Whew!!! I was concerned that I had been blocked from our group and delighted when Daisy said was just a glitch.
I do so love reading all your posts! Feel that I’m beginning to know you in a special way. I need to take notes when I read your posts so I can ask questions or comment as seems appropriate. But for right now I want to report on progress with my garden planning.
I’ve bought heirloom seeds and handyman and I are going to work in the tool shed tomorrow where I’ve been growing spinach all winter. These seeds hopefully will provide me transplants for early Spring planting. Our last frost date is usually mid April. Amazing how much stuff has accumulated in there over the winter months. I keep the lawn furniture there so it will need to go out early this year and I have my extra 5 gallon cans of water there as well. Something of a mess, but gardening is becoming a favorite thing to do. He’s building me some small raised beds and I’m watching dozens of youtube videos about beginning gardening, especially the no till ideas.
Inside the house I continue to try dehydrating veggies I buy fresh or frozen and then trying different recipes to see how it turns out. Bad luck with my apples but I think they were just too ripe and sweet to dehydrate properly. In my effort to focus on food preservation that does not rely on electricity, I’m trying both mason jars sealed with the Food Saver device and some things vacuum sealed. Jars look lovely with beans, rice, dried spinach leaves, powdered tomatoes, etc. but they do take up a bit more space and that’s a problem as my retirement home is relatively small.
I think the vacuumed sealed bags may be the best way as I can store these in buckets. I’m making labels to stick on the outside of the buckets to remind me of what’s inside. I think it’s going to work well. At my age I’m concentrating on developing a pantry with about one year’s worth of stuff that I can maintain by purchasing to replace what is used regularly. I think I’m stocked at about 6 months now. When I finish my journey down here, my year’s supply is still good to pass on to my family.
I have one granddaughter who is a real homesteader in the making. She’ll soon turn 16 and is excited to be getting her driver’s license. She cans, raises chickens and rabbits, gardens, sews and does most of the cooking for her family now. This weekend she made her first attempt at cheese making. And, she plays piano, and soccer in season, and is active in 4-H club. Sorry. Typical grandmother…I’m blessed with nine healthy, active grandchildren ages 4 – 20. Oh, and did I mention they are all handsome and smart? 🙂
Oldmtwoman…a writer! go girl….maybe as you have time you could begin to work on your stories, create a collection of your best, self-publish or just make copies for your family. We will be like the flowers of the field that pass away and be remembered no more. But written words leave a legacy of you behind. I think that’s cool!
Cinnamon grammy…thanks so much for sharing so much of your activities with us. You are one more busy lady. Ah, our adult children…sometimes we just need to be there for them…listening to them, providing some stability when storms hit their lives. And, just not saying anything. Just being there. I’ve been there, done that. It’s tough to see them hurting. But, you’re doing the smart thing I think…staying busy. And, wow..Having friends from other cultures is so enriching for everyone I think.
My GD Carolina is studying at a boarding school in France this semester and is really enjoying meeting young people from all over the planet. One of her roommates is from China, another from the Netherlands…they’re all studying French primarily but she said many of the students speak some English. She’s the only American there at this time and it is being a great experience for her. Homesickness so far has been minimal. The family does Facetime with her on the weekends so that helps.
Whoops, I’m going on too long. Happy prepping everybody! This is a good thing, ya’ll. 😉