, it’s always a good idea to delete old files you don’t need. But if time is an issue, focus on saving the data first and then, when you have more time, organize it all.

Here’s a possible (and unfortunately common) scenario. You spend a lot of money for cloud backup and suddenly receive a notice that the service has been penetrated and compromised. Maybe the hackers ransom the data or add in malware with time-delayed payloads. These payloads could contain viruses or worms that automatically download onto your personal desktop or laptop (or other devices) and suddenly you’ve lost everything. (While I know providers fight against these things, malware still gets through these defenses. These services are under constant attack.)

Then you get the notice of the hack and you download things onto an external hard drive or a thumb drive–except it’s too late. The virus is already embedded and even if you buy a new computer, once you attach those external drives the virus will be uploaded and affect the new operating system. Often, when this happens, you’ll end up with a locked screen and a ransomware notice. If you don’t pay, you lose everything. So what do you do, other than print everything out that you’ve ever worked on?

#kt-layout-id_8ef9fb-ce{margin-top:20px;margin-bottom:32px;}.kt-layout-id_8ef9fb-ce > .kt-row-column-wrap{z-index:779;}#kt-layout-id_8ef9fb-ce > .kt-row-column-wrap{padding-top:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;padding-right:0px;}#kt-layout-id_120dd6-88{background-color:#b3b1b3;}#kt-layout-id_120dd6-88 > .kt-row-column-wrap{padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;padding-left:10px;padding-right:10px;}.kt-row-layout-inner > .kt-row-column-wrap > .kadence-column_e348c7-8f > .kt-inside-inner-col{margin-top:-50px;} MacBook Air and Apple Magic Mouse on top of white table

MacBook Air and Apple Magic Mouse on top of white table

.kt-row-layout-inner > .kt-row-column-wrap > .kadence-column_ee7362-97 > .kt-inside-inner-col{padding-bottom:20px;}#kt-adv-heading_948fd6-de, #kt-adv-heading_948fd6-de .wp-block-kadence-advancedheading, .wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading_948fd6-de[data-kb-block="kb-adv-heading_948fd6-de"], .kadence-advanced-heading-wrapper .kt-adv-heading_948fd6-de[data-kb-block="kb-adv-heading_948fd6-de"]{text-align:center;}@media all and (max-width: 767px){#kt-adv-heading_948fd6-de, #kt-adv-heading_948fd6-de .wp-block-kadence-advancedheading, .wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading_948fd6-de[data-kb-block="kb-adv-heading_948fd6-de"], .kadence-advanced-heading-wrapper .kt-adv-heading_948fd6-de[data-kb-block="kb-adv-heading_948fd6-de"]{text-align:center!important;}}Digital Back-up Plan#kt-layout-id_9d11f6-f2{background-color:#f2f0f2;}#kt-layout-id_9d11f6-f2 > .kt-row-column-wrap{padding-top:30px;padding-bottom:30px;padding-left:30px;padding-right:30px;} Consider printing out certain things that are vitally important and placing them in your Home Emergency Binder. Here is a list of vital documents that we discussed a few weeks ago. But also check and see if you have any other business or household account information stored online that you would need if you lost all your digital files. Here are a few examples, and I’m sure you can think of more:The spreadsheet you’ve set up for the preschool’s silent auction that you’re running. The list of parents’ names and numbers on your kids’ sports teams. All online banking and investment information. If this changes daily, consider doing a weekly printout every Friday. It doesn’t have to be totally up to date, just recent enough that you can refer to it. Print out tax returns and here is the IRS.gov site that lays out exactly how long you need to keep your returns and other tax documents.Compile and print a list of all of your passwords. Here is a free site that offers different kinds of password templates, both in document and spreadsheet format, for both home and business. It’s also editable so you can download the templates and make them your own. Once you print it, add it to your Home Emergency Binder.If you have any important documents (for me this would include all of my manuscripts), save them in plain text files on a NEW thumb drive that has nothing else on it. If you have large documents, use a different thumb drive for each one. Thumb drives are cheap and you can buy them on Amazon in bulk. It is really hard to hide any malicious code in a .txt file. So it’s always a good idea to back your documents this way. If you don’t know how to save a document in a .txt file, here’s a super short video on what to do. (yes, the video is old but it’s straight-forward and things haven’t change that much. Go to minute 2:10 and she walks you through how to save a text file.)If you are paranoid about certain documents, like I am about my manuscripts, just print them out and store them in a safe place, like a box or a bin. Fire and waterproof bins are even better. For all other types of data, including spreadsheets, photos, videos, etc., you can purchase a NEW external hard drive (or multiple hard drives) and just move all the files (as long as you know they aren’t infected) over. While this isn’t hard work, it does take time and some money. Although, luckily, hard drives and thumb drives have really come down in price over the past few years. It’s a good idea to keep like files together such as all photos on one drive, all financial spreadsheets on another, all tax returns on a third, etc. Once you have your external hard drives/thumb drives, you can store them in a fireproof/waterproof safe. Then, go back to your calendar and make a note about which of these drives will need to be updated and how often.

Because our world is so information-based now, and there’s so much political upheaval, it’s never been more important to protect our digital information from cyber thieves and ransomware attacks. Taking a few minutes now could save you lots of grief later on. Hopefully nothing bad will happen to any of us, but with the weirdness of the world right now, it’s always best to be prepared.

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Published on March 03, 2022 03:30

March 2, 2022

Sarah Munro’s Spring Floor Wash

So Mardi Gras is over, Lent begins today, and it’s March. That must mean it is time to start Spring Cleaning. (Please don’t hate me!). While I do purchase some commercial cleaning products, one of my favorite DIY products is this Spring Floor Wash which is an adaptation of floor washes people have been using for centuries. Since this recipe is so versatile, and does not need to be rinsed, Sarah Munro added this recipe to her collection of herbal remedies (Sarah, a PhD historian, is the heroine in book 2 of the Deadly Force series, ONE DARK WISH.)

black dust bin and brushes hanging on a white wall in a white kitchen.

This recipe uses basic ingredients, but there are a few things to note. First, make sure you use 70% isopropyl rubbing alcohol and not 90%. You can use any essential oil you want. I prefer lemon in the kitchen, but any scent will work. Also, so many dish detergents have extra things in them so the original Dawn dish soap is one of the best to use. Don’t use Castile soap as it will leave a residue behind, and this is a non-rinse floor wash. Also, it’s always a good idea to sweep or vacuum your floor first before mopping. It just makes things easier! This wash is so mild you could use it on a daily basis, if necessary.

Sarah Munro’s Spring Floor Wash

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For use with a spray bottle: In a large bowl, stir together all of the ingredients until well blended. Use a funnel to transfer the washing liquid into the spray bottle. To use, spray a 3-foot section of floor and wipe up with a mop. Repeat until the floor is clean. To store, keep the liquid in the spray bottle and store in a cabinet away from heat and flames. Also, keep away from children and pets.

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For use with a bucket: This mixture makes 22 fluid ounces, so to use in a bucket you will need to multiply this recipe by 4. (8 cups water, 2 cups vinegar, 1 cup alcohol, 1/2 teaspoon liquid dish soap, and 20 drops of essential lemon oil.) Clean floor with a mop. Once you are done, discard any cleaner remaining in your bucket.