Still raining and why we bought a new truck

 4th day of rain. At least it is a gentle rain even though all day long. Yesterday it stopped through the afternoon and the sun tried to peak out. Raining again today.. suppose to until 5 pm. I remind myself that it's dreary day after day but this summer is forecasted to be hotter than normal so we need to store what we can and bless we are getting good soaker rain not down pour and the river out of the banks.

We bought a 2024 USED F250truck. It was owned by the Ford dealership.

We have been looking for over a year, didn't want a ton of this and that on it... just a basic truck. Didn't need the F350 for hauling like Hubby was doing in his business before he shut it down. He does some hauling ... like a solid metal dump wagon of our wood from one of the sawmills/pallet makers. Or soybeans to the elevator for one of the Amish. Our tractor to the shop that does maintenance.  

Hubby took the F350 in for maintenance and get the truck appraised as he started thinking of selling it on his own when one of the guys asked if he had found what he was looking for. Not yet was his answer. Head of maintenance asked what he was looking for. F250 (smaller truck won't haul our wagon loaded with 3 cords of wood) GAS not diesel. Guy came back as he went to see if they had one on the lot. Two hours later he called him. He found one that was used, owned by on of the dealerships and was a Feb 2024. Did he want to look at it when we went back over to drop off truck for a exhaust job?

We went yesterday morning, looked it over, took it for a test drive and then they crunched the numbers. I had already checked our credit score. Unfroze the credit report. Checked out different loans. I knew an estimate of what the payment would be and costs were going to be that they would have to match or be better.

They took the truck as trade in, they reembursed the charge for fixing the truck on Friday, so I put it on the truck. Got a maintenance plan so when the parts start costing our arms and legs we have a limited outlay. Got a tire/hubcap coverage as Hubby curbs the tires all the time and it's common for Amish to have nails in their driveways. As Hubby said we paid extra for the bells and whistles to keep the truck clean and looking good. For $20/month it's worth it. 

Got 6.5 % interest, 72 months (plan to pay it off in less) and finance dept told us we were one of the very few to have a credit score at any age in the mid 800s. 

We plan on having this truck at least 10 yrs , would like it to be 15 years. My Silverado is 20 yrs old.

Now to redo the budget. 

Blessed be

PRAYERS FOR OUR COUNTRY

Changes..

I planted potatoes in grow bags... not sure how that will do but at least I am trying as some of the Amish have mentioned last year was a bad year for potatoes. 

We will get sweet potato roots to plant towards the end of May to plant. 

 I stocked up some things that look to be very limited or expensive in the coming year like canned citrus and some canned tomatoes from Italy.(spoiled as my Nonna was from Northern Italy) I finally found some seeds for the tomatoes so I am trying to grow them this year.  

We are going to focus more on root cellar foods (Root Cellaring by Mike Bubel)after trying with pumpkins last year and it went well. Means I will be planting through the summer also.

 Amish family bought us a sprouter so we can have fresh sprouts from the late fall through winter to spring. I got a variety of sprouts to try.  Might try them sooner if we really don't like them I can throw them in stirfries or soups. Or just pass it back to the family that gave it to us..

I went through the pantry and freezers , what is low (asparagus, peas, corn, broccoli and cauliflower, not carrots they will go in root cellar). Meat is fine. I rechecked holiday meats... Only need the prime rib for Christmas. I was able to get 2 hams at Easter for 79 ¢/lb. Got one butt ham for Easter and a shank to make broth to can. It's in the freezer to deal with later. Son2 was in the store and found another shank ham that was marked down to 69¢/lb and picked it up and used his military discount and shoved it in his freezer for me to get later. Anytime I find meat at $1/lb or less I try to get it.

I went through the spices and herbs... need anchovies and garlic bulbs since every single one in my 14 garden beds froze. 

I went through the medications and first aid. Pretty much set there.

I am going through clothes. Hubby might need jeans. His weight is floating on him. He is trying to lose weight so don't want to buy much. He was wanting flannel long sleeve for winter but the ones we were finding he didn't like too bulky,so he went with jean shirts. I had some stored in the barn for him. 

