Goodbye November!

 

This fall has presented so many challenges - from my son being rear-ended and totalling his car, to finding out I had some strokes to hubby getting a severe ear infection and flu, a broken sewer pipe in my son's home (that we still can't locate the problem part of the pipe) plus so many odd things in between. Will I miss this autumn? Still yes. All the beautiful sunrises and sunsets, the autumn colors, the skunk that visits the cat dish and compost bin every day. my son's search has ended and new to him home has been found (with lots of fixing to do)... There are so many things that I am grateful for and will miss. And this month held 2 days of snow - the first on November 11th where we had about 1/2 inch and November 20th with just a dusting - either way, it was still white. Black Friday bestowed black ice for the travelers and many local accidents. So we are having more seasonal weather than we've had in years!

I purchased most of my baking items yesterday. Usually this is the time of year to find some decent deals. If you use evaporated milk, Walmart has their GV brand on sale for $1 a can and they also have their GV brand of Sweetened Condensed Milk for $1.77. (maybe different in your area). I use a few cans of each for baking so I need to stock up on these at this price. I cannot remember Aldi's prices, so I will be checking there first. I know the Aldi's online prices are different that in store.

Today is preparing to can all the broth day and then refill the roaster with beef bones. My local farmer gave me lots of beef bones to make broth with. He says no one else usually uses them. I find that interesting, since bone broth is so expensive. I have to buy more onions, celery and carrots for the beef broth, so will be picking up some this week. I'm freeing up space on my shelves and moving this around for all the broth that will be canned. There's going to be a lot!

The monstrous bird is now pack safely away in the freezer. I'm searching for recipes on top if the tried and true ones in my recipe box. Turkey potpie will be tasty this winter as well as other favorites!

One more month to go. I really can't believe it. How did this happen? It seems the year has flown by so quickly. I'm now in the mood for baking and candy making. I haven't had the itch to do that in a long, long time. Sadly, chocolate has skyrocketed, so I won't be making a lot with chocolate, but there are so many other cookies to make that I don't think anyone will miss them. I pulled out my grandmother's Betty Crocker Cooky Book and did a flip through. So many wonderful recipes and memories. I'll be putting it to good use this year.

I dug out my cookie press and my rosette iron. I forgot these recipes were both in this book. And so many others that Grandma had made for the holidays (not just for the Christmas season). Chocolate Crinkles were one of my favorites as well as the Spritz. Now I'm going down the memory path of when we were children and all gathered at Grandma's house. Everyone is pretty much gone now, but the memories still live on. See what opening a cookbook can do?

Next month will also hold some planning time. I usually do it through the month when I have some time. I know already that I want to complete some knitting, crochet and cross stitch WIPs. I have this need to get a lot done and not really start much. So many things are kitted up, and so much yarn and floss to use, plus all the crafts to get done that I have wanted to do, but have not so far. 

I love this time of the year!

Garden Planning Starts Now

 

Photo by Markus Spiske from Pexels

This morning at 7am, our thermometer read -7F. Although it wreaks havoc with the old body and arthritis, I know it is only temporary and will soon be a forgotten as warmer weather approaches. It is days like these that we sit here and dream of the warmer weather to come as we plan out our gardens. 

Our seeds were all ordered last month and they have arrived, were sorted and categorized. My husband is in charge of the vegetable garden, while I do the herbs and flowers. Hubby is very excited this year as he works on his spreadsheet and plans. He tried using an app to diagram the garden, but decided it wasn't to his liking. On to find another he likes better and does what he wants. Me, I'm a simple kind of gal that puts pen to paper and write notes and sketch it all out. As you may have guessed, hubby is in IT and me, well, you already know I love arts and crafts. Funny how it shows in our methods of planning.

The other evening, I pulled out my old notebook to see if I could find some notes on a project I did years ago. Those notes weren't there, but I did find gardening notes from 2003-2005! It was interesting going back and reading them. That was another life at another house a growing zone from where we are now! One thing I'm quite sure about is, if I had written the notes using a computer, I probably wouldn't have them now. There is something to be said about doing it all the old fashioned way.

This year, I will be journaling my herbs. I bought a leather covered journal that has an old look to it. I guess you could say it looks like many of the journals that are used for the "Book of Shadows". The one I purchased has white pages, although I did want yellowed and deckled pages that had the aged look. I just wasn't sure how "aged" they were. I want something I can sketch and write on without the pages being too dark and interfering with being able to see the drawing clearly. I have enough inks, etc, that I can age my own and not worry about the pages being too dark. 

I am taking a couple of herb courses so the herb journaling is important. Actually, it's important even if I wasn't taking the courses! Learning about each herb is necessary, especially when you are growing and using them.

Last but not least, a little educational video to get the gardening mojo going...

