School of Traditional Skills ~ FREE Class

 

📷: School of Traditional Skills 

Whoohoo!

Check out School of Traditional Skills Facebook page to register for this class. It's FREE (thank you SoTS)! I always learn so much from their classes.😊

On December 14, 2022 join Harvey Userry as he shares his wealth of knowledge of feeding backyard chickens.

School of Traditional Skills

The more skills and knowledge we have, the better. I don't have chickens since our HOA doesn't allow for it but I would like to have them. And who knows? Someday I may have the opportunity to. Gaining the knowledge now means I will be prepared for the future, should the time come that I have a lil' hen habitat!

Will you be joining us? I hope to (virtually) see you there!

💋xo, 

TJ

Five Frugal Things ~ 12/7/22

 

🤣

This week's five frugal things, in addition to the usual frugally frugalness (😉)~

1)  Each day I walked my dog I used the potty pick up bags provided at stations around our neighborhood. I normally buy my own and will continue to do so when I have a chance to stop by Dollar Tree where I normally buy them.

moisturizer, eyeglass cleaner, castile soap and perfume oil

2)  I was given a couple travel sized and a couple regular sized products that I will happily use by my daughter and her friend. 

3)  At the recommendation of my dental hygienist during my last visit to use a warm salt water rinse in place of mouthwash, I can now save the money I used to spend on that product. She also suggested I use baking soda to brush my teeth a couple of times a week in place of toothpaste. That will help stretch our tubes of Sensodyne to last longer. With two very inexpensive items I can tend to my oral hygiene! 

4)  While perusing the teas (since I am almost out of my herbal tea bags) on the Walmart website and store shelves during my most recent grocery shopping trips, I decided to stick with using my lemon balm plant and other herbs and spices that I have on hand to make my evening tea with.

5)  I took advantage of grocery sales and purchased: 3 - 2 pound packages of cheese for $5.99 each; 10 pounds of chicken leg quarters for .59 cents a pound; 2 pounds of butter for $2.88 each; 2 - 12 ounce packages of (my favorite 😍 😋) coffee for $5 a bag and 1 1/2 pounds of tomatoes for .88 cents a pound. 

I hope you found some great sales and fresh ideas for saving money this week! 

💋xo, 

TJ

Five Frugal Things ~ 11/30/22

 

No matter the circumstances, I have always had abundance in my life and all my needs met. It all depends on perspective I suppose and I have experienced first hand, life in a poorer country. I came back from that experience seeing my life through a new lens and I felt like nothing less than royalty! Sure, there have been some trying times but we've made it through, none the worse for wear. 

Here's a few frugal things I did this week~

1)  I used a long forgotten gift card to put gas in our vehicle.  There was just enough on it to fill up the tank!

this watch requires five batteries as each face is for a different time zone

2)  I watched a YouTube video to learn how to change watch batteries. I have several watches that have been sitting unused because their batteries were dead. I have put off having the batteries replaced because of the cost and the time and effort to drive to my favorite jeweler to have him change them. I ordered a pack of four batteries for less than the cost of having one changed. One watch down and several more to go. Unfortunately, not all my watches take the same type of battery so this will be a process for me that will take some time.

3)  I used some leftover lemon rinds, a few sprigs of rosemary and a sprinkling of thyme simmered in my tiny slow cooker as a natural air freshener.

4)  I took advantage of the loss leaders and digital coupons at Randall's and was able to get ten pounds of boneless, skinless chicken breasts for .99 a pound, four pounds of bananas for .29 a pound and a free 6 ounce can of black olives.

5)  I refilled my bottle that I use as a facial toner (1/2 apple cider vinegar and 1/2 water).

I hope you had a frugally abundant week. See you next time!

💋xo, 

TJ

Five Frugal Things ~ 11/16/22

“Frugality is founded on the principle that all riches have limits.” 

~Edmund Burke

This last week I..

1)  trimmed my own hair, cutting about three inches off. I can now wear my hair down comfortably! When it is longer, I find it bothersome as it clings to my neck in the heat. I'm sure it's psychological but I feel hotter with my longer hair on my neck.

2)  I have not gone to the grocery store, opting instead to put on Tmy creativity cap and come up with delicious delights from our storehouses (fridge, freezer and pantry) of foods.

