My 2¢ on Dehydrating Apples: a How-To with 7 Tips

Making apple chips, or dried apples, is super easy to do at home with a dehydrator.  (I use a Nesco Snackmaster.) Here are the basic steps:

1. Select firm apples with as little bruising as possible.
   
2. Wash and core the apples.
   
3. Slice apples thinly and as evenly as possible (about 1/4-inch).
   
4. Places slices in lemon juice and water mixture.  A 1/4 cup juice to a quart of water is a good ratio.  This helps to deter browning.
   
5. Season (with cinnamon, for example) if desired.  Place slices on dehydrator trays in such a way that air can circulate around them.
   
6. Dry at 140°F for an average of 12 hours.

What I learned after my first attempt at drying apples at home:

• It's easy! Don't stress over every little step.  Forget the lemon juice? That's ok.  Your slices aren't perfectly even? That's ok.  Some of your slices are touching on the dehydrator trays? That's ok! You should still end up with a nice finished product.
  
• Be picky about your apples.  If you get a ho-hum flavored apple from the grocery store and dry it, it's still going to be a ho-hum flavored apple.  We now live about 3 miles from an apple orchard that's been around for 70 years.  Can you guess where my next batch to dry is coming from?
  
• The skin is pretty tough after drying.  Next time, I'm going to peel my apples.
  
• The lemon juice and water mixture works.  I had no browning of the apples using this method.  Having said that, there are plenty of people who skip this step.  Try some both ways.  If it doesn't make a big enough difference for you, you'll save time in future batches.
  
• I used a Granny Smith (tart) type of apple.  Didn't care for cinnamon on it.  Might want to use a sweeter apple in the future.
  
• Be flexible with your drying times.  External factors will play a role in how long it takes to dry your apples.  So don't be hard and fast about it.  Check on the drying progress from time to time.  You want a pliable and flexible apple slice with no signs of moisture.  If you are planning on storing them long term, over-drying is better than under-drying.
  
• I store my dried apples in pint-sized mason jars.  The ones I made 10 months ago have not lost any flavor -- still delicious!

Shared at The Art of Homemaking Mondays, Thank Goodness It's Monday, Inspiration Monday, Create Link Inspire, Tuesdays with a Twist, The Homemaking Party, Thrifty Thursday, From the Farm, and Chain "Linky" Climb.



From my mountaintop to yours!

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a very small commission if you click a link and buy something. This helps support my mountain homestead dream as well as my blogging activities, and the price you pay will be no different than if you arrived at the same destination through any other link. My opinions are my own, to be sure. If I link to a product and say I like it -- I truly like it! Thanks for reading, following, and supporting Stephlin's Mountain.

Easy, No-Bake Energy Bars

We've been doing a pretty good job with meals lately.  We've managed to cut our food waste way down by only making what we will eat and / or eating leftovers for lunch, as well as not being afraid to utilize the freezer for future consumption.  Really pretty simple stuff, but stuff I didn't take time to do before.  Here recently, however, I've been missing something.  Snacks!

I haven't been buying a lot of junk finger foods since we moved.  That certainly doesn't mean I haven't been tempted in the grocery store.  Even stopped and gave some things a hard look.  But I've done a pretty darn good job of resisting.  Think money.  Think chemicals.  Think health! (It's not 100% effective, mind you, but does do the trick most of the time.)

My point is this:  I realized that the body's desire to snack is rarely there.  As long as I eat a bit of breakfast and a lunch, I'm usually good 'til dinner.  Which must mean, at least for me, if it's in the pantry (cupboard, fridge, whatever) I. will. eat. it.

But, ya know, cravings do come.  And they've been swirling around me the last several days.  I usually have some sort of fruit around, but I eat it with breakfast or lunch.  So I didn't want that.  I did make myself some popcorn one day, and that was good.  But I still wasn't satisfied, and I'm sure you know what the problem was – I wanted something "sweet."

So finally I went through my Pinterest boards to find a homemade granola bar recipe to try.  One of those things that's been on the to-do list for some time, but haven't felt the urgency until now.

