Sunday, August 22, 2021

Weekly Wrap-Up 8/22

 Happy Sunday to all.  I hope this finds everyone safe and well.
All good here - except the heat is on AGAIN!  Yes it is.  We had a couple of really great days to start the week - nice and cool - then BOOM, back came the heat and humidity.  This coming week is predicted to be some of the hottest of the season.  UGH!  Not a fan, but it isn't snowing and freezing, so I am good!
We have had an extremely dry 30+ days - some of the driest weather reported in decades.  Thursday evening we got a chance of one of the very spotty downpours that happen around here.  It rain almost 2" in a very short time.  The ground sure drank it up.  Friday we got a brief shower.  So thankful for what we got - it was really needed and appreciated.

My week:
  • I emptied and washed the canister set (Tupperware).  I don't do that often and it needed a nice cleaning.  I soaked and scoured the can opener as well.  Just those little things that we do randomly!
  • I got to have the AC OFF on Sunday and Monday - windows open and fresh air enjoyed!
  • I dropped  off the Blazer load of donations to the thrift store.  It sure looked like everyone has been doing the same.  The store was so packed full of product.  They always get bread from area grocers and it is FREE to anyone who wants it (they had lots).  I got a 6 pack of blueberry bagels and a 12 pack of hoagie buns all for FREE.  Repackaged the buns and froze most.
  • While out I ran up the road from thrift store to the feed store and got supplies.  This is the only time I left the property this week!
  • Doing all the normal stuff - deep vacuum, cleaning, continuing to declutter, laundry in cold, eating from home and using what I have
  • Harvesting POUNDS of tomatoes.  I haven't had such a good crop of tomatoes in many years.  They are really producing and they are so pretty.  I picked almost 50 pounds just this week.
                              This baby weighed in at 1 1/2 lbs.  The biggest one so far. 
  • I canned 14 pints of salsa.  I canned 7 pints of spaghetti sauce.  I can use that for pizza sauce as well.  Still more to do.
  • I tried my hand at fermenting.  I am anxious to see how it turns out.  I have made kraut for years - but never tried anything else.  From what I understand you can ferment about anything you want.  I did some mixed veggies.  We'll see - I will keep you posted.
                                  They sure look pretty.  It is just using a salt water brine.
  • Dehydrated the tomato peels to grind for tomato powder
  • I talked myself out of going to the store literally every day this week!  I don't need anything - and if I went I would just spend.  Talked myself down!!!
  • Trimmed the straggly looking pieces on the back bushes
  • I got a sweet tooth and wanted something different.  I made myself some "ice milk" of sorts.  I used frozen fruit, a can of evaporated milk, couple packs of Truvia, a splash of vanilla and s few ice cubes.  Put it in the Ninja till smooth.  YUM - It made about 8 cups worth.  Enough for a few days of snacks.  I made pineapple/banana!!!!!
           A cool and tasty treat for sure.  Topped with chocolate - how could it be bad?!!  LOL

My grapes are starting to get ready.  I picked a few to taste this past week and my goodness they are good.  I imagine I will be harvesting a lot in the next couple weeks!  Grape jelly will be in the plan.  
Tomatoes are still going strong - don't see any let up there for a while.  My neighbors are sure enjoying eating "real" tomatoes as well!!!

Meals this past week:
Chopped beef burger with fried onions, sauteed zucchini and sliced tomato
Fried green tomato and bacon sandwich, chips
Homemade subway type sandwich (w/free buns)
Tomato/onion/zoodle salad and fried chicken legs (from freezer)  made zucchini type 'noodles' strips
Bean/cheese burrito topped with salad
Chicken tender hoagie and sliced tomatoes
Tomato and bologna sandwich - YUM - a summer favorite for me!!!!
SNACKS - peanut butter on crackers, beef stick and cheese on crackers, blueberry bagels, ice milk

How has your week been?  Any canning or freezing?  Did you find any deals this week?
I love hearing from everyone.  We sure do share ideas and support one another.  I just love it.
I hope you are able to stay cool.  Prayers for all in the areas that are having fires and dry weather and those in areas of flooding.  So much diverse weather going on.
STAY SAFE

Prayers for everyone for health and safety.  Stay safe, stay well.
Blessings from my humble little home to you and yours.


Pleasant words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body,
Proverbs 16:24

Lord help us be kind and helpful to others.  Help us spread positive words and not fear.  
Amen


21 comments:

  1. Really love to get the rolls free and to get so many jobs done on one trip. It is nice hearing about all your tomatoes. In a couple of weeks I can start planting! I am looking forward to it now. Planning is half the fun of gardening. I am going to plant the biggest garden I have ever had. No canning and just air drying some Bay Leaves at the moment. Have a good new week. My brother came by he said Make Hay while the Sun Shines... which is what I always say! So that is what I am doing.xxx

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    1. I love that saying - and how true it is.
      I always forget we are on opposite schedules. I hope you have a great gardening year.
      You have a great week as well.

