Even The Laundry & Frugal Accomplishments

Hello, friends.  Last week, I made Disappearing Zucchini Orzo with some of our tromboncino.  Then 4 bags of tromboncino were grated and frozen for this dish in the future.  Needing to pick up J at the airport on Monday, I realized that Trader Joe's was only 10 mins. away, so went by beforehand.  As it was close to closing, there were few people in the store, which worked out great.  This store had opened over a year ago, but I'd never been, and was happy to pick up a few favorites.  Chard was harvested before a hard freeze, and winter greens were harvested for a salad.  I found two tiny eggplant before the freeze, so harvested them too.  In oatmeal one morning, I enjoyed our figs and a passionfruit.  Usually the critters find the ripe passionfruit before I do, but I was lucky this time.  Working on using up the tromboncino, I made this chocolate zucchini cake.  I baked sweet potatoes while the oven was on.  A friend shared pomegranates with me, as she received more than she could use in an order.  Another friend shared purple stemmed elephant's ear plants and strawberry plants.  Home canned jams and preserves were shared with both of them.  Both were brief, outdoor visits with masks. I've been gathering rose hips, hawthorn berries, and the fruit of Turk's cap lily.  I believe I'll make a little syrup with them, for a tasty and medicinal treat.  Isn't that the cutest spoon rest my friend gave me?

Laundry was done, and hung on the line.  We finally had a killing frost, as predicted, so that's it for the summer garden, but how wonderful it lasted so long this year.  We'd harvested lots of green peppers, and a few that were barely ripening, recently.  As I don't care for green peppers, I decided to pickle them.  I sure don't want to waste any food this year.  Even if I still don't like them pickled, I can put them in J's salads, as he does like them.  I also used our red onions in the pickles.  Water from sterilizing the lids were used to water plants after cooling.  At Aldi, 4 cans of organic black beans were bought at .89 ea.  Winter squash and boiled peanuts were pulled from the freezer to make succotash.  Chard was sauteed with garlic, green salads were made and leftover brussels sprouts were finished.  The brussels sprouts were a new recipe we really liked.  But I'll warn you, low fat they're not.  My closet was rearranged, so the cold weather clothes are now more easily accessible.  I went through swagbucks for 3% back on a small purchase.  Two books were requested from the library.  I enjoyed visiting with my granddaughter on facetime.  She was more talkative than usual, showing me her latest schoolwork and artistic creations, which was fun.  

A friend suggested we meet for lunch at one of the picnic areas of our local zoo.  We hadn't seen each other in months, and it was a nice way to safely share a meal and catch up.   After, I picked up a part J needed in town, stopped to pick up a book at the library, and went to the discount grocery.  I got several lbs of whole grain pasta for .75 ea.  Also, raw honey for $1.99, black olives .60 and moringa powder $1.  Then, a quick run into Food Lion for dog and cat food, and cranberries, all of which were on sale, and a stop just up the road to pick up an item I ordered for a small present, to save on shipping.  Our collards, garlic, onions and pantry items were used in this dish.  The last of the summer garden was enjoyed in a breakfast scramble.  Two tiny eggplant, a tiny tromboncino, sweet pepper and cherry tomatoes were chopped, along with lambs quarter and olives.  I thought perhaps there wouldn't be any more scrambles for a while, but realized there are mushrooms, olives, the peppers I've pickled, and usually grape tomatoes in the house, so just a different sort to enjoy.

While hanging laundry on Saturday, it occurred to me that even the laundry looks different in 2020.  I'm humbled, and honestly a bit tired at the moment, from all the orders that have come into my online shops.   Besides Berkey stands, there's soap, clay pumice stone sets, hemp mitt/soap sets, compost crocks, and garden sets travelling across the country for gift giving.  It is a lovely thing to know you're playing a small part in people's holiday festivities.  It's a good thing I did the cleanse a few weeks ago, as I'm thinking this winter is likely going to require a larger than usual share of comfort food.  After powder coating orders on Sunday, I made my Mom's baked ziti, with homegrown tomato sauce, and made these brownies for dessert.  I've shared them before, but they're worth another mention.  Don't judge.  There was a green salad too.  Just saying.