Monday Message

"Let us be in a position so we are able to not only feed ourselves through the home production and storage, but others as well." (President Ezra Taft Benson)

Especially now where the food stamps have been frozen, we need to be as helpful as we can. These are not the best times for my country and so many need help, let us step up how we can, even prayers.

So many will be hurting this year for Christmas.

I remember my grandmother having a hard time. This was the beginning of the depression. She would be given old warn out clothes that she would remake into clothing for her six kids. I have mentioned this before how she was making a pinafore dress for my mom. She had a hard time finding enough good parts of a blouse and she positioned the hole to hit under the apron part of the little dress. This was for a school concert my mom was in.

But Christmas came around and they had nothing. She gathered the children around the wood burning cookstove and opened the door so the kids could play what they saw in the coals, like when you watch the clouds and find shapes. They all had fun (this was Christmas Eve).  The next day, townspeople came in the morning bringing a tree, food, and toys for the kids. We can be these townspeople to those around us.

I remember another year she made a little cupboard for my mom out of a crate. So you see, we can try to work with what we have.  

Every winter I read The Long Winter by Laura Ingalls Wilder. It is something I start when we get the first measurable snowfall. In the book, they had a hard time when the trains couldn't get through. So Ma said to the older girls they could only give the youngest girl a gift because of the train situation. The girls were able to add money together to make ten cents and they bought their dad suspenders - there was very little left in both stores. Laura had been making things as she embroidered and knitted so she finished and wrapped them and gave them to the rest in her family. See how skills help us?

Reading that book helps me to be inspired to have storage in.

Things don't have to be new. I once got for free a very loved plastic kitchen set. I scrubbed and scrubbed this up and gave it to the girls a house away that I knew were having a hard time. I delivered it by ringing the doorbell and running home, it was a "From Santa" gift. The girls loved it. So get used things and fix them up. I knew some ladies who would get dolls at yard sales and wash and clean them up, making clothing for them and then giving them to girls in need for Christmas.

So look for opportunities to share joy.

We have had a visit from my sister and a visit from our youngest daughter so it has been an enjoyable October. Our oldest daughter and family were here in July so we feel blessed.

The garden is done. I picked watermelon before the freeze thinking that they might not have ripened but they did, so we like that.

I was able to get the dress made that I had cut out in the last blog post.

I made this dress from fabric that was given me long ago.

I wasn't sure I was going to do the mystery Christmas sock this year but I am still using the yarn I keep in a project bag from the last two times so I decided I would. Here is where I am at the time of writing this blog post. This is a free knit along. We get six rows a day and we don't know ahead of time. It's through Arne and Carlos. It is fun and costs me nothing.

The other day coming back home from an errand two blocks from home on our street they were setting out these ferns for free so we stopped and got one. The lady said she didn't want to winter over them as she already had 34 house plants after all, so I brought one home.

I am hoping that I can keep it alive. Good so far...yikes.

Free is my price point, anymore than that and I have to pass. We are looking for insurance to rise, meds too. And groceries continue to rise. We have caught bad colds. I was picking up a decongestant and I thought orange juice would be nice. I went to pick it and the price was $7.99 what?!?! Left it behind. I thought getting cereal and it was the same, so left it behind as well.  Someone mentioned hamburger $7 a lb, I thought it must be their area but oh my, ours is too.

So we need to share recipes for frugal meals and research for some as well since prices are getting out of hand.

I am adding this recipe - it is fantastic and it makes two and a half gallons which freezes well.

We will have to use every tool we have to get through this just like my grandmother did. So keep working on those skills.

https://www.littlehouseliving.com/cheap-meal-plans-emergency-edition-week-9.html - here are more ideas.

https://charisecreates.blogspot.com/ - this is a cute tutorial.

https://agmagazine.substack.com/p/20-budget-friendly-christmas-traditions

https://www.localpassportfamily.com/2018/11/christmas-traditions-list-116-ideas.html

https://www.busybudgeter.com/21-christmas-traditions-to-enjoy-on-a-tight-budget/

https://mummy2twindividuals.com/budget-christmas-eve-traditions

https://funcheaporfree.com/traditions/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3GdLcMZmeeg this is beginner-friendly and she shows you how to make a scarf.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=djYf7lJD6W0 - she shows to make a crocheted scarf.

It is good to build our skills to help to make your own gifts.

Missy says keep working on storage and skills, it's oh so important!

Tippy Longstockings says spread kindness also.