Sunday again, and the end of yet another month. I surely hope this finds you all safe and well. Oh what a few days it has been weatherwise. My heart breaks for all the destruction and death that has taken place. It is just beyond comprehension. The pictures are just horrible.
It has been such a widespread event as well. Places that you would never think of hurricane damage.
I had a ton of limbs down in the backyard. They have now been stacked up. Pieces of leaves cover everything - houses, cars, roofs, streets, etc. We had 68 mph winds at one point, and it was sort of scary. My little spot in this world is wonderful, so please know I am not complaining. I just can't fathom what the folks in the worst areas felt/feel. Such extreme sadness.
Bitsy was even scared. He ran from window to window and door to door, then hid under the covers for a while on Friday. Blackie could not have cared less!
This week was just odds and ends.
- Used the crockpot and the air fryer when I could
- Used leftovers in new ways - made Mex. chicken and ate 3X this week in different ways and froze enough for 3-4 more meals
- HARVEST - tomatoes and squash. My pepper plants are growing and budding and setting new fruit. It is amazing
- Hard boiled eggs for snacks
- Cut up and froze lots of produce. Couple quarts of each celery and bell peppers. More tomatoes to use later
- Washed my car at home with rain barrel water
- I did deadhead the big flower bed out back. The New England asters have started blooming now. The wind and rains have laid them down - but they are covered in blooms and bees and butterflies. Funny, here it is autumn, and the clematis is blooming again, as well as D'Oro lilies and even the dandelions!
- I walked the perimeter of the house looking for any tiny cracks. Any cracks or tiny spaces around pipes, lines or vents was stuffed with steel wool to prevent pests!
- Made zucchini brownies
- I tried the power washer - glad I didn't do much! Now a lot more to clean off
- Did go out for grocery deals. Eggs were 18/1.99. Potatoes 5lb. 1.88. Seedless grapes .99 lb. I also found 3 lbs. of sweet onions on clearance. Perfect size - like tennis ball size.
- Filled the gas tank on Blazer and got a .40/gal. discount
- I stopped at the church thrift store while out. I got 4 packs of hot chocolate mixes for $2 each for baskets. Dates are way out in the future. They carry lots of food items that get donated there. Many are free.
Mexican chicken and mashed potatoes
Veggie fritters and salad. Fritters were mashed pots, shredded zucc., cabbage and carrots
Chicken enchiladas & sliced toms
Smothered fries
Tortilla pizza
Grilled tuna patty melt and baked beans
Chili and crackers
Chili sure tasted good - it hit the spot. Made a smaller batch but will probably eat today as well. I have been craving comfort food.
How was your week? Did you get any deals? Still getting produce from the gardens?
If you are in any of the affected areas of stormy weather - please check in as you can!!!!! I pray each and every one is safe.
Again, just hoping all are safe. Life sure throws some curves and some are just catastrophic. It just seems so sad - nature is a very powerful force we cannot beat, sadly. Hugs and prayers.
Blessings to you and yours from me at my humble little home.
*********************
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such there is no law.
Galatians 5:22-23
Lord, help us each to spread kindness and good to others. There is currently much hate and division in the world. Please help all to understand that it is the devil feeding this, and that it will serve no good purpose. Help us all to hold our tongues and pray for those who are offensive and rude. Prayers for all in the path of the storms.
Prayers for peace in this world Lord. Amen
It's hard to imagine being in the middle of a weather event like a tornado or hurricane. I'll take -40 winter weather any day compared to that. It's been beautiful fall weather here in NE Alberta. The lawn has been cut for the last time? Tomatoes were picked & a batch of salsa made. The rest will ripen in the basement. 6 pts of pineapple zucchini were made. Mom's clothes were readied for charity donation. Thank you cards were completed. The porch has been tidied & floor vacuumed/mopped. I didn't leave home for 6 days because of the covid infection I came down with. I'm in my happy place at home. I spent a lot of time lying on the couch or outside in the sun between the jobs I got done. The fridge is finally empty of leftovers. What I ate this past week: lasagna from the freezer, cabbage soup, yogurt, avocado toast, charcuterie. I hope all have a good week.