I went through garden supplies then canning supplies. Need apple cider vinegar, 10 cases of wide mouth pints and 60 lbs of sugar. I kept track of what I used.

I have lost so much weight since covid that 2/3rds of my clothes don't fit. So they are going to donations. I will stop in thrift stores to see if there is anything I can get to replace a skirt and 2 dress pants. 

I found a cheaper place to get our furnance filters by 25%. 

Got the water softener and refrigerator filters on sale with 30% off so I bought a year's supply.

Hubby called our plumber for a pipe elbow that had sprung a leak, He sold the part to us for his cost. Hubby had it fixed in 20 minutes by himself.Another plumber would only come to fix it not sell us the part and it was $150 just to come look at it.

The silverado is at the point it has to be replaced. Hubby wants to down size he work truck  the F350 as between the maintenance, fuel and insurance it's a bit too much.  We weren't actively looking. The dealership we get the maintence(he was getting oil change and exhaust) from asked if he would like to trade it in. He said MAYBE, depends on if they can get us a F250, gas, four door truck. They found one. We look at it on Monday morning. We are still at the point of needing 2 but I think we can limit the silverado to local and make it last a bit longer.

I looked at our budget, we already know what the 2024 asking, price is, we know what our trade in is worth(they just told us before they knew we were looking) and I know what title, fees etc are going to cost along. I figured up what we can do for down payment. I checked what interest rates were, then figured what the payments would be depending on length and then with changes between down payments. The insurance rates will be close enough to the same even though the truck is newer. It's going to come down to the final payment and how long.

Mean time we decided to try tonight a radish greens,asparagus and radish salad with our chicken salad wraps. 

Back to work... storms every other day if not daily. I get my weight lifting done moving patio furniture. 

gardening hard times

  First the 100 ft by 4 ft asparagus froze... so no asparagus for the freezer. BUT the crowns didn't die, some came up to fern so we will have asparagus next year.

Second, all 14 bed of garlic were killed by the freeze. I actually dug up the beds to see if I could find any that had made it. SO will have to buy my garlic for usage and to plant in the fall. 

We checked our fruit, looks like we lost at least 3 blueberry bushes, maybe up to 5. We lost at least 3 fruit trees with possibility of total of 5. Won't get much or any of fruit from rest as the last 2 freezes came in after they bloomed. Just hoping that only the blooms was damaged and not the trees it's self.

The strawberries are starting to bloom.

The snow peas and peas look okay, slow in growing but it's supposed to be warm this week so should sprout up more. 

The vegepod is slow also but showing signs of growing.I can see the radishes greens up and barely see the other rows. 

I have the first round of plants being hardened off. That's where you take them out of grow cart and take them outside each day, lengthening the time they stay outside. 

I have tomato plants,broccoli,cauliflower,eggplant,kalettes,peppers,collards, and onions that will be planted within the next couple weeks. 

I just planted in grow cart Christmas melon, peppers and a couple tomato plants.

I will be planting more in grow cart but if it's warm enough I will roll it outside and not use electric. 

We stopped yesterday to get flowers from the 2 local Amish greenhouses. I got 8 hanging baskets, some flowers for 2 planters, some herbs as my herb garden got destroyed last year, and a couple veggie plants like lettuce. Both of the green houses went to burning coal to heat with during the freezing spells and said things definitely was touch and go about losing stuff. The one husband slept in the green house to keep the fire going.  They compared it to winters of 2013 and 2014 (polar vortex). Not as bad but bad enough. 

What else?

 Norton won't let me sign in to Onedrive to down load my photos from my phone.

Our Retirment guys didn't think about those of us that work when they set up a webinar for noon so didn't make arrangements for it to be recorded nor is it written so the information gets out those that are working. They are working on it. Can you tell their ages  of not thinking of it. I've told classmates that they need to complain instead of tagging us asking what it was about.

