Day #17 NaBloPoMo

Yes, a vanilla pumpkin ale and I deserve it!

It was a gorgeous day..sunny and in the low 70's............I had to take advantage of it as rain is coming and lower temps tomorrow..  So..........I made my baby greens greenhouse................I think I mentioned watching Roots and Refuge Farm podcast and she showed how to do this so you can have baby greens in the winter..........how wonderful!   You take a large plastic storage container and lay the lid on the ground where it will get sun all day.  You cut open a bag of soil like the picture shows.  I had to remove some dirt as there was too much.  Smooth it out and break up any lumps and sprinkle your seeds over it.  I used what I had which was some kind of lettuce and some kale seeds.  The object is that you will clip them when young and they will grow back and you will have a steady supply of 'baby greens' all winter..... 

I have this great mister that you can purchase for $10 at Me and My Stitches and it is great!  I need more as I use it for everything....it is great for misting the seeds so they don't wash into one spot.

No batteries required...it's the bees knees!  I then put the container on top and it should stay warm and moist.  I'll keep you informed on their progress.  She says if it gets super cold you can mulch the container with straw or leaves or anything you have.  You do have to remember to water it too.

I also washed some windows.....I had to take advantage of the weather....it won't stay this way forever!  These were dinner napkins...you can see the folds but the other curtains went in the wash and I don't like living in a fishbowl so I put those up.....there was more for the middle window too but it was so pretty I thought I'd take a picture before putting up the rest of the curtains.
I had phone calls today which put me behind so no pizza tonight.  Just a bowl of organic chicken noodle soup from Progresso.  I made the molasses cookie dough and even had the oven pre-heated but after the calls I covered it with saran wrap and turned off the oven.....I'm beat!  Time to recline!
I got up at 3:30 so it's been a full day.

What were you up to today?  I hope you had lovely weather where you are or stayed inside your cozy abode!
Happy Trails!!!

Day #16 NaBloPoMo

Okay, I'm whooped!   Walmart took all my money, all my energy and all my muscle strength...
It was a beautiful day today....sunny and near 60 F so it was a pretty drive but I'm done for the day.  I also had to stop by the pharmacy and pick up some meds.  I did buy a pattern today on Ravelry but it's a gift so I can't show it today.  I need to order needles and yarn and don't forget FREE shipping on Amazon and others until the 23rd!  Not much exciting on shopping day.  I was going to make molasses cookies but who am I kidding?  I do have the butter softening and I have enough leftovers so I don't have to cook anything for supper but other than that I am off to elevate my legs! LOL!
My daughter got me this bag and I love it.............

 I'm not afraid I'm just too tired...........
Happy Trails!!!

Day #15 NaBloMoPo

 This is the way it usually looks around here in November...............

But not this year!  I woke up to snow this morning and 22 degrees F
...brr.........I had to postpone Wally World again...not worth it when tomorrow it will be gone along with the black ice and in the high 50's and by Saturday it will be in the 60's and window washing weather again!  Yay!  I only got a few washed before the cold front came through last week.  The snow was beautiful though...........for a minute I thought that red dot might be Santa but then it's bit early for him.......

Many of the trees haven't even changed color or lost all their leaves yet..........crazy...........

See?  These are still green...........but I'll take this weather any day compared to dry 'fire danger' weather after seeing the terrible fires out west................

  Yesterday and today I tried organizing my grocery list making and menu making.........I got into my MS Word program and copied an inventory template.............I know it's a little hard to read as I was backed up to another cupboard trying to take this picture.  It lists the common things I buy at the store usually and as I think of other things I will add to it.  So far there are 3 pages and it's a great reminder when I am making out the grocery list.  I also have a list of favorite menu items.  (BTW, that magnetic clip I got at the Dollar Tree....5 for $1....bargain!)  There's also a column for prices of items.  After shopping I am going to fill it in so I can keep track of prices and know when a 'deal' comes along so I can stock up. 

I also got these Fall magnets for decoration for my frig at the Dollar Tree....you guessed it....they were $1.............I love that store!  I also got some fall window clingies but they are hard to take a picture of.

