what I have done in the frugal dept. this week.

Armenian Cucumbers from the garden. These two made 9 pints of dill pickles.

I also harvested and canned red noodle beans, KY wonder beans, and lazy wife beans.

I canned, froze and dried 34 lbs of peaches. Made peach jelly out of the peels and pits.

I froze cherry tomatoes for tomato cobbler this winter and oven roasted several pans of cherry tomatoes and then froze them.

I canned 6 quarts of pasta sauce that was cooked down from fresh tomatoes from the garden. This year it's taking 1 gallon of juice to make a quart of sauce. I don't need any more juice . I have a year's worth of juice, diced tomatoes, whole tomatoes, and tomato sauce already done. Think 52 jars of each for the year.

I froze cantaloupe that I cut into chunks and asparagus beans . I will use the asparagus beans for stirfries this winter.

I froze 37 quarts of corn. Made corn cob syrup and corn cob jelly from the corn cobs.

I have pulled the onions and have them curing. Some are small but that's the ones I will use in roasts or when I don't need much onion.

I harvested and dried from my gardens, rosemary, cilantro, basil, oregano, thyme, dill, lemon balm, flat parsley, curled parsley,sage,garlic chives and cayenne peppers.

I harvested,pickled and canned beets.

I froze another batch of strawberries.

I canned peperoncini peppers.

I froze bell peppers.

I harvested cannellini dried beans and dried pinto beans for soups this winter.

I harvest buttercrunch lettuce seeds.

I harvested Scarlet runner, Moonlight runner, Sunset runner beans that I let dry on the vine for seeds for next yr.

I have used the clothes line as much as possible even when it meant that the clothes was only partially dried when the rain started in the afternoon. Several times was able to finish drying on the drying rack instead of using the dryer.

Our hand truck (2 wheel cart for hauling appliances and boxes) broke and we are moving our son this weekend. I found one on sale and had a coupon at that store so we were able to save 55% of the normal price.


What have you done?

what I did that was frugal

Used my coupons for Joann's fabric for 20% off.

Went to Scioto Valley produce auction.  Forgetting to load the 36 pints of black raspberries and going back to get them was not frugal (2 hr round trip) Still with adding the extra gas we saved close to $200 on produce for the storage.

Used discount along with sale to get new undergarments for myself.

Reloaded Skype so I can "visit" with grandkids and friends. I had it but had to dump my computer due to glitch and just now reloaded it.

I started inventorying my pantry to see what is needed for this fall/winter.

We are trying to get away from shopping every week except when we can get double gas pts. (until Aug 2) and away from food that has chemicals etc.

I am close to having all the veggies we need for the winter, just need green beans for the freezer, my pole beans are blooming so I am hopeful for that. I need corn and winter squash. I get my winter squash from Scioto Valley produce auction or Wishing Well farm.

We will be eating from the pantry this week.

This weeks goals

Garden:
harvest green beans
harvest cauliflower
harvest cabbage
harvest tomatoes
harvest green onions
harvest several herbs
start planting for fall and winter crops.
refill north east sq ft with fresh dirt.

Cooking/canning/freezing
zucchini (bought at auction)
yellow squash (bought at auction)
pickles (bought at auction)
beets(bought at auction)
cabbage
cauliflower
tomatoes

Shopping/errands
Joann fabrics to use coupons ...needles for the sewing machine for sure.
store for milk, dog food, and soda pop, paper plates and forks for the cake for my older daughter's wedding. Going to get a little bit each week.

Sewing
Fix daughter's veil to comb so if she decided on a veil she can have it available. We have had the veil for 16 yrs in storage on a headband. I have 2 combs that would be more to what she wants now if she decides to wear the veil.
Hem my own dress for the wedding.
Cut out an apron and sew it.

Maintenance:
tape craft/sewing room
primer craft/sewing room
paint craft/sewing room
set up craft/sewing room

Blog goals
post goals for the week
post accomplishments of the week
post frugal choices of the week.

what I got done

GARDEN:

1.DONE pull older broccoli 

2. DONE pull bolting lettuce that I don't want the seed from

3. DONE harvest lettuce

4. harvest green beans

5. harvest cauliflower

6.DONE harvest broccoli

7. harvest cabbage

8. replant areas with fall/winter seeds that have been cleared

9. repair north east sq ft 

10. DONE add another sq ft garden to south gardens

11.DONE check potted plants

12 harvest basil

13. harvest rosemary

14 harvest tomatoes.

