A New Workshop & Frugal Accomplishments

Hello, friends.  I hope you had a lovely Thanksgiving, even if it was a bit different than previous years.  Last week, I made an online purchase at Lowes, and used their credit card, for 5% off, which is significant on the supplies bought for a large project.  J is building a workshop, where I can powder coat and pack our orders.  As it is now, I have to paint when the guys are not working in the shop, and when it's not raining or very windy.  The workshop will allow me to paint in all weather, and anytime I'd like.  I also used rewards cards redeemed with swagbucks towards the purchase, which lowered the cost almost $50 more.  I'll pay off the cc bill when I receive it, so no charges will be incurred.  On a walk, I found usnea and an oak gall.  The usnea was added to an already started tincture bottle, and the oak gall was saved for future dyeing projects, as it's a source of tannin.  Lettuce was harvested from the garden.  I finished pulling the remaining section of morning glories off the garden fence, and they were added to the burn pile.  

On Tuesday, I picked up our friend M in Durham.  As he needed groceries, and I can always pick up a few things, we made two stops on the way home.  There were no great sales at the natural food co-op, but I picked up what I needed, and at Harris Teeter, I picked up a few more cans of organic garbanzo beans at 4/$3.19, and 3# of clementines for $2.99. I keep hoping I'll find a sale on organic butter, but have not found one yet this year.  The best price I've seen is $4.49 at Aldi.  I made pumpkin soup, which used homemade broth and our pumpkin, and I harvested rosemary for the brown butter.  Chickweed and dock leaves were gathered daily for the chickens.  Thanksgiving was simple.  I made the vegi version of my grandmother's stuffing, brussels sprouts, and a fresh cranberry relish.  The version I tried this year had the addition of blueberries, and we liked it.  J made himself a small ham, and I also baked an apple pie, using apple pie filling I had previously canned, which made it very quick and easy.  I zested organic lemons and an orange, and what wasn't used for the meal was frozen.

 

On Friday, I did photo shoots for several items for my shops, so now everything is up to date.  J made great progress on the workshop, and we made some decisions about door placement and the porch.   I'd been wanting to make some more Fire Cider, and got to that on Saturday, after powder coating orders.  Fire Cider ingredients are flexible, depending on what you like and what's on hand.  This time, I had a good assortment of ingredients.  A couple of weeks ago, I picked up organic ginger and turmeric for it, and also added our garlic, onion, fresh thyme and rosemary.  One suggestion was rose hips, and I decided that was a good use of them, along with the hawthorn berries and turks cap lily fruit I'd been collecting.  An organic orange was sliced and added, as well as foraged sumac berries.  I threw in a few dried hot peppers, and some dried roselle hibiscus, then topped it off with ACV.  It will sit from 4 to 6 weeks, and hopefully I'll remember to shake it regularly.  Once strained, raw honey will be added, and it will be ready to offer some excellent immune support.  

Several small sweet potatoes were baked for dinner, and some shared with a friend.  Our home was heated with wood, and windows were opened on warmer days.  After packing orders on Sunday, I made a simple dinner of cabbage and noodles, with a green salad using some of the gifted pomegranate.  J & I worked on vacuum sealing many jars filled over the past several months, things like nuts, raisins, rice and beans.  Some jars just wouldn't seal, even after changing lids, so those will be used first.  Laundry was hung on the line, and the compost crock was emptied into the outside bin several times.  Paper and cardboard were shredded, and yogurt was made.  As we move into December, I wish you time to enjoy seasonal pleasures.