Chitty Chat Kind of Day!

 Let us make this a chat day.  Many may have something they need to get off their chest.  Maybe you need prayer.  Maybe you need advice.  Maybe you need a recipe.  Maybe you just need to complain.

Somedays we just need to unload and have a listening ear.  It is normal and we all have those days!

You all know I have a pretty good bunch of neighbors.  This year has been the year we have all gotten closer and just relate better as a little community.  Friendly folks, talking, helping, and visiting when possible.  It is pretty good.

Then there is THE neighbor!!!  I just shake my head.

No new shenanigans since THE talk with the landlord.  That is good.  But I sure ticked someone off - even though the landlord told him he had 'lots' of complaints from various people.  

He talks to NO ONE - especially me.  He will not even look at me!  Seriously.  If I walk outside when he is out - he goes in.  Oh my, could I make life miserable if I chose to!  I could just sit outside all day. LOL

Anyway - I tried to offer an olive branch of sorts.  Since he won't speak or look my way - I walked over the other day after he left, and put a baggy of fresh tomatoes on his patio table.  He loves tomatoes.

Nothing!

I have a security light at night, that shows part of the fence between our yards.  I get up to potty - I look out.  Sometime between 2AM and 6AM - he hangs the baggy of tomatoes on my fence!  REALLY??

Had it been me, I probably would have eaten them and maybe texted 'thanks'.  If nothing else - just thrown them away if I was that cold hearted.

He obviously felt he needed to make a statement of some sort.  Geesh!  No good deed..........

Guess I won't try to be nice again.

His attitude and heart are so cold.  I pray for him every day - he needs it so.  Not sure exactly what changed with him (have ideas) - but something did.  I pray for his spiritual, mental and physical well-being.  He needs it.  He has alienated his siblings (years ago), his boys only show up now when they need something, and he has no friends AT ALL!  He has turned into a worse version of his father (that he hated).  He believes in nothing other than himself!!!!!  What a miserable life it must be - and I now believe something physical might be wrong.  Just a notion from things I notice.

We just never know what goes on in someone's life.  

I am so blessed to have my family and friends, my health and my spiritual life.

Count your blessings!!!!!  

(I think we all have a 'someone' in our lives)

OK - that is my 'let it out' for the week!!!!  LOL!  It isn't important - it just amazed me.

What do you need to talk about???????

Shout out my friends.

We are here to listen and offer kindness.  Maybe it will help someone!

Be blessed!

A Good Steward? It is more than money!

 Lately I have read, seen and heard so many things that make me think about what makes a good steward.  I am still amazed every day (not sure why) at the things some people do.  Truly, nothing should surprise me anymore - but it does.

 I think being a good steward involves EVERYTHING in life.  How we manage and take care of all aspects of life.

Sunday, SAM responded with the question - what is frugal?  I think Sam is very overwhelmed at this moment in life, and she asked that question in an exasperated way!  Sometimes, we get into a season of life where we are spending a lot for one reason or another.  Well, that happens.  We are trying to rectify our lives and get things in order and make a new way - and spending happens.  It is OK!  Life happens.

Other times in life we are overwhelmed with stuff (I think many can relate) and we feel the urgent need to get rid of it.  Even that is being a good steward.  We are maintaining our home and our sanity and donating and gifting to others!  That is good.

Many of us are getting a bounty from the land - and we need to use it up in some form.  We may share with others, or just eat it now, or preserve for later.  It all needs to be used and not wasted.  Putting back our bounty for another time, is ever so wise.  We truly do not know what the future holds for any of us, and this wonderful food may be what saves us!

I saw a story on the computer about an actor, who is an Emmy winner, and has an estimated net worth of 5 million.  He is an actor, singer, producer, writer, etc.  (By the way I had never heard of him before).  Anyway, he was complaining that he now has to sell his home, because of the strike going on in the industry.  4 months in and a millionaire has to sell.  Hmmmmm, sounds like not good planning to me.  Maybe living above ones means?  There was talk of the strike for ages - yet he didn't prepare.  Now I know I shouldn't judge - but this just sounds like "poor me" and an attention getter.  Sorry, but I don't feel sorry for him.  Yes, there are people in that industry that do make normal wages like most of us - them I have compassion for.  We have all had situations arise that we were aware of in advance, and we planned and did our due diligence!  We go and do something else if necessary to make ends meet.

