I spent a good portion of last Monday in back-and-forth voice message conversations with an old friend. If you haven’t spoken to someone in years (apart from the occasional social media post or Christmas card), I would encourage you to ask them what they are dealing with that’s difficult right now, rather than just asking,…
I continue to be shocked at the prices of items that are now triple what I used to pay just a year or two ago (especially food and toiletries). Efforts to save money where we can are of even greater importance. I rehemmed a pair of jeans that had come unstitched. I gave a son…
I sowed lettuce seeds in my garden. These were seeds I collected from my own garden last year, so they were no cost to me. I harvested lettuce, parsley, arugula, and green onions from the garden. I took 150 cuttings for new hedge plants in the garden. I signed a contract with the local nursery…
I took cuttings for 200 plants from the hedges in the front yard to start new hedges in the backyard, a savings of $2,200. I moved a couple of roses in my garden. When I moved one, I accidentally broke off a cane that had a root attached. Once I finished digging out the rose,…
I sowed seeds in the garden for chives and hollyhocks. I took 100 cuttings from hedges in the front yard to make new hedges in the backyard. I collected shower warm-up water and used it to water potted plants in the garden. With our new water rates, this feels more imperative than ever in keeping…
I harvested lemons, pomegranates, green onions, arugula, and parsley from my garden. I sowed seeds that I had previously collected from my garden for poppies, dill, cilantro, and green onions. I sowed seeds I had previously purchased for Bells of Ireland, poppies, spinach, and Swiss chard. Anywhere seeds do not germinate, I am making sure…
I transplanted paperwhites that had multiplied in my white garden to four large pots in my garden. I have many more to transplant to new spots in the garden; I am looking for new places to plant these in the garden. The ones in the photo above, which are already blooming, are ones that had…
I transplanted lettuce and mache seedlings in the garden where they had self-seeded so that they could grow larger. I decided to not purchase any seeds for the year and will use what I have purchased in the past as well as what I have collected. I may change my mind on that (or need…
I purchased some pansies on clearance for $0.25 each and planted them in pots I already have, spending a total of $4.75. I skipped my usual fall planting of annuals this year due to the cost, so it was nice to get a few flowers for 80% off. I replaced a leaking valve in my…
I dug mache (corn salad) that had self-seeded in my garden in a clump and moved it to more places in the garden so that each one can grow larger. I did the same with self-seeded lettuce plants. I planted paperwhites that had multiplied in my garden into pots that I already had. I made…
I gave the two youngest boys haircuts, and my husband and I cut his hair. I wrapped presents in the reusable gift boxes I bought several years ago and tied them shut with ribbons that I bought years back. I mended the lining of a hand-me-down jacket that all of my daughters have worn (and…
Frost came to my garden this week. I focused my time inside the house. My daughter made four loaves of pumpkin chocolate chip bread using pumpkins that I grew in our garden. I purchased some Christmas gifts on sale at the grocery store in the seasonal aisle for my two youngest children. My husband gave…