New Video Up~

video link here

I wanted to pop in and give you a heads up that my  TJ's Sweet Home YouTube channel  has a new video up. Hope you'll stop by there to catch up & visit a spell!

See you there! 

xo, TJ

Welcome Back~

 

no matter what life brings...MUST. KEEP. A. SENSE. OF. HUMOR!🤣

Welcome back!

Things have begun to improve, freeing me up to get back to enjoyable endeavors. Despite life's challenges lately, I have (mostly) been able to keep up with my #dailyselfie2023 over on my TJ's Sweet Home Instagram and Facebook accounts. 

Also, there's a new video over on my YouTube channel. I'd love for you to visit there soon!

Thank you for hanging in there with me and once again stopping by!

xo,

TJ

Daily Selfie 2023 ~ Mapping Out the New Year

How are you spending the first day of January 2023? I spent some extra time dreaming,  planning and goal setting. Now to back it up with action and effort!

Happy New Year! What are your goals, plans and dreams for this new year?

💋xo, 

TJ

Change~

 

 “Change is the only constant in life.”

~ Heraclitus

Hello and welcome back! 

I wanted to pop in and let you know that I have decided to stop writing dedicated posts on my "Frugal Five", opting instead to write about my frugal endeavors by incorporating them within other posts. I came to this decision after much reflection and embracing the conviction that I don't want to focus on and wear "lack" as part of my identity. Although I do believe that frugality can be a useful tool in the creation of abundance and even wealth, I don't want it to be the greater focus here. Knowing that what we focus on and give our attention to grows, I would rather focus on improving and growing the abundance we already do have. 

I sincerely hope that you will consider continuing with me on our never-ending journey, with all of it's ups and downs and detours through life. After all, that's what keeps it interesting, no?

Thanks for stopping by! 

💋xo, 

TJ

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

Today's Funny~Totally Relatable

😄

 

Dear Santa, ISO~

😆

 

Hawks in the Sky~

 

While out for our daily stroll, I happened to look up while paused for Dollface to sniff the area. I enjoy skygazing because you just never know what you might see. Add to that fact I am somewhat of birdwatcher. Not the binocular packin', hiding in reeds in a swampy marsh kind (although a pair of bird watching binoculars is on my wish list), lol. I'm more of a casual bird observer and take immense delight in all their antics. 

Well, today's observation did not disappoint! Hawks patrolling the sky! I have never seen so many at one time. I counted no less than fourteen. I thought surely there must be some prey that they were all going to compete for but no, they just continued to glide high above us until they slowly drifted into the horizon.

red tail hawk 📷: audubon.org

My natural curiosity and love for all of God's creatures great and small got me to doing some online informational digging: 

18 Species of Hawks in Texas (with pictures)

Hawks In Texas: Our Top 15 Lords-Of-The-Skies Species Guide

What Makes a Group of Hawks a “kettle”

Eat, Prey, Love: A Day with the Squirrel Hawkers of East Texas

Or maybe they were turkey vultures?🤷‍♀️ They were so high in the sky, I'm not sure.

turkey vulture 📷: audubon.org 

How Do Hawks Hunt? (7 different methods & how to observe)

I hope you enjoyed this mini bird watching post. Do you like to birdwatch? Do you consider yourself a pro or, like me, a casual birdwatcher? 

Thanks for stopping by! 

💋xo, 

TJ

A Peek Into Last Week (October 22-28)~

 endeavor:

authentic•oldfashionedvalues•lowtech•slowliving

~livingsimply~

there is beauty all around us!

Hello! I hope you have had a wonderful week! It has been a week of gorgeous fall weather around here! It is the type of weather that energizes me to dive into all things home with wild abandon. 

Let's head on into the kitchen...

What I'm cooking, baking and eating ~ 

whirly, swirly cinnamon roll cake goodness ready for the oven~

Cheeseburgers, baked chicken leg quarters, chicken salad, cinnamon roll cake, granola, cinnamon raisin bread

Homekeeping ~ 

This week's focus was the master bedroom and closet. I spent time cleaning, organizing a decluttering my dresser and nightstand drawers.

What I'm watching/reading ~

Dark

 Netflix says about it: "A missing child sets four families on a frantic hunt for answers as they unearth a mind-bending mystery that spans three generations."

