letters from the wilderness
This week I’m adding more alfalfa pellets to our flower beds. This brand (40 lb. bag) has been on sale at Tractor Supply for $17.99. So far, I've purchased 8 bags though I could use an additional 8. Why Alfalfa Pellets? I first heard about it through the Virginia Gardening Facebook group. One of the... Continue Reading →
Since we moved the greenhouses upstairs to our breakfast room to avoid the field mouse inhabiting our basement, I've been busy starting more seeds. I'm using a combination of Burpee seed starting trays, trays from last year that held Jiffy seed starting packs, and recycled plant containers. Vegetables and Herbs Started Creeping Thyme Tomato Cabbage... Continue Reading →
Yesterday, I made cookies and started a batch of no knead bread for my family. Given the cost of butter and eggs right now, I wanted to try 2 substitutes for fat in the cookies. I substituted bacon grease for shortening in the soft molasses cookie recipe on the left. When I tasted the raw... Continue Reading →
We have 2 dogs, a Bernese Mountain dog, and an English Labrador. Winston is our lab, and has an incredible temperament. If we had him when my kids were little, he would have put up with all kinds of shenanigans without a peep. For whatever reason, Tobey (the BMD) needs a nail trim maybe once... Continue Reading →
This weekend, I made room in my indoor greenhouses for more seed-starting trays. I want to start ALL THE THINGS! As I mentioned, I have 3 trays of amaryllis plants that I've grown from seed. I have the trays in the greenhouse, but I need the room. I decided to move the plants into sunny... Continue Reading →
I am developing an amaryllis collection. I need to share some and find a permanent solution for growing them inside my home. I have 13 bulbs for 3 or 4 years, maybe longer for 2 or 3 of them. I tried throwing several that looked dead in my compost pile, and they rose from the... Continue Reading →
Believe it or not, my green thumb for vegetables and herbs is an outside one more often than not. I tried growing tomatoes inside this winter and didn't do too well. I've tried growing basil, lettuce, and rosemary inside in the past without much success. However, I have been successful growing parsley. I started the... Continue Reading →
When I was listening to Debt Free Dana recently, she mentioned using every last bit of shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste, etc. I had to laugh as I had just discovered how much conditioner I could have wasted if I had just thrown the bottle away. I buy big bottles of conditioner on sale at Ulta for... Continue Reading →
Late last year, work crews came through and dug up large sections of our thyme bed to put in fiber optic. We were NOT happy about the digging. They probably destroyed close to a $1,000 worth of plants, bulbs, and soil. The area is covered in straw and grass seed courtesy of the work crew,... Continue Reading →
One of my savings strategies this year is to maximize the savings when we spend money. I already do this through various programs like Ibotta and Rakuten. I also make use of coupons. And I like to maximize the cash back from my credit cards.  In January, I signed up for Citibank’s cash card.... Continue Reading →
2 dogs and a house 