Menu Monday

 

Monday

Chef's Salad and there should be enough left for another meal on one of the very hot days that are coming up.

Tuesday

Porkchops, potatoes, carrots, onions and mushrooms in a tin foil packet. 

Wednesday

Leftover Chef's Salad. I will probably need to make a couple more hard boiled eggs and perhaps thinly slice some leftover ham.

Thursday 

Lentil Soup and sandwiches. 

Friday

Salmon patties, rice, coleslaw, and mixed vegetables.

Saturday

Sausage casserole, and since this has loads of veggies in it I will just serve either buns or cornbread with it.

Sunday

Roast Beef, roasted potatoes (if I have any left...getting low) roasted carrots. If no potatoes I have some mashed potatoes that can be fried up. We will finish off the coleslaw as well.

I am really working hard on trying to use up all that I can. This will hopefully save on groceries, plus make me become a bit more inventive with meals. I think I have gotten into a little bit of a rut in that regard. I also noticed that the fridge freezer is becoming slightly overwhelmed once again. Here I thought I was doing so very well on keeping things down.

Everybody have a wonderful evening.

God bless. 

Sunday Ramblings

 I woke up to a lovely rain falling. The rain barrel must be almost full again, which is wonderful. Using city water just does not help the plants along as nicely, especially the flowers and veggies. Heck, it barely keeps the grass green in blotches. 

At Mass today, I think we ended up in the most condensed pew available in the church. Pretty sure that when they took the chairs out to redo the floors they put the side ones in wrong and kind of stuck this one in a tiny space really unsuitable for a person with back and hip problems.

It was a very strange sermon today. I sat in pretty much disbelief as Father Thuy spoke. 

I have been trying to simplify my life and move towards peace and living a life of abundance. Guess what Father spoke about. Yep, realizing that we live lives of abundance already and how lucky we are to live in a place where there is really very little violent crime, and have a community that cares and watches out for each other. 

I do know that when we have missed in person Mass it is noticed, and when we get back people ask how my back is and if my cancer has returned (they figure the last one is what is keeping us from attending Mass as often as we should). In a way the concern of others is touching, but in another way I almost wish that this small city, was not quite as small. Or perhaps I am too well known in the parish community due to my years as Youth Coordinator, Lector, Extraordinary Minister of Communion, and Parish Council Chairperson. I had hoped that my drawing back from those areas would mean I would not be in the community's eye as much. Not going to happen I suppose. 

My menu has changed once again for today. We went out for brunch after Mass and I did not feel like making a roast. So I have pulled out a container of Sweet and Sour Ribs, put on some potatoes to boil and mash, and have some frozen peas as our vegetable side. This does change the menu for the week a bit as well, but there is an abundance of food in the fridge and freezer so this will give me a chance to use things up a little before adding more to the mix. 

Everybody have a wonderful evening.

God bless.

Saturday Roundup

 

I am loving my more laid back approach to my days. Funny thing is I think I am actually managing to get more accomplished. This even if I don't get everything on my to do list completed for the day. 

Outside yard and garden tasks are done early in the morning after I have enjoyed a cup or two of coffee watching the sunrise. Today that meant a bit more weeding, and cutting dead items off the hydrangea. I should have done the overhanging branches as well, but I might need some help with those. I also moved some of my boxes so as to make a bit more room around the firepit. It felt a bit close as Harvey and I sat and enjoyed a fire last night. Hoping that we can have another one very soon. It was also when I noticed that I will need one more solar light spike from the Dollar Tree at some point this week. 

So what did I manage to complete this week. 

I am waiting for the various herbal oils to infuse, and will probably be making salves by the end of the month.

Did some dehydrating of herbs to replace those used over the winter. 

Got all the patterns for various projects put in a binder. There are still a few that are residing in my emails that will need to be printed out and stored for future use. 

Copied out 5 of the many recipes I have printed out, and culled another 10 that we did not enjoy at all.

Only another 15 to go before I meet my goal for this month.

Started the next size mittens for Kurt's school.

Two pairs done and another on the needles. The next pair should be finished tomorrow.

Started the second tea towel and have probably managed to get 8 or so inches on this one completed.

I am now on the corners of the embroidered rose quilt blocks. I will have to go back and do all the French Knots once the rest of the embroidery is completed. 