I settled on some Oatmeal Energy Clusters because I already had all the ingredients, save one.  The basic recipe is from The Chew's Clinton Kelly.  I just made one addition.  You'll need:

• 2 cups quick oats
  
• 2 tbsp chia and/or flax seed mixture (I use Decadent Blend Chia & Flax Seed with Coconut & Cocoa)
  
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips (I used minis)
  
• 2/3 cup shredded coconut (try to get unsweetened)
  
• 1/2 cup natural peanut butter
  
• 1/3 cup raw honey
  
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
  
• 1/4 tsp salt

Put everything in a big bowl, in the order typed above.  Mix it well.  I had to do it with my hands to really get it together.  If your mixture is stubborn, try adding some more peanut butter and/or honey.  You could also warm the honey and peanut butter together, to get more of a liquid.  Then add to the other ingredients.  But I was too lazy to go through all that.  Here we are mid-mix.  I forgot to snap an image before starting.



Now.  If you follow Clinton Kelly's recipe, you would put the mixture in the fridge for a while, pull it out and roll pieces (roughly 1-inch in size) into balls.

I knew that would not work for me.  Popping a 1-inch "cluster" in my mouth would not result in a craving satisfied.  I know that's my brain talking, but it doesn't matter.  I need more than one bite to my snack.  If you're like me, you'll want to make bars.

Take something akin to a 9"x9" pan and line it with parchment paper.  (I used a toaster oven baking tray that measures 10"x8".) Press the mixture out evenly to the size of the pan.  You could add another piece of parchment paper and use a rolling pin, if it'll fit.  But, again, I just used my hands.



Lift the bottom parchment out of the pan and square off your gonna-be bars, if necessary.  The pan was really just a guide.  Then let everything dry for at least an hour.



Now it's time to cut the bars.  My pizza cutter worked well.  I made a single cut down the middle long-ways.  Then another cut down the center the opposite way.  Then each half (which is quartered) into thirds.  Does that even make sense? Lord, help me.  Let's just say I got a dozen bars.  Each one measured approximately 4-inches by 1 1/2-inches.  The image below only shows eleven bars because I ate one already! (She sheepishly grins.)



Another good thing about these bars, in addition to requiring more than one bite to eat, is they are relatively healthy.  They're full of fiber, protein, potassium, magnesium, and antioxidants, including Vitamin E.  Chia and flax seeds also add Omega-3.  You can also customize them even more.  Maybe add dried fruits or nuts.  Go crazy with it!

These bars should last about a week in a sealed container on the counter.  You could put them in the fridge to extend the shelf life a bit.  Give them a try! Real food with no added chemicals is a good, good thing.  From my mountaintop to yours.



Shared at Art of Home-Making Mondays, Homemade Mondays, The Homemaking Party, Thrifty Thursday, Happiness is Homemade, Coffee and Conversation, Wonderful Wednesday, From the Farm, and Tuesdays with a Twist.



Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a very small commission if you click a link and buy something. This helps support my mountain homestead dream as well as my blogging activities, and the price you pay will be no different than if you arrived at the same destination through any other link. My opinions are my own, to be sure. If I link to a product and say I like it -- I truly like it! Thanks for reading, following, and supporting Stephlin's Mountain.

Snake! And it's Almost Spring. (Homesteading Newbie Diary)

Are you ready? Tomorrow is the first day of Spring.  And the weather people are calling for lows of 38, 29, and 33 degrees over the next 72 hours.  Go figure.

Did you know this is the earliest arrival of Spring since 1896? Me either.  File that under things that make you go hmmm…

Well, I think I had a pretty productive week.  I had two big items to get going.  One was completed, and the other has been started.  Yay, me!

I've been reading through the Old Testament.  All told, I read chapters 21-32 in the Book of Numbers this past week.  Two quick thoughts:  those wilderness wanderers whined a lot, and sometimes I find the Old Testament disturbing.

We were able to go on long walks with the dogs a couple days.  Once along a creek by our place, and once around the lake just a few miles away.  Our youngest, Kody, dove in the lake without a thought all the way up to his chest.  Then quickly decided it was too cold and got out just as fast.  The older one, Bear, who is more cautious and measured in his decision making, decided not to go in at all.  It was beautiful scenery, and we all had a good time.  So much so, one of us was all tuckered out afterward.