Daughter 4 got a new job that pays more and has health insurance AND only had 1 more payment on her car. One son is finishing high school and looking for full time work. Right now he is working 10 hrs a week after school (would like more but he doesn't get his license until 18) The older son got himself fired and then after NOT looking for work, got himself threatened to be put out by MOM. HE can go mooch off his friends as she put it. She'll help if he was looking but sitting home playing video games doesn't float with her.

Daughter 3 is still employed, two oldest are working odd jobs, the youngest 2 are still in school. Daughter 3 doesn't let her kids work during school year except for their dad until 18 when they start driving.

Daughter 2 is working 2 jobs. Could lose the main one as she is last hired at school. Her boys are all working for their dad for  jobs and fencing and some landscaping. At least they are all working and getting their bills paid. Daughter 2 figures she is going to have to do something as a couple of them are moving out and she's have to add those bills to her own bills. 

Daughter 1 has cut off the family and several life time friends including her late father family since we all turned her in for selling her pain meds and drinking on her medication. We have tried everything to get her help but you can't force them to get help if they don't want it. We just pray for her like crazy.

Son 2 is having sever pain in his feet and legs and throat. VA has tried meds, therapy etc. Sending him for more testing. He is military so worried about his job. Best would be, he doesn't get fired, worst would be he sells his house and moves home with us until he rebuilds.

Son 1 is working steady but said orders were down for the company he works for.

We have been hit week after week with below 30 freezes. Even with asparagus covered 100 ft by 4 ft. IT froze. We crossed our fingers that the crown is still okay and it at least grows ferns or we  will be replanting asparagus and waiting 2 years to start harvesting again. THANKFUL I harvested enough for freezer to go 18 months. I have enough to go through the year if I am careful.

My potatoes should have been planted last week in grow bags, glad I didn't as they would have froze. 

I didn't plant my golden raspberries as soon as they came in on Saturday night. Glad I didn't do that either. 

It has made it very clear that it's going to be a very hard year. 

 

Growing asparagus... ours just froze

 Plant in the early spring at correct depth, and wait 2 years before picking.  Do not fertilize until following year. DO NOT use manure. 

I will be doing this next spring, several 20 degree temps back to back has froze the entire 100 ft by 4 ft row.  The Amish that put it in orginally can't remember what variety he planted.

We have another round of freezing this weekend. Usually will only get a light frost this time of year that a good cover will take care of. 

We are hoping after this comes through that it stays warm and MAYBE fingers crossed, that it didn't kill the "crowns" and only the asparagus. SIGH. 

This is why I can/freeze/dry enough food for at least 18 months if not 2 years.

IN the gardens

 We are getting enough aspargus for a couple meals every other 3 days.

Snow peas,peas, radishes,spinach, couple different lettuces, carrots and beets are coming up.  

I fertilized the strawberries and blueberries.

We had sever storms all night, will have them again tonight and rain daily the rest of the week. BUT in a few days we will have lows in the mid 20s... yes FREEZING temps for 4 days. So the day before that hits no matter what the weather we will be covering garden beds.

I chitted the potatoes...ummm cut them in sections,making sure there are 2-3 eyes and some of the potato to feed them as they start to grow. I have 6 varieties as Daughter 2 was going to start gardening , and I was sharing. She realized that not only did she not have the $$ to start that but didn't have enough time working 2 jobs to make ends meet. Daughter 4 had kept track  a few years ago of the cost and time and shared that with her.  I told her to start with like a tomato plant , lettuce and scallions but she didn't want to set up a water barrel at this time and can't water the garden with city water.  

Grow cart veggies are doing decent. I did have 2 that died so I will start them again this week.

Storms rolling through.

We took some to Hubby's parent yesterday as we spent most of the day there. MIL had eye surgery last week and it was the first day she felt up to visitors. FIL was happy to have company that wasn't just talking about her surgery.

We took them eggs, I gave them enough they could share another 2 families. I still have enough for us. It gets cold again this week like they are forecasting, chicken's won't be laying as much for E and M.

