A Repurposed Olive Oil Tin and Frugal Accomplishments

Carolina wren

I'm happy to be joining in with Frugal Accomplishments today.  At Aldi's, I purchased produce, cheese, and a can of organic "salad beans" @ .89.  I've not liked any of the bean salads I've tried in the past, but the can contains only garbanzo, pinto and kidney beans with sea salt.  I think they would also be fine to add to soup or serve over rice.  I also tried their organic strawberry rhubarb frozen pops.  Really good! I went back and got more pops and beans, and a watermelon.  A Carolina wren has raised a brood of little ones in a birdhouse J created from an olive oil tin a few years back.  A number of birds have checked out the tin, but this is the first one I've seen set up house in it.  It's right out our front kitchen windows, which makes it easy to keep an eye on.

self heal

I thinned our beets, and canned my first batch of pickled beets.  I planned to can 7 pints, then switch over to sliced (non-pickled) beets, and it worked out to be exactly 7 pints.  That saved me having to work with both the water bath and the pressure canner in one day.  Next round, I'll can sliced beets with the pressure canner.  The beet greens all had lots of holes in them, so the chickens got those.  I've been looking at recipes for homemade mayonnaise.  We like using mayo made with something other than soy oil, usually safflower or canola, but I also saw one that used light olive oil.  If you've ever tried making your own mayonnaise, I'd love it if you'd share your experience.

black and blue salvia, bee balm

I harvested cucumbers, tomatoes, blueberries, blackberries.  I made Asian cucumbers, and canned dill pickle relish, using some red pepper frozen from last year's garden.  I hand picked Japanese beetles several times, and fed them to the chickens.  At the discount grocery store, I got several boxes of Emergen-C, pasta, and other odds and ends.  My favorite deal was a 15 lb. box of organic quinoa for $10.  Sale price is usually about $4/lb around here!  I plan to dry can the quinoa to add to the pantry.

We visited friends on Friday, and I brought Asian cucumbers and a jar of dill relish for the cookout.  I harvested tromboncino squash, and made a pasta dish with the squash, our tomatoes, basil and rosemary for the 4th, along with a caprese salad using our tomatoes and basil.  I stayed home this 4th, pondering thoughts of my Mom.  Last 4th was a few days before my Mom passed, and the last time she spoke to me.  I'm trusting the holidays will get easier with time.

12 apostles lily

The pups got grated squash or cucumber, and chopped purslane at various meals. I made yogurt and kefir, and weeded & thinned the carrots. All the carrot greens and end bits were frozen for broth.  I canned a batch of mixed berry syrup.  I'm dehydrating the seeds and pulp for bird suet.  The time of year when I begin to get overwhelmed with all the produce needing attention has arrived.  Remaining grateful for the bounty and doing what I can each day will help me get through, I believe.