Yesterday morning I popped out of bed as soon as my eyes opened. I had to go and look at the steps, just to make sure they were really there & it wasn’t a dream. Generally I don’t make it past the kitchen without coffee in the morning so… I know I was a stumbling mess going outside, still in my night shirt doing a odd hop step. We have a sisal door mat and the odd hop step was because my foot landed on a “gift”…a furry full sized dead mole.
A gift from a feral cat who has decided it owns us. 
She’s put on weight and really filled out since she’s been hanging around. She was a scrawny matted mess when she first showed up
Now, I don’t really want it to own us, I want it to move on. but it’s earning it’s keep & we’ve worked out a system. I feed him bits Monday, Wednesday & Friday & the days in between he hunts and brings me gifts…..Like Moles, mice, baby rabbits & baby moles, frogs and parts of frogs. My caffeine deficient brain was just not ready for that!
What a way to start the morning ugh!
The day did get better, Isaiah & I ran to the grocery for canning lids & scored a few great deals in the produce department. I’ve found Mondays are the “new stock day”…anything left from a prior shipment has to be marked down..even if it’s still good! Apparently after the episode of bad spinach a few years ago, they can no longer mix shipments in the produce department. I picked up a bag with 4 huge heads of perfectly fine broccoli for .59 cents, a bag with 5 lbs. of rhubarb for $1.59 , a bag with 3 of celery for .59...and 45 LBS of peaches for $15.00. All organic, all perfectly fine! Score!
So my afternoon turned out pretty busy.
The celery all went in the dehydrator, I’ve 6 pints of rhubarb sauce cooling on the table,
7 quarts & 9 pints of peaches. These peaches I’d had, the others from today need to ripen a few more days. I went ahead and set the canner up outside and it was wonderful keeping the heat out of the house. I’d prep & load the jars inside and use a roaster pan to carry the hot jars outside.
What a blessing!
My garden (the parts that survived) like so many is just now really starting to produce… If all those blooms actually turn into pumpkin I’ll have enough to supply the entire county!
After reading how many have lost everything I’m not complaining!
The beans need picked today /tomorrow, I’ve some tomato’s harvested with more to come
, 
Cherry tomato’s are taking off this year
a few herbs, peppers and some beets. Although I know the weather is out of my control, I’ve been feeling like I’m letting the household down with very little canned to date. Like so many others, the garden & it’s production is my contribution to the finances.
These watermelon have all grown like gourds..I think inconsistent watering?
It’s how I’m able to stay home. So when there is nothing to put by, it makes me feel like I’m not pulling my weight.
It also reaffirms my thoughts of canning enough for 2 years every other year.
Yet sweet deals like today sure do help my attitude and the pantry!
Katie
Girl, I laughed out loud when I read about your "gift". I can't count the times that our MissKitty has brought gifts. Why is it that we seem to find them with our feet,and before coffee?
ReplyDeleteYou got some awesome deals with that produce. Now that you know the "secret" timing I have a feeling I know where you will be on Mondays! ;-)
SciFi, Oh, you've got that right! Mondays will find me at the grocery..I just hope more locals don't hear baout it LOL!!
ReplyDeleteYou scored some great deals on produce. It's nice to figure out how the stores work their markdowns.
ReplyDeleteFirst time reading this blog thanks for sharing.
ReplyDelete