Tag: cooking homemade meals
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Hearts and Flowers
The random urge to craft struck me again this weekend. I was taking down our remaining Christmas decorations and wishing for something to replace them with. Inspiration struck in the form of the Baker Creek seed catalog. I had wanted to make a garlands of hearts for the fireplace mantel, but had no red paper.…
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Pho and Snow
Happy three-day weekend to those who are so blessed. I have many small fulfilling things to report this week! Perhaps the most important is that I refinanced my car loan yesterday. Now my interest rate is more than 4% lower and I also shortened the term. It told me how much I was saving —…
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Hold Still and Hope January Doesn’t Notice You
Seriously, no sudden moves, no bold proclamations. January is a trickster. Everything is going pretty good, the weather warmed up a bit, it’s still a little light out at 5 pm, you’re feeling cautiously optimistic and then BAM! someone spikes a high fever. And it pours rain for 12 hours straight. Am I envious of…
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Plans for 2026: Garden, Travel, Scrimp, Party!
My goal was not to be sick on Christmas, and I wasn’t. But most of us had strep throat this week. I guess it’s better than a cold or flu since once you get the meds it goes away. I resent having to pay $135 to urgent care so far. (But grateful for urgent care…
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Cozy Christmas
My homemade, handcrafted holidays are finally over, though I’ve still got time off coming up to enjoy. Last Tuesday and Wednesday I was on my feet a lot, and definitely had moments of “never doing this again.” Two of the kids were sick and thus I didn’t have a lot of help in terms of…
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Solstice Night
Now comes the time of the holiday season when I veer between rash, “Christmas comes but once a year” decision-making and “nope, I’m done” cost-cutting. This week, I had to chart a course through the middle, as I still had gifts to buy, and I had to start planning for hosting Christmas Eve. I should…
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The Last Harvest of the Year
Last week we had some frigid nights, with the mercury dropping to 17 degrees F. I was still recovering from being sick and figured the broccoli, carrots, etc. in the garden would be OK. But yesterday (Saturday), we were staring down a Winter Storm Warning that promised three to five inches of snow. So I…
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2025 Garden Totals
The 2025 garden totals are in! I’m pleased; this was a decent haul in a smaller garden compared to 2023. (I didn’t really garden in 2024.) My fenced-in garden is about 8 ft by 6 ft, so 48 square feet. In addition I had some large pots near the driveway for carrots, potatoes and herbs.…
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Wintry Walks & More Thrifting
I really needed this weekend. I was practically skipping home on Friday, so glad the work week was done. Work was extremely busy; at home I was pulling single-parent duty Sunday through Tuesday while Tom and T went to Green Bay for the Eagles game. I worked from home Monday and Tuesday. N and F…
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Calm Before the Storm
Sitting here getting my grays covered up and my hair cut, ahead of my work trip to Arizona. I leave next Sunday. Trying to enjoy fall in New Jersey before heading to the desert. However, we’ve got a nor’easter blowing in today, so we can’t do much outside. The worst of it will be tonight…
Garden State of Mind 