Monday Message

"Those families will be fortunate who, in the last days, have an adequate supply of food because of their foresight and ability to produce their own." (Ezra Taft Benson)

I will use toilet paper as an example - those who had toilet paper already stored you did not have to go out to find any while people were piling it in carts or worse, not finding any.

Even ten months later we still have a limit one package per order at the Walmart pick up we use.  I am amazed that these ten months there is still shortage, it’s the same number of bums being wiped as before pandemic.

So in full disclosure normally I would use half pecans so you would see the rings and cherries for pretty but I had some chopped I used up on this. 

Also, I drained the pineapple and cherry juices and used in place of some of the milk - waste not, want not. If pretty mattered you would see the rings with cherries better inside each one.

Funny story… When I was at girls camp long before we had kids, the girls I was in charge of had to separate into little groups to make a pineapple upside down cake over the campfire, then they had a judging of how they did. Well my girls scorched (okay, burned) the pineapples. When they flipped out the cake there were all those unsightly pineapples but they came up with a fix.. they turned the pineapple slices over and they actually got a prize for the most unusual fix.

On the weaving it took me quite awhile to figure out why my pattern for the second mug rug wasn't turning out but when I found the issue I went on without any more troubles.

You only see part of it here as I have advanced it to get ready for the third one. I didn't really like this last pattern but I like the other side. I have my bobbins wound up to start the next one. It is the same white as the warp. These will all be little samples so just experimenting and learning lots in this online weaving class, mostly hard knocks learning but learning nevertheless.

https://thehomemadehomestead.com/?p=882+thehomemadehomestead+%28the+Homemade+Homestead - this has info on how to use dehydrated tomatoes.

Well it looks like we are heading into winter still needing to be safe. As we here in the US hospitals are starting to get overrun. We all need to be more careful. As the holidays come and families get together things could get worse way worse. Wear those masks, wash hands, socially distance! More than ever we need to be doing these things. Also, keep praying for those dealing with the virus around the world and those who will be going into the holidays without loved ones.

Missy says… Continue to stock up, we do not know what is yet to come.

https://www.healthline.com/health/parenting/ways-to-embrace-the-holidays-during-the-pandemic#Celebrate-anything-whenever-you-can

https://www.connecticutchildrens.org/coronavirus/how-to-help-kids-handle-holiday-disappointment-during-covid-19/

https://gluesticksblog.com/make-a-pop-tart-gingerbread-house-video/ - too cute!

Gus says be safe, truly safe!

Monday Message

"Start now to create a plan if you don’t already have one, or update your present plan. Watch for best buys that will fit into your year’s supply. We are not in a situation that requires panic buying, but we do need to be careful in purchasing and rotating the storage that we’re putting away. The instability in the world today makes it imperative that we take heed of the counsel and prepare for the future." (L. Tom Perry)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tlcILxGmVrI&ab_channel=TheChurchofJesusChristofLatter-daySaints - healing power of gratitude, so important, especially this time of year.

I'm grateful for my mother-in-law. Today would have been her birthday, she passed from Covid and is truly missed.

It will take a lot of work to get this pandemic under control so we must all be willing to pitch in and do what is required and that will be sacrificing, whatever it takes.

We do not know what lies ahead so keep putting in storage as you go and keep learning skills.

It has taken days for this next step in the weaving class.

If you look at the bottom stretch, nothing I did would change it. Every time was the same mess, I spent days trying everything that could be done. I looked at it from every angle. I finally started again with the first lesson but it was wrong too. Now I thought what could it be? So I undid it, crawled under the loom yet again. It hurts a lot but I redid the tie up, checking carefully I found one tie up was wrong. So I started the first pattern again and it was finally okay. That made me think, could this have been the same problem with the second pattern (AKA the one on the bottom). So I took it out and crawled back under to change the tie up for it and back up and tried again… success! Now it was working and the part on the top was achieved but it was days in the making and lots of pain. Did I ever learn a lot about the loom though, so it was educational.

Missy says, “do I need to inspect those treadles??”

This I tell to you to show you learning isn't always easy but keep trying and eventually you will get it.

