The Lettuce is Pulled and the Week Was Lazy!

Today is a hot and humid day in the South.  I got ready to go to the grocery, but I'm waiting until a little latter when the sun is not so glaring.

The week has been quiet, The lettuce has been pulled from the garden and washed a few times to make it sparkling clean.  Dinner will have a salad of lettuce and chick peas along with some barbeque pork that has been in the freezer.  A small piece of the French bread I made on Friday will be an addition so I can sop up the salad dressing.  Earlier this week I made some tuna salad which netted
three sandwiches.  The first one was a grilled tuna with cheese and tomato while the other two went into the refrigerator for later meals.  I ate from the cupboards this week to use up some items.  The refrigerator is mostly bare now, as well.

I forgot that I lined the refrigerator door tray the milk goes in
so the glass bottles wouldn't slide around when the door was opened
or closed.

I used a shelf liner from the dollar store in the refrigerator.
This has been working well because I don't hear the bottles
shifting around when I open the door.
 

The lettuce needed to get pulled because the temperature
has gotten too high.  I didn't let it bolt this time because
I think I will take a readers suggestion and use the space for
something else next year.


 

I live on the Inter Coastal Waterways which separates my house from the eldest daughter's house.  When vessels need to pass through, the bridge is raised.  On the way home last night the bridge was up so I took a detour and went to the dollar store to see if they had sunglasses that would fit over my glasses.  In a few minutes I was back in the car with sun glasses on.  I don't know how much I saved by going to the dollar store, but I'm sure it was over 10.00. ( a conservative estimate)

My accomplishments were few this week.  The grass was clipped, the lettuce pulled and the soil turned.  Two loads of wash plus sheets along with the small things I do every day to keep order in the house. (dishes, make the bed, etc.) 

Not much is going on which makes me content.  The days of running around like a chicken without a head are over for me.  Thankfully I have the pleasure of choosing what I want to do now.  It has not always been like that.  Now my days start when I choose while in the past they started at five in the morning and went non stop until at least ten in the evening.  I think I would drop over if I still had to live like that.

What have you been up to this week?

Memories of A Sailor and Current Things

The weekend was so active that I haven't gone out this week with the exception of a dollar store trip with my daughter.  Morning wake up time has been normal, but I fall back to sleep an hour or so after I wake up.

Pretty pup basked in the sun as I planted a few seeds.  I added to the parsley pot, planted some marigold seeds at the edge of the garden, and planted a few heirloom melon seeds in the bare spot that was created when I pulled the radishes.

A few minutes to watch some videos and I was sleeping again.  I have favorite videos I watch that include ideas about decorating, cooking, and organizing.  The last few days, however, I have been watching dollar store haul videos.  I'm ashamed to call my finds 'hauls'.  These women really haul. I thought I had an addiction to nice paper, but I'm a novice compared to these ladies. They purchase multiple stickers, tape and paper items.  One girl had three large bins filled with pads of paper.  I'm not sure there would be enough years to use it all.  The dollar stores are a great resource for keeping life frugal, but These hauls bring a new meaning to the word frugal.. 

The Dollar Tree has some great food finds, such as the frozen fruits and veggies that contain no additives or preservatives, brand name breads, and even pure and organic foods.  Most of the gift wrap is made in the USA and the tape is a national brand.  I love the washi tape they have as well as the seeds and garden hand tools.  I try to remember to visit the store before I shop for anything else on my list because there is a chance the store has an item on my list.  This week I picked up a pair of small wire cutters and a box of Cow Tails.  This is where I buy bubble gum to have when the sugar cravings hit, too.  I can't say I've never bought labels there because I have.  A total of three packs to use in various projects is enough.  I love to look at everything, but for the most part I go to a dollar store with items in mind.  Most of the time I am successful.

As the saying goes in this part of the country, 'Bless their little hearts' for loving that store.


This is Bob with our son many years ago when Jr. first learned 
to ride his bike.
 