I made out my menu and it is hanging on the other side of the frig along with the inventory sheet and my grocery list for tomorrow.  When I make out my menu I go back through and get the recipes and write down on my grocery list everything I need.  I check my cupboards, pantry, linen closet and bathrooms.  I buy things when I only have one remaining so I always have a backup especially with Winter coming.  When I have written the ingredients needed for a recipe on my grocery list I then put a check mark next to it on my menu.  I also put the book and page no. of where the recipe is or I print it out and clip it with the menu.
In wanting to be as self-sufficient and 'home made' as possible I went through my list and Googled to see if there was a recipe for something that I buy prepared.  I looked for Triscuits and there were a few but the ratings were low.  There are saltines and wheat thins which I will try.  I did print off a recipe for oyster crackers because I have some clam chowder and I always have oyster crackers with it.  Of course, I will make bread these coming days plus  English muffins.  I wasn't crazy about them the first time I made them but I think it was me more than the recipe.  I needed toilet bowl cleaner so I researched that and came up with this recipe which I will be trying........if you can't read it just click on it and it will enlarge it for you. 

  I'll be making cranberry sauce from scratch and pizza dough.    I looked at my Thanksgiving Day menu and decided to fore go a few items unless I want to 'roll' into Christmas! LOL!  No 24 hour salad and no sweet potato casserole or scalloped corn.  There will be Brussels sprouts. but I refuse to give up the pumpkin roll (speaking of 'rolls'!) LOL!
That should keep me off the streets and out of trouble through Thanksgiving. 
BTW!!!  Did you know Amazon and maybe Target too is having free shipping from 11/16 through the 23rd?!?!  Be sure and check your favorite online stores as it was on the news that many are trying to get a jump on Black Friday. 
Happy Trails!!!

Day #14 NaBloPoMo

I'm so happy to be blogging earlier than usual...but it's because I got up at 1:00 a.m.  I try to go back to sleep but then I figure God is giving me extra time to get things done and I go with it!!!  I was going to go to Walmart today but there is a weather advisory for snow and/or freezing rain.....it is almost noon and nothing!  I could have been there and back but it's not worth taking the chance....it's the only car I have!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
So, I've got laundry done, house cleaned up, paid some bills and mailed some letters....and now I just finished making my Thanksgiving menu.......Thanksgiving is a week from this coming Thursday.....where did this year go?

First of all there's this list............you can print it off at The Thrifty Couple

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I had to include a few 'funnies' to lighten the stress....not mine....yours! LOL!  But I remember those days....trust me! 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This actually isn't funny as it is too true in many families.  I remember going to an in-law's house one time where the guys were in the living room and the son and father were both in recliners.  The wife/mother went in and asked them what they wanted and fixed their plate and took it to them.  I about gagged!  They cook it, they clean it, and they don't sit down all day...that's just nuts.  Yet they stand around and complain about their husbands.  What is wrong with women?  Hello?  I think I must have been born ahead of my time because when I say something people look at me like there is something wrong with me....really?  In my family everyone pitched in until we all sat down and then afterwards  we cleaned it all up.  Many hands make short work and they don't have to all be women's hands. 
I always tell them "where does it state on your birth certificate that you were born into slavery"?  Many women out there need to trade in their "wish bone" for a "back bone".  But then again....I am single! LOL!  But I prefer it that way.  Don't get me wrong, there are many couples who truly are partners and although it may not be 50/50 all the time it evens itself out over time.  But being a martyr is not an attractive look in my mind! LOL! 

Okay, I've stepped down from my soapbox now......
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Here's my Thanksgiving menu for 2018!  Pretty standard but I always try a new recipe or 2.  This year I have a turkey breast, mashed potatoes and gravy, I'm going to try Susan Branch's Sweet Potato Casserole, her homemade cranberry sauce and her Grandmother's stuffing recipe.  I'll make my 24 hour salad, scalloped corn...maybe or Brussels Sprouts.....I love it all!  Good food is one of the great joys of life and let us not forget to donate to our local food banks so no one goes hungry.....ever....

 For dessert I'll be making my first Pumpkin Roll and I'll be using Libby's recipe...the pumpkin people....I don't have a friend named Libby just so you know.

 

Last but not least here is my little helper....Miss Peeps.....once she heard I was cooking a BIG bird she was all in!  See that look.....she was thinking...."oh please, I hope you're not joking about the bird...please make it be true.  I so want to believe!"  Yes, Miss Peeps, there really is a big bird.

