Monday Message

"The counsel to have a year’s supply of basic food, clothing, and commodities was given fifty years ago and has been repeated many times since. Every father and mother are the family’s storekeepers. They should store whatever their own family would like to have in the case of an emergency … [and] God will sustain us through our trials." (James E. Faust)

I think squirrels are good at storing nuts and just awful at finding them. I keep cutting down little walnut trees all over the yard. So if you store food, be sure you can find it!

The smoke from the Canadian wildfires keeps me from going outside to do much due to asthma. I cannot imagine the damage and the manpower to put them out, so sad.

So much going on that is destructive, we do need to keep building our storage but even more, we need to store the basics and build skills to work with them. It isn't enough to say I have twenty-five pounds of wheat, if we don't know how to use it. There are skills you need to know...first, if you go from store-bought white bread to whole wheat everything, your children will revolt. It won't be pretty :p

Do you have a way to grind it? Makes me think of the Long Winter by Laura Ingalls Wilder. Her family had only the coffee mill to grind the wheat they were able to get. They had ingenuity and lots of skills.

It is hard for kids to go from store-bought bread to homemade bread, let alone wheat bread.

I cannot do red wheat as it causes my digestion issues but white wheat I have no issues. So I store white wheat. Only store what you eat. This is very important. If you think if you'll get hungry enough you will eat it...nope, no way does that work. So just store items you eat. Store the things to make what you like.  If you store flour just think how many things you can make out of flour, not just bread but cakes, cookies, pancakes, waffles, brownies, and gravies, pies, you name it. So store ingredients to go with it like shortening, yeast, baking powder, salt, sugar, baking soda, the basics.

And be sure to get those basics ahead for when you're in a time of need.

As soon as temps dropped I made a batch of granola. This is a basic healthy version.

Healthy Granola

One large container of old fashion oats

One large can of frozen apple juice

1/4 cup real maple syrup

I use pecans, as much as you like.

1 Tbsp or 2 of cinnamon

I mix together and spread on sided cookie sheets. Put in the oven at 200 degrees, stir every half hour till this is dry (I turn it off and leave in oven overnight if it takes too long then I check, if still not dry, turn on oven and do this for another hour till dry). Cool and put in airtight container. This can be added to, if you want to add fruit and other things, it is up to you. I like to sprinkle this on yogurt. My husband likes it to top his cereal or snack on it. I think it would be good to sprinkle on muffins before baking.

I would suggest making a binder with recipes using the basics.

This is why I suggest getting some of those old church cookbooks. Because these usually have ingredients that are basic and in our storage.

https://www.tasteandtellblog.com/whole-wheat-blender-pancakes/ - if you don't yet have a wheat grinder, these pancakes are easy to make with wheat berries and your blender and are soooooo good.

This week I finally got those project bags sewed up.

It is hard for you to see in the picture but I have an old sewing machine in a cabinet where if I flip down the top it gives me an extra surface for working on.

These are the project bags I have worked up. I am looking forward to putting them to work.

Keep working on skill building as well, these are good things to have in your bucket.

Missy says build your skills. She is watching me sew, she is building her skills she says.

Tippy Longstockings says store things you eat, she says she wouldn't like to eat icky things.

Monday Message

"A cardinal principle of the gospel is to prepare for the day of scarcity. Work, industry, frugality are part of the royal order of life." (Bishop Keith B. McMullin)

How are you doing on your gardens or potted plants?

Here is ours. So far doing well. It loved the downpours we got yesterday.

Remember when we got those two days of a late freeze and I worried we would get no peaches...

I need not have worried. The tree is loaded with peaches so much so we have had to already support a branch...yay!

So here's an update on Missy and Tippy Longstockings - they are doing well, Missy is hissing not as much as she was in the beginning.

Just a few pics to show Missy is starting to warm up. I love the one where they are looking into each others eyes, no hissing on Missy's part, just having the standard sibling stare down. Tippy (Longstockings) doesn't hiss. She looks like she is copying Missy at the bottom of the bed, fun antics :p Every cat has to pay a cat tax by having a photoshoot.

Then being frugal, I just was messing with cardboard boxes to make cardboard of fun.

Is it fun? you ask. I think it is....

My week has been filled with the standard doctor appointments and eye exams, which I hate but my husband is okay with. I don't like the fuzzy eye stuff that stays with me for hours.

So now that those are done, I did a bit more organizing. Still have a bookshelf to straighten and a wicker dresser housing stuff for embroidery to organize. I did put together a basket to carry up or down stairs to work on embroidery.