Cooking hasn't been on the agenda this week so far as I brought food home from a picnic we had on Monday.  Memorial Day and Veteran's Day have a deep meaning for my family.  It is because of the service my husband did for our country that he is no longer with us.  This fact is in the back of our minds and each of us is reminded through the weekend of our great loss.  To us, it is a great loss.  My husband was the best dad and a great husband.  To us he was perfect, even his faults were perfect. We remember those faults with a combination of laughter and quiet tears.  He will never be forgotten by his family.  The pain and suffering he endured most of his adult life will always be remembered with sadness, yet his infectious smile will be remembered with love.





Bob with one of our new born grandchildren a couple of months before he passed.
He loved children and felt honored to protect and care for them.

Bob was a man's man.  So when a fellow staffer was astonished when he found out Bob believed in God, Bob's reply was he wanted to err on the safe side.  The man was puzzled by this response.  Bob went on to explain his philosophy - If there was a God and he didn't believe, there would be hell to pay.(literally) If there wasn't a God and he believed there was, there was no consequence.  LOL!  Only Bob could get someone thinking about such a subject.

The tomato plants are doing so well that I gave one to my daughter and I transplanted one into another large pot.  I have a total of four in two pots.  They seem to like their home in the front yard.  I hope they continue to grow and produce lots of fruit.  This will be the last year I plant them if these plants fail.

I haven't really accomplished much this week.  One of the bigger projects was to clean the garage.  I swept it and sprayed home made bug spray.  Videos were also a big part of my week.

What did you do this week?  I bet it was more than I did! LOL


Stay safe.

The Weekend

I'm not sure when this will get posted, but this morning is a sunny, yet cool early Sunday morning.  Since the term 'cool' is relative I'd define it in this area as being in the 60s.  As soon as I got out of bed the garden got a visit.  Among the plants that were woken up to my prodding were the marigolds and dill.  Both are in pots as seedlings with little production.  Each pot has only two seedlings peaking out.  I aerated the soil and gave them a drink placing them on the patio table where both of the plants will get more sunlight.

The radish experiment did not go well (I didn't cull the seeds when they were babies to see what would happen.)  The space was needed for additional food, so I pulled the radishes and weeded the area to make room for something else.  I also amended the soil with compost, egg shells, and coffee grounds.  A rest for a couple of days and something else will go in the space.  I may plant a melon plant knowing the spinach will be pulled as soon as seeds are formed.  Since the spinach is next to the radish space I'm hoping there will be plenty of room for a melon plant or two.

The beans have not broken through the soil yet, but the sunflowers have.  There are four flowers along the fence near the gate.

Saturday was fun because my eldest daughter picked me up to take me shopping for tops.  I found two - a black and a white one - at Target on sale for 5.40 each.  If they last a year, I'll be satisfied. Then we had to go to the book store with the kids in tow.  Each of them can choose ten dollars worth of books that grandma will happily pay for.  I bought one book and my daughter picked up one, as well.

At home we went our separate ways, me for a short nap and her to the YMCA for a lay by the poolside with my other daughter.  Of the two in the Northeast, one had a garage sale and the other spent quiet time at their cottage.

My daughter in law posted some of the items for sale in the garage sale on Facebook.  The eldest spotted a toy police car in a box of hot wheels and requested that be sent to her.  I told her she had eagle eyes to have spotted that car in the box of many.  Since her husband is a peace officer they collect little police cars.  Not too many, though.

I have no plans for today, but since it is Sunday (the day of rest) I will not do any housework other than dishes and make the bed.  It's difficult for me to go an entire day without the bed made up.  Even when all four kids were growing up my bed was made most days.  My mother in law, who had eight children, told me if a bed is made and the dishes were done a home felt more comfortable,  I took that to heart because she was a wise lady.

While I have been writing about organization, I have also been working on an organizational project.  The master bedroom closet has been receiving a tweaking.  This is the perfect time since I finally changed over winter clothes for summer ones.

The closet is a nice size so I've tried to use it to it's fullest advantage without crowding and cluttering it up.  The closet not only holds my clothes it holds: shoes, a sewing basket, craft items, medicines stored on a shelf so the kiddos don't get into them, winter sweaters in bins, extra pillows, stuffed animals that my grands have given me, and a tray displaying the scent items I use.  A picture hangs on the back wall that was a birthday gift from the COO of the company I worked for.  The picture is a reminder of the good times during that season of my life.




