Hello dear friends! Today I got quite a jolt of reality; on my drive to get gasoline, I noticed a very long line of cars. What on Earth? They were queuing up to pick up free food just outside of our city limits. Firstly, I didn't even realize we had that many locals, and second of all, it's only been a few weeks of being shut in, can there possibly be that many people in dire straits already?
Are you feeling the pinch? Here's some ideas that have gotten me through many a rough patch.
LEARN HOW TO MAKE A BASIC WHITE SAUCE
Here's a post I wrote about this very functional and basic culinary skill, that everyone that wants to be frugal, should know. A basic white sauce can turn anything into a casserole. Today I made an egg casserole with it by adding a bit (about 1/2 C) of cheese to this sauce, sautéing up some onions and my home-dried peppers in some bacon grease and scrambling up six eggs. All was combined, poured into a greased 8-inch pan, topped with some cracker crumbs and baked for 25 minutes. Made a nice lunch for the three of us. Last week I wanted to make some lasagna, but didn't have any ricotta cheese and had no desire to go to the store, so again the basic white sauce came to the rescue. I added some garlic powder and parmesan cheese (the kind that comes in the canister, not the expensive cheese aisle type) to it for flavor. Although the lasagna was a little runnier than with the ricotta cheese, we actually preferred it.
GET OVER THE "NO CARBS" FAD
I know many prefer and some cannot eat carbs, but they are what fills you up. Maybe you won't want to eat these meals, but when you are trying to feed children on a budget, there's no other way. In this
post I write about potatoes and give two very basic recipes for potato pancakes and potato soup. Two recipes that have gotten my family through some very dire straits of our own. A baked potato with cheese sauce (again from the basic white sauce) and some broccoli makes a thrifty lunch. Hamburger or sausage gravy served over potatoes, rice, or a slice of bread can stretch a pound of meat to feed several. An egg by itself might not be very filling, but throw in a couple of slices of toast or a bagel and you've got something that will stick with you. Oatmeal has always been one of the most economical and healthy breakfasts known for centuries. Popcorn (the old-fashioned kind popped in pan with a dab of oil, not the microwave stuff) makes an inexpensive snack and is a good source of fiber.
LEARN TO LOVE BEANS
Beans are an inexpensive source of protein and are easy to store. Besides being eaten on their own, you can stretch your meat by adding more beans in your chili, sloppy joes, mashed ones to meatloaf, etc. Here's a post on how we prepare our basic refried beans. They are delicious. And another with basics how to use beans and more meal ideas.
USE IT ALL UP
We try not to waste anything. When we finish with our chicken we scrape the bones into a pot and with the potato and carrot peels, the leftover vegetables, etc. we always make broth, which I can, but can be frozen. You can do this with just vegetables or other meats also. I never buy broth. I already mentioned that I use the leftover bacon grease to sauté onions and peppers for omelets. Stale bread is always turned into bread puddings, breadcrumbs, French toast or garlic bread. You get the picture. At the very least, scraps should be made into beautiful compost for you garden.
Well, my computer has already messed up this post several times, so I better get it posted. Hope this helps! We'll see how it goes, if you'd like more posts, let me know.
Hugs
Jane
Tuesday, March 31, 2020
Thursday, March 26, 2020
It's A Mad, Mad World
Hello dear friends! Bet you thought you'd never hear from me again. Today Ginger and Debra left comments, so I thought I'd put my two cents in about what's going on out there. I won't waste any time about what precautions everyone should be taking, just to say, that if you feel in anyway ill, please be considerate and stay indoors. Personally, I had a sore throat and cough for weeks before this whole thing started, and not knowing if it was "anything" I opted to stay at home and have my husband doing any necessary running. BTW, all better now and have been for about ten days.
What worries more than the pandemic, is what will happen to our economy if things remain closed for as long as some politicians are saying (up to 18 months!). Our country will never recover from that. The president wants the country open by Easter, but some of the governors are saying longer, and since we have a federal government, there's really very little he can do about it. Whatever the case, we better get ready for some lean times.
I have faced lean times myself; as married students, after a major illness of both myself and my husband, when we had two sons in expensive colleges at the same time ($60,000 out of our $70,000 salary), and on a few occasions when he came home and told me that his lab was laying off everyone. So yeah, I can empathize with everyone that is being laid off now. It seems in life you can only be certain of uncertainty.
WHAT I DID FIRST
The second I learned that I might not have any money coming in, I went around and turned off all the lights and unplugged everything. This may seem silly, but when every penny counts, it's the sum total of all the little things that will save you.
