Sunday, August 16, 2020

Weekly Wrap-Up 8/16

Hello my friends.  I hope you are all well and safe.
Here we are starting another new week.  My goodness, how the days tick away.

It has been very WARM to say the least.  Humid as well.  It looks like we get another refreshing break this coming week.  I guess we shouldn't complain about the heat, as nasty old man winter will be here before you know it.  I know some places don't get the kind of winters we get here - frigid temps and snow and ice are not on my happy list!
My allergies have been off the charts this week - I won't miss that.

The hummingbirds have been ever so active the last couple weeks.  I hope it is just because it is not AS hot and not because it is getting time to leave.  I have beautiful butterflies every where and bees galore.
The birds and the squirrels (especially the squirrels) seem to have another food source at the moment.  This happened last year as well, and had me worried.  I keep seeing the remains of walnuts all over, so they are enjoying that great treat.  Isn't it something how they just eat and eat them and crack them so easily with those little teeth?  It takes everything I have to get into a black walnut!!!!

It is very cloudy and gloomy looking this morning.  I think the sun will shine later - maybe a chance for a shower.  Just a good day to relax and feel blessed and thankful.

MY WEEK:

  • Harvested basil, thyme and lemon balm
  • Made lemon sweetened water (with lemon balm) and froze in cubes to use later in tea - both hot and cold
  • Made and canned a lot more salsa - a gift favorite for the holidays
  • Cut my hair
  • Mowed and trimmed the yard
  • Used dehumidifier water in my laundry
  • Picked 3 zucchini, some small cucumbers and lots of different tomatoes.
The cherry tomatoes are hanging thick.  I have 2 plants and from top to bottom they are just thick.  There are hundreds of blooms as well - if the weather holds out - my goodness I will have tiny tomatoes for ages.  The regular tomatoes are now on phase 2 - pretty much have picked all ripe ones and waiting for second round to ripen.  (click on picture to enlarge)
  • Staked up all the tomato plants after early week storms.  The ground was saturated and the heavy plants were leaning
  • I went out about every morning when cooler - and started cleaning out spent flowers and deadheading flowers in the perennial bed.  My goodness that is a huge job.  Will take weeks to get through it all.
  • Did a bunch of weed whacking in different places - it is so nice to go out whenever I want to do that, instead of having to lug around and wind up an extension cord!
  • Did NOT leave the property once this week.  Stayed home and made no purchases whatsoever
  • Using what I have, making Kool-Aid, laundry in cold, line drying, just doing all the normal stuff
These tiny little Lilies have started blooming - I can not remember the name.  Each flower is about the size of a quarter - and there are several on each stem.  They are so sweet.  The D' Oro (sp) lilies are starting to rebloom as well.


My Meals this past week:

Beans/rice leftover, turkey burger (freezer) and bread sticks
Beef Manhattan
Pizza slice and bread sticks (both from freezer)
Small potato/chicken and cheese skillet mix-up and sliced tomatoes
Chicken sandwich and slaw
Veggie/pasta salad  - heavy on veggies.  Made just a small amount for a meal
BLT - enjoying while I can!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My huge frugal this week, was not spending even a dime.  Staying home sure does save money.  Working on my home canning stash and not wasting anything was also frugal.  I am trying to incorporate as much as possible from the great outdoors into my pantry.

How about you?  What have you been up to and how are you staying frugal?  Did you find any good deals?

I just love these little flowers - rose moss.  The variety of color is glorious - I have 5 pots and each is filled with many colors - beautiful.  The pictures don't do them justice - they are so bright!!!!!

I send love, hope and wishes for health and happiness your way. May you each be blessed with health for you and your families in the coming week.  
When fearful and scared please lift your worries up to a much higher power.  We can do this thing called life together - but not alone.

Blessings from my humble little home to yours. 


24 comments:

  1. Found your blog about a month ago and it is fast becoming one of my favorites. Your childhood sounded a lot like mine. This is the first year I've had good luck with moss rose.

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    1. I am so glad you found your way here. I am glad you are liking what you are reading.
      It sure was a lovely childhood. Miss those lazy good days!

      My Mom used to grow it a lot and it was always pretty - this is really the first time I have had luck as well.
      Hope you stick around!

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  2. Enjoy those tomatoes. You can do so much with them. My cucumbers are going crazy this year. I have made several batches of pickles and I made 10 pints of relish yesterday. I am giving them away to everyone. Youngest daughter's boyfriend's family is loving them.
    We are having work done on the main beam in the basement so the house is a mess. I can't stand it. Hopefully they will be done this week and I can have my dining room back. Have a wonderful week.

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    1. I didn't have much luck with cucumbers this year - getting just a few. So happy you are getting so many and being able to share them.
      That sounds like pretty important work being done. Your house will be back together soon. Hope it makes the house more solid!
      I keep looking to see if you are blogging again - look forward to that!

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  3. My cherry tomatoes are doing well, but not nearly as well as yours. I had to look up rose moss as we call it portulaca or purslane. And I found all of those are names for the succulent. It is a pretty flower and so easy to care for.

    Take care and stay well!

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    1. We also call it portulaca. Purslane is a different plant altogether here. Funny I was researching some on purslane this morning for a future post!
      Take care!

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  4. Oh your photos are lovely!
    My mom always had moss rose in a couple of big planters. Her’s came back every year on their own, as their climate was warmer than ours.

