Weekly Wrap-Up 3/12

 Happy Sunday to all.  It is snowing here at the moment!  Nothing much - just flurries and it will melt before the end of the day.  We started the week warm again - and then come Friday it went bust AGAIN!  It seems every Friday, for the past month and a half - the weather has decided to belch upon us!!!!!  UGH

Oh well - it is still that time of the year.  Yes, things are coming back to life - but we shouldn't get too excited.  There will still be plenty winter ahead, I betcha!

                          Some pretties I cut before they froze.  There are so many outside yet!

It has been pretty quiet here again this week.  I need to light a fire under my bum - I just feel blah when it gets back all icky after some nice days.

My week:

• I rotated my mattress - top to bottom.  That needed to be done for a long while
• Tons of laundry.  Did all the bedding, throw rugs and also winter jackets and coats
• Used very old apples and made an apple crisp
• Worked out in the yard a lot the first of week.  I cleared a lot more from flower beds, raked up gunk, and moved a lot of the yard decorations to new places.  Have several pots set aside that are bad - to use for drainage/dirt in new pots this spring
• Got to air the house a couple days - even got my flip-flops out and wore them!!!!!
• Picked a bouquet
• Got a call that Fluffy's cremains were back - so went and picked her up
• I made the sherbet with the orange soda and sweetened milk.  YUM!  I just had 2 cans and it called for a liter of liquid, so I added a cup of orange juice as well.  It tastes soooooo good!  It isn't as smooth and creamy as store bought - more crystalized.  But it sure is tasty!
• Used leftovers in new ways
• Just doing general cleaning, dusting and vacuuming - piddling around the house - nothing big

Meals this week:

Leftover stuffed shells and side of fresh veggies

Deluxe cheeseburger

Meatballs with peppers/zucchini/gravy over rice

Dirty rice, chicken and fish bites

Pizza style hand pies

Leftover rice with added shredded beef (freezer) and beans added

Burrito supreme and side salad

I really loved the warm sunny days we had.  I realize how lucky we are here, as so many are still covered up with ice and snow.  Those in CA are just being inundated with rain and snow - so much after such a long and huge drought.  Another, be careful what you wish for!

I hope you are all well and safe.

 

Give us a shout out and tell us what you have been up to this week.  I love hearing about everyone's adventures and bargains!

Have a wonderful week again.

Blessings to you and yours from my humble little home.

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Have I not commanded you?  Be strong and of good courage; be not frightened, neither be dismayed; for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.

Joshua 1:9

Lord, Thank You for being with us every moment of every day.  Help us to realize that all the worry in the world, changes nothing for us.  You have us in Your hands, and You will guide us through this life.

Amen

Sugar and Spice and Everything Nice & and Reminder!

 Happy Thursday all!  Today's post is not all that much about frugal as it is about finding great supplies for the pantry.  I love spices, flavorings and dehydrated goods.    Over the years I have found a source that I have gotten exceptional products from.  The place is Spices, Etc.  You can order online.  Or you can call to get a catalog.  

Is it cheap?  NOT so much!

Are products good?  YES

I have so many different liquid flavorings.  I use in jams and jellies, cakes, pies, ice cream, etc.  I have ordered lots of dehydrated goods over the years.  Gallon jars of dried soup mix is a favorite.  It lasts for years and it tastes good and it is ever so important (to me) to have on hand.  I have ordered powders of all sorts.  Not one thing has been a bad decision.

                                                        Powdered products of every type

                                                            Dehydrated veggies and fruits

                       Flavorings like you wouldn't believe!  Some I bet some you never knew existed.

I can sit for hours going through the catalog!!!!  It is just fascinating.  They have about anything you can dream of.

Just thought I would share, as we have so many good cooks here.  Not the cheapest items, but it sure makes cooking a little more fun.

DON'T FORGET - clocks move forward this weekend (for those that have to).  I sure wish that we would leave things alone - but noooooooo.

So make sure you aren't late or early for something!  SPRING FORWARD!

Have a blessed day!

What I'm Using and NOT Wasting

 Just a little post about odd ball things that I have been using up instead of throwing out or wasting.  Sometimes just little items make a difference.  It isn't so much about the money (that helps), but I just simply hate to waste things.  I guess that is part of my upbringing!  My folks taught me to not waste and to use things in SOME way.

None of this is earth shattering - just my little ways.