If you look at last week's post you will notice the bread recipe (I make this in quart jars as a mix). Here is what I made out of one of those bread mixes today...

These are yummy and would be great on a cold winter day!

Gus says now is the time to stock up as holiday sales are here and this will save you money.

Remember winter is coming. You might want to study up on hygge, it will soothe our nerves after this very hard year. Find fun things to do at home...

When our kids were little we would set up our living room to be a carnival. We had a ring toss, bean bag toss races, and yummies to eat. We also had game areas with treats.

Make your house hygge using what you have around!

Monday Message

"Our Heavenly Father created this beautiful earth, with all its abundance, for our benefit and use. His purpose is to provide for our needs as we walk in faith and obedience. He has lovingly commanded us to ‘prepare every needful thing’ (see D&C 109:8) so that, should adversity come, we may care for ourselves and our neighbors, and support bishops as they care for others." (All is Safely Gathered In pamphlet)

We can see all the changes and the virus is climbing rapidly, we need to be responsible...wear masks for others, we can all be heroes by wearing masks! Doctors are saying the worst is yet to come. We need to do our part, it isn't about rights...we all can work together as humans, is that a worthy thing? Yes, it is!

Look to our history. People worked together, sacrificed together, it is what we do, we help each other. We are all God's children. We need to be loving and kind to each other and set examples, it is the right thing to do.

This is the first of twelve. I now have set up for the second one. This was a lot of learning and patience and pain. I pushed on and I am glad I made it through the first one. This was a free online class my sister and I are taking. You saw the supervisors in the last post. If you missed it here is the top supervisor inspecting my treadle tie ups...

We need to be working on preparing for a hard long winter with the virus.

What things are you doing to be prepared?

https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/health-wellness/2020/03/16/coronavirus-quarantine-100-things-do-while-trapped-inside/5054632002/ - make a list of fun activities you and your family can do.

There isn't a kid alive who wouldn't want to put on a play for a captive audience.

https://www.travelandleisure.com/travel-tips/fun-things-to-do-at-home-during-coronavirus-quarantine - I am not a drinker so I would not be interested in that part however, I am a hot cocoa drinker and it would be fun to see how many flavors one could come up with.

https://rochester.kidsoutandabout.com/content/250-creative-ways-keep-your-family-sane-during-covid-19-crisis - helpful ideas

https://www.nwacc.edu/news/30-ideas-for-freetime-during-covid-19.aspx - people have great ideas.

https://www.cnn.com/2020/09/22/health/fall-fun-things-to-do-wellness/index.html - more ideas

https://www.familyvacationcritic.com/things-to-do-at-home-with-kids-during-coronavirus-outbreak/art/ - more ideas

https://www.dailyleader.com/2020/03/20/75-things-to-do-while-youre-stuck-at-home-during-the-covid-19-virus-crisis/ - more ideas

https://www.valleychildrens.org/media-center/family-activity-ideas - lots of ideas

When things are hard and you feel overwhelmed, it is a good thing to start new traditions. it will help make different not so scary.

Gus says it is very important to stay safe.

Missy says, the end!

Monday Message

"Start now to create a plan if you don’t already have one, or update your present plan. Watch for best buys that will fit into your year’s supply. We are not in a situation that requires panic buying, but we do need to be careful in purchasing and rotating the storage that we’re putting away. The instability in the world today makes it imperative that we take heed of the counsel and prepare for the future." (L. Tom Perry)

Preparing for the future is so necessary. We never know what is coming around the corner. If we are prepared as much as we can, we will be better off than if we didn't.

The one constant this year is that everyone is living in a disaster movie and things are constantly in flux.

The virus is getting worse. We just all need to wear masks, steer clear of crowds, wash hands, do what you possibly can to not get it and not spread it. Also, prepare for unknown things coming around the corner.

Winter is early this year in my neck of the woods. So planning for that is also prudent.

Are you working on your skill building??

I am taking a free online class with my sister. It is a weaving class and I needed to hurry to get the table runner off the loom.

Once off the loom it needed to be inspected for quality...

I needed to finish it to prepare the loom for the class.