Happy Trails!!!

Day #13 NaBloPoMo

 Guess what we got????  S N O W !!!!  Not much but I'll take it.  Unfortunately I did not get to watch it falling from the sky which is half the enjoyment.  I woke up to it this morning as it was raining when I went to bed.  It is cold today too....I'm not sure it ever got above freezing.

There's an alert out now for freezing rain tomorrow afternoon.  I need to get to Walmart so I guess I will get going early tomorrow morning or not.
Today I had to work on some financial paperwork to send to 'my people' and I did laundry and de-cluttered.  I'm in the crafts room now.  I didn't quite finish the dining room but I have to work on the crafts room as I can't find the things I need and Christmas making is in progress! LOL!
I knitted on a dishcloth and that was my day....pretty ordinary.  I did find some patterns for a table mat and a pincushion that I was looking for material for.  I did my 5 minute pickup too and put things away.   I'm liking the 'bagging' of future projects so I have everything ready.  I'm too tired at the end of the day to start looking around for something to work on.  Now, I'll have them ready!
Here are some of the You Tube videos I've learned from and enjoyed so far this week:
 

Legal Pad Journal Gift Tutorial 

Maymay Made It Crafts

This one was very good and she gives great instructions!

 

GREATEST APPLE PIE YOU WILL EVER EAT 

 This video started out really good but by the time she put it in the oven the top crust was falling apart and she ended the video.....you never got to see it after it was baked.  I'm sure it was delicious and she had some good tips but her crust was just not cooperating with her! LOL!

STICKY NOTE HOLDER USING DOLLAR TREE FRAME | OFFICE GIFT IDEA 

 This was another cute gift idea and fast if you have the supplies but I need a paper cutter and some scrap booking supplies so we shall see.......

 

Grow Salad Greens All Winter For Less Than 20 Dollars | Gardening Tips | Roots and Refuge 

This gal is wonderful!  And get this.....she is in Arkansas!  Finally someone in the same climate!  I am going to watch all her videos and I am definitely making her salad 'green house' and I have everything I need except the bag of soil!  So excited!  Stay tuned! 

 

That's all I have for today.  Oh, supper last night was quick and delicious!  Chicken tenders cook in about half the time of breasts and they are just right for one serving....for me anyway.
Happy Trails!!!

Day #12 NaBloPoMo

Remembering all our veterans past and present.....I cannot believe what they sacrificed and are still sacrificing on our behalf.   Also, their families who bear the burden as well.  Bless them all and thank you SO MUCH!!! 

I'm saving Book Date until tomorrow as there is just too much to pack into one post...........
I 'bagged' up 3 projects today ie; I got all the supplies together and put them in a bag so they are ready to start when I am.  I needed a supper for tonight.  I have been trying to use up what I have and clear out my freezer.  I found an extremely helpful website which you might find useful also.  It is called Super Cook
Maybe you already know about it but I used it for the first time today and it is fantastic.  You enter what you have  or want to cook.  You chose from a list and I had some chicken tenders.  They actually had chicken tenders on the list too....I was surprised.  It brings up all kinds of recipes using them and then you can see if you have the ingredients and it narrows it down even more based on what you check off that you have.  I was  mighty impressed and will be using it again for sure!  I even had some potatoes that I wanted to use up and I could have made potato latkes but the potatoes were a bit soft so shredding them would have been difficult but it gives you so many ideas. I hate running to the store for 1 or 2 items just to make dinner.  I'm trying to be more 'pioneer like' and conserve, re-purpose and use everything I have plus save some money too.  The recipe I chose was Buffalo Chicken Tenders
It called for bread crumbs which I had but when I went to the recipe...BTW the recipes are from all over....this one was from Kraft so the recipe called for Shake and Bake....not bread crumbs.  Well, I could have used just plain bread crumbs but then I thought I bet there's a copycat recipe for Shake and Bake and sure enough there was and I made it!  I used Panko bread crumbs instead of regular bread crumbs.

