What a whirlwind week. It seemed I spent much of it playing nursemaid! That's OK - it all worked out.
I hope you are all well and safe on this Sunday.
It is a cloudy and damp morning - supposedly clearing later today. It has cooled a lot as well. We had some very hot days this past week. Rain, yep more of that. I guess some areas in my state had horrible weather yesterday and maybe even a tornado. It wasn't all that far away. Thankfully, I just had some rain. It looks like this next week will be nicer temps - and not so hot.
Flowers are all blooming, grass is green, and birdies are all chirping and happy. I still do not have the garden in!!! Hoping that all happens before the sun sets tomorrow!
I do love this time of the year!
Fluff is FREE now and out of jail. She is a much happier kitty! I have my sweet kitty family all back together. She is feeling so much better and back to normal. Blackie has a cold, so I am doctoring him too! I use liquid children's Benadryl. It is always something!!!!!!!
This week:
- Of course the emergency vet was not a frugal thing. That is ok - that is why I try to save. When emergencies happen, they can be taken care of.
- I got to mow and trim
- Made a run out to get special 'soft' treats for Fluff. I showed you the peppers I got cheaply - I didn't show everything. I got a head of cauliflower in the .99 clearance. Got a tub of red leaf lettuce on clearance 1.49. I also got a large veggie party platter marked down to 3.49! It had broccoli, cherry toms, baby carrots, sugar snap peas and peppers. 6 cans of Blue cat food on clearance - I have never bought that before. I also bought myself 2 hanging baskets while at Kroger
- I ran the route while out - did a bank run and got my cash for the entire summer
- Stopped at Ollie's as well. They had an ad a couple weeks ago - with sale prices on indoor paint. I stopped and found a paint/primer mix just the right color for an accent wall in my living room for 14.99!
- Stopped at the garden/feed store and got a few garden plants. Got some more corn for the squirrels
- Topped off the gas tank (only needed 1/4 tank) -trying to keep it full
- I sliced, bagged and froze the sausage I bought last week
- I repacked the veggie tray items. Lots of goodies. Been eating the sugar snap peas like candy!!! Man, I love those things
- Using leftovers in new ways - nothing going to waste
- Used up crumbs from the bottom of a bag of cheesy tortilla chips as a binder when making tuna patties
- Picked many bouquets - the house sells so pretty!
- Pulled weeds - as time and temps allowed. They are easy to pull with the ground wet!
- Put together a refill on shampoo and one of dish soap (watered down/& vinegar)
- Just doing all the normal stuff we all do
Meals this past week:
Fish sandwich and fresh veggies
Enchiladas
Egg sandwich and fresh salad
Baked potato topped with leftover enchilada filling
Chopped steak burger with peppers and mushrooms over rice
BIG salad
Tuna patty, leftover rice with broccoli and cheese added
SNACKS - lots of fruit and fresh veggies w/dip, yogurt
How was your week? Any deals? Gardening? What is going on in your neck of the woods?
I hope this finds everyone well and I wish a wonderful week ahead.
Blessings from my humble little home to you and yours.
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let all men know your forbearance. The Lord is at hand. Have no anxiety about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made know to God. And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, will keep your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:4-7
AMEN
YES! Gardening! I planted my 2 cherry tomatoes, 3 lemon cucumbers, 9 eggplant and 15 peppers-a big variety! I utilized 2 wheelbarrows of compost from the heap in the back corner of the yard.
ReplyDeleteToday? More planting. It is time to empty my little portable greenhouse as there is no forecasted frost in the next 14 days and it will be 90 on Thursday----they think ;-) I have 19 more tomato plants, 30 brussel sprouts, a bunch of swiss chard that sprouted and then all the marigolds for the best insect repellant ever! And petunias and short dahlias to finish off the annual planting.
So yes, my life is about gardening this weekend. I've also been walking daily (avg 5+ miles), working on quilts and making meals to consume the HUGE CSA share we're getting right now. 1 more meal and the share from May 12 will be gone. And May 19 was huge too. It included 2 huge bunches of asparagus which I dearly love as well as enough lettuce for 6 huge salads. So I think I'll have to blanch/freeze the asparagus for winter since the lettuce isn't really preserve fodder ;-) Sigh, 1st world problem right? Too much food! But oh do I love fresh local food and supporting my local farmers so preserve I will!