*Using all leftovers

*I had 4 very old apples in the crisper (since fall).  I decided to make a small apple crisp for some sweets eating this week.  It has been wonderful and just hit the spot!

* I used the last of the fresh mini sweet peppers from holiday trays in a dish with meatballs this week and the last two will be used in todays dinner

*I have 2 cans of sugar free orange soda (from Christmas company) and some much needed to use sweetened condensed milk.  Saw a recipe to make orange 'sherbet' with it.  I will add a bit of orange juice too - as it called for a liter of pop -  and 1 can of milk.  Mix together till frothy and freeze.  Stir every now and then while freezing (or use an ice cream maker).  I am making this this week.  You can use any type of pop!  I figure why not?????  Nice little treat!

*I had a jar with dill pickle juice in frig.  I used it this week for restless less on 2 nights.  I have been lucky as of late, and not had too many problems with RLS.  I drank the juice each night and it calmed my legs

*I found a jug of cider in the back - bottom of frig I forgot about.  It got shoved to the back when preparing for company.  It had a 'best by' date of Jan.1.  It is still very yummy - with a bit of a zip!!!  Yep, I am going to drink it all!

*Been saving newspapers for painting and other cleaning jobs.

*Used water from dehumidifier (from basement after rains) in the washer

*I have a couple broken clay pots out in the yard and some broken plastic pots (years old).  I will transfer dirt to new pots I have stored in shed and the pots will be broken more and placed in the bottom for drainage.  Will get re-use of the pots and soil again!!!!

*Used stale buns for toast and garlic toast

* Had just a tiny bit of vinegar left in a jar - put in in my bottle of Dawn w/water added for dishes.  Doesn't it look pretty?  They vinegar aids in cutting grease.

*Moved around a lot of the yard decor this week.  "Re-decorating" the yard and flower beds for zero dollars.

Just odds and ends - using some things in unconventional ways.  It is always fun to figure out new ways for old things.

What have you been using in new ways?  Looking for new ideas!!!!!!

Spring is in the Air

 Well, at least it was yesterday!!!!!  LOL

It changes daily.  Yesterday was gorgeous - and I worked outside until I could hardly move.  It was truly wonderful to be out and not needing a jacket.  Heck, yesterday afternoon, I even had flip-flops on!!

Temps the remainder of the week are to be more normal for this time of the year.  Highs in the 40's and 50's.  Got to enjoy those beautiful days when we can.

This happened from Sunday to Monday!  I have several bunches starting to bloom now.  Littles bits of sunshine!  I am always glad to see them, and find it fascinating that my first flowers of the year are always bright yellow jewels.  It just raises the spirits.

I thought I would like to show you some of the birds I see.  If I tried to capture a picture of each of them it would take forever - so I 'captured' some pics from on line!

Click on the pics to enlarge.

No hummingbirds yet - it will be May before they show.  But, they never disappoint.  

I do see all of these out my window!  I have an abundance of sparrow - all kinds of finches - nuthatches chickadees - and lots of Downey and Hairy woodpeckers.  I have a red bellied woodpecker that is so big and pretty.

This doesn't show the pigeons (ugh) - have those too.

The robins are plentiful now, a sure sign that spring is about here.

Blue jays and cardinals come early every morning and the cardinals serenade me every morning when I go out to feed Blackie.  They are out singing before the light of day. The cardinals are usually the last birds I see each day as well.  They feed early and late.

Crows and ravens come now and then and when they do - they come in mass!  The cowbirds and red-winged blackbirds are so pretty, and they are kind of like the robins for me.  They are a sign that warmer weather is near.

I have pairs and pairs of doves.  Love to hear them.

And my angel - she watches over all the yard.  The flowers beds have a lot of green popping up - but there is still so much brown.  Soon!!!!!!!

For all that are cold and in nasty weather - the promise of spring is such a wonder.  The re-birth of the land.  It will happen, it is promised, and it will be lovely.

Be patient and know that the world is slowly coming to life in different areas and at different times.  Kind of like people!  We are each awakened to our journey on earth at different times and through different experiences.

Have a wonderful day!

Weekly Wrap Up 3/5

 Happy Sunday to all.  Here we are another week gone, and Sunday once again.  The days seem to go by so quickly.  We have been all over the place this week with our weather.  We hit a record high of 76*F on Wednesday and Friday night after the horrible wind and rain storm - we had flurries!