Summer clothes and a couple of winter tops in case the weather
dips.  I also keep the four dresses I own in here all year.  Two
for winter, two for summer.  All pans stay in this closet, as well.
Dressy pants can be worn in any season.

These bins hold craft supplies and medicines/ toiletries.

The bins on the top shelf hold winter sweaters and socks.


Stay safe.
Angie

Areas That Are Most Encouraging to De Clutter and Organize, Part 3

In most homes the kitchen is the area with the most need for organizing.  If this area is un organized, then a habit of not wanting to cook meals can easily sneak into our spirits.  I know if I leave dishes in the sink I have little desire to cook because it means more dishes.  Keep the sink empty?  Too easy of a solution.  Use the dishwasher?  Not frugal friendly for a one person household.  To beat this lazy habit I have decided if washing a dish takes less than 30 seconds, I will do  it right then.  (Make no mistake, I can be lazy in the this area.)

Space - or real estate - is costly and precious to most of us.  Using it in it's most productive way is imperative for a pleasant experience in the kitchen.  Here are a few ways to maximize and organize kitchen spaces.

The utensil drawer:  If you empty out this drawer and take stock of what's in there, you will most likely find items that 1. you seldom use and 2. items that are doubles or can perform the same function.   How many slotted spoons reside in that drawer?  Are there more than three wooden spoons?  Are the other wood utensils that came with the wooden spoon ever used?  One way of making more room in the drawer is to use a utensil holder near the stove.  Items that are used most often can reside in the holder.  If you don't have one on hand, using any tall container, such as a water pitcher or canning jar, will serve .the need.

The famous linens drawer.  Mine recently got revamped.  The linen napkins were placed in the closet with the table cloths and I rolled the kitchen towels to allow for a more organized drawer.  Next to the rolled towels there is room for the wraps I use the most for storing foods in the refrigerator or covering when cooking.  This includes plastic wrap, foil, parchment paper.  (I use a cloth washcloth when needed while I eat.)

You may recall that I have a penchant for kitchen linens.  I now rotate them placing the ones I have for decoration in the one dedicated drawer in the bedroom for my 'pretties'.

To add to this, I use three sets of towels in the kitchen.  One to look nice as a decoration hanging from the oven door, one for drying hands that hangs on the refrigerator door handle, and one for drying dishes which is usually covering the draining dishes,   They are kept in separate areas and have different patterns so they don't get mixed up.  Why bother to wash dishes by hand in hot soapy water then dry them with a germy dish towel?

Do you have a junk drawer in the kitchen?  How many pairs of scissor are in there?  Or rubber bands?  Or tape dispensers, pens, pads of note paper?  Emptying it to go through the items will be worth the time invested.  Perhaps enough room could be found to put other items such as cells in there. 

When the project is complete I think you'll discover more space to use for the items that are actually utilized for cooking.  I have only five drawers.  Here's a breakdown of what's in them.

Junk drawer:  Note paper, tape, pens, pencil, tacks (in a small container),  Just those little things we use but can't really be categorized.

The junk drawer.  It's not a study in perfection, but at this time it
serves my needs.  Yours, too, should be personalized to serve
your family's needs.

Silverware drawer:  This is a small one and can only hold the silverware we use to set the table with.

Utensil drawer:  This one is the least pleasing to me, but contains items I use often like scissors, can opener, bench scraper, tea ball, etc.

Knife drawer:  This holds the kitchen scale, knives, and pot holders

Towel drawer:  Towels, dish cloths, and wraps are stored in this one.

Towels are fold in half the short way, then folded again.  The ends are brought
 in to meet each other, then folded again.  I found this saved enough room to put
the wraps in the drawer where they are easily accessed.

All drawers, with exception of the junk drawer, are utilized for items that pertain to cooking.  The junk drawer is for ease of use.  I may rethink this one at a future date.

Let's move on to the glass and mug cupboard.  Most homes have an over abundance of these mis - matched items.  Old plastic water bottles, cracked plastic cups, souvenir cups from a ball game, to name a few.  Going through these items and pitching the ones that no longer are reached for can  free up quite a bit of space.  If you find you're having an emotional attachment to the cup you received at an event, keep in mind you will always remember the event in your spirit.  The smile comes from a memory, not the item saved.  The new found space can be used for serving bowls or something that you use most often.