Happy Sunday everyone :-)
You go gal!!!!! Sounds like a wonderfully productive week at your house. I went earlier and pulled tons of weeds from the perennial bed. It is jam packed with flower plants - but so much creeping Charlie and poison ivy grow through there. UGH!
DeleteYou CSA sounds like it has been a wonderful blessing. That is fantastic. I love hearing about all your goodies you get!
Yes, what a problem to have - too much food. Goodness, we are blessed.
Have a nice day!
I have almost my garden finished. One more day will do. Then just keeping the weeds away. I got gift voucher for a garden centre. I bought compost to dress the flower beds.
ReplyDeleteDidnt sleep well last night. My friend messagevto say she has broken her femur as she fell down the stairs.
Hope your qeek will be good xx
YAY on almost being done planting! That is great. Weeds are a never ending problem.
DeleteSo sorry for your friend. Prayers for a speedy recovery!
Have as great week.
Sending up a prayer for your friend, Sylvia.
DeleteMeant week
ReplyDeleteHappy Sunday! Can I just say I envy those who are planning and planting their gardens this year? I love reading about all your efforts.
ReplyDeleteIt has been a busy week. If all goes well, the county will sign off on our home for occupancy this week and we can plan our move in. Hubby has been out there busily working to put in paver walkways; 8 tons of AB gravel will be delivered on Wednesday. Doing the work himself will save lots of $$.
As for bargains this week, thrift stores have been my happy place. There was turned wood floor lamp (mid century styling with new shade) for $15, and an oak end table that matches what we have in the storage unit (the set has traveled many hundreds of miles over the years) for $8. I also found a big, deep fryer with lid in the cookware I collect at an antique shop. It's older than me and will outlive me. They just don't make 'em like that anymore.
Blessings to you and your readers, Cheryl. --Elise
Screaming halleluiah for you!!!!!!!! I sure hope the sign-off happens and you can get busy moving and finally getting all settled!!!!!! Tell your hubby just to not over do it to save $.
DeleteHow neat on the items you found at the thrift shops. I think it is so neat that you are using what you have and some tenderly loved objects as well. That sounds perfect.
Quality back in the day was superb!!!
Have a great one!
Our weather was all over the place, from highs in the 50s to the 90s. Rain seemed mostly to split up and go around us, but we did get some. Yesterday was so hot that I shaded the peas and veggie seedlings with old sheets. A cold front is coming through today.
ReplyDeleteI baked on the cool days. Made chocolate/chocolate chip cookies for desserts now and pineapple bread and two loaves of applesauce raisin bread for the freezer. Dug some applesauce cranberry bread from last Nov. out of the freezer for my desserts.
Crock potted 2-1/2 lbs of chicken breast last weekend and we had chicken, mashed potatoes & gravy for a couple of meals, and I made myself a chicken burrito for another supper. Froze 2/3 of the chicken for later. Also had salmon patties with potato salad (Aldi has good mustard potato salad.) Yesterday was so hot that I made Husband a roast beef sandwich and myself turkey & provolone w/tomato on an everything bagel with onion & chives cream cheese. This week will be pizza, tuna noodle casserole, and sloppy joe served in pitas for me and in a bowl for Husband.
As I mentioned last week, I installed 7 new window blinds in my bedroom and the living room. They are making a difference already in the comfort of those rooms. I also had 2 more tucked way back in the closet that I had bought to replace broken blinds in Husband's room and the living room, so I installed those, too. With the electric bills going up 20% next month, I want to keep the house as cool as possible, though we did end up running the A/C a couple of cycles yesterday afternoon.
The garden is doing well. Onions, beets, spinach, peas and carrots are up. The plants in the house are getting leggy, but I'm waiting for them to get a couple sets of leaves before I plant outdoors. I weeded the front flower bed and need to get some seeds in. I cut my butterfly bush back to the ground. It took a real hit last winter and looks dead except for a little green at the base. I can't seem to keep one alive for more than a few years, but hey are so pretty and really attract the butterflies and hummingbirds.