Storms came in early this morning instead of tomorrow so not in the gardens. Not putting my hands in any water as I had friends have their homes hit by lightening. One was in the shower and barely made it out before it hit. She watched the sparks fly passed her. The other one was at the kitchen sink running the dish washer. Came out the faucet (she thinks) and burnt a hole in her wall over the stove across the kitchen. Both have had issues with their eye sight since.

Under sever weather threat for a couple day with a sever drop (below freezing so cover asparagus back up a day or so before those temps hit) for 3-4 days after that. April in Ohio. 

I donated 32 items off my clothes rack of my clothes. Still have a wardrobe, bureau and chest of drawers. I do not have a closet . Hubby has an open closet in his bathroom, a clothes rack and two wardrobes. Goal is to have ALL of it gone through before end of April when I pull the summer stuff out of rubbermaids from barn. Then go through those to donate.... shoes and boots also. I dropped 5 sizes after having covid and have not gained it back in 2 yrs. Done keeping it for if I gain it back.

We might have at least one child moving home due to loss of work as they work for government. They are researching options to try to stay in their home at least if they get terminated. They really don't want to have to sell their home as it's half way of being paid off let alone touch the "I'm adult in 40s and shouldn't have to lose a job after 25 yrs of working it" feelings.

We had one child change jobs. Her old employer called and asked if she would apply. She was working a temporary job, 3rd shift, no insurance, $15/hr, 100 miles round trip daily. Now back to work for the old employer full time, 1st shift,  health and dental insurance,$22/hr, 44 miles round trip. 

Hubby's hearing aids were only staying charged for 6 hrs. He got new ones OUCH on costs, but his doctor told him to keep the old ones as back up incase he lost his or something happened to them.He would still have ones that some what worked until he got new ones.

NEXT DAY... we had sever Tstorm with winds and knocked out electric yesterday before I could hit publish. I could see the storm coming behind us so just unplugged and shut down even though we have a whole house surge protection. 

STAY SAFE.

Blessed Be 

Prayers for peace.

Garden work

We had to cover the 100 ft of asparagus due to a "freeze" spell for over a week. We had just had 2 Amish families come dig some of them up a few days before to start their own asparagus patches. We only need about 30 feet of 2 rows for us.N planted it when he owned the home for selling at the auction. 

We planted 6 blueberry bushes, cleaned 6 of the strawberry beds leaving 6 more to clear and replaced 4 of the old beds with new metal beds and refilled them.

My potatoes  tubers should be in today so the 12th we will be hauling stuff down to kids. Son 2 is paying for lunch. 

I transplanted some of the seedlings to larger pots to be ready to transplant them to the gardens in May.

I bought red onion sets, white onion sets, yellow onion sets and candy onion sets to start planting after this rain goes through.

Rhubarb is starting to leaf out. 

Five different radishes are up.

I cleared the old flower garden on the north side so this year's can come up and bloom.

Charlotte is pacing, wind is starting to go up and it's raining so it makes her feel like a storm is coming.

Have a good day 

Blessed be

in gardens

 E's wife M and one of their sons came over and dug up some of the asparagus last night to plant in their garden. 

W is  around 80 years old is now outside digging with Hubby for asparagus to replant at his house.

We have 100 ft long and 4 ft wide patch of asparagus. 

I planted in vegepod some spinach, lettuce,4 different radishes, bunching onions, carrots,and beets , and in garden beds I planted snowpeas and garden peas. 

 I moved the 2 planters that had 5 "tray " beds each to the east side of barn instead of having it on the deck. Let's it get more sun and rain so I am watering less. I also will not have to move them when high winds happen. There are 2 trays already filled from last year. I put them in the top tray area as it's chamomile.

I have all my pots empty and cleaned out and ready to fill with soil.

I trimmed all the berry vines. 

I will wait at least a week and then do another round of direct sow seeds in gardens.

I'll be putting more in grow cart, not sure what. Need to get onion sets also.

 

Groceries/grocery budget

 Jan 28th spent $63.61 on groceries (left $116 in grocery budget)

Feb 11th bought 1 gallon of milk $3.19

Feb 25th bought 1 gallon of milk $2.98 (left additional $298 in grocery budget) 

March 3rd spent $329.61 SAVED $135.