ReplyDeleteI hate the frigid weather - but I think I have to agree. I have been around tornadoes my whole life - a couple came through within blocks of me - and it is some scary stuff. A hurricane - I can't fathom. Just horrible.
DeleteTime off for healing and you still kept very busy. Sounds like a lot was accomplished at your house. Sometimes we just need rest - that is something we tend to forget. Home is my happy place as well. I get it.
Hope you have a lovely week.
I made chili this week too as this is the perfect weather for it. Nice score on the hot chocolate and such good Kroger sales. The pictures of the storm were devastating. My heart goes out to the all the people impacted by this storm. And another one is brewing in the Gulf now, which is so sad. I'm glad you had a good week and are safe and sound. :)
ReplyDeleteChili did taste good - didn't it?
DeleteThanks - got to get those deals while we can.
I am glad to hear you are safe - it is hard to believe so many states have been affected.
Be well and have a great week.
Another excellent devotional! There is much hate and division in this world, but in the world to come, all will be peace. You are so right about the devil feeding this. He knows his time is short. In the meantime we need to, as you say, "hold our tongues and pray for those who are offensive and rude." If we lash out, that just makes things worse, and definitely tarnishes our testimony.
ReplyDeleteWe watched footage of the devastation in Tennessee. Whole towns destroyed. I follow a blogger who lives in Johnson City, TN and emailed her to see if they were affected. She said they were fine. Can you imagine trying to clean up after such damage?
Your meals sound yummy! We eat chili year round. Cute little hot chocolate packages to put in gift bags. Going to put round steak in the one pot for lunch.
We are still getting turnips and green onions. The broccolini and snap peas are up so we should be able to harvest those before frost. We get spoiled by being able to shop for grow-ceries in the backyard.
Poor little Bits! Riley, my smaller Chihuahua, was spooked. Our power was off for a while and just about the time we put the lanterns out, the power came back on.
Enjoy your day! See you Tuesday!
I am trying hard to hold my tongue. I have a family member who goes out of her was to antagonize other family and yesterday I just had enough. Said my speech and then told her I loved her. It gets my goat. But I will try to just ignore from now on.
DeleteOh the devastation in so many places is horrific. Some areas have been hit hard before and now again.
I tend to leave chili alone during the summer - so it is extra tasty come fall! Good going on still harvesting something. Yep, it will all be missed.
Our babies just don't know what all the noise is!
Have a wonderful week.
Cheryl, excellent verse and devotional.
ReplyDeleteWe had high winds and rain up here also. But nothing like those in the south received. It just breaks my heart to hear of the devastation and loss of life.
Our garden is just about finished, still getting a few tomatoes and the squash seed to be hanging on but beyond that getting nothing.
I was able to find boneless chuck roast this week for 3.99 which for us is a smoking deal. Also canned kidney beans for .59 so that was a bargain also. I use dried beans but DD uses the canned kidney beans for our copycat Wendy's chili and the whole family loves it.
I made a buttermilk yellow cake and chocolate fudge frosting last night to use up some buttermilk. Putting the remainder of the buttermilk in the freezer. Biscuits and pancakes in the future.
Eating at home, made a big pot of jambalaya because I had celery, tomatoes, peppers and bits and pieces of smoked sausage, ham and chicken to use up. I swear I could "founder" myself on jambalaya and it freezes beautifully....just add the shrimp if using after it is thawed and reheated as they will toughen up.
Need to check the grocery ads for this weeks stock up foray.
JC
Thanks. It is all just so sad - all those people and animals.
DeleteGlad you are still getting some bits too. It all helps. That is a great deal on chuck roast. What a deal on canned beans.
Mmm the cake sounds good. I usually make jambalaya once a winter - it lasts, as there is so much of it. I love it.
Hope you can find some good deals.
Have a lovely week.
I'm glad to hear things weren't too bad in your area. We had 4-5 inches of rain over the two or three days and really high winds. But no damage at our house, just a lot of leaves everywhere. It sounds like you had a pretty good week and your meals sound delicious. Enjoy your Sunday.
