Monday, December 31, 2018

Weekly Goals Update: Week 52

This year went by fast and so brought so many changes.  I am excited to see what 2019 will bring.

1. Disaster Preparedness
I went as far with this one as I could.  The weekly tasks were helpful.  Since my area has had two major hurricanes over the past two years, I have been able to practice putting this into practice.  

2.  Makeover the Garden
I was able to finally plant the garden pea seeds this past week.  I also planted some milkweed seeds and parsley seeds.  I transplanted some mint and my thyme plant.  

3.  Organize Recipes - Done
I put this off way too long and am glad to have finished it.

4.  Have 13 No Spend Grocery Weeks - Done
I surpassed this goal and hope to spend less time in the grocery store next year.

5.  Focus on Saving
I tried to make saving more mindful after W was let go from his job.  I kept an eye out for sales and coupons on planned purchases.  Stuff became less important and people took center stage.

6.  Etsy Shop
I still have a long way to go with my shop, but I was encouraged by the start I had over this year.  I have plans to make it better in the coming year.  It is an ongoing learning experience.

There were my last round ups for 2018's goals.  Stop back by tomorrow to see what I have planned for 2019!

Sunday, December 30, 2018

Weekend Book Review: The Minimalist Home

The Minimalist Home by Joshua Becker promises a room-by-room guide to decluttering and refocusing life.  I think when most people hear minimalist they think living in a bare space with few belongings.  I appreciated that the author takes a different view and focuses on keeping things that are important to each individual.  The ideas discussed are not necessarily new or ground breaking, but they are presented in an easy to follow format.  The sections on maintenance and future are helpful additions.  I wanted to read this book after my home began to feel cluttered after two years.  I am anxious to dive in to the steps now that the holidays are almost over.  The chapter on the yard is a good one as this area is often overlooked in most books of this type.  I am excited to put the guidelines outlined in this book into practice to create a more peaceful home for myself and my family.

disclosure:  I received a review copy from the publisher (WaterBrook) but was not otherwise compensated for this review.  All opinions are my own!

Saturday, December 29, 2018

Weekend Book Reviews

https://www.amazon.com/Deadly-News-Britton-Mystery-Book-ebook/dp/B079KT5NVM/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8Deadly News by Jody Holford is the first book in the Britton Bay Mystery series.  Molly has moved to Britton Bay as editor of the town's struggling newspaper.  One of her new co-workers, Vernon, is less than welcoming to Molly.  After she pushes him to dig deeper on a story, he ends up dead, and Molly feels guilty.  She learns that small towns have few secrets, but the identity of the murderer is one that seems to be staying a secret.  The mystery is strong, and the book moved along quickly.  My only issue was the very fast moving romance.  The start of this series was interesting enough to make me look forward to the second book.


The first book in the Eleanor Wilde Mystery series by Tamara Berry is Séances are for Suckers.  Eleanor (Ellie) is a ghost hunter working to pay for her sister's medical care. She is approached by wealthy Englishman Nicholas to rid his family home of a "ghost".  Nicholas' mother is sure that Xavier is real, but Nicholas believes something more is going on.  Ellie finds more than she bargained for in the English village.  The book has a clever plot twist that I will not share so nothing is spoiled.  Ellie is a likeable character, and the basis for the book is different in a great way.  I look forward to many more books in this series.

Santa Puppy  by Lynn Cahoon is a short story which is part of the Tourist Trap Mystery series.  Jilly, owner of Coffee, Books, & More, has volunteered to host a pet adoption Christmas party.  Among the dogs looking for home is Baby whose nameless owner recently passed away.  Jill is determined to find someone who knew the deceased man and give Baby a new home for the holidays.  This is a touching holiday themed book that can easily be read in one sitting. 


disclosure:  I received these e-books through NetGalley but was not otherwise compensated for these reviews.  All opinions are my own!

Friday, December 28, 2018

Frugal Friday

W and I went out of town yesterday so he could deliver a couple of fishing rods.  We made plans to stop at a few stores not in our area.  My shopping was kept to specific items on my list.  I bought two ornaments on clearance for next year's ornament swap with my church's women's group.  I also bought Christmas cards.  I accept that I will not have time to make them since basic ones can be bought reasonably after Christmas. 