Food storage containers can also be an area that needs organization.  This is where I'm at, at  the moment. I've been trying to figure out what my needs are.  I know that left overs, in my case, are small.  I also know whatever I choose, the shape needs to be consistent for stacking in the refrigerator.  Currently the plastic containers that soup comes in from a restaurant are the choice.  I like the size and shape so I may stick with them - but not too many.

If all of this talk about organizing the kitchen is overwhelming, look at just one of the areas at a time.  It took me a few months to organize and down size.  The time passes anyway, might as well use it to benefit you and your family.

Stay safe.

Organization, Part 2, How Many Do I Need?

No one understands the concept of, 'I may need this some day',  better than I do.  It began as a child when the only treat we received was a pack of five sticks of gum to last for the seven day week.  The pack of gum concept was introduced to me when I was six or seven - with no instructions on possible ways I could make it last.

I began by splitting two pieces in half thereby have my treat each day of the week.  From there I discovered that chewing half a stick was just as gratifying as consuming a whole stick, so I began using a half a stick a day.  My stockpile grew out of hand because the gum eventually became stale.  I still used it, but softening it was a chore.   This is when I learned about rotating stock.

As an adult when we had four children and loads of chronic illness in our home I saved EVERY glass jar, EVERY rubber band and paper clip.  EVERY everything!  I had no where to store the items I used every day in an organized manner because the 'reusable' items took up lots of space..  If you know me at all, you'll understand how de stabilizing this was to me.

Then one day - when I was about to clean and save a rubber band that was wrapped around a veggie -I stopped and thought about how many rubber bands I actually used. Maybe four a year.  Then why did I have a whole peanut butter jar filled with them?  Soon I realized I would never use the number of jars, or the paper clips, or anything else I thought I was in need of.  This was the beginning of the de cluttering process for me.

 Fear (of being in need) can be disabling.  We can carry it around with us like an old friend, but really it's an old adversary.  Have you ever noticed how quiet it is?  It's favorite hiding place is in the back ground in plain sight.

This is under one of the bathroom sinks  If an item
doesn't fit in the fake book box, I don't bring it home.
I keep my hair items, cleaning items, and Christmas cooking
brandy here.  No E., I don't throw it down the drain!  LOL

The point I'm trying to make is, yes reuse, but pay attention to how much of something you will need before the need to reuse again arises.  We all have limited space, or real estate, in our homes.  Filling it with fear items is not a productive way to utilize that space. As a matter of fact, the space we don't use is more productive because it's for us to use.  After all, we pay for it, we should be able to enjoy what we have.

Things I Will Always Have A Problem With

Linens:  Any kind.  Towels, sheets, wash cloths, EVERY type of textile know to mankind.  I have learned to admire items in the store then walk away reminding myself I have what I need and some of what I want.

Soaps:  Pretty ones, organic ones, nice smelling ones.  Dollar Tree ones, all kinds.
I force myself to walk away from these, too.

Books:  I've been really good about this one.  The truth?  Not many come will large print!

Stay safe.

Ragu Napolitano, Two Greedy Italians

Since I haven't been cooking much these past few weeks my eating habits have a lot to be desired.  For inspiration I have been watching a BBC documentary series called 'Two Greedy Italians'.  I love these guys as they travel through Italy checking out all of the foods native to particular regions.  These are the foods I love such as lemons, cheeses, pasta, and olives.  I've learned that each area in Italy has it's own recipe for  these foods.

I hit the jackpot when one of the gentlemen cooked up what he called Ragu Napolitano.  I'm off to the butcher this morning to purchase a cheap cut of beef, pork ribs, and Italian sausage for this dish.  I have everything else in the house.

I began the day with a hearty breakfast of oatmeal, milk, fruit, and an English muffin topped with peanut butter.  Hopefully this breakfast will be the start of my journey back to healthy eating because I'm one to not eat a meal when I should be eating three a day..  I also brewed tea for iced tea that will flush out the kidneys, making them happy once again.  Plain unsweetened tea is my favorite.

