Hope you had a great weekend

Sorry I am a bit unprepared for today.

I hope you enjoy these pictures.

A waterfall seen on a quad ride

Our dream wood pile

A friend in our yard, one of many

 

Dream clouds above our heads

Another view from a quad ride

I hope you enjoyed a peek into the world around me.

Plastic

How much of the plastic that you "purchase" do you use?

What I mean is, when an item, say lettuce, comes in a plastic container, which is becoming the norm in many grocery stores, how many of those containers do you save?  What do you do with them?  AND where do you store them all?

I have been saving them and using them for the following:

• They make nice containers for things, such as cookies, where you don't want to worry about getting a nice container back.
• I have used them for holding compost items in the fridge til I take them to the pile.
• I have used them as seed starting trays.

I know that I don't have to "buy" items in these plastic containers, but I have found that the lettuce in these containers tends to be fresher and stay longer.  Plus, they pack so much into the container it seems the greens go on forever.

I feel guilty if I don't try to use them at least once before recycling them into the garbage pick up.  So I'm looking for other ideas of how to use them.

I also try to "reuse" the coffee containers,  those are great for "hiding" things in, because I buy Folgers and those containers are red.  When I get a good deal on chocolate chips or chocolate kisses, I put them in there, that way, when I want to bake cookies, I have them!

Now, the plastic bags that grapes or oranges come in, I rinse them out and put them on the side, but I still haven't figured out what to use them for.  I already save and reuse Ziploc bags if they haven't had raw meat in them, they get used until they have holes in them.

When I forget my reusable shopping bags, and get a plastic one, I try to reuse those as well, usually in the bathrooms for the garbage cans.  Or they get used as dog poop bags.  I don't have many of those anymore though.

What types of things do you do with your plastic? AND where do you store them?

Merry Christmas

Just a note to wish anyone who reads my blog,

Merry Christmas.

Enjoy the day with family and friends.

Eating Creatively

 

I am often left with the thought of "what am I going to eat for dinner?"

 

I truly wish that we didn't have to eat, it would make life SO much easier.

 

On this night, I decided to look inside the refrigerator and try to find something to eat.  Now of course, there is food in there.  There is always food in there.  But what do I FEEL like making?  Better yet, what do I FEEL like eating?

 

I found some left over potatoes.

 

I LOVE potatoes and because I do, I try not to eat them very often.  But, we had some for dinner earlier in the week and there was a small amount left.  I don't like to throw food away, so I saved them.  I could make SOMETHING out of them.

 

Now, what else was in there........

 

I know, eggs.  If only I had a good cast iron frying pan.  My dad made THE BEST ever fried potatoes when I was a kid for breakfast in the cast iron pan he had.

 

Anyway, I took the potatoes and an egg out and here is what I came up with.

 



 

 

A little butter went into the pan as it heated, then I put the potatoes in and waited a few minutes for them to brown, but they didn't really, not like in the cast iron pan, but they would be okay.

 

 

 

Then I scrambled the egg in a bowl and dumped that in on top. 

 

Now that I think about it, I probably should have fried some onions first and maybe some peppers that I keep handy in the freezer, then put in the potatoes and then the egg.  I'll have to remember that for next time.

 

Anyway, that was what I had for dinner.  I can at least say there was a protein in there, as well as the carbs.  I did put on some salt and pepper.  I think potatoes are the only thing I actually put salt on.

 

I just wanted to share this with you to hopefully inspire you to look and see what you have in your refrigerator tonight, that needs to be eaten up, so it isn't thrown out or forgotten.

 

I know that I mentioned recently that I have been trying to look at the food we eat and the amount we eat and to use up what we fix so that there isn't so much food going to waste and being thrown out.  Give it a try.  You'd be surprised what you come up with!

 

This weeks experiment

Every week I try to pick something to improve upon to either save money, the environment or to use our resources to the best of our ability.

This week, at least Monday through Friday evening, I have decided to make it a no TV week.  I have not turned on the bedroom TV in the evenings in over a month in an effort to save electricity.