Kroger's had good sales. I got 3 chuck roasts, 2 boneless pork loins, 3 lbs of bacon, 1 80/20 roll of hamburger, 2- 1lb. ground beef, 1chicken thighs (that scored me 2 free packages of chicken wings). I got carrots (regular, not baby), celery (coupon) broccoli (coupon), cauliflower (coupon), 2 bunches of scallions, 2 packages of mushrooms(coupons), and 3 bags of mixed salad (on sale). I got a loaf of bread for 50 cents. Got  5 salted butter on sale (coupon) milk (coupon) half and half (coupon), cottage cheese (coupon) and yogurt (on sale).  Got peanut butter .... 10 total between Kroger creamy and Jif chunky for $1.49 each, both on sale. Got 3 of 6 pack of coke and one of sprite on a buy 2 get 2 free PLUS coupon.  Had a $20 coupon if I spent $200 or more. I still have one chest freezer empty. 

I still have a couple of boxes of shelf stable mik that I will use this month since they need used up.

Amish gave us eggs and 1 pound of smoked bacon (tonight's supper).

I ordered different dried beans, Great Northern (share with son 2) Pinto (share with daughter 4) navy (share with daughter 2) small red (OURS LOL),red kidney (share with MIL) and black bean (OURS) Split the costs.. our share $128. The kids decided they needed some beans incase things get worse.

We still have $256 left in budget. 

We know we will eat out at the local restuarant that does all you can eat fish through Lent. I called and asked what the price was going to be.Times it by how many times I think we will go and will use what is left in the grocery budget including tip.  Will still have some left in budget. 

I should only spend about $60 in April for dairy and fresh veggies... IF it stays warm I should be able to grow lettuce and maybe spring onions.

Amish neighbor told us he got us a pig that he is raising. We can "donate" food scraps if we want (we usually do even though we don't get a pig) and he was also getting a steer that we could have whole or half (he never has problems finding someone that wants half). Both would be ready in fall. He will also have corn for us. Asked if we needed it for fresh eating or freezer or both. His siblings and parents are grateful for the help we have given while his Dad has been fighting infection and then a knee replacement. Between emails and phone calls to Doctor in Mexico and going after meds and running him to xrays. You would think it was Hubby's dad instead of the neighbors. 

 We asked if he was "helping" the widow on the other side of him. Said she had already "placed her order" age 77 and laughed. The other widow age 80 on our side said her kids were growing gardens  and running her over at times.  

Back to work.

Take care, be safe, and I pray you don't get the flu I caught AGAIN  

Garden work.

 Hubby is clearing the asparagus patch today. I saw some of the "green" that comes up before the spears break ground. Tomorrow it's to be close to 60 before it plunges to below freezing again.

In grow cart I started kohlrabi, collards, 3 different tomato plants, celery, bunching onions, cabbage,eggplant,and brussels sprouts. 

End of this week I will pick more to start.

Our primary doctor and his wife said they have been growing "salad" lettuce all winter in their grow cart and then complained about the $600 electric bill when I pointed out he got an electric car and their electric company has different rates for times of usuage. They checked and found that if he started charging at one time that was on the higher rate, it stays the higher rate until he is done charging. Was in the contract they signed when they installed the charging station. So they put it on an alert on their phone to go out and charge it when the rates go down. They also have the grow cart on at that time. We suggested putting it on a timer since they work long hours. 

So if you are new to growing or even restarting... check what you are using and when. It might make a difference cost wise

LOL... when you have a family member call you

 in an anxiety attack and panicked and you got them doing slow breathing etc to calm them down as they lost their ONLY set of keys to car and need to leave for work...

After several , I already checked theres.. I reminded them that I was walking through their home in my head as if I lost the keys. ... Started laughing when I said check the stove, check the oven (yes I have put them their) check the frig (that was were Pop put his, Mother did the freezer) Daddy always hung his up . 

Check you badge for work... oh that is already on you???? then silence...when they checked the badge they remembered where they put the keys...

