The ABCs of Me- Blogger Tag

Sparing Change has tagged us all- her blog reads "This past weekend, Frugal Babe posted the ABC's of herself. There were some facts that I did not know about her and I've been following her for years!I thought it would be fun to post the ABC's of me in case anyone is interested to learn more about me."


A – Age. 52
B – Bed Size. King
C – Chore I dislike. Ironing.
D – Dogs. Not right now- lots of cats though.
E – Essential start to my day. Coffee- and reading blogs
F – Favorite Colors. Blue
G – Gold or silver? Silver
H – Height. I’m 5’3″
I – Instruments I play(ed). I can plunk around at the piano, Brimhall, easy stuff. I have a dulcimer which anyone can play and a bowed psaltery that needs tuning.
J – Job title. I am out of the Credit Dept but my title is Supply Chain Specialist- Suncare which revolves around cost mitigation. I’m sort of a hybrid: financial/sales/supply chain related activities.
K – Kids. Two
L – Live. We live on 5 acres in Missouri not too far from Six Flags St. Louis.
M - Money tip I like best. Visit flea markets
N – Never plan to… count on the government to solve your problems, do it yourself.
O – Overnight hospital stays. Maternity
P - Pet Peeves. When people don’t use their turn signals and grocery baggers that don’t understand how to properly fill a sack. (Did they never help their moms carry in groceries?)
Q - Quote from a movie. “Why, land is the only thing in the world worth workin' for, worth fightin' for, worth dyin' for, because it's the only thing that lasts. Gone with the Wind
[Or in my youth: It’s just a jump to the left . . . . . (RHPS)]
R – Righty or Lefty Righty
S - Siblings. None.
T - Time I wake up. 4 AM
U – Underwear. Yes, always. Never coordinated with anything else.
V - Vegetables I don’t like. Asparagus, brussel sprouts
W – What makes me run late. This darned blogging! LOL.
X – X-rays I’ve had. Knee, head, foot
Y – Yummy food I make. Lasagna
Z – Zoo animals I like. Seals, bears, giraffe.

Do you have a blog? If you do, consider yourself tagged!- Leave a comment with your link so we can read about you!

It's Here, It's Here!

Look what I got in the mail today! I won this and I've been looking forward to it and here it is. Thank you SO much, Sparing Change for sending me the Nana sign. My granddaughter will be with me this weekend so I'll make sure to hang it in her room! (This photos is really off her blog, just for speed in uploading).

You all should hop over to her site and see the Christmas series she has going. Every week there is a homemade gift idea and we all know that those are the really special gifts, not that I would turn down one of those Excalibur dehydrators, but getting back to reality, this week's candles would be a hit!

Dehydrated Potato and Green Pepper Recipe

Here it is, you all asked for it- my dehydrated potato dish. I followed the recipe from Real Food for Real People below, using all dried ingredients, except the butter and onions but then I added my own ingredients too. I like these cheesy.

2 Tbsp. Nonfat Dry Milk
2 Tbsp. Flour
2 Tbsp. Cornstarch
1 tsp. Onion Powder or 1 Tbsp. Crushed Dried Onions
(I omitted this since I used fresh onions)
1/8 tsp. Black Pepper
3 Tbsp. Butter or Margarine
2-3/4 cups boiling Water
3 C dehydrated potato slices

onions to taste
dried green pepper pieces to taste
grated cheddar to taste

Pour the potatoes into a medium size ungreased casserole and sprinkle the sauce mix on top. Dot with butter; stir in the boiling water. Bake at 400 degrees F for 30 to 35 minutes or until tender. If you are cooking something else at a lower temperature in your oven, adjust the baking time; at 350 degrees bake 40 to 45 minutes; at 325 degrees bake 50 to 55 minutes.

I started out with a medium dish, poured in the potatoes and crunched up some green peppers for a little extra flavor, additionally, adding some onions left over from my husband's chili pot he was preparing.

Next I mixed all the dry ingredients. I chose to use all dried ingredients (except the butter & onions) since we're supposed to be learning to live on our preparedness foods. I assume we may be making our own butter or bartering for it someday.

Sprinkle the dry ingredients all over and add the pats of butter.

Stir in the boiling water, mix it up well. My potatoes started to re hydrate right away.

