I hosted a baby shower at my house making dishes and desserts using ingredients mostly from my pantry. I borrowed some warming dishes from my mom to keep the food warm. They plug in, so I didn’t need to buy anything to burn under them. I used platters purchased mainly from garage sales. Someone offered…
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…