Yep, I'm late getting this post done this week. What can I say, it has been a really busy past few days!
But I'm here now, so let's get started ...
The theme for this year is "Laser focused, hunkered down and spending as little money as possible.”
We're talking gardening, bargain shopping and pantry building and how we utilize all three to keep us fed and cared for without breaking the bank!
This just keeps getting harder and harder to do, doesn't it? I hope you will share in the comments, how you're managing. We all could use some inspiration and new ideas to consider.
In the garden: My one lone pumpkin was ready to harvest this week and I, with great pomp and ceremony, took my clippers and harvested it right off the dying vine!
I have watched and babied this one pumpkin ever since I realized that it was the only one the vines were going to produce this year.
Why all the babying? It's an heirloom pie pumpkin and I wanted to at least have one so I could save the seeds. Of course we will enjoy the pumpkin, but it was those seeds that I'm after! The variety is called 'Luxury' in case you're wondering.
I harvested our sweet potatoes and as you can see it was a small harvest.
We got these from 7 plants, so if you stop to think about it, I guess that isn't too bad.
This year was a brutal growing year for us coupled with health issues for my hubby, so we are thankful for anything that gave us a harvest.
In the kitchen: A friend shared a recipe for sausage ball muffins that were supposed to taste like sausage balls. We love sausage balls, so I was eager to try it. This recipe did not disappoint!
Here's the recipe plus a few variations ...
1 lb of sausage cooked into crumbles and drained (you can substitute turkey sausage if you prefer). If your sausage is dry, I would not drain it, meaning that if it doesn't cook out much grease, then it's dry. It is my and my hubby's opinion that for making sausage balls, the greasier the sausage the better tasting the sausage balls are. Just our opinion!
1 cup Bisquick
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (you can substitute pepper jack or other varieties of cheeses)
4 eggs
onions to taste (chopped), any variety including green, leeks and shallots. I found this addition when doing a quick search online for variations of this recipe. I didn't add onions, but I don't add them in my sausage balls either.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Grease a 12-cup muffin tin, I used muffin liners that I got on clearance
In a bowl whisk eggs, stir in cheese, Bisquick and sausage
Fill muffin tins 2/3 full
Bake 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean
Thrifting, bargain, and/or loss leader shopping at the grocery store, farmers market, etc: None this week!
In the Pantry: I jarred up several herbs that have been drying and added them to the medicinal part of our pantry.
In other news:
Our hearts and prayers continue to go out and up for all those who are, were and continue to be affected by Hurricane Helene. The physical and mental experiences they are enduring will shape their future decisions on preparedness in all areas of their lives. While I will be the first to say that you cannot prepare for everything, I'll also be the first to say to prepare for what you can. While there are some who say that preparedness didn't help those who lost everything in a matter of minutes, I say, 'you're right,' but to those who didn't instantly lose everything, if they had any level of preparedness their preparedness made things doable and bearable until help could arrive. It's not an all or nothing thing. We do what we can, build a community of friends and neighbors who are willing to help each other when needed and pray for God to do the rest.
In our Winter Preps Challenge we restocked our sugar supply and that really finishes up the food part of our winter preps. I also started some cider fire for the medicinal part of my winter pantry. Next up is to get some elderberry syrup made.
In my sewing this week I did a bit of prepping the drawstring bags I'm working on such as cutting, pressing and getting everything ready to sit down at the machine and sew.Those long strips lying on top of the stack are the side handles ... in case you were wondering! You can read more about this project HERE.
The introduction to our study on Martha in our Thursday ladies Bible class has been posted HERE.
In case you missed my 'Mornings' with Me' posts this week, you can find them here ...
Mornings with Me: 9/26/24
Mornings with Me: 9/25/24
Mornings with Me: 9/24/24
That's it for me this week, what has your week looked like?
until next time,
She looketh well to the ways of her household … Proverbs 31:27
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Patsy, for all the curve balls that were lobbed in your direction this year, you're doing amazingly well. Thank you for sharing. We've met our financial goals to the best of our ability, and yesterday ordered pallets of bagged wood pellets for winter heat for our house and our son's house, which will be delivered tomorrow. Still eating through the freezer/pantry--grocery shopping has been super minimal. We have one curveball this month, but it isn't a "bad" one; my sister has had mom's house (she died 2 months ago today) on the market and there's been an offer. If the sale proceeds, DH and I will make the 2 day drive out to help empty her house in a few weeks. We feel blessed that we can do so... that I can walk unassisted and have grown stronger. --Elise
ReplyDeleteP.S. I join your prayers for all those struggling after Helene.
Elise, I hope your mom's house sells and that you can get further closure. It was very emotionally hard for me when it came to this part of taking care of my mom's affairs. I share that to give you a little heads up that this very well could be emotionally challenging, maybe just knowing it is a possibility will help you mentally prepare.
