Sunday, August 8, 2021

Weekly Wrap-Up 8/8

 Happy Sunday to everyone.  Hope all are well and safe at the beginning of this new week.
Life and our days sure are flying by.  
It is back to being HOT!  We had such nice weather for the first part of the week.  I got to have the windows open for several days.  It was glorious.  We have a prediction of showers each day this coming week - but I am not holding my breath.  We are back to dry weather.
It MAY rain in the wee hours of the morning tomorrow (according to radar) - it looks probable for then.  I just hope we don't get bad storms.
Looks like the heat will last for the week, then back to low 80's.  I can really handle the heat - it is the humidity that makes things bad.
According to weatherman - we will lose about an hour more daylight this month!  UGH

I walked out yesterday morning and oh my, the surprise lilies lived up to their name..  I had about  24 stalks pop up with about 4 or more flowers on each.  Beautiful.  (I didn't get a picture).
The cats sure don't like this heat.  Laying in shade under bushes and up by the house foundation to keep cool.  They aren't eating as much in the heat.  I guess if I had to run around in 90* heat & humidity in a fur coat, I wouldn't either!!!
I change water everyday in bowls and birdbaths and boy do the birdies like it.  No more than change it, and they flock to it - drinking and bathing.

                                                       See  it?  They are starting!!!!
My week:
  • Did more yard work and dead heading.  Cleaning more fence rows.  Pulling weeds in flower beds.  Cut back a bunch of spiderwort - so much more to do
  • I used the crockpot for the first time in ages this week and made a very small pork loin.  I gave me 4 different meals
  • Mowed and trimmed
  • Got to have windows open up through Wednesday evening
  • My neighbor brought me some tomatoes and a couple burpless cukes and I gave her zucchini - nice trade!
  • I am now starting to get get ripe tomatoes!!!!  Slowly - but getting one here and there!
  • Been harvesting - zucchini are slowing a bit - not 4/5 a day - just that in a week!  Getting peppers, tomatoes, cukes, onions
  • Froze, dehydrated, traded and ate zucchini
  • Ran to library as a book I requested came in
  • Stopped at CVS while out for library.  They are about a block apart.  I got 2 Vit. C, 2 Tart Cherry and 2 Turmeric B1G1.  Saved $40 and I am stocked for quite a while
  • Found 50 cents in the library parking lot
  • Made a gallon of peach tea.  That sure has been refreshing to drink
  • NO grocery shopping at all.  Needed nothing
  • Doing all the normal things we all do
  • I ran over to a yard sale a neighbor was having yesterday.  Got a couple of deals.  She works for a vet and when they order supplies they let workers order stuff as well.  I got 2 Lysol toilet bowl cleaners for $1 each and 2 - 75oz. bottles of Dawn for $3 each!!!!  My goodness, did I get a deal.  I am set!

Meals for last week:
Taco bowl
Burrito supreme (with leftover taco stuff)
Pork roast, green beans/potato, sliced tomato
BBQ pulled pork sandwich and salad
Veggie/pork stir fry over rice
Pork soft tacos topped with garden veggies
Dirty rice with beans added and a small fried green tomato

I am not really loving all the heat - but I am thankful, as it could be worse.  Some of you have extreme temps right now and I feel so bad for you.  No rain for a while here - but I can water & things are growing - so thankful for that as well.  Probably won't have to mow this week  - so thankful for that.  Getting fresh veggies and loving that.  I get sunny days to enjoy.  I have my babies and all of nature.  Still enjoying seeing the hummingbirds.   Just so much to be thankful for that could be over looked.  It is the little things!   Each day and thing is a blessing.

How has your week been?  What are you harvesting?  Are you managing to stay cool?  Crafting?
I look forward to hearing from you all.
Prayers for each of you for safety and health.
Blessings from my humble little home to yours.


May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.
Romans 15:13

26 comments:

  1. Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers, a peck of pickled peppers, did Peter Piper pick. That's how I'm spending my afternoon, with wide mouth pints and a peck of peppers. Romas are starting and my canning buddy and I are planning on making the run to buy them on Weds. and will then can on Friday. Need to help sister and nephew get his UHaul packed for his trek to college and may the have a little down-time next weekend (or more canning, freestone peaches should be about ready by then).

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    1. LOL - What a week you have ahead! Stocking those shelves with scrumptious goodies! YAY
      I stopped at farm market this AM and got a few peaches. I may have to go the orchard and get more this week.
      Have a great time canning!

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  2. You have been busy this last week. I miss my surprise lilies. I liked to leave them in the yard, but one stalk and babies breath made a lovely sight in front of the lace curtains in the den. It took my breath away to see it. Don't get too hot!

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    1. They sure a delicate flowers. Such a pretty color and dainty looking.
      I will try to stay cool. Stay safe!

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  3. OMG, what a great deal you got at your neighbors yard sale! Woo Hoo!

    Our cats like to stay in the shade too when it’s so hot. They like to lay on the ground where we have watered the tomatoes too.

    Your Pork Roast sounds good. Getting four meals out of one roast is a real money stretching savings.

    Nice trade with your neighbor on the garden produce.