I baked it for just a little over half an hour, in my normal oven rather than the convection oven. I tested for tenderness and it was perfect. I'll bet they would also be good with some of my husband's chili plopped on top! I also prepared more zucchini bread- with a little shredded cucumber added. We'll have a nice dinner or two out of this.

I think it's important that we not only prepare, but that we practice. One day we may wake up and find, in the blink of an eye, that our world has changed be it from natural disasters, financial collapse, etc. Those of us that have practiced will have a greater confidence level. So regardless of why you are preparing, test it and make sure you find out everything that can go wrong and then test it again.

I hope you will also share your recipes with me and I wish you all good eating!

Weird Wasp Behavior

Weird Wasp Behavior- CLICK to Enlarge

The wasps have been behaving strangely this year, perhaps due to our wild temperature swings? When it hit over 100, they surrounded our doors and windows, trying to cool themselves on the glass or from what little air might be leaking out from cracks.

Yesterday, we went next door to celebrate my mother-in-law's birthday. Later, I walked back home to get some yummy frozen soft pretzels and spicy cheese for snacks. When I approached the garage door keypad, a guardian wasp flew over and sat on my forearm, wings spread as they do when giving a warning.

This is odd, I'm thinking. Red wasps are aggressive but we really have no problem with them, in fact, I think sometimes they like us since I make sure to give them drinks on the hot days. They love to sit on the hostas as I dampen their leaves or fly through the sprinklers on hot days.

Well, he (she?) didn't actually DO anything, just sat there until I shook it off. Then I looked up and saw about 50-80 of them plastered to the glass around the light, huddling for warmth. The temperature has dropped from 104 last week down to the 60s yesterday. I carefully punched in the code and made my way into the garage and through the house, grabbed the pretzels and cheese and off I went, punching in the code to close the door.

Oops! Forgot the pretzel salt. I have to do this again, but all was well. So . . . this time I grabbed the opener from the car, just in case.

Today, after church, they are still here but waking up and starting to fly off. I should have taken the photo yesterday but I wasn't really thinking that clearly with so many wasps staring me down! Strange wasp behavior indeed!

Pretty Little Orange

Does it get any prettier than this?

This is an example of my recently dehydrated oranges, although I thought I lost the whole batch after a voice message received at work. It seems the rains set in and my carpenter husband's day was cut short. Summarized: The oranges are great, I might eat all of them before you get home!

NO, no, no! I haven't even seen them yet! This is my fruit hating, all meat and potatoes husband. Eating my oranges? These must be really, super good.

And they are! And beautifully translucent.

More on dehydrating later after I try to re hydrate and cook with my peppers and potatoes!

A Honey of a Deal

In the next town there is a little corner produce stand, one that started a couple of years ago in the parking lot of a tiny repair shop just off the exit ramp in Eureka at Hwy 44. No one thought much about it, they would just be there for the summer, especially since it's within a mile of two supermarkets. Now newly expanded to the old gas station, Nina's Produce is doing quite well, in fact there are times the parking lot is full. I was lucky to be taking a vacation day so I could scoot in there in the middle of the day and I had the place almost to myself.

I walked past the giant mums, around the watermelons, bypassed the tomato "seconds" and into the makeshift store where I was greeted by endless jars of jams, jellies, honey with and without the comb, locally made tri color tortilla chips, soup mixes and much, much more.

I have been looking for some local honey, not the "who knows what's in it" type imported from other countries. There were the small bear squeeze bottles, cute as a button, but per ounce price was much higher than purchasing the larger jar. I thought about the pretty jar with the honey comb in it but again, I got more honey this way. Maybe another time, because it is so pretty.

I also picked up some bags of mixed peppers, yellow, orange and green which were three or four for a dollar. They were in good shape but not the picture perfect green pepper all shiny and glistening that you see in your local supermarket. I went ahead and got a couple more at 2 for $1 as well. I had enough to seed and slice up seven layers in the dehydrator.

I purchased an entire bag of navel oranges too. I think I will dry some but a couple may not be pretty enough to dry. I just might have to eat those! (LOL)

It was a good thing that their debit card machine was down and I had to work with cash or else who knows what else may have hitched a ride home with me. I'm thinking it might be some type of jelly, something I've never had. Corn Cob jelly perhaps? Maybe gooseberry jelly? Or, and this is more likely, pumpkin butter or apple butter. It's about that time!