We ate Christmas leftovers. My family does potluck for meals and then everyone divides up what is left.  That way no one is stuck with way too much of one thing. 


We are expecting a week of rain and damp weather.  I did laundry on the sunny days so I could hang the clothes out to dry.  I will wash slightly smaller loads over the next week so I can hang them to dry inside.


W fed the chickens, peafowl, and turkeys a pumpkin.  We saved the seeds to plant this spring.


I used to buy a planner that included a daily chore list.  While it was helpful, I ended up not needing about half of it and found myself adding more in.  I am creating my own for 2019. It does not save tons of money, but every little bit helps.

Monday, December 24, 2018

Weekly Goals Update: Week 51

1.  Disaster Preparedness - Done
I went as far as I could before the lists got too far out there.


2.  Makeover the Garden
We have done some more work this past week.  We cleaned up a raised bed and moved another one.  W has a plan for making some additional raised beds in the coming months.  My plan for January is to lay out the garden for 2019.


3.  Organize Recipes - Done
This one was actually the easiest goal to finish, but the one I put off for the longest.


4.  Have 13 No Spend Grocery Weeks - Done
I did my last grocery shop for the year last week.  I plan to stay far away from the grocery store this week. 


5.  Focus on Saving
I used items already on hand to make table centerpieces for the church Christmas party.  I also used some items from my pantry to prepare food for the party.  I opted not to go crazy buying gifts.  Instead I focused on buying or making things I knew the recipients would like. 


6.  Etsy Shop
I have plans to work on items for my shop during January which is the coldest month here.  I hope to be more organized in the coming year.

Saturday, December 22, 2018

Weekend Book Reviews

Killed on Blueberry Hill  by Sharon Farrow is the third book in the Berry Basket Mystery series.  Marlee, owner of the Berry Basket, is busy with the town's Blueberry Blow Out festival.  The competition among the berry growers is fierce, and it seems worst between her fiance Ryan and his rival Porter.  When Porter dies mysteriously and Ryan leaves town, Marlee begins investigating.  Her investigation leads to disturbing secrets about Ryan which make her question if she can really spend the rest of her life with him.  The berry themes of this series are fun.  I think Natasha might be my favorite character in this book.  She makes an excellent friend and side kick for Marlee.  I recommend all of the books, but this one easily stands on its own!

The second book in the Black Sheep & Co Mystery series by Anne Canadeo is Purls and Poison.  Suzanne is a Black Sheep knitter who is fed up with a co-worker at her realtor's job.  Following a nasty blow-up, Suzanne decides to stop and apologize to Liza only to find her dead.  Suzanne becomes the prime suspect, and her fellow knitters jump in to investigate.  Knitting is not the main focus of this book so if you are not into yarn crafts you will still enjoy it.  I do recommend reading the first book before this one to familiarize yourself with the characters.  Overall it was a fun cozy mystery.

Murder by the Book by Lauren Elliott is the first book in the Beyond the Page Bookstore Mystery series.  This was a nice start to a new series.  Addie has suffered several losses and moves into the home she inherited from her aunt.  She opens a book store which relates to her previous job of working with rare books.  The mystery was not particularly strong.  Addie is not the best cozy mystery heroine, but I do see potential for growth in future books.  I also hope to see the addition of more friendly supporting characters as the series progresses. 

disclosure:  I received these e-books through NetGalley but was not otherwise compensated for these reviews.  All opinions are my own!

Thursday, December 20, 2018

Freezer Challenge - On Hold

I would share an updated picture of the freezer, but honestly it does not look much different.  I took a few things out over the past week.  I have decided to hold off with the holidays fast approaching and start back up on January 1. 

Wednesday, December 19, 2018

Weekly Goals Update: Week 50

1.  Disaster Preparedness
I stayed with this goal until the weekly lists got too far out there for me. 


2.  Makeover the Garden
I started cleaning out the raised beds to plant garden peas.  No planting yet since we are expecting another heavy rain.  I hope to get the seeds planted next week.  I did order kiwi plants and passion fruit plants from Baker Creek.  They will not ship until the spring, but I wanted to get my order in before they sold out. 


3.  Organize Recipes - Done
I actually finished this.  I have no idea why I kept putting it off.  I finished everything in about an hour one morning while the weather was damp and cold.  Everything is organized, and I sorted through the recipes I want to try. 