    I hope you have a lovely Sunday, Cheryl.

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    1. Deal I did get!!!!
      My cats used to lay under the tomatoes in the garden - now they move from place to place.
      It was a very small roast but it sure was good.
      Have a good one.

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  4. Good morning, Yes it's going to be a hot one out here this coming week. But I'm hoping to get more zucchini and tomatoes. Mostly giving them away but glad to do it. We have tons of grapes, giving them away also.

    Yesterday in the craft room I mended a spot on Hubby's shorts, fixed a piece that came of the inside of a clock and now it works again! Yay. Also cut out some ribbon cards and wound some ribbon. I also fixed an old pair of sunglasses, I found a small screw to fit, new sunglasses!

    Today we are going to a birthday party they are serving lunch menu, who knows what that is, maybe pizza.

    Anyway, have a great day!

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    1. So nice of you to share your goodies. My grapes haven't gotten ready yet. Can't wait!
      You stayed busy and it sounds eventful! Nice fixes.
      Have fun today and hope you get a nice meal!

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  5. Tomatoes seem to thrive in the heat and humidity...not me, though ;). Poor kitties in the heat...glad they have you to look after them. The same here with the birdies: Mike fills the bird baths multiple times a day, if necessary. There they are drinking and bathing at the same time ;D. We accommodate crows (love them and their antics and various sounds), turtle doves, sparrows, finches...then there are the h'birds, rose-breasted house finches and brilliant yellow/black Orioles. Thru last year's lockdown we really grew to love and appreciate our backyard wildlife. This has blessed us immensely.
    Craft-wise, I've been enjoying making greeting cards and just today made a "Prayer Square" I learned about on Annabel's FB page (from a lady's post). A retired fireman friend has had a double radical mastectomy from all the years being around chemicals. His wife is a dear friend, so I like to keep them reminded we are praying for them.
    Back to the birds...we could not believe how much they ate here yesterday. We both thought they'd be mostly interested in the water, but Mike filled their trays (2 big ones) 3 times!
    Your peach tea sounds good as does your pork roast! And I love your yard sale finds.
    Glad your garden is producing and you can trade goodies with your neighbor :)
    Take care and give my love to your animals❤️
    Mary in San Diego

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  6. The heat is back here too. Nineties for all this week and then back to the eighties just like you. We had the best weekend with our oldest son's family and three of our grandchildren. We save a little money each month so we can take family out to eat when they are in town. The budget was quite large after the 2020 year of no visits so we all went out for Mexican food and had so much fun last night. This morning I told my husband that the $96 we spent was worth $500 in fun and memories for us and that is what the budget is for. We got a number of freebies at the grocery store and other deals. We had two trees taken down the were almost dead and leaning over our shed. Win, win since the trees are gone and the shed and contents are now safe. We paid the grandchildren to clean up all the sticks and downed branches in the yard. They were happy to have money in their pockets and we are happy to have a nice clean yard. My husband bought a steel drum for $15 off a listing on Facebook marketplace to make a burn barrel. This will hep keep the debris pile in check. I am hoping to get up the road to the NC mountains this week to get some produce for great prices that I am seeing on the Marketplace. Right now we are just tired!

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  7. We've cooled off from the oppressive heat and are just getting slightly above normal temperatures here. Maybe, just maybe, a bit of rain tomorrow or Tuesday (depends on which forecast I look at).

    Your score of detergent and toilet bowl cleaner was terrific. That will definitely last a good amount of time.

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    1. I am glad you are cooling down. I hope you get some rain. Same here - just depends on which weather you watch!
      I was so happy - that will last me for ages. I already had TB cleaner - but that was too good to pass up!

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  8. Wow those were great deals on that soap.

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  9. I live here in PNW and looks like we will be getting another hot week (high 90s). My garden failed this year, my tomatoes are not producing at all. Your posts are such an inspiration:) Take care!

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    1. So sorry you had garden fail this year. I hope you can find some wonderful freshness some where.
      Thank you so much. Try and stay cool.

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  10. Glad to see your post, only 3 days but I was worried about you!
    We have had some cooler weather here after a good rain. I can't wait for fall. Went and did a grocery shop, added a bunch to my pantry, canned goods, pastas, rice, beans, flour, sugar, yeast, paper goods and dog food. I am worried about another lock down. I have already stocked the freezers with meat from very good sales. I am vaccinated but it seems that is not enough at this point. I did not have a garden this year but have been looking to my son and his friends to build me some raised beds for next year.I sure did miss it but had a hip replacement early spring so could not get our there this year. Hope you are well, I know being alone can be hard so it is good to be able to stay busy. Baking bread this afternoon.
    Thanks for keeping us all inspired to keep on keeping on!



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    1. Sunday, Tues., Wed. and Thurs. are my normal post days. I answer most every day. Thanks for worrying about me! How sweet.
      Glad you are stocked up. It is never a BAD idea - you just never know what can happen.
      I hope you get some raised beds made - that will be great. Home made bread sounds yummy.
      I have talked with lots of neighbors and family this week - which was nice.
      So happy to have you here. We all work together and I love it.