Another story was about a lady in OH, who is 101 and is still working part time for JoAnn Fabric.  Why?  Because it keeps her young and active!  She doesn't NEED the money - but she is using her mind and body in a proactive way!  She still works and drives.  That is a good steward!  BRAVO

Friday, when I was at the grade school girls luncheon - one of the gals jokingly said - "should we all go back to work"?  Oh, we all chuckled, and her response was, "well at least there would be help in the stores if we did".  Good point!  Just think if all the retired folks got a part time job, the work force would be fuller - of course, then someone would say they were taking jobs from others!!!  There is no making some happy!  You know what I mean.

It just seems so many do not want to work today.  It does boggle my mind.  I started at 15 and worked for everything I had or have.  It is just what you did.  But that is another story.

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

I keep seeing the "use it up" or "every bit counts" challenge on sites and You Tube.  Really - you have to make that a challenge?  That is everyday life for many of us.  We use everything we have, in some way or form, so as not to waste.

Many of us just do it!  It is like for many of us, we know how much we have - so let us be responsible and use it and not waste it - before we get more.  It is just smart and being a good steward.

Taking care of our clothes and our possessions, taking care of our pets, taking care of our families and friends, helping nature, saving money, it is ALL being a good steward.  The earth is our home, we are a part of it, let us take care of all we can.

Go out there today and do the best you can.  Use it up, wear it out, make do or do without.  Recycle what can be - donate what you will, mend things and help others and yourself.  Make those pantries and freezers count and fully enjoy your wonderful bounties!!!

Be blessed!

Continue being the good stewards you are!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A Little Weekly Reassurance

 I have not done a good motivational post in a bit.  Today let us talk about change and things that make us happy.

Change happens in unexpected ways for many.  Family, jobs, losses, loves, health - some things happen when do not seem prepared and they cause us to move in new directions.  It happens at some point in time for everyone.  It surely doesn't seem good at the time.  I do believe all things happen in God's time, and we may not understand why (at the moment or ever) - but we do survive through the change.  Here we are this day, awake and going, that is testimony to survival.

A lot of change happens from within!!!!!  Yes it does.  Things happen - yet the external change is only part of it.  We grow and change within ourselves.  It is very scary - but we need to move forward.

It becomes about choices, reducing wants, realizing needs, and moving forward.

Hunt for the little hidden treasures in life.  They are everywhere, all the time.  You just have to have eyes wide open to see and appreciate.  Elise said it very nicely in a comment this week.  I have copied her comment and will repost here.  It was lovely and it was very true.  Thank you Elise.

Click on it - to brighten for easy reading.

We need to remember the little things.  Life is not about all the big events - memories are usually the tiniest of things.  The simple things.  You know it is kind of like looking back at childhood - I don't remember many gifts I got at Christmas, but I do remember the family being there or funny moments that happened.

Silly things like recording daddy snoring after a big dinner - because he said he wasn't sleeping, just resting his eyes.  Or my brother giving my SIL a kitten - it was in a stocking, and it poked its little head out and started crying - thus ending the surprise!  Helping mom make all the cookies and the smells in the house.  Summer picnics on the porch swing with my little friends.  Playing jacks on the porch.  NOT the things - the memories of others.

I take great joy each morning as I go out to feed Blackie and the birds and squirrels - listening.  I sit out there on a chair while he eats, praying and listening to all the different birds.  Watching them interact.  Seeing the blue jays get excited about peanuts. Feeling the cool crisp air.  Having a happy and full kitty jump on my lap.  Watching the squirrels chase each other around the yard.  Looking out at the garden, knowing I will be out there picking fresh veggies in a while.  Even hearing the traffic - I know so many are starting their days - what lies ahead for them?  I know I am blessed in so many ways.

I have good people in my life - what a treasure that is.  

I try to look at the blessings instead of the depressing stuff.  SURE I get depressed too - we all do.  We have those rotten days, that is normal.  But I know in my heart that God has much instore for me.

I am still here because I still have things to do.

I have realized over the years - that money sure does not buy happiness!!!  It does buy stuff!!!!!!!  Oh boy, does it buy stuff.  Let us just make sure that it buys us stuff that we can use and that will be helpful in this stage of life and in our future.  Choices!  Like is full of choices.

Check out this couple!  First time I had seen them both out there together.  It is usually one or the other - and they spent the afternoon out there together.  It was lovely to see their interactions.  These are the little things that can bring joy!

I hope you each and every one open your eyes to seeing all the wonders in life.  They are there - all the time.  Hear the baby laughing or crying at the store.  Someone saying please or thank you.  Children playing.  The birds chirping.  A pet hug.  A people hug.  A smile. A task over and successful.  A dollar saved or earned.  A meal for your belly.

These and more are the precious things in life.

Have a fantastic and blessed day my friends.