3)  I made my own ranch and Italian salad dressings to enjoy on the salads I am trying to eat more of.

4)  I harvested lots of green onions that I re-grew from store bought green onions many, many months ago. I only snip the new green growth so that I can "cut and come again".

5)  I continue to declutter and organize so that I am less likely to go out and buy things we may already have but that somehow became "out of sight, out of mind".

If you are on a fresh money saving adventure, I would love to hear how you are doing. Are you sailing right through it, or having struggles? Have you implemented new tips and tricks for saving money that you never have before? Please share, we're all in this together! ❤️!

Thanks for stopping by! 

💋xo, 

TJ

Five Frugal Things ~ 11/9/22

 "When you are grateful, fear disappears and abundance appears."

~ Anthony Robbins

I love this quote! I refuse to fear this economy or the future, and I am certainly not going to put a stake in the ground of lack and hold onto it for dear life as my "identity". I also refuse to hang onto the depressing news reports of gloom and doom and regurgitate them here to underscore the negativity. I will continue to do what is necessary to see us through this trying time but I am determined to focus on the positive, not poverty. I believe better days are ahead.

In the meantime, here are a few things I did to save money here and there...

📷:  internet

1)  I made homemade popcorn for our salty snack cravings. It is less expensive than the chips we often buy and fairly easy to make, as I use the Stir Crazy popcorn popper that I bought as a gift for my popcorn loving hubby several years ago. 

2)  I went to two nearby grocery stores to purchase the loss leaders offered in their weekly flyers that we could and would use. 

3)  I returned an item that wasn't the size we needed. Return shipping was free and I was able to drop it off at our nearby UPS location while I was out running another errand.

4)  I have changed the way I do laundry.  I used to divide up laundry into categories that resulted in more, smaller loads. No "category" has been harmed or ruined by combining with another category 😆. Working smarter, not harder and saving time, water and electricity in the process😃

5)  I have been rethinking the way I garden. I want to only grow things that I know I am capable of growing and that does well in our climate. While prices remain what they are, I won't be experimenting with unknowns, saving us on the cost of seeds (and occasionally, but rarely, plants), water and my time. When there is more wiggle room in the budget at some point in the future,  I may indulge in trying my hand at sowing and planting things I never have before, taking the chance on possible losses.  For now, I intend to sow only the seeds I have on hand and when they are gone, I will only purchase tried and true winners.

How have your money-saving efforts been going? Here's wishing us all much happiness, prosperity and abundance! 

Thanks for stopping by! 

💋xo, 

TJ

Five Frugal Things ~ 11/2/22

 

dollface

1)  I bathed my Dollface and did her nails. It saved not only the money for the service and the gas money to transport her to the groomer but also the time and her stress. We used to pay for a mobile service to come to our home to groom her but I figured that was money best spent elsewhere. 

2)  I baked the ten pounds of potatoes that I recently purchase for .29 cents a pound. This is a big deal for me as I usually put the bag(s) of potatoes in the pantry where they often take on a secret life of their own in the dark, out of the way place. My first reminder that they are still there is hubby telling me something doesn't smell right in there, lol. My "savings" is usually rendered null and void as I chip away the soft spots (and sometimes whole potatoes) and put them in the, always "baking", lasagna compost out in the garden. I soothe and comfort myself over the loss by reasoning that "at least they aren't completely wasted, they are building the soil!". They will be at the ready for use in all sorts of recipes and some will most likely find their way portioned out and into the freezer.

3)  It rained several days so I didn't have to water outdoor plants or the lawn on those days. I captured rain water in a bucket to water my indoor plants. 

4)  I washed and dried gently used zip close baggies for re-use.

5)  I saved butter wrappers for greasing baking pans to save on my baking spray.

How did your money saving efforts go this week? I would love to hear about them! 

Thanks for stopping by! 

💋xo, 

TJ

Five Frugal Things (and one, not so much)~ 10/26/22

what does a cat have to do with frugality? read on...!

There's no doubt that tightening up the budget takes more time, effort, thought and a dash of creativity. I don't mind though. As a homemaker,  it is part of my (personal) job description. A job description that I curate for myself to benefit our particular situation. 