The next thing I did was cancel all unnecessary things; the cable, the newspaper, the Culligan man. I would say the cell phone, but most people are unwilling to do that. I manage without one, using a cheap Tracphone to carry in my car for emergencies and we use a MagicJack for a home phone, it costs us $30 a year for phone service, all together my phone services costs less than $10 a month. I do have internet, but the cheapest I can get at $50 a month. This works as my entertainment in lieu of cable and as my phone service with the MagicJack. I suppose that if I needed to, I could get rid of the cable and use the Tracphone as my only source of communication. But for now that's not necessary. Just something to think about if you really are in dire straights.
The third step was to take inventory of our pantry. It is reassuring to see that with a little ingenuity, you won't starve. Never buy what you can make yourself! Not only will it be cheaper, it will be better quality and probably healthier. It's surprising how few things you need to buy when you make everything from scratch. Crackers, tortillas, bread, pie crusts, rolls, noodles and dumplings are all just some sort of variation of flour, leavening, and fat. I always buy shortening, yeast, baking soda and baking powder, sugar and flour in bulk and only about twice a year. Just like in the pioneer days. Ha! If times get tough, I dare say that people that do keto, are going to have to give it up or be prepared to pay the piper. Protein, especially in the way of meat is ultra expensive. Plain honest foods are and always will be the best. As a matter of fact, there's a term for it, "whole Foods". Had to laugh when I read that, because it's a supposed a new-fangled philosophy about eating, yet I, and most of the country folks I know, have been eating that way for centuries. I guess one of the silver linings of hard times is that people will not be able to afford so much junk food.
The final step was to hold a family meeting. In these days, we like to coddle our children, but I believe letting the older ones know the situation is character building. They'll know not to complain and ask for things that cannot be afforded and they will also know not to add anymore stress on mom and pops. Have them brainstorm for ways to save money and put them in charge of monitoring electrical use, gas consumption, etc. Maybe than can think of ways to raise a little money by collecting bottle returns or selling some of the games on Ebay. I truly believe that it times like these that draws families closer together.
SILVER LININGS
And that is the silver lining to this whole mess. I live in a tiny village. The entire winter I've only seen a handful of people, but since this lockdown, I've seen families out walking, playing ball, raking their yards. I was astounded. I never even knew we had so many young families in the village. As I reflect back on my long life, I can say without a doubt some of the hardest times have also been the most enjoyable. It strips away all the distractions of modern living and get it down to the brass tacks of life. Tonight I am sitting here typing this by the light of a kerosene lamp, belly full of a make-do dinner in my cozy tiny living room completely furnished in second-hand goods and I truly feel like the most blessed person on earth. My hope for you all, is that you too can find solace in that fact that even in the hardest of times, there is a certain joy that comes from meeting difficulties head on and knowing that you are capable of overcoming them. And when you do, you will feel invincible!
Hugs
Jane
What worries more than the pandemic, is what will happen to our economy if things remain closed for as long as some politicians are saying (up to 18 months!). Our country will never recover from that. The president wants the country open by Easter, but some of the governors are saying longer, and since we have a federal government, there's really very little he can do about it. Whatever the case, we better get ready for some lean times.
I have faced lean times myself; as married students, after a major illness of both myself and my husband, when we had two sons in expensive colleges at the same time ($60,000 out of our $70,000 salary), and on a few occasions when he came home and told me that his lab was laying off everyone. So yeah, I can empathize with everyone that is being laid off now. It seems in life you can only be certain of uncertainty.
WHAT I DID FIRST
The second I learned that I might not have any money coming in, I went around and turned off all the lights and unplugged everything. This may seem silly, but when every penny counts, it's the sum total of all the little things that will save you.
The next thing I did was cancel all unnecessary things; the cable, the newspaper, the Culligan man. I would say the cell phone, but most people are unwilling to do that. I manage without one, using a cheap Tracphone to carry in my car for emergencies and we use a MagicJack for a home phone, it costs us $30 a year for phone service, all together my phone services costs less than $10 a month. I do have internet, but the cheapest I can get at $50 a month. This works as my entertainment in lieu of cable and as my phone service with the MagicJack. I suppose that if I needed to, I could get rid of the cable and use the Tracphone as my only source of communication. But for now that's not necessary. Just something to think about if you really are in dire straights.
