A Wet., Cold Mess!

 Did I tell you we have the heat on?  Yep, it's chilly and wet here in Michigan.  Yesterday we reached a high in the upper 40's with rain.  

The plants are waiting in the greenhouse.  We managed to plow the garden for the first time but it is too wet and cold to plant.  The seeds would rot and the plants would die.  It's downright depressing. We have went through this before and have planted more into June and still had a great harvest. So, I'm going with positive thoughts 

I ordered two more raised beds for the back of the garden.  With the wooden ones this will make four raised beds back there and two by the greenhouse.  The back wooden ones have onions and garlic growing in them and the ones by the green house have mustard greens and snow peas.  

Eventually we will get more.   I think with the changing weather and  our changing ages 😀 we need to look ahead.  I would like it all done of course now but  Rome wasn't built in a day, husband says. We will get it.

On other news:  I managed to sell something yesterday that I had on marketplace for a month.   Don't give up people -someone will want it!

I woke up one morning and watched Becoming a Farm Girl on youtube.  That woman made me get with it in the kitchen.  Inspirational for sure!  I made Trim healthy Mama pancakes, pickled eggs, and boiled some eggs for the week.  

Grandson is here this morning...I'd better think of something for him to eat that he loves.  Sausage, pancakes, and biscuits might make him happy.

Have a great day!

Frugal Grocery Shopping (stocking up)!

 

I was able to buy a lot of meat from the Flashfood app.  Our freezer is full again!  It's been really hard to find but I got blessed the day after Thanksgiving.  

I bought two chuck roast for $9.89 and $6.57

Two pork chops for $6.66 and $6.50

3 small chuck roasts for $6.56, $6.57 & 14.64

Total $61

Then I bought 4 packages of Jimmy Dean Bacon for $13.61 on Flash food from another store.

You know I've been going to the store and not buying meat.  Without meat the grocery bill is high.  So I was glad to find this! 

Other deals lately that I've stocked up on to fill up my pantry:   

I bought Meijer cans of sweet peas and corn for .50 a can.  I bought 12 cans of each and that should do us quite awhile.

I also bought chicken noodle soup for $1.00 a can.

What great grocery deals have you bought lately?

Thanks so much for helping to support Vickie's Kitchen and Garden**As a Amazon affiliate I earn a small percentage when you purchase items from one of my links (the item doesn't have to be what I have linked here). 

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A Great Sewing Deal and the Before and After of our Porch 10/25/24

 

We went to an estate sale ..not much there but I did buy this sewing box for $3.00.  I didn't want the box (I have too many) but it was filled with sewing goodies.

This is what I kept.  I gave the sewing box and rest of the contents to the local veterans thrift shop.  

I'll need the pattern paper this morning for the outfit that our granddaughter wants to sew for her Barbie(she is 10) .  She drew it out last night.

We had our porch (mud room) redone this past week.  This is the before picture (you can see the donations ready to go on the side).

This is the after picture:  

A much needed redo.   No we didn't do it ourselves ..we are not that talented ha ha.  but we saved for it.  After close to 30 years it was time.  The cat loves it.

Then I hauled off a trash bag full of shoes to the local free clothing site at a church.  

Thanks so much for helping to support Vickie's Kitchen and Garden**As a Amazon affiliate I earn a small percentage when you purchase items from one of my links (the item doesn't have to be what I have linked here). 

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Fishing, Chicken Dinner Deal, and You Can't beat Free!

 

We took a little trip to one of my favorite a little up north places, East Tawas, on the Lake Hurton shoreline.  It was cooler and of course beautiful.  We loved every minute of it.  We went fishing but of course we didn't catch anything and we visited my favorite store, Ben Franklin.  Fun and relaxing is what we both needed.  

We were able to visit the Tawas lighthouse.  I was unable to climb the tower but we were able to look at the living quarters.  

Interesting tidbit:  They had a oil room right in the house but somewhere along the way they decided that it was a fire hazard and built a building to hold the oil away from the house. I'm glad they got smart.

I almost forgot, we were visited by a mink on the boardwalk.  This is something I never seen before. It's like a small squirel with fur. He would come and take away our very small fish.

Gordon's food service by us has a deal, after 4 p.m. until 6 p.m, a rotisserie chicken for $3.00. Cole Slaw or Potato Salad for $3.00, and Hawaiin rolls for $2.00.  They said it was only at a few locations.

I bought 2 of the rotisserie chickens and the rest of the deal.   I made two big chicken fajita freezer meals out of the one and we had the other for dinner.  