And before the end of last month I managed to cut more yarn for the rug project that is down the line at some point. I know I will need more yarn of the bulky/chunky type, which could mean that this project will be waiting a very long time. I do not want to purchase yarn for this, rather use yarn I can find in my stash or yarn that can be purchased in a second hand situation. 

I am in a use it up and clear it out mode in order to make life simpler or at least something that does not need to follow the crowd, worry about what others think, or be true to ourselves in the way we pursue life. We want to live a life of abundance, not live a life to get abundance.

Everybody have a wonderful evening.

God bless.

Simple Living

 

First off let me wish all my American readers a Happy 4th of July. I hope you got to spend time with family and friends, or if you chose, to spend the time enjoying various entertainments in your city/town/village.

The last few days have been very warm and so unless I managed to get out into the garden early in the morning things were left for another day. This means weeding took about 3 early mornings, and watering two. Still by spreading things out a bit I got to really see what was growing in the garden and my pots. I will need to cut down some dead things tomorrow (the dead hydrangea limbs for one and the finished tulips). I may also give the columbines a bit of a haircut as well. 

Hopefully I can wander through the herbs and pick more for dehydrating or some mint to make jelly at the end of the week. 

I have sat at my loom and contemplated the way life has changed over the last 6 months. I have slowly pared back on what is in my home, and will keep doing so as the year progresses.

I think about how cooking from scratch is actually simpler than purchasing something ready made. Not that I won't do exactly that when things are rushed, but knowing what is in my food and what I serve to others makes me feel like I am contributing to our overall health and the health of the earth. 

Some items that I do on a day to day basis takes a bit more time at first but time management is also a part of living simply, or at least trying to live a slower, simpler life. 

Living a frugal, thrifty life encompasses all that one needs to live a simpler life. 

This year I think I am enjoying the passage of seasons much more than other years. Watching sunrises and sunsets, sitting on the deck knitting or embroidery in hand, running my hand through herbs and flowers, walking to see what I might be able to forage, and just staying still to think. All these things are making my life much more enjoyable. I now understand the phrase "Take time to smell the roses."

Everybody have a wonderful evening.

God bless.

Thrifty and Frugal Thursday

Thrifty and Frugal

Wow are we getting warm, and now under a severe thunderstorm watch once again. I really don't think that will happen, but of course both of us will keep our eyes on the sky.

So what frugal and thrifty things have been happening on the Phillips homestead this week.

1.  Harvey and Kurt bottled beer a couple of days ago. Since the kit was a gift, the bottles were from Kris over the years, all Harvey had to purchase was water. The total bottled was 63 so the total cost to us was $0.14 a bottle. Not too bad at all.

2.  Clothes hung on lines outside to dry.

3.  Washed my tinkle cloths. I am able to go 2 1/2 weeks before washing them. I have a few more scraps that could perhaps extend the period between washing a bit more.

4.  Using up all leftovers in other meals or making entirely new meals from bits and bobs.

5.  Made my own hamburger buns. 

6.  Went shopping today and stayed on the list. In fact a couple of items that were not at a good price stayed at the store.

7.  Walking around the house for exercise every half hour or so.

8.  Decluttered a few more items from the sewing/craft room.

9.  Cut up some old t-shirts that were not fit to donate as rags. 

10.  Started some more herbal infused oils to make salves later this month.

There are probably a few more things we have done like watering using the rain barrel, doing a bit of yard work (moved rocks to the side of the house) and looking up recipes online to use things up.

I hope you all have had a frugal and thrifty week.

Everybody have a wonderful evening.

God bless.

 

Midweek

 

Kurt left just after lunch today and promised to phone or text either when he reaches Regina (if he goes to the used bookstore), or when he reaches his friends about 30 minutes or so north of the city. I think I should have warned him that there is lots of construction on the street he will be traveling on in the city. 

I am staying calm, and working methodically through the projects and goals for this month. Now the question of whether or not I will finish them all is another story entirely. Still, I think that by working my way through them one or two or three at a time most will be done. 

Once again we are very warm, right now we are 31C in the city, and so outside work is being done as early as possible in the mornings. That means Jackie gets to fight off hoards of mosquitoes as well as spiders, and other insects. I did most of the weeding this morning, just need to do the center upper level of the perennial garden tomorrow morning. I also got all my baskets and pots watered. 

I hope to get out and enjoy a fire in the firepit tonight, that would be the first one for the year. Very late really. Our neighbour on one side has gone camping and on the other side the house is empty and the owners will be cleaning it and either renting or trying to sell it once again. 

