Taco Soup ~ Praying Mantis

I'm up before the sun is again.  The weather is to be in the upper 80's, but it said to feel like 90's.  I need to water flowers before I start canning today.

I spent part of the day yesterday on the phone, making appointments. 
One daughter now needs to have her vision checked, a dog needs to be seen at the vet, and I had to make a call to the choir teacher at the school.  Choir concert dresses are $58.50.  I'm opting to rent one for $10.00.  And this is what irks me.  They sent home a note for the $58.50, but not the renting option.  If you can't afford the dress, you had to call in and speak to the teacher.  Then once you call, you get the option of renting.  Anyway, the dog is Jesse.  He's got a large mass under his leg that needs looked at.  

The same daughter who needs the choir dress needed $2.00 for Spanish club.  Here is where the school starts to annoy me - costs for just about anything and everything, and umpteen emails from them in my inbox (the record so far is five in one day, and most are over-loading attachments). 


I love it when my self-sufficiency skills some in action.  Yesterday I made taco soup for dinner, but adapted it to what I had on hand (and healthier).

I had 4 leftover ears of corn, so I shaved the corn from one ear in place of the can of corn suggested.  I did not want to open a quart of tomato sauce, so I used leftover homemade taco sauce that needed used up anyway.

I do not can tomatoes with green chilies so I opened a jar of mild banana peppers I canned with a jalapeno.  These have the texture and taste of green chilies.  I also used my homemade taco mix.  You know when you have the crushed pieces at the bottom of the tortilla chip bag?  We'll they top this soup nicely.

By the way, if you don't know what to do with leftover cooked corn on the cob, make creamed corn with it.  My kids don't like to reheat corn on the cob in the microwave, nor do I, so I shaved 4 leftover cooked ears of corn last night, and made creamed corn on the stove top.  Delicious, and an excellent way to not let it go to waste.  I caught Hubby eating straight out of the pan, ha ha!

We've seen a few praying mantis around the garden.  The last time we went camping (Hubby and I) a praying mantis dropped on me, while putting up the camper door.  Yesterday, Hubby saw one and youngest saw one.

Just a strange sighting for us here.   Could they be a sign of good things to come?  Good fortune? 

Seed saving has started. Although one person told me it's not worth it, I do as much as I can.  I had one of the girls remove this dill seed.   I've let some green and wax beans sit on the plants too.  I typically don't save dill, it usually re-seeds itself, but wanted to have some on hand (just in case).

I'm about half way through this book already.  Porch time was not comfortable due to humidity, but I still took advantage of it.  This was one of my Aunt's favorite authors, so finishing it will be difficult.  I purchased it at a Goodwill, with the intention of mailing it to her after I finished it.  

I finished the crocheted eyeglass case.  I found the pattern in a book that my Aunt mailed me years ago.  I have made a few other ones before and really like them.  I'll update this later, with the title of the book the pattern is in.

Uh oh, sun is up already.  I better get to work.   I've got more sit-down work to do today.  I'm on the hunt for more freelance work and applying for part time jobs (yep, on top of this garden, preserving, wood cutting work already).