I'll leave you with a photo of my coleus, blooms exploding skyward-

Dehydrating a 10 lb Bag of Potatoes

Potatoes are a survival food, one high in in vitamins, minerals, fiber and protein, all with zero grams of fat. They are easy to grow and produce a high yield even in poor soil. One year we grew them on our deck using only trash bags filled with soil. This year however, we concentrated on tomatoes, cucumbers and zucchini which is why we purchased a 10 lb sack of potatoes for dehydrating.

We used our Nesco stackable dehydrator with about 10 layers, allowing the potatoes to dry overnight. We peeled and par steamed the potatoes so they would not darken while dehydrating. Then sliced them- you should check your dehydrator's instructions to see how thick to slice them- placing them in a single layer on each of the 10 trays. The heat was set at 125 degrees and allowed to run overnight. This morning we had layers of nicely dried potatoes. See how pretty they are, beautifully translucent. I placed a two cup measuring cup next to the bowl to give you an idea of how they reduce.

We were just short of 10 lbs, taking out about four to six potatoes for both dinner and some homemade chips. You can also peel them with an apple peeler and then lightly flour the peels, placing them into hot oil. When removed, season to preference: salt or garlic, cajun seasoning or pepper- your choice. They are delicious.


I am not certain how much we saved doing this ourselves; however, based on what I pay for a small box of dehydrated au gratins, I think we may be ahead of the game. We will make up our own recipes plus they are easy to store, transport if we go camping or need some quick emergency food. The dehydrators are so easy I might pick up another bag so I can double my stash.

photo link

Frugality-80% Savings at the Book Store

Just up the way on old Route 66, right at the intersection of Hwy 50, is a little flea market that has been operating there ever since I can remember. The Mason Dixon Flea Market is a mishmash of old buildings, stalls and metal sheds with vendors selling everything from old tools to fresh produce. You can find old farm tools, motorcycle parts, cast iron cook wear, clothing, furniture, collectibles and even get a tattoo if you are so inclined.

There is a great bookstore there, inside where you can go all year long. She has a wide selection of books,categorized by genre, stacked neatly on wooden shelves. The prices are good, much less than the list price plus some titles are fairly current.

My husband is an avid reader but bookstore prices, even Amazon, can be a bit too high in this economy so we are always looking for a good deal. The library is a great source and can work pretty well for me; however, he tends to read large books, typically historical in nature. He's a fast reader but sometimes it is more convenient to have a copy rather than try to complete it in two weeks and hope you can renew if you are not done. In addition, we are supporting a local business owner.

Yesterday's find List Price vs. Purchase Price:
The Century by Peter Jennings and Todd Brewer $60 vs. $8
Thomas Jefferson by Willard Randall $35 vs. $7
Lee and Jackson by Casdorph $13.95 vs. $5
Ghost Soldiers by Hampton Sides $14.95 vs. $4
Black Hawk Down $7.99 vs $2

Total List $132
Purchase $ 26
Saving $106

This is an 80% discount. You can't beat that!

When the Circus Comes to Town

When the Circus Comes to Town

The Culpepper & Merriweather Circus rode into town bringing their updated blue and white striped Big Top, a host of performers, workers, kiddie amusements and of course an array of animals ranging from a braying donkey to the king of beasts!

This is small one-ring circus, the type that would travel from town to town in days past, riding in on the railroad, unloading and parading through town. Folks would watch in awe as lions, tigers and colorful performers made their way to the outskirts of town where in a matter of hours the big top would tower over the fields; a signal to all that the fun would soon begin.

photo credit

Today they arrive in a caravan of trucks and trailers still parading through town hauling ticket booths, trailers that will soon serve popcorn, soda and cotton candy, bounce houses and a small side show- Giant Snake- Live! Many hands are needed to erect the 3600 pound tent, driving a hundred stakes with 20 lb hammers. These are the strong men not featured in the show but critical to the success.

The kiddies lined up early eagerly awaiting the exciting acts that would soon be no more than a few feet away. Some took advantage of the pony rides, some the bounce house but all had that look of excitement, the type you can find only in a child's eyes.