So once the loom was empty lots of things needed doing...

Missy was guarding the loom. She said, “no one shall pass!”

Once the loom is empty I measure the warping. Then I start dressing the loom.

Armed with the warp that was measured and chained, I then have to start dressing the loom.

So here you are seeing the loom starting to get dressed.

With the new bookshelves that my husband built for me it freed up this bookshelf. When turned sideways it now is used to house reeds and weaving shuttles.

At some point work has to be done in the back involving threading the heddles. I was concentrating so hard doing this that I hadn't notice the supervisor checking things.

And yet the supervisor of the supervisor was keeping an eye on it all.

They all said it was done right though so that's good.

Keep picking up skills and learning new things.

And Missy says, "wear a mask if you want to pass by me!"

Monday Message

"Can or bottle fruit and vegetables from your gardens and orchards. Learn how to preserve food through drying and possibly freezing. Make your storage a part of your budget. Store seeds and have sufficient tools on hand to do the job." (President Ezra Taft Benson)

As the weather is now cooler, I dug out those raspberries that I froze and made eight pints of raspberry jam. So I can check that off my list. I still want to make grape jelly out of grape juice, did you know you could make jelly out of fruit juice? Yes, you can! I chose grape as I like peanut butter and grape jelly sandwiches.

Today I went out and planted garlic before the ground freezes.

I have been trying to weave this table runner I have on my loom right now to free up my loom as my sister and I will take a free weaving class online, this will be a skill building thing for sure.

This has not been a quiet week here. The derecho damaged our roof so the roofers were pounding away. 

Missy says she was scared and stayed out of sight till they quit each day...

Gus wasn't as skittish but we all are glad to be done with it and glad to be done before winter sets in.

My husband built bookshelves for my books.

It has been a pretty full week here.

I think we are really liking the quiet. It reminds me of a book we read to our girls when they were little called Too Much Noise. This man kept hearing the leaves on the roof swishing and went to the wise man of the village and asked him what he could do about the noise. The wise man told him to get a cow. Each time he went back the wise man told him to get a different animal. This went on of course with the noise of each animal getting more and more until he finally told the wise man he couldn't take it anymore. The wise man then told him to get rid of the animals one at a time till he was just down to the leaves on the roof going swish swish and he said awwww. That is where we are awwwww.

I still have cornmeal to vacuum seal and tomatoes to dry but I am pushing along.

We voted absentee to be safe. If you haven’t already, don’t forget to vote!

I also made up ten bread mixes that I do in quart jars.

Keep working on your storage and skill building.

Gus says we must all work very hard at being safe....and just in case, he is showing how to wash our paws.

Monday Message

"Home storage should consist of a year’s supply of basic food, clothing, and, where possible, fuel. After this goal is reached, emergency and expanded storage is desirable.” (Barbara B. Smith)

We need to build our skills, stretch ourselves...we need to push ourselves to learn skills we do not yet have.

"More than ever before, we need to learn and apply the principles of economic self-reliance. We do not know when the crisis involving sickness or unemployment may affect our own circumstances. We do know that the Lord has decreed global calamities for the future and has warned and forewarned us to be prepared.” (President Ezra Taft Benson)

"My brothers and sisters, I feel our anxieties are justified. It is the opinion of many that more difficult times lie ahead. We are deeply concerned about the welfare of our people and recognize the potential privation and suffering that will exist if each person and family does not accept the word of the Lord when he says, 'Prepare every needful thing'" (D&C 88:119)  (Victor L. Brown)

"The day will come, when, as we have been told, we shall all see the necessity of making our own shoes and clothing and raising our own food.” (President Wilford Woodruff)

They knew we would be in difficult times and here we are....

Pandemic, job losses, and global calamities...they saw it coming and warned us.

We were able to pack the burn pile and it burned. A good thing we did it when we did because the wind has been blowing ever since.

Canning companies have said it'll be mid March before we see canning supplies on the shelves again.

I did stock up on lids last year but had I known I would have done a lot more.

Jars can be reused. Lids cannot be used to can again but I save them and use them in vacuum sealing.  We need to think twice before throwing stuff out.

