From My Home to Yours: 10/30/31

 From My Home to Yours

10/30/26

~ So Long October! ~

October, in our area, started off with sweltering temperatures ranging from the low 90's to 100 degrees and ended with highs in the 70's!  Let me tell you we welcomed those more normal temps for our area with open arms!

(a rose from one of my rose bushes ... yes, in October)

We have been the recipients of much giving this week ...

Someone gave these walnuts and hazelnuts to my hubby while at work.   Both will be used in baked goods and or snack mixes!

A friend at church shared her bounty of sweet potatoes with us ... they had a bumper crop this year!  Isn't that what God wants us to do, share our abundance!  Hmmm ... roasted sweet potatoes; sweet potato fries; baked sweet potatoes; sweet potato pie; sweet potato casserole and more are in our future!  No preserving needed as they are well cured and will last until we finish eating them throughout the fall and winter!

Last week I received an early Christmas gift from one of my readers!!!  This lady is so very talented and blesses me with the work of her hands during the holiday season.   Her surprise came at just the right time to give me the pick-me-up that I needed.  (I have a whole new admiration for caretakers.)

 Stephanie, I put the Tim Tam in the freezer to bring out during the holidays for that little taste of Australia you mentioned.  Thank you, may you be abundantly blessed!    

I finished this unfinished sewing project this week ... it's special to me.  This bag is made from a quilt that hubby and I were given when we got married over 45 years ago.  I don't remember who gave it to us, but I do know that it was hand made and hand quilted.  The quilt had become worn, had several holes and was beyond repair, however, I was able to salvage enough  to make this bag.  Yes, the fabrics are a bit faded but that holds it's own special memories.  I plan to add a note and attach it to the bag regarding it's special place in my heart so that when my time on earth is over, those left behind will understand it's place in my life.  In the meantime, it is home to the drawstring bags I am stitching up for gift giving purposes.  The drawstring bags are lightweight and aren't too heavy for the bag.  I looped the handles over a doorknob to an inside door that seldom gets closed, I think it looks great hanging there!

(meatloaf we enjoyed last week)

In the kitchen I made 2 meatloaves and cooked them, both were added to the freezer part of our pantry.  I froze both as I had made a meatloaf the week before and we weren't ready for meatloaf again just yet.

I roasted some of the butternut squash I harvested a few weeks ago, oh my was it ever good!  The taste just burst in my mouth, the flavor of homegrown produce, it has been my experience, far outweighs mass produced produce.  Whenever possible, I always opt for home grown!

In the garden our cool weather crops continue to grow and grow.  I'm watching the forecast closely as our average frost date is upon us.  I have several herbs to harvest before that first killing frost happens ... maybe I should just go ahead and get started!!!!

For the pantry I'm watching for sales on whole turkeys.  In the past during the month of November, I've been able to find them for $.29/lb with a $35 purchase.  I hope the store that runs that deal does so again this year.  If I can find the deal, I'll be canning turkey for use throughout the year!  You can't beat the price!

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I did a little more 'fall' decorating this week, not much, mainly adding touches of fall color here and there around our home.  I call it 'fluffing' my home, nothing major, just several little things that add up to the ambience I am striving to make and maintain.  What's the ambience I'm going for  ... for this fall and winter, it's cozy, warm and welcoming.

The joy is in the journey!

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My Christmas preps are coming right along.  This week I finished updating our Christmas card list that we mail as well as the list for the ones we hand-deliver.  I also checked my Christmas gift wrapping supplies and we are in good shape there.  The last thing I did Christmas related was to purchase our Christmas cards.  Once I have the cards in hand, I can start working on a theme.  I like to include something a little extra with the cards and that's where having a 'theme' comes in handy!

I did more baking for the holidays and gift-giving ... 4 loaves of banana bread were added to our freezer.  I'm seriously considering doing a sampler type gift in a tin/box/bag of 3 different breads (one slice of each individually wrapped ... applesauce, banana and sourdough breads). What are your thoughts, is that a gift you would like to receive? 