IN THEIR PANTS POCKET WHERE THEY PUT IT WHEN THEY PUT THEIR BADGE ON. 

We both laughed and they went to work.

short...

 still trying to get over this bug...

ordered blueberry plants due to last year's not doing very well. 

Propane company filled our tank as winter heating season is ending and the costs of propane is going up. We used 2200 gallons when we bought the house. From Feb. 1 2024 to Feb 25, 2025 we used 246.9 gallons.  Burned 1/2 ton coal and 6 cords of wood(about half that was scap from the sawmill)

I have finished sorting seeds. 

I ordered more dried beans as we consumed all the pintos and are low on small red bean, Great Northern, Navy and black beans.

Sap is running so Amish have tapped the maple trees so in a couple weeks I will be getting maple syrup for the year. 

We have ate enough that we have 1 chest deep freezer empty. Half the corn, asparagus and peas is gone also.

Take care 

GARDEN

 Okay, I am zone 6A... after March 15th I can plant IF GROUND IS 50℉. Dandelions should be up. 

I can plant collards, onion sets, peas, snow peas, radishes, spinach, turnips, beets, kale, cabbage, broccoli,carrots,kohbrabi, softneck garlic,  chard(aka Swiss chard) brussels sprouts, rutabagas and some lettuces.

I usually hold off on cabbage and grow Chinese cabbage instead, save full head cabbage for fall growing.  I take row cover out and set it up so if a late freeze or heavy frost comes in I can just toss covers over it within minutes. 

I can do leeks (have a couple times) Potatoes and mustard after the 25th. 

Since we are still in solid freezes, I held off a couple weeks before starting my seeds. I will be doing that this weekend and finishing up with setting up the gardens as it's to get in the forties..

Daddy and several of the Amish plant potatoes by Good Friday, I have always done it mid March 

Still trying to get rid of flu

 At least my potassium is stable. I am eating, Doc told me to eat what I craved and then wondered about me when Hubby told him I couldn't keep broth down but ate 1/4th of a Philly steak sub.... I am a strange one.

Got two more family that got cut off from survivor benefits of social security. They got lawyers. 

Got 3 cut off of Medicaid. One I never could understand how she qualified to begin with the other two are in Medicade nursing homes... so we wonder if something wasn't filed correctly. Used to be the county nursing home but changed hands 4 times in last 5 yrs.Daddy told them to not go there before he went in nursing home himself.

Son2 might get fired, even though he is a retired Army with almost 22 yrs and now 3 yrs at Airforce as civilian, because he changed position, he got promoted, he is considered probationary even with 9 months in the position which is exactly what he was doing in Army for last 10 yrs. He's definitely worried as he is single and will lose his home without work.I told him he can either move into barn with his cats or upstairs. He isn't going to be homeless. He is also worried about his medical as they are shutting the hospitals down in places due to staff being let go by goverment. I told him civialian is understaffed also, has been since pandemic... he just hasn't been sick so didn't realize until the past few months. Too young for retirement. 

Had my Straight Talk acct hacked and someone ordered a new phone. My credit card asked me to confirm the order. Nope Not ME. Even though I could use a new phone, I can't afford it at this time.

Amish are trying to figure out how to go to a medical Appt in Mexico with the border rerestrictions in place. They do NOT do photo id's.

My doctor ran 5 blood works and then told me to finish what ever I still had at home of OTC vitamins/meds etc stuff but not get more. I am now to the point I am growing my potassium, B etc (sweet potatoes, winter squash, Spinach Etc) so he figured I would be saving a good amount of money as that pretty much left me only a multivitamin if that. That is a savings of $838.90 (didn't realize it was that much myself) a year. Hubby is down 2 but went up one that matched the savings. 

 We have 2.5 tons of coal left but on low side of wood.

Tired but holding on

 

menu... OWN YOUR OWN... I had the flu... garden seeds..finances

 after dehydrating

50 lbs before dehydrating

This is a Dickinson pumpkin/squash (yes pumpkins are winter squash). It is the vartiety that Libby's pumpkin in the can is.