The third step was to take inventory of our pantry. It is reassuring to see that with a little ingenuity, you won't starve. Never buy what you can make yourself! Not only will it be cheaper, it will be better quality and probably healthier. It's surprising how few things you need to buy when you make everything from scratch. Crackers, tortillas, bread, pie crusts, rolls, noodles and dumplings are all just some sort of variation of flour, leavening, and fat. I always buy shortening, yeast, baking soda and baking powder, sugar and flour in bulk and only about twice a year. Just like in the pioneer days. Ha! If times get tough, I dare say that people that do keto, are going to have to give it up or be prepared to pay the piper. Protein, especially in the way of meat is ultra expensive. Plain honest foods are and always will be the best. As a matter of fact, there's a term for it, "whole Foods". Had to laugh when I read that, because it's a supposed a new-fangled philosophy about eating, yet I, and most of the country folks I know, have been eating that way for centuries. I guess one of the silver linings of hard times is that people will not be able to afford so much junk food.
The final step was to hold a family meeting. In these days, we like to coddle our children, but I believe letting the older ones know the situation is character building. They'll know not to complain and ask for things that cannot be afforded and they will also know not to add anymore stress on mom and pops. Have them brainstorm for ways to save money and put them in charge of monitoring electrical use, gas consumption, etc. Maybe than can think of ways to raise a little money by collecting bottle returns or selling some of the games on Ebay. I truly believe that it times like these that draws families closer together.
SILVER LININGS
And that is the silver lining to this whole mess. I live in a tiny village. The entire winter I've only seen a handful of people, but since this lockdown, I've seen families out walking, playing ball, raking their yards. I was astounded. I never even knew we had so many young families in the village. As I reflect back on my long life, I can say without a doubt some of the hardest times have also been the most enjoyable. It strips away all the distractions of modern living and get it down to the brass tacks of life. Tonight I am sitting here typing this by the light of a kerosene lamp, belly full of a make-do dinner in my cozy tiny living room completely furnished in second-hand goods and I truly feel like the most blessed person on earth. My hope for you all, is that you too can find solace in that fact that even in the hardest of times, there is a certain joy that comes from meeting difficulties head on and knowing that you are capable of overcoming them. And when you do, you will feel invincible!
Hugs
Jane
Friday, April 12, 2019
AN UPDATE ON LIFE AND THOUGHTS ON PREPPING
Hello dear friends! Anyone out there? I want to thank everyone that has written, e-mailed or left a comment since I last wrote a post almost two years ago. Every day I am astonished at how many are still reading old Hope and Thrift. It really touches my heart on many of you remember me, let alone take time out of your day to write. I've been spending my time away from the computer studying even more ways to live frugally. And creating! If I don't do something creative during the day, I feel out of sorts. Of course, I use the term "creative" loosely; creative can mean sewing or knitting, but it can also mean finding a way to save a dime. I apologize that I haven't been a very good blogging friend, my time on the computer is very limited. Computers just confound me and I don't enjoy feeling frustrated all the time, so the best way for me to avoid that emotion is to just stay away from computers all together. I don't even own a smart phone and have no idea how to text or use an app, or scroll. Sound pretty old-fashioned don't I? I tell you, we had several days without electricity this past winter and they were the most blissful days of the year to me! Probably the only one that would enjoy that EMP attack they are always predicting.
Which is why I'm writing now. For some reason this past week I've been contacted several times from people concerned about what is "about to happen". I'm not sure what is concerning people so much, not owning a TV, I'm blissfully ignorant of what is making the news these days, but I suspect it is something they are hyping up on TV and the internet. So, first, I've been around long enough to have heard all of it before, one of the blessings of old age. When I was a kid they used to show us films at school telling us that we'd soon be living in an ice age, have a nuclear war with the USSR, and if we managed to survive those two catastrophes we'd all be living underwater. By the time my sons were in elementary school, just twenty years later, we were supposed to have such horrific global warming that all the ice caps would melt and we should be swimming for our lives about now. Excuse me if I seem a bit jaded. You know, it isn't only the Germans of WWII and the cold war Soviets that use propaganda. News is in the business of making headlines. And have you noticed that most news these days is not news but opinions? Anywho, just my long-winded way of saying don't fret so much about all the impending doom the newscasters are foretelling. Did you ever notice how the weather channel always reports any bad weather as the storm of the century? News is the same way. Ha! How many people wrote to ask if I was safe during the "polar vortex"? Just a cold snap. It's a rare year when we don't get temperatures well into the negatives in winter.
So that is what I think of all this doom and gloom. But do I think people should prepare for hard times? You bet! Few people never go through a bit of misfortune in their lives. As I found out, even a lemon for a car, can upset the apple cart sometimes. It is good to know that at least you've got the next meal covered.