As I've mentioned before, my husband is totally disabled. I had to quit working to stay home and take care of him, as he cannot do many things for himself safely that most of us take for granted. Because of this, we have been on a fixed income for over ten years. Until recently, we lived fairly comfortably on that amount and I,  admittedly, had gotten lax in my role as the penny pinchin' goddess that that I'm known to be in my household. Buuuut...today's a new day and we are feeling the squeeze, as are many.

This week, in addition to things so ingrained in my being that I don't even have to put thought into them anymore, I did the following to make our pennies beg for mercy, lol:

1)  Since groceries are my first line of defense when trying to save money, I started there. During the height of the "vid" I began taking advantage of grocery pickup. I never felt comfortable with it though, knowing that I was missing out on sales and in-store only markdowns that I employed during my usual, pre-vid shopping strategy. I have been back to shopping in stores for some time now and this week I scored a few things on sale:

*  five, eight ounce containers of fresh mushrooms. I  cleaned, sliced and simmered them in water, divided them into four ounce portions and froze them for future use. (If you haven't concluded by now..yes I am the freezer queen around here. I could and maybe I should do some canning, but it is too dadgummed humid (year round) for my liking, and I'll be doggoned if I'm going to add to that situation!) They were .99 cents each.

*  two 10 ounce bags of tortilla chips for .99 cents each. Hubby likes to have them with some of his meals.

*  two bags of shredded cheese (one 6 ounce and one 8 ounce) for .99 cents each.

*  one ten pound bag of chicken leg quarters for .47 cents a pound.

*  Roma tomatoes (a little over half a pound) for .99 cents a pound. 

*  organic granny smith apples (a little over two pounds) for .99 cents a pound. 

*  two bags of garden salad for .99 cents each.

*  I clipped a "$5 off $50 or more purchase" digital coupon that was applied to my grocery total.

2)  I harvested some sweet potatoes. I was growing them mainly for the leaves in order to have an additional source of greens to add to the veggie rotation. The sweet potatoes were a bonus! I still haven't harvested the ones in the container yet.

3)  I am focusing on using cloth napkins more often and less paper towels, with a goal to sew at least two new cloth napkins this upcoming week to add to the ones we have. Right now, we don't have enough to completely give up the paper towels.

4)  I sowed more seeds in the garden: a variety of carrot seeds, snow peas and mesclun seeds. 

5)  I began organizing cabinets and drawers in my cleaning zones in order to inventory and refresh my memory on items we have on hand (that can so easily become "out of sight, out of mind") so I don't run out of, and possibly buy, items we already have.

And one of the reasons we must plug those money holes...

this furry fella had to go to the vet for a second time to have a skin issue taken care of (the first round of meds back in August didn't completely take care of the problem). He has turned out to be a bit high maintenance for a cat (in my experience) but he is is sooo worth it! 

• “Frugality, quite simply, is about choosing the things you love enough to spend extravagantly on – and then cutting costs mercilessly on the things you don’t love.” 
• ~ Ramit Sethi
• I hope all your endeavors, no matter what they are, were successful this week!

Thanks for stopping by! 

💋xo, 

TJ

Five Frugal Things ~ 10/19/22

 While at the grocery store this past week to fill in the gaps in our pantry and fridge, I was just about to make my way to the checkout and then head on home. I scanned my list to make sure I hadn't forgotten anything, glanced at the eggs and their price and wondered if I should go ahead and buy some now, or wait until my next shopping trip (we had eggs on hand at home). I decided to do some comparison shopping right then and there. I pulled up the Walmart site on my phone to check their present egg prices on the case of five dozen that I normally buy when I can't find a better price elsewhere. $18.12. EIGHT. TEEN. DOLLARS. and twelve cents. I froze inside. The last time I had purchased those very same eggs on September 30th, just thirteen days before, they were $12.40. Back in December of 2021 (I would buy other eggs when I could find them at a better price in between times), they were $6.11. In ten months time, the price of the same item has almost tripled.

I  know, I  know...everything has pretty much increased in price lately. I have seen and quietly contemplated the rising prices, as I strolled the aisles of whatever grocery store I happened to be in, trying to calmly process it all. I suppose the eggs were the thing that set off something in me that said, 

"this means WAR!" (figuratively and financially speaking). 