COOKING/CANNING/FREEZING

1.DONEfreeze cauliflower

2. DONEfreeze broccoli

3. freeze cabbage (cabbage rolls, freezer slaw)

4. bake coconut cream pie for Dad

5. grill out (or I should say grill in the garage :( )

SEWING:

1. hem the dress I am wearing to my daughter's wedding Aug 1st

2. cut out and sew one apron

3. get material for winter curtains (as Dad might be in the master bedroom we will be in room upstairs without heat and it has a lot of drafts) for upstairs bedroom.

4. sew buttons on my blouse

5. sew hem on sheet that came undone due to wind while hanging on clothes line.

6. make new table cloth for the glass dining table we just got.

SHOPPING/ERRANDS

1: go to Joann's fabric for sales , need needles for machine, thread for dress that I need to hem and need fabric for a few things around the house including for table cloths.I got a coupon in the mail.

2.DONE drop off daughter's wedding gown that has been in storage 16 yrs to dry cleaners

3. go see my Dad and take meals to him. He can still cook but hasn't learned to cook for one and gets tired of eating leftovers...my leftovers are something else though. Also he noticed that when he cooks and smells it , he loses his appetite . It's hot also and he no longer uses his grill.

4. DONEmaybe go to Kroger's if there is something there we need. Right now we are getting double points for gas. I saved $49. last month on gas using double pts.

5. DONEWe might go to the Scioto Valley produce auction on Friday. Just to see if we can get some broccoli for the freezer.

Maintenance:

1. tape "craft room" actually upstairs bedroom but I need a place to have all my crafts and sewing together.

2. primer craft room

3. paint craft room

4. set up craft/sewing room.  

BLOG GOALS:

1. to actually write on my blog not just think about what I want to write on my blog when I am going to sleep.

This week's goals

with expecting rain daily (still, some more) I have to focus on "drier days" like no rain in morning or in between rounds of rain, to get things done in the gardens and out side.Everything else is done when I can't get out due to the rain.

GARDEN:
1. pull older broccoli
2. pull bolting lettuce that I don't want the seed from
3. harvest lettuce
4. harvest green beans
5. harvest cauliflower
6. harvest broccoli
7. harvest cabbage
8. replant areas with fall/winter seeds that have been cleared
9. repair north east sq ft
10. add another sq ft garden to south gardens
11. check potted plants
12 harvest basil
13. harvest rosemary
14 harvest tomatoes.

COOKING/CANNING/FREEZING
1.freeze cauliflower
2. freeze broccoli
3. freeze cabbage (cabbage rolls, freezer slaw)
4. bake coconut cream pie for Dad
5. grill out (or I should say grill in the garage :( )

SEWING:
1. hem the dress I am wearing to my daughter's wedding Aug 1st
2. cut out and sew one apron
3. get material for winter curtains (as Dad might be in the master bedroom we will be in room upstairs without heat and it has a lot of drafts) for upstairs bedroom.
4. sew buttons on my blouse
5. sew hem on sheet that came undone due to wind while hanging on clothes line.
6. make new table cloth for the glass dining table we just got.

SHOPPING/ERRANDS
1: go to Joann's fabric for sales , need needles for machine, thread for dress that I need to hem and need fabric for a few things around the house including for table cloths.I got a coupon in the mail.
2. drop off daughter's wedding gown that has been in storage 16 yrs to dry cleaners
3. go see my Dad and take meals to him. He can still cook but hasn't learned to cook for one and gets tired of eating leftovers...my leftovers are something else though. Also he noticed that when he cooks and smells it , he loses his appetite . It's hot also and he no longer uses his grill.
4. maybe go to Kroger's if there is something there we need. Right now we are getting double points for gas. I saved $49. last month on gas using double pts.
5. We might go to the Scioto Valley produce auction on Friday. Just to see if we can get some broccoli for the freezer.

Maintenance:
1. tape "craft room" actually upstairs bedroom but I need a place to have all my crafts and sewing together.
2. primer craft room
3. paint craft room
4. set up craft/sewing room.