I took a few minutes break from blogging to go to the butcher for the meat needed to make the Ragu Napolitano.  Next to the butcher shop is a garden store that had a sign declaring there was a farm market inside.  Again, I hit jack pot.  Right there in front of me was a bushel of South Carolina peaches,  Ripe
 ones.  Small peaches with fuzz on the skin.  Real organically grown peaches that when I bit into one the juice rolled down my arm.  Heavenly is the only word to describe that first slobbering bite.  Life is good!

The Ragu is on the stove and needs to simmer for 2 hours more.  Add some noodles and I've got a meal fit for an Italian Mama.  I can't wait for it to be ready.  I think I'll pick some of the outer lettuce leaves in the garden and top them with olive oil and lemon juice for a side salad.

Organizing, What A Challenge!

I was talking to a friend on the phone yesterday for quite a while as she has become exasperated with her efforts to organize.  She looks around and feels defeated before she even begins.  How many other women feel the same way?  Then in a hopeless emotional state walk away to hide from 'it all'.

E told me that whether I know it or not my desire for organization is a gift.  To see an area and figure out a way to make it acceptable to me is envisioned by her to be a gift.  I never looked at it this way.  It's just who I am and I go to lengths to accomplish an organizational goal.

The key here is to focus on one small area at a time.  Looking at the big picture is so overwhelming that I don't think anyone could achieve a goal  to revamp the whole thing at once.

She came up with a number of questions for me about organizing which I jotted down and will do a series on organizing.  You must know at this point, I'm no expert.  My need for order is what drives me.   I kind of looked at it as a glitch - if I were being honest.

E has certainly been working on de cluttering her house for a few months.  The amount of items that that have been donated or sent to the land fill -in her estimation - is astronomical.  This has been very pleasing to her and  her family.  She is currently in the mode to fine tune her previous efforts.

.As she  went on she brought to the surface the things that have been bothering her.  We talked about storage containers first.

I love these Mason brand storage jars.  I'll be adding to the collection. 
They match my canning foods nicely.

Recently, I have discovered that - for me - just having containers is bothersome.  Having them does not serve to reach my goals 100%.  I had to rethink the way I have been looking at things for many years.

When we had a large family to spend our resources on, then I would save jars and containers from store bought foods.  Doing this served it's purpose and was great on the budget.  But, I don't have to do things like that anymore.  This realization was very moving, meaning it got me to move forward.  I'm still frugal, but the need to be frugal in all areas is no longer a concern.  Neither is it a concern for E at this stage in her life.

The thing that opened my eyes was a birthday gift from my daughter of two quart Mason storage jars.  I've been wanting these jars for some time, but refused to pay the price.  Why?  The twelve dollar asking price was not out of reach for me.  I think it falls under old habits are hard to break.  When the filled jars were placed in the pantry, my heart sang a hippy tune.  At last!  I finally figured it out.  Consistent looking containers is the key to an organized pantry. Organizing life after that was so much easier.   To be continued....

This video has quite a bit of wisdom in it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cUOVYATHRgQ

A Fun Birthday Party and Dollar Tree

Saturday we are celebrating my grandson's fifth birthday.  He promised his mom that when he turned five, he would be a 'good boy'.  LOL  He's too bright and spunky to be a 'good boy' all of the time.

My daughter and son in law rented a city park for the day so all of the excitement can be let loose in the great outdoors.  My contribution to the food will be a macaroni salad, potato salad, and baked beans.

I got a five pound bag of potatoes a couple of weeks ago for .99.  The mayonnaise was on sale for 2.00 each with a coupon.  The eggs I'll use are the ones I get from the milk man, so they are a bit more of an added cost.  A dozen goes for 3.29 and I used eight for the two salads.  The  baked beans were on sale for 1.67 for a large can.  With my senior discount the savings was .07 a can.  Since two large cans went into the cart the cost was 3.12 for the pass around dish.  I'll add a bit more brown sugar to sweeten them up a bit. The pasta was .49 a box, so I got a good deal on that, too.  So a total of approximately 6.50 plus a few stalks of celery and carrots which were also purchased on sale.

I had to put the macaroni salad in two containers because
there was so much of it..  This turned out super good so I brought
some home.

Let me interject a word of wisdom here.  If your celery or carrots become a bit limp while being stored in the refrigerator, place them in a bowl of ice water for about 30 minutes to re - crisp them.  The only reason they become limp is the moisture was being drawn out.  This stands only if the color is still intact.  Brown veggies are rotting veggies.