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  2. Free bread at the thrift store is a terrific deal! I think most of our goes to the local food banks, which is also a good cause. Love your tomatoes! This has been a good year for them.

    After nearly 6 in. of rain the previous week, we were visited by the remains of Hurricane Fred for an additional 2 in. this week. Enough already! Now were back to our regularly scheduled very hot and humid.

    The current veggie count: 10 zukes, 11 cukes, and 456 cherry tomatoes.

    Reworked the cage on my tray bird feeder to cover only part of the tray. Although a few doves at a time can still feed, they can't take over the entire tray. Now the cardinals can also use the tray (which the greatly prefer) in addition to the little birds.

    Finished cleaning out my genealogy files. After 25 years of storing Grandma's old files, I finally have a grip on what I have. I also cleaned out my own research files. Gleaned a few parts from two non-working sewing machines and got rid of the carcasses. This completes my clean out for the house. I did one shed last summer. The other shed remains to be done but may not get done this year.

    I left the trailer park only once this week, for a grocery run to Aldi and a couple of things at Costco. I walked around Costco and learned that most of their items are still more expensive per unit than Aldi, since a lot of it is name-brand. Made 50 cents parking lazy people's carts at Aldi.

    While walking down our street to go get the mail on Friday, I misjudged the edge of a pothole and fell, spraining my ankle and skinning my knee. The glasses went flying. It looks like I won't be walking to get the mail any more. It's just too dangerous going downhill with the potholes and rocks and debris in the road. Husband and I agreed that it would be better if I walked at the local walking trail, even though I have to drive to get there. I haven't been there in a year-and-a-half because it got so crowded with people with very poor trail etiquette. I'm going to try to get there 3-4 times a week once the ankle heals.

    Staying home this week unless my library books come in. I'm trying our local library again, since they have a new director and are more adult-oriented again. I quit going there when they let the children run wild.

    Dinner in the crock pot will be hamburger stroganoff. I'm making a jello & coolwhip pie for desserts. Not very nutritious, but nice and cold for the hot weather.

    Hope everyone has a safe and frugal week!

    ReplyDelete
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    1. Your little garden has done really well.
      Hey, now that you are done at your house - come for a visit to mine! LOL. I could use the help.

      What are we going to do with yo and your falling? Goodness sakes. Thank goodness you didn't break anything and didn't hurt that wrist again. Take care of yourself.

      Your pie sounds tasty! Sometimes cool desserts are worth it - not being healthy.
      Take care of yourself

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    2. If I lived closer, I'd come help. Of course, some of your junk would probably come home with me LOL!
      I wonder if the falling is partially due to wearing no-line bifocals after over 40 years of contact lenses. You'd think I'd be used to them by now. I fell in the street (stepped on a rock) a year ago July, fell on black ice in Feb, fell on a slippery, wet floor in Aldi in May (couldn't see it was wet and wasn't marked), and now. I've always been clumsy, but this is ridiculous.

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    3. Bless your heart. You worry me. It could have something to do with that - things do look different with bifocals.
      I used to say I was an accident waiting to happen..........but!
      I have always tripped over things that weren't there and walked into walls that have been there forever.
      Be EXTRA careful!!!!!!

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  3. Your week sounded productive and pleasant. The free bread while dropping off at the thrift store..cha-ching!
    We are probably 85 miles south of you. People around us got much more rain this week. We got 2/10 inch but still grateful but needing more. Husband has been watering. This week I put up some of our peaches, froze peppers and shelled dry beans. Husband canned tomato juice and pasta sauce. Eating lots from the garden..the sweet corn is very yummy! Husband dug our taters and they are so nice this year.
    On the table this week, Spanish Rice, Brisket, Fish Tacos, Sausages, many fresh veggies, watermelon, cantaloupe and peaches.Goodness, we are so blessed!
    Can really tell a difference in the amount of daylight now. I already miss the morning light as we are early risers. So goes the seasons, as it is meant to be.

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    1. It is amazing how sporadic the rain has been. Some areas a lot - others a few miles away none. Usually am in the none area - so was pleasantly surprised this week.
      Daylight has changed a lot. It is now still kind of dark when I go out to feed the cats. It was light before. I love the longer daylight hours.

      Aren't all the fresh goodies just wonderful? Sounds like are really reaping a great harvest. My brother does the canning at his house as well. I love that guys do that stuff.