BLOG GOALS:
1. to actually write on my blog not just think about what I want to write on my blog when I am going to sleep.

Blessed Be

HI

it's been a few month...lots of changes ...most of them for the good.

I don't do well with changes even when it's for the better... My grandson is now living with his dad , actually he lives with both his parents this summer as he spends a week with one and then the other. Rough but he gets to see them equally and he is happy with that. I am happy that he is happy.

My Dad has dementia and will at some point come live with us...We decided to prepare the house for him NOW so it's not a crisis when he does come.He has already given me his routine and what he likes to eat. He explained his meds and what they are for...he is still having good days, but bad days are really bad especially living alone even with family checking on him repeatedly during the day.

The spring gardens didn't do much, weather wasn't good.

The summer gardens are getting way too much rain, luckily we did put straw in the north garden so we can get in to harvest and check on the plants and not swim through the mud.The rest of the gardens are either sq ft gardens or a narrow strip that I can reach across.

I have ordered most of my fall/winter seeds...didn't have much to order as I ordered extra in the spring. I will be ordering my garlic and shallots(new one for me to grow). I will use some of the garlic I have grown to replant.

We have some changes to make with the finances. Looking at retirement in 5 yrs...not what we had thought about doing, thought 7 yrs the soonest but ....decided to look at 5 just in case things change and Hubby has to retire out sooner.

Blessed Be

Where did the time go?

No, really, someone needs to figure this out...it was just February, March either was FOREVER or it ZOOMED by...depending on what I've been dealing with .

This is where part of the time went during and after recovery from the household have the ickies and then messing up my back, going in for a back procedure and then throwing out my pelvic girdle...

We decided to start buying our meat from the local farmers, cheaper, healthier and less likely of recall. So we ordered a hide quarter of beef from the young man that has his cattle in the barn here at the homestead. Then realized we needed another freezer by doing this. Found a great freezer( AKA Newbie,21.7 cubic) on sale (first new chest freezer we have ever bought) and it was delayed in being delivered....crisis...shifted things around, son took some of the beef and everything fit in what we had.

THEN the brain storm was we needed to move the other 2 deep freezers around to put the new one in the basement where Monty (27 cubic ..Montgomery and Ward) was and put Monty where Baby (7 cubic) was....SO in my mess of health...I decided I wanted it in the mudroom off the kitchen where we already have the second frig. THEN I decided to paint the room and redo it for how we use it (which is fine with our landlord).What we thought would be a week project is now in to the 3rd week and still going on. I am not thrilled with the shelves, they wobble and I need a new trash can for the dog food to fit in the spot by the shelves plus get the corner round painted and on.

The first picture ( because I forgot before pictures this was all that wasn't painted) is the corner of the mudroom...the ceiling,walls and corner round was this dirty beige...the "brick" is wallpaper that has been on for decades that was behind a sink that leaked if used. We ripped out the sink, fixed the plumbing so if anyone in the future wants to put a sink back in they only have to remove the paneling .

The next two are the finished room...well almost finished. We decided to add corner round to the top of the baseboard and it needs painted red before we do that. I haven't decided on the curtains...red goes well but I use that color in the winter for the holidays...the blue curtain isn't the right shade, I don't want dark colors during the spring and summer...I am thinking of a quilt pattern or even crocheting something...right along with all the other projects I have to do.

With trying to figure out what to put in what freezer and leave room for when the produce starts coming in....and trying to figure out where to put the stuff that did not go back in the mudroom .... I imagine April will disappear also.

Blessed Be

Still sick but now so is the others

in the house. Opened up the house and aired it out AFTER I turned off the furnace for awhile. I hope it blew out some of the germs. I should have stock in Kleenex.

We got pizza out the other day , spent $20.00 and it has already been used in 4 meals and another is in the freezer from it. I feel that's not bad as I added salad etc as sides with it.

I reworked the menu to put in what was not ate last month.

Tonight it roasted turkey, mainly because I needed the freezer room for left overs or what is now plan overs for when I am in the gardens next month and April.Sour cream and chive potatoes and a couple other veggies along with pickles, pickled hot cauliflower and beets.

Tuesday Fat Tuesday...pancakes for bfast of course  HA HA and Jambalaya for dinner. No King cake, we don't care for it that much but I might add some snicker doodle cookies from the freezer.

