Midweek Ramblings

 It is very hot here again today. Right now it is 34C and feels like 42C. I am so glad I got outside to do my little bit of gardening today. Much too warm for man or beast to be outside. Our poor air conditioning is running pretty much constantly again today. 

I have been busy trying to get as much done as possible processing the garden before we leave next week. Also busy making lists of what I need to pack, and what I need to do to leave the house, fridge, and garden in good shape. 

Trying to eat down the fridge, or get things in the freezer is taking a bit of time. So much to use up or give away before we leave.

I have managed to get through all (or pretty much all the potatoes in the house), I made fries for the freezer and perogies. There is enough filling to make some lazy perogy casserole and I think that will be done tomorrow along with the Apple chutney. 

Tomatoes are ripening faster than we can eat them, so I think in a couple of days I will do some freezing of those. 

Picked two eggplant today so I will be able to make the eggplant parma on Friday. Also lots of green peppers to use up as well, what can't be used I will dice or cut in strips and freeze. 

Still not sure what to do with all the cucumbers when I don't need pickles or relish. Any ideas out there?

Off to make supper and get the table set.

Tonight will be spent getting things into the big freezers downstairs and working on those mittens.

Everybody have a wonderful evening.

God bless.

Tuesday Tidbits and Stuff

 Off, then on, then off and now on once again. It seems that Air Canada is in the air once again. So it looks like our trip will be happening, provided we don't get bumped. So for the next 9 days I will be doing my best to process food, get the perennial bed in some kind of order, and probably end up washing clothes a couple more times. The clothes washing to make sure Harvey has enough to last for the 10 days we will be gone. 

There is lots to do inside as well, projects to be finished, the sewing/craft room cleaned, as much used up in the fridge as is possible, and me notifying Nielsen IQ that I will not be sending in scans for the the first two weeks of September. Last time they missed my notification so I am going to make sure and send it early enough that they get it on time or even before time. 

As all of you know I am a big list maker and those lists will be made over what is left of this week and the beginning of next week. 

It has been very warm the last couple of days and that will continue into tomorrow. Supposed to be even warmer than today and believe me the temperature here in the city reached 34C, and felt like 38C. It is supposed to cool off for the weekend which will be welcome and allow me to get out and do deadheading, and weeding. 

The last thing to be organized in the sewing/craft room is the closet and I hope to make a trip and purchase a shelving unit to take care of that. Pretty sure there will be room on the side to put my reeds and embroidery stand. 

That's enough of my ramblings.

Everybody have a wonderful evening.

God bless.

Menu Monday

 

A new week and another heat wave coming in. This means a bit of a change in menus that I had planned for the week. It could mean more main dish salads, cold plates, or more BBQ. 

Monday

Leftover pasta salad from Saturday.

Tuesday

Leftover roast beef which I will make into a beef salad. It is 30C here right now, and even warmer tomorrow. So salad it will be.

Wednesday

Schnitzel, mashed potatoes and raw veggies and dip.

Thursday

BBQ hamburgers, and tinfoil potatoes/onions.

Friday

Eggplant Parma.

Saturday

BBQ hotdogs, baked beans, and raw veggies and dip.

Sunday (hopefully a bit cooler out)

Roast chicken, roasted potatoes, brussels sprouts. 

So some items used out of my fridge freezer, fridge, garden pickings, and hopefully I will have a cooler house as well. 

I might change Wednesdays meal to a chicken Caesar salad just to keep the house cool. Especially since I could be putting up garden produce or dehydrating herbs.

Everybody have a wonderful evening.

God bless.

 

Sunday Ramblings

 

It has been a quiet, get things accomplished day here on the old Phillips homestead. I have been pretty achy today, which means I have been moving a bit more and changing position a great deal. Also using lots of my mint salve to keep the pain down. I don't like using pain meds unless absolutely necessary.

Now our trip is up in the air once again. It seems the striking workers are refusing to go back to work. Probably not a smart thing to do as the fines are very high for both the workers and the union the longer they refuse. Even if they get their wage increase (which they were offered) I doubt they will be making enough to pay said fines. I know they want to be paid for when they are boarding passengers or waiting between flights, but the only airline that does that is Delta in the US. Being offered a 35% increase in wages with the first year being a 25% increase is darn good. We will continue to keep our fingers crossed that things change and that we will actually be on a plane in just under 2 weeks. 

I got the 10 pairs of the smaller size mittens done, and I will begin sewing up the side seams tonight. I even managed between changing positions, get quite a bit of the firepit quilt hand quilted. I may actually be able to get it done by late tomorrow and that means sewing on the bindings, and machine hemming the tea towels tomorrow. 

As far as getting the floor cleared up in the sewing/craft room, that is moving along very slowly. I really need a shelving unit in the closet for another storage solution. I am promising myself (or at least I hope to) not to purchase any more yarn or fabric until I manage to clear out more of what I already own. The mittens are helping to use things up, but I think after these are done I will make some scarves for the students of Kurt's school. I can use some up in weaving projects as well. 

Working very hard on trying to get the garden produce put up for the winter season. This week I have made apple pie filling, I did a double batch today, and will probably get a single batch made tomorrow. Yogurt is started and I hope to get that draining overnight. Of course lots of dehydrating is happening, and I think that tomorrow and the next day I will be making fries and perogies for the freezer. I may even manage to get some flat breads made and put in the freezer as well. 