4.  Have 13 No Spend Grocery Weeks - Done
I did my last grocery shopping for the year.  I plan to skip the grocery store for the rest of this year.  We have more than enough to last this year and probably most of January.


5.  Focus on Saving
The last of the handmade gifts are coming together.  I took advantage of some deep discounts on autumn candles and will save these for Secret Sister at church in the coming year.  Gift giving does not have to be expensive when you plan in advance.  I shopped around for the best prices on some necessary purchases. 


6.  Etsy Shop
I am done adding any crochet items until after the holidays.  I have a few more winter items to add in January and will do a special order as well.  Most of January will be spent working on spring items to add.  I will be adding some stationery this week. 

Sunday, December 16, 2018

Weekend Book Reviews

How to Bake by Nick Malgieri is another wonderful collection of recipes.  I like all of the helpful tips and information at the beginning of each recipe.  The cookbook is a good resource for both novice and accomplished bakers.  The tart section was my favorite of all.  The cookie chapter was a very close second.  Nick Malgieri's recipes and techniques are always hits.  The easy to follow directions give me confidence to try any recipe - maybe even croissants!

I was thrilled to get a preview copy of The Southern Living Party Cookbook by Elizabeth Heiskell.  It was everything that I expected.  The recipes are perfect Southern fare  I found myself marking recipe after recipe and immediately pairing it with an upcoming party.  The table and serving ideas were a great addition.  I loved the idea of using fig leaves in vases.  It was nice to have a traditional Southern cookbook.

Martina's Kitchen Mix by Martina McBride includes a mix of new style recipes and some Southern oddities.  I love that the recipes are fairly simple.  The slow cooker chicken tikka masala is on my to try list even though I will have to shop online for a couple of the spices.  The chipotle chicken taco salad will be a regular summer meal at my house.  Among the oddities is a banana and mayonnaise dish.  For you non-Southerners, bananas and mayonnaise are amazing together.  The pictures are a nice mix of the finished dishes and the author. 

Amy Andrychowicz's Vertical Vegetables makes me wish I did not have piles and piles of free range chickens.  Otherwise I would fill my yard with her vertical creations.  The book starts off with gardening basics and choosing what to grow vertically.  The next three chapters are filled with guidelines and plans for building a variety of projects including trellises and hanging planters.  My favorite project is the self-standing living art - a planter/picture frame combo displayed on an easel.  I will make a spot for one or maybe more of these in my yard come spring. 

disclosure:  I received these e-books through NetGalley but was not otherwise compensated for these reviews.  All opinions are my own!

Saturday, December 15, 2018

Weekend Book Reviews

Nipped in the Bud  by Sheila Connolly is the twelfth book in the Orchard Mystery series.  Winter has set in at Meg's orchard.  She and her new husband Seth are still busy with projects.  When a body is found on their land, they find themselves in the middle of a mystery that grows stranger by the day.  I enjoy this series, but this was not my favorite book.  It seemed to drag, and I had trouble with how clueless Seth and Meg seemed at times.  I am not giving up on the series; winter can be a dreary time for everyone.

Sarah Fox's Yeast of Eden  is the fourth book in the Pancake House Mystery series.  Marley's pancake house success is in danger with the arrival of the "waffle king" Wally.  Marley soon finds out the Wally has more enemies than friends in town, but she is shocked when he is murdered.  Her best friend, Lisa, is at the top of the police's suspect list.  The book is action packed with a strong side story in addition to the mystery.  This series gets better and better with each book.

The seventh book in the Mainely Needlepoint Mystery series by Lea Wait is Thread Herrings.  Angie tags along with friend Sarah to an auction, and she buys a very worn needlepoint.  When she discovers a very old paper in the back, she becomes immersed in finding out more about it.  This leads her to going on television with her reporter friend to appeal for information.  When the reporter is murdered and attempts are made on Angie's life, she finds it hard to believe a 200+ year old paper is worth it.  I enjoyed the history as much as the mystery in this book.