      Your menu sounds so good. Yes mam, we are blessed! So many just don't get it!
      Have a nice week.

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  4. Wishing you a blessed Sunday! I don't know where the week went, but I didn't get anything I wanted done. Still struggling with motivation, and I need to "get back on the horse" so to speak. No grocery shopping, a couple of events out with some of my gal pals, and lots of left-overs for meals. My grocery list is getting longer, and I didn't make it to the store -- hoping to start seeing some good sales. I did pick up another peck of Roma tomatoes and will be cooking up some spaghetti sauce to can. Still hoping I can get some peaches (the place I went to for tomatoes does not carry any fruit, only what they produce on their farm, and I didn't see any at the other stands along the way; know where I can get them, but it's a bit farther than I wanted to travel that day, next time). Planning my week and am going to get back on the housekeeping bandwagon.

    ReplyDelete
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    1. Some weeks are just like that. I was busy only because I didn't want food to go to waste. Staying home is OK. You will get caught up.
      No orchards around? Bummer! I hope you find your peaches.
      Take care and hope you giddy up back!!!!!!

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  5. Your ice milk sounds delicious, Cheryl. Do you like the taste of Truvia? I haven't tried it before and just wondered. I', so glad you were able to get some much needed rain. we had a lot this week. That is one huge tomato, I'd say it will taste great!

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    1. I do like it - it doesn't taste as sweet as most artificial sweeteners. Truvia and Stevia are both my go to's.
      I was thrilled with the rain. I heard your area got hit hard!
      Yep - one yummy bite or two of goodness!!!!! LOL
      Have a good one.

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  6. You got a lot done this past week. I love your not shopping. I try to only go once a week if that.

    We have had a couple of days of rain here this week and the garden is loving it.

    God bless.

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    1. I didn't feel that accomplished, but I guess I did OK. I think the more we stay home the better. It sure is safer!!!
      Glad you got some rain.
      Blessings

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  7. Wow - that is an amazing amount of tomatoes. Yum! I pickled 8 batches of Serrano peppers today, & now feel like I might need a nap. :-)

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    1. They have been ripening and every day I pick. YAY on the peppers. That is a lot!!!!! You deserve a nap,

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  8. That is quite a haul to the thrift store! I need to see what can go out of here. We did several drop-offs this past year so there may not be much. No basement so no extra stuff.

    That's quite a 'mater! Indiana tomatoes are the best. You got quite a bit of canning done. Miss Linda M. mentioned melons. Southern Indiana melons are usually excellent. When my daughter's housemate was alive he made a daily run down to Vincennes and brought back lots of melons. Our cucumbers are done but the zucchini is still blooming. We have one more bed of green beans that should be ready sometime next month. Looks like we will have tomatoes for quite a while yet.

    It is still 88 degrees at 8:20 this evening. If I do anything outdoors, it has to be in the mornings. Can't believe it is almost September.

    Beautiful Scripture and prayer! Blessings for you and your fur babies!

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    1. Yes, our fresh melons are always wonderful. So sweet and juicy. This has been a good year for my tomatoes.
      I think my cucumbers are probably done as well - the heat just did them in. Yet they are getting new growth - we'll see.

      You saying September just hit me. Wow, it is almost here. Crazy. It has been hot. UGH
      Thanks - have a good one.

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  9. Years ago, I used the cheapest shampoo there was, but now I try to treat my hair a little better and use a color fast type of shampoo, as advised by my hairdresser. When I first started buying it at a Beauty Supply store, and I was stunned at the cost. I can't remember exactly but I think around $40 a bottle. I finally started checking other places and Target and Amazon sell it for around $30. Better.

    Yesterday I was returning something to Penney's and as I was waiting in line I saw they had my shampoo for $20 a bottle. I have absolutely no idea why Penney's would be selling shampoo. I could not figure it out, but I snapped up two bottles as that was a $20 savings. That was my big save this week.

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    1. WOW - 2 for the price of one! What a find for you. That is pretty costly - I sure hope it lasts a while.
      We all have our splurges and self care is important!
      Have a great week

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  10. Your ice cream treat is like a banana split! ;p. Yummy! Doncha love it when inspiration hits like that? 50 lbs. of home grown tomatoes -- Girl, you are speakin' my language!! And you've already dried the skins?...you've been a busy girl. Home grown grapes and grape jelly? Wow, what a bounty! I was thinking lately of the Bible verse: "Observe the patience of the farmer" in relation to waiting for Christ's return. But, it really has application to a gardener, too💚 Look at the harvest/bounty you're are reaping after all the hot, hard work.
    I hope you have great success with your pickled vegetables.
    I'm making homemade brioche in our bread maker today. And chicken ala king for din-din.
    Blessings~

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