I know it seems I talk about organizing a lot. With fibromyalgia, I am always trying to streamline  things to make my chores easier.

I did start a batch of yogurt.

I also made a batch of granola. I don't eat it much, just to sprinkle over yogurt so was going to pick up a package, how much could it cost? Oh my word, it is very costly. so I did my own. My husband loves it, he likes the fruits in it and etc. but I used my healthier version where you just mix apple juice and stir like you do the regular. I added pecans halfway through and added cinnamon when done. I have other recipes that call for yummier things but this one is good too. I kept this jar out for sprinkling on yogurt and the rest I put the goodies in my husband likes. All for really really less cost than the store for way way more in amount.

So keep looking for those frugal things that can help your family. I could have bought the bag of granola, that would have been easier but by pushing on doing my own, I save that money to use elsewhere on my grocery list. So far not noticing prices coming down yet, so we keep doing the best we can, right? Yes, we do!

Missy says when you find a favorite frugal thing like a well-used grocery bag stick with it, own it :p

Tippy Longstockings says frugal is not a bad thing at all. It saves our budget and we can get priorities right. Continue to be frugal.

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)

I think we know now that this can happen any time. Today I heard Germany was in a recession, they said they were the fourth largest economy.

It is a good thing to do whatever we can to be in a prepared state for anything that may hit, unemployment is always a possibility. It seems like a lot more of that at this time so we need to find ways to be more frugal and put those ways into practice.

Here in the center of the US it is gardening time, so put out some seeds.

https://www.littlehouseliving.com/homemade-wheat-crackers.html - did you ever make crackers? They are easier than you might think and tastier too!

https://www.mommyskitchen.net/2023/05/soft-homemade-breadsticks.html?lctg=35869764 - bread sticks. I like how she bags them to freeze for future meals. These remind me of those we used to get at Pizza Hut.

https://savorandsavvy.com/family-emergency-binder/ - these are free, would be great to have in a binder for a fast grab when you need it.

It is the simple things we tend to put off, promising that we will get to it down the road.

Do things feel like they are upside down and out of control? (Tippy says yes) Sometimes I feel like I can't control anything so at those times I think of something I can organize or clean, which I seem to do a lot.

This week I found a small cart I put in kitchen.

It works much better and I took that other cart and moved it upstairs.

I organized my watercolor supplies in it which meant I took the cart from there and moved it to the sewing room.

Then I organized sewing notions and fabric in it.

So a bad case of musical carts. This helped me to be better organized for just a bit over three dollars. With the cart with sides it was harder to get what I needed in the kitchen. The now kitchen cart I had the cloth baskets already so I can just slide out to get the needed things. The other cart now holds the watercolor supplies better than the cart I moved into sewing room and now I can easily get to needed things.

The whole thing was something I could control when the world is crazy upside down.

An extra benefit was that I found fabrics I want to make two project bags with in my stash.

While I was at it, I tidied my desk up.

The garden is doing well, however, we have not had rain and our overnight temps are under fifty degrees, it still is going and so am I.

So look for ways that are frugal this week.

Missy says you all are doing great, keep working on your storage and skills.

Tippy (toes) says if you find yourself stressing because the world feels upside down and you can't do anything to help...find a corner that needs sorting out and work on it.

Monday Message

"A cardinal principle of the gospel is to prepare for the day of scarcity. Work, industry, frugality are part of the royal order of life." (Bishop Keith B. McMullin)

Keep working on your storage as you can. I find that the basics are cheaper to put in then their counterparts like dry beans are cheaper than canned beans, that sort of thing.

I encourage you to get the ingredients to make bread and remember to put your yeast in the freezer. I keep a jar of it in the refrigerator as it is my using jar. 

I have noticed some brands and items going away.

I remember standing in line at the grocery store when we lived in New Hampshire and a lady was in line behind me. She said don't you love all the choices, she was from more north and just loved the variety in choices. In my mind I thought are you kidding me? I was able to get more items and choices in Iowa so I was grumpy with much fewer and she was so very happy with those.

So nothing is ever so bad that it can't get worse.

I feel like if we keep finding and trying basic recipes and build a binder and store the ingredients to make them, we will be able to fix good things no matter what goes away in variety.

https://www.littlehouseliving.com/153-grocery-staples-that-you-can-make-at-home.html - I love her site but yes, the more we can make for ourselves, the more we have in our budgets to pay bills.

https://www.gracefullittlehoneybee.com/ - Search around all her stuff, she has great info as well. She was off for two years but back on and you can look through the blog post she had, very helpful.