New Year, New Challenges

 

Although January 1st is just another day without a calendar to mark its importance, there's something satisfying and almost mystical to think about a new year and a new beginning. Each year, my last week of the December is spent reflecting and looking at my goals list to see what I had accomplished, what I didn't get done, and deciding what I would like to roll over to the next year. Most of the time, I will roll all of the goals I didn't meet, but I do find things that won't make the cut because of life changes. Births, deaths, marriages, divorces, illnesses, moving away etc. all have an impact. Since life likes to get in the way (quite a bit I should say) I make goals and not resolutions. To me, they are much more realistic and I don't feel guilty if I don't make that goal, as there is always next year.

The goals this year are not much different than any other year. There will be a few changes - and these are bit more significant than my list from years past, so I will list them here:

• Hubby and I will be planting a decent size garden which means a lot more work both in the garden and putting it up.
• I'll be challenging myself to learn new skills in different crafting areas, including knitting, crochet, leatherwork, sewing, jewelry making, embroidery, paper crafting, etc
• I have a few adult pant-by-numbers I want to do. I got them for a Christmas present for myself. 
• I will be attempting to sew some much needed project bags
• Now- the biggie... No more yarn purchases. I really, really need to use my stash up. I will put an exception in, and that is I may have to purchase something if my daughter requests something special. She has done that in the past, so... 
• I am going to be working on donations throughout the year. Since I will be working on my knitting and crochet skills, I'll be working the special techniques on hats, mitts, etc., so this way I can practice my skills and create some lovely donation items. 
• I need to smash some paper pads and supplies and get some cards made. I am planning on once again donating some cards to the #cardsforcubs program that Bearly Arts collects for every year. 
• I'll be creating a herb study journal. I'm waiting for my journal to arrive from Amazon.

That should be enough to keep me busy for the year. I do find it funny when people complain about being bored - especially with this time of being limited on what we can and cannot do as well as limited travel. I don't have enough time in the day to get everything done, let alone be bored. LOL

Do you have any plans for this year?

HELLO 2021!

 

For me, it's not vows, but plans and goals that I'd LIKE TO DO this year. Nothing is written in stone, but I do have a list written in my notebook. I wrote down some places I'd like to go, books I'd like to read and things I'd like to make. Then I started a list of things I have on hand, especially kits that I've purchased in the past that haven't been touched. Well, that made me realize how much I really do have here and I need to start using it. I'm older and need to start working on things because I don't have as many years ahead of me to craft as I used to! 

This year is going to be all about handmade. I'm going to try to make everything I want and need (well... as much as possible) and not purchase it. If I need new pants, sweater, etc. - I'll be making it. I have a decent enough amount of supplies here to do them. I am also going to be making my own bath and body products. I've found that they are so much nicer than the store bought versions and actually work better! Plus I can customize to exactly what I need by changing the carrier oils, essential oils or other ingredients. 

My biggest challenge is going to be not buying any yarn. I'm hoping to make it through the whole year, but right now my goal is one month at a time. I'll tell you - it was difficult to not take advantage of the sales at the beginning of the month! OHHHH! And there were some good ones, too!!! I really need to get this stash of yarn under control. I was down in the basement and was going through the boxes we hadn't unpacked after moving. (I hang my head in shame). Well - I swear I'd come across another box of yarn and then another. It got to the point of me saying, "ANOTHER ONE?!" 

This year is also going to be getting the basement done so I can have a craft room. I really need a dedicated crafting area. That will prevent surprises like I had going through the boxes in the basement. Hopefully by summer I will have one - or more realistically by the end of the year. 

So these are my goals for the year. Nothing too difficult and nothing written in stone. The kits list is long and the yarn stash is huge, so I should do ok with no shopping. 

2020: New Year - New Decade

The new year arrived quietly under a bed of white for us. Our son's plans changed, and instead of chancing the weather, he spent the evening with us. I treasure the time we can spend with our children, because they will soon have families of their own and lives of their own.

I am looking forward to this year. Our daughter will be getting married in the fall and our son has started a new job that is much more suited to him compared to his last job. Hubby and I are planning on planting a larger garden which will be nice. We have many ideas we are tossing around between us. It will soon be time to start planting seeds and seeing the miracle of those tiny embryos turn into plants and food for our family.

I have a few personal goals set:

1. Lose 10% of my body weight
2. Read through Paul's books of the Bible 12x
3. Complete at least one online course
4. Remove processed foods and most sugars from my diet
5. Try making cheese
6. Read 33 books including:

• 10 classics
• 10 of the 1001 Books You Should Read Before You Die

7. Complete a few knit and crochet projects off my list
8. Turn the basement into a nice usable area
9. Make a craft area in the basement
10. Weed out unused/unnecessary things

I'm sure the list will grow longer as time goes on. I have so many things I want to complete or try.

That's my year's plan in a nutshell.