Think I mentioned this in the Cabbage Rolls Deconstructed post.  I'll pop it in here, too, since it is part of the weekly recap.  I created a facebook page for Stephlin's Mountain.  If you like to follow blogs there, stop by and give the page a like.  'Preciate it!

So! Sowed any seeds lately? I did! Rosa Bianca eggplant, small cherry tomatoes, chocolate bell peppers, Poblano peppers, Fresno chili peppers, Thai basil, and Tom Thumb lettuce.  I have more to do, but that's a start! B also got the small greenhouse put together for me, and all the pots are out.  Ready and waiting! I was going to sow some rainbow swiss chard seeds, but thought I'd wait until after the possible freeze over the next few days.  I also read that cilantro doesn't like to be transplanted.  That right?

It took three more days' work, but I finally finished the women's history post I mentioned to you last week.  The subject is Myrtle Terry Lawrence, organizer for the Southern Tenant Farmers Union.  It's here at the Southern Graves blog, if you're interested.

One of my big goals for next week is to get some water kefir started.  Anyone else made it before? Any tips?

Made a loaf of sweet Mountain Dew bread.  Not a good step forward in healthy eating, per se, but it's a recipe I'm comfortable with.  And I did have to make some adjustments in the actual baking process.  This is my first experience with baking bread in a gas oven.  Plus, said oven is smaller than a usual one.  So even though I made my regular loaf size, I couldn't proof it as long as I would normally, or it would have hit the top of the oven.  I double panned it, but the bottom heat was still too much for my liking.  And lastly, I needed an egg wash for it to brown…It was still yummy, though!

We might have discovered a wild blueberry bush in the back corner of our lot.  Fingers crossed!

Made iced sugar cookie bars and watched In the Heart of the Sea.  Good dessert.  Good movie.

Last, but not least by any stretch of the imagination…SNAKE! Bear saw it first.  I walked by it at least twice before turning around to see Bear on his hind legs sniffing the air.  Then he dropped back to all fours and backed up a bit.  I followed his gaze to see a nice creepy black (rat?) snake slithering in between the railroad ties bordering our lot.  By the time I got the dogs inside and grabbed the camera, it was out of sight.  Even if I'm not exactly right in my naming of the type of snake, I'm still fairly confident it was not a poisonous one.  But still! This is the one thing I've been fearful of since moving.  I stress so much over my dogs, and it's not like I'm ever excited to see a snake.  Ugh.  Know of any natural snake repellant? (I'm only half kidding.)

Well, you're all caught up! What homestead happenings went on at your place last week?

Shared at Freedom Fridays, Simple Saturdays, Happiness is Homemade, and The Homemaking Party.

From my mountaintop to yours,

5 Ways to Use Ready to Eat (Now!) Bananas

Ever find yourself with more bananas than you can eat before they start to brown? Ever wanted to take advantage of a good sale on bananas, but weren't sure how you'd use them all? Here are 5+ ideas for those ready-to-eat (now!) bananas.

1. Banana Bread

The recipe I used combined all-purpose and whole wheat flour.  I didn't think it was sweet enough (for me) at first, but the more I munched the more I liked what I was munching.  It was a good platform for blueberry-lemon-honey fruit spread, too.  Here's the super easy recipe:

• 8 tbsp (1 stick) butter, at room temp.
  
• 3/4 cup sugar
  
• 2 eggs
  
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
  
• 1 tsp baking soda
  
• 1/2 tsp salt
  
• 1 cup whole wheat flour*
  
• 3 large ripe bananas, mashed
  
• 1 tsp vanilla (how I make it)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, grease 9x5x3" bread pan.  Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy (I used a KitchenAid Classic stand mixer).  Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Add all-purpose flour, baking soda, salt, and whole wheat flour to cream mixture, mixing a bit after each addition.  Mix well.  Fold in bananas and vanilla.  Pour mixture into pan, bake 50 to 60 min. or until cake tester comes out clean - cool in pan 10 minutes, on rack.  Makes one loaf.

*I mill my wheat flour using a WonderMill.  In this recipe I used what I had on hand, which was flour from organic hard white wheat berries.