It's winter here, and there is snow on the ground, and it gets dark at 4:30 in the evening.  So believe me, this isn't easy.  Usually I have the TV on as background noise or something "to do" when the nights are long.

There are a few reasons for my wanting to try this, first I want to see if I can.  Secondly, I want to see how much this will change our electric bill.  And finally, I really need to get some of my holiday knitting completed for gifts that I am planning to give.

I have gone without TV before.  When we were kids, we had a house at the shore and we had no TV and no telephone.  Growing up back in the 60's and 70's, you didn't really need a TV to keep you busy or for company.  You went outside and found your own adventures, you played board games on rainy days, or you read books that took you to far away places.

I have managed to get through quite a bit of a sock, that will be for my husband, and I have finished reading two of the garden books that I took out of the library.

These are a pair of socks I did for myself last year.

Compost

Yes, winter is "almost" here in the North Eastern part of the United States.  It is a few days away, according to the calendar, but it has felt like winter for a few weeks now.

I'm thinking about compost.  I guess, once a person begins to garden, their thoughts are never truly far away from the soil of their garden.

One of the books I took out of the library is "The Rodale Book of Composting" Deborah L. Martin and Grace Gershuny, Editors.  The copyright of the book is 1992, so while the information in it is 21 years old, I am sure there are a few things that I can glean from the book that will help me to better understand how to "grow my soil".

Did you know, there is actually a "history" of composting?  I didn't, but I'm not going to go in to that here.

I wanted to share just one topic from the book today that I found interesting and have never really given thought to. In Chapter 5, there is a section called "from trash to treasure", here is what I wanted to share:

Up to 75% of household garbage is derived from organic matter and, theoretically, can be composted.  If you include sewage sludge, the rate is even higher.  Even if the finished product were simply dumped into a landfill, composting would realize savings because the sheer bulk of the material would be reduced by almost half.  Furthermore, it would no longer pose a toxic leachate problem, requiring expensive liners and test wells.  Using the resulting compost to build healthy soil can be regarded as an added bonus.

I never really thought of this one before.  Granted the book is 20 + years old, but I always thought that any food waste in my garbage can would decompose and make soil in the landfill.  I'm wrong about that and I have to try to be a better steward of my resources.

I never thought that by composting my organic matter it would help, not only my garden, but would also help my community by lowering the cost to haul away my garbage.

I do know that my community does offer yard waste recycling.  Those pick ups are only done during the summer and fall months of the year, the rest of the time, if you put out yard waste, they just throw it into the garbage truck. 

Compost conserves energy because it supplies soil nutrients without calling on fossil fuel support.  It saves energy because it can be made on the farm and in the garden, requiring no transportation from a factory.  It saves energy because it is waste recycled via a very short route - so short as the distance from the kitchen to the backyard compost heap.  Even the organic debris of an entire city can be recycled and returned to the land without leaving the metropolitan area.  Compare this system with the one we have been following since World War II, and you begin to see not only a major root of our current solid wastes and energy problems, but a solution to those problems as well. 

And, it saves energy!  I never thought of this one either.

Before the winter weather arrived, we began our first compost pile in our yard.  I am so looking forward to using it in our garden next season.  And reading just these two paragraphs in this book has got me thinking about better ways for me to use all the organic material I can from our yard to compost it to make soil and to save money and energy.

Isn't it amazing how when you start to do one thing, so many other things open up to you?

Look for a future post about this project.

I'm Trying

Well, I'm trying to make my blog look more appealing. 

What do you think?  Too much?

I'll keep trying.

My trip to the library

I haven't been in our town library in quite a few years.  The internet usually provides me with plenty of information.

But, as I've mentioned before, I am a book person, and I don't want to buy all the books that I want to read, so I have to start to use my library again.

Anyway, we have a very small library, but, there were a number of books on gardening that I would like to read, so this time I checked out 4 books.  I plan to share all of them with you over time, and some of the thoughts that I got out of them.

I also wanted to begin using my library again to support them and to save my family some money.  Plus, I'm hoping that perhaps, they may have information on any garden groups or things going on in my county to help with simplifying our lives.

