We had muggy hot weather most of the week, but everything started changing Friday. Winds were blowing in, and cooling it down. Humidity levels dropped away! I got to turn off the air all day yesterday and it's still off. I love airing out the house. Goodness knows the AC unit needed a break - it will be needed a lot in a few days again.
We have been enjoying having an abundance of blue jays around lately. I have seen at least 4 at a time all week! Usually we see one or two - they sure are majestic looking. They are really enjoying peanuts! They are taking lots of baths like the robins and red-wing black birds. They are so entertaining to watch.
The garden is doing great. I have been picking a lot of things and we are sure enjoying them. I got out my zucchini cookbook last night. It's getting to that time - trying to come up with fun uses!
My frugal week:
- Line dried laundry
- Got to utilize the cooler days to do a huge cleanup of the yard. Pulled weeds, mowed, trimmed, picked. It looks so pretty!
- I ran to Meijer, as they had dry cat food on sale. I got 3 - 16 lb. bags. Will be good for a long while on that - also added 48 cans to stock.
- I also found ground beef on sale for 1.79/lb. and got 10 more pounds for the freezer (take advantage when I can). 6 ears of fresh corn $1.
- Then I impulse bought and splurged!!!! YIKES!! I saw a Bissell vacuum on sale - and decided to buy it. I HATE the Hoover I got last year!!!!!!!! It is so stinking heavy and it over heats a lot (never get everything done in one sweep). The Bissell is probably a quarter the weight and works beautifully. Then I really splurged and bought a second small one for basement and doing the steps and it separates into a hand held. I spent less on both than the one last year. Now, I am happy - I have tools that I like to work with.
- A friend brought 2 pieces of red, white, and blue pie to us on the 4th. Boy that was yummy
- Brought up coffee and oil from basement storage for the pantry
- Have 2 FREE movie channels this weekend - so recording movies for later
- Made fruit salad
- Also ran to Kroger for fruit. I got bananas for .39/lb. again. Apples in .99 bag. Strawberries $1/lb. (got 2 lbs.) and 3 peaches. Also managed to luck into finding 12 lbs. of boneless skinless chicken breast on markdown for .99/lb. My freezer is happy!
- Picked a total of 7 zucchini, 2 yellow squash, a few okra, and 6 cukes this week
My Independence Day harvest - picking lots of stuff this week.
- Eating lots of goodies from the garden
- Been using rain water on the garden
- I cooked baby back ribs for the 4th. I cooked them in the crockpot for many hours before using the oven. It kept the house much cooler. (NOTE: they were wonderful!)
Meals this past week:
Mexican beef over rice
Leftover Mex. beef & rice cooked with added zucchini and peppers (like goulash)
Steak burgers, corn and salad
BBQ ribs and macaroni salad
Jalapeno & cheese stuffed zucchini boats and salad
Skillet meatloaves and butter/parmesan sautéed zucchini/onion
Swiss cheese/mushroom chicken, fried potatoes and fried okra (from garden)
Eating fruit salad for evening snacks
All leftovers eaten for other meals or frozen for later
There you have it. Nothing real exciting. Just plugging along and enjoying all the fresh garden goodies. Enjoying cooler weather, and happily watching all of our nature. The outdoor kitties have sure been enjoying the cooler weather! I see them a lot more - they aren't hanging out under the deck in the shade! Bless their hearts.
How was your week? Did you get any good deals? How are the gardens coming along?
Stop by and say hello. I love hearing from everyone!
God bless and keep you all in safety and health in this coming week.
Blessings from our humble home to yours.
The weather was actually nice here on Saturday. It was 77 while we were yard saling, which is great weather for that. Sounds like you had a good, frugal week. I like your new vacuum cleaner. agree, some of them are so heavy. Hope you have another great week.
ReplyDeleteGlad you are getting nice weather as well. it just makes life seem so much better!
DeleteThanks, hoping for a good week.
Have great one!
I'm a little jealous over your harvest but I hope by next week something will be in! I'm impatient I know. You had a great week and I love the sounds of your menu. Have a great cool Sunday!
ReplyDeleteYou did have a good week.
DeleteI am slowly getting harvest - maybe just a little warmer here? Hope you are harvesting soon!
Have a great one!
Sounds like you had a really good week. Vacuums, you either love them or not. Glad you found something you really love. My cukes are only producing flowers, no fruit, which is frustrating. My spaghetti squash just gave up and died in the excessive heat, and my tomatoes are plugging away. I need to harvest one more this evening when I get home, and there are several more on the two plants I put on the patio railing. I am a bit disappointed because they just don't taste like Jersey tomatoes. I have to add salt, but it is not like the salty-mineral perfection of a homegrown Jersey tomato. Maybe it is the potting soil? Almost all meals were from home this week. I took my brother out for a belated birthday dinner and I brought home my (planned) leftovers and just added a baked potato to what I had, and I had a whole new dinner. The kitten doesn't particularly care for kitten chow so I am adding a little of this and that to her wet food to make it nicer for her. I am trying to stick to no ac and it is pretty much working. A few days of having it on for an hour to take the mugginess out, and then using a fan is what I am needing to stay cool. Also sticking with cold meals - cold chicken and potato salad and 3-bean salad is on the menu several times this week. Also there will be chicken salad too. Found 4 rotisserie breasts in a container at Sam's Club for $3.98, so slicing them for sandwiches, and making salad and/or adding some to salads is just right. Have a great week.
ReplyDeleteSounds like a good week for you too!
DeleteI am glad your container garden is giving you tomatoes. It took my cukes a while to start producing, so hang in there.
Could you add gravy or something to kitty chow to make it taste better? Glad you are figuring a way to make her happy!
You are a better woman than me - no way am I going without AC when it's hot. Fans just don't get it for me. I like saving money - but that is one thing I am not giving up. LOL
Enjoy your chicken!
Have a great week!
I'm glad you got the new vacuum cleaner. I have a lightweight one that is perfect for the harder surface floors. My hubby does still get out the shop vac to do our bedroom floors that are carpeted though since the fur babies shed a lot and it is harder to get that up off carpet.
ReplyDeleteI am no where near getting cucumbers or zucchini. I have lots of flowers. Hope you like your new vacuums. I recently got a small one for free and love it. I don't have to carry the heavy one upstairs anymore.
ReplyDelete