So what happens now?? If your garden has done well and you cannot get canning supplies.....

https://food-hacks.wonderhowto.com/how-to/dehydrate-food-without-dehydrator-0161531/#:~:text=Use%20Your%20Oven,usually%206%20to%208%20hours.

https://food-hacks.wonderhowto.com/how-to/preserve-dry-your-own-garden-fresh-herbs-home-0148730/

You could easily make a rack of your own or look around your house, I have several of those clothes drying racks that fold flat or you can pull them and hang wet clothes to dry.

There also are foods you can dry just out on a plate...

I knew someone who strung green beans on a thread, sewing through all the ends and hung them to dry, looked like a string with green fingers hanging.

Also, do not forget about freezing...

https://www.motherearthnews.com/real-food/freezing/freezing-vegetables-zm0z13aszsor

https://bonnieplants.com/gardening/how-to-freeze-your-harvest/

Save your jars from items you have purchased to store your dried food in. Also, you can use them to freeze food in but remember to leave an inch or more for liquid to expand.

If you have supplies, you can of course can.

This week I made relish 14 pints, salsa 8 pints, pizza sauce 4 pints and 14 jelly jars.

It has been a busy week.

Monday Message

"As we have been continuously counseled for more than 60 years, let us have some food set aside that would sustain us for a time in case of need. But let us not panic nor go to extremes. Let us be prudent in every respect. And, above all, my brothers and sisters, let us move forward with faith in the Living God and His Beloved Son." (President Gordon B. Hinckley)

This makes me think of The Long Winter by Laura Ingalls Wilder. The winter was very harsh. When all were getting worn out, Ma pulled out something she had set back for just when they needed it and made it stretch far giving her family a bit of protein. Plus they put up whatever food they could. This is what people did back then and they are our examples, we should follow that plan too.

As our weather is now getting that snap in the air it tells us winter is coming and reminds us that we need to button things up. I have picked all we had in the garden. We disconnected the hose from the house and are getting things ready for winter.

We have still been cleaning up after derecho. We rented a backhoe to help move the huge tree trunks to the burn pile and crush the pile to help with the burning which is what it needed today. We were finally able to burn the pile of trunks and branches.

Keep picking up extra when you get your groceries. I am feeling this virus will get worse before it gets better.

https://promedica2020.wpengine.com/media/Face-Mask-Sewing-Pattern-Surgical-Mask-Craft-Passion.pdf - this is the type of mask I made for us and plan to make us more. I like them because it is tight all the way around. I saw Walmart workers at a town to our west, they had little aprons on their faces and while cute the top was snug but the rest was open and flapping on the other three sides.

Think of what you would need to have, let's say for the next four months. Like flour and yeast and oil and sugar and salt then at least you can make bread.

I was watching a podcast from the southwest, she stocked up on toilet paper that was on sale and said there was plenty and no limit but here in the center of the USA we do pick-up orders from Walmart and there is a limit of one. So different areas are seeing different limits, we still see lots of limits on other things too so think how severe things were in shortage at the beginning nine months ago and take count of what you have on hand and make a list of what you need and do the best you can.

Gus says we have to be extra safe and not wearing a mask is very dangerous.

A reminder that dehydrating veggies that are frozen is so easy because all the work has already been done! You just have to open and dump on the tray and dry.

Canning supplies are in short supply right now so dehydrate and put dried food in any jar you have like a jar from spaghetti sauce or jars from jam and jellies. Our grandmothers and great grandmothers saved everything and used everything over and over and we can too.

http://strangersandpilgrimsonearth.blogspot.com/2017/08/make-your-own-mix-in-jar-kits-prepare.html - I thought you would enjoy this.

I told you last year how I saved and dried tomato skins then blended them in the blender, basically free food.

https://www.thepurposefulpantry.com/ways-to-use-tomato-powder/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=is_it_too_late_ways_to_make_and_use_tomato_powder&utm_term=2020-09-30 - here you can find how to use tomato powder.

Missy says to be safe and to bide time and to rest as well.

Gus seconds Missy's comment and again reminds you all to be safe.