Granted, I am always pretty frugal in most cases but this moment in time, standing in the aisle of Aldi staring at the price of eggs in the case and then the price of eggs online, collided with a couple of undeniable facts. One: that we are already on a fixed income that's not going to expand and rise like all the prices of everything swirling around me and two: recent personal events (that I won't go into detail about here) that have shaken our financial situation like an earthquake that continues on in aftershocks, with no end in sight.

 “If we attack our problems with determination, we shall succeed.” 

~ Franklin Roosevelt 

So, if our monetary belts weren't tightened enough already, I determined then and there that I was going to go at the heels of this situation like a nipping, yipping chihuahua and once I had gotten in a good bite, chomp down on it like a pit bull to ride this thing out as best as we can. Because, I have lived long enough to know that...

~this too shall pass~

I am embarrassed to admit, but don't mind saying, I have gotten quite lax in all areas of my frugal endeavors since before the "vid" came to town. It hit home when I couldn't find a speck of flour in the stores to make bread (thanks nouveau vid bakers😉😆) and hadn't been stocking up on it (or anything else) as I had in the past. Lesson learned. Still, almost three years later, I have not returned to my former frugal glory😄 during that time.

In the meantime, I have decided to revive my Five Frugal Things posts, to help encourage not only myself, but hopefully you as well, as we all ride out this turbulent season, keeping in mind with optimism:

                        

     ❄️🌱seasons change☀️🍂

Without further ado, my five frugal things this past week included (but weren't limited to):

1)  I mended one of my favorite sheets that has developed a tear and a tiny hole. Mending a sheet, you say? YES! I love these particular sheets. They're perfectly worn-in-smooth, soft and cool (and for this woman-of-a-certain-age🙋‍♀️👵😉that's muy importante). I will mend these sheets until they can't be mended anymore, especially since good king sized sheets are pricey and right now, not in the budget.

2)  I ordered my eyeglasses online from Zenni Optical. My prescription was about to expire so it was a necessary expense since the last time I bought a new pair of glasses was over nine years ago. I was able to apply a coupon code which saved me $10 off the order. Ordering from Zenni is a first for me, so I'm a jumble of nervousness and excitement. 

3)  After my eye-opening egg ordeal 😄, I sat down armed with my recipe binder, file box and tablet in which I have many recipes bookmarked, and chose several inexpensive ones to get started that will allow me to use foods we have on hand already. I will continue to tweak my game plan in this regards in the upcoming days and weeks. 

4)  I upped my seed sowing. I have many seeds saved and want to focus on getting the older ones in the ground and containers first using the FIFO (first in, first out) mindset. Because just like me, those seeds aren't getting any younger! Luckily, in my area the weather is cooling a bit, making it a good time to sow many types of seeds.

5)  I tightened up my water conservation efforts around the house. I have never been wasteful with water but I know I could always use less. One major change I've reinstated is taking what I've heard called "navy showers". 

           I Can~I Will~I Must

If you have read this far, thank you SO much! I appreciate you joining me here.

Thanks for stopping by! 

💋xo, 

TJ

Friday Fave #3~ (hint: it may include 🥧)

 

it's NATIONAL DESSERT DAY y'all! 

 This Friday Fave isn't something you or I would necessarily have to spend money on (other than maybe a tip to your server. PLEASE...ALWAYS tip your server. #beentheredonethat) It combines two of my favorite things: Friday and DESSERT! 

Of all the national this & that days, I think I may just love NATIONAL DESSERT DAY best!😍🍰And FREE sweets? Don't mind if I do~

Here's a few places that TODAY.com says may offer free desserts to celebrate this glorious day!

You're welcome😉

Now get on out there & get your dessert on!

Thanks for stopping by!

💋xo,

TJ

*this/these product(s)/businesses/suggestions were/are not sponsored and is not an ad~just a friend sharing with friends!

A Peek Into Last Week (September 3-9)~

endeavor:

authentic•oldfashionedvalues•lowtech•slowliving

~livingsimply~

This past week I wasn't very productive imo, due to a case of the blues. But that's okay. We all find ourselves in that position at times. I did manage the following little snapshots of productivity here and there though...