DeleteIt's good to hear that you're growing stronger, please continue to take care of yourself.
Hi Patsy. My son and his family arrived from Asheville last night. The stories were heart breaking. However the stories of neighbor helping neighbor were very encouraging in this decisive era. So yeah if you lost everything a stockpile won't help but the ones who didn't lose their homes have been able to help others.
ReplyDeleteAngela, YES! YES! YES! That is what I was trying to say ... neighbor helping neighbor, building strong relationships that will help see you through tough times. Thank you for sharing!
DeleteMy husband tried to order some firewood for the winter this week. We usually buy this from our local wildlife trust which seasons wood from trees cut down on its reserves and sells it to raise money to support its work. We were surprised to find that they had already sold all their available wood and won't have any more available until Christmas. We had forgotten that electricity rates increased yesterday, so I guess that a lot of people with open fires/woodburning stoves had the idea of using them, rather than electric heating, as much as possible this winter. Luckily our existing supplies should last us until the next lot becomes available and if we do run short we know somewhere else where we can get wood at a reasonable price.
ReplyDeleteTracy, I think you may be right about the way people are rethinking their heating options. I'm glad you have a backup plan for your own wood needs. We have to be diligent and stay on top of these things, don't we? Looking well to the ways of our households is so much more than cooking meals and keeping a clean home. It involves every aspect of our daily needs, doesn't it?
DeleteSo sorry for those affected by Helene - the pictures are incredible.
ReplyDeleteYou and your DH have continued to do so much - even with all the health concerns - and it is humbling to read how grateful you are for what your garden did produce and how you will use up and/or preserve that food.
I just baked a tray of sweet potatoes (from the grocery store) and I will mash and then freeze them in anticipation of Canadian Thanksgiving on Oct. 14th - I am cooking for a few friends so like to get as much done ahead of time as possible.
Thank you for all your posts - I don't comment very often but I do read every post.
Margie, thank you for your encouragement!
DeleteGetting ahead on holiday cooking is a good idea, I just may 'borrow' your sweet potatoes prep idea with the ones we harvested once they are cured!
Our friends that live down there said they got missed by 30 miles and was thankful, offered to take in a couple families that lost everything. Doing what they can with what they have.
ReplyDeleteWe are tightening the budget to get the mortgage paid off (with increased insurance and taxes) We are 65 and Hubby wants it paid off in 10 yrs... I am working on doing it in 5 but that means really tight when it's the food budget, electric and propane. We have our winter wood.
You have done well, and I hope things just get better.
Chef Owings, I love your determination in getting your mortgage paid off. With that attitude, I believe you will do it! Our attitude is a big part of the solution, isn't it?
DeleteI'm glad your friends missed the worse of Hurricane Helene and I'm just as glad that they are doing what they can to help those who were in its path. That's the kind of attitude that will make a difference in this horrific event.
Having just come through a week without any infrastructure I have a few suggestions for those preparing for the worst and hoping for the best.
ReplyDelete1. Trust God. He works a million small miracles in between all the big tragedies. A dear friend’s husband had a tree fall on him as he was clearing another off the road. The first car past was driven by a nurse. The DOT guys were right there to move the trees… and so on.
2.) Keep gas for a generator if you have one. Rotate it out monthly with fresh. Start your generator and let it run on the first day of the month.
3.) Keep basic supplies. Keep a weather radio. Invest in solar phone chargers. Ditto for night lighting. While solar seems to cost more, it WILL charge on most days. Turn OFF every unnecessary apps so your battery lasts longer.
4.) Keep rain barrels as you can boil the water to drink, flush toilets, and water animals. Which leads to…
5.) Make sure you have matches, lighters, and a flint for a fire, light candles or lamps, and start gas stoves or grills. Wooden are best as cardboard wicks moisture and will not stike once they are damp.
6.) Have a communication plan. Plan to meet at fire depts or emergency buildings if handy. Make a list of people and their cell numbers because you might forget or lose your phone.
7.) Know your neighbors’ contact info. Although we keep to ourselves, if a new family moves in on the Mtn, we take a welcome loaf of bread and an index card with our names and cell numbers. And we tell them call if you need help. We ask for those in return and do not bother them unless they reach out first or we need help.
8.) Watch the weather and use common sense. Our pastures flooded and our road had 16 trees down. We would have had to walk up the Mtn to get out, but we were ready because we kept an eye on the water levels.
And, lastly, pray for each other. Goodness knows, we need it now more than ever!
Matty, I'm so glad that you're okay. I hope that everyone will read and reread your comment. There is no better way to prepare then to listen to someone who has weathered a devastating event. I plan to check and recheck our preparedness using your list. Thank you so much for sharing from your hard-earned wisdom. Be careful and be safe!
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