Playing Catch Up And Paying For It

 

Since coming home from Kris's place and the second trip to the city, I have pretty much been going steadily.

The cherries are all picked now.

These are from the second tree. After weighing them we managed to get 5 lbs. so there will be more than enough for some jam (to be made tomorrow, and perhaps another batch of cherry pie filling (though I will have to see how much Minute Tapioca I have). 

My infused oils are working there way to perfection on my sunny window sill. 

And dehydrating is going full blast. 

I have also been weaving, and knitting trying to stay in the cool of the house.

However we were out picking those cherries yesterday, and man even with a hat on it was hot and sunny. I think I may have been out a bit too long, or did not have enough rehydration happening. 

Now I feel like crap, which made grocery shopping today loads of fun (not!!) and trying to get anything but the basics done a bit of a problem. 

When the sun is setting I will go out and water my plants, wearing my hat and taking a bottle of water with me. Then pretty sure I will be hitting bed early.

Everybody have a wonderful evening.

God bless.

Thrifty and Frugal Thursdays

Thrifty and Frugal

It has been very hot here, which means watering a bit more often if we want flowers or herbs or veggies and the water barrel is down to the dregs. So no more free watering for awhile. Hopefully we get some rain very soon.

What with two trips to the city fuel expenditure is going to be high this month, so I will be looking at ways to make that extra spending up.

When home I have been using every last little bit up and stretching things as far as I possibly can. The one item in the budget I can really control is grocery spending and that is what I plan on doing for the rest of the month and into August. 

Mending clothing, and I have a few items I want to re-fashion over the next couple of months.

Dehydrating as many herbs as is possible and collecting herbs and flowers to use as the base of various salves and lotions.

Making another Christmas gift, and planning some other gifts that I can make quickly for gifts.

Spending time at home making lists of what needs to be done before winter falls and what I need to stockpile in case of a bad winter, or prices going even higher. 

Picking fruit in the yard, made cherry pie filling and in a couple of days I will be making cherry jam. I hope there is enough cherries left to make another batch of pie filling.

Buying on sale, and if I don't have an ingredient substituting where and what I can.

Decluttered cookbooks, some Kurt took and some I need to copy some recipes out, and some to donate. Still more to go through, but it is a start. 

Looking online at properties in Regina for sale, also looking at apartments. It will eventually be time for us to move though I wonder if we will get a doctor there any easier than here.

Combined errands to save on gas usage and time.

Paid bills online, thus saving fuel and time.

Harvey saved most of the chicken wire we put around the bottom of the cherry trees to keep the birds from flying under the netting and made a sort of fence for the cucumbers to cling and grow up.

Everybody have a wonderful evening. 

God bless.

Tuesday Tidbits and Stuff

 

It has been a busy two days since we have been home. I am trying to get as much done as possible since we will be heading back to Regina tomorrow for my Bone Density test. This will be my third as I suffer from severe osteoporosis, not a fun diagnosis at all. I need to remember to be extremely careful in what I do. I was on a bone building pill for 5 years but after that needed to go off it for awhile. 

So what have I been up to....

Monday saw the usual household tasks along with dehydrating and picking cherries (we actually did the cherry picking when we got home on Sunday as well), still have more that will need picking probably tomorrow evening. The tent contraption that Harvey purchased online really works well, so we will be purchasing a second to keep the birds out of the trees. 

I did about 7 inches of weaving, finished off a pair of mittens and started a second pair of this colour. Looks like there might even be enough to make a smaller pair later. 

Of course there were plants to water as well, and since I was doing that I picked herbs to dehydrate, and found two smallish cucumbers in the garden to add to our salad last night. 

I did pick lavender and white clover but will especially need more lavender. There should be enough white clover dried by the end of the week to make my infused oil with that.

At the end of this week I will check the echinacea I hung up to see if it is dry enough to chop up and store for winter teas. 

The calendula infused oil was started today and I made two containers of cherry pie filling. Thursday will see me making cherry jam and perhaps if I am lucky there will be enough cherries to make some more pie filling.

I was asked what Kris's cat's name is. Her name is Eiko and she is actually getting a bit used to us when we visit. This time she was sleeping behind my legs one night, and almost cuddled with Harvey as he slept on the couch. 