Wednesday is Ash Wednesday but it's also our anniversary so it's prime rib roast,CA blend veggies and baked sweet potato as that is Hubby's favorite. Brownies as I have a craving for them...might add mini choc chips.

Thursday is Chinese New Year....egg rolls, potstickers, fried rice, There is a frozen chicken dish and a frozen beef dish to be reheated.

Friday we will be driving Pat to his Dad's so we thought we would swing by the restaurant that we were given a $25 gift card to and use it. I will see if I can find any coupons for there also.


Have a blessed week

Feb. 2. 2015

The ground hog saw his shadow...probably wondering why the humans don't understand it's 6 weeks to spring by the calendar so why are they poking him and waking him up to tell them something they should be able to read for their selves.

I got sick and found out that Hubby will reheat leftovers but that is about all he is going to do.SO the eating from the pantry went by the way side big time because it took almost 3 weeks for me to get well enough to not worry about passing my germs with the food I served.

BUT while down, I decided on this year's gardens. I have decide to try to do a 4 season garden. We miss our green veggies during the winter and they cost an arm and leg and then half the time because I have to buy a "big" container, I end up tossing part of it out before we get it ate. We just don't eat the same greens every day. I don't have that problem in the spring through fall as I only cut what I need. SO 4 seasons...that means extra seeds to buy...different varieties as we already know we get bored of the same thing. I don't grow the same green veggies in the fall that I grow in the spring.

I have placed the last of my seed orders(maybe HA HA) and in April (April 17th to be exact) the Produce auction will start for plants.

Meantime, it's organize organize organize and plan those garden plots.

Still recovering....slow and steady, a bit better daily, exhaustion is down to beyond tired  HA HA (NOT really funny).

Be safe, be healthy, live well.

Frugal week

We didn't eat out at all even though I am sick(head cold into chest cold and hoping it doesn't not go into pneumonia) and would prefer not to messing with food to keep from passing it...Hubby did a little bit of cooking on the worse day. I am hoping I am over the hump.

We only bought milk since the Jan 2nd  when we did our meat buying(sales were good). Since I just opened it this morning I figure we will make it through the week. Hubby bought it on the way home from work at the local grocery store, it's only 2 miles out of the way instead of 30 mile round trip and that saved on gas even though the milk was a bit more in price.We both figured we spend less because he just went in and got ONLY milk where in the city we would have been checking out the sales.

I roasted a turkey that made 4 meals for the week (stayed on menu mostly)and put 2 more in the freezer including over a gal of broth (in different size containers) for other meals.

I mended 3 pants for Pat.

I mended a shirt for Hubby and I changed a jacket he had that was damaged to a vest for him that he can wear.

I mended a sweater for myself.

I made 5 gals of laundry soap. That will last about 3 months or more for us.I wash the bedding and furniture throws quite often since the dogs sleep on my bed and furniture.

I made cranberry juice from last year's cranberries that was in the freezer and made cranberry sauce from what was left of the juice.

I started a soup container in the deep freezer...funny how we stopped all of a sudden of having a couple bites in containers in the frigs after I did that.

I have been making sure the curtains to the south are open on days that it is sunny to help warm the house and closed before it gets dark.

I checked the pantry for what we are low in and what needs used up before it's lost....we had water standing in the pantry at Thanksgiving and I got a feel it cost us with some of the root veggies. Next year we are going to change where we store our root veggies to keep them longer and hopefully not have as much waste.

I started planning our garden....we are looking at year around gardening....big planning of needing covers and etc to do that so I want to have the "buy" list now to have it all way before it's actually needed.

I have a daughter getting married and she asked for me to grow her flowers ...or try to grow as much as I can as I am not into growing flowers (yarrow does well for me and that's about it). SO I need to think about what to plant AND where I am going to plant it because if I give veggie garden space up for it then I have to figure out where to put the veggies so we have our needs for the year met.

What did you do to save money or your time this week?

What I am doing

or still doing... besides trying to stay in out of the wind chills of below 20° and moan about Pat having to go to school which means I have to go out in wind chills of below 20° to drive him down the 2 tenths of lane because I sure am not going to have him walk in something I wouldn't walk in myself as an adult.