I would like to encourage you to pay a visit to your local library today.

Garden Wisdom

When I decided that I really wanted to make a good effort at growing a garden, I decided that I needed to know as much as I could to grow the best I could.

Now, I love the Internet, and I probably spend more time than I should on it, but to me, it's like having a library in my home and I LOVE that.  Sad to say though, I haven't been to my library in years, but that's another story.

Anyway, I found a few books, that I actually did purchase and this is one of them.

"Garden Wisdom and Know How: Everything You Need to Know to Plant, Grow and Harvest"

It is from the Editors of Rodale Gardening Books, of which I get the Organic Gardening magazine.  Made here in the United States.

The only thing that I don't like about the book is the print size.  As you can see, the book is rather large, it contains a lot, but the print is small.

There are 10 chapters in the book and I have found a number of items in the book that have been helpful with my garden this year and I have not completed reading it.

The first chapter, Getting Started, is 74 pages long and it talks mostly about learning the zone you live in and composting.  Growing your soil.
I have learned a lot from just one chapter of this book and I am reading into the next chapter now, which is "Gardening Techniques and Tricks".

Do you have a favorite, go to, gardening book?

Lights

I have been giving a lot of thought to electricity, what else we could do to reduce our usage and light bulbs or lighting.

I like having timers on a number of lights in the house, that I change frequently.  We also have two outside lights on timers as well that help with when we are out at night so we don't have to come home in the dark.

Before I really began to think about all the electric usage, they were all on quite often and for many hours.  I have cut back all lighting drastically, except for one small, low watt bulb in the dining room.  When it is on, it lights up a majority of the area and can be seen all the way from our bedroom at night so that if you need to get up you aren't in total darkness.

Almost all of the lamps are the new energy efficient compact fluorescent bulbs.  But, I have to say, they have gone down in price over the years, and quality.  Seventeen years ago, when we began to use them, we paid $13.00 each and those lasted for 7 years.  Not bad for $13.00.  Now, the price is less, I think around $7.00 a piece and it seems they last maybe two years.

I have reduced the amount of time each light is on, and I feel this has significantly reduced our electric bill.  Where the outside lights would go on at dusk and stay on until about 11 pm, I have set the timers by day and only have them on for about an hour around the time that I feel I will be out and coming home.  Plus, if they come on and I am home, I turn them off, I don't leave them to run their full cycle.  The thing I like about these in wall timers is that they have a random feature where it will change the times that it comes on, on it's own. 

The other inside timers I now only set to come on when I know I am going to be out in the evening.  They do not come on every night.

As I mentioned in another blog post, I have been doing other things, such as unplugging appliances not in use, and my computer and printer.  The past two months our bill went down $40.00 the first month and another $10.00 the second month.  That is quite a bit of a savings, don't you think?

So, now, I'm trying to think of even another way to save a bit, I want to look into finding a portable solar light that I could put in the kitchen and our bedroom, that way I wouldn't have to use either one of those lights at night either, they would just run on whatever stored solar power they have each day.

I know that we could probably look into solar energy for the house, but I honestly don't feel we will be here in five years and so I'd like to look at that for our future, final home.

Do you have any ideas of a portable solar light that might work?

I bought a new book

I try very hard to stay out of the book stores.  There was a time in my life, where, if I hadn't stopped, it probably would have become a serious problem.

I grew up loving books and the places they would/could take you.  And once I had one, I didn't want to give it away.

When we moved, halfway across the country, I had to purge myself of nearly all of my books.  Books of learning or information were carefully weeded through and kept and books of pleasure were AGONIZED over before being let go to the Goodwill shop.

Anyway, I now will only buy a book if I really feel what I am going to get out of it is worth having in my home.  Also, it has to be printed here in the United States.  If I am going to spend my hard earned money, I need to be sure it is going to help someone else retain their job.

Okay, now you know some of my basic thoughts on books.  Now, onto the book I bought.

"The New Seed-Starters Handbook" by Nancy Bubel

I want to start most of my plants on my own this coming season and in the past, I have had failed attempts.  There must be something, well, a lot of something's, that I'm not doing correctly and this time I need a bit of instruction on to how to do it.