Well that's all good, you might be saying, but how can I stockpile any food when I'm just scraping by, you say? Scrape a little harder. I would be hard pressed to find a budget that doesn't have any wiggle room. On the weekend that you don't have to drive to work or school, stay at home and save the gas money. Put the meat back in the freezer and open a can of beans. Turn down the thermostat and put on a sweater. Collect cans and bottles to return for the refund, even in our tiny little village, we found seven dollars worth of cans this month. That's seven items (beans, oatmeal, dried fruit, bag of rice, etc.) that could be bought at the dollar store for your prepping pantry. And speaking of which, the dollar stores are not always the best deals, most of these items can be bought for less at your regular grocery store, I'm just using the dollar store as an example as every place has a dollar store (even you Canadians :)) Use those candles that you get as gifts in the evening and save on the electricity bill. Basically, just be very purposeful in every purchase you make. Is it a need or a want?
I wrote in a comment that I have almost my entire year's of groceries bought and it cost me a little less than $600. As you dear readers know, I can, can and can. I came across and amazing deal on ground round so I bought 20 pounds and canned it. Ham is on sale almost everywhere at Easter time (as are eggs). I bought 20 pounds and canned that. We bought all our basic supplies such as flour, sugar, yeast, cornmeal, dried fruits, oatmeal etc. at our Mennonite bulk food store. Enough for a year cost about $150. A local store always has a sale on beef roasts twice a year, when it's cheaper than hamburger, we always wait for that sale and buy around 20 pounds, which I can. I'm always on the lookout for cheap dried beans ( they last forever) and I found some on the reduced for quick sale rack at our local fruit market for 50 cents/lb. So I canned about 30 jars of them up. Ran caught a couple salmons this week, so that was also canned up, along with a pike (taste like albacore tuna). One of the thrift stores we frequent has all sorts of produce for free that they receive from the local Walmart. One day, the weather was really blustery and they didn't have very many customers and they practically begged us to take home a couple of the rotisserie chickens that the freeze and hand out, so I took them home and froze the meat and canned 8 pints of broth from the carcasses. They often have produce that no one ever takes, but when they have free baked goods they are gone in minutes. Priorities people! Ha! If I didn't garden, I could probably get enough produce there to fill some of the pantry. BTW, if you don't can, you can always dehydrate your vegetables, so keep a sharp lookout at the reduced-for-quick-sale bin at your grocery store. I used to feel funny about taking any of the food, but then I realized, we live near the poverty level also, we are just better at managing.
Which leads me to my next point. Get over yourself! People that say they won't take free food, shop at thrift stores and discount grocery stores better not whine around me about how hard it is to make ends meet! True story, I was telling a frien-emy about a discount grocery store that we like to explore. She emphatically swore that she wouldn't be caught dead buying outdated groceries, all the time sipping the coffee (that she had complimented me on earlier) that we bought there (three months out of date). Oh that is another thing we stocked up on, a year's worth of coffee ( we love our coffee) at $1.50 a pound, and it was good organic fancy-name coffee too.
Tthe next excuse I get is, sounds good, but I don't have the time or energy to do all that canning and cooking-from-scratch business. I spend about two hours a day cooking, baking and canning. Our motto is to never buy anything we can make ourselves, so we bake our own bread, crackers, sweets. We make our own soups, cereals, broths, noodles, etc. On the average it only takes two hours of prep work and while the bread is baking you can be doing the laundry or helping the kids with schoolwork. You can even be on your phone texting or looking at Instagram (which I have a feeling consumes a lot of people's time.) While the canner is jiggling the weight, you can be balancing your checkbook, or even reading. You get the picture. As for energy, I find that the harder I work the more energy I have. It's very invigorating to see your pantry fill with jars of home canned goods. Plus the harder you work the better you sleep.
Finally, and most importantly, just put your faith in Our Heavenly Father. Whatever may befall this old planet, hope is always with me. I pray every day that His will be done. When the news is alarming I go outside and listen to the birds and feel the sun upon my face it never fails to melt all the worries away. My favorite Bible verses that I endeavor to live by:
That you also aspire to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business, and to work with your hands, as we command you, that you may walk properly toward those who are outside, and that you may lack nothing.
1 Thessalonians 4:11-12
God Bless!