 

2.  Banana Jam

I had never heard of banana jam before reading this post at Confessions of an Overworked Mom.  It sounded delicious, and it's something that may be preserved with water bath canning.  I gave it a go and was not disappointed.  It's swe-eet, though.  I might lower the sugar amount next time, cuz there will be a next time.  Here's the recipe (adapted from Ellen's, linked above):

• 2 cups mashed bananas (about 4-5)
  
• 2 cups sugar
  
• 2 tbsp lemon juice

Put all ingredients in a pan (I used a 12-inch nonstick skillet) and simmer on medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until bananas are broken down to your liking. I like some texture, but still want it to spread easily.  Know what I mean?

Now let the jam roll at a full boil 5-6 minutes.  Everything will reduce and thicken.  Ladle jam into jar or jars.  I got a bit over 12 oz.

3.  Chocolate, Peanut Butter, & Banana Smoothie

I've been making this off and on for more than a year.  It's got enough good for you stuff to be a nice breakfast or snack.  Yet it's got enough chocolate flavor that I had it for dessert just last night!

Click here for the Chocolate, Peanut Butter & Banana Smoothie recipe!

4.  Blueberry Banana Cake Donuts

These came about when I planned to make some blueberry donuts and at the last minute decided to throw in an overripe banana.  Good stuff happened there – moist, tender, blueberry freshness, with a hint of banana.

Click here for the Blueberry Banana Cake Donuts recipe!

5.  Strawberry Banana Soup

Ok.  I know "soup" is a poor choice for this often made traditional dessert.  You could think of it as a sauce.  If you want to make an angel food cake a little more special, add this strawberry banana mixture.  It wouldn't hurt to top your ice cream with it, either.

All you do is slice up a bunch of strawberries and bananas.  Toss them in a bowl with some sugar and fruit juice.  Just enough of each to bring out the natural juice of the strawberries.  It really is yummy all by itself.

There you have it! 5 ways to use some ready-to-eat (now!) bananas…But I did type 5 plus in the opening paragraph, didn't I? Well, don't forget banana pudding.  The best way is to go all out and make the custard from scratch, of course, but I was short on time the first night we procured the bananas.  So semi-homemade it was.

Get some banana (or vanilla) pudding mix and whip it up.  Get a bowl and layer the following:  vanilla wafers, pudding, and sliced bananas.  Then repeat until the bowl is full or your ingredients are gone.  You have a pretty nice trifle style dessert.

And last, but by no means least, I really enjoy sliced bananas in my breakfast cereal.  Sounds obvious, but you'd be surprised how many times I forget to take this simple step to enrich my morning when I'm in a hurry.

Now the next time you see those marked down several pounds bag of bananas in the produce department, have no fear.  You have at least 5 (or 7) ways to use them!

Shared at Clever Chicks Blog Hop, Simple & Sweet Fridays, Freedom Fridays, The Homemaking Party, Tuesdays Rubies, Happiness is Homemade, and Tuesdays with a Twist.

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a very small commission if you click a link and buy something. This helps support my mountain homestead dream as well as my blogging activities, and the price you pay will be no different than if you arrived at the same destination through any other link. My opinions are my own, to be sure. If I link to a product and say I like it -- I truly like it! Thanks for reading, following, and supporting Stephlin's Mountain.

From my mountaintop to yours!

Feeling Overwhelmed? Make Your Own Mouthwash!

It happened again. It crept up on me, but still. It happened. That feeling of being overwhelmed. It overtook me. Had me almost paralyzed!

There's so much to do. And so much I want to do, but can't yet afford, whether it be for lack of time or money. But it's all still in the forefront of my brain.

And it doesn't help to be planning a move around the first of the year. Because there are some things that are just not feasible to be doing right now. But that doesn't take the project(s) off my to-do list, necessarily.

I've tried making separate lists. Dividing things up into different time-frames. The problem is the "master" list remains in my head.

When I get that feeling of being overwhelmed, I tend to turn to information. Books, blogs, YouTube videos. I rationalize that I am researching and learning -- and that is a valid truth -- but for me it's just procrastinating. Because I don't know where to begin. Or maybe because I don't know exactly how I should approach a certain project. An overwhelmed perfectionist rarely accomplishes anything, I say. And that would be me of late.

Then I came across something that helped me a lot. It got me off my butt. I read it on the Art of Simple blog. (Which proves researching and learning from books, blogs, and YouTube is worthwhile, but I digress.)