What I'm cooking, baking and eating (besides the usual) ~ 

I didn't do a lot of cooking or baking this week. Of the few things I did make, these are those:

crockpot chicken and noodles. I love a good (practically) dump and go crockpot recipe for those days when my energy, or enthusiasm for fussing over a meal, is low. This is one of those dishes, and I had everything on hand except the egg noodles. I substituted pasta "twirls" instead and it came out just fine. It was tasty and one of those comforting types of meals, like a hug in a bowl, lol.

I, again this week  made another "power food meal" that feeds us several meals worth of food. I love "template" style recipes that allow me to use and combine what we have on hand to made a delicious,  nutritious dish. This time, I made it into an "Italiano" style, with ground turkey, black olives, cauliflower, green beans, mixed veggies, canned diced tomatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, tomato paste, garlic cloves, garlic powder (we like our garlic!), Italian herbs, oregano, fennel, parsley and salt & pepper. I like to keep the grain, which in this case was rice, on the side so that the amount of carbs can be controlled by whoever is eating the meal.

Homekeeping ~

This week's focus was the living room, entryway, and front porch. This area proves challenging to clean and tidy because the area is still in disarray from water damage that originated with the hot water tank in the attic and worked it's way down to the first floor. I do what I can, take a deep breath and try to look the other way 😉 until we can get it repaired.

I cleaned the screens flanking the front door, the front door and the decorative lantern. I didn't need to sweep this time because the lawn fellas always blow the porch clean when they are here. 

I  spot cleaned the entryway rug.

📷: unknown 

"I find it soothing to take something wrinkled and make it smooth. It feels anticipatory. It's what I do before a celebration. And nobody bothers me when I'm ironing."

~Alexandra Stoddard

I ironed a few items that needed it. I know, I know...ughhh, right? But, we can do it! The job will be finished before we know it~👍And once you get started, it can become a relaxing exercise in meditation of sorts (and my Rowenta iron is a great tool to help get the job done *not an ad* I've had it for many years and it has been quite the workhorse). 

We don't have many clothes that need ironing but the linen items we wear to keep cool during the sweltering summer demand no less than naturally cool fabrics. And sometimes that means ironing.

The thing about linen though is, even after ironing, it still looks like it needs ironing! 😂

What I'm watching/reading ~

This week, I started a new (to me) series called Marcella on Netflix. I'm only on episode two of the first season but so far I am really enjoying it! 

About Marcella, Netflix says "An emotionally damaged ex-police detective goes back on the job to investigate a serial killer after her seemingly happy marriage falls apart." 

and~ 

"Despite marriage woes, a tragic loss, memory blackouts and her struggles as a mom, a London detective excels at what she does best: catching killers."

Sounds juicy!

I also ran across this YouTube video  describing how to turn milk, that is on the verge of having to be discarded, into farmers cheese and wanted to share. In these days of rising prices, I think we can all use any help we can get to make our dollars-and food- go further. I always love a good "waste not, want not" tip and I look forward to finding out what he does with the whey! (my usual use for whey is to add to soaking beans, but there are many other great uses for whey. I would love to hear your favoriteuses for whey!)

Pamper ~

Have you taken time for yourself this week? I did...and as you can see from the picture, the process wasn't pretty, lol, but it felt great! The fast pace of life these days can overwhelm our spirits if we don't slow down sometimes and show ourselves some kindness. Treat yourself like someone you love! Inexpensive (or free!) things we can all choose from to pamper ourselves:
📚 get lost in a favorite book
🛁 soak in a bubble-or just a nice warm-bath. (bonus~light candles!)
☀️ sit out in the sunshine for a bit
🫖☕️🍫 take a tea/coffee break and maybe nibble some chocolate
🌹💐 buy a pretty bouquet or pick one from your yard...even if it is just greenery
🦶💅 diy mani/pedi or just soak your tootsies in a basin of warm water (optional: add Epsom salts/acv/a drop of a delightfully scented body wash or bubble bath) 

💨 take a few deep breaths

And so many more ideas are out there! Feel free to add your favorite(s) in the comment section! 

Treat yourself like royalty ~~👑

Highlight ~

my pov from under a shady tree♡

This view from underneath a shady tree. It's the simple things for me sometimes!