Jane
Which is why I'm writing now. For some reason this past week I've been contacted several times from people concerned about what is "about to happen". I'm not sure what is concerning people so much, not owning a TV, I'm blissfully ignorant of what is making the news these days, but I suspect it is something they are hyping up on TV and the internet. So, first, I've been around long enough to have heard all of it before, one of the blessings of old age. When I was a kid they used to show us films at school telling us that we'd soon be living in an ice age, have a nuclear war with the USSR, and if we managed to survive those two catastrophes we'd all be living underwater. By the time my sons were in elementary school, just twenty years later, we were supposed to have such horrific global warming that all the ice caps would melt and we should be swimming for our lives about now. Excuse me if I seem a bit jaded. You know, it isn't only the Germans of WWII and the cold war Soviets that use propaganda. News is in the business of making headlines. And have you noticed that most news these days is not news but opinions? Anywho, just my long-winded way of saying don't fret so much about all the impending doom the newscasters are foretelling. Did you ever notice how the weather channel always reports any bad weather as the storm of the century? News is the same way. Ha! How many people wrote to ask if I was safe during the "polar vortex"? Just a cold snap. It's a rare year when we don't get temperatures well into the negatives in winter.
So that is what I think of all this doom and gloom. But do I think people should prepare for hard times? You bet! Few people never go through a bit of misfortune in their lives. As I found out, even a lemon for a car, can upset the apple cart sometimes. It is good to know that at least you've got the next meal covered.
Well that's all good, you might be saying, but how can I stockpile any food when I'm just scraping by, you say? Scrape a little harder. I would be hard pressed to find a budget that doesn't have any wiggle room. On the weekend that you don't have to drive to work or school, stay at home and save the gas money. Put the meat back in the freezer and open a can of beans. Turn down the thermostat and put on a sweater. Collect cans and bottles to return for the refund, even in our tiny little village, we found seven dollars worth of cans this month. That's seven items (beans, oatmeal, dried fruit, bag of rice, etc.) that could be bought at the dollar store for your prepping pantry. And speaking of which, the dollar stores are not always the best deals, most of these items can be bought for less at your regular grocery store, I'm just using the dollar store as an example as every place has a dollar store (even you Canadians :)) Use those candles that you get as gifts in the evening and save on the electricity bill. Basically, just be very purposeful in every purchase you make. Is it a need or a want?
I wrote in a comment that I have almost my entire year's of groceries bought and it cost me a little less than $600. As you dear readers know, I can, can and can. I came across and amazing deal on ground round so I bought 20 pounds and canned it. Ham is on sale almost everywhere at Easter time (as are eggs). I bought 20 pounds and canned that. We bought all our basic supplies such as flour, sugar, yeast, cornmeal, dried fruits, oatmeal etc. at our Mennonite bulk food store. Enough for a year cost about $150. A local store always has a sale on beef roasts twice a year, when it's cheaper than hamburger, we always wait for that sale and buy around 20 pounds, which I can. I'm always on the lookout for cheap dried beans ( they last forever) and I found some on the reduced for quick sale rack at our local fruit market for 50 cents/lb. So I canned about 30 jars of them up. Ran caught a couple salmons this week, so that was also canned up, along with a pike (taste like albacore tuna). One of the thrift stores we frequent has all sorts of produce for free that they receive from the local Walmart. One day, the weather was really blustery and they didn't have very many customers and they practically begged us to take home a couple of the rotisserie chickens that the freeze and hand out, so I took them home and froze the meat and canned 8 pints of broth from the carcasses. They often have produce that no one ever takes, but when they have free baked goods they are gone in minutes. Priorities people! Ha! If I didn't garden, I could probably get enough produce there to fill some of the pantry. BTW, if you don't can, you can always dehydrate your vegetables, so keep a sharp lookout at the reduced-for-quick-sale bin at your grocery store. I used to feel funny about taking any of the food, but then I realized, we live near the poverty level also, we are just better at managing.
Which leads me to my next point. Get over yourself! People that say they won't take free food, shop at thrift stores and discount grocery stores better not whine around me about how hard it is to make ends meet! True story, I was telling a frien-emy about a discount grocery store that we like to explore. She emphatically swore that she wouldn't be caught dead buying outdated groceries, all the time sipping the coffee (that she had complimented me on earlier) that we bought there (three months out of date). Oh that is another thing we stocked up on, a year's worth of coffee ( we love our coffee) at $1.50 a pound, and it was good organic fancy-name coffee too.
Tthe next excuse I get is, sounds good, but I don't have the time or energy to do all that canning and cooking-from-scratch business. I spend about two hours a day cooking, baking and canning. Our motto is to never buy anything we can make ourselves, so we bake our own bread, crackers, sweets. We make our own soups, cereals, broths, noodles, etc. On the average it only takes two hours of prep work and while the bread is baking you can be doing the laundry or helping the kids with schoolwork. You can even be on your phone texting or looking at Instagram (which I have a feeling consumes a lot of people's time.) While the canner is jiggling the weight, you can be balancing your checkbook, or even reading. You get the picture. As for energy, I find that the harder I work the more energy I have. It's very invigorating to see your pantry fill with jars of home canned goods. Plus the harder you work the better you sleep.
