The Mistake We Made on Our Raised Beds 3/15/25!

Back in January of last year (2024) we bought these two wooden boxes for $10 a piece thinking we could use them for raised beds. I don't know guys but they said they would be great in the garden.  We fell for it and we were excited for the deal.   The thoughts of the extra room to grow things excited us as well.

Well, not much grew in them this past season and the wood just swelled and then eventually came apart.  We knew it was time to let them go.   We found a good deal on steel raised beds that were approximately the same size but we needed a little extra help to get the old ones out.  So, when the grandson wanted to earn $30.00 I told him,  I know just the job! 

Yesterday was the perfect 70 degree day to do it.

The old dirt was put in a wheelbarrow.  Then, husband and grandson threw the wooden beds upside down in to the main garden to wait till garbage day.  Then we put the new ones down and put in all the old dirt plus more to fill them up.  

It was quite the heavy lifting and after it was done the grandson ran away.  I told him I have more jobs but he didn't seem interested.  ha ha but he will.  He just needs time to recover.  Money talks!

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Getting ready for Gardening Season!

 It's cold here today but the sun is shining.  Now what do you do when it's too cold to work outside but you want to garden...you bring it inside! 

I bought two of these raised beds to replace the wooden boxes we bought last year.  Those wooden boxes we had were not made for raised beds LOL.  They are basically are rotting.  Luckily we only paid $10 a piece for them (2).

We have decided these will hold the flowers that I plant for pollination and something pretty.  That will leave more space in the garden for vegetables.  They will be placed in front of the green house.  I'll show pictures when it warms up and we do that work.

Even though a million jobs are swirling in my mind...I can only do one two at a time. 

I've started peppers and marigolds and I hope to start my tomatoes on Monday.  

What's going on in your garden so far this year?  I hope everyone is starting a little something to help with the groceries.

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, and more!  You can also sign up for my email list on the top right hand side of the blog.

Saving Money on Cleaning Supplies!

 With the rising cost of groceries I hope you might consider some of the ways I save money every week.  Oh I watch those coupons and sales but saving money on cleaning supplies helps me put those dollars back into food.

I cut my SOS pads in half.. saves money and rust on the sink!  

I'm also making dish scrubbies ahead for the year.  So far I've made 10 for my stockpile.  I like to do this in the winter (gardening in the summer).

Every week I also make Dawn Dish Soap and Foaming Hand Soap.  This little chore is done on Saturday of every week.  Just takes a minute and I save big $$$.  

***You can use the cheaper brand of dish detergent also for the Spray bottle.  It works.

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).  My thred up link is also a refer a friend link.

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.

Our Snow Lifes 2/22/25!

We are still frozen here in but there is a warm up coming this next week yeah!   Here are some pictures of our frozen home in Michigan.

When the sun comes out it can leave some pretty shadows on the snow.  I try to look for the beauty.  It works sometimes.

We bring in a lot of water and dirt in the porch.  I let the rug dry out on the grill all day and night to get the water out.  Just now, I put it frozen in the dryer but man the whole dryer was bouncing around. Husband did not approve. Now it's thawing out on a stool and we will go from there.

We've had some big icicles but we try and knock them down when we see them.  

There are footprints in the snow of wild animals about..They circle the chicken coop but they are very secure. They are there in the summer too but it freaks me out when I see the tracks in the winter.  

Sometimes I have nightmares about forgetting to shut the chicken coop door.  I make myself wait till morning to go check on them.  Crazy I know.

That's all I know ...we are surviving this winter the best we can.  Thanks for dropping by.  

What's going on where you are?  

 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).  My thred up link is also a refer a friend link.

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.

 

Chrome and Ice, Valentine's day, and Snow!

Our fun last weekend!  

 We went to the indoor car show, Chrome and Ice...Loved it and we got all these freebies.   Lip balm, magnets, trays, bags, locks, lunch bags, stress cars, etc.   A lot of fun!  

I loved all the cars but I was impressed by these racing things...two kids, a brother and sister, race them.  They were like 7 and 10 or something...wild.

What did he give me for Valentine's Day you ask?  Well we went out to breakfast and had a great time.  Flowers can give us sinus problems in the house in the winter and I don't want candy...so he bought a dozen donuts yesterday LOL.  

The rest of the week we have battled snow.  Now listen we were amazed at the totals in the southern states ..because we only had cold and a little snow for us. Nothing we couldn't handle.  Then ...let me tell you.  The first round was 7 inches on Thursday night (another snow day for the kids)...between today and tomorrow will be 11 inches more they say.  We are getting pay back.  LOL

It's pretty though!  

What's going on where you are?  

 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).  My thred up link is also a refer a friend link.

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.

Sewing, Exercise, and Spring Cleaning 2/7/25!

 

I have been making a tote bag for my granddaughter for her horses.  I've been following this tutorial on youtube that has been perfect.

She has went from Barbies to Schleich horses.  I dread the day when she no longer plays but I know it's coming.   So, I'll entertain this as long as I can.  

I'm sitting here at the computer in my house coat and I'm using this pedal thing I ordered.  We walk in the mall and also at the church gym but not everyday do we want to get out in the cold.  

I'm not very good at it.  In fact I'm rather awkward but it works for some exercise.  Sometimes I forget to make it move ha ha.

Spring Cleaning:

I've been trying to do Spring Cleaning as much as possible.  I want to be outside in the Spring so I want to be mostly done.  This week I've tackled the spice cabinet and underneath the bathroom sink.

We are expecting snow on Saturday.  Who knows how much..no one really does.  This snow is not going to fall right for a snow day for the grandkids.  Most likely, it will be cleaned up before Monday.

What's going on where you are?  

 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).  My thred up link is also a refer a friend link.

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.

I have the Itch... to Plant

 

Yesterday was a great weather day-with a high near 45.  There is ice everywhere though so moving around can be downright dangerous.  

Funny story, my granddaughter was here in the living room one day and as she looked across the street she saw this young man fall down his icy steps.  He was fine and brushed off his pants, looked around, and walked off, but she said it was like watching at a real life tik tok.  Poor guy, I'm glad he doesn't know we saw that.  If it was me I would have broken a hip.

The nice weather though has me wanting to start seeds.   I did bring in one rack to get ready for it and I'm looking at my seeds but really it's too early here, except for onions and houseplants of course.  I have propagated a couple of wandering jews already and I have decided to plant onions ha ha.    

If you are getting the itch to plant too, old farmers almanac has a list, after you put in your zip code, of when you should start your plants.

The junk you see in the floor to the left is our Spring to do list, paint, a faucet to put in, etc. I need to calm down, now is the time for that stuff I guess.    

  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).  My thred up link is also a refer a friend link.

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.