As far as inside plants, I don't have a green thumb at all.  Outside.  That's another story.  So I need help with learning the proper steps for starting seed indoors to have a more successful outside garden experience.

While I haven't read much of the book yet, so I can't review it for you, I will tell you what chapters this book has in it.  Actually there are four Sections and each has chapters in them. 

Section One : Starting Seeds Indoors
Section Two : Moving Plants Outdoors
Section Three : Special Techniques and Situations
Section Four : Saving Seeds and Making Further Plans

I thought each one of these chapters will help me along my journey to have better seed starts and a better garden this coming spring.

I would love to hear any of your advice on how you start your seeds for your garden.

Sustainable? Frugal? Cheapskate?

Okay, I guess it all depends on how you look at things.  I'm talking about how you look at what you are doing to simplify your life.

It means different things to different people, but it's all really the same thing, isn't it?

I have tried to be frugal all of our married life.  I'm the saver.  I'm the one who looks for the sales, the deals, the yard sales or shops at the thrift store.  Dear Darling, only recently has begun to see the  value of reusing and recycling things we have or things we are lucky enough to find, and that it isn't so bad after all.

But now, we are empty nesters, and we've had some major life changes and health issues, so now, instead of just being frugal, we are beginning to look for sustainable as well.

I like to garden, and so my Dear Darling is willing to help me transform our yard into more of a garden than we've ever had.  We enjoy knowing where our food comes from and knowing who our farmer is.  Not just me, but "the egg man" and for next year the CSA we have joined.

We want healthy food in our lives, we want to make more of the things we enjoy, such as the bread, the butter, yogurt, home cooked meals.  It not only saves us money, but it adds to the worth of our dollar.

Part of the reason for this post is I recently saw a show that is on TV here in the US called "Extreme Cheapskates".  And, while some of the things they show people doing make sense and are sustainable things, some of them are just not right.  I don't feel taking things, such as sugar packets or ketchup packets that are not to be used right then for or with your purchase, is not right or ethical.  To me, that's stealing.  That business owner is trying to make a living and provide a service, for a reasonable cost and when people walk off with handfuls of packets of sugar, that is stealing.  Not being a cheapskate.  Not being frugal. (But, I guess, after looking at the definition, this is being a cheapskate, but in my book, it's stealing.)

Frugal:

: careful about spending money or using things when you do not need to : using money or supplies in a very careful way 

To me being frugal is using ALL of everything.  So is it extreme to open up the tube of toothpaste to get the last little bit out?  Some people may think so, but if you don't have to open or buy another toothpaste for a week, and you are using it all, you are being a good steward of your purchase and your money.

Do you add water to your shampoo, body soap or laundry soap bottle to shake the last little bits out?  Do you add water to your jar of sauce to get the last bits of it out?  I don't see that as being a cheapskate, I see it as being frugal.

Is being a cheapskate not wanting to spend money?

Cheapskate:

  a miserly or stingy person; especially :  one who tries to avoid paying a fair share of costs or expenses

I don't really think I'm a cheapskate, not that I'm saying there is anything wrong with that.  Everyone lives within their means.  I like to consider myself frugal, meaning that I like to reuse, reduce and recycle.  Make my environment better with my choices.  Speak with how and where I spend our dollars.

I don't try to get out of paying my fair share of costs or expenses, I just want to be sure I'm getting the most value for the money I'm spending.

Sustainable:

[more sustainable; most sustainable] 1 : able to be used without being completely used up or destroyed
▪ sustainable energy resources ▪ a sustainable water supply

2 : involving methods that do not completely use up or destroy natural resources
▪ sustainable agriculture/farming/techniques

3 : able to last or continue for a long time

* all definitions were found online in the Merriman-Webster dictionary.

I guess they are all not really the same.  Being Frugal and a person who chooses to live sustainably is what I would like to be known for.

Blogging

I would love some help learning how to make my blog more appealing.

Do you have any thoughts or sites to share that would help me out with this?