Hint:  Sign up for their emails.

So far this past week I was able to get two green peppers, 6 cukes, and two large zucchinis for free.  People sit them out in front of their driveway on a table for free.  You gotta love that.

Now to make some zucchini bread.

How's it going at your house?  How have you saved this week?

Thanks so much for helping to support Vickie's Kitchen and Garden**As a Amazon affiliate I earn a small percentage when you purchase items from one of my links (the item doesn't have to be what I have linked here). 

Be sure to follow me on Facebook where I share free ebooks,and Bloglovin where I share my frugal list, gardening, recipes, and more!  You can also sign up for my email list on the top right hand side of the blog

This week on the Homefront, Great deals, Spring, and Grilling out!

 

Tulips and daffodils are blooming!   Spring has Sprung and it won't stop raining.  The backyard is just a flood.  It will be awhile before we garden..it's just too wet.

I made my youngest daughter a cake for her birthday. 

 I realized then I no longer had a turntable.  I bought one at a church garage sale today for $1.00.  It came with a bag of cake decorating tips and bags, icing spatulas, and silicone cupcakes holders.  Brand new!  

I picked up two bales of hay on the curb just before trash day.   Man they are heavier than I remember!  I like to use this in betweens the rows of the garden.

We bought mulch for $2.00 a bag at Menard's.   Now to get it done! 

 Although it was windy we grilled out  today.   It was enough for 3 days, steak, hot dogs, and pork chops.

I used my garlic butter I had frozen and we are in love with the taste.  I'll be doing this again at harvest time for sure.

How is it been going at your house?

Thanks so much for helping to support Vickie's Kitchen and Garden**As a Amazon affiliate I earn a small percentage when you purchase items from one of my links (the item doesn't have to be what I have linked here). 

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Sewing, Gardening, and Grocery Shopping Lessons 2/23/24!

This week I made a couple of bowl covers.  Why two?   Well the first one didn't fit ha ha.   There is a sewing tutorial for bowls covers by Jane on the Bluebirds are Nesting blog and a thankyou to Rhonda at If you do stuff, stuff gets done , who gave me the idea to use a pizza pan for the pattern.  

I started some seeds the previous week or so.  I'm so over winter and excited for Spring. Even if it's too early, this made me happy.  Cabbages and pepper plants were started.  Yesterday, I started a few tomato plants.  I hope to plant some flower seeds soon but I need a bigger space.

Yesterday, I went to Meijer real quick in the morning.  

My green pepper was free (MPERKS)  (reg.99)

3 Prego Spaghetti Sauces $1.33 each for 3 and one at $1.55 after sales and coupons

Bananas $1.32

4 chicken noodle soups $1.00 each after coupons

2 Tomatoes-$2.82

**I succumbed to a cold pop in the freezer and made a promise to never do that again.  At the awful price of $2.45 plus .10 for bottle refund I could have survived without one.  I need more willpower! 

two Little Debbie cake boxes for $2.79 (request from grand kids)

2 gallons of milk $2.78 each

2 half and half $2.99 each qt

$32.70

This was just for the sale items and other things we needed.  Money goes fast!  

Thanks so much for helping to support Vickie's Kitchen and Garden**As a Amazon affiliate I earn a small percentage when you purchase items from one of my links (the item doesn't have to be what I have linked here). 

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Found cheese, Free Fertilizer, and Flashfood Deal of the day!

 

I had pulled my back out some taking out the garbage through the snow when the husband was under the weather.  This happens to me when I get it into my head I'm wonder woman.  Finally realizing this wasn't a good idea I stopped at the patio and when the grandson came over he pulled it the rest of the way to the curb.  He is a good help and made it look so easy.

There hasn't been much of meal prep for the week going on, so no shredded cheese could be found in the fridge.  I did find the tub of cheese with bacon in it at the back of the fridge and used it.  It was so delicious that I'm going to make more omelets with it.  Money and time saved!  

After the rains and the snow we had, the poor chickens were in mud and I was in mud going to the chicken coop.   I bought some hay, spread it around, and everyone was happy again.

Free fertilizer!  Yesterday was a beautiful 60 degrees so I cleaned the coop really well.  The manure was spread in the garden (keep in mind we don't garden here until around the end of May or first of June).

My goal this year is to keep track of chicken expenses and you can see my list so far on the top right hand side of the blog.  

