Sunday, August 6, 2017

Frugal Happenings 8/6

Hello everyone!  Praying this finds you all well and happy.
We are doing great this week.  Nothing in the world to complain about - and if we did - it would just be trivial stuff.  So all is good!

The weather has made a dramatic change.  Friday we didn't even get out of the 60's for a high!  It looks like it will be in the 70's most of this upcoming week - YAY!  This is perfect in my opinion - it could stay that way all the time.  It is a very cloudy day, today.  We are expecting a little rain off and on, and I am sure the flowers and the garden will love it.

This was the week that the surprise lilies bloomed - or resurrection lilies or naked ladies or what ever you call them in your area.  I love them so much - as they take me back in time to Momma and Daddies.  That is where they came from.  They had a 75' row of these out by the garden and it was so pretty when they bloomed.  I love having flowers that came from my childhood home.

Frugal this week:
  • Line dried laundry
  • Lots of yard work - free exercise
  • Used rain water for plants
  • Received a $10/$10 coupon for Kohl's - which I will use for a gift item when I am in the area
  • AC has been off since Friday morning - windows open
  • Dehydrated cabbage leaves and ground up - and dehydrated some older canned jalapenos
  • Picking lots of garden.  Tomatoes every day - zucchini at least every other day - bell peppers, jalapenos, and 3 heads of cabbage this week!
  • Cut up and jarred 7 quarts of kraut to ferment
  • Restocked many items in pantry from downstairs stock
  • Went to visit my brother and stopped at Kroger a couple blocks from his house.
  • Kroger deals - I found a shelving unit in the produce department that has special bags of fresh produce - each only costing .99.  Not seconds - it's all nice.  I got 2 bags of crunchy apples (6 in each), a 5 lb. bag of yellow potatoes, and 2 purple onions all for .99 per bag.  CHECK YOUR Kroger the next time you go!!!!
  • I also got 4 boxes of onion soup mix for .49 each (I don't usually buy), and 8 packs of 6 ea. of candy bars for .49 ea. (2018)  Those will be saved for Halloween time.
The same potatoes in a different bag 15' away in another aisle were $4.99!!!!  I don't know why they have this  area - unless to just help folks out - but it's nice.  I have seen this shelf for a while, but just never really stopped to look.  They have oranges, lemons, limes, apples, potatoes, onions, etc.  I will definitely be checking this area as well as the clearance area EVERY TIME I go in.

Meals this week:

Ham/cream cheese/veggie roll-ups in tortillas
Poor man Swiss steak, smashed potatoes, sliced tomatoes
Creamy zucchini soup with tortellini added (2X)
BLT's - Mmmmmmm baby!!!!!!
Chef salads
Smoked sausage/cabbage and fried potatoes


I have also been going through my stash of fabric and pile of old clothes to come up with some ideas for making Christmas gifts.  Thinking of making some lap throws, throw pillows, pot holders, etc.
Planning on doing some more canning this week as well.

What have you been up to?  Did you get any good deals this week or do any canning?
Give us a shout and let us know how you are staying frugal.


Be safe my friends.  Praying the Lord protects you and yours and keeps everyone safe and healthy.
I hope you all have a pleasant week - and stay frugal everyone.
God bless.

22 comments:

  1. Hello, those flowers are beautiful and what sweet memories come attached with them. :) I love hearing about and seeing things like that.

    You did really well on those bargains at the store! My goodness, I would have been in grocery shopping heaven. :) Great idea to stock up on the chocolate candy now and the produce. I was wondering if you had ever made the rice bags that you heat up in the microwave to put on sore muscles or made the animal shaped ones to use for little kids at night so they have something warm to cuddle with as they drift off to sleep. Those are great to use some of your smaller pieces of fabric up with and are very welcome and useful gifts. Be blessed!

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    1. Debbie - I have found a new bargain haven now - you can bet I will be checking it out often!

      What a great idea on the rice bags and those for kids. Have you made the rice bags before?
      Thanks for the idea - there are just so many things we can do cheaply for really neat gifts!
      Blessings my friend

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  2. How neat that you have flowers from your childhood home. We had lilacs back when I was growing up and the scent of those takes me back every time.

    We've had cooler weather here this week too and are loving it.

    I love those 99¢ bags of produce at Kroger. I check them every time we go there. Sounds like you had a good, frugal week. Can't beat that. I'll be curious to see what you'll be making for Christmas gifts. My mind is thinking about those things as well. I hope you have a blessed week, Cheryl. :)

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    1. Belinda I have several types of flowers that came from my childhood home. If I ever moved - oh what a job I would have -because they would go with me!

      It is that time isn't it??
      I guess it's time to start thinking of blogging about that stuff, so we can all brainstorm and share ideas!

      So all Kroger stores have the .99 bags? Glad to hear it. New discovery here!!!
      Have a great one.