My sister and I are nearing the end of our holiday sewing project ... drawstring bags for gift giving purposes.  I hope to be able to share pictures next week!

The joy is in the journey!

___________________________

I finished reading book 8 in the Bregdan Chronicles, Shifted By The Winds by Ginny Dye and started reading book #9, Always Forward by the same author in the same series.

Ladies, lesson 6 of our Bible study on Anna has been posted HERE!  

The final week of our October pantry challenge, week #4,  has been posted HERE!  Week #1 pantry challenge for November will be posted tomorrow, so be sure and check back.

That's it for this week, I hope you've found something in my ramblings that will help and or encourage you in the upcoming week.

Until the next time ...  

mrs. patsi @ A Working Pantry  

~ quietly holding the home front ~

Sharing 46 years' experience of frugal living and pantry building (if you include my frugal childhood, well that would add several more years to my experience!)

She looketh well to the ways of her household … Proverbs 31:27 

Other Places You Can Find Me ...

Grandma's Got a Sewing Machine 

From This Heart of Mine  

Mrs. Patsi on Instagram

Disclaimer: Some of the links in this post may be affiliate links.  This means that if you click on the link and place an order, etc I earn a small fee at no increased cost to you. Thank you for your support through these means. 

Thank you for using my Amazon affiliate link when placing your Amazon orders. I earn a small percentage that doesn't increase what you pay.

If you are encouraged by what you read here, please consider supporting my work via one of the following ways. Your expressions of appreciation help me keep my pantry well-stocked and me motivated to keep on keeping on with my attempts to inspire and encourage you (Titus 2:3-5) through my writings!

From My Home to Yours: 10/23/26

 From My Home to Yours

10/23/26

~ Frugal Choices We Made This Week ~

My hubby is back at work ... him and his walker, that is!  His boss told him that if he could just come and sit and supervise, it would be so helpful, so that's what he is doing.  Only, it's a lot more complicated than it sounds ... he can't drive.  That means that I'm his chauffer to and from work.  I said all that to say this ... when I drop him off at his work place, I stop at a local grocery store and shop their mark downs.  Since it is so early, I've been able to literally come behind the butcher, within 30 minutes or less, as he marks meats down giving me close to first choice.  I have gotten some really good deals and our freezer that we lost half of it's contents about a month ago, is slowly being restocked.  God is good!

I froze apple juice that I had left over from another pantry preserving project.  Instead of letting it sit in the refrigerator until it had to be tossed, I decided to divide it up into smaller containers and freeze it.  Waste not, want not!

I also had some apples that I needed to do something with so I made and canned chunky applesauce.

~ the loaves turned out perfect for gift giving or taking to a potluck ~

I had enough applesauce left over to make applesauce bread.  I let it cool, wrapped it really well and put it in the freezer for holiday gift giving and or use.  (I have a list of items I plan to cook and freeze for holiday gift giving and or use.)

I started making a potato flake sourdough bread starter with the intention of doing the same ... make bread, freeze ... use as gifts and or use as needed.

In the garden I did very little except for watering and watching it grow.  Our temps were and are in the 70's during the days and our fall garden is loving it ... the carrots are up, the beets are up, the garlic is pushing out green foliage from the ground, the collards are thriving as are the cabbage, broccoli and brussels sprouts.  I'm still continuing to get the occasional rose to bring inside and enjoy as well.

Our 'purple' greenhouse that we were working on with the intention of growing food in throughout the winter has been put on the back burner until spring.  By then, hubby should be recovered enough that we can resume our efforts.  Yes, it makes us sad, but we have resolved to not dwell on it.  (Sometimes, we have to do that don't we ... resolve ... make up our minds ... put it in God's Hands and move on.) We have so much to be thankful for that not getting to complete a project seems insignificant.