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  11. Hot and humid here, too. Watched a number of rain storms pass us by. Ran out of rain barrel water and am having to use city water for the gardens. So far this season I have picked 6 zukes, 6 cukes, and 221 cherry tomatoes. Found another volunteer tomato plant today hiding behind the cosmos. I'm giving away extra cucumbers and I'll be freezing the excess tomatoes for use in cooking later. Not too bad for someone who wasn't supposed to be able to garden this year! Not that the wrist doesn't bother me at times, but the strength is mostly back.
    Best deal of the week was 12 pairs of ladies socks left at the mail station with a lot of other yard sale leftovers. 10 pairs of the socks are brand new, but 2 have been washed and appear to have shrunk. I won't be putting them in the dryer, so they should work for me.
    I've been busy the past week with lots of errands and things at home. I try to get out early in the morning and do a little garden work (deadheading, weeding, cutting back, etc.). Then a little housework before it gets too hot. Quilting in the afternoon. In the evening I am going through my genealogy files and tubs of documents and trying to weed out duplicates and dead ends. Sure makes me miss my grandparents. They got me started over 40 years ago. I inherited my grandmothers records.
    I took a number of bags of fabric to the Salvation Army drop box for donation. Went through my music CDs and found a number to donate for the library book sale. Reading library books, but want to get them all back to the library before we get shut down again. Keeping the house at 80 deg. and using the A/C as little as possible. Drinking lots of water (filtered tap). Bought only perishables at Aldi. Their prices on produce had risen, even on items that are in season.
    You got a great deal on the toilet cleaner and dish soap! I checked out Dollar Tree after reading the post earlier this week, but didn't find anything I wanted.
    Lots of birds at our feeding station. Also have a darn squirrel I'd like to get rid of. I have to take in the tray feeder when she shows up. The female ruby-throated hummingbird loves the butterfly bush, zinnias, and mexican sunflowers in our front flower bed.
    Hope everyone has a safe and frugal week with rain for those who need it.

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    1. Shew, I am tired now! LOL You accomplished a lot.
      so happy you are getting fresh produce from your garden. You sure showed them with your little garden.
      How wonderful on all the free socks. What a find.
      I need to go through genealogy stuff as well. I have stuff (reference books) I will never use again - now that we have computers. Need to clean up my files too.
      Sorry the squirrel is getting your birdseed. Those little hummies sure are fun to watch.
      Have a great week.

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  12. Hot, hot, hot here as well. I am hoping the rain that is predicted actually happens tomorrow. We could use a lowering of the temperatures. Only bad thing about that is I would have to hang things on the lines downstairs to dry...causes some humidity in the basement.

    As far as harvesting is concerned around here it has been tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers and the occasional onion or potato plant as well as herbs.

    God bless.

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    1. There sure is a lot of heat out there. I guess it is to be expected, it is August. But that humidity - UGH. So sorry you are experiencing it.
      Enjoy those veggies.
      Blessings

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  13. It sure did turn hot again! Ole Jim needs to do something about that...ha! We have been watering but not the same as rain.

    You got a great buy on cleaning supplies! That is always welcome.

    Spiderwort is the bane of my garden, along with all the thistles, wild sweet potato vine and the ever present dandelions, oh and creeping Charlie. We also have volunteer tomato plants in several places in the backyard. Dug a hill of potatoes so we'd have some for our lunch. The first ones I dug were leftover potatoes that were beginning to rot, the Urban Farmer planted them and voila, free taters. We are overrun with Mr. Stripy tomatoes. He started seeds in the garage "greenhouse" and the plants have really gone to town. Going to make salsa with the abundance of cherry, grape and pear tomatoes. Will add jalapenos from the garden for the Urban Farmer's portion. They are hot this year.

    Kitties are the doing the best they can to stay cool. I doubt if they would like a wading pool.

    My mother always had surprise lilies. They are such a pretty color.

    Romans is chock full of good stuff...well, it's all good! I love reading that the Jews will be gathered back to Israel.

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    1. Yeah, old Jim and that radar fibbed again. No rain here early this morning as promised.
      Sounds like you are getting lots of goodies from the garden. I did some old potatoes last year and got quite a few for my efforts.
      No kitties don't like water on them. as long as they drink and stay in shade - they will be ok.
      I love the delicate color of the lilies as well.
      Have a good week.

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  14. Wow you scored on that blue Dawn. I love that stuff and use it for cleaning everything. That's gonna last you awhile. It's hot here for a couple more days then we get into the low 90's with rain. We had a hazy weekend with all the smoke from the CA wildfires. We couldn't even see our mountains. Our rain should clear it out this week. I wish CA would get some rain but it doesn't look likely anytime soon. Gotta feel for them. Blessings to you too.

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    1. I use Dawn for everything as well. I was telling my neighbor that - and she looked at me like I was crazy. Told her many things I use it for and she she had never heard of that!!!!! I was amazed.
      That smoke has to be awful - I hope you get some clearing. It sure is dry in CA and has been for so many years. Too many people as well. Something has to give soon. They just can't keep surviving that way. Sad.
      Have a great week

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