Questions, Answers and Comments, Oh My!

                                 

Gracious!  I very nearly forgot this post this month!  I only do this post because I so long to address comments and questions asked during the month.  Truth, I can't quite keep up with all the replies and too there is great wealth in things you all share or say that I think all could benefit from, and so I like to share them.

I do wish you could see outside my window.  The leaves are steadily drifting from the pecan tree, and the little Gingko did it's usual sneaky performance of stripping bare in the night and so we'll see no wealth of gold from that one yet again.  Silly shy little tree...It's not idea how lovely it's leaves are when they change or it would be in no hurry to shed them.  For all that leaves are tumbling to the ground, the AC is most welcome.  Mornings are lovely (and I've worked hard out there this morning, scrubbing down the porch railings and roof rafters and flooring and emptying bins in the shed so I can refill them and carry out more of the little accessories and things that must be put away in order to move the furniture, in order to put down new flooring.  I've plenty of time to work on this task apparently, at least two and half weeks once we approve the quote...sigh.  I do wish they'd hurry and get that quote to us.

On to 'talking back' at you all.  August saw me still working hard at Frugal Boot Camp and I did share a few of your good replies with the group during the month so I won't address those again.

Off the Beaten Path  I waxed poetic over our isolation here.  Remember I grew up here in some ways because it was Granny's farmland before it became my home land.  I knew just how isolated it was and what it would mean to live here and yes, I thought it would surely be heavenly.  And it has.  I understand Scarlett O'Hara's love of Tara quite well.  It's as though the granules of the dirt of this place are floating in my bloodstream, it's that much a part of me.   

Now John was another story.  He grew up in a neighborhood practically within walking of the downtown of his city, West Palm Beach.  He lived in larger cities nearly everywhere he lived in his youth and in his adult life the small towns we lived in were still a bit prosperous and it was possible to get most items needed provided you got there before 6pm except on Wednesday which was the traditional 'half' day.  When we moved here he was put out to discover that we more or less had to 'survive' lol...or so it seemed to him.  Well the place got into his blood eventually, too. 

He told his dad one day at dinner here to look out the window...wasn't it just glorious?  Wasn't it lovely to be in the country?  His dad's reply was "But John you grew up in the country..."  "Dad!  We lived in West Palm Beach!  There wasn't 20 feet between those houses in our neighborhood."  His dad replied "Well h---, you couldn't fit a $1 between them in Oriskany..."  Perspective, lol.

August Q,A,C:  Pam I love that phrase: Fall is coming on fleet feet...Lovely!

Louise and Karla both shared these sites to help Stephanie with her lemon tree in North Carolina;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1u-XoBi6yaw

http://www.starnewsonline.com/news/20130308/grow-your-own-oranges-lemons-here-in-nc

Sarah, I can't recall if I've shared this already or not.  Catherine Staat, aka Mrs. Catherine, did some youtubes vlogging under the name of The Practical Homemaker.  She and her husband had opened a bakery in their new home town of Liberty, KY and have a facebook page dedicated to that shop.  That's about all I could find on her, but yes, I enjoyed her blog and her postings.  I was privileged to be a regular contributor to their self-published magazine and greatly enjoyed that experience.

And somehow I missed these gems of advice when I shared in 'Too Good Not To Share"  both from Sarah on the post under comment at the moment:

One hint I use and may have already mentioned. For cheese. Before you find any mold or after you cut it off...wrap the whole piece in paper towel saturated with while vinegar. It does not have to be dripping. And place in plastic bag. It will keep further mold from forming. Make sure all of the cheese is covered by the soaked towel. If after opening the cheese and using it and rewrapping it several times the cloth is dry respray or replace and spray which ever you want. It has to be wet/damp.
For fruit that one has gone moldy..or potatoes you find one bad and the rest good etc. I also wash the rest and dry good. Then give it a quick spray of white vinegar. ..or you can quickly rinse it in vinegar water I guess and dry off. It again keeps the mold away and in both the cheese and other things there will be No vinegar smell or taste. It works. 

I shared an old PennyAnnPoundwise newsletter portion and your response to it was gratifying.   I shall be posting a few more of these here and there.  I haven't had time to seek out any for September of late but I will...Just give me some time.    And thank you all.  My older pieces of work sometimes are not quite up to my current ability to write but I worked hard on them and they represent a body of work of which I'm still rather proud.  Thank you Meginks for suggesting I share them, and for those of you who suggested the same.  Donnell, Shellia, and others...The original PennyAnn Poundwise posts were newsletters that were sent out.  The group is closed but I do have access to these works.  I began to blog in 2006 at Xanga.com which decided to privatized their pages and those are available only through a paid subscription.  I managed to get a download archive of those set aside.  So, neither works are available unless I share them here, which I will try to do.  So much of what I write is just glorified journaling and while it's sweet to me to read the old days and happenings, there's not as much information as you might like to see, but I promise that indeed I will share.  Just give me time to gather a few posts and edit them and I'll insert them here and there.