Oh yeah, I bought 7 steaks from Flashfood at Meijer for around $5.00 a piece. I used my $3.00 off code they gave me just for that day towards the bill.   Two of the steaks were Tbones and the other five where ribeyes.   They are in the freezer waiting for grilling season.

                                                           Meet King of the Hay!  

How's everything going at your home?

Thanks so much for helping to support Vickie's Kitchen and Garden**As a Amazon affiliate I earn a small percentage when you purchase items from one of my links (the item doesn't have to be what I have linked here). 

Be sure to follow me on Facebook,and Bloglovin where I share my frugal list, gardening, recipes, Free Kindle books, and more!  You can also sign up for my email list on the top right hand side of the blog

It's Been a Week, Spring Cleaning, and Saving Money!

 

It's been a week, probably just like yours, snow then ice or ice then snow, wild roads, kids off school, dripping the faucets so they won't freeze, frozen chicken coop doors, snow shoveling, warming boots up by the heat vents, building fires in the fireplace, forgotten and frozen pop cans in the car, and finally my bones creaking (that if I can make them move).  

This picture is this morning so we will shovel just a little bit.

I've been Spring cleaning these past couple of weeks because spring will be here before we know it!   I deep clean something everyday ..some days I count taking the donations to the thrift store as cleaning and take a break.  Keeping up the organization is the key but that starts to go down hill during gardening and holiday season. It would be a disaster though if I never did this in the winter months.

Saving Money:

I've been making next year's Christmas presents. I can't show them here because you know people read my blog.  So glad to have a good start.

I have enough Mperks from Meijer that today we will fill up there with .50 off a gallon of gas.

How did you save money this past week?

Thanks so much for helping to support Vickie's Kitchen and Garden**As a Amazon affiliate I earn a small percentage when you purchase items from one of my links (the item doesn't have to be what I have linked here). 

Be sure to follow me on Facebook,and Bloglovin where I share my frugal list, gardening, recipes, Free Kindle books, and more!  You can also sign up for my email list on the top right hand side of the blog.

 

Are You Bored Yet? Free Things to do in the Winter!

 

Here are some ideas for things to do for Free when you bored in the winter:  Warning: Make sure you call first to the place you are going.  If the schools are closed for bad weather most of the time the activities will be closed also.  Make sure to call or go on their website to see if they open.   Depending on the weather you might want to stay off the roads!  

This list also comes with another warning ... if you think about it, free sometimes is not totally free.  If you have to drive then consider the gas, if you have to take the bus consider the fare, etc.  Consider staying closer to home for the free things if this is a problem.   The kids are going to get hungry, are you going to dine out?  Even Mcdonald's now can break a budget.  Consider taking a lunch.

Here is a list of my favorite free things to do in the winter:

The Library:

A vast of resources, libraries are one of my favorite places!  

On line winter reading challenge!  Yeah, I'm on it!  Prize is a $50 Meijer Gift Card

There is a story time for the preschoolers.  I've used this resource for my children and grandchildren.  

Free or low cost passes to our favorite museums are on the libraries website.

Hold on before you spend big bucks on how to do books, consider checking and seeing if they have them at your local library.  Then if you like it and  need in your home for reference then buy your book to keep on your shelves.

Nature preserves:

Nature preserves have a lot of great things to do like:

Hiking trails that are both education and fun.  If they have a map it's even more fun.  Look for unique birds or other animals.

Don't forget to go in the Visitor centers.  Ours has a lot of educational things to enjoy inside, like a active bee hive.  The bees come inside to a container and you get to watch their activity.

Sometimes free or low cost programs are offered like night owl watch, star gazing parties, story hour etc.

Pet outlets

Watch for free dog wash days.   Our pet store has them it seems like once a month.  The mess is theirs and if you have kids they would love to watch too.

Baking:

Stay home and have a baking day!   It will even help warm up the house with the oven going. I have a list of my favorite recipes here but my apple pie recipe is here.  Husband will be disappointed today though because we are making a cake.

Sledding:

We have went sledding a lot over the years with the grandchildren.  We have a sledding hill that is not too far from us.  This is not an good activity for us today because of the -20 windchill.  Too cold for us and them!  

Stay safe and warm!

What fun activities do you have for winter?

Thanks so much for helping to support Vickie's Kitchen and Garden**As a Amazon affiliate I earn a small percentage when you purchase items from one of my links (the item doesn't have to be what I have linked here). 

Be sure to follow me on Facebook,and Bloglovin where I share my frugal list, gardening, recipes, Free Kindle books, and more!  You can also sign up for my email list on the top right hand side of the blog.