Month: July 2023

Musings

Odds and Ends

JanetLeave a comment
Or, the occasional thoughts that run through my brain.

It is an odd thing to realize just how old you are. I know my actual age, it is impossible not to as it comes up regularly depending upon the situation, but to realize just how much history (!!!!) I’ve witnessed is occasionally shocking.

Don’t believe me? Wait a bit. <G>

When I was a kid, information was mainly shared via newspapers and magazines. Information as in how to do things. How to cook a meal. How to sew a pattern (many times the pattern itself could be found in a print publication). How to preserve food. How to grow food. You get the idea.

Yes, information was shared between friends and relations, often times via the mail if folks were not close enough to visit or phone.

Speaking of phones, we had one which was situated in the kitchen with a Very Short Cord (less than 6 feet if memory serves) and was used sparingly. Long distance was not cheap and folks did not spend a lot of time on their phones; there was work to be done.

Summers were an interesting combination of growing the garden and preserving what came out of the garden. Canning season. I hated canning season! My job was ring cleaner – the rings that go around the top of the canning jar holding the lid during processing. I was not allowed to prep jars, either. My mother took food preservation Very Seriously because she knew that one jar that wasn’t processed properly could literally kill you. As a result, she washed all her jars herself (no automatic dishwasher in our home) and she filled those same jars herself.

On the plus side, we had enough food to keep us fed for an entire year.

    Summer was Rerun Season. That time of year when, if you were lucky, you might catch an episode or two of the series you might have missed during the regular season. Might.

    It was also the time when us kids might actually get caught up in a good series or soap, like Dark Shadows, only to miss most of the year when we went back to school in the Fall.

    I loved being able to watch the game shows during Summer. There were lots of interesting people and games that were fun to play along with.

    Television was limited to 3 networks and, if you were lucky, you might be able to watch PBS if your UHS feed was good. Ours usually was pretty iffy.

    No cable. No Internet. No cell phones.

    I know for many people all of this is inconceivable. I also know that many people are looking to go back to something close to that old style of life.

    I heard someone say recently that she was “over entertained” when she related pumping gas and realizing she had left her phone in the car and was surprised to find herself ‘needing’ to be entertained for the less than 5 minutes it took to fill her gas tank. As she related this story, she talked about being deliberately aware of what was going on around her; cars going by, people chatting, kids playing, the weather.

    There is something to this idea of being over entertained.

    There really was life before all the tech and fancy machinery. It is worth investigating if only to understand how far we have evolved (although some would say devolved). It is also worth considering just how much connection is necessary.

    Sometimes life spent not running around to fill up the calendar can be more satisfying and productive.

    Food for thought.

    Audiobooks · Books

    From The Reading Table: Murder at a London Finishing School

    JanetLeave a comment

    Murder at a London Finishing School by Jessica Ellicott

    My rating: 5 of 5 stars

    I always enjoy my time with Beryl and Edwina. I like the time period, the location, the mysteries, and, most importantly, the characters.

    The thing about this series is that the characters always have growth and evolution, sometimes in spite of themselves.

    This time around the ladies are called back to their finishing school near London to help their old headmistress solve a series of thefts and some mysterious happenings that are driving students away. In the middle of that investigation a school mate from the ladies’ time ends up dead.

    One thing you can always count on is the great collection of characters, old and new, in the story. The regulars are welcome returns while the new folks add an interesting something different to the story.

    I always recommend new folks to the series start at the beginning so they can keep up with the growth of our ladies, but each book does stand on its own.

    Gather your favorite cup of whatever, curl up and enjoy the story!

    View all my reviews

    Around the House

    Tips And Tricks

    JanetLeave a comment

    Every once in a while I come across something that brings out the “Ah, ha! I have to try that!” in me. Here are a couple I’ve found to share.

    Coffee filters…Who would have thought?

    Cheap, handy, easy to use:

    Laundry Hack Saves Money

    Many decades ago when I first learned to do laundry, I was taught to use the old fashioned wringer washer. This machine was accompanied by 2 large tubs for rinsing. Fabric softener was not a ‘thing’ at that time. At most, we might use blueing for whites.

    Fast forward to the use of automatic washers and the deluge of detergents, softeners, whiteners, and whatever else someone could come up with that you ‘must have’.

    I’ll tell you a secret; I stopped using fabric softeners for 99.9% of my laundry years ago. Yes, years. And you know what? My laundry is better, cleaner. Why did I stop? My towels got to the place where they were not as absorbent as they should be. Now they are absorbent, smell fresh and actually work better at doing their job; drying me.

    You might be interested in the Simple Laundry Trick for Fluffy Towels. Check it out.

    Now, I do have a bottle of fabric softener in my laundry room that I use sparingly. But for the majority of my laundry I no longer use it. My budget is happy, too.