Soon the circus sprang to live, music blared from speakers and the crew was in high gear. The townspeople filed in as they have for generations: moms and dads with kids in tow, grandparents and teens, circus fans of all ages, a thread that binds us all. Run to get the best seat in the house but don't forget: Get your bag of Popcorn! Peanuts here! Snow cones and Soda. Balloons and trinkets. Get your face painted like a tiger!

Let the Show Begin- The Big Cats. You are a mere few feet from the big cats, separated only by removable steel fencing. Some parents brought their children right up to ring-ill advised and they were quickly shooed back to their seats. Regardless of the safety precautions and the cats' apparently tame disposition, these are still wild animals. I have seen my house cat in action and he weighs only a few pounds with tiny, albeit sharp claws. Imagine the damage a three or four hundred pound cat can inflict.

What's a circus without clowns? Yes, those funny, sad and oft times scary clowns that have entertained us for ages, holding our interests and tickling our funny bones during set or costume changes.

The Performers
Jugglers, trapeze artists soaring through the air, the Whip Master, dancing dogs, unicyclists and the many others file in performing act after act of amazing feats.

If you believe the trapeze isn't really so high, contemplate jumping off the top of your six foot step ladder. Not so sure about that? Simone, beautiful ringmaster and trapeze artist, flies high in the air, swinging by her neck spinning in frantic circles. Later she soars faster and faster, toes almost touching the top of the tent and suddenly drops suspended by her ankles or perhaps with her neck resting on the bar held only by the strength of her shoulders.

You find yourself both amazed and afraid for her. You silently send up a pray for the guardian angels of the circus to hold her in the palm of their hands. You see, she works without a net.

As we watch transfixed, she is dangling by one foot from a small rope loop as she poses her body at a 90 degree angle. This is no six week circus school. This is an investment of a lifetime, someone who has grown up and developed skills exceeding most prime time athletes. This is a daughter of the circus.

Next time the circus comes to town make time to take your children. If your town or charitable organization does not sponsor the circus, bring the idea to your next aldermanic meeting, gather the presidents of your local Lions Club, Rotary or tourism board together to discuss the possibility of bringing one to your community. Contact the circus directly at cmcircus@gmail.com to see how they can assist you or your organization.

I hope you are able to enjoy this simple type of circus, one that generations before came to know and love.

photo credits

Portable Bathroom

My husband bought me a bathroom today-a portable one- and guess where it is? He set it up right in the middle of the living room! See the porta-potty? In the living room? No,no, no. This is just a demonstration- we will definitely not be keeping a portable bathroom in our living room, no matter how convenient my husband believes it is!

It has a strap to hang a 6 gallon bag of water for showering in addition to a place for the porta-potty. Now, we have a camper and a really nice camper. It has a bed, sofa, table, full bathroom, refrigerator, etc. Unfortunately, it has become so expensive to operate between the price of diesel and low gas mileage that the truck gets. It has basically grounded us.

We do have a tent. I have to be upfront with you- I hate tent camping. It's uncomfortable and I do love my creature comforts. That's why we have a camper. Now he wants to do some tent camping with the neighbors and knows I want a bathroom plus I invariably have to go there after dark and I hate walking around campgrounds by myself late at night. It's spooky.

He thought this might satisfy my needs. The thought was good but really, this toilet is 11 inches off the ground. That's really short and I just don't know if I can do it. At least not without falling over. About 10 years ago a driver crossed the center line and hit me head on and caused the car behind him to veer off and go crashing down a hill through the woods, trees cracking all the way. Everyone was helicoptered to the hospital except for me. Although I had my seat belt on, I still hit the dash with both knees, breaking one. The guy had to be cut out of his car- no seat belt, no airbag and a low profile car. It took out everything under my car and sent me into a deep ditch. The result of this is my knee cap no longer nestles into the place it belongs plus there is nerve damage, not debilitating but causes problems. It is sort of part way out but the doctors didn't want to do the replacement until I was older and couldn't function. Anyway, I can't kneel or put much pressure on my knee without lots of pain. There is no way I can lower myself down to 11 inches!

I don't know what I will do about camping but I do appreciate that we have this, just in case we have a power outage. Out here if you don't have electric you also don't have water, so no toilets unless you have enough water stocked up. It can be part of our preparedness planning.

This was our old camper, but I wanted a bathroom. We sold this and purchased a travel trailer.

This is the "good" camper.