Here's the recipe for the Copycat Shake 'N Bake Now granted I have not tried the homemade Shake and Bake yet nor the Buffalo Chicken Tenders but I'll let you know.  I was just so thrilled to be able to take what I had and make a complete meal without running to the store!    This will be my go to website from now on when trying to utilize what I have on hand.
Today I shook rugs, cleaned the tub, cleaned the 3 litter boxes and waited on 'the girls' hand and foot!  I did sit down and work a bit on my Merry Monday project.  A Cubs Christmas ornament for my grandson Uriah.  It was dark and rainy today....no snow like they predicted and very little rain.  The pictures are not very good when there isn't much natural light.

 I also started a dishcloth for something mindless to do.............very relaxing............

I have to go cook that dinner now!
P.S.  I am still catching up with all your posts from yesterday and today so please be patient with me....I will be by!
Happy Trails!!!

Yop Week #20

and Day #11 of...........

 YOP 2018-2019

Finishes so far:
1.  4th of July xs pillow
2.  Hitchhiker shawl
3.  Felici Hibiscus self-striping socks
4.  Felted wool loafer slippers with leather soles for me
5.  washcloth (extra large) and back scrubber for Christmas or birthday for SIL
6.   Iowa Hawkeye hats for Sam and Grayson
7.  Techniques learned so far this year: a) knit cast on, b) reading a knitting chart, c) lace work, d) inserting and using a lifeline e) charting a graphgan

FINISHES:
1) the brother's hats are done for Sam and Grayson for Christmas.  I reversed the colors so they could tell whose was whose.  I'm a little concerned about Sam's hat.  They are the same pattern and the same yarn but the black yarn on the brim seems stretched out like the ribbing didn't 'work' yet Grayson's hat  has the yellow on the brim and the ribbing works as designed.  The black is some Red Heart I had on hand and the yellow is not Red Heart but acrylic....maybe Universal?  Anyway, if it doesn't fit I will make him another one.  My daughter mentioned they need baclava's?  We used to call them ski masks but I will look and see if I can make them one of those too.  But first I have to make a Cub's hat for Uriah!

WIP's (works in progress) for this week:
1)  I took the rest of the Falling Leaves class and discovered that I need to block the 2 halves BEFORE I kitchener them together so now that my dining room table is cleared off I will have a place to block them and hopefully have it done by next week.

2)  Pickle Dish - nothing was done on this

3.  Cubs ornament for Uriah: This is my Merry Monday project and as you can see it got some love this week..............

4.  Santa Sunday Cross Stitch project: I worked on this today while watching football.....

5.  Stars and Stripes Saturday:  I did work on this yesterday.......

6.  Fall Friday: Top border and vine are done so just the border and vine at the bottom and it will be a done deal!

7.  Witchy Wednesday: Made more progress on this one...

9) Leaves graphghan:
Well, the progress I made last week was for naught but on the bright side, I took a tutorial on You Tube and I learned how to read a graph and make one!  So I graphed my own.......

I also learned that you don't cut your yarn but there's a technique you use to prevent having to weave in all those ends.  I also took another tutorial on how to make yarn bobbins which you need when crocheting a pattern on a C2C project.  So, I took 5 steps forward and 10 steps backward but it will be much easier in the long run and the finished product should be nicer, I hope.  On my pattern each leaf will be a separate block.

When I was doing my 'de-cluttering' this week I ran across this little cross stitch that I did back in 1992....all my 'best friends' have passed on except my animal ones so I guess I'm my own best friend nowadays............ 

I need to be focusing on Christmas presents now both bought and made but I do have some needs of my own and they are the following.............

1)  A Thanksgiving project..............another one that I can't find the pattern anywhere so I guess I'll 'wing it'.....LOL!  This is cross stitch............

2) I need rugs badly and I have been wanting to make some............I found this tutorial on Ehow and printed it out...........I need to make balls of fabric strips first....I can tell this will be a long, ongoing project.............Have any of you ever done this or made any rugs of any kind?  Any advice would be appreciated!

3)  Another Christmas gift I plan on making are mug rugs so I printed off a tutorial for one and there is a video too plus lots more on You Tube.....

 Please share any quick, easy and inexpensive gift idea you have as Christmas is coming and I'm sure we can all use them!

That's it for this week!
I hope you had a wonderful week and enjoyed working on your projects.  Please stop by and see all the other fantastic projects that other  YOP'ers are working on.
Happy Trails!!!