Well...that's about it for me this week. I hope you had an enjoyable and productive week! But before I go...please join me this week at a FREE online event, The Traditional Skills Summit, given by School of Traditional Skills (get your ticket here). We will learn more about subjects such as sourdough bread, the Back to Eden gardening method, traditional bone broth and much, much more taught by the experts themselves! I can't wait to "see you" there!

As always, I thank you for stopping by and taking the time to read my blog. Until next time...

💋xo,

TJ 

Making Ends Meet During Tough Times~

Seeing and hearing so many with concerns over lack or loss of income made me realize that I forget sometimes, that the things I do regularly, or have had to do during tough times to get by, not everyone has had to do or even thinks of doing. So, as I think of them, I will post them here, updating as they come to me. They aren't anything groundbreaking, earth shattering or things others have not done, or do not do, but on the off chance something I post helps someone get through a difficult day (or more) I'll be happy to know it helped. I've been there...

*If you think of anything, please add your tips in the comments too~I'm still learning new things after all these years!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

♡ Advise to my daughter last night amid concerns of possible future lack: let's be conservative with the supplies and food we presently have on hand to make them last longer and stretch further. No need to use things with wild abandon right now (I've seen how some people in my family squirt the dish soap around here...not mentioning any names ;~D ).

♡ Waste as little (of anything) as possible (re-think those leftovers.
*Leftover bits of meat and veggies can create beautiful, delicious soups and stir frys and pizza toppings! ( my favorite no knead pizza dough recipe: https://www.biggerbolderbaking.com/best-ever-pizza-dough/ ~ grandson approved!)
*Add a tidbit of water to get the last little bits of dressings, condiments and sauces out of bottles and cans.
*Use spatulas to scrape out every little bit clinging to sides of bowls and cans, etc.)
*use "day old" breads to make croutons and/or bread crumbs for coating.
*fruit on the verge of going bad? Don't toss! Process (peel, dice) and freeze to use in smoothies, homemade popsicles, banana bread/muffins/pancakes, sorbets, fruit purees/sauces. Use your imagination! And...fun bonus: you can use the peels combined with herbs and spices for a simmering potpourri to make your home smell inviting naturally!

♡ as icky and distateful as the thought might be to some, if you find yourself without access to a washer and dryer, or the money to go to a laundromat, you can put some soapy water in the sink or bathtub, take a clean and santized plunger, and plunge, plunge, plunge those dirty clothes clean! Rinse well then air dry using what you've got: clothes hangers, a clothes line, etc.

♡  when my kids were itty bitty, to discourage the whizzing whir of toilet paper being spun off the roll at the speed of sound, I would flatten the roll before putting in the roller. The resulting lopsided, oval shape didn't as easily allow a tp free for all.

♡ in an attempt to conserve the bleach/sanitizers you have on hand, or would rather not use them in order to avoid the chemicals, you can always boil water to pour over dishes and other things that need to be sanitized AND can stand the heat. (Gentle reminder: NEVER mix bleach with ammonia and other cleaners-even some dish soaps warn not to mix with bleach. Please, always read the label. I've known someone that ended up in the hospital from the noxious fumes from mixing bleach and ammonia )~: )

♡  in a pinch, you can make your own syrups, crackers, herb/seasoning mixes and more!

♡  if you feel the need to stock up on water but find grocery store shelves cleared of it, you can always fill any bottles, glass jars, or jugs you have on hand with...are you ready for it?...TAP WATER! Our family has filled rubbermaid tubs and bathtubs with water when hurricanes were headed our way. Not to drink of course, but to wash, clean or flush toilets with. I prefer to drink bottled water too, and even exclusively give bottled water to our pets (I know, I know) buuut, if our back's against the wall, I refused to NOT drink tap water, even if I have to disguise the taste by making tea, infused, or some other flavored beverage out of it.