I finished putting together "Boo" mail for our grands and got it all in the mail.  I can't wait to 'see' or 'hear' from them once they get their 'G & G' mail!

I also got our 'fall' themed dishes out, washed them up and we have started using them.  I don't have many and they are a mismatched lot to be sure, but that was and is what I want.  It's fun to go thrifting for 'fall' themed dishes at thrift stores and yard sales!

The joy is in the journey!

(This is what we're going for ... I made this one back in the summer.)

My sister and I started our annual 'holidays' sewing project long distance via technology.  This year we're making drawstring bags with plans to stuff them with holiday goodies for gift giving.  We really do enjoy our annual tradition of making something together during the holiday season ... sometimes we laugh so hard ... well you know!

In addition this week, I started compiling our Christmas card list of those whom we hand deliver cards either at church or along with a hand-delivered gift locally.  I also compiled our Christmas card list of those we mail cards to via the postal service. 

I got my Christmas journal out and saw that it was already set up for Christmas 2026.  I did that last year as part of my 'after the holidays' packing things away for another year chore.

Here are the 'pages' I have labeled that serve me well each year:

Christmas Card Message page ... throughout the year I keep my eyes and ears open for a 'saying' or 'quote' to go in our Christmas cards.  When I find it I write it down on this page, then at the appropriate time, I add it to the cards as part of our holiday greeting.

Cards Hand Delivered page ... I write down who we hand deliver cards to so I don't forget anyone!

Cards Mailed page ... I keep a list of these as well for the same reason.

Gifts page ... I list the people we give gifts too and when a gift has been purchased, made, etc, I write down what by the recipient's name.  It's so helpful to be able to look back on prior years and see what we've given to whom!

Activities page ... I list the holiday related activities we participate in for that year.

and the last page is so very important ...

Notes for _____ (the next year) page ... on this page I write what holiday supplies I need to restock, what I have an abundance of, what worked really well and what did not work.  I also include what was stressful and what not to do again. 

It's nothing fancy and doesn't include a lot of things many Christmas journals do that we don't use, it meets our needs and is a beautiful reminder of our holiday seasons.  In fact, I guess you could say it might even be considered a walk down memory lane of Christmas' past!

(Sidenote:  I love decorating each page with stickers, doodles and of course my supply of colored ink pens get a workout as well!  It's all very personal, pretty to me, and mine!)

The joy is in the journey!

I finished reading book 7 of the Bregdan Chronicles, Glimmers of Change, by Ginny Dye and started reading book 8, Shifted By The Winds by the same author.   

Ladies, lesson 5 of our Bible study on Anna has been posted HERE!

Week #3 of our October pantry challenge has been posted HERE!  We'd love it if you'd join in!

In closing, I want to say a big 'THANK YOU' to all who have reached out to us, who are praying for us and have shown an abundance of care and concern to us during the last 2 weeks.   It's been hard ... and still is in many ways, but knowing that others are 'holding us up' means so much to our weary hearts.  Thank you for being the hands and feet of Jesus!  May you be abundantly blessed!

That's it for this week, I hope you've found something in my ramblings that will help and or encourage you in the upcoming week.

Until the next time ...  

mrs. patsi @ A Working Pantry  

~ quietly holding the home front ~

Sharing 46 years' experience of frugal living and pantry building (if you include my frugal childhood, well that would add several more years to my experience!)

She looketh well to the ways of her household … Proverbs 31:27 

Other Places You Can Find Me ...

Grandma's Got a Sewing Machine 

From This Heart of Mine  

Mrs. Patsi on Instagram

Disclaimer: Some of the links in this post may be affiliate links.  This means that if you click on the link and place an order, etc I earn a small fee at no increased cost to you. Thank you for your support through these means. 

Thank you for using my Amazon affiliate link when placing your Amazon orders. I earn a small percentage that doesn't increase what you pay.

