Stocking Up and updates

 I got some more dandelion greens blanched and froze for winter.

Blanched and froze more asparagus.

Yesterday was a bit rough all around.  First, there hasn't been a death at the refinery in 100 years until yesterday.  Two, the two men that died were brothers.  Fundraisers are being set up.  I only know that one was young with a wife and new born baby.  Thank you for all of  your prayers.

Prayer request and other ramblings

The refinery my husband works at had an explosion last night and two (last I was updated) were badly burned.  Please send prayers, although I do not have names.

Update:  The two people died from their injuries.

I have been distraught since we heard about this.  My husband has been working a supervisor position with lots of over time lately.  If you haven't watched the movie Deepwater Horizon, you really should.  Then you would understand why I stay busy when he is at work, to keep the worry bugs away.  

Speaking of busy, I had a special request for a hair clip, so I'm working on that between everything else.  

Daughter K showed up late, but showed up.  Her stuff is out of the living room, and she also helped me out by taking a small table. She always has stories to share and gives us the giggles and shares interesting stories.

Her latest one was saving baby birds.  She literally had to hide them at her work place.  I guess some company came and knocked down all the bird nests, baby birds and all. She scooped them up and called a place to save them.  Knocking the nests down with eggs or birds in them is illegal.  Apparently the company that did this is in being looked into.

She once saved a baby duck at her last employment.  It was randomly running around the parking lot.  I remember her bringing it home in a box.

We got updates on how the dogs are doing.  King is still having seizures.  She said the giant long wiener dog toy I bought a long time ago was finally destroyed.  I guess it's time for us to buy more toys for the grandpups, ha ha!

Well, we got rain all night and will again today, so I won't get to work on pulling the garden stakes today.  Sheesh.  I'm okay with inside work, as it needs done ASAP.  If the rain gives for a while, I will check the bell pepper plants. 

Tuesday Tidbits

The weekend went way too fast, and Monday snuck up on us fast.  Rain moved in, so I have been inside working on the to-do list.  

Sunday we purposely got porch therapy.  I was thrilled to get crochet time to work in this scarf.  I love this new stitch.

We have had hot weather, and foggy mornings.  We are back to the 90's again today.  Crazy, but good for the loofah plant, and the peppers I left in the garden.

We are hoping our smaller AC unit lasts until this heat ends.  It's on the fritz.  It sounds like it will just fizzle out any day.  The lawn mower is also on the fritz.  We already bought a new battery for it, but now it needs two more new parts to get it running.  We are also hoping it lasts until mowing season ends, and without more expenses.

Boxes for donations are piling up, so I must get them delivered soon.  It's crazy how much stuff you own, until you have to box it all up and move it for a while.  At least I can work on that while I wait for the rain to end and get back to clearing the garden.

While a lot is getting out of the house, this little cutie snuck in.  Daughter E gave it to me.  I collect keychains, but have deterred from doing it for a long time, as I have no idea what to do with the collection just yet.  There is a museum in our state that has a large pencil sharpener collection.  I would love to donate them all if I could find a place to display them like that.

Loofah Update and other chit chat

 

I took this updated photo on 9-15-2022.  It's definitely not very big yet, but with the heat this next week, I hope to see it grow more.

I'm now working on rotating out food in the freezer, and putting more back in.  The threat of a railroad strike prompted me to pay more attention.  I know I need to stock up on homemade cream soups, so that is currently on the list.

Daughter E came over and I of course fed her.  Both my husband and I could tell she was hurting for cash (she will never admit it to us, and has never ever asked for a dime from us).  She has to buy all her supplies to become a hair stylist who rents her own booth now.  She picked up several boxes and I gave her some clothes she might like for her job (that I needed to purge as well).  We also slipped some cash in her bag (he he).  We really want to see her succeed, with her being her own boss.

She inspired me to create a new business card for my crafts, and I did. My old ones were from the Farmer's market days, and we no longer sell jam/jelly, or goat's milk soap, so I really needed to get new ones.  Plus, I have very few left anyway.

On a good note, my crocheted hair clips will be sold at her station in the salon next month.  I'm busy, busy, busy.....trying to squeeze in whatever time I can get to get more made. 

It's the end of garden season, but I'm leaving in the bell and hot peppers to get more out of them.  Our bell peppers provided enough for daily needs, but not enough to freeze sadly.  Not sure, other than the location I planted them in the garden.  I made note, and will plant with better light (we have a tree that blocks part of it).

Unlike many other people, we are starting the living room repairs in the midst of life's to-do's.  It's crazy busy, and expensive, so I'm doing my best to eliminate trips to town. Supplies are high in cost, and it's a need to do before winter job.  We also have zero family to help with the work, and of course my husband has to work.

When I do go to town, I make a plan and take lists, checking them twice.  I'm still able to put laundry on the line to keep the electric bill down, and I clip coupons, and download digital coupons.  I regret on planting large onions or potatoes.  Every time we buy them, we find a rotten one in one or two days after buying them. 

I do need to get other homemade items made, so there is a special list for that on days I am able to.  One being garlic powder.

Living room repairs officially start.....

The sunrise is slowly moving in the direction of winter.

I decided to freeze more tomatoes.  I can make a fresh spaghetti sauce or can pizza sauce over winter.  It will save me some time to work on the living room.  I sent messages to the younger two, that i need there boxes of stuff out of the living room, and for one to clear her Christmas stuff out of the garage.  I'm hoping they arrive within the week.

Beautiful wild flowers bloomed in the water trough this year.

Tomatoes kept me in slow motion on getting the living room cleared, but in order to do that, I have to clear off a table in our (yes) bedroom.  It was for my sewing machine.  When Mom passed her recipes landed on that table.  I am clearing it off to move upstairs for my crafting table.  I started to look at some of the recipes and noticed some are definitely different.

Hm.  Not sure I'd try this one, but different.  I am missing Mom a lot right now going thru the recipes.

 

Rainy Days

We have had foggy, cool mornings for several days now.  However, we will heat up again next week.  Literally into the 90's for a few days.  We were not expecting that.

I had good intentions of going to the garden first thing yesterday (after two days of rain), but the weather was not good.  It was foggy, cloudy and misting.  Finally when the fog lifted and the sun came out, I was able to check the garden.

I brought in some hot peppers that went to work with my husband (not enough to can anything with), and another 40 some pounds of tomatoes.  

By evening I got, what felt like 2 minutes of crochet time.  I am learning a new crochet stitch that I came across the other day (winter scarf).  I'm using up stash I already have to keep costs down and prices lower for a craft show.  I'm sure my husband will be happy it's "stash" yarn, ha ha!

This and That

 We love to support local businesses, and we purchased a handmade bird house.  We will set it on a post in hopes for birds to move it, and I am setting out some grape jelly in hopes to encourage a few Boston orioles to visit.  I think my husband wants to paint the birdhouse first, before we put it out for the birds.  In fact, now that it's fall, we may not put it out until spring.

My new spoon rest, ha ha!

Fall blooms.

My minimal fall decor, ha ha!  I, for one, have no time nor the space for storing fall decor.  I did swap out the placements and put the potpourri in the one bathroom.