Monday Message

"Today, I emphasize a most basic principle: home production and storage. Have you ever paused to realize what would happen to your community or nation if transportation were paralyzed or if we had a war or depression? How would you and your neighbors obtain food? How long would the corner grocery store—or supermarket—sustain the needs of the community?" (President Ezra Taft Benson)

Try to have plenty on hand to help others as there is great need, you can see the long lines at the food pantries. There is so much need.

We are all getting weary of our life now but give yourself breaks with a book, a soak in the tub, or listen to your favorite YouTube channel - there are many things to learn!

If you will be homeschooling this year there are great places to get info.

If you sew, try to find an area to keep your stuff out, even if it’s just the corner of the dining room, because if it is open and sitting there you can find a way to work on it.

I keep my spinning wheel in the living room. When I’m cooking in the kitchen, I take time to spin while things are baking in the oven.

I try to spin each day, it is soothing to me to do so.

Today, I made eight pints of Kosher dills, I use Mrs. Wages as that is our favorite to eat.

I did two pints of spears and saved seed for next year, the other six pints were pickle slices.

I did a small project that I have been wanting to work on that has to do with odd embroidery threads.

I don't really like to use the peg type clothespins to hang clothes so this was a great way to use them, it makes it super easy to find the color I am needing. I just wrap the floss around the peg. If you needed it for cross stitch you could write the number on the leg, but I am wanting to do items without having to know the number.

Missy thought it very fun to watch me wrap the pins.

Keep finding ways to put up food. I chopped peppers and put them in the freezer and with the jalapeno peppers I froze I might try to make cowboy candy or jelly. 

Canning supplies are hard to come by so you may want to keep a look out for what you are needing. I did a grocery pick up at Walmart to try to keep up with that. I was not able to get lids and they had a limit of two on them but in the end I managed to get them. I noticed a six limit on canned goods and toilet paper has a limit of one.

I want to encourage you to pick up a few extra things when you get groceries even if you only can afford one box of jello, do it to get started. Keep working on your storage. Some of the items I got extra were cat food and litter to stay ahead on those and I also picked up oil and shortening.

I also want to encourage you to pamper yourself sometimes, read a book or learn something new. Find joy even in these hard times, we will make it through - we can do this!!!

If you have questions or want to share ideas that we can all use, write to us in the comment section.

Gus and Missy say to be safe!