Murder in Her Stocking by G.A. McKevett is the first book in the Granny Reid Mystery series.  This is a spin off of the Savannah Reid Mystery series, but it takes place 30 years ago.  I enjoy the Savannah series, and Granny is one of my favorite characters.  I love how this series goes back in time but keeps the same charming characters.  This Christmas themed mystery focuses on the murder of Prissy Carr who is the town's scarlet woman.  This is a wonderful southern themed mystery.  I hope it is the first of many more!

disclosure:  I received these e-books through NetGalley but was not otherwise compensated for these reviews.  All opinions are my own!

Friday, December 14, 2018

Frugal Friday

I waited to buy yarn until I found a sale and free shipping.  I do wish I had a craft store anywhere close to me.  I am glad for online shopping though.

We ate leftovers!  Is it always thrilling and exciting?  No, but they are still good.  I also appreciate the break from cooking a full meal.

We are still eating peppers, tomatoes, and herbs from the garden.  Even with a few frosts the garden plants are hanging on and producing. 

I gave some gifts to my aunt to pass along to my cousins.  She will be visiting them which will save me on postage fees.

I made elderberry syrup.  It is cheaper than buying it pre-made.  W and I take a sip each day during the fall and winter months to ward off colds and flu.  I know some people say it does not work, but I know it works for me.  I went from having bronchitis (at least) twice per season to not even catching a cold for almost 7 years now.  It is more frugal to take this than pay doctor bills.

Wednesday, December 12, 2018

Weekly Goals Update: Week 49 & Freezer Challenge

1.  Disaster Preparedness
I abandoned this one early.

2.  Makeover the Garden
Planting was and is still on hold as more rain is in the forecast.  I do have a plan for getting garden peas in the ground later this month. W and I have discussed some plans for next year's garden.  I just need to rein in my grand plans and settle on a plan that will work for the space we have.

3. Organize Recipes
Hmmm....I am beginning to think it is not going to happen.  The weather is definitely cooler, but I end up spending my time crocheting.  I do need to devote an hour to this each week and just get it finished.

4.  Have 13 No Spend Grocery Weeks - Done
I am going to stay out of the grocery store at least one more week before this year is out. 

5.  Focus on Saving
This year I have focused more on handmade gifts.  Unnecessary purchases have been kept to a minimum.  We have been eating from the pantry and freezer.  Decorations are things we already had on hand.  With winter fast approaching, I expect we will stay home a bit more.

6.  Etsy Shop
I got in an order of yarn this week so I can start making samples of some spring items - Easter baskets, baby things, etc.  I plan to be much more organized next year.

Freezer Challenge - I should have done a better job at keeping up with what I used from the freezer.  I remember a few things - ground meat, chicken, ham, peas, milk, eggnog, wheat flour, and beef broth.  I wish I could say I had made a huge dent, but I think things are going well. 

Sunday, December 9, 2018

Weekend Book Reviews: Cookbooks

Cooking with Nonna:  The Holiday Cookbook by Rosella Rago and Adriana Trigiani has 150 Italian holiday recipes.  This cookbook has a good mix of recipes divided by holidays.  My favorites from the book were the dessert recipes.  The "bones of the dead" cookies were my favorite by far.  The grandmother or nonna profiles sprinkled throughout were interesting to read.  This would be a nice cookbook for Italian cooking fans. 

Elisabeth Bailey's The Make-Ahead Sauce Solution is an unusual freezer cooking method.  Rather than freezing entire meals or entrees, cooks can freeze sauces.  The sauces can then be used in a variety of ways:  over pasta, potatoes, meats, etc.  I think this is a good option for someone with more limited freezer space or for those who do not want 20 servings of the exact same thing.  The sauces are divided by type ranging from Americas, Asian, cheese/wine, Mediterranean, and pesto/salsa.  You are sure to find many sauces to fit your family's tastes. 

Dry by Clare Liardet is full of flavorful but non-alcoholic drinks.  When I first started reading through the cookbook, I found myself marking recipe after recipe to try.  The recipes serve from one to four.  They are perfect when you want a special drink for yourself.  They could easily be multiplied for a larger group.  A few of my favorites are the tropical morning smoothie, blueberry julep, roasted peach lemonade, and espresso mint martini.  This is one cookbook that I will definitely be adding to my bookshelf! 