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  3. What good deals at Kroger! I'm not sure why they discount a lot of things there the dates are good. They must have a system to weed things out. You had a wonderful week and I love the weather too!

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    1. Vickie a clerk told me on the clearance aisle - that it was because they want absolutely NO back stock in the store. If they have more than will fit on a normal stock-up of shelf - it goes to clearance aisle. That is CRAZY!
      Not sure about produce.

      Hope your week was good. ENJOY

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  4. Thanks for reminding me about the Resurrection Lillies. I need to see if ours are blooming. When we bought the farm here in SW MO, the owner took me on a tour of the farm area. Then he started saying something about "naked ladies"! Then he asked about what church we attended. I actually thought what am I doing here?? Learned afterwards that "naked ladies" were flowers! LOL! Wasn't quite used to the Missouri drawl. When we met to sign the sale papers he kept talking about the "caves" on the property. The land may have been a little hilly, but I certainly didn't remember anything about "caves". Then I found out he was talking about the cow "calves". "Steeples" were fencing staples! After living here for almost 30 years I've learned a new "language"!

    We refuse to eat those "things" they call tomatoes in the grocery stores. We are eating BLT's every other day during the summer months. Hoping to get enough tomatoes this year to make some tomato juice.

    Sure wish we had a Kroger around here!!! They just opened a new Aldi's in Republic - about 20 minutes away.

    Hope the cooler weather stays with us. Got some much needed rain. Have a great week!

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    1. Kris that is hilarious! Glad you finally have a second language under your belt!!!!!

      I can't stand grocery tomatoes either. we eat our fair share of fresh ones till they are gone.

      ENJOY Aldi - I love that store. Great prices!
      Have a good one.

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  5. Great buys! I would definitely start my shopping trip at the .99 shelf. I have recently transplanted irises from my aunt's home. These originated from my great grandmother's home, as well as a few other aunts and uncles. (probably further back than that) I have fond memories of my great grandmother, so having these flowers are very special to me.

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    1. Those flowers will definitely make you smile every time you see them. I know many of the plants I have originated before I was born. Dad was a big fan of digging things up at the side of the road when out in the country. Don't think that is even legal now!!! LOL

      It just makes you feel like they are with you always! ENJOY them and smile!

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  6. We know them as Resurrection Lilies, but naked ladies is really funny! Still don't have red tomatoes, every time they start blushing pink, the weather cools, so many of us here haven't had a garden tomato yet.

    Sister treated me to sea scallops this weekend, what a treat! And I learned to brown them the right way: dry them really well, smoking hot oil and butter, 30 seconds to a size, reduce heat, 2 minutes then set aside to a plate to finish cooking on their own.

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    1. oops typo 30 seconds to a side (not size)

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    2. I am sorry you haven't had tomatoes yet. I am picking everyday. Funny thing, my brother hasn't gotten any yet either (planted later) and mine will probably be about done when his get going good!

      Oh I love scallops! haven't had any in years. I may have to splurge one of these days!
      Have a good one.

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    3. Always a silver lining though! The tomatoes will ripen about the same time as we get our new batch of bacon, hog being processed this week!

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    4. Oh what a silver lining that is! Love, love, love BLT's

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  7. Hi Cheryl those lillies are gorgeous. We are currently at my Brothers home. He and my SIL have a 110 year old magnificent home. It has the garden to match. am in flower and scent heaven.
    My SIL has put in an order for pot holders and heat pads for Christmas. These are wonderful for using up scraps of fabric. I use old bathroom towels for the wadding. I have some flour sack kitchen towels and will applique onto these as well. I am thinking I will do this as a package, and make one for all the women in the family, keeping the colours suitable for their homes.
    have a wonderful week.


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    1. Oh I bet the home and garden are wonderful. Would love to see that.

      Great ideas for Christmas gifts. I am still debating about projects. there are just so many options!
      Have a lovely visit!!!!!

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    2. Thanks Jane for posting about using toweling as stuffing, hadn't thought of that but when you said it - I said - but of course!

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  8. I love getting starters of plants from friends. I had quite a few in the previous yard but haven't been able to do it here. We are having a little cooler weather here also which is nice. I bought a Christmas gift today and would like to be done by the first of November. I don't like to be out in the snow and cold shopping. Nancy

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    1. Nancy, good for you on buying a gift. I always say that I want to be done early - but it never happens. Mainly I buy for kids - not so much adults. The adults get goodies.

      It is nice to be able to have plants that remind you of someone. And FREE is nice too!
      Have a good one.

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  9. Wow, wish we had a Kroger here. I love the free exercise, I am going to look at it that way from now on. Just a change of attitude about things can do wonders.

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    1. Attitude is EVERYTHING! I get a good cardio workout, as well as bending, lifting, pulling, etc. No gym membership and I see progress in the yard!
      Have a good day!

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