I actually got 2 of this size done of the pumpkins. Have 6 more yet to do but figured I would give it another day of making sure I am over the flu first as more than one of the kids/grandkids/greatgrandkids got it back within a few days. I told them to quit giving me that crap through the phone. 😲

Hubby finished up some of the odds and ends. Finally yesterday I fixed a grilled cheese and lunch meat sandwich. I ate 1/2 of one and called it good. He is having pot pie for supper tonight. I am not sure if I will.

BUT since I was sick, I went through the seeds, checked and rechecked what we had and what we needed vs what we wanted since we decided to grow more of our own food...Then decided with how things were going to order enough to go 3 yrs and focus on more heirloom, open pollinated and fewer hybrid favorites. 

Found about 1/ 4th of what I would have ordered not available at all or not available for 2025. A  few was from China (radishes) not available pretty much at any of the of where I shop, it's okay, I just ordered something else. Definitely reminded me of pandemic and trying to get seeds. At least I have enough canning jars. I usually order between 4 to 6 places. It took almost 10. I told Hubby I will pull 2/3rd of what I have,  split that in half and vacuum seal them and place them in freezer for next year and the following year. I will go back to making sure I have a "seed" plant in a container planted away from anything else so it doesn't cross pollionate. Been awhile since I have done that. Might get a I think I have a book on that subject. Might go to library and look for one. 

Since I am no longer grocery shopping every 2 wks. I am starting to feel homebound. A couple of the Amish ladies mentioned it as they had medical tell them it's not good. I told them in the old days my grandparents called it cabin fever and women would have mental issues due to it. My aunt suffered twice from it before my cousin started driving and got her out of the house every other week. 

After a couple of the kids read this...https://itreconomics.com/2030s-great-depression/... I understand their fear... 2 just lost their jobs due to Trumps cuts, one is looking to lose his along with his medical. Grandkid lost his survivor benefits.By time they battle for it back he will already have lost his medical he was paying himself. One working as custodian will lose hers if funding to schools ends or gets cut especially if they go pay to play as most in her area can't afford that and she's the last hired so would be the first fired...So in their eyes a Depression is coming.Even though we don't think it will get THAT bad, it's going to be hard... you can't keep running up debt and not pay the freaking bill off.  A recession is local (like only the USA), a Depression is global is the best way to get them to think of it. Or as I put it, quit doing Door Dash and COOK.

There are a couple things we would have liked to finish changing for wheelchair accessible but okay for now it's not getting done. 

I have to do the finances Wednesday. Electric bill is in early.... it's on the higher side...$150...minus the $15 for security light make it's $135.... I used the dryer for bedding, throws and such twice last month, it ran 4 hrs total (yes I kept track). 5 chest deep freezers, 3 refrigerators, 2 humidifiers running full time . Grow cart will be on. I had already saved the $$ for seeds...and part of the $$ for soil needed for the new garden beds.

Charlotte says it's nap time LOL

I think it came from FB but so fitting for me in the garden.

 

I think I even have a hat like that. LOL

I have listed all my seeds... by color, with each color on a different notebook paper, since we want to make sure we are eating our colors of fruit and veggies... white is a struggle as Hubby's parents didn't eat potatoes and mine ate them 3 times a day EVERY day. I added more white and purple colored veggies. I also added more flowers as two of the Daughters decided they wanted some that no one grows around here or where they are. 

I ordered (on sale) which meant I had to hunt around several sites to get the best price. I paid NO shipping and the least savings was 10%. I increased the order amount as Hubby felt things were going to head like pandemic did with the grocery stores. Reimer seeds are from Mexico. Several Amish are worried about not getting medical treatment as they do not have photo ids.

I brought all the stuff... grow cart, potting soil, seed starting soil etc into the house. Check fertilizer, blossom rot spray, innoculate etc that I will also need. Should be set.

We promised to bring the garden beds we are giving to the one daughter with in 2 wks as she wants to figure out where to put them etc. 