I started this post on Friday and got side tracked.  Today is Monday so I can report that the party went well.  All the kids had such fun with water guns and empty water bottles.  The day was perfect - weather wise - so the water that soaked their clothes quickly dried them.  There's nothing like a gaggle of boys running around acting like boys!   The laughter was infectious and so nice to hear.

I didn't realize I could have brought the pup with me if she was on a leash.  Next time we go there, I'll do that and let her check out the lake.  Who knew there was a large lake tucked in the center of our city.

I like this city, even though I have always preferred a rural setting. The tallest building I have seen is the City Center building which is four or five stories.  Needless to say it sticks out like a sore thumb.  Our buildings are no more than two stories and the city is sprawled out like a big suburb with lots of green space and beautiful flowers everywhere.  Small forests are tucked between housing plats for an added touch of nature.

The city is also clean because residents take great pride in the area.  I have seldom seen litter and when I do, I pick it up just like others do.

After I left the party I was close to the Dollar Tree so I stopped in to check things out.  I only
bought four items; shelf liner, Lysol wipes, labels, and computer paper.  I watched a video where the poster used rubber shelf liner in her refrigerator door to prevent glass bottles in the door shelves from shuffling around when the door was closed.  Great idea since my milk comes in glass bottles and resides in the door.

My dollar store finds this week.  The labels will be used to
identify what goes in the clear containers in the refrigerator.
The wipes are for the vehicle and the paper is just because I have a
'thing' for good paper. I know I'll find a use for it.

Accomplishments this past week are:
1. Planted four bean plants.  Since the spinach is going to seed, I'll plant more beans when the spinach is pulled out.
2.  Washed all of the bedding and scrubbed the bedroom.  It's time to wash it again today.
3.   Scrubbed the kitchen with home made orange cleaner.  I love this concoction on the stainless sinks in the kitchen.  It removes the film that accumulates which no one can see.
4.  Watched videos on organization.
5.  Put back all of the items I had to put up when the carpet cleaning man came to clean the rugs upstairs and in the master bedroom.  I let the upstairs wait until I had time to replace things and go through them to sort what I wanted to keep and donate.
6.  Did a small grocery haul.
7.  Went to dinner with the family.
8.  Weeded the garden.
9.  Watered the garden on the days it didn't rain.

Other things I can't remember!

Stay safe.

A Little of This, A Little of That

I may have found a way to grab pictures and post them on the blog.  It's rather time consuming, but for now, it works.  Here's a picture of my cucumber plant all tucked into a mix of compost, soil, egg shells, and coffee grounds.

 

 

 

The first red strawberry of the season.  There's lots more green ones. 
I may have enough for a batch of jam, if I don't eat them all!

There's five small tomato plants in a very large pot.  I'm thinking the
strong shall survive.  If my experiment does not work this year,
I'll turn to local growers to provide tomatoes.  This variety is
an heirloom one so it's not as resistant to predators and disease
as hybrids are.

A big shout out to my son in law today.  It's his birthday.  I'm proud of the man he has become.  A good dad (spoils the girl), an encouraging husband, and he likes his mother in law to be around!  Both he and my daughter, S, work hard to provide a good life for their family.  Happy birthday, JJ.

 

 

I have a short list this week for shopping.  I need more moth balls as the rain has been heavy.  They were just dispersed around the outside of the house a few days ago, but are close to being gone already.  The other two items on the list are Cliff protein bars and allergy medicine.  I take one pill a day to prevent a build up of fluid that turns into a continual sinus infection.  One before bed and the infection only appears at the change of the seasons in the spring and the fall.

 

Here's some news.  I'm getting use to it - I got a cell phone.  One of those track phones for 18.88 for 160 minutes of talk time, 160 of text time, and 160 minutes of internet time.  I have to renew minutes every three months, but the ones I don't use stay so I can accumulate them.  Now all I have to do is remember to charge it and carry it with me.

 

 

Now for the deal of the month.  Look what I found at a community garage sale for 5.00.  Slip cover and all.