    I’m very impressed you didn’t spend one cent during your week. Anyway you look at it, life has more expenses than we used to and most things are just expensive

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    1. You know I think my Mom's flowers used to come back too. I had forgotten that.

      Stayed home, no bills this week, no online shopping, nothing - I figured I'd stay in and be good!
      It is nice to have a pantry and garden. (plus I am easily pleased).

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  5. After an unusually sweltering spell it feels autumnal now and heavy rain. Your tomatoes are amazing. I have a few. I made 5 jars of bramble jelly from blackberries I picked on my walks before the rains and froze until I was ready to make the jam. Also make my own yoghurt and a banana loaf from some squishy bananas.

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    1. Glad it is cooler for you.
      Mmmm the jelly sounds yummy. I haven't made yogurt yet - may need to try that someday. I have bunches of bananas in the freezer - maybe some banana choc.chip bread.

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  6. Cheryl, that you for a another motivational post. I always check your posts each day. I do need prayers now as my Mom is in a nursing home and on hospice and we are not allowed in to see her. Please pray we can except this and leave it in the Lord's hands. So frustrating. I have followed you a very long time but usually do not comment. Thank you.

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    1. Thank you. Judy prayers for you and your family. I know how upsetting this has to be for you. Remember she is in God's hands and He is holding her gently until she goes Home. When that happens may her transition be peaceful. God has you as well. I am so sorry for everyone going through this with loved ones. My MIL passed at the end of June and no one could go see her for months. It is so hard. Hugs and prayers.

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  7. Your cherry tomatoes are loaded, Cheryl. That's great. You have me wanting some koolaid today. I have tropical fruit punch and lemonade. Decisions, decisions. :)

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    1. I love Kool-Aid - I fix it about every week. Grape is my favorite - but I have punch and orange as well!
      I went out and picked a big old serving bowl full on cherry toms this AM. I eat them like candy!

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  8. So you worry about the animals too. We didn't see any squirrels for long. I was very sad but now they've come again. Love watching animals.

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    1. Yes mam. Went through this last summer, so not as worried this year. I think they find a different source of food and use it till it's gone and then come back. Picky little farts!!!!
      I love watching the animals so much.

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  9. Since March 4th, I have been off the property exactly 3 times. 1. Emergency trip to vet with the cat, 2. go to vote 3. Meeting with accountant. I have NO DESIRE to mingle with John Q. Public. My husband is the "gopher"! We've got squirrels in the yard for the first time in 30 yrs. Always had a lot of outdoor cats - still do, but now the cats are getting up in age and I don't think they can run as fast as the squirrels now! LOL! We also have possums, a mama raccoon and her three babies and a fox visit the porches checking to see if the cats left them any tidbits!

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    1. I have gotten out more than that - but not real often.
      The squirrels are so much fun to watch - I love seeing them run and play. My cats grew up with squirrels and have never bothered them or really any animals except mice and small birds!
      I have the occasional possum, racoon, and groundhog - thank goodness no foxes! I quite leaving food out after dark. Kitties just have to wait for breakfast!
      Your house sounds like mine - the zoo!

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  10. You always find productive and fun things to do. Sometimes it's kind of nice to stay put and not move the car from the driveway. August always seems like a bad time for allergies and then again in October, at least for me. Ugh! Makes a person feel yucky all over. Rose moss is one of my favorite flowers. Such pretty colors. You do have a far amount of wildlife come to visit! We worked outside this morning, until it got too hot. Fixed fried green tomatoes to go with the fresh green beans and potatoes for lunch.

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    1. Well, the house doesn't get messed up and not many dishes to do - so I do other things!
      Allergies usually get me spring and fall - this is early for me and it hit hard.
      Oh my goodness, your meal sounds yummy. Love me some fried green tomatoes!

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  11. My life is still spent on my rear most of the time! I hobble more but my knee does this herky jerky thing that makes me not trust it! I'm now able to tidy and clean at waist level. Nothing on the floor or too high. That helps a lot since my husband is back to work FT...for now. Im sorta expecting them to be working from home again. Just a hunch.

    I'm working on a new budget to meet some changes. We desperately need a new sofa. This one is old and far too long for this house. We also need living room drapes but now I know that we need the big blocking kind due to the southwestern exposure that's roasting us like chickens!!

    I'm also sewing gifts for Christmas. That's ongoing. I'm still working on a dollhouse to be auctioned for charity. And still moving the craft room from the basement to main level.

    My weeds are taking over!! It's so frustrating to watch them just grow and grow! With all the mowing- 1/3 acre with a push mower, hubs is just spent when he's done so I can't bear to ask him to pull weeds. He's also farming instead of just picking our cherry tomatoes! They're going crazy and take a lot of time to pick every day. Our cukes have been rare and stumpy.

    My friends in Cali have been heat suffering and I just heard that we'll be getting it by the weekend. Boooo!!

    Meals last week... Hmm... Bbq burgers, breakfast, taco salads, chili dogs, chicken salsa tacos, and bbq pork sandwiches.

    Have a good weekend!!

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    1. I hate that you still can't get out and do stuff you want to do. We have another reader here (and a good friend) that went through similar only her hip - for a long while. She was so happy to get back to normal moving.
      Same here - cherry toms going nuts and cukes are meh!

      Your meals sound like my kind of meals.
      Have a good one.

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