I blended the rest of our horseradish from the garden...end with a mess mid way as I didn't get the blender back together correctly and ended up with horseradish slung EVERYWHERE.

Tried to find some seeds that I want...Excalibur F1 parsnip, Riccia Parsley, Forest Green Mizuna and Amerliore Turnips...striking out so far.

Mending is caught up.

Finances are done plus I reworked the budget to start saving for seeds  and the Scioto Valley produce auction in April.

Checked the groceries...nothing needed....might need milk over the weekend but that should be about it.

One solid week of eating from the pantry.... YES!!!!!

Got to get back to it.

Goals for 2015

Blog more LOL

Eat from the pantry and less eating out...more of clean food eating like we did when I was growing up until tv dinners came along and we ate them a lot when Mother was in the garden harvesting mode.

Waste less food, wear things out, quit buying what we already have but can't find because it wasn't put away in the correct place.

Declutter and condense down what we do have and use.


Keep the mending done.

Get back into routine of my home blessing which is still getting bumped all over the week due to other things...sigh.

Plant a succession garden including into the winter (low tunnel hoop houses since I am in OH)

Save more...a lot more...get out of debt and save more...

YES I am alive....I think...let me ask myself again

Oh yeah it's been that type of fall....

I have several Crohn attacks...but remained OUT of the hospital (praising all in the heavens for that ).

THEN messed my back up and thought here I go again with the pain clinic but my massage therapist got me straightened back up and able to walk without pain again. Pain clinic put off YEAH.

I have filled the pantry and then some...still have to deal with pumpkins and some apples...just got oranges in also.Am working on a menu to use up what is in the pantry so nothing goes to waste.

Been battling field mice with the cold that came in...I won but they did get into the tomatoes I was ripening DARN CRITTERS.

Put 8 turkeys and 6 hams in the freezer...and one pork loin.

Ordered 12 bones of prime rib for our Christmas Eve dinner(Hubby's favorite gift) and will cut it up BEFORE cooking  so we have some in the freezer for our anniversary in Feb.

Am watching the sales for pork roasts, ribs,pork loins and kraut. Will call our local store to see what 50 lbs of potatoes are running. We go through about 30-40 lbs a month.Our one store is offering meat packages...the one is really really good for us as it has roasts for half the price as the big stores. I will be ordering it also in the next couple weeks...after the bills are paid and Christmas is bought.

I have half of Christmas bought and wrapped...will finish the rest before the 20th and have the cookies and candy done by then also. LONG days this week.

I bought a large calendar for menus only. I use www.flylady.net calendar for everything else but I wanted one for the kitchen and the menu only. I wanted to list the entree, sides and dessert if having one. I hope it will keep me on task of using what is in the pantry and let me lower the grocery bills so I can start focusing on what to plant in the garden.

This year we have a daughter getting married and she wants me to grow must if not all of the flowers that she needs...I suck at growing flowers so I hope the heavens look about these flowers and bless them for her wedding and ignore my flower black thumb, hand, arm ...body LOL

The house is decorated mostly for Christmas. I have lights on the tree in the front room but not the decorations yet. The rest of the home is pretty much done.

Hope everyone is keeping in mind what the season means of their faith.

Blessed be

Sometimes Our Kids Worry

Remember this? Our kids were thankful we found a washer, that we weren't be spending our grocery money at the laundromat but there was concern of the amount of work it would cause me to do the laundry and the age of the washer. Truthfully I enjoy doing the laundry more and I do it less often and the clothes are coming out cleaner.

Wellllll...see this?

This is the used freezer we just bought.  We had been looking since the other one died. Saved up a couple hundred knowing that a used freezer was just going to be a stop gap until we could afford a new one. Hubby went to a couple auctions, we checked out the want ads etc...always sold or up right or had sat off for a long time with door shut...not good or was a very small freezer. Just when we thought we would have to buy a new freezer that was really too small, there was another auction close by that had a freezer listed. BUT it had been sitting turned off (the door was open so it didn't stink).As the price went up Hubby decided he wasn't willing to sink that much money in a maybe it will start back up freezer. He turned to walk away and an old friend from work ran into him. They got to talking and the old friend told him another coworker that had retired had a yardsale the other weekend and the deep freezer didn't sell and gave him the phone number. Hubby came home and called...and there it just gets interesting.