There was so much rain on Friday.  We had well over 2" in a few hours.  Needless to say, I had a lake in the backyard.  It was probably in the top 3 worst 'lakes' I have ever had.  It is pretty much gone now, just muddy.  Boy oh boy, the robins are loving it!!!!!!  Wormies abound!

We have been fortunate by just getting rain and no snow.  We had virtually no measurable snowfall in Feb.  That has happened only 5X in history of record keeping.  I know there are many being inundated by snow.  It sure seems to be the year of weird weather so far!

It looks like this coming week will be pretty much normal temps - BUT - NO rain!!!!!!  YAY! And sunshine!

                                  My very well worn and used Bible I got when I was 10 years old.

Kind of a quiet week again.  

• I did a stick pick-up 3X this week.  Not just from the wind, but those darned little squirrels.  They are young and trying to make nests - and don't quite have it down yet!  They keep chewing young branches from the trees for their nesting material - and then they drop them!
• Cancelled my newspaper to a half service.  It is under half the price as before.  I think after a month of this, I will cancel all together.  I just don't read it like I used to.
• Got my March coupons from Kroger 
• I trimmed my hair and did a root touch-up
• Got to air the house a couple days
• Made OJ from concentrate I had - much cheaper than buying prepared at this time
• Continuing the wallpaper saga!
• Did run to Kroger - got bananas and mandarins and eggs for 1.89 doz.!!!  Woop-woop!!!!  Needed very little - actually didn't NEED what I got - but wanted it!
• Just doing basic deep cleaning and trying to de-clutter some more
• Cooking from scratch and using what I have

Meals this past week:

Leftover day - taco meat/beans over rice and side salad

Hotdogs and tostada chips & cheese

Cube steak, mac with butter & parm. fresh veggies

Hand pies and a side of fresh veggies

Stew over baked potato w/cheese and sour cream

Chicken strips, rice, stir fry veggies

Stuffed shells and fresh veggies

My easy hand pies.  Used one pie dough and canned stew.  Cut dough in half - add approx. 1/4 can (20 oz.) can of stew.  Fold over and crimp.  Bake until golden.  My it was good.  Ate one and froze one.  Used the remainder of the stew over a baked potato the next day.

How was your week?  Did you get any deals?  How is your weather?  Do anything creative that we need to learn from?

I hope this finds you all safe and well.  Look forward to hearing from you all.

Blessings to you and yours from my humble little home.

Have a fantastic week.

**********

Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that in due time He may exalt you.  Cast all your anxieties on Him, for He cares about you.

1 Peter 5:6-7

Lord, we ask that You help us each one to understand that You have control and that we need to put our trust and faith in You.  Help us to live our best lives for others and ourselves.

Amen

A Thought and a Thing or 2

 Well, here we are in March already.  This is known as the windy month in my area!  Oh my - February was more than windy enough for me!  Tomorrow, we have another wind and rain event coming in.  At least yesterday was beautiful.  We started the month like a lamb - soon to change!!!

Just a little thought - life is short - have some fun!  We can NOT act our age now and then and it is OK!  Stand in the rain, play in the leaves, play the music loud, laugh at your own jokes - just enjoy the day.  No matter what our situations are, there IS at least ONE thing each day to bring joy or a smile.  Grab hold - with both hands!

***************

Elise keeps reminding us, and she is right.  These are easy and fun!

And we drink this!!!!!!  

I remember as a child in the 50's, coming home from a road trip and we were having car problems.  It was pouring rain (that sticks in my mind), and daddy stopped at a gas station - went in and bought a Coke and cleaned the connections of the battery.  Made it home safely!

We covered the casserole thing - now how about soup?  Same principle - no real recipe - just a formula to help one make a great pot of food and not waste a thing!

Click on picture to enlarge for easier reading.

It doesn't have to be made in a slow cooker (crock pot) - it can be done on the stove as well.  There is just an abundance of ideas to use up what we have, and not go out spending more.

Great for those who don't like leftovers - throw them in soup and make something new!

Enjoy this new month and enjoy your day.  Remember to smile and laugh at SOMETHING today!  Every laugh and smile lifts the spirit a little.  That my friends, is a good thing.

Be blessed!