If you are encouraged by what you read here, please consider supporting my work via one of the following ways. Your expressions of appreciation help me keep my pantry well-stocked and me motivated to keep on keeping on with my attempts to inspire and encourage you (Titus 2:3-5) through my writings!

From My Home to Yours: 9/16/26

 From My Home to Yours

10/16/26

~ At Least the Weather was Beautiful! ~

First, I want to thank everyone for your comments and prayers from last week's post regarding my hubby's fall.  My time is really full right now and I've simply not had the time to reply.  Please know, however that I have read every one and appreciate so much each and every one that was made.  

I am going to try to keep writing my weekly posts, the timing may get a bit off from time to time, but just know that I am doing the best I can.

(This little guy was sitting in a window at a fast food restaurant hubby and I stopped at right before we got home from our day trip last week ... the evening of the day he fell!  I just had to snap his picture.)

We knew this week would be challenging, and it was ... but the challenging parts were by far out numbered by the love, care and concern shown to us.

Hubby met with an orthopedic doctor and had confirmed what the emergency room doctor had said ...

broken wrist in two places  (the wrist splint was replaced with a cast)

broken foot ( the foot splint was replaced with a walking boot)

The hit on the head, rib cage and knee, while all related to the fall, don't  involve broken bones or structural damage, just tissue trauma.  He has some extra-large bruises and contusions, but  given time those should heal without further medical care.

Hubby's orthopedic doctor, after conferring with a podiatrist in the same practice, made the determination that the foot would not need surgery.  Both doctors felt the foot would heal on it's on ... we were and are so thankful.  Prayers were answered and we give God the glory!

Dear hubby picked up a few more bruises, when the orthopedics office let him fall when they took him to do more x-rays.  I felt so sorry for him!

I promise not to make every post about my hubby's injury, but I felt like I owed everyone an update ... you all have been so kind and supportive.

So, besides doctor's appointments, rearranging the house so that hubby could move around on his walker and caring for his needs, what else have I been up to ...

I was almost out of the nutritional smoothie mix that I add to my smoothie each morning, so I made up another batch.  Here's what I added this time ... equal parts ...

chia seeds

flax seeds (flax seed meal works too, I didn't have any on hand)

nutritional yeast

wheat germ

dried nettles (crushed)

Mix all together and store in refrigerator.  I add about a tablespoon to my morning smoothie every morning.

I also made up a batch of protein balls, these are very good!  Here's where I got the recipe and I followed it as it is written.

For the upcoming week, I need to preserve apples and my sister and I will be starting our annual Christmas sewing project that we do each year ... long distance ... via technology.  In the past we've done Christmas quilts, a fall quilt, oven door towels and this year we are doing drawstring bags that we plan to use for holiday gift giving purposes.  We plan to fill them with snacks and/or homemade goodies and gift them this holiday season.

I continued reading in book 7 of the Bregdan Chronicles, Glimmers of Change, by Ginny Dye.   Since hubby can't drive, I've had opportunity to do some sitting and waiting as I chauffeured him around to places he needed to or had to go.

Ladies, lesson 4 of our Bible study on Anna has been posted HERE!

Week #2 of our October pantry challenge has been posted HERE!  We'd love it if you'd join in!

That's it for this week, I hope you've found something in my ramblings that will help and or encourage you in the upcoming week.

Until the next time ...  

mrs. patsi @ A Working Pantry  

~ quietly holding the home front ~

Sharing 46 years' experience of frugal living and pantry building (if you include my frugal childhood, well that would add several more years to my experience!)

She looketh well to the ways of her household … Proverbs 31:27 

Other Places You Can Find Me ...

Grandma's Got a Sewing Machine 

From This Heart of Mine  

Mrs. Patsi on Instagram

Disclaimer: Some of the links in this post may be affiliate links.  This means that if you click on the link and place an order, etc I earn a small fee at no increased cost to you. Thank you for your support through these means. 