Had my annual eye exam and learned I have "moderate" cataracts. Explains why I've been having more trouble matching colors. I'm hoping they will not have to be removed before I get on Medicare in 3-1/2 years.
DeleteFinished reading "War and Peace". Was boring to the bitter end. Read another book about the people of Siberia. Somewhat interesting since it was written in 1969 and presents a glimpse into life there in the USSR. Now I am reading "Crusader" by Tim Severin. It is a travelogue of his recreation of travel during the first Crusade to the Holy Land in the 11th century.
Frugalwise: Hung out laundry
Rainwater for plant watering
Found a screw carbiner, a little washer, and a penny while picking up trash on the walking trail
Re-sprouting green onions that were in the food box
Picked up free flowers at the park office
Shopped the local grocery which is usually 30% higher than Aldi, but they had some good sale prices this week. Got 9 jars of chicken gravy 3/$5, brown eggs $2.50/dz, a 6-pack of root beer for $3.99 (for root beer floats this summer), 2 qts of lactose-free ice cream $3.99/ea, and cream cheese spread $1.99/ea. These may not seem like good prices in some parts of the country, but they are here.
Frances, would you mind sharing the title of the book about the people of Siberia? Thank you. --Elise
DeleteFrances, I am tired now! You always get so much done.
DeleteYour meals sound wonderful.
That is wonderful that the blinds are helping. Everything sems to be going up, so all those great tricks that safe even a little is great.
Sounds like the garden is going to be a grand success. You will really benefit from it this summer.
I can't believe you read the whole thing!!!!!!!! LOL
You really have to watch the sales. Many times the smaller stores or the ones you don't often shop an have some great deals. You did good. Root beer floats are always a refreshing summer treat! I think the prices sound good.
Hope you have a continued good week.
"The Siberians" by Farley Mowat. It's available at abebooks(dot)com for under $5.
DeleteCheryl, root beer floats are Husband's special summer treat since he has given up his annual 4-pak of Guinness.
DeleteNormally I wouldn't finish a boring book, but I wanted bragging rights that I had read "War and Peace".
LOL - I get it on the bragging rights!
DeleteAaahhh - well the root beer floats sound better any way!
Thanks for the book title
DeleteNo gardening here yet, not only did I just get home, but we had a frost advisory last night. I'll pick up plants at the nursery in the next week or so to harden off before I plant in early June.
ReplyDeleteThings have not been thrifty either. Sigh.
I am glad you are home safely. It sure looked like you were enjoying that trip!!!! A trip of a lifetime. Your pictures were neat - look forward to seeing more.
DeleteI hope you get settled and then can start thinking about gardening!
Glad to have you back.
Potted up 8 tomato plants into large pots to go in our garden. Would say you can't eat flowers but after reading one of your posts..... you can. Tomorrow we are going to pot up some yolo wonder peppers at our allotment. Our broad beans will be ready to pick soon, one of my favourite veg.
ReplyDeleteMy granddaughter and I brought Covid back from our mini cruise (which we enjoyed) and we shared it with hubbie so we are all still coughing well.
Sadly my godfather died this morning. He was 92 and lived life to its full with lots of foreign travel. We used to spend holidays (in the UK) with him and his Mum, she was a lovely lady. He had been in hospital for a month but just slipped peacefully away.
Glad your kitty is better and back with her family. Hope you have a good week
First I am so sorry for your loss. It is nice to remember that he lived a full and exciting life.
DeleteSorry you all brought back C. Hope you are all on the mend. Glad to hear the trip was enjoyable.
Sure, we can eat flowers - but I think we all prefer veggies! I haven't had broad beans in years.
Thank you and you as well.
I cooked two packages of ground beef to freeze for future meals. I also baked bscb and pork roast. We ate part of the pork roast and froze the rest. Same with the chicken. Tonight we will eat part, save part for next week. A portion is in the freezer. Even though we have not eaten those, today I am cooking ground pork for taco casserole and three turkey legs marinated.