THE Story (of family past)

 OK , this is the story of one of my ancestors that I have promised for a long time.  It is long, so grab a cup of something!  I am trying to cut the story down a bit- but there are a lot of interesting tid-bits!!  It is history, not just for me and my family, but also the country.  I hope you enjoy reading.

This is about my 6th and 7th great grandpas on one branch of my daddies family tree.

This is in many historical books.

The Hochstetler's were originated from Switzerland.  In the 1600's some joined the anti-Baptist reform movement.  They suffered pretty severe persecution and in the early 1700's many immigrated to what was to become America for religious persecution.

Jacob (my 7th great), was 26 years old when his family arrived in Philadelphia in 1738.  He, his wife, a daughter and son.

In 1739 they settled along the Northkill Creek on the edge of what is now Burks Co. PA.  They built a log home and farm buildings near a spring.  It seemed they had a good life.  They also helped establish the first Amish Mennonite Church in America.

                                              A replica of what was thought to be his first cabin.

During this time the Delaware Indians inhabited a large portion of PA.  They lived in peace and often traded with the white settlers. 

In 1754 the peace was interrupted when France & England wanted to control the area and that just West of the Appalachian Mountains.  The French and the Indians worked together and defeated a British General in 1755.  Then they began to attack the settlers to gain control.

My ancestors lived in relative peace but tension during a short while.

By this time Jacob and his wife had a young daughter at home and 3 more sons.  The older daughter and son were now off on their own.

On September 19, 1757 a group of young people had gathered at the farm for an evening of cider making.  They left and they family went off to bed.  They arose to a lot of clamor outdoors.  The younger Jacob (Jr.) went to the door and opened to see what was going on - and he was shot in the leg.  He managed to close and bolt the door.  They could see many Indians around the property, but in accordance with their beliefs, they did not shoot! (They believed in peace).  The house was set afire.

They family made it to the cellar under the home.  As the fires started affecting them there, they managed to douse it with the much cider they had in keeping there.  Eventually it got to be too much, and they had to try to get out.  That is when the worst happened.

Young Jacob and the young daughter were killed and scalped.  Momma was stabbed in the heart - a huge sign of disrespect.  She had (according to lore) turned away some of the Indians at some point that were hungry.

Son, Christian, was about to be scalped, when the Indians saw his bright blue eyes and stopped.  He was spared.  They took him and the elder Jacob with them.  They came back the next day and found Joseph, who was hiding, and took him as well. 

The men were allowed to pick up all the peaches they could carry as they were making their way to the Indian camp.  They offered the peaches to the chief, and because of that act, they were all spared the cruel treatment most prisoners were given.  They were then traded to 3 different tribes.

Before they were traded, Jacob told his sons to remember the Lord's Prayer and not forget their German (Swiss) language.  Jacob minded his P's & Q's.  He was finally allowed to go hunting on his own.  He escaped.  He was found some time later, almost dead from starvation, by the British.  He relayed the story and gave them needed information.  After healing up, they returned him to his home area.

As the French & Indian war ended, peace treaties were signed, and the return of all white captures was supposed to happen.  It wasn't quick.  In 1762, Jacob asked the Govenor for help in getting his sons back.  Joseph was returned in 1764.  Christian wasn't returned until 1765.  Both were reluctant to go back to white society.  They had been adopted into the Indian culture and families.  Christian was the youngest when captured, so he had the hardest time.

Finally, both married, and were slowly re-integrated into white society and their Amish community.

Christian converted and jointed the church and went on to become a preacher.

CHRISTIAN is my 6th great grandpa!

Yeah, these were the good old days - NOT!  I cannot fathom what our ancestors had to endure just to survive daily life.  

I find this story so absolutely amazing.  The strength and fortitude.  The faith.  I do believe I have come from pretty amazing stock!!!!!!

I often think about this story and had ONE tiny thing changed - I would not be here today.  What if Christian had not had those blazing blue eyes, or had he rejected the Amish community, or had Jacob not gifted the chief peaches.......... WOW!

It wouldn't surprise me if some of our readers here, were related to me in some way.  Jacob has tens of thousands of descendants today. 

I condensed this down a bit - but it has been related in many history type books.  Just think this all happened BEFORE this land was even a country in its own right!

That is a little of my ancestors' history.  I am very proud of where I have come from and the people and their lives.  I think bits of that DNA is surely passed on and helps to make us what we are today.

Thanks for reading.  Hope it didn't bore you!