Thank you for using my Amazon affiliate link when placing your Amazon orders. I earn a small percentage that doesn't increase what you pay.

If you are encouraged by what you read here, please consider supporting my work via one of the following ways. Your expressions of appreciation help me keep my pantry well-stocked and me motivated to keep on keeping on with my attempts to inspire and encourage you (Titus 2:3-5) through my writings!

From My Home to Yours: 10/9/26

  From My Home to Yours

10/9/26

~ Frugaling Up! ... It's Time! ~

The theme of this week's post says it all ... we're getting more serious about being frugal! I'm getting serious about making as many of the things as possible that we purchase from the grocery store.  As a child growing up, we lived a very frugal life.  We either made, grew, foraged or raised almost everything we ate and while I don't expect to match what my parents did, I know that I can do better than I have been doing.   So, this week ...

I started paying more attention to everything we use and or consume.

When it came time to do laundry this week, I measured more carefully the amount of detergent I used based on the dirtiness and size of the load I was washing.

When I made my breakfast smoothie, I followed the measurements for the ingredients instead of just eyeballing them and dumping them in.  Yes, eyeballing and dumping is quicker and easier, but within a couple of days measuring was getting easier to do.  I was surprised how much more of some ingredients I was using than the measured amount called for!

I only used the dryer for drying hubby's jeans, our bed linens and our towels.  Everything else got hung to dry in our oversized shower.  I pull out a shower curtain rod and extend it over the shower tub to hang our clothing that we don't put in the dryer.

And so it begins, our journey to be even more frugal!

Besides being more frugal, here's what else I/we got up to this week ...

We were able to spend several days working on the greenhouse and are making progress!   We've done this project ourselves working it in and around hubby's work, our appointments and life in general.  Naturally, it has taken us longer, but we are saving lots of money by 'doing it ourselves!'    Speaking of saving money on the greenhouse renovation, we ran out of the paint hubby had gotten for less than half price because it had been returned or mixed wrong at the store. With this previous purchase in mind, hubby went back to the same store and found another gallon of paint, same situation, same quality of paint ... different color!  He purchased it anyway ... for $11!  So now, our newly renovated greenhouse is not green, nor blue ... it's a deep purple!!!!  This truly is going to be a 'unique' greenhouse in more ways than one, but we're keeping more of our money in our pockets as a result!

I worked quite a bit in the garden this week in and around helping hubby do what I could do.  Since the greenhouse is very near the garden area, I would work in the garden and hubby would call me when he needed my assistance.  

I planted:

brussels sprouts

broccoli

carrots

beets

garlic

cleaned up and amended one raised bed

harvested our turmeric (It was the smallest turmeric harvest I can remember having.)

harvested our sweet potatoes (again, not a good harvest.  The extreme heat and drought really affected our ability to grow a garden this summer.  We are used to gardening in hot and humid weather, but this year the heat was excessive without a break ... we need to come up with a plan in case next year is a repeat.)

I moved one raised bed out of the orchard as the trees have gotten big enough that it was getting a bit too much shade.  I relocated it to a more sunny spot.   

I'm also redoing our container garden area ... oh my, there's lots to do to get ready for next year's gardening.   I work a little while and I rest a little while.  It's how I get things done!

We took a day trip one day this week and oh my, did we enjoy ourselves.  About this same time a year ago we did the same thing and went to a neighboring state that had a small Amish community.  We went back to the same place this week and pretty much did the same things:

attended an Amish produce auction and brought back broccoli

visited the Amish cheese store where they make cheese and brought back cheese

visited an apple orchard and brought back apples

I'll be working on preserving the broccoli and apples in the upcoming week; it was a really nice trip, we got to enjoy a little bit of leaf color and we were able to build up our pantry as well.  But alas, as much as we enjoyed ourselves, it was good to get back home ... there's just no place like home, is there!