Hubby needs to finish getting the purple martin house fixed so he can finish putting the rest of the metal beds together.He does that in the barn so he doesn't get so cold or rained on.

Kind of feel like I am spinning wheels during Feb. But I know if I start planting in the grow cart and it stays cold until April (been there and done that) it will hurt my plants to plant too soon or too late.

Menu Jan 25 -Jan 30th

 Jan 25th Leftover pizza from freezer and salad 

Jan 26th Turkey Enchilida soup (home canned),left over corn bread from freezer, tortilla chips and sour cream

Jan 27th Beef pot pie with homemade bread *from M*

Jan 28th, Leftover bean soup and leftover corn bread from freezer.

Jan 29th Chinese take out ... Chinese New Year

Jan 30th.and 31st. Leftover Chinese, odds and ends soup with grilled cheese.

Garden plans for January.

I pulled out my note book and checked to see what I planted where last spring. 

If you planted the area before make sure you rotate. Corn is followed by legumes, Legumes is followed by root veg. Root vegs are followed by fruit (cucumbers, eggplant, squash, tomatoes, peppers and melons). Fruit is followed by leaf plants.  This also goes for raised garden beds.  

Also check to make sure if you do companion planting (two different plants in same bed) that they are helpful to each other. I forgot and planted dill with my one bed of tomatoes... it wasn't a good thing. 

We have 4 wooden garden beds 3 ft by 16 ft. Two of them will be going to Daughter 2 . We have 4 metal beds *2ft by 8 ft* to replace them.

The other 2 wooden beds will be cleared out and replanted with flowers only. 

 Fourteen of the metal beds has garlic in them. The company I ordered garlic from made a mistake, corrected it but let me have the "wrong" order for free. Some will be ready in May so I can plant late summer crops in those beds.The rest should be done by mid June in time for me to plant fall crops. I will be checking to see what I can plant with the garlic and after it. I plant 3 seasons so this is doable for me.

 I have potato grow bags (never used this type before). 

I have the vegepod.

I have black grow bags we have used off and on through the years and Hubby said he thought we had 4 to 6 more metal beds in barn to put together. I have flower boxes and baskets.

I checked my supply of seed pots for the grow cart. 

I checked my supply of seed starting soil, potting soil and fertilizer. Hubby checked the raised garden bed soil and put it on the NEED list. Since we are filling new beds I had already budgeted for it plus topping off last years mixed with our compost.

I went through all my seeds and listed them giving each veggie a page and listing variety. 

I have a seed list from Root Cellaring (Mike and Nancy Bubel) and seed list from Victory Gardens (https://u.osu.edu/ohiovictorygardens/) plus what Amish suggested to plant as it grows good here. 

I checked what I do have in seeds against those lists. I added some I have grew for decades such as scarlet runner beans. I ordered purple broccoli seeds and Heshiko heirloom bunching onion you can plant in the fall to have a crop the following spring from Pinetree aka superseeds.com which is new to me.

I want more "color" in a meals to help us stay healthy without getting it from the store unless it's winter, preferrably from my pantry. I want something red besides beets or tomatoes of veggies (have plenty red in fruit).

This week I will go through the lists again, separate what I will plant this spring and where into a container with list AKA brown sack labeled SPRING. I will rearrange the laundry room for the grow cart and put those seeds in one of the trays. Grow cart gets planted in Feb. The weather people are forecasting a warmer, slightly wetter spring for us. SO I will start my part of my seeds early Feb.

Blessed be

Prayers for peace...

prayers for the govt workers having to return to offices. I know the one base here just had water damage and 1/4 of the workers have NO office due to that

Menu Jan 18th thru Jan 24th

 Jan 18th Taco Bell.

Jan 19th Chuck roast with potatoes,carrots and onions

Jan 20th French toast with Bacon (Bacon from E)

Jan 21st Leftover chuck roast, potatoes, and carrots (no onions)

Jan 22nd Pot pie, baked apples and bread.

Jan 23rd Spaghetti and meathballs , 

Jan 24th Breaded fish, potato skins, salad, asparagus, black raspberry pie