Weekly Wrap Up 8/6

 Happy Sunday to you all.  I hope this finds you all well and safe.  Hoping that many in the hot, hot areas are cooling - if only a tab bit!  Hoping those that need rain, get it.

We had quite a rain come through the area about midnight last night.  I was asleep and heard this loud noise, jumped up and it was just pouring like crazy.  It sure was loud - not thunder or wind causing the noise - just the rain!

When I woke, it kind of sounded like a faucet on full blast right next to my head!!!!!  It took a moment to get my bearings.  All good this morning.  No need to water today!!!  Storms coming in overnight here again, tonight.  I really don't like the overnight things!

                           This happened this week!!!!  D'Oro lilies started blooming - round 2 as well!

It is supposed to be a cooler week here.  Predicting low 80's for most of the week.  That will be nice.  The 90's and the humidity are icky!  It feels so cool out this morning - breezy and upper 60's.

My week:

• My car alarm went off early in the week.  Weird!!!  Luckily I had a new battery on hand that fit it.  It hasn't worked to LOCK the doors in ages, it just works to unluck (it is 22 yrs. old).  That had nothing to do with the battery.  So I took it all apart (completely) and cleaned everything with a dry toothbrush.  I figured what harm could it do.  I will be darn, but it works perfectly now - even locks!
• Cut grass - front to back and trimmed
• I caught ground hog #3 - it was a much bigger one! (Momma or daddy) - neighbor took it to rehome.  THEN the night he took it, for some reason he set the cage (in my yard) when he brought it back.  Well little Rocky racoon got trapped that night!  So stinking cute.  But it has a new home now.  I kept my neighbor busy this week!  LOL
• Did a big trim on my bushes
• Working on weeding and doing things around the yard, when cooler in mornings.  So much to do - so behind because of heat.
• Harvesting - tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, zucchini, cukes, and lots of bell peppers!
• Got my August coupon book from Kroger
• Paid all the bills on hand
• Had lunch with a bunch of gals I met in grade school.  Over 60+ years for most of us - and yet we have remained friendly - and keep in touch.  So many stories!!!!  Fun day!
• Came across a quart jar of dehydrated mushrooms I put back last year.  I rehydrated some for a meal this week - perfect.
• Neighbor brought me 3 fresh ears of corn
• Had a smallish green tomato fall off the vine - so used it all chopped up in a stir fry dish. It really added a sweet taste
• Just doing the regular stuff

                                                        My 'candy' dish - such sweet juicy bites

My meals this week:

Taco style zucchini boats

Cream cheese/veggie wraps

Canned - beans with bacon soup over rice, cukes and onions

Zucchini fritters and salad

Smoked sausage sandwich and salad

Lunch out -giant tenderloin sandwich and fries (Bubba's)

Veggie stir fry served over pasta

How was your week?  I hope you are getting lots of yummy veggies, herbs, and fruits from gardens or farm markets.  Did you do anything super frugal this week?  Any good deals?

I know many are trying to use everything up - no waste.  That is my life most of the time, but it pays to really concentrate on that, and use up things in new and creative ways.

I hope you all have a lovely week.  May you all stay safe, healthy, and COOL this week.

Blessings to you and yours from me at my humble little home.

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I bless the Lord who gives me counsel; in the night my heart also instructs me.  I keep the Lord always before me; because He is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.  Therefore my heart is glad, and my soul rejoices; and my body also dwells secure.

Psalms 16:7-9

Lord, again we come to You and give praise for our lives and all parts of our lives.  No matter what we face, You are there with us, if we just listen and even when we don't.  You never stop.  Help us each one, to count our blessings, big and small, as we have so much in our lives to be thankful for.  We are truly blessed.  Amen

Easy and Inexpensive Meals - Using Garden and Things on Hand

 Happy Thursday all.  I am so enjoying the garden and I am sure you are as well.  I mentioned the other day, I eat little meat during these months, well, because I so enjoy the freshness of the veggies.  I know several of you are vegetarians, so this post will offer some goodies for you.  Everyone else, can maybe add some meatless nights to the repertoire!  Not only is it good for us to use less meat, but it also saves money.

I may have shown some of the pics before, but this post is all about eating the goodness, so enjoy.

I have tomatoes and cucumbers probably at every meal now.  The bowl of cherry tomatoes is my 'candy' dish!  I grab a handful every time I walk past it.  Little pops of juicy goodness in each bite!