The next two weeks (just in case we actually get our trip) will see me trying to keep the fridge as cleared out as possible. This probably means a few fridge smorg meals and a redo of the menu plans. Not a bad thing if it enables us to use all our food to advantage and keep our bills down to a minimum if at all possible.

I hope that all of my readers are having a lovely day and finding the joy in the simple things. Hubby said he watered my round perennial bed yesterday and our resident bunny popped out. So far no damage to the garden, most times they seem to eat the weeds or the grass in the yard.

Everybody have a wonderful evening.

God bless.

Saturday Roundup

 

Slowly but surely completing those monthly projects and the gardening harvest. Though, what on earth am I going to do with all the cucumbers we are getting? 

I got all the blueberries frozen for use over the winter. Of course I also got lots of herbs dehydrated and into the jars as well as some frozen. 

The mint extract has been started, and put into a dark/cool cupboard for the next month or so. Picture of that once it is ready to be put into the containers.

Some of the peppers that I washed and put one to a bag after dicing or slicing for the freezer. Lots more to pick over the next few weeks.

Cherry tomatoes are being picked even if not completely ripe. One of the branches has broken off as it was so heavily laden and I have been picking many more off that branch as they begin to ripen.

Kris's rug just before I wet it down to block and get the weave to close up a bit.

One of the smaller of the four firepit quilts has now had a bit of hand quilting done on it. I have pulled the next one that is about this same size and I hope to get that one hand quilted by the end of next week. 

Next week will be filled with more harvesting from the garden, finishing up the tea towels, trimming the fringe on Kris's rug, and sewing the binding on the two quilts. I will also be able to finish up the mittens as well. I am working on pair number 10 for this month and tomorrow will start sewing up the side seam. 

Next week will also be filled with making lists of what needs to be accomplished before we go on our trip. It actually seems like that might actually happen as the Federal government is forcing the attendants back to work and both sides to binding arbitration. Keeping my fingers crossed that things still go according to plan. But there is so much that I need to finish before we leave. I am so looking forward to this holiday even though we could actually have traveled through most of Europe for much less cost. We have such beauty here in Canada and it really isn't fair that it costs as much as it does to see our own country. 

Slowly but surely downsizing of the wardrobe is happening. I really don't need as much in the way of clothing any longer and have made the decision that if I bring an article in or make an article, something needs to leave.

As I am trying to organize and declutter the sewing/craft room I have realized that I have enough yarn to last for years, and enough fabric to see me through at least a year. I need to use as much of those items up as is possible over the remainder of this year and as far as yarn into next year. There are a few projects running through my mind to use up both in the new year. Lots of weaving projects in store as well as simple knitting projects like dish cloths. 

I must admit that I think I could be a craft supply hoarder!

Everybody have a wonderful evening. 

God bless.

Simple Living

 

My extra cleaning today has consisted of whittling down my wardrobe of sweaters. I am trying to get back to the way things were when we were first married and I had all my clothes to hand for every season. Just have to go through my dresses and such for fall and winter. I will try and put them all in our bedroom closet and then as I wear them or at least try them on and decide whether to keep them or not. I am really simplifying my wardrobe this summer. 

The next thing I plan on doing is simplifying my sewing/craft room by adding storage to the closet once it is emptied. Having storage, or rather the correct storage will really help me know where all is located. 

It has been a very slow and simple day. I froze some small turnips, the kohlrabi, dehydrated oregano and sage, picked in the garden, went for a very short walk, baked bread and picked in the garden. Got in a little visit with a bush bunny that has taken up residence in the backyard as well.

Harvey finished cutting the free firewood we got last year and it now resides with my help in the woodshed. Hopefully we get to have another fire in the firepit very soon. 

Doing slow stitching as well. I am almost finished hand quilting the small quilt. I might be able to finish that tomorrow and pull out the second one to start. Simple quilting happening here, nothing fancy at all. 

There is going to be a change in the menu tonight. I will make the pasta salad tomorrow, tonight I will use a gift card that I was given as a gift and purchase a pizza. Easy supper as I still have things that need to be completed and am tiring out. Even though I have started to slow things down a bit, there are still things that need to be done for the smooth running of the homestead. 

Everybody have a wonderful evening.

God bless.

Thrifty and Frugal Thursday

Thrifty and Frugal

It is another lovely and smoke free day here on the old homestead. I had a visit to get my teeth cleaned at the dentist this morning so along with the middle of the month bills a bit of cash has been spent. 

So what thrifty and frugal things have been taking place here on the Phillips homestead.

1.  I hung two loads of clothes on the lines downstairs as Monday was slightly drizzly.

2.  Had a free coffee at a friends one day this past week.

3.  Combined as many errands as possible to save on fuel, plus wear/tear on the vehicle.

4.  Picking veggies from the garden rather than purchasing. 

5.  Dehydrating herbs, freezing various veggies as well.

6.  Got free apples and plums from the neighbours trees when looking after the yard and house.

7.  Shopped using a list and stuck to the list. Things have gotten a bit more expensive but I am doing my best to keep things under or at budget. 

8.  Using up what is available here at home before putting it on the list.

9.  Got free toothpaste, free floss and a free toothbrush at the dentists. 

10.  Will be putting $75.00 in the savings envelope and $9.55 in the savings jars this week.

So what frugal, thrifty things have you been up to this week?

Everybody have a wonderful evening.

God bless.