My cell phone had some problems this week and I was afraid I was going to have to replace it.  I really prayed about this as that's not an expense we wanted to have right now ... and ... I was able to identify the problem the next day and figure out a solution.  You can bet I stopped and praised and thanked God when everything was put to right again.   I'm so glad that God hears my prayers regardless of how insignificant they may be in the grand scheme of things!  I hope that you know that if it's important to you/me, it's important to God.

We're getting serious about prepping for Christmas,  here's what I did this week!

I chose a gift for the women in our church's ladies Bible class and found that I have everything on hand to make it/them.  

The things that I make are not elaborate or expensive and I always make one for myself as well.  I like to receive practical quality gifts that don't break the bank and I like to gift them as well.  (I'm very intentional on the gifts we give being practical and purposeful even if the recipient knows what they're getting.)  The joy is in the journey!

We love the fall and Thanksgiving holiday season too, here's what I did this week for fall/Thanksgiving prep!

I'm putting together "Boo" mail for our grands.  You know this grandma has to send something to her grands for each of the upcoming holidays!  I'll try to have a picture tutorial up next week.

The joy is in the journey!

I continued reading in book 7 of the Bregdan Chronicles, Glimmers of Change, by Ginny Dye.  I finished listening to Rocky Mountain Journey by Misty M. Beller.

I started crocheting some dishcloths while riding in the vehicle this week.  I need to replace some of my 'well-worn' ones with new ones and since I have everything on hand that I need, it seemed like a frugal solution to what could otherwise be an expensive replacement.  

Ladies, lesson 3 of our Bible study on Anna has been posted HERE!

Week #1 of our October pantry challenge has been posted HERE!  We'd love it if you'd join in!

If you're still with me in reading this post, I want to tell you that most all of it was written before Friday, before 'a thing' happened ... 'a thing' that has so encompassed our world since that I just didn't think I would or could post this week at all.  My hubby fell Friday night, broke some bones and has been told by the ER doctor that he is likely facing surgery as a result of one of the breaks.  This changes our winter plans in just about every way.

I am so thankful that I listened to those little bells in my head that were urging me to get us prepared for winter.  Have I gotten everything on my winter preparedness list done, no, but the things that are left are small and doable in small increments.  They are the 'luxuries' of getting through the winter and while they would be nice, are not required.

Fellow Christians have rallied around us in such a loving way and my heart, while exhausted and weary at the moment, is overflowing with love and gratitude for each of them.  Our church is not a big congregation, but oh the fellowship and love that we have for one another is nothing short of amazing.  If you don't have this kind of Christian family, I urge you to seek it aggressively.  I urge you to go to God in prayer and ask Him to lead you to one.  When you find the congregation that teaches the whole truth of God's Word and that truly loves one another, you have indeed found a rare gem.

If you are of a mind, would you join me in praying for my hubby, that his injuries will heal quickly without complications and that he will soon be back to his normal activities.  Thank you in advance!

That's it for this week, I hope you've found something in my ramblings that will help and or encourage you in the upcoming week.

Until the next time ...  

mrs. patsi @ A Working Pantry  

~ quietly holding the home front ~

Sharing 46 years' experience of frugal living and pantry building (if you include my frugal childhood, well that would add several more years to my experience!)

She looketh well to the ways of her household … Proverbs 31:27 

Other Places You Can Find Me ...

Grandma's Got a Sewing Machine 

From This Heart of Mine  

Mrs. Patsi on Instagram

Disclaimer: Some of the links in this post may be affiliate links.  This means that if you click on the link and place an order, etc I earn a small fee at no increased cost to you. Thank you for your support through these means. 

Thank you for using my Amazon affiliate link when placing your Amazon orders. I earn a small percentage that doesn't increase what you pay.

If you are encouraged by what you read here, please consider supporting my work via one of the following ways. Your expressions of appreciation help me keep my pantry well-stocked and me motivated to keep on keeping on with my attempts to inspire and encourage you (Titus 2:3-5) through my writings!