Althougj I enjoyed the series overall, it was a bit complex for me. It is one of those series I would have to watch more than once to be able to (possibly) grasp all of it's nuances. 

It has subtitles and contains language, nudity, and suicide.

Highlight ~

 

Soaking in, and appreciating, the beauty of my environment! 

Have a fabulous, safe and happy week ahead! 🍂👻🍫🍬🍭🎃🍂

Thanks for stopping by!

💋xo, 

TJ

A Peek Into Last Week (October 15-21)~

endeavor:

authentic•oldfashionedvalues•lowtech•slowliving

~livingsimply~

a walk in the neighborhood on a cool autumn day reveals the nicest surprises! 

Howdy! So glad you are here! 

We have had several glorious days of cool, almost chilly, temperatures. My kind of weather! I hope your weather has been nice as well.

I must confess, I don't watch the news (too depressing😭) so I don't know what the weather has been like in other parts of the country (other than the hubs exclaiming that it was snowing in the U.P. of Michigan one day, lol. I lived there for a while in another lifetime so I guess he thought I'd be interested.😊). 

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

•  chicken broccoli "fettuccine"- made with jarred Alfredo sauce that was in the pantry, bought on sale several weeks back. And spaghetti noodles that have been in the freezer since I stocked up on pasta last November. I always keep chicken and frozen broccoli on hand as they are major components to my Dollface's homemade dog food.

•  chana masala served over rice. I keep an assortment of legumes in the freezer along with rice that is bought in bulk and divided into smaller portions. I used a sweet potato in place of the russet as that's what I had available. The rest of the ingredients I had on hand in the freezer (chopped onion and tomatoes leftover from previous recipes) and pantry (spices, herbs and seasonings). I had fresh cilantro,  lemons and ginger on hand. Since I had previously soaked, cooked, portioned out and froze the chickpeas/garbanzos for ready access, I made the recipe in a large skillet rather than in the slow cooker. My husband is not a fan of this type of food (more for me!) so I ate a portion for dinner and then divided and froze the rest for future meals.

Even though I'm trying to cut back on sugar,  hubby still enjoys sweet snacks. Rather than buying as many prepackaged snacks as we have in the past, I have resolved to doing more baking again.

•  enchilada casserole - this time I used chicken, pinto beans and a red enchilada sauce. 

•   Lemon Crazy Wacky Cake with an Easy Lemon Glaze (I only used 1 tablespoon of milk for a thicker glaze)

•  Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Bars (I used only 1 teaspoon of vanilla in order to conserve on this pricey ingredient, and all semi sweet chocolate chips since that is what we had.)

Homekeeping ~ 

This week's homekeeping focus was the bathrooms. Outside of regular cleaning, I spent extra time going through and wiping down cabinets. I checked expiration dates on medications and made note of anything that needed to be added to the shopping list.

Garden~

I sowed carrots seeds. 

Highlight~

 It goes without saying that the cool, chilly days we enjoyed were one of the highlights of my week. SO grateful! 

I hope your week was wonderful! 

Thanks for stopping by!

💋xo, 

TJ

A Peek Into Last Week (October 8-14)~

endeavor:

authentic•oldfashionedvalues•lowtech•slowliving

~livingsimply~

How was your week? I hope it was a good one! I was able to be a little more productive this week, thank goodness. Here's a little peek...

gregg's mist

Garden~ 

I harvested swiss chard. I can't wait to incorporate it into something delicious (TBD)!

I sowed several different types of seeds: parsley, cilantro,  kale, spinach mustard, jalapeño, bell pepper, zucchini, turnip, radish and lettuces (Grand Rapids. Black Seeded Simpson, Four Seasons and Iceberg). Some of the seeds are several years old, so only time will tell if they are viable. I'm also experimenting with trying to grow more Gregg's Mist from (what I think is) seed from my existing plants. The butterflies love it!

We have not had rain in many, many days. Plus it hasn't been as humid on a lot of those days so I have had to water much more often. Our poor grass sounds crunchy when you walk on it if I don't. On the bright side, less humidity is making the mostly still warm October days, much more pleasant. 

