Monday Message

"Most of us cannot afford to store a year’s supply of luxury items, but find it more practical to store staples that might keep us from starving in case of emergency." (James E. Faust)

Being frugal is a skill that we learn like any other and it takes practice and a bit of work.

You don't have to have a garden to put food up, it helps moneywise but this year has been hard on all gardens. You can go to your you pick places or farmer's stands or farmer's market or even a really good sale on produce. For that matter...what do you do with those grapes no one wants or mushy apples?

This week I was testing my chopper on such a mushy apple. It all went through but the core and seeds which I gave those to the wildlife and the now chopped apple went in a bowl of oatmeal before cooking but I could have thrown it in the dehydrator and dried it. Those grapes no one wants dry into raisins so don't be fast to throw out things.

This week I got some groceries which included potatoes and celery but wait...I had just a little celery left, I chopped it and put it in the dehydrator.

I also had wrinkly potatoes left so I peeled and diced and blanched (which just means to boil a few minutes and put in cold water) then put in the dehydrator to dry.

Also, this week I had an orange, I grated off the orange rind part with my smallest shredding plate.

Did you know with the orange rind you just need to dry it on a plate? I covered it with a strainer and a cotton towel because we have a fly. We keep trying to get him but he is evasive, we shall call him Henry :p So basically the orange rind is free as we ate the orange.

I have been slicing the tomatoes and putting them in the dehydrator. This is what I use to slice them...

All this to say that even if you feel your budget is tight, you can do a few things to put in your pantry. I will tell you right now that orange rind has a date with some orange rolls come winter, yum!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DRh7zJBSHzQ&lc=Ugxq6jKPNl0XPlE6qN54AaABAg - there are great ideas here, sewing saves so much money even if all you ever did was mend.

https://theprudenthomemaker.com/ten-ways-to-add-joy-to-your-life-when-you-don-t-have-a-penny-to-spare/ - this gal has been one of my favorites.

https://theprudenthomemaker.com/strictly-pantry-menu/

https://theprudenthomemaker.com/fifty-things-to-do-while-youre-at-home-right-now/

https://consciousfashion.co/guides/clothing-repair-mending

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP98fshDAd5bCKCGd0VRhng

Missy says take time through all the work to find joy and some down time too.

Gus says be working on building skills, like hunting for spiders.