    I hope you found these little trips and tricks interesting and useful. If so, please let me know by clicking on the ‘Like’ button.

    Crafting

    Holiday Crafting

    JanetLeave a comment
    Oh My!

    Crafters prepare for the holidays well before the holidays. This means we start thinking about what we will be making before June and we start gathering our materials as early as June depending on the craft and the availability of supplies.

    I recently watched MaymayMadeIt on YouTube reveal the holiday craft supplies they had purchased just so they could do their Christmas In July projects. Two hours (!!!!!) of papers, stencils, dies, and a host of other things – and that is just the start.

    I recently posted about not diving into any big purchase items for my craft room. Watching the reveal on Maymay’s channel reminded me of the little ticket items I already have in my craft room. Stencils, dies, stamps, papers, inks… Items I purchased because they caught my attention and I wanted to use them to make holiday cards.

    Granted, there are quite a few items that I would like to purchase, and I might, but I find the holiday product reveals to be a great time to jog my memory about things I already have.

    Budget friendly? Yep! And I won’t be waiting for delivery, either.

    What’s in your craft room waiting to be used?

    Crafting

    Are You A Dabbler?

    JanetLeave a comment
    Hobbies – The Sanity Saver

    I’ve told the story before, my mother was a lover of crafting. She tried loads of things and enjoyed most of them. I give her credit for sharing that love of ‘what if and why not’ with me.

    I think many times people get stuck with the idea that there are not many crafts to be done or that some are more cumbersome than others or the mess or the expense or the time… You get the drift.

    The thing is, there are hundreds of options that can evolve into thousands of projects.

    Off the top of my head
    • Sewing
    • Clothes
    • Quilting
    • Home Decor (pillows, curtains, etc.)
    • Cookery
    • Food preservation (canning, drying)
    • Specialty vinegars and oils
    • Baking (breads and pastries)
    • Candle Making
    • Soap Making
    • Basket Weaving
    • Paper Crafting
    • Mixed Media
    • Furniture Refinishing
    • Wood Working
    • Whittling
    • Upholstering
    • Painting (Oil or watercolor or pastels)
    • Painting (Furniture, rooms, decor pieces)
    • Pottery

    Whew!

    One of the things I enjoy about watching others practice or teach their craft is learning about the process. I might never venture to do it myself, but I do learn a bit.

    I watch Antiques Road Trip not only for the armchair traveler in me, but I learn a lot about things and history. Quilting shows teach me ideas and patterns. Cookery shows open my eyes to possibilities that might be found lurking in my local market waiting for me to bring it home and play in my kitchen. A trip to my local hobby shop or hardware store opens loads of possibilities as there are often classes that help me decide if I want to dive in or just dabble.

    The thing is, the dabbling can create a space in your life where you can let go of the day to day grind and wander through the project at hand. I have a friend who loves her garden not only for the beauty in it but the peace it provides as she cares for her plants. She loves it so much I’ve told her she might consider doing it as a sideline. I doubt that will happen because that would cross the line between pleasure and work, but it is an option for some.

    There are some folks who are good at a hobby craft and love to share it. Some of those will sell their arts and others who teach their arts.

    For me, I love to observe, learn, get my hands dirty a bit and find things that I can do in my own time.

    What do you love to do that lets you relax and unwind?

    Cooking · Food · Meal Building Blocks

    Digging in the Archives

    JanetLeave a comment
    Recipe archives that is…

    For those of us old schoolers who have a collection of cookbooks and/or recipes in various formats, there is a bit of adventure involved when we pull out either a book, box or whatever and start digging to find the Next Different Thing For Dinner.

    For those who don’t, the adventure can be rummaging around the Internet for the same thing.

    The goal is simple, finding something new(ish) for our summer meal plans that don’t require loads of time, heating up the kitchen or stocking lots of stuff in the pantry other than what we normally would use.

    Thankfully, there are lots of places to look: Food brands have their websites with recipes and usually a way to get the brand items either directly or locally. Or both.

    Have you checked out your local library or book shops, specifically second-hand book shops? The library could be a great resource to test out cookbooks before you hand over the cash…or not. The second hand shops often have gems you might not find anywhere else. Cheap.

    Yes, recipe sites like AllRecipes.com are great places to find new ideas, but sometimes you just want something…else.

    Check your local markets to see if they offer recipes. You might be surprised to discover that there are lots of ideas that are easily accessed as you do your regular shopping.

    Take advantage of local produce. That is a great way to control your budget. And, if you are inclined, see if you can score some items to put away for Winter. Your county agricultural department should be able to answer any questions you might have on how to do that.

    As busy as Summer can be, don’t let yourself get stuck in a rut. Experiment a little. You never know, you could find your next House Favorite!