Cleaning your Ceramic Stovetop

Does your ceramic stovetop always have little black spots from spitting oil or boiling pasta? I am a mother of 5 and always cooking, I mean ALWAYS cooking! At the end of the day my cooktop usually looks like this.

Not so pretty right? Believe me, when the dishes are washed, floors are swept and leftovers are tucked away, the last thing you want looking at you is another dirty surface.

 So I pulled out my Shaklee Scour Off and these handy little Loofha scrubbers that I found at my local Dollarama.

 They claim to be scratch free(which is required for ceramic cooktops,) enviro-friendly, and compostable to boot.  

I just popped off those knobs and dropped them into the sink while I scrubbed. So much easier to get to all the spills and grime that seep under these little spaces once these are removed.

I love using mircrofibre cloths for cleaning, again, they are enviro-friendly(just toss in the washer and save piles of waste from the landfill,) super-absorbent and they always give a nice polished finish. I picked these ones up from Costco in the automotive department. A large bag for very little, plus there were multiple colours which I find useful as I like to assign each colour a different purposes.

End result, a spot free finish, no residue or scratches and it only took me about a 60 seconds to accomplish. It is so nice to have a clean surface to inspire the next meal and the peace of mind in knowing that you didn't have to use toxic chemicals.

Late Fall in my Backyard!

I will admit that I am a true outdoors girl and long-time admirer of Mother Nature.  Our new home was purchased mainly because of the property. The house is always secondary when I am house-hunting as a house can (and usually will)  be renovated. But there is no changing a neighbour's home 10ft from your own or having piece of mind when your children go out to play. We are in the middle of a small city, minutes from all amenities, but come home to a mature sanctuary on 5 sprawling acres. During these crisp Fall days, there is nothing better than slipping on my rubber boots and heading out to the garden. 

Cape Breton is famous for it's breath-taking scenery and colours along the Cabot Trail this time of year http://www.cbisland.com/regions/cabot-trail. If you have never visited our beautiful island, please write it on your to-do list, you won't be sorry! So, before the snow begins to fly, I would like to share a last little glimpse of this glorious season from my own backyard.  

A typical image at our back door. Rubber boots
. 

One of the many Fall wreaths I created this year. Switched it to my front door since this picture. But it certainly sets the tone of the season.

My daliahs making their last efforts to show their pretty little faces.

 The leaf littered walk to my garden shed.

 What says Fall more than pumpkins and Mums?

 The last little tomato hanging on to it's fallen branches.

 My property is home to mounds and mounds of leafy ferns. I love ferns in all seasons.

 I happened upon these interesting little mushrooms, such a colourful surprise underfoot.

Another picture showing the awesomeness of these guys. Reminds me of a pink grapefruit.

 A peek into the woods where the boys love to do some mountain biking.

Another Fall wreath, this one currently resides on the exterior master bedroom door. Love the orange, red and green together. 

My 5 little helpers. Taking a little break to play in the leaves.

 Perfect time of year to move things around and separate for new plants next Spring.

This is a beautiful piece where the kids love to play soccer and football.

 Another group of mushrooms. Hey, where's Papa Smurf?

The soil is in wonderful condition to get rid of pesky weeds before Spring. Rhododendrons are some of my favs. I have purples, pinks and reds in many different shades.

 Fall is a time for health, family and fun!