The weather turned colder and my tomato plants started to wilt (but not die; it must have been just above freezing). I cut them back and picked lots of tomatoes. Most were green; I will ripen them inside. I picked eggplant from a plant that didn’t freeze, and then cut the plant back. I’m hoping…
We picked mandarins, lemons, and tomatoes from the garden. I cut Swiss chard and lettuce from the garden. I cut roses from the garden. I sowed seeds in the garden for lettuce, spinach, mâche, and poppies. I helped my daughter sew a new pencil bag using some fabric she bought at Hobby Lobby on sale…
I harvested tomatoes, parsley, lemons, green onions, Swiss chard, serrano peppers, parsley, and peppermint from the garden. It rained this week, so I was able to leave the drip irrigation turned off. We’re only permitted to water one day a week in winter here, and water rates are high. Any water I can save is…
I cut roses from my garden to enjoy inside. I harvested cherry tomatoes and Early Girl tomatoes, Swiss chard, and lemons from the garden. I mended a hole in the toe of a pair of sweater tights. It rained enough that I was able to turn off the drip irrigation for a bit. I collected…
I harvested parsley, Swiss chard, and cherry tomatoes from my garden. My mom gave us the last of a tin of cookies from her orchid club meeting. I saved the tin and used it to store some plastic candy molds that I was wanting to store better. I needed some wrapping paper for a little…
I harvested eggplant, cherry tomatoes, roselle hibisicus, garlic chives, peppermint, and Meyer lemons from my garden. I shared eggplant with a friend, who shared nigella seeds, chocolate mint cuttings, and an ajwain cutting with me from her garden. I cut a bouquet of roses from my garden to enjoy inside. I made cookies using what…
This looks to be the second December in a row in which we have yet to get a frost. This has extended my warm-vegetable growing season. I harvested cherry tomatoes, Swiss chard, Meyer lemons, a Serrano pepper, lemon verbena, and eggplant from my garden. I listed and sold two items we weren’t using on Facebook…
I harvested lemons and Swiss chard from my garden. We made lemon meringue pies and lemonade from lemons in the garden. I cooked cranberry sauce from scratch from four bags of cranberries that were on sale. It cost the same as the cost of a can (I am genuinely shocked at how much canned cranberry…
Some friends of mine who moved away earlier this year came for a visit. They asked me Monday morning if I wanted to go on a spontaneous road trip with them to Lake Tahoe (a 7-hour drive away). I said yes, and we left Tuesday. Some things we did to save money on the trip:…
We took everything out of the pantry and washed everything in the pantry (shelves, jars, the walls, the floor, etc.). We then reorganized the pantry, changing where we keep everything. What I buy and cook has changed over the years, as both my tastes have changed and food prices have dramatically increased, and the order…
I harvested roselle hibiscus, okra, a lime, eggplant, cherry tomatoes, and basil from my garden. I started sewing an apron for my son for Christmas in his favorite color, using duck cloth that I already had on hand. I ordered a couple of Christmas gifts on sale for a daughter. I combined that order with…
Hello everyone! My pause from blogging ended up being a lot longer than I planned. Among other things, I was able to finish several major repairs to the irrigation (including building all new valve boxes in some of my older valve boxes) in my garden with my father’s help. This was of utmost importance, and…