Finally, and most importantly, just put your faith in Our Heavenly Father. Whatever may befall this old planet, hope is always with me. I pray every day that His will be done. When the news is alarming I go outside and listen to the birds and feel the sun upon my face it never fails to melt all the worries away. My favorite Bible verses that I endeavor to live by:
That you also aspire to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business, and to work with your hands, as we command you, that you may walk properly toward those who are outside, and that you may lack nothing.
1 Thessalonians 4:11-12
God Bless!
Jane
Tuesday, May 9, 2017
Thank You
Hugs
Jane
Sunday, April 30, 2017
Return to a Simple Life
Hello dear friends! We are experiencing a real Michigan Spring this year; cold and damp with just enough sunny and warm days to make the daffodils and forsythias bloom.
Ran has been busy getting the garden tilled and the early crops of onions, potatoes, cauliflower, peas, lettuce and broccoli planted.
Several people have asked me if I have ever read a certain blog where the people live as it is the 1940s, and isn't it fascinating? I have to laugh because the lifestyle Ran and I lead is more 1940s than the people that write the blog; we wash our clothes in a wringer washer, heat with wood, always hang our clothes out to dry, garden, raise and preserve 75% of our food, walk everywhere we need to go, sew and knit many of our clothes, don't own a TV, dryer or microwave, always pay cash and have no debt, use natural cleansers and herbal remedies, and a quick peruse of food rationing at the time, shows they we live on what would be considered rationing at the height of WWII, so if that is considered fascinating, I guess our life must be worthy of a documentary on PBS. Ha! And we've been living like this for almost forty years. We just call it being thrifty like the generations before us. I always assumed people knew about these sort of things; everyone I grew up with did, so I never thought anyone would find them interesting. Who knew? If I had, perhaps I would have had a better blog or more followers. Ah, regrets!
With that, I'm sorry to say that this will be my last post. Perhaps you regular readers could tell, but lately I've just not been enthusiastic about writing Hope and Thrift, truth be told, I dread writing it. Because of the abuse I experienced as a child, I'm very sensitive to criticism, and every time I hit the "publish" button, a great foreboding would come over me that someone would find something to take umbrage with. Even knowing that there's hundreds of kind comments to every snarky one, doesn't help. I always focus on the nasty one. I get hurt when someone questions my integrity, especially if it's a reader that I've patiently answered their questions about gardening and canning. You see, I think of you as more than mere readers or followers (hate that term) of my blog, but as friends, so when someone criticizes me, I take it personally. So (I know this sounds silly) I asked God to show me a sign if I were to continue this blog and guess what? I got only one comment this week and it was one of those snarky ones. That, plus several other signs, and I believe that He is telling me to move along. Conversely, in the past, I've asked for a sign and people left a comment that very day, saying they are new to my blog and love it or found it helpful or encouraging. Some of you might be rolling your eyes about now, but if God cares about a fallen sparrow, I'm sure that he cares about my blog and the happiness or hurt it causes me.
So, I've been thinking a lot lately about what I will do with the extra time I'll have not blogging. Blogging took up several hours of my day with writing it, answering comments, commenting on other's blogs, answering e-mails, taking and downloading pictures, researching topics, and just trying to think of something interesting to write about. . I remember a time when my children were young and every waking hour was spent in activities, whether it was housework (my house was spotless back then), preparing meals, creating things, or just the time I took on my physical appearance, at the end of the day, I could hardly drag myself up the stairs to bed, but it was good to fill every hours doing something. I was happier back then, my family was too. So that is what I want to return to, my own version of a purpose-filled life; I want to again spend my days creating, or baking beautiful pies,
learning a new skill,
enjoying the company of friends and neighbors on the porch. You know, enjoy life, without having someone ruin it with some snippy little comment that saps all the joy out of me for days. I'll still be reading and commenting on your blogs, but I hope you will understand and won't be hurt if it isn't as often. So for the last time from the old Zempel boarding house, I wish you all the very happiest of days!
