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Wednesday, August 31, 2022

Quiet Here

Edge of a local field.
Life is quiet in our small town. Every once in a while one of the farmers' pigs, cows or goats my get out and that causes a little excitement, lots of laughs and photos, as well as warnings to drive with caution, on our local message board. Nothing in the world beats the country life! 

The garden is doing well in spite of the lack of rain and the heat we've had. I have not been fond of the high temperatures and humidity this summer has brought with it. It seems like we went from winter to summer with no real spring this year. On the up side, we've been pretty much been living out of the garden. It certainly has helped with the grocery bills these past couple of months! We also had a nice surprise from it as well. We purchased some composted horse barn muckings from a local farmer and it appears that it also contained sunflower seeds. We have sunflowers all over the garden - and that doesn't include the ones we intentionally planted on the back edge! The garden is gorgeous with all the happy yellow flowers all over. (Why did I think of Bob Ross when I wrote that?) We planted the Giant ones and have some that reached 11 ft tall, but the ones that were in the compost were smaller and many were multiheaded. I saved some seeds from those.

We are doing a trial of both cherry tomatoes and bush beans for Seeds Savers Exchange (SSE) and have been having fun watching them grow, taking notes and tasting them. I love trying new things and am looking forward to seeing what I'll get for next year's trial. 

There is a downside to living here. We are in a quite transient area, so people are always coming and going. Because of this, we have tons of stray cats - especially here near the farms. According to the vet, people think they can just drop them here in the country and they will find shelter in the barns and have plenty of food to eat with the mice, etc. Sadly, a house cat doesn't always fare well since they've been always sheltered in a home and never outside. 

We currently have two that have adopted us. One is a feral female that I have been working with since December. She came to our house so skinny and it was below zero here when she first showed up. I put food out and some shelter, but she never used the shelter - no matter how cold it got. She had her ear clipped (a practice done here on feral cats to mark they've been fixed). She has come a long way in trusting us - but still not totally. There is definitely a wild side to her that I don't think will ever go away. Even after all these months, she still afraid of hands reaching out to her and any sudden movements. You can approach her slowly, but only on her terms. She's taught me a lot when it comes to patience and trust.

The other was pretty much a kitten that would cry in the bushes when I would go out to feed the feral. I put another dish out for the little one and she'd come after I left. Every night she would cry and slowly would come to eat but boy did that girl run! Then she was gone - but we heard a cat crying like she was trapped, so we went searching. We finally found the cat was closed in the neighbor's garage. I went and talked to the neighbor and she told me not to worry - her daughter was involved with the local no kill shelter. But for over 3 weeks we heard the meows and no little one showed up here. I was sure it was the same cat. Then one day, the kitten reappeared and no more crying in the garage. She settled and became more friendly as we watched her grow larger. Sadly, not from eating, but the little one was pregnant!

We got her tamed down, coaxed her in the house with the door always opened and one day, she came in and didn't leave - she decided to have her kittens that same day in our living room. I put her in a box and we helped her deliver 7 kittens. She was exhausted after 3 and didn't try cleaning the rest, so we cut the cords and did it for her. That will be 6 weeks ago tomorrow. Six of the seven survived. I don't know what happened to the one. I discovered it away from the others dead. I felt awful. It was only a week old.

Now we have a house full of fun, playful babies. We are working with a shelter that says it will be so easy to find them homes as kittens are quickly adopted. I hate to see them leave, but going through this shelter is the best way to home them. They do background checks and require references including ones from their family vet. I will definitely miss them though.


Wednesday, July 6, 2022

As Good, If Not Better!


I was over the moon when Aldi put a new store in our area. Our closest one before they came was over 40 miles away, so we didn't visit much unless we had other things we had to do in that area. Now, Aldi is my store of choice and where we do the most shopping at. The produce is beautiful and reasonably priced and there's a nice selection. Actually, the store has a nice selection of everything! 

Prices of everything keep climbing and we're cutting out more and more items. Girl Scout cookies were one of the things we removed from our buying since it's an overpriced unnecessary item. Imagine my surprise when I stumbled across these look-alikes of my absolute favorite of the GS cookies. I had to purchase them to try. They cost under $2 here at my local Aldi. Now, at that price, I wasn't holding a lot of hope, but they are from the Benton brand, and most of their cookies are awesome.

We got them home and after bringing and putting away the groceries, we sat down to a nice cuppa and tried a cookie. OH MY!!!! I was in heaven! Both of us agreed that the cookie not only looked like the GS cookie but tasted AS GOOD IF NOT BETTER than the originals!! Now I can treat myself get a taste of my favorite cookie without feeling guilty for spending so much money on an unnecessary item.

I took the rest and put them in a jar in the freezer, where they will stay fresh and we can nibble on a lovely treat now and then. Another Aldi score for me!!!