Homekeeping ~

This past week's focus was the kitchen, dining room and breakfast nook. I focused on wiping down the cabinet facings, cleaning out the "junk" drawer and in the breakfast nook area, I set up a small table by the window for seed starting.

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

Egg salad (hubby likes his served with crackers and I have mine served on a bed of salad greens), cheeseburgers & pork burritos (using the pork from this recipe that has been in the freezer. A pork roast lasts the two of us an astonishingly long time. I cook it, we eat some right away, then I cool the remander and divide it up to freeze for future meals.)

I was thankful for being able to pull out a couple of "power food meals" (the one I made "Italiano" style back in September) one evening that I had previously frozen from leftovers, for a quick and easy (seems to be a favorite thread that runs through my mealtime repertoire, no? 😁) dinner for the hubs and me. DIY "TV dinners"? I'll take it!

I know I don't often mention veggies but yes, we do eat them alongside our meals. Common around here are: broccoli, cauliflower,  mixed vegetables, green beans, salads of some sort or crudités.

“Walking is a man’s best medicine.” 

~ Hippocrates

wanna go for a WALK?

Highlight~

The "cooler", less humid couple of days we had afforded us the opportunity to take a walk around our neighborhood. 

the pattern the wind created in these fallen leaves fascinated me!

I'm looking forward to more cool weather walks but enjoyed immensely these little tastes of being able to enjoy the great outdoors in comfort! 

Thanks for stopping by! See you next time~

💋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 (October 1-7)~

 endeavor:

authentic•oldfashionedvalues•lowtech•slowliving

~livingsimply~

This past week started off well enough. Business as usual. For most of the remainder of the week though, I was feeling terribly under the weather. I ended up just taking it as easy as possible, doing only the tasks and chores that were absolutely necessary to get us through each day. 

Luckily, I made good sized batches of the following👇 that got us through with fast and easy meals.

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

not fancy, just tasty!

Chicken salad (for sandwiches or to serve with crackers or...my favorite...served on a bed of salad greens.

Turkey chili (I made some into chili mac for hubby & I ate it "as is"-just chili.). 

I will see you soon~have a wonderful week and...

Thanks for stopping by!

💋xo,

TJ

Friday Fave #2~

It's Friday, and time for another Friday Fave!

This week I've chosen the Suave Essentials Rose Water and Aloe Soothing Hand Soap With Aloe.

What can I say? I know everyone enjoys different scents-honestly, scents can be a bit tricky for me as many of them give me a headache or make me feel sick. But this scent, in my opinion, is heavenly, heady...dreamy. 

It isn't overly "rosy" smelling (my daughter will attest to that as she hates most rose scented products. It is just beautiful (am I gushing?!). I love it and have bought bottle after bottle.

And if you don't care for the plastic dispenser, you can always  decant it into a soap pump of your choosing. I don't mind it though since the soap is such a pretty pearly pink!

 

For a couple of dollars, what have you got to lose? Besides, if you are like me, you can give it a sniff in store before you ever bring it home.

I hope you try it and I hope you love it as much as I do. Just be sure to leave a bottle or two on the shelves for me, lol!

Thanks for stopping by!

💋xo,

TJ

*this product was not sponsored and is not an ad~just a friend sharing with friends!

Let me Introduce Myself-A Little About Me Video~

Hey y'all! I posted an "Intro/A Little About Me" video over on my YouTube channel if you would like to hop on over there to get to know me a bit better.

See you on over there!

What's in My Bag / Exchanging Handbags for the Fall~

endeavor:

authentic•oldfashionedvalues•lowtech•slowliving

~livingsimply~

from this one... 

to this one!

Do you enjoy "What's in My Bag" type videos? I do and so I thought I would film one! Curious? Take a peek at-> What's in My Bag / Exchanging Handbags for the Fall

See you there!~ TJ 

A Peek Into Last Week (September 17-23)~

endeavor:

authentic•oldfashionedvalues•lowtech•slowliving

~livingsimply~

 Well...Happy Fall y'all! I've been noticing an almost imperceptible change in the weather for a couple of weeks now. It's slightly less hot (I can't say cool yet) and slightly less humid. It's autumn in Texas, lol.

This past week has been the busiest I've had in a very lonnnnng time! This may be a very short and uneventful read since I was thrown off my usual scheduleand routines.

