Back In The Groove & Frugal Accomplishments

Hello, friends.  At better times, while the flu waxed and waned early in the week, I tried to do easy tasks, such as mending the sleeve on my favorite homestead sweater and going through a pile of magazines.  By Tuesday, my fever was gone, and it was the first day I felt like doing much of anything.  A load of laundry was done, and put in the dryer to minimize the physical labor needed, and some other simple things given attention  On Wednesday, I felt up to washing the bed linens and hanging them out to sanitize in the sun.  I did another round of house sanitizing, and found this list helpful.  I've mentioned both here before, but it seems a good time to say my favorite botanical disinfecting spray is here, and hand sanitizer is this one.   They're just as effective as the chemical ones, and an added benefit is they both smell amazing.

I noticed a few red rose hips still hanging onto the wild roses, and gathered them to use for tea.  A 20% off code was used for supplements, with an additional 12% code for one product.  Our library is working with the state Wildlife Commission and the Smithsonian to loan web cams for tracking wildlife.  I've signed up and taken the survey, and started some online training, requirements before you can get a camera.  Joseph & I are moving slower than usual, but managed to mix up a seed starting mixture, fill and plant one tray of seeds of kale and lettuces.  Interestingly, when we weeded the fall lettuce bed in the garden, we found quite a few new lettuce seedlings that must have found current conditions better for sprouting than last fall.  The two celery ends seem happy too.

I made it to town on Friday, and had a long list of errands to run.  I went by Tractor Supply and picked up a free candy bar while getting dog food.  At Big Lots, I found packs of bulbs to plant now, one a burgundy colored drumstick allium, and another one new to me, Triteleia Queen Fabiola.  I planted both on Saturday.  At the grocery store, I found a box of one of my favorite cookies, Carr's Whole Wheat Crackers, on the mark down shelf for $2.  One of the ends of the box had come unglued, but they looked fine in their plastic sleeve and it was two months out from expiration, so I got them.  I took all the donation boxes I'd filled to Goodwill, making some room in the shed.  I planted peas in the garden, after J readied the spot for me.  He planted walking onion sets we saved from the fall in another spot. J had the great idea to cut a hole in the garden fence, and make a walkway with tomato cages leading the few yards from the chicken yard to the garden.  He protected the few things that are growing, and the chickens are helping us clean up the weeds and bugs before planting. 

The week has been unseasonably warm, and it's been days since we needed heat.  Windows have been opened each day for fresh air.  I requested and picked up two books from the library.  I made pasta sauce using our tomatoes and herbs one night, cooked our sweet potatoes and collards another night, and made colcannon with our cabbage and a mix of ours and store bought potatoes.  Our appetites are still not back to normal. The good news is I lost a few pounds, and was back to my honeymoon weight.  I made yogurt and kefir.  I'm considering letting the kefir go.  I don't ever use it anymore, and just give a bit to the dogs daily.  I do sometimes use the yogurt myself, and the pups like it just as well, so it would be one less task to keep up with.   Three of the nest boxes were cleaned before it began raining.  I waited a little while to do the other three, but the hens were sitting and not ready to leave their boxes.  They'll have to wait for another day.  The pups and I did get a good walk in before the rain arrived.  Little by little, I'm getting back in the groove.