Sunday, June 26, 2022

Another Item I Stopped Buying

 

So many don't believe that we pay so much for milk in Pennsylvania. We are a regulated state, so the prices are higher than most other states here in the US. I understand the idea behind regulation, but at over $5 for a gallon of milk, does it really help the farmers when folks like myself cannot and will not pay that price for milk? I really can't pay that price - it was hard when it was $4.50 - and that was a treat then, but over $5, that has taken it our of our diet. No more fresh milk for us. I still use dried milk, but even that took a pretty substantial jump. The specialty milks like almond are now cheaper than our cow milk. I may be looking at them for an alternative every now and then. 

With the cost of groceries continuing to climb, my spending habits have changed. We eat meals that are made from the items that are on sale. I'm always looking for clearance, sale, and manager's specials. Some days we don't have meat. Beans are a cheap source of protein that can really stretch the budget! One pound of dried beans can feed more that one pound of hamburger at a fraction of the cost. 

My spending on craft supplies and sprucing the home up has dwindled and will soon be stopping. I've hit a few sales, but outside of that, my subscriptions have been cancelled as well as Craftsy. I hate to see them go, but I do have enough supplies to last me quite a long time. My husband bought me a year subscription to Potomac Beads Best Bead Box XL for my birthday. I was over the moon with that and will enjoy that more than he'll ever know. He bought it for me 2 years ago for an anniversary present, but I didn't use it all, and put it aside until earlier this year. This year, I went to town on them and finished them all. He saw me enjoying them and decided that I would love getting them throughout the year, especially since I cancelled my others. He also surprised me with a few months of a subscription to Bargain Bead Box, so you man see some postings from time to time for that. I'm not good when it comes to being handed a bunch of beads and being told to create something. So that will definitely be a challenge for me! I'm sure that will be cancelled soon as the prices everything else climbs. He is so good to me to give me such wonderful gifts!

I'm considering adding dresses to my wardrobe as things wear out. I can never find pants that fit my legs correctly. I have lymphedema and even though it is controlled, my calves are large and there are many pants that just don't fit around them or look absolutely awful if I can get them on. To think that this all started with a spider bite many years ago. Sigh.... So now I need to change my wardrobe some. It would make life so much easier to not have to worry about finding pants that fit. I've been looking at some dress patterns and have settled on a modest Mennonite Cape Dress. It kills me to pay $15 for a pattern, but it is a paper pattern and designed by a Mennonite woman that also supports her pattern (in case you need help). Overall, I will be saving money by going this route. 

I'd love to hear how grocery prices are changing your outlook and what you are doing to cope.


Monday, June 20, 2022

What Skills Have You Learned?


I've heard that since the Pandemic, many people decided to try new skills and hobbies to pass their time and try something different since they finally had time. I find that so awesome that people started learning new "old' skills that our grandparents did on a daily basis, like making bread. A bread machine is nice to have, but there's just something about getting your hands into the dough and connecting with the feel of the kneading process and knowing when the dough is "just right". What I do find interesting, though, is we have lost many of those skills our grandparents knew. How did we forget?

For me, I was groomed from a child on, to go to college, get a degree and find a good job. I wasn't interested in that though. I wanted to grow up, get married, have tons of kids and live on a farm. My parents, who both grew up on farms and knew how difficult that life could be, wanted something more for us. I was not taught the domestics when it came to cooking, canning and keeping a spotless house. My mother and grandmother did teach me knitting, embroidery and crochet, though.

In my mother's defense, she was not only taking care of us, but was taking care of her ailing parents as well as the chores on the farm. Dad would do the heavy stuff and take care of the equipment on the weekends and holiday/vacation time. She would do many of the things that needed done while we were at school or while we were in bed. She was exhausted and just didn't have time to teach and that was ok with me, since I was out working or playing on the farm any chance I could get.

I did the college scene but the dream of country life and family didn't go away. Working with computers had me exposed to the computer crowd and I ended up marrying someone who worked on and maintained the main frame. He, too, wanted to live in the country, but wanting and being able to were two different things. We prepared to get some property in the country. We saved and every time we were at the point where we could possibly do it, the prices went up and once again, things were out of reach. 

All was not lost, as we were both working on our skills - gardening, canning, preserving, raising chickens, fixing things on our own instead of tossing and buying or paying someone else to fix it, etc. During all this, we homeschooled our children and taught them the things we knew. Both kids turned out able to do many things - both are creative and they can fix many things around the house. And they both can cook - boy can they cook!!!

Each year, I try to add to my skills by learning something new. Our kids seem to be the same way. I see others around me doing the same thing. After lock-down, I wondered if people would just go back to their "normal" way of life, but those here that I know are still enjoying their new found skills and have made sure to make time to continue those skills. It makes me smile - it's so cool seeing others doing the things I enjoy and loving them like I do!