I found this cart for five dollars at the thrift store. It is giving me a bit of space, so keep haunting those thrift stores and think outside the box.

For example, I found this jewelry hanging case and knew just what I wanted it for - my sewing machine feet! I had tried several ways but this is the best way yet.

So think what item could be useful to you as you look. I know shiny things want to grab the attention but first look for helpful items then look for what you are interested in. I have seen many items to help in the kitchen such as instapots and mixers, hand held mixers, and even toasters, waffle irons, air fryers, bread machines. I have also seen fabric and yarn and knitting needles. So if your mixer died and cannot be repaired that might be something you check for. Make that list. Also, keep your eye out for dehydrators, canning supplies, etc.

Remember to plant what you can even if you can only do pots.

We enjoyed a visit with our daughter this last week and whenever our kids come home thrifting is on the schedule. On our thrift outing I found this waffle iron that is now added to my waffle iron collection. I set the apple near it to show you they are small. This collection started way before the pandemic with one little pink waffle iron that was ten dollars but had an instant five dollars off so for five dollars it started it all....

I was telling my daughter that I had only seen them at the one store and so weird I didn't see them elsewhere. Well it ended up they were at each thrift store we stopped at so we had fun finding them like an eye spy game, even my daughter found two and in the prettiest colors.

There is always new and better products and the prior versions are thrifted out so for me the prior version is just fine with me. Thrifting works for my budget.

I am always interested in looking at what things these places have as I see so many things I never knew existed.

I am a big fan of buying used, it stretches our funds. I would never be able to get these things new for sure. Used works just as well.

Missy says stay on your toes by looking for more frugal ways to stretch your dollars.

Tippy says if you go to the grocery store to buy a can of food - buy two, one for now one for later.

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)

As we get ready to plant our gardens this is a good thing to remember. It wouldn't be that much harder to plant a little extra to share. Those that have a green thumb will be great at this. I don't have a green thumb but share what what does grow. My thumb isn't green but I keep pushing on.

I find it is taking me a lot longer to do what I could when I was in my twenties so those who are that young, enjoy it while you can. Those who are older, like me, try to find work arounds I guess.

While I hate gardening, I love to watch things grow and I like to eat.

The little plants are doing well.

The spinach in this pot grew so very fast that I had to use four sticks in and plastic to cover it and then  put a plastic crate over it. It was like a mini greenhouse and kept it growing through that cold weather we got. So just using what I had on hand in the spur of the moment that "mini greenhouse" idea worked great, I will do this again.

I saw on public TV that they showed how to plant herbs in a strawberry pot. I had this one and the herbs I had waiting to go in ground I just pinched so I had roots and planted them in the pot and still have the rest to plant in ground.

https://www.leavenworth.k-state.edu/fcs/docs/Maine%20Mixes.pdf 

https://tipnut.com/baking-mixes-seasonings/ - this site has lots of info to scroll down.

https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-brown-sugar-23023181 - did you know you can make your own brown sugar?

https://www.loveandlemons.com/how-to-make-powdered-sugar/ and powdered sugar too.

How are you coming on your skills?

I haven't had a lot of time to spin of late but have done a little.

I long time ago learned to make chocolates. So that's a skill I have learned. At the time I'm writing this, we have an artist reception coming up next week. We stopped in at the chocolate shop to see what they offered. They had two pieces for $6.95, two that look like what is on my plate here. Well that wasn't going to work for our budget as the reception is for thirtyish people. I think you can figure out the math on that yikes. My husband wanted unwrapped chocolates so I worked up chocolates. This one in the picture is orange flavored milk chocolate. There is white chocolate, and orange chocolate flavored orange, and raspberry chocolate, and mint chocolate that are leaf shaped. So this saved us a lot of money and they taste great. I have no idea how the ones at the shop tasted as they were too steep but mine were fantastic. I will put them on a paper doily on a pretty plate.

Yes, this week has been sooooooo busy but soon it will be over and gardening will continue. If I do a little each day it will get planted.

I picked up three geraniums to put on the porch I planted in my own pots, this is identical to one on the other end of the same step, these are pink. The lady bugs that are in each pot were $1.99 each. I was asking questions about them and I picked up one each for them to figure out, good thing I did because as soon as I picked them up a little boy said "mom, I want a lady bug." By the time I turned around they had grabbed them all. Wow I said, but I got these two. They are solar lights.

I know you will recognize this planter, this year he has a white geranium in him.

Missy says keep your eyes out for sales to stock your storage.

Tippy says keep building your skills and find a patch of sunshine to rest in when you can!