ReplyDeleteTommy is keeping my Mother's Day flowers watered so I don't lose them. Because of my allergies, I cannot bring flowers inside. Something eats my vegetables in my garden, so none of that will happen.
Sounds like you have been busy in the kitchen! Nice to have food cooked ahead.
DeleteSorry you can't have any veggie plants. Glad Tommy is keeping your flowers pretty!
No gardening here either too hot, too windy, too dry and I am jealous of those of you that can. Last year I had 1 tomato plant and got 5 tiny tomatoes and it wasn’t that kind of tomato plant. Decided again getting mini split A/C units and have no idea how to get it to cool down so we can sleep. All the traditional ways don’t work in the high country desert. Sending Chris off to work in Aspen with chicken tenders and hard boiled eggs to help cut down on groceries to buy. He is very good about not eating out when working away from home and for that I am grateful. I eat pb toast and soup while he’s gone as ti save on groceries. A customer of his sent him home with a dozen fresh eggs, asparagus from her garden and 2lbs of grass fed beef this week, all were yummy!
ReplyDeleteThis week a new roof is getting started but we rent from MIL so it’s her bill to deal with. Thankfully, I hope to never own another house with expensive as things are even with my discounts since I manage a lumberyard.
So sorry you are dealing with those temps and the dryness. It would definitely be hard to do any gardening. Maybe you will just need to use farm markets.
DeleteGood on sending lunches. That is a huge expense. You can't get a burger and fries for much less than $10. What a wonderful gift from his customer! All three are expensive - so that is great.
Glad the roof isn't on you! Home repair and maintenance is getting more and more expensive for sure.
Have a good week and glad to have you here.
There's an expensive grocery store near me that I rarely shop. As in never but I stopped there a few months ago probably because my mom wanted to go there. Anyway, they have zero clearance items EXCEPT really good bagels from a local bagel shop. The regular price is 1.25 (I think-- I don't remember exactly--one shop near me charges a $1.50 per bagel!! yikes). On clearance they are 6 for 1.99 which works out to 33 cents each. That's the same or cheaper than 6 at Aldi's and better (in my opinion lol). It's so hard to find pumpernickel bagels even the chain bagel shops don't make them any more but this local shop does. And so I can treat myself occasionally (if they have them on clearance) when I'm near this store.
ReplyDeleteI'm getting a freezer for the garage! I'm so excited. I've been thinking all week what I want to store in it.
Next time I snag some clearance bagels I won't have to limit myself to 6 for lack of freezer space! YAY!
I'm thinking of freezing eggs. I don't use eggs a lot. Maybe a dozen every 2 months unless it's someone's birthday and I need several for a cake. But they are getting pricey and hubs likes a scrambled egg for Saturday morning breakfast. I'm going to look that up tonight. I've heard of dehydrating eggs but that sounds messy.
Going to put a few plants into the garden tomorrow. Weather still not optimal but I have a few that will do ok in the rain coming and cooler temps. Thinking of trying to grow my own flowers from seed. Flowers at the garden shop are so expensive. I tried a long time ago and failed but I've been vegetable gardening long enough now that I'm interested in trying again.
~margaret
That was a great price on the bagels. I have never had pumpernickel. YAY on getting the freezer. Oh, you can take advantage of all kinds of sales.
DeleteGo to the little white block (upper left) on blog and type freezing eggs. I have posted about that a few times. I just put them in muffin tins - 1 per space. Freeze - pop out and bag. It may take setting pan in warm water for a moment to release egg. Super easy.
Good luck with your plants. I hope they all make it and you don't have more cold! YES, flowers and plants are super expensive.
Have a good one.
thanks for pointing out the search box! lol I never noticed it before. Now I'm ready to freeze eggs.
Delete~margaret
You are welcome!!
DeleteYou had a great week!! I am hoping that we can get into the garden early this coming week. I may even go and buy a few plants tomorrow.
ReplyDeleteGod bless.
Hope you get plants and get them in. Be prepared for high prices! Have a blessed week.