 

 

 

When I moved in this home three years ago I purchased
a (fake) wicker chair on sale so I would have something
to use in the bedroom.  I knew it would someday be replaced with a comfortable one
and I was willing to wait for the right one.  I'm so glad I waited
for just the right one.  5.00!  Can't be beat. 

Whistle While We Work

Tuesday was one of the most productive days I've recently had.  My accomplishments truly astonished me.  I know I'll not remember everything, but here's to a good try.

I reorganized the pantry.  I know it was done a few months ago, but I'm also realizing that this will be an ongoing project.

I scrubbed down the kitchen counters, then polished them with Jubilee polish.  This is a product from the 1960's I was happy to find on amazon.com  Just a small dab on a clean cloth and the counter surface is protected from scratches and cuts.  Warning:  Lots of 'elbow grease' is needed to bring it to a shine.  To me, it's not only exercise, but worth the shine and good smell.

I washed the bedding and mattress pad.  Then I vacuumed the rug and the mattress.  With a damp cloth with tea tree oil on it, the mattress got a wipe down.  The decorative pillows were next to get a wipe down, then the kick boards.

Anything on the counters was washed in hot soapy water after the microwave was cleaned.

In the evening I cut the grass.  Three companies -so far - have said they'd fill in the grass with rocks so the ground would be level and I wouldn't have to worry about cutting grass.  No one has shown up to complete the project.  I guess when you want something done, a person must do it themselves.

When I look at my accomplishments on paper it doesn't look like much.  But, the efforts took most of the day.

This morning I weeded the carrots and pulled three radishes up along with more parsley and spinach.  What a feast I'll have for lunch.  I also sprayed weeds in the rock area with vinegar.

As a side note, I apologize for no pictures yet.  I'm having a difficult time finding where they went to on my new lap top.  I'll keep trying to find them.

Stay safe.

The Garden

I've been doing quite a bit of reflecting, mainly on the use of the computer.  The first thing I did was remove the Angie page on Facebook.  It got to the point it literally reached one person.  I could reach more if I 'boosted' my page by paying them 10.00 a day.  Although I appreciate 'ya'll' thinking of me, I'll decline and remove the page.  I don't like being strong armed, even with an inoculate word such as 'boost'.

I've even been thinking of leaving Facebook.  What holds me back is keeping in touch with family that live in other states.  My friend list consists of sixty eight friends, mostly family.  Not a lot compared to others.  I'm still thinking about that one.

I've taken a break from the blog because I really didn't think it was a help to anyone.  A friend told me she looked for a post every morning.  I told her I thought it was getting boring for readers because my life isn't too very exciting.  She relayed that's what she likes about it.  She went on to say my posts motivate her to do things.  I have since received a number of requests to blog.

Because of that one statement, I begin again.

THE GARDEN

It's gardening weather.  The cucumber and tomato plants have been transferred to the ground.  I enriched the soil with compost that brewed over the winter.  I now see why it's referred to as black gold.  It's beautiful. 

The moth balls are down around the perimeter of the house to discourage those little creepers from making their home in my territory.

Dill is planted in a pot because this is the first year I've planted it.  I don't know what it's suppose to look like.  I made the mistake of planting the asparagus in the ground without knowing what it looks like.  I don't think any seeded well.  Or, I pulled it out thinking it was a weed.

The spinach I planted last fall survived the winter.  It has already began to bolt.  I've had three salads with it with a couple more in my future.

The garlic is huge!  Well over a foot tall.  I counted thirty two growing which is less than I planted.  (I don't remember how many I planted.)

The blackberry bush has shot out three shoots.  It's so tall I had to clip off a few branches.  This year there are too many berries forming to be able to count them.  Since the birds are multiple this year, I shrouded the plants early.  Jelly, here we come.

Strawberries are huge, too.  I have green berries showing.  This area has a long strawberry season so I'm hoping to have quite a few more.

I've harvested and dried three batches of parsley and planted more in a pot.  They're slow to pop out of the soil, but produce quite a bit of product.

The lettuce, radishes and carrots are doing well, too.  I love this garden.

New to me this year:
Bay leaf that a friend sent me for my birthday.
Dill
Asparagus?
Sunflowers

How is your garden growing?  Please consider using the comment section on the blog if you would like to reply.  Comments are encouraging and helpful to other readers.

Stay safe.