I am a visual learner, so lots of pictures or videos are best.

Thanks for the help.

Enjoy the day!

What is it?

 

An easy post for today.

 

What is it?

 

 

 

While raking leaves this past November, we found two of these caterpillars.  I haven't tried to look them up, but if I had been in a rush, instead of enjoying my work, I would have missed them all together.

At first, I thought it was a "wooly bully" caterpillar.  But, upon closer inspection, it is not half black and half rust, as they are.  This one has black "bristles" and the rust/red is more of their actual body than hair.  They were much larger as well.

When you are out, in your yard, doing chores, do you take the time to notice the world around you?

Doing our part

I am lucky, I have time each morning to read the blogs I like and to look up anything that interests me.

It has been through reading blogs and looking at YouTube videos that I have learned so much and that I have changed things in our lives to help save the environment we live in, as well as to save us money.  The later, a bit on the selfish end, as I wish to stay at home and not go back to work, full time.  I enjoy being home.  I enjoy learning to do the things my grandmothers did.  I enjoy having the quiet instead of the rush of being out in the working world.

Here are some of the things we've started doing to help us reach and maintain a simple life for ourselves.

• We have built a 18 feet by 4 feet garden in our yard. In which we grew, tomatoes, kale, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, several kinds of lettuce, onions, carrots, turnips
• Learned how to grow potatoes in buckets, got three small crops
• We repaired our front walk ourselves instead of hiring out
• We heat with wood, that is bartered
• We have found a local to us CSA that we joined with another couple for next year
• Found two lovely, at home, local nurseries that I bought perennials for our yard to encourage bees to visit, and butterflies.
• We try to use cloth, made in the USA, shopping bags, if we don't have one with us, we don't take a bag from the store, we carry the items out.
• I have unplugged every possible item that is not necessary when not in use.
• Watching less tv
• Turn off computer when not in use and unplug it when charged
• Turned of printer and only have one when needed
• I use the downstairs toilet as much as possible as it is a newer, more conservative toilet
• I borrowed a sewing machine to make cloth napkins
• I learned how to make butter
• learned how to can tomatoes
• learned how to make yogurt
• Built a hugel bed where blueberry bushes will be planted in spring
• Built a compost pile
• Started a worm farm
• Talked with a local Starbucks about obtaining coffee grounds a few times a week
• I'm using the local, free compost center to get compost to supplement our yard
• Dear Darling re purposed troughs to make a spot to garden on the deck
• Dear Darling made a gutter garden for our use next year on the deck
• We purchased, on clearance, a rain barrel to be installed in the spring
• We found old, old cobblestone at the dump pile that we will use somewhere in our yard
• I'm trying my hand at propagating some of this years plants
• I've saved some seed to use for the coming year
• New to me, vintage wool lined barn jacket, made in the USA
• New to us, vintage wool blanket, made in the USA
• Sewed wipes and cleaning cloths from clearance flannel material
• Using out door clothes line for drying more often
• Using indoor clothes drying rack now that fire is going
• Using cold water in washing machine
• Saving whey from making yogurt and using in baking
• Saving buttermilk from butter making and using in bread making
• Make all Dear Darlings lunches for the week
• Plan all trips in the car to make the most of each trip
• Learned how to dry tomatoes
• Froze shredded zucchini for future use
• Make our own bread crumbs, croutons and bagel chips
• Made dehydrated Kale chip
• Made refrigerator pickles
• Our Kuerig broke, I didn't buy a new one because I thought a lot about all those little cups going to the landfill
• Called the phone company and got a better bundle for our needs and saved $25.00 a month
• Also called DirecTV and got a deal that saved us $15.00 a month
• Learned about different Squash/Pumpkins, tried them and decided we like them

This list may seem like a lot of things.  Perhaps some of the things seem difficult.  Some, people may think, "why bother?"  But these are just some of the ways we are doing our part.  If everyone would just pick something, and go from there, just think what a difference it would make?

