Monday Message

"Decide as a family that there will be no vacation or holiday next year unless you have your year’s supply. Many Church members could buy a full year’s supply of the basics from what they would save by not taking a vacation. Take the vacation time and work on a family garden. Be together, and it can be just as much fun." (Vaughn J. Featherston)

This probably won't be so hard with the price of gas. Try to find free activities and things you can do close to home.

Our last vehicle fill was $57. I am very thankful we don't do a lot of driving. We should prepare for it to go higher. What would your budget look like if it does continue to climb?

With everything going higher we all need to make a plan.

Every family is different, their needs are not the same.

Here are a few things I am doing...

It is not too late to put some seeds in the ground and if you cannot then build a salad pot for your porch. I have a large pot with leaf lettuce in half and radishes on the other half. I need to thin the radishes. Either you can sit and eat what you pull or you could put them in scrambled eggs - delicious.

Try to grow what you can, waste nothing, that is our plan and cook from scratch everything we can. We had potatoes that were wrinkly and had eyes so I planted them. I have a bowl full yet that I could plant and will.

Here are potatoes that were no longer any good. I planted them and now they look really good. We need to not waste anything. Find creative uses for things.

Every year I have a hard time reaching the raspberries to pick so this year I learned a skill that was new to me. I learned how to use the weed whacker. It is hard, heavy work but I push on. I don't have the strength the younger ones do. I made a clear path behind the raspberries to help better pick. I can stand on the deck to pick and then go on the path picking from behind. Plus birds started another patch north of the house.

I planted two plum trees, two apple trees, three seedless grapes. I put leftover landscaping fabric down around to keep weeds down.

I had an asparagus garden already going and put more in another area. I already had rhubarb but planted more. We also put strawberries in this year.

I put green beans in a whole new spot. I put a wire fence piece we had leftover to help them grow up the fence and up onto the porch posts. The seed I used for these I saved from last year from the green beans I grew. I plan to do the same this year.

This is just a sampling of what I am doing

I plan to divide hostas and move them around the yard.

I planted purple pansies so the neighbor when she washes dishes has something pretty to look at.

But mostly I want our yard to feed us.

We mostly have things planted that comes back every year.

And my favorite plant I got for Mother's Day...

A bleeding heart is my very favorite of all flowers.

My plan is to water as little as possible.

I have this in a page protector so that I can write with dry erase marker to plan meals. After the sweater is finished I will have time to build a binder all on meal planning.

One thing I do is I freeze two eggs, I crack them in freezer bags and freeze. I do this with what eggs I have leftover after the month that makes room for the new ones and this way if eggs go as high as they are predicting, we will have some frozen. Now I need to tell you on frozen eggs, they turn a nasty orange color but if you let's say scramble them, they cook just as yellow and fluffy as if not frozen.

Today I picked off blossoms from the tomato plants, always makes me feel like Morticia Adams but by doing this the growth will go into the plants instead of stopping to grow the tomatoes too soon, that would give less tomatoes.

Freereadfeed is great with free books, lots are on gardening and canning and dehydrating.

I had to go in to look for arthritis Tylenol at Walmart. I am always masked up but when I got there the shelves were wiped out. Amazing. We have extra strength Tylenol but I was going to get more. Nope, there was none to get. I am thankful for what I have. So you need to think of other needs to be stocking up on.

What things do you have planned if you have to tighten your budgets more than they already are??

https://www.mintnotion.com/travel/staycation-ideas/ - here is a jumping off idea.

https://www.emilymkrause.com/blog/50-staycation-ideas-for-families-stuck-at-home

https://www.verywellfamily.com/summer-fun-ideas-kids-and-parents-3542627

Of course, give each their own little spot to plant and care for it.

I think reading a book series would be a good thing to do. Take turns reading out loud.

Google and learn all you can on canning and freezing and drying.

Involve the kids in gardening and canning.

Here is the progress on the sweater I am test knitting...

I am halfway done with the sleeves. There will be ribbing on them and then I'll block it and sew on buttons.

Missy said it is very very important to learn skills.

Gus said you better buckle up, it is going to be a bumpy ride.