Hugs
Jane
With that, I'm sorry to say that this will be my last post. Perhaps you regular readers could tell, but lately I've just not been enthusiastic about writing Hope and Thrift, truth be told, I dread writing it. Because of the abuse I experienced as a child, I'm very sensitive to criticism, and every time I hit the "publish" button, a great foreboding would come over me that someone would find something to take umbrage with. Even knowing that there's hundreds of kind comments to every snarky one, doesn't help. I always focus on the nasty one. I get hurt when someone questions my integrity, especially if it's a reader that I've patiently answered their questions about gardening and canning. You see, I think of you as more than mere readers or followers (hate that term) of my blog, but as friends, so when someone criticizes me, I take it personally. So (I know this sounds silly) I asked God to show me a sign if I were to continue this blog and guess what? I got only one comment this week and it was one of those snarky ones. That, plus several other signs, and I believe that He is telling me to move along. Conversely, in the past, I've asked for a sign and people left a comment that very day, saying they are new to my blog and love it or found it helpful or encouraging. Some of you might be rolling your eyes about now, but if God cares about a fallen sparrow, I'm sure that he cares about my blog and the happiness or hurt it causes me.
So, I've been thinking a lot lately about what I will do with the extra time I'll have not blogging. Blogging took up several hours of my day with writing it, answering comments, commenting on other's blogs, answering e-mails, taking and downloading pictures, researching topics, and just trying to think of something interesting to write about. . I remember a time when my children were young and every waking hour was spent in activities, whether it was housework (my house was spotless back then), preparing meals, creating things, or just the time I took on my physical appearance, at the end of the day, I could hardly drag myself up the stairs to bed, but it was good to fill every hours doing something. I was happier back then, my family was too. So that is what I want to return to, my own version of a purpose-filled life; I want to again spend my days creating, or baking beautiful pies,
learning a new skill,
Hugs
Jane
Friday, April 14, 2017
Good Friday
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
~John 3:16~
Hello dear friends! Just an update on how my seeds that I started earlier this month are doing. Here's a picture:
On another note, as you may have noticed, I haven't been about as much as I used to be. I'm trying to cut back on the time I spend on the computer. I hope you will understand if I do not comment as often on your blogs as I did before. Doesn't mean I don't still appreciate your writing! I intend to write only once a month from here on out. Hopefully, the posts will be more interesting and filled with information on thrift for you that way. So I hope to see you here on May 1st, Lord willing and the creek don't rise! May you all have a joy-filled and blessed Resurrection Day!
Hugs
Jane
Sunday, April 2, 2017
The Joy of Ordinary
Hello dear friends! Hope this post finds you all safe and sound. First, I 'd like to thank Leslie and Ran for filling in for me last week, March has been a difficult month for me and truth be told, I'm not sad to show it the door. My thyroid has been bothering me for the last several months. Although the tests come back normal (with medication) I was feeling like a zombie. My get-up-and-go got up and went! Plus I was starting to gain weight in spite of only eating 900 calories a day and walking between 3-6 miles daily. To say I was not a happy camper would be an understatement. Well, no help from the doctors, they just look at the numbers and assume you are not telling them the truth, so Ran and I had to do our own research on the matter. It pays to have a scientist for a husband, because my brain was so foggy I couldn't comprehend what I was reading, but since Ran has been doing research for his entire life, it was a piece of cake for him. After doing research, he set me up on a regime of various vitamins and minerals and almost immediately I began to feel better and I started losing weight (five pounds this week). But the best thing is that I now feel alive again! There's so much joy in just waking up and feeling rested. Once I felt more with-it, I did further research and discovered that many of the vegetables that I love and eat daily, such as broccoli, cabbage and kale are all big no-nos for people with thyroid conditions; they inhibit the thyroid. Who would have thought such healthy things would be so bad for you?
We brought furniture down from upstairs and took some from downstairs up. At the end of the day, there wasn't a room that hadn't been untouched. To me, making a house a home is such a joy! BTW, the pretty hyacinths are a gift from our dear friend Mary. She stopped by last weekend, just as I was finishing up a big baking spree. We love to "take tea" in the evening, it's one of our little rituals of our marriage that we enjoy. In the evening having a cup of tea or coffee and perhaps if we aren't being to stringent on our diet, some little treat, we sit and discuss the day, politics and plans. No TVs going, no outside distractions. Do you know that the average married couple only talks to each other 17 minutes per day? I think a lot of marriages could benefit from taking tea!
I baked lemon tea breads, Spanish bar cake (without the frosting), fruit squares, and a lovely almond tea cake. The plan was put to an immediate test, as I just took the last loaf from the oven, Mary stopped in, and we all tested out the new seating arrangement and goodies. It was so nice to have something to offer, as I try not to keep too many sweets in the house (and when I do, they don't last long). Keeping tins of teatime treats in the freezer is something I will definitely continue to do.