I am not a political person.  I feel, for me to make a change, says something about who I am, what I believe.  Will I share that knowledge with anyone?  Yes.  I'm sharing this with you in each post.  At least I would like to hope I'm sharing it! (smile)

What is it?

 

Taking the time to learn a little bit about the machines you use can help you to save time and money.

I was vacuuming the other day and noticed that it wasn't doing such a good job.  So, first I checked the hose.  Nothing.

 

Then, I changed the bag.  Having a four legged, that sheds ALOT makes it necessary to change the bag as it clogs up with hair.

 

Still, the vacuum didn't seem to be sucking well enough.

 

So, I got out my handy tool set, that is mine, that I keep in the hall closet just for occasions like this.

 

 

 

 

Clearly, there is nothing caught in the beater bar, so I use my tools to take out the screws to look at the underside.

 

To the left, is the belt.  Look what I found!



 

 

 

 

This ball of hair was the size of a grapefruit when I got it all out!

If I hadn't investigated further, this would have kept rubbing against the belt and either worn out the belt or even caught fire.  It's a lesson I will learn to do on a more regular basis.  I had no idea that anything would get caught on the belt and collect there.

This is the handy tool kit that Dear Darling got for me.  It had different size tools that fit into the handle.  It has come in very handy over the years, and because I always put it back where it belongs, I can always find it when I need it!

On a side note, I do dry mop (swifter) before I vacuum, and we only have two throw rugs in our house.  When four legged sheds, I could do that two to three times a day and still, in an hour it looks like I haven't vacuumed in weeks!  There are seasons when I honestly don't know how he has any fur left he loses so much!

What kind of maintenance do you do on your machines to keep them running smoothly?

Seed Catalogs

Have you started to get your catalogs in the mail?

I have and I don't know what to do!!  There are so many lovely things to grow that I want almost everything.

How do you make up your mind what you will plant?

I know they say in the beginning of your garden journey you should plant what you love to eat.  I can agree with that, and it's what I did this year, 2013.

Next year, I have made some sketches, ( if you could call my chicken scratch sketches) of the additions I am making to the yard for new spots to grow things.  I will be able to get quite a few more things in with the trough Dear Darling made for me, and the gutter garden, and the hugel bed.  Plus I have amended two of the planters in the back where I have iris and columbine planted so that I can add more things in with them come the spring.

I am definitely doing Kale, as it did well for me this year.  Plus cherry tomatoes.  I am planning o have Dill and chives, oh and sunflowers.  Blueberries, strawberries, green beans, yellow beans, peas, about 6 different kinds of lettuce.

See where I'm going?

Then add in to that mix, all these catalogs....... sigh.....

My wool blanket

 

This is our new to us, wool blanket.

 

 

 

I saw this post over at  Nutmeg and Linen and just loved the idea of putting a crochet edge on a blanket.  So, I was on a mission! 

 

 

 

After searching a few days on eBay, I came across this blanket that I felt would work perfectly in our bedroom.  The color looked nice, the size was good, it is a vintage, American made wool blanket, made by Fabrio mills in Minnesota.  The seller had good reviews, seemed honest, so I took to watching and then bidding.  I figured that if I got it and didn't like it, I could always cover and "guilt" it and no one would see an ugly, wool blanket, but a pretty first try at making a spread for the bed.

 

 

And, I won!

 

When the blanket finally arrived, I was so thrilled with it, I couldn't have been happier, the color was right, the description of it was right.  I was/am a happy camper.





The blanket arrived clean, but I threw it into the dryer for a few minutes and then threw it out on the line to make sure it was fresh.

I have since taken the satin edging off and have begun the task of blanket stitch and crochet shells for the edge.

I have to say, for a vintage blanket, it looks brand new, and it is SOFT.  Even Dear Darling commented on how soft the blanket was, while suggesting that we use it as a living room blanket instead of putting it on the bed!

Pictures to follow once I've finished.

Thanksgiving, the forgotten holiday

Isn't it a shame?  Thanksgiving has become the forgotten holiday.

With the economy being what it is, slow, bad, depressing, whichever word you feel fits, the businesses are pushing the Christmas season WAY, WAY too early this year.

