It has been a warm week. Yes, we did go straight into summer. It has been in the 80's most of the week and will be the same all next week. We have had to use the AC some this week.
I am not complaining - please don't get that idea. I swore I wouldn't gripe after all the cold and wet we had this winter. So far, so good!
We saw a groundhog yesterday in the yard. The first time this season. UGH! It is a shame they can be so destructive, because they are really cute! Guess, I will be getting the live trap out, in case he hangs around.
You'd think we lived in the country with all the critters we see. It amazes me how many animals live in the city/suburbs!
My frugal week:
- I have kept 3 net bags from the veggies/fruit I have purchased in .99 bin at Kroger. I tear off the label on bottom, and I will use myself as re-usable produce bags at the store
- Lots and lots of yard work - FREE exercise
- Chopped and froze some celery that was getting older
- I picked 2 bouquets of lilacs from next door. No one living there till June - and I didn't want the lovely flowers to go to waste! OH the smell!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
- Cleaned out G's underwear drawers. Kept several old socks to use for Swifter and replaced many t-shirts with new that we had put back. Old ones will be cut up and used in some projects
- Was 'gifted' another gallon glass jar from a neighbor
- Made a dozen hard boiled eggs and made salad with them
- Ran to Kroger to check out clearance and markdowns - I found 2 Manager Closeouts that were great. I got 5 boxes (40 pieces ea.) of shrimp poppers for 1.74/box and I got 6 - 24 oz. cans of spaghetti sauce for .47/can (all they had left). I make my own spaghetti sauce, but these are nice to have around to help others. They also had canned cat food on sale - sale saved $1 per 20 cans, plus I had coupons.
- I received a coupon for a FREE box of Nice & Easy hair dye (value to 8.99) from a computer friend I have know for years from Iowa! How sweet
- Bought a new lawn mower to have as a second when other is down. I earned rewards at Ace and it actually cost me $70 less than the shelf tag stated! It was the last one of that type. I really like it, light weight and easy start! Just a basic mower - no bells and whistles.
- I stopped at a charity yard sale while out for the Kroger run. I got 2 - 3 picture frames (new) and a cookbook for .50 each. I got a bag of 5 oven mitts, 7 pot holders, 2 crochet top towels and a full apron for a total of $3. I don't need the pot holders - but I am going to make patchwork pieces to re-cover them and use for gifts. The towels are older but will be great for cleaning up messes.
- Did get to have windows open a lot this week - early mornings and late evenings
- Line dried all laundry
Meals this past week:
Leftover pasta salad and BBQ chicken wings
Egg salad sandwiches and fresh veggies
Breaded pork burgers, cauliflower steaks and a side salad
De-constructed cabbage roll skillet dinner
Shrimp poppers and homemade bean/corn salad
Mexican chicken grilled soft tacos
Crockpot pork chops and kraut and mashed potatoes
It sure has gotten pretty outside. There is suddenly a hundred colors of green every where, and bird calls that are so pretty and varied. Flowers are starting to bloom. Bees are buzzing around every where. I hope to get a lot of the flowers and garden done in the next week - in between rain storms!
How was your week? Did you get any great deals? How are your yards and gardens coming along?
Prayers for blessings large and small to you all in this coming week. Good health and happiness.
Blessings from our humble home to yours!
Happy Mother's Day to you too, Cheryl. It was warm here too yesterday as it was 89 degrees. Your idea of the net bags for produce bags is a great idea, I'm going to use that one too. That will keep them out of the garbage/landfill and help us to reduce our garbage.
ReplyDeleteOh, I love the smell of Lilacs. They remind me of my grandmother's home. I sure wish we had some here, but they don't do well in the zone 7 we are in here. You found some GREAT markdowns at Kroger. I love Kroger for their markdowns.
I like you reuse of the pot holders to remake them into gifts. I hope we can see a photo when you are done with them. :)
Belinda, I live in zone 7a and have several lilacs. They do quite well, they have grown so large the guys did a severe pruning on them this winter. So, unfortunately, I will not have many blooms this year. I planted the traditional Old Fashioned Lilac variety. Maybe located correctly in yard, it will flourish? Hopefully!
DeleteBelinda I liked the idea of re-using the bags too. Why throw them away? I like their markdowns too - such deals can be had.
DeleteI will definitely show the remade pot holders when done! easy and frugal gifts!!!
Have a wonderful day.
Cheryl, you had quite the busy week, and found some great deals! We have one groundhog that has moved in, and we just cannot catch or deter him. At lease he is up near the house, not back in the horse pasture. Their holes can be so treacherous!
ReplyDeleteI liked your idea of using the pot holders as the insulation in your new piece potholders. Very creative. I have a friend that often will use old blankets as the fill in her quilts. Such a great way to recycle and save money!
Have a very Happy Mother's Day!!
Blessings,
Kath
Kathryn I have found the rule of not pruning back flowering shrubs - to be - nothings after July 4! It seems to work on my forsythia. Although this year most of the flower buds got froze, as did the flowers on the tulip poplar tree.
DeleteI love re-using things and figured - why not! I have lots of fabric scraps that become quilt like - so I think they will be pretty. I used to use blankets that way too, when making bed cover/quilts.
Ground hogs are really cute pudgy little animals, but they sure can mess things up. If I see him again I am ready. It is usually easy for me to trap at first or second sight - as they are hungry. Fruit works great in the traps.
Have a lovely day!
Do you mean you prune before July 4th to make sure you get blooms next year? So, right after they bloom? I have a bunch of bushes that need pruning, and I'm just clarifying.
ReplyDeleteI love your lilacs. We've had them at other houses. There are none here, but I can get some one of these years if I find a good place to put them.
I got some really great deals a couple of weeks ago on the mark-down (Whoo-Hoo) rack at our Kroger affiliate (Fred Meyers). There were a couple of things this time, such as Band-Aid brand bandages for 79c a box, and some Parmesan cheese. I always look when I go there. Occasionally, there is nothing, but often there is.
Becky, I try to trim any flowering bush before and by July 4 or there about. If you trim much later you WILL be cutting off growth that allows for next years blooms. Sometimes they really grow a lot after that - but try not to trim too late.
DeleteI love the clearance and markdowns at Kroger. Most often that is the ONLY reason I go. I have plenty of regular stuff - so I just go to find deals.
I agree, some weeks nothing. Good going on your deals.
Have a good one.
Love the idea of re-using the net bags at the grocery store, I really don't like those thin plastic ones they put at the produce aisle. And we finally have gotten in the habit of using re-usable bags for the groceries, yes!
ReplyDeleteWe time our prunings to the brush collection so we don't have to store the brush until they come around once a month. If we had a chipper we would make our own mulch...someday I hope! We do have a chip barrel for the wood stove kindling.
Wish we had a Kroger or affiliate!
Glad you like that idea. I hate those plastic produce bags - IF you can ever get them open!!!! I have a trick, but it didn't always work! LOL
DeleteGood idea on waiting for waste pick up. I have a little shredder we got at Harbor fright years ago, supposed to work on smaller brush and limbs - total waste of money!
My brother has a BIG chipper (he lives in a woods) and that thing is wonderful.
Kroger and their affiliates are great for clearance for sure!
Have a lovely week.