A quote from Christian missionary, author, and speaker Elisabeth Elliot:

I read the quote and thought, "Wow. That simple idea makes so much sense."

While still pondering the quote, I walked into the bathroom and (eventually) opened a cabinet to stare at an empty mouthwash bottle. Something I've been meaning to make for myself for a time. But instead of adding the task to a mental to-do list, it became the thing in front of me. So I did it. (I know you're proud, but no applause is necessary.)

How simple and sweet is that? I knocked something off my to-do list, and made chemical free mouthwash for pennies.

It took such little time and only three ingredients.  The recipe I used came from Frugally Sustainable. (Score another one for blogs.) She had a few to choose from, and this was a basic: One cup filtered water, one teaspoon baking soda, and 3 drops organic peppermint essential oil. Throw it all in a half-pint mason jar, apply lid, and give it a shake. Thirty minutes after swishing some around my mouth, I still feel fresh.

Think you might want to give it a try? Well, "do the thing in front of you"...or pin it for later! ;-)

P.S. I did not know of Elisabeth Elliot before reading the quote attributed to her. I have since learned she passed away a little over a month ago, at the age of 88. May she rest in peace.


Shared at The {Not Just} Homemaking Party, Making a Home - Homemaking Linky, Big Family Frugal Weekend Link-Up, Wildcrafting Wednesday, Simple Life Sunday, and Simply Natural Saturday.

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Disclosure: This post contains an affiliate link, which means I may receive a very small commission if you click the link and buy something. This helps support my mountain homestead dream as well as my blogging activities, and the price you pay will be no different than if you arrived at the same destination through any other link. My opinions are my own, to be sure. If I link to a product and say I like it -- I truly like it! :-) Thanks for reading, following, and supporting Stephlin's Mountain.

Thyme Oil Testimonial (and an Invitation!)

I know the value of essential oils, but I'm still learning all they can do for me and my family. Reading how others use them helps me with learning specific uses for each oil, as well as gives me ideas of what to use when a specific need arises. It is in this vein that I am writing here about my experience with Thyme 100% Pure Therapeutic Grade Essential Oil.

I had an issue in my mouth. It wasn't a toothache, nor a sore. It was some sort of an infection that caused some swelling and tenderness around the gum line at the base of one of my teeth. I wasn't overly concerned about it, but I hate the dentist and didn't want it to grow into something that required an antibiotic, so I looked to my essential oils.

Lavender, Lemongrass, and Thyme are three that I had on hand that, after doing a bit of reading, I decided were good ones to use in this instance.

Lavender is one of the most useful essential oils for therapeutic purposes. It's commonly associated with the healing of the skin.

Lemongrass is known for its antiseptic and astringent properties.

Thyme is considered to have very powerful and penetrating antiseptic properties.

I continued reading and discovered Thyme Oil contains Thymol, which is used as a germ-killer in mouthwash and helps prevent tooth decay.

Needless to say, I went with the Thyme Essential Oil. I could have mixed a few drops with a carrier oil, but went a bit simpler. I took one drop. Literally! One. Drop. Put it on my finger and dabbed the sore spot. The heat was amazing and felt powerful (if that makes sense). The relief from soreness was immediate. And the swelling went down quickly enough that I felt no need for a second application. The single annoyance was my saliva glands went into overdrive.

Even though I know their strength, essential oils continue to impress me. I don't pretend that this was some miraculous cure of a horrible condition. But if one drop of Thyme oil prevents a dental and / or doctor visit, I am all for it!

OK. There's my thyme oil testimonial. And don't forget about how I used it in my wonderful, comfortable to wear, homemade bug repellent!

On to the invitation! I would like to cordially encourage you to attend the Essential Oils Revolution summit. It's free and brand-neutral! [No debates about whose oils are "best!"]



Why Attend?

With 31 presentations containing relevant evidence and practical advice from the experts, The Essential Oils Revolution will help you use essential oils effectively and confidently. This event is the first-ever, online, brand-generic event to include experts from every field, including aromatherapy, direct sales, medicine and research.

You can register (it's free!) by clicking here.

