Monday Message

“I wish to urge again the importance of self-reliance on the part of every individual Church member and family. None of us knows when a catastrophe might strike. Sickness, injury, unemployment may affect any of us. We have a great welfare program with facilities for such things as grain storage in various areas. It is important that we do this. But the best place to have some food set aside is within our homes, together with a little money in savings. The best welfare program is our own welfare program. Five or six cans of wheat in the home are better than a bushel in the welfare granary.” (President Gordon B. Hinckley)

Tippy Longstockings says first - don't stress. She says if this happens to you, that is step one.  Stress is not good for our bodies.

Well, it’s been a very busy week for sure. I mentioned last week that we had an unexpected bill come, so I thought I would walk you through what I am doing to ease the stress of the unexpected bill.

First, our grocery budget is our most flexible fund to be used.

So I will show you how I do… again, like Tippy Longstockings says DON'T STRESS!

We store powdered milk. It is no problem there as I know you are worried about that. I hardly ever buy it. Anyway, I use it to make yogurt as well - I always have yogurt going.

Making granola doesn't change as it requires just the basics in storage ingredients so that continues. Get the recipe for our favorite granola HERE. 

With the bad air quality our furnace filter that is supposed to last a year doesn't with the dangerous air quality. These filters cost a lot. It is like five inches thick so we can't use the thin ones. That being said, no new furnace filter for a while. We took the filter and one we hadn't tossed yet and in the driveway we used the compressor and blew out the stuff from both. So far it is good, won't do for a year probably but this is a good option for now.

I would like to fire the gardener… really, I would but since that is me, I continue on.

I continue to dehydrate the tomatoes, so pick, dehydrate, all on repeat… kind of like that joke Pete and Repeat are in a boat, Pete falls out, who is left? It doesn't end.

It will eventually end as my garden is closing down very early this year. What is in store for winter is what it makes me think.

We had one cool morning, so I pulled the raspberries that I froze and made three batches of jam.

I then went to my binders of recipes looking for recipes that used ingredients that I have in storage.

We don't eat out so that isn't a problem.

My allergies are a problem, making me think they’re a month too early. Does this mean winter is coming a month early? I hope not! I would rather have a long fall.

I see the chipmunk has snatched another peach. I hope to get most of them but they are not ripe yet. After harvest, we have to cut some branches on it as they have gone beserk.

On that note, I will try hard to start more peach trees from the pits.

I have been saving seed as I go. I have been putting up everything I get my hands on.

The young women of our church presented me with these beautiful flowers.

Just as they were starting to die, I clipped the flowers and put them in a big cookbook to press. I will make something with them to keep them in my house.

Missy says having storage gives one ease of mind, please don't forget your pets.

Besides all this, I have been working on my skills.

I have gotten further on my machine knitting. You can't make it out in this picture but I tested gauge which made a nice stripe. This I could see used in a sweater. Then I moved on to tackling the tuck stitch.

I am making two dresses at the same time with the same pattern.

How are you coming with your skill building?

Missy says when not overseeing my sewing, she finds time to rest. Things are not good right now all around the world. She wants you to work hard on not stressing and getting rest breaks each day.

Tippy Longstockings says keep a stiff upper lip. Things may not be good in the world but to work even harder finding joy.