Cooking with Scraps by Lindsay-Jean Hard teaches cooks to take the normally discarded parts of foods and turn them into delicious meals.  Many of the items will be familiar to extra thrifty cooks.  I commonly use my homemade bread ends or bread that did not turn out just right to make bread crumbs or croutons.  Apple peel/core jelly is a favorite at my house, and no good southerner would consider turnip greens to be scraps.  Even I learned some new things.  I never would have imagined making a cake with banana peels.  It is an interesting cookbook for those wishing to make the most of what they have.

disclosure:  I received these e-books through NetGalley but was not otherwise compensated for these reviews.  All opinions are my own!

Thursday, December 6, 2018

Christmas Ornaments

This week I have a Christmas party to attend with my church's Women's Ministry group.  I knew I needed to provide two dozen cookies and a Christmas ornament.  I had a long list of to-do items and sort of pushed it to the back of my mind.  I knew I had plenty of ingredients on hand for making cookies. 


I did intend to pick up a Christmas ornament for myself and one for my mom while out running errands.  It completely slipped my mind though.  I headed to Pinterest for a handmade ornament idea.  I ended up with two nice ornaments.






The best part is that I made them with items on hand.  I had the plastic Christmas ornaments left from last year.  The glitter and ribbon/tulle were in my craft supplies.  I used my Cricut and some scrap vinyl to cut the words. 

I was happy with how both ornaments turned out.  I might try to bring one of them back home with me!

Wednesday, December 5, 2018

Freezer Challenge

Monday I opened my freezer to find something for dinner (lunch) and was greeted by this sight.




It was obvious that we have way too much food in the freezer.  It is impossible to really organize this so I decided it was best to start using it up.  I decided to challenge myself to use at least one thing from the freezer for the remainder of this month.


So far I have used:


Ham
Ground meat
Fish fillets
Tomatillo salsa
Thai seasoned ground chicken
Pasta with chicken and pesto


I am hoping to at least make a dent in it this month.  I do expect I will find some lost items that are past use.  So far everything has been just fine!

Monday, December 3, 2018

Weekly Goals Update: Week 48

1.  Disaster Preparedness
Ended early due to the weekly missions being too extreme.

2.  Makeover the Garden
We got about 5 inches of rain in just about 24 hours here.  I am very glad that I did not plant any seeds.  I am certain they would have been washed down into the creek at the back of our property.  Areas of the garden behind our house are under water.  I do not want to even think about the poor chickens.  Many of them have lakefront property.  Hopefully the excess water will be soaked up soon.  For now it is much too wet to think about planting anything.

3.  Organize Recipes
I spent all of my spare time crocheting.  I do need to buckle down or this one is not going to happen.

4.  Have 13 No Spend Grocery Weeks - Done
I skipped the grocery store again last week.  I will need to pick up a few things this week.  I am planning to skip at least one week around Christmas.  I try to stay out of the stores around the holidays.

5.  Focus on Saving
I did no extra spending this past week.  I was tempted to buy a few things but in the end decided that it could wait!

6.  Etsy Shop
I have been working on a few things to list this month.  I want to do one more push for winter items.  Then I will take a break and work on some general items and some spring things.

Saturday, December 1, 2018

Weekend Book Reviews


Under the Knife by Arnold van de Laar takes a look at surgery through history.  I loved this book.  It was a mix of history, medicine, and quirky facts.  I found it amazing to read how we arrived at where we are in surgical medicine.  A few of the cases mentioned are a man who performed surgery on himself, Harry Houdini, and several royals.  This book was a touch on the gory side and a bit cringe worthy at times, but I loved it.  The author's writing style kept the topics from being dry and boring. 

Vannoy Gentles Fite's Essential Oils for Emotional Wellbeing is a comprehensive guide.  The author provides easy to follow recipes for a variety of products using essential oils.  I appreciated the extra information on choosing essential oils and using them safely.  This book contains too much information to take in all at once.  It will be an excellent reference guide.

Haunted World War II  by Matthew L Swayne seemed like a wonderful ghost story book that would mix ghosts with history.  The book started off well, but it seemed as if the author ran out of material.  It went away from ghosts and delved into the occult.  I found the historical information very interesting overall.  The ghost story information was pulled from other books.  It was a mix of hits and misses for me.

disclosure:  I received these e-books through NetGalley but was not otherwise compensated for these reviews.  All opinions are my own!