Important Things You’ll Learn About Essential Oils:

- Understand what essential oils are and why they are popular today
- Why essential oils are nature’s BEST medicine
- How to use essential oils safely and effectively
- Tips for regaining control of your health with essential oils
- Pain and stress remedies using essential oils
- Culinary uses for essential oils
- How to use essential oils for high performance health
- Essential oils for animal aromatherapy
- And so much more!

If you register today, you'll receive 5 free gifts. That's in addition to all the free information you can glean from the summit presenters May 11-18.

I hope to see you there!


Shared at HomeAcre Hop, Thrifty Thursday, Fluster's Creative Muster, Wake Up Wednesday, Wildcrafting Wednesday, Wonderful Wednesday, Simple Life Sunday, and Simply Natural Saturdays.

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Disclosure: This post contains an affiliate link, which means I may receive a very small commission if you click the link and buy something. This helps support my mountain homestead dream as well as my blogging activities, and the price you pay will be no different than if you arrived at the same destination through any other link. My opinions are my own, to be sure. If I link to a product and say I like it -- I truly like it! :-) Thanks for reading, following, and supporting Stephlin's Mountain.

Strawberry Banana Yogurt Cake ~ Baked in a Toaster Oven

Life without an oven stinks. Especially when you love to bake. And since our beloved Destiny lacks the appliance, I haven't been able to bake in over two months! Well, I could stand for that no more. So we bought one.

A toaster oven, that is. ;-)

I had a bit of cash left on an Amazon gift card so, while it's not exactly high dollar, we were able to get a good one: a Black & Decker Countertop Convection Toaster Oven was delivered just a few days ago.

I was able to sample some recently received strawberries at work the day before yesterday. They were Delicious! I was actually surprised at how tasty they were, and made sure to buy some on the way out. I already had a couple of bananas at home, and had pinned the base recipe for this cake not long ago. It was a perfect storm, it seems.

You only need one bowl to mix this cake. A plus for those with limited space! The base recipe does not call for bananas, but I couldn't resist the combination. I simply folded in slices at the end of mixing the cake batter. And I think I made my dollops of strawberry jam a bit too big. Next time, I'll be more inclined to swirl it in to the top.

Here's proof I baked it in a toaster oven! :-)

And the yummy result. It's somewhat similar to the best strawberry bread ever I posted about here. Greek yogurt makes it super moist. Recipe follows.

Strawberry Banana Yogurt Cake

Adapted from Betty Crocker recipe here.

Ingredients

• 2 containers (5.3 oz each) Greek blended strawberry yogurt
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup extra virgin organic coconut oil (can also use vegetable or canola)
• 2 tsp vanilla (make your own!)
• 3 eggs
• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 1/2 cup strawberry jam
• 1 1/4 cups quartered fresh strawberries (grow your own!)
• 2 tsp granulated sugar
• powdered sugar, for garnish (optional)
• 2 bananas, sliced (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven (toaster or regular) to 350°F. Grease and flour a 13x9-inch (I used a 10X12-inch) pan.
2. In a large bowl, stir together yogurt, 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar, oil of choice, and vanilla until well combined. Mix in eggs, one at a time, until well blended. Add flour and baking powder; beat with wooden spoon until smooth. Fold in sliced bananas, if using.
3. Pour batter into pan, spreading evenly. Dollop strawberry jam on top of cake batter. Sprinkle with strawberries and remaining 2 tsp granulated sugar.
4. Bake 45 to 50 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. (Mine took 45 minutes in the toaster oven.) Cool 20 - 30 minutes. Sprinkle with powdered sugar, if so desired.

Yield: 12 servings

P.S. I hope you'll forgive me rocking the paper plates and foil pan. Not very crunchy or homestead-y, I know. Sometimes ya gotta do what ya gotta do. Ya know? I'll make up for it when we get moved, I promise. :-)


Shared at Making a Home - Homemaking Linky, Tasty Tuesday, Teach Me Tuesday, Tickle My Tastebuds, Tuesdays with a Twist, and Homemade Mondays.

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Disclosure: This post contains an affiliate link, which means I may receive a very small commission if you click the link and buy something. This helps support my mountain homestead dream as well as my blogging activities, and the price you pay will be no different than if you arrived at the same destination through any other link. My opinions are my own, to be sure. If I link to a product and say I like it -- I truly like it! :-) Thanks for reading, following, and supporting Stephlin's Mountain.