Slowly but surely I am emptying the chest freezer, getting ready for the next harvest. Frozen carrots are gone, one package of frozen beans are left, and I am not too sure how many packages of frozen tomatoes are left. I will be working on those next. Perhaps some tomato sauce will be made one of these days. 

I am enjoying the peace of staying home and getting little things done. The joy that being able to open a cupboard, the fridge or my freezers and making a meal for us fills me with contentment. 

Me, reaching towards actually being me and not caring how others see me is something that I am working on daily. I have always realized that who and what I am is not to everyone's taste. Harvey and I live simply (or as simply as possible in this world) and have never really tried to keep up with others in the family. I sometimes think that is why his sisters treat me the way that they do. While it hurts at times, I am learning that this is their problem not mine. 

Life is to be enjoyed and one can't do that if you are always trying to impress others. Being false to yourself causes nothing but problems. 

It has been awhile since I actually posted my goals for the month so here is July's challenges to myself.

1. Dehydrate herbs for the winter.

2. Make infused oils and start the salve making.

3. Finish weaving the tea towels.

4. Weave a rug for Kris's kitchen. 

5. Finish embroidering the rose quilt square and start another.

6. Knit 10 pairs of mitts.

7. Get the passport papers completed.

8. Keep organizing and tidying/decluttering sewing/craft room.

9. Copy recipes, probably another 20 and get rid of those we don't like.

10. Sort patterns into binder. 

11. Sandwich quilts (there are 4 of them). 

Hopefully most will be completed by the end of the month. 

Everybody have a wonderful evening. 

God bless.

Tidbits And Stuff

 

It has been a treat to have Kurt home so soon after his last visit. He has helped in the yard (and will do some more today), enjoyed talking with us, helped Harvey bottle the beer, and even washed dishes by hand. He leaves at some point tomorrow and we probably won't see him again until Thanksgiving.

I did not get all my projects and goals finished in June. I have carried over the weaving, and embroidery. I also did not get the fries ready for the freezer either. Still I did manage to cut the pieces of chunky/bulky yarn to be used in a future project, declutter, work on clearing out and organizing the sewing/craft room, knit 10 pairs of mittens, get some infused oils started, and a couple of small projects that I added on done as well. 

July will hopefully see me finish the weaving, finish the one block and start another, sandwich the 4 quilt tops, copy out another 20 or so recipes, get some patterns organized and in a binder, dehydrate more herbs, knit some more mittens in the next size, and start Kris's woven rug. Looks like another very busy month. I should be able to make some of the herbal salves as well. 

I did up the budget today for the month of June and surprisingly we were under budget once again. I had hoped that I would do better with the grocery line, considering we had company twice that month being about $250 under budget was quite good. The savings on the grocery budget for the last few months have paid back what we spent on the new dining room chairs, and has actually given me $50 towards the cost of the new range. I should have the range paid off in about 4 or 5 months. What we save on other budget lines is helping pay off Harvey's two partial plates. 

After a big loss on our investments in the first quarter, things are starting to rebound this quarter. We have almost made the losses back, just a bit more to go. I am keeping my fingers crossed on that front, with various tariffs it is hard to know what will happen. 

Using up lots of bits and bobs from the fridge, freezers, and pantry. This saves on the grocery budget a great deal. Perhaps not as much as I would like, but enough to make a difference, even if just a slight one. 

Foraging will be taking place over the next while. My BIL says I can come out any time and pick chokecherries from their bushes. Probably will be doing so in the next few weeks. I see jelly and syrup in the future stocked in the pantry. In a week or two I will also be picking mint to make mint jelly. I will dry some for tea after the jelly making. 

Weeding and watering will also be taking place much more frequently as it is warming up so much. Also because of the warm up the mosquitos are out and biting early in the mornings or if I am in the shade. 

Life is about to get much more complicated especially as I want to get as much done as humanly possible before the end of the year. Add in Christmas gift making, harvesting/processing and I am going to be a very busy person the next while.

Next week I get a phone appointment with my doctor and the Echocardiogram at the end of the week. Of course, there will be another phone appointment with the doctor after that. My dental appointment for a cleaning has been moved until August. That is probably a good thing in my mind. Too many appointments drive me crazy. 

Everybody have a wonderful evening.

God bless.