The freezer was the sister-in-law's that had died and they were clearing the house. They hadn't really put the freezer up for sale...no one was really interested in it because it was old but still working, was on and cleaned so they were going to just let it go with the house.It was the size we wanted and a chest.

When we went to get it the store comes out. First it wasn't put up for sale because they used it as the table during the yard sale. A lady had asked about it but since they asked for $50 for it she walked away.The sister-in-law died from cancer. She liked to buy things and then give them away to those that needed them...like my Mother. The co worker's wife's name is exactly the same as my Mother.  The freezer is bigger than we were looking for it, it runs and it's clean AND it's over 40 yrs old. Yep over 40 yrs old...

A blessing and I still believe Mother was looking from heaven guiding us to this freezer.

Amish Produce Auction...Frugal Friday...grocery budget

We got two of these boxes filled with small pumpkins for a total 54 pumpkins minus the 2 we gave to a friend.

We got 80 lbs of winter storage onions.

We got 15 lbs of small potatoes the size that is of new potatoes.

we bought 14 heads of cabbage. I gave one to an elderly gentleman that reminded me of my Dad and another to a friend.

We bought 14 lbs of carrots and gave 2 lbs to the friend. This is after I put them in wood chips/shavings for the root cellar in the basement. I did this also with the 10 lbs of turnips we bought.

There is 8 boxes (was 9 , gave 1 to friend) of red tomatoes, 7 boxes of green tomatoes,10 lbs of small green tomatoes, 8 eggplants (gave 8 to friend) 24 butternut squash (gave 8 to friend) sitting on the table waiting to be processed. I wished there had been beets.

And 16 -10 inch pots of mums that we got for 25¢ each.

We spent a total of $211 for enough veggies to last us for several months.

I picked up 6 spaghetti squashes and a 50 lb bag of Chef (baking) potatoes and an apple crumb pie and pumpkin roll for $64 at Hurley's farm market.

I had set the Auction budget at $400. So part of what was left was spent on us eating out and going to  the grocery store, picked up a few beets SMILE, celery and a few odds and ends needed.

Grocery budget stands at $594.54 out of the $600 budget. Leaving $5.46 for the rest of the month....I know we will go over with the acknowledgement that most of the stuff I bought at the auction and farm is going to lower the amount in the coming months so I can spend the regular grocery money on buying stuff for Tday dinner and Christmas baking.

All in all I am happy with the haul for the price.

Scioto Valley Produce Auction

We go to the Scioto Valley Produce Auction which is ran by the Amish in the spring to get our plants for the gardens and flowers. Pictures above are just a very little bit of what I have gotten. I've gotten tomato plants for 25¢ each. Bought several trays of 48 tomato plants for $5. Broccoli, cauliflower,onions,cabbages, pepper plants and more for a lot less than I would pay at a green house or the stores.

Then middle of July to the beginning of August we go again and starting picking up produce that is raised by the Amish. This was some of what we have bought last year. This year we didn't go because my gardens were running us over as it was.Then my deep freezer died and took it all with it. :(  Can you tell I am still upset over it ?

We went last month with some friends, we usually wait until middle of October for fall crops but they wanted to go to the pumpkin auction. I had to leave early before the auction was over so I left Hubby with a list. I wrote 5 b green beans...meaning boxes which was 1/2 bushel each...he got 5 bushels. Granted after canning it the cost worked out to 26¢ a pint, (I can in pints because that is the jars I have) so it ended up a good deal except for Hubby that doesn't like green beans to begin with. He eats them, but doesn't like them. I have over 240 pints and I still have a few coming in from our own plants.He is going to eating green beans every 4 days.

Next weekend we go for the fall crops.

I really hope onions, winter cabbage, winter squash (besides pumpkins and acorns that I have plenty of) sweet potatoes, white potatoes, and garlic are in abundance.

 Some of those that sell at the auction sell  what is their over flow from their own gardens. Some have went to growing produce to sell since farm land is limited and they can grow produce on 10 acres of land to support their family instead of 100 acres to raise crops and livestock. Last year was rough with the hard and cold winter we had. Those heating green houses by wood were sleeping in the green houses to keep the fire going where a few were heating with propane watched the cost go through the roof. Putting food on the table is their first priority, selling the rest is second.With talk of another hard winter, not as much is going to the auction as last year.