♡out of dog food? Can't afford it? For many years, before manufactured dog food was a thing, our faithful companions ate the same foods we ate (and, granted, some things we wouldn’t THINK of eating, lol). I've been making and feeding my dog a 2/1 veggie/meat diet for years (I do keep dry food for emergency backup in case I am unable to make her meals for some reason). I will add: PLEASE remember to research a food that you are unsure of before feeding it to your pup.
On the same subject in regards to feeding cats, as the owned (yes, owned) of a finicky feline, I can't even begin to help you there...#catsarecomplex

♡ be thankful. There's always something to be thankful for no matter how trying the times get. Right here, right now I'm thankful for:
*  the garbage workers that I hear outside picking up our trash.
*  the birds I hear singing in our neighborhood.
*  the sun that will be peeking out from behind the clouds...any minute now.
*  the flowers and trees that are beginning to bud and bloom.
*  the earth that continues to spin and rotate.
*  my heart and lungs that keep on keeping on, regardless of the maltreatment I have subjected my body to over the years.
*  everyone that is working hard to keep us safe and healthy.

More to come I'm sure ;~D ...

●My prayer for us all is that we try to think calmly, rationally and prayerfully during these trying times. Stress and worry contribute to illness~we need our immune systems in the best condition possible!

Stay well!😷

Pizza Night!

We love pizza! But long gone are the days when we had the regular income that allowed us the privilege of going out to eat twice a week like clockwork, and ordering up a couple of pizzas when the mood struck. We can still enjoy pizza that is as delicious as any pizzeria has to offer though, AND at a fraction of the cost since finding a pizza dough recipe that we think rivals any pizza restaurant's. Add a little of my simple pizza sauce (recipe below) and a few favorite toppings (all bought on sale or grown in the garden, of course!) and dinner is served!

The pizza dough recipe I use is this one. Although it is technically a "no knead" recipe, I find whipping up the dough is even faster, and appeals much more to the lazy housewife in me, when I dump the handful of ingredients into the processor bowl of my Ninja and whir it 'til it all satisfyingly comes together in a ball, but...I have done it both ways. The dough does take some time to do it's doughy thing {aka rising}, so plan your pizza party a day in advance (better yet, just keep some dough made up and keep it in the fridge for those impromptu pizza cravings!)!

what's this?!

it's a pizza dough baby! peek-a-boo!

mama's gonna tuck you in for a nap so you can grow big and strong. night-night little one. shhh!

Mamaw's Simple Pizza Sauce

2 cups canned crushed tomatoes  (can use tomato sauce)

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 

1/4-1/2 teaspoon dried basil

salt and pepper to taste (optional)

Combine all ingredients. Spread a thin layer on pizza dough before adding toppings. 

*Want to make less sauce? Simply half the recipe, but...keep in mind, any remaining sauce can be frozen and be used for your next pizza party!

Mangia!

Does your family have a regular pizza night? What are your favorite toppings? And if anyone has a tried and true "white pizza" topping/sauce (the garlicky-er😉 the better), please share, as that's my mine and my daughter's favorite. 

Thanks for stopping by! ~TJ

*I would so appreciate it if you would spread the word to friends and family! Every little bit of income I make through this blog via the sale of my aprons, Avon products, or through my affiliate relationships, helps to support my dear hubby and me and this blog! A million thanks friends! 

The Slow, Sweltering Days of Summer~

I have been doing very little in the garden lately.  Even in the early morning and late afternoon to evening, it is still very warm and, most days, uncomfortably humid. I prefer to take refuge in the cool of our home.  Those times when I simply must get out to run errands can leave me feeling a bit on the faint and queasy side.  I'm beginning to think it's age but I'm not really sure, as I've never been a fan of the heat. I'm fairly certain that I should be living in an area that is mainly rainy and cool, sheltered by the shade of a thousand trees in the spring and summer. And chilled by brisk autumn winds and icy cold snow in the winter. But...God in His wisdom, that is much greater than mine, saw fit to plant me in an area hot & steamy enough to cook up a mess o' crawdads.  It is well...

I mentioned last week that I took some cuttings from the one & only chartreuse colored coleus that I have, in hopes of making more. That is it pictured above^^^. I love it and think it is just beautiful! It is rooting nicely and is just about ready to spread it's little toes in some soil.  There I will let it grow some before putting it in the ground.

I also transplanted some mina lobata, some well established sage & the big mama chartreuse coleus.  The sage and coleus had been sharing a pot for far too many seasons and were desperately in need of repotting.  It was originally the sage's home and the coleus just popped up out of nowhere, as most of my coleus plants have.  (I may have told this story before, but I tried and tried and tried again to grow coleus from a package of seeds with no luck for the longest time.  I had all but given up when, suddenly, coleus was popping up everywhere!  In spaces between concrete slabs, in craggy rocks...here, there and everywhere!) 