Since our family is fragmented by jobs and distance, we don't celebrate Thanksgiving, or any holiday really, in the traditional manner, but we try.  Try being the word.

This year, Dear Boy will be working and cooking a turkey at work for he and his coworkers to enjoy together, not with their families.  I told him I would get his turkey for him.  I asked if there was anything else I could make for their meal, but haven't gotten a "text" back yet.  I have some banana's in the freezer, perhaps a nice banana cake with homemade icing will work.

Dear Boy is a paramedic.  He LOVES his job and I give him a lot of credit to do such work.  We really can't talk much about it, he and I, because he likes to share the details, which for me is TOO MUCH INFORMATION.

This year, when you sit down to your table to give thanks for your many blessings in your life and that of your family, take a moment to think of those who are working that day to help to keep you safe.  The paramedics, the EMT's, the firefighters, the doctors, the nurses, the veterinarians, the ambulance drivers, the police officers, all persons in the military.  I know there are plenty of others that I perhaps have not mentioned.  But think of them and be thankful.  Thankful that they are there.  Thankful that they have the training and that they continue training.  Thankful that they give up their holiday with families to be there when they are needed.

Be thankful this thanksgiving and perhaps, stay out of the stores to send the message that people shouldn't be working on a family holiday just to make someone else money.

BUTTER

 

I made my own butter!

 

 

 These two photos show all that you need.  I used my Kitchenaid mixer, the wire whisk attachment,  a quart of Heavy cream purchased from our local dairy, a measuring cup and ice water.

 

 

I also saw this on the website below.  The blue strainer is the strainer that I use to drain my tuna.  I found it a few years ago in the grocery store and I never would have thought to use it in this way.  You need ICE cold water to wash your butter with and this allows you to have it ready to use without fiddling with a strainer or worrying about fishing out ice cubes before proceeding with the washing.

 



 

 

Taking pictures while the mixer is running isn't easy, but I tried.  First your heavy cream will turn into whipping cream.

Then, you will need either a splatter shield, which I didn't have, or a towel.  When it begins to break down and the buttermilk begins to form it will begin to splatter.  Be careful where you put your hands and fingers.

 

 

Here you can see, it actually did do what they said!  It was like magic when it happened.  This is after about 5 minutes of mixing at the number 10 speed.  Because it was the first time I made butter, I had to keep stopping it to "check" it.  And to take pictures to share.

 



 

 

I'm sorry, I forgot to take pictures of the rinsing.  Once you feel you have all the buttermilk out, you drain that and save it.  Then you begin the washing with the ice cold water.  This could take 3 to 5 times where you change the water.  You want to get the water as clear looking as you feel you can.

Now for me, this was the most difficult part, getting out all the water.  You need to be sure to get out all the water you just washed with because it will make your butter spoil more quickly.  You don't want that.

 

 

And here you see my first batch of butter!  Isn't it lovely?

 



 

The picture below shows you the second batch of butter, so I got two containers of that size and the pint jar of buttermilk from the quart of heavy cream.

 



 

 

I am so thrilled that I was able to make the butter.  The second batch didn't take as long as the first.  The first batch was about an hour, the second one was about 45 minutes.  Keep in mind, there is always a learning curve when doing something for the first time.  I am sure in the future I will be able to get prep and clean up down to 30 minutes.  Plus, I won't need to keep stopping to take pictures and looking to see if it is working or not.

 

This is the link I used to help me make my first batch of butter.  It was perfect. Has a video and written directions.  You have to love the internet!~

 



How to make butter in your kitchenaid mixer

Thank you for visiting and I hope you will give making your own butter a try if you haven't already.

Lunch with my mother

 

After my mother passed away, dad and I went through all the things in the kitchen and the attic that needed to be sorted through.  Some items I had never seen before, and he said he hadn't either.  Memories were now lost, forever.

 

 

This is one of the plates that I took.  My father said that these were some of the first plates they used when they got married.  He couldn't remember why or when they had stopped using them, and didn't even remember my mother saving them.

 

You can see that I chose the one with the chip in it.  Life isn't perfect.