Hope to have lots of pictures for you tomorrow.

Everybody have a wonderful evening.

God bless.

 

Quiet

It has been a quiet day. I did a bit of cleaning in Kris's  house and in his garden. I also went to Fabricland and picked up a bit of fabric to see me through a couple of clothing items, and a quilting project. I will share pictures tomorrow, once we are home.

Everybody have a wonderful day.

God bless.

Back Once More

 

My quest towards simpler living took another step forward this week. I actually cleared out some of the cookbooks I purchased over the many years we have lived in this house. Some I have never even opened. There are a few that I need to copy some recipes out of, especially one of my mother's books that have some of her favourite handwritten recipes in. In actual fact I don't really think she used this cookbook for much else.

How am I doing this Plastic Free July?

Well not too badly actually. What plastic bags I have been using are reused for something else, I have moved my dried herbs this year from bags to glass jars, and I am working on trying not to use as many garbage bags.... Harvey has even bought some large paper bags for his grass cuttings. I think that each year I manage to cut another layer of plastic from use around the house. Now if I could only do the same for tinfoil!!

A couple of days ago, Kurt and I went foraging and I picked echinacea to dry and make tea this winter. This will be a good way of knowing if this is something I wish to continue. After washing and partially drying I have tied them into little bunches and have them hanging from the curtain rod in the sewing/craft room.

The guys are at the football game by now, and I have done a bit of cleaning here at Kris's. Pretty sure after a bit of rest I will do some more.

Everybody have a wonderful evening.

God bless.

Sunday Ramblings

 

Well, Kurt arrived at about 4 pm, which was a bit later than I had thought he would. Still I am glad that I had supper started and will be serving it soon.

Maebeme, those wacko's are still after him when ever they get a chance. Still he is handling it well with the help of friends and his other staff. His students love him and I have a feeling they would be up in arms and protesting at the school should things get out of hand. 

My Mother's day present was a lovely candle and some sleep inducing tea (which I should really get into using). Kurt also brought me back some thimbles for my collection. 

Harvey got a couple of puzzles and a whole bunch of fishing lures and such. 

Both of us got small bells that we can hang on our Christmas trees from Capris. 

I managed to get 5 more cloth napkins fashioned and I hope to get the remaining 8 done (or at least close to being done) tomorrow. We shall see. 

Picked lots of calendula and white clover. I am getting closer to having enough to make those infused oils.

I have been waiting for two and a bit years for an appointment at Nuclear Medicine for my bone density test, almost thought my doctor forgot to request said test. I got the appointment on Friday. Now that is a very long wait, and the questions they ask....wow. I doubt I can remember most of the dates. 

Off to get supper on the table.

Everybody have a wonderful evening.

God bless.

Saturday Roundup

 

Really this week has been more of a catchup week since we were gone for a number of days. Still more needs to be done, but the heat is causing havoc with my head and intestines. Still I do a bit each day extra and that seems to be going well.

Today I gave the dehydrator a bit of a rest, but tomorrow it will be back in use. There are lots of calendula blossoms to pick, white clover to pick, and of course there is always lots of herbs to dehydrate as well. 

This week I managed to get a few more mittens made, three cloth napkins totally completed, extra washing done, swept of the deck, did some weeding (still more to do, but it has been so hot and I have been sleeping in). 

Fitted in a visit to the dentist as well for my cleaning which happens three times a year. My next appointment is October.

I even got the shopping done today. Spent a bit more than planned, but am well stocked for when Kurt comes either tomorrow or on Monday. 

What haven't I gotten done?

I need to get the cloth napkins completed so as to warp my loom once again, my rhubarb looks more than ready to pick (even though Hubby transplanted it this spring), the deck furniture could use a good wipe down/cleaning, and of course as is usual the sewing/craft room needs a tidy. Still half a month to get things done though so I am going to work on getting these tasks completed, and finding netting to cover my cherries (seems the robins may have discovered them). 

I also need to make an appointment at the walk in clinic to get my prescription filled. Hopefully they give me more than a 1 month refill. Now that would be a pain.

Off to visit with you and then get supper started.

Everybody have a wonderful evening.

God bless.