DeleteGlad to hear the kitties are on the mend!
ReplyDeleteYou keep busy as well as your readers. All y'all are wearing me out! lol This weather is crazy. It is easier to work on the gardens when it is cooler. We pulled lots of giant wild mustard today and I tied up the climbing rose that came from the farm where Gary grew up. It looks really good this year. The peonies are blooming and the Japanese iris. Some of the peonies are already spent so I will deadhead those.
Hung a load of laundry on the line this week and it rained before I could collect it. Left it overnight and of course it got rained on again. The next day was warm and windy so the clothes got really soft.
We need to prepare the temporary run for the new chicks this week. They have outgrown their storage tub apartment.
We can rejoice because the Father takes our anxiety!
Pulling weeds is always on the agenda!!! My roses (climbers) are starting to bloom. My, if all the buds open it will be glorious. I have some spent peonies already too. SAD!
DeleteYou were brave hanging laundry this past week. Wind and rain! I figured a couple times - clothes may have ended up in the next county!!! LOL
Your babies are growing up! How neat. They will surely give lots of gifts over the years. Have fun making them a new home.
I got my deck rail planters completed last weekend and they are really taking off. Yesterday, I harvested the first leaves of lettuce from the starts I put in -- just 3 leaves to put on a sandwich, but it was so good! I think my basil is already ready for its first cutting, and the oregano is spreading out. My snap peas and cucumbers are still tiny, but I think it's because of the heat we had. This afternoon, my daughter and son-in-law came over and helped me go through the garage. Our marina has an annual dock-box garage sale, and I've pulled a ton of stuff to sell -- cleaners, acrylic dishware, brackets, a like-new potable water hose, anchors, and so much more. Just need to figure out how I'm going to fit it all in my vehicle to get it to the marina for the sale! We also sorted through hubs tools, pitching what was bent or chipped, and organizing the rest so I can find what I need. And my son-in-law hung some brackets for my ladders. In the midst of all the clutter, I found carpet cleaner (I thought I was almost out), bathroom cleaner, air freshener, dish soap, and other things I can add to my cleaning stock. It's just refreshing seeing it clean and organized, for a change.
ReplyDeleteYAY - glad everything is growing so well. I bet that lettuce did taste great.
DeleteThat is sure a job, cleaning all that stuff out. It will make you some nice extra money and help someone else. It always feels good to get rid of clutter. My garage will never be clutter free by me - hubs just had so much stuff!
Good going on finding supplies you can use. Saves a few dollars. Don't over do it!
It's been a gardening week with grass cutting and soil tilling and planting. The septic pump got replaced and I managed to hook it up myself but may have to call someone in because it's not maintaining its prime. Also had trouble with the garden tiller. I am so not a mrs fix-it and it's been a week of one thing and another. I am grateful to have the money to pay for these things when necessary. Like you say, that's why I save. I'm expecting my British friends to arrive in less than 2 wks so I'm functioning under a deadline. We've been penpals for 50 yrs and this is our 6th visit IRL. I'm looking forward to being a tourist in my own backyard. I had an epiphany at a counseling session this past week under the headline of anticipatory grief. Holistic health is important to me. Meals included steak with green salad & corn salad, quiche, borscht, hot dogs. I'm really enjoying a veggie sandwich with cheese, lettuce and jarred roasted peppers. A chicken was roasted yesterday so I made a spicy chicken salad and today I'll make a pot of chicken noodle soup. Cheryl, your blog keeps me grounded. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteAaahhh thank you. So kind.
DeleteGlad you are getting so much done. There are many things that we just can't do ourselves - yep, that is why we save.
Oh how fun on having your British friends for a while. That is neat. I met an online friend (of years) last summer. It was so cool. We live almost 3/4 of a continent apart. - so it was wonderful to visit.
Your meals sound so tasty. I am ready for chicken again!
Take care and don't work too hard!
I love to read all the things you as it inspires me to do the same. SO happy kitty is out of Jail.
ReplyDeleteThanks - you gals all inspire me!!!!!! Happy kitty!
Delete