Everything we need is located in that one spot. Makes for simple impromptu tea parties.
Good old rhubarb, if ever there was a dependable plant, this is it. I think it was put on Earth just to make us gardeners feel good about ourselves. And here's a peek at how the lettuce in the cold frame is coming along:
As you can see, we just slit the bags and planted the seeds. Now anyone can do that! And when the lettuce is through, we'll just pull it and throw the soil into the compost bin. It never ceases to astound me that these little seeds sprout and flourish in the cold weather. Today is the first day the temperature has climbed over the fourty degree mark! Feels so good, we've been outside without a jacket on. Ran and Jamie are working on cleaning up the flower beds while I write this. Inside, we transplanted most of our tomatoes and cauliflowers to bigger pots and soon some of the perennial flowers will need repotting.
You simply take a doily and attach it to a branch, then add tassels of cotton crochet thread. Decorate the branch with sprigs of greenery. I have mine hanging a my very dark sewing cupboard to give it some lightness. I'm conflicted with what to do with this cupboard. It's an antique and made of quarter-sawn oak, which is not my bag, baby. Ha! It has pretty Art Nouveau carvings on it, and as I wrote it is antique, but it's so dark. I've thought of painting it, I only paid $50 for it at a garage sale, but on the other hand, you don't see too many pieces from this period, so maybe I shouldn't. For now, I guess I'll just leave it alone. When in doubt, do nothing, is my credo!
HOMEMAKING
Anyhow, in the meantime, we've been working on making our home function better. Once again, I rearranged the living room to make it work for us. You see, this room must serve many purposes; sitting room, guitar studio, sewing room, dressing room and on occasions a guest room. That's a lot to ask a little 12 X 14 room! We figured out a way to have a sitting area and a place for the guitars, plus enough open space for one of those air beds for guests.
BAKING
So I had the idea to bake up a lot of tea goodies and freeze them in tins, then when someone stops by it would just be a matter of popping a few things out and defrosting them in the toaster oven (we don't have a microwave).
Almond Tea Cake
1 C. butter
3/4 C. sugar
1 egg, separated
half of one of those 8 oz. packages almond paste (found by the pie filling in the baking aisle)
1 tsp. almond extract
1 tsp. butter extract
2 C. flour
handful of slivered almonds
Cream the butter, almond paste and sugar together, (you'll need a mixer for this). Add the egg yolk and extracts. Add the flour and mix until just blended.
Spread the mixture (it will be very thick) into a lightly greased 8" round cake pan.
Beat the remaining egg white until frothy. Spread over the cake batter and sprinkle with the almonds. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until golden brown. Cool and cut into wedges.
This is a very heavy substantial cake, but oh boy! does it ever taste like almonds. Would be good served with some fresh fruit. Maybe for Easter brunch?
Our little tea and coffee repasts are so important to us, that we even have a little coffee station set up in our kitchen to make it easy to prepare a cup of coffee or a pot of tea.
GARDENING
Well, we have our first sign of Spring, the rhubarb is starting to come up!
CRAFTING
I spotted this cute craft on YouTube. I wish I knew where, to give them credit, but you know how it is when you're clicking on one thing and soon you wonder how you arrived at the channel you are on. Macrame is popular again. Who would think that fad would ever make a comeback? But apparently young hipsters haven't lived through the 70s so they don't have the hindsight to know that the 70s were really an ugly era, they think it's groovy (we actually never used the term "groovy" in the 70s, we said beaucoup). Anyhow, I thought it was a pretty way to display yet another doily.
THRIFTY THINGS WE DID THIS WEEK
Ran fixed my medical problems by doing research on the internet. A few dollars in vitamins and some red meat, and I'm feeling a million times better!
Ran sold two of his guitars that he never played on Craigs list.
Made a decoration from a doily I had and a stick from the yard.
Continued to eat from our pantry and freezer, except for fresh vegetables and the red meat, we haven't shopped for groceries in months.
Knitted some more on my temperature blanket using up more of my yarn stash.
Cleaned out my closets and gave four bags of clothes to charity.
Tonight we'll put some things up for sale on Ebay.
Used our points to get a free sub from Subway.
Entertained ourselves by visiting with neighbors (the snowbirds are coming back)
Basically, just stayed home, ate what we had and made do or went without. There is joy in ordinary days.
Well, that's it for another week here at the old Zempel boarding house. I hope that all your days are sunny and filled with joy!
Hugs
Jane
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