Back to the transplanting business...I always do my transplanting in the cooler temps of the evening, but I always wait with bated breath until I am sure that they are going to manage in their new home.  This has been especially so with the mina lobata since they were very tender new seedlings (a few didn't make it, despite my efforts to baby them by shading them from the harshest rays of the midday sun and keeping them well watered).

I reseeded some things that didn't germinate.  I experimenting with sowing seeds inside this time around.  I still think the seeds may be too old to be viable but hey, it doesn't hurt to try!

my plant haul! (rosemary plants not pictured)

I set out one day on a mission to buy a new rosemary plant since I have really missed having one.  Their scent reminds me of Christmas trees and winter, and because of that, it is probably my favorite herb.  (I love them but apparently they don't love me, as I've never successfully been able to keep one alive.)  Anyway, four stores later, I finally found some! The store also happened to have many plants on a major sale, some as low as fifty cents each! So...two rosemary plants and six other plants later😶, I made my way home, happy as a clam.

I'm going to take a cue from our public library and plant one of the rosemary in a sunny spot on our property that is reminiscent of a tiny Tuscan hillside micro climate. The library has had some swoon worthy rosemary plants out front for as long as I can remember, so they must be doing something right.  I think I may have been loving mine to death...ya know, to mush watering and whatnot.  Wish me luck!

Even though I'm pretty sure it's not the correct time to prune my grapevines, like Edward Scissorhands, I took to snipping "the freeloader".  After doing some reading on grapevine care, I'm thinking that maybe I had let him run amock and take advantage of my good graces for far too long. "It is for the best", I whispered soothingly, "I will use your beautiful vines to make a wreath so that your beauty will be admired for years to come.  Just think!  You will be making a contribution to the home!  And next season, hopefully you will also contribute to our bellies."🍇 He wasn't convinced. I took away all his glorious, flourishing leaves.  He's now embarrassed.  He feels naked.  He'll live.

still pretty skimpy. i will add to it as i get more vines

I hope you had some lovely garden adventures this past week!  I would love to hear about them.  And if you have any rosemary growing tips, PLEASE send them my way!

Thanks for stopping by! ~TJ

Making Home and the Freezer Queen Strikes Again~

This past week was a pleasant one!  Many days started with the comforting, yet economical breakfast of oatmeal and toast made from homemade cinnamon raisin bread...

After adding the vanilla to the porridge, there always seems to be some that is running down the side of the little brown bottle.  I swipe my wrist across the bottle to catch the drip of vanille "perfume".  That keeps the drip from staining the lazy Susan where the bottle lives, in between times of being called into the service of making something delicious.

After breakfast, and before beginning my day, I like to get some simmering potpourri going.

I vary the scents according to my mood, the season, and the ingredients I have on hand.

Today I decided to use some very fragrant loose tea.  I only used a couple of spoonfuls.

I tuck it into a nook in our dining room, right around the corner from our front door, so that the fragrance du jour greets our visitors with its subtle, natural scent.

At this point, I usually set about doing kitchen cleanup and other necessary chores for the day. This week I had some items I wanted to put up in the freezer to keep them from going bad.  I don't like to throw our money away in the form of spoiled food!

I had an almost full big bottle of V8 juice, that I got for free when Randall's was having their Monopoly promotion, that wasn't being drunk.  I decided that it would make a delicious addition to soups come this fall!

I also froze the leftover cranberries from making cranberry water.  I like to add them to smoothies and to my dog's homemade food.  They also make pretty little "ice"  

cubes to add to a tall glass of water on a hot summer's day.

Throughout the day, I am usually being observed from afar by a kitty or two...

And after the chores are finished and the day is done, I have been enjoying a little ambiance...

Who says the fireplace has to be reserved for the cooler months (especially if it doesn't put out heat)?!

A little surprise my daughter and I had when we were out shopping late one evening...

Fireworks!  It's always nice when there's a little something that causes us to stop and savor the moment.  

I hope you had a wonderful week and many moments to savor!

Thanks for stopping by!~ TJ