ZUCCHINI FRITTERS - I made these in an unconventional way.  I found a box of cornbread dressing mix in the pantry when cleaning it out.  Not sure why it was there, not something I would normally eat.  SO, I used it with a cup of hot water - blended together.  Then I added grated zucchini (prob. a cup or more) - added 3 eggs and mixed it all up.  It made about 8 nice size fritters - which I grilled.  You could use the waffle iron as well.  These were so tasty topped with butter.  You can also use ranch or whatever other topping you like.  This and a salad was dinner!  Using what I had!!!

MEXICAN CONCOCTION - Ground beef (1/2 lb.), taco seasoning, can of corn drained, can of red beans drained, zucchini cut up, salsa (homemade) and rice.  I ate this in several ways over time.  When I make a big pan of something - I try to get creative in ways to serve it.  Also some will go in the freezer for a later date.  Below are the ways I served it.

                        In a bowl - topped with shredded cheese and crushed tortilla chips

                                    In a burrito - added cheese and grilled and topped with sour cream

            In the latest zucchini boats - topped with lots of cheese and cooked in the air fryer

Lots of different ways to eat the same things.  You just need to think about it and get a little creative.  It is all good!!!!!  (you could make without the meat)

Tuna salad (many do eat fish) with the last hard-boiled egg (and frozen peas) added to it - served with crackers and fresh veggies.

Grilled zucchini and sauteed beans with peppers and onions - oh my this was soooooo good.

Veggie fried rice. Added broccoli, green peas, onion, peppers, zucchini to the rice - topped with hard noodles.

Dirty rice and what I call - zucchini fries.  YUM!  I used the remainder of the rice in another dish later.  That was a pack of dirty rice mix from Aldi that was in the pantry.

Veggie wraps on a hot day!  Tortilla wraps, cream cheese, sliced cukes, tomatoes, peppers, carrots, radishes, all wrapped up and yummy.  These were smaller tortillas so I couldn't exactly wrap - so ate them like soft tacos.  Add any seasonings or herbs you like OR any veggies!!!!!

I know many people think these may seem like lunches and not conventional dinners.  Well, let us just say I am not a conventional gal!  I eat what I like, and it is good, and I get full!  

Is that not the definition of a good meal?????  

I eat one 'meal' a day - usually late afternoon.  I may snack on a bowl of cut up veggies and dressing or I may eat cheese and crackers or popcorn or fruit or a handful of chips - nothing special or nothing large.

I stay healthy and maintain my weight.  Actually, in the summer I lose some weight - which is fine, since I tend to gain over the winter.

I just love to get inventive with fresh items from the garden.  I now have peppers coming on - so there is a whole new game for me!!!!!!!!

I hope I have inspired or given you a new idea or two.

Remember dinner is whatever you chose it to be.  There are NO rules!!!!!!!

ENJOY

Wed. Walk Back in Time

 Well, yesterday's mention of the train whistle brought about a lot of memories from folks.  I love reading everyone's memories.  It always gets me to thinking.  I ventured back in time again yesterday - thinking about mom and daddy.  My fondest memories are in the kitchen and in the garden.  Kitchen with mom and garden with dad.  Being the youngest by 10 1/2 years, I was pretty much like an only child much of the week.  So we spent a whole lot of time together and I learned a whole lot of things from them.

Mom cooked and baked and canned and froze.  She made the best everything in my opinion.  I make many of the same recipes and well - they just aren't the same.  Glen used to even say that - "it's good, but it doesn't taste like your moms".  LOL!  I was good with that, because I agreed.

This was the kind of stove we had until I was 9 or 10.  We had a Chambers stove and oh my goodness, what I wouldn't give for one of those today.  It had a built-in griddle, oven, broiler, and a deep well.  Best pancakes in the world came off the griddle.  I don't remember what all mom used the deep well for, except soup beans.  They would cook all day, slowly, and the house smelled heavenly.

Mom decided she wanted a 'modern' kitchen when I was about 9.  So, we got the wall oven and broiler a built-in stove a corner sink, new cabinets all around and an eat at bar.  It was fancy for the times!!!!  The 60's!  The stove and oven was a fawn color - so it lasted the test of time.  It was still a working kitchen when mom passed in 2001.

Years ago, Glen and I got to looking around to see if we could find a Chambers stove.  IF you could find one, of course it was refurbished.  The costs were in the thousands!  We did find a rusty one in non-working order at a rehab shop here in town, and even that one was priced at over $1,000 dollars.  Yep, it suddenly became chic again!

Boy the food that came out of that kitchen.  The smells.  The tastes.  I miss that all so much.

This was a treat we got once in a while with soup beans.  Sure beat the traditional cornbread.  Don't get me wrong, I loved mom's cornbread, but hoecakes were a treat.  I still do these every now and then.  So yummy.