Blessed Be

Frugal Accomplishments

I have been trying to keep a list of my Frugal Accomplishments. When you are frugal to begin with you don't always acknowledge what you are doing is frugal.

I finished canning the green beans that we had bought at the produce auction.The cost without the hours of my time (243 pints of green beans, I had pint jars so I didn't go buy anymore). The cost came out to 26¢ a pint, a lot cheaper than buying green beans at the store.

We bought acorn squash and spaghetti squash for 50¢ each that weighed about 2 lbs each.They are running about 79¢ a pound at the farmers' markets which is cheaper than the stores. I haven't been able to grow squash for what ever reason. This is now in the section of the basement that winter squash and potatoes hold well through the winter. I will still pick up butternut, delicata and maybe some kind of hubbard.

I am recording humidity levels in other parts of the basement to find another area for "root cellar" food.

I gave some strawberry starters to our friends so I would have more room in my strawberry bed.

I hung my first strand of onions that our friends gave us. I buy the cheapest panty hose or stockings I can find to store my onions in . Tie a knot between each (I cut panty hose in half) and hang from the beams in the basement. Helps keep them during the winter. If one goes bad it doesn't affect the others and I can just cut an onion off the bottom when I need one. We use 7-10 onions a week.A 3 lb bag from the store doesn't last the week. My onions didn't do well this year.Gave us enough for fresh but not for storage.

I took the hem out of a couple of Pat's pants.

We got the wringer washer set up and usable (I can change water every wash and have hot and cold water to fill with without lugging water)...I timed it yesterday when I used it and I spent an extra hour doing the rinse by hand(Hubby rigged it like a rain barrel so I can drain it without lifting it) and it took the dryer the same amount of time of laundry done at the laundromat which is twice as long as a home washer. I used the clothes line all week except yesterday...was wet here. Since Hubby can actually fix this, no computer YEA!!! I feel the $90 spent on it is well worth the price of my extra hour's time doing laundry comparing to going to the laundromat. AND I got the a lot of fall cleaning done in the basement during loads.Maybe next year I will look for a new washer and deal with computer boards again. Right now I am okay with this.

I gathered seeds from my lettuce plant to replant next year.

I gathered some of the green beans that I let dry on the vine to plant next year. I grow heirloom most of the time. I make sure I mark what is NOT heirloom so I don't waste my time letting it go to seed and gathering it. I have 5 varieties of beans I plant each year.

I made a list of the gag gifts we will be giving for Christmas. We have a large family. The budget has remained the same even as the family quad-tripled. Over half will be made with things we already have on hand. The list helps me keep focused on what I need to keep and do. I try to do 10 gag gifts per person...that's over 400 gifts. Not counting Hubby's guys under him at work we get for.

I didn't list anything else...got to focus on that some more.Make sure that I am keeping things as frugal as I can.

Blessed Be

This week's goals

The goal is to get it done this week, since I also have several appointments to deal with this week I might be more hopeful than realistic on what I can get done.

Priority...finish harvesting the gardens.We dodged another frost but sooner or later we will get nailed so I need to get the last of the tomatoes, cabbages,yellow bell peppers and a zucchini off and dealt with. I might have Hubby cover the zucchini plants as there are blooms on them and they are in an area that we could cover them easily enough.

I need to update the budget. This Thursday we make the final payment to a loan that was half the bring home of the month. I don't want to fritter that money away so I need to have where it goes in place besides the savings acct and on the last of the debt from where Hubby was down to 3 days a week for 2 yrs. We are still rebuilding. The only that didn't take the hit was the retirement fund. Better to work 2-3 jobs now while still able than live in poverty when we are in our 70/80's.

I have apples a friend gave us yesterday to make applesauce and caramel apple jam.

I need to pick the last of the beans to be shelled to plant next year.

We need to finish taking the gardens down and prepping for spring. The last 2 yrs things turned bad for us and it didn't get done.Makes spring planting late getting in when we have to finish what should have been done in the fall.

I need to clear the foundation garden also.

I need to cover the strawberries and fall garlic I planted with straw.