Errands ~

Hubby went to the ER Monday as his pain level was getting the best of him. I had a follow up appointment with my oral surgeon on Tuesday and a deep cleaning on Thursday. 

Somewhere in the mix of things there, I went to the grocery store and to the pharmacy to pick up prescriptions and other OTC necessities. 

Homekeeping ~

The focus this week was the office, desk and paperwork. My special project was to clean out a couple of desk drawers and recycle some unnecessary papers. 

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

tomato mozzarella salad 

I did big batch baking of chicken leg quarters (half with lemon pepper seasoning and half with Italian herbs and spices) and a second pan of hamburger patties seasoned with Montreal Steak seasoning. I also made a crustless quiche and a tomato mozzarella salad. It made dinners easy for a busier than usual week.

What I'm watching/reading ~

I watched a movie, Father Stu, on Netflix. I don't know if I was having an emotionally hormonal day or if the movie really got to me that much but I'll just say, the tissue box was definitely on standby 😭. I  found it very touching.

IMDb says the movie, "Follows the life of Father Stuart Long, a boxer-turned-priest who inspired countless people during his journey from self-destruction to redemption.

It is based on the real life story of "Father Stu".

Highlight ~

This little guy had a birthday this past week! He is not so little anymore (he's taller than me!), and has grown into a fine young man that his Mamaw (me!🙋‍♀️) is extremely proud of. Here's to many, MANY more birthdays for this handsome fella!

And...not quite as major as a grandsons birthday, but a highlight for me just the same, is these two snuggling up next to each other...

I hope you had a wonderful week, thanks for stopping by! 

💋xo,

TJ

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 

Why I Share "Me" and My Life~

endeavor:

authentic•oldfashioned•lowtech•slowliving

~livingsimply~

Is it that I think I'm so fascinating?  NO WAY! Honestly, compared to a lot of others, I'm probably quite boring. 

"While you can, DO."

~TJ @ TJ's Sweet Home 

After taking quite the sabbatical from posting however, and a recent wake up call with my health that reminded me that the clock is ticking, the oft refrained, "life is not a dress rehearsal" has new meaning. So, I'm gonna make more of an effort do what I enjoy, and this my dear friends, is one of them. 

I am a homebody that has been placed in a position of being a "homebody on steroids" (the pandemic quarantine was nothing new for us-"quarantine" or something like it, is and has been our normal daily life for a decade now) since my husband became homebound and I became his caregiver. There are no more vacations or even short road trips. Money has been whittled down to one fixed income that seems to shrink with each passing day. I'm not seeking sympathy, it just IS. Our reality, and what I called our NEW normal ten years ago, is now just our normal. So, I flit and flutter from one responsibility, project or interest to another, like a bee to so many flowers, to fill my days.

Like I said, nothing out of the ordinary to see here. But that's kind of the point of why I share. I get ideas and encouragement from peering into the "everyday days" of others by reading their blogs, watching their vlogs and taking in their Instagram posts. And in turn, hope that maybe something I do, or cook or write might be a spark for another. A spark of imagination, a spark of determination, a spark of hope and maybe even a spark that lights a giggle or two.

And then there's legacy. I would love to be able to read my grandmothers, great-grandmothers (and so on) recipes, daily musings and just the general overview of her daily life during her time. It would be nice to read or view my father's, and his father's thoughts, hopes, dreams and daily doings that they carried on their strong backs and shoulders and within the deep recesses of their minds on a regular basis throughout the years.

I'm fairly certain I wrote in some long forgotten post in the past that I considered this space to be a journal of sorts (only... open for the world to read🤯). Someday, my children and their children's children might be curious about that wild, wacky & nutty Mamaw of theirs, and they can come here if they care to. Maybe not. But it'll be there as long as the internet and Blogger hold up. If not, there's always my paper journals and beloved recipes, written in my hand.

"Yeeeeehawwww! Ride 'em Cow-Mamaw!"

~Mamaw (me) to Jesse, my grandson. when driving over a particularly big bump in the road

So...that's why I share. Not to toot my own horn, but to offer up a buffet of bite-sized yummy moments of my life you may or may not choose to take away from this table of my life to add to your own.

Thanks for reading! ~TJ