ReplyDeleteThanks. Glad to hear you have faired well as well. I can handle rain and leaves and limbs - but no damage is a blessing.
DeleteThanks - they tasted pretty good!
Have a beautiful week.
We've got a ringside seat to the hurricanes in the Gulf(grew up in Va. Beach so nothing new to me)but we aren't near the coast down here and Helene veered way East of us we we didn't even see any rain bands(nor the power outages those bring due to our inept power company).
ReplyDeleteMy week was full up with medical appts. and fun stuff like nerve block injections, a dental refilling, PT, Wound Care, then getting a hospital bed delivered so I could finally sleep prone-ish. Then having to eat Hubby's cooking. I wonder why I am so grumpy? lol
Glad you had no problems from this hurricane.
DeleteSounds like a busy week - with necessary things. Glad you got the bed - here is hoping it helps. Grumpy is ok - just tell him thanks now and then!
Try to have a good week.
You got great deals this week. Gardens are blooming when they should be done, but that is okay by me. With cooler weather perhaps I will be able to enjoy them for a bit longer. I have a hydrangea that is putting out a few new blooms. Crazy.
ReplyDeleteGod bless.
Thanks - I thought so too.
DeleteYep, some years are like that, and we get gardens a lot longer. I will take it. It sure beats cold and frost.
Have a lovely week.
My in- laws live in the mountains of western NC -- really west -next to Tennessee. They are 3 hours west of Ashville on a mountain above a TVA lake. They had 9 inches of rain. Thankfully, no damage except they have no cell service or internet and they can't call out on their land line which is worrisome as they are in their 80s. But they can receive calls on their landline- how weird is that.
ReplyDeleteMy husband drove there on Saturday (12 hour drive). Hopefully, services are restored before he has to leave. Fortunately, my husband had no trouble getting to their home.
We have friends in Ashville (we can't get through to them yet). One of our favorite places to visit. My daughter & husband were supposed to vacation there this week. Once their flight was canceled they decided to go to Branson instead.
Just awful...
So glad they are ok and a higher elevation. Amazing that he got there with no problems.
DeleteI hope your friends are OK. You might reach out to the Red Cross - they have ways of letting people know or connecting folks. I imagine it will take a long while to get phone lines working again. Prayers they are safe.
Branson sounds like a better choice right now!
Have a nice week.
The boxes for Christmas gifts are cute. Sorry to read the gathering got cancelled. Do you ever do the five, five and five for Instant Pot hardboiled eggs? Timer for 5. Once done, release pressure after 5 mins and then cold water ice bath for another 5. Works well. Fun too.
ReplyDeleteThanks. Oh it will get rescheduled - hopefully this coming Saturday - better weather.
DeleteI don't have an Instant Pot. I just make them the old fashioned way!
Have a great week.
Good morning! I think what's so difficult to imagine is the damage caused by a hurricane, in an area that is so far inland. We think of hurricanes as impacting the coastal areas, not interior mountains. Rain, yes, but not that kind of damage. A friend's children live near Asheville and she was unable to reach them for about 48 hours. They are safe, but without electricity or cell phone access, but had minimal damage. They were able to somehow get out and were looking for supplies to help them through until utilities are restored. While out, they were able to charge their phones and make calls. My prayers are with those impacted.
ReplyDeleteYes indeed. I can also understand living on the coast and being affected - but so far north in the country. It is unimageable. The pictures are so heartbreaking - there is just nothing in some towns.
DeleteI am glad your friend's children are OK. Some inconvenience is nothing compared to the extreme and total loss. So sad.
Have a special week.
That hurricane was something else. But level 4 and 5 are always going to be awful. SO glad all you had to do was bend over a lot to clean up!
ReplyDeleteYes hurricanes are terrible, but it sure was amazing how far inland this one came and the destruction it did.
DeleteI am very fortunate.
Have a great week.
I bought those hot chocolate mixes for $20.00 last year for a couple of gifts. You got a good deal. Diane
ReplyDeleteI know!! I remember seeing these in the past and they have been quite pricey. Not sure why the thrift store got such a big donation - but they could make even more on them if they chose.
Deletehave a good week.