The lilac and rose bush needs trimmed.

I need to cut some corn stalks down for decorations and grab some of the leaves for gag gifts at Christmas.

I need to gather some of the sticks up out of the yard, keep some for gag gifts for Christmas (the grandkids always look forward to and wonder what gag gifts they are getting)

I have started working on Christmas. We have a large family..that happens when you have a lot of kids and then they have a lot of kids.We spend $12 per person for gifts...I try to make most of it and give gag gifts with $1 cash.

I need to inventory the freezers. I want to have them pretty cleared out so I have some room for turkeys and hams in case we aren't able to get another large deep freezer.

I need to make the grocery list.

I need to finish fall cleaning the pantry and clean the area I keep the root veggies. I would like to add an area for a root cellar but I don't think we have enough stuff laying around to wall the area in.As it is, I would be battling the field mice over the food. I might be able to use the outdoor staircase from the basement. I need to keep track of it's temp and humidity this week and see if it is possible.

I need to caulk some windows after I get more caulking that is on the buy list for this week.

Pat asked for a Lunchable for his field trip on Thursday. Since he has youth group on Wednesday and needs a hair cut (coupon) I thought I would take him to get the hair cut and Lunchable after youth group. Saves a little on gas.

I need to go through some clothes my oldest gave me from her youngest to see if any of it fits Pat or can be altered to fit him before I start hitting the thrift shops to find more winter clothes for him.

I need to go through Hubby's clothes and make the list of what he needs replaced.

I need to go through my own clothes and see what needs replaces. I've lost enough weigh since last winter that my clothes are hanging on me. While doing that I need to find the box that has my winter socks and flannel tights.

I need to call the hospital about a bill that was not done correctly on their end. They are trying to get it fixed but I want to stay on top of it as our ins is saying they haven't filed the corrected papers.

Have a blessed day

Weather changes.

Our first tree completely turned, the maple trees are still green with slight touches of yellow. Might turn more with the cold front going through tonight with possible frost in the morning. We had a slight frost a couple weeks ago but not much damage to speak of.

I am thankful the picture wasn't blurred with wind blowing like it is.

It has been a good day to check for drafts.I made notes of where they were so I can get enough caulking the next time I go to town for non-food items.

I started the shopping list for winter clothes. I already had a good start on the list for Pat but Hubby and I need some replacements of things also.

We tested the the furnace a couple weeks ago...worked great...figures today it wouldn't kick on when it's cold in the house. Frustrating to figure it out so I am leaving it for when Hubby gets back from town. Worse would be that we have to call the landlord which will call his brother to come fix it. We have secondary heating as long as we have electric.

I decided to sit down and do some planning for this month...we will see how that works out.

Blessed be

My new washer

Oh yeah, Hubby did...for those that are not old enough to recognize this..it's an old wringer washer. Yes, it works. Yes, I will have to stay with the washer to wash the clothes.I won't go in to detail of all that but it's not a turn on and walk away and the load is done 30 minutes later. I would love to have a second one for the rinse but I doubt if we will find another one at $90. You can get brand new ones for $1000 and I have seen used going for up to $500.

Hubby set up the old washer hoses so I don't have to lug water and I can change the water every load which in the old days we used one fill of water and started it with hot water and whites was washed first.The pump hose it connected to the old drain hose so that is taken care of also. He bought me a new bright pink water tub (they use for farm animals etc) and put a drain and hose on it so I don't have to dump that water either and the hot and cold water hoses reach the rinse tub.

The agitator knob is sticking so he is going to deal with that this week and I will be set to wash clothes at home again and no more $5 a load at the laundromat. which was costing me $75 a week to do all the laundry. I probably will take the comforters,king size blankets and winter coats to the laundromat like my Mother did but that won't be a weekly expense.

The up side of this washer...no computer to go out and I can SOAK in the washer instead of a sink. The negative besides the risk of smashing fingers in the wringer is I will be definitely hands on with the washing and rinsing. I figure it might be a side benefit that I can sort boxes and do some cleaning in the basement that keeps getting pushed down the to do list if I am sitting in the basement dealing with the washer. We will see.

I figure the money I save from NOT going to the laundromat can go towards a new washer down the road and I can resell this washer for parts to someone else if it quits running on me.

Blessed be