Daddy was a gardener to beat all gardeners in my opinion.  He did organic way before that was a 'big thing'.  He believed in the natural ways.  He started a gardening club in his later years and taught many people the ideals of natural gardening.  He could grow HUGE and wonderful tasting anything.  He grew what seemed like exotic items to me back in the day.  There was salsify - which is also called the oyster plant (not a fan).  He grew kohlrabi back then - I grew to like that.  We had raspberries (6 - 90' rows), strawberries, cherries, peaches, apples and all kinds of veggies and melons.  He grew luffas - which was neat back then.  Daddy passed in 1984, and I still have many of his luffas.  I had dozens of them and over the years have gifted them to family - and yes, I still use mine.

To this day I love walking barefoot in the dirt, because when I was little, I would walk behind daddy as he plowed the garden (I was always barefoot), and the feel of the soil was incredible to me.

For some reason this picture reminds me of daddy in the garden.  He walks always singing and whistling while he worked, and he loved his garden.  Other than meat and grains, we pretty much grew everything we ate.  Before me, there were chickens and goats (my brother had to have goats' milk when little).  Later on we got eggs from a neighbor.

Daddy was always in his bibbers and his cowboy hat while working.  No shirt, just bibbers!

It was always an afternoon treat, to walk out with daddy and pick a tomato and sit under the shade tree and eat them - with salt!  There was always a saltshaker at hand!!!

I lost most of my old pictures when my last computer died (the ones I had on computer).  Just yesterday I came across the zip drive that has most of them on it.  I will soon have all those oldies back at hand. I will share some garden/daddy pics at some point.

Oh what great memories.  I know not everyone is as old as I am, so things will be different.  Some of you remember these kinds of things.  I also know not everyone had good memories growing up - that makes me so sad.  I wish I could take you by the hand and walk with you back to my house growing up.  You would have enjoyed it.  Well, I guess I just kind of did - huh?

Have a wonderful and blessed day - and go out and make a memory with someone today.  One they will talk about when they get old and gray!

SMILE

First Tuesday - This and That

 Happy August to you all.  WOW!  It sure came around fast.

Here in the northern hemisphere, August is surely HARVEST month!!!!  This is now the time for all the wonderful freshness and farm harvest goodies.  Not just from the gardens, but from farm stands as well.  July was just the start.  August and September seem to be the fruitful months.  Get all that you can get - it is a wonderful time for freshness.

The daylight hours are getting a little shorter.  It is very noticeable around here.  Dark a little earlier and a little later each morning.

The moon has been ginormous and full the past couple of nights.  My goodness, the brightness has been amazing.

I am still seeing lightening bugs and hearing cicadas.  The crops are doing amazingly well for me.  I guess I shouldn't brag - but they have done great.  Tomatoes are finally starting to flourish.

I am looking forward to 'shark week' (or 2 or 3) to be over.  Every year - is that necessary?  Same stuff all the time and it messes up regular programming!!  LOL!  Also tired of seeing Jason Momoa act the fool in the stupid commercials.  OK - just one of those things that bug me!!!!!!!

There are some shows that will be coming on new this month, that I enjoy.  Mainly shows like Maine Cabin Masters, Barnwood Building, Expedition X, Mountain Men, etc.  All filmed before there was a shut down in the filming industry.  I am not big on conventional TV at all - I do like these kinds of shows, however.

I am going to try and behave again this month as far as grocery shopping.  I am good.  I have an abundance of fresh items - that is good for me.  I may visit the farm stand for other fresh goods - but need to buy nothing much for the pantry.  I will watch for good sales come the end of the month, as there will probably be some good things advertised for Labor Day weekend.

I hope to do some canning with my tomatoes and grapes.  This year we have had enough intermittent rain, that the grapes are doing good.

When you have a full belly, it is hot out and you need a nap!!!!!  Been there and done that!!!!

Do you have big plans for August?  I think many take vacations to end the summer - what about you?

I am just ready for the mosquitoes to be gone again, so I can sit back out on my porch in the evenings!  Goodness, going out near dusk gets one eaten alive around here.

It will be nice to be able to have the bedroom window open a little at night again (cooler nights).  I love lying in bed listening to the train whistle!  It is about 3 blocks away, and it takes me back to being a kid.  I listened then as well - as the tracks were just a couple blocks away.  It always soothed me.

Well, I wish you all a good month.  I hope everyone stays fit and healthy and happy.  May your harvests be many.

HAPPY AUGUST to all!!!!!