Thursday, June 9, 2022

Most For Your Money Cookbook

Stretching the dollar as far as it can go is nothing new. With your bills, there is really not a lot one can do, but purchased items like food, clothes, etc., we can make changes that can really make a difference. I found this 1938 cookbook online at Internet Archive and have found some tips and recipes that are not only interesting but still useful today - almost 100 years later! Times may change, but there will always be a need to make the money go just a bit farther.

If you enjoy looking at this cookbook, you can download a free copy for yourself by clicking the 3 dots in the circle on the left in the cookbook frame. There you will be able to download in either pdf or epub format.

Wednesday, June 8, 2022

Time to Get Serious

I cannot believe that life has changed so much in the past few years. I look at the world now and I cannot say that I recognize it any more. I imagine that is what my grandmother thought when she was looking at the world when the Great Depression hit. She had 8 children to raise. She was luckier than some, as my grandparents lived on a farm, but still, money and shortages still would have affected them greatly. 

At times, I wish my grandparents and parents were still here. I could definitely use their wise words of wisdom. Yet, I'm also happy they are not here, so they don't have to see the problems the world is facing. They had their trials and hardships and I hope I've paid enough attention to all their stories of those times.

I have to admit, my skills had gotten a bit rusty. The kids grew up and penny-pinching wasn't as necessary, so I got a bit comfortable and didn't mind my pennies as much as I used to. Guess it looks like we'll be going back to that challenge again. I'm not complaining, because I used to really love the challenge of seeing how far my money could stretch. Hubby used to tell everyone that he found someone cheaper than he was and I took that as a great compliment!

All over YouTube, you can find preppers giving their doomsday advice. Some of their videos are downright scary! Should we put things up? Sure - you find something on sale, you buy a few, but ONLY if you used that item. I've seen the lists of things to store and some are really off the wall. If you don't use certain things, don't buy and store it for a time when you think you will need it. Food storage needs to be rotated and used. 

If I find fresh foods like carrots, celery, etc at a great price on sale, I'll buy extra, dehydrate it and put it aside for making my own mixes or for soups, stews, or anything I need to cook awhile that has a water base. I've found times that the grocery store didn't have celery when I needed it, so I turned to the dehydrated jar I had on the shelf. Thank heavens there was some there! I know you can freeze these things, but freezer burn and freezer space can be an issue. Dehydrating is better for me in the long run. I also dehydrate frozen veggies I find on sale. No blanching or prep work - just dump on the racks, rinse and dehydrate. Another way to save money without worrying if you have freezer space!

 I heard people say they couldn't get canning jars or supplies. With dehydrating, you don't need them. Any glass jar that has a lid with a rubber seal (the ones that pop when you open them) will work. For long term storage, you can use a vacuum sealer or oxygen absorbers to give them a decent seal until you are ready to use them.

I have always done this as a way of life - not to prep and not for doomsday. These were the methods I used to save money and get me from sale to sale. I learned to cook from what was on hand and never did a menu when I purchased the items needed for the menu. That's how Mom cooked and I still do it to this day.

I am looking forward to getting down to business again and challenging myself to a tighter budget. Sounds strange as other complain, but challenges keep life interesting!

Sunday, January 30, 2022

Small Town Living

There's something to be said about living in a small town. This morning I went out to the kitchen and saw a murder outside my window in the backyard. I tried to get a pic, but as soon as I was spotted the perps flew away.


A terrible photo through the blinds. The only way to capture this guys!


We have lived here over 9 years and this is the first year that the crows actually came down close to the house and visited the feeder. They have become daily visitors, with only 6 coming in at a time. They are extremely skittish and are far from aggressive with the other critters and birds that visit the feeder. I'm really surprised with that as I assumed with their size that they would be bullies. 

If you look closely, you may see it under the lowest branch.


We also have another surprise daily visitor - a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker! It is January and cold, and certainly not an area that this bird would normally be. We are in the nesting/breeding migration area, and this guy should be many, many miles south of here. The poor thing looks so cold and sits perched on the tree all puffed out. It took me forever to figure out what he was because of how puffy he was. I knew he wasn't normal for here but it wasn't until the one day he was at the suet feeder that I saw his yellow breast. Oh gosh! The poor thing!

We now have another regular visitor. I'm not sure if it's a stray or just someone that thinks what we are feeding "him" is better. Every night, usually right after dark, we have a lovely gray, white and a tiny bit of orange cat appear. It stays in the yews next to the house and will not come out until one goes inside. It has now become vocal when I call it. It lets me know it's there by answering my call with a long "meeeoooooooooow". I then bring out warmed canned cat food and he will come out as soon as the door is closed and latched. As soon as he's finished, he runs back in the bushes. I give him a second can warmed, and then after that is done I put dry out for him to eat if he wants. Nights have gone below zero (F) and I know he needs the calories. He is starting to look better, but it really bothers me that he is outside in this cold weather. I put a shelter out with a nice soft, fuzzy blanket in it, but he won't use it. I wish I knew where he went and could rest easier knowing he had a warm place to stay.

Unfortunately, the only way to photograph our shy visitor is through the window.