Everyday, almost, when I have breakfast or lunch, I take my plate out of the cabinet and say hello to my mother and we have a meal together.

I wish she had shared more about herself with me when we were together.

Take the time today to share with your children or grandchildren something about yourself that you've never shared before.  Give them a memory to have.

Thrift Shopping

I don't like to shop.  And when I do, I usually go where I know, get what I need and go home.  I have never been a browser, though at home on the Internet is another story.

Anyway, I have borrowed a friends sewing machine and have been trying my hand at some basic sewing.

I found some diaper fabric made in America for $6.99 a yard at our local Joann's, which to me, doesn't seem like a bad price.  It's the same kind of material that the napkins I bought off of etsy are made of, only I don't have a serger.  So I have been practicing using the different stitches on the machine and also making hems to see which I like better.  I am considering making the napkins to give as gifts for future gift giving.

I'd also like to spruce up my own dining room, but don't really have the extra money to go out and buy all new things.

So, I was at the Salvation Army store and I was looking for a flat sheet to try to make an apron out of.  I figure a sheet is a lot of fabric and much cheaper than buying it on sale and often times flat sheets don't wear out, while fitted ones do.

Anyway, while looking for a flat sheet to make the apron, I found what I thought was a window curtain, but is really a shower curtain, and a flat sheet that almost match in color.  I am thinking about using the shower curtain, which is mostly cotton to make napkins and then use the sheet to either make a table runner for the table and the sideboard and perhaps even valances for the window.  Quite an undertaking for me.  Those two items cost me roughly $7.00.  I will have TONS of napkins.

 

 

These are the sheet and curtain I hope to do the napkins, table runners and valances out of.

 

I also found a vintage fitted sheet that looks like it was never used.  It has a nice small floral print that I will try to make the apron from.  This cost 1.99

This is the small floral print I will try to make the apron out of.

Then I went to a local antique shop because one of the stands has all kinds of old sewing stuff in it.  I got the edging and sewing thread for about $5.00.

Then I found two flannel receiving blankets for .99 cents for the two of them, and they looked brand new.  I bought them too and I am not sure what I am going to do yet, but I am sure they will turn into something handy.

 

Wish me luck with my sewing adventures.  I am sure you will see the outcome soon.

Sundays are my busiest days

I truly think that Sunday is the busiest day of the week for me.

If I haven't been able to shop for the following week, it's off to the store to do lunch shopping.  I make a weeks worth of lunches for Dear Darling on Sunday.

For the summer, he didn't want bread with his meal each day, so I only had to bake a loaf on Friday and that would see us through the weekend and maybe a spare slice or two for during the week.

Winter (fall) is another story.  I make bread on Friday and then again on Sunday.

At the market, I picked up fresh fruit.  I like for him to have at least two different fresh fruits a day.  I also make a "magic bullet" drink for him, that has lettuce, grapes and pineapple (this week).  He likes them better with blueberries, but they are SO FAR out of the budget right now.  Next year I am going to keep an eye on the price and BUY lots to freeze.  Plus two servings of vegetables as well.

I also like to make something for a home made snack.  This week is just brownies.  Yes, it's a box mix, I have some in the pantry and need to use them.  Then I will figure out how to make my own.

For lunch he will have beef and noodles, which the beef is leftover spaghetti meat sauce from dinner last night with some of my canned, diced tomatoes and I added macaroni noodles and a slice of muenster cheese on the top.  I will also give him two slices of bread for each day as well, with butter.

Lunches this week will be

A sliced orange
A sliced cucumber
Beef and noodles, plus bread and butter
Cheese and crackers
A banana
Homemade yogurt
Made at home brownies
Magic bullet drink

Oh, plus, as a surprise, I put three Hersey's kisses into each Cheese and crackers container.

It may seem like a lot of food, but he will eat some of it at morning break time.  Since he is away from home, it is so easy to grab something quick off the "lunch truck" and by providing a variety of good food and homemade snacks, the lunch truck doesn't see our dollars.

What or how do you handle lunches in your home for those who work out or go to school?