Wendi, this is what KayeB in Australia shared in response to you question if you might cut the dishwasher tablets in half:

Wendi, I know from a plumber that half a tablet is the ideal, as the full tablet can cause over sudsing, and can clog drainage. My niece found this out the hard way!

Sarah:  "One thing I do is this: When I open bottles of oil or other items I only make a small area or hole in that seal they put on the bottle. That way when I go to pour the oil only a small stream comes out. Do though make sure that the seal on the bottles is a tight one...you don't want to try to pour through the little hole and the seal comes off!! :) }} All my oils have that right kind of seal they put on for protection. Also on vitamins and such pill bottles I only cut the top safety protection extra top.say 1/3 or 1/2 as big as the opening. I can't 'save' pills by doing this but I spill less!! LOL"

Sarah, I've done the same and for the exact reason that you do on bottles of vanilla and oil and such.  If I accidentally leave the lid open and it should fall over.

There were lots of new to me folks commenting, many of whom say you've been reading for a long while.  Thank you.  Thank you for reading and thank you for taking time to comment.  I see traffic numbers on one of the analytical pages of the blog but I can't see YOU and it's nice to have the opportunity to know you.  I've mentioned many of you already in this post but Lesley(nenatsixty) is one I didn't mention.  Thank you ALL for stopping in to share how my work has helped you over rough patches, or simply for saying that you enjoy it.

LakeLivin'  I still periodically take out my measuring cups (at least twice a week) and measure to insure I am within my limits of portions.  HUGE help.  I have something like four sets of those nesting cups so there's always a clean one to be found, lol.  It's one area where an excess is HELPFUL and not a hindrance.

Fleeting Summer  Christie, thank you!  Your comment brought tears to my eyes then and just now too as I re-read it. 

Susie at Persimmon Moon Cottage made me laugh out loud with her comment on this post:  "I was thinking along the same lines as your Mom this morning. I was thinking how good it would be to have some beef stew sometime soon; and then I went outside, got into the searing hot car, then came home and watered the flowers. That snapped me back to the reality that it is still hot as blazes here. Once I am outside in it, I can't get myself cooled down again the rest of the day. We have been having a lot more salads and cold sandwiches lately because I am such a "hottie" (not in the good way) this summer."

Willa  It's not something just anyone CAN understand, having a child or grandchild born with a disability...As you say it's a learning experience.  I was frightened a bit of Danny when John and I first got together.  We'd brought the children here to Granny's one weekend and Mama took the time to feed Danny.  I told her how it frightened me and I'll never forget her reply;  "Terri this is John's child.  If you take him into your life, you take his children into your life, too.  You need to get over being scared and start learning what it is Danny needs so you can provide it."  Mama and I have had our differences but I know her to be a wise counselor at times and I knew she was being wise.  I never looked back from that day and regretted learning to know and care for Danny in the times he was with us, which was quite a lot at the end of his life.  I was blessed beyond measure and my life enriched.  I know that my friends' lives will be as well with their new grand daughter in so many more ways than I might ever explain to her. 

Sew Blessed Mama (Judy)  I am sorry for the losses you experienced last month.  I know that time is needed for grieving but I do hope that all is well with your family.

Pam:  I am sorry that you have been used at the hands of  those who give with a vision of what pay back will be in the future.  I have known those sorts as well.  I think in those cases, it's ok to say 'No thank you' to them in the future.  But you see what you learned:  You are a cheerful and thoughtful giver.  I know this to be true on a personal level and you passed that on to me to learn and take to heart and be...

Jennifer in Ohio  Thank you!  It's so hard to take action and remain a good Christian example, but truth is the snarky commenter bit me hard and it was purely unexpected.  I needed to face off with this person, whomever they were.  Your comments on how you feel I'm a friend to spend time with at day's end was just the balm needed to soothe the previous sting.

On Window Shopping at the DIY store  It does seem we all have different experiences with the two stores I mentioned.  We don't have a local store in our county that sells these things so it's the bigger stores for us.  We have been in those DIY stores at least once a week every week since I wrote that post.  And yes, it's still true that our Lowes stores are the most difficult to find anyone who will help and you can't hardly move three steps without Home Depot employees stopping to ask if you need help! 

I read all the comments here and just wanted to address one made by Sparkiedoll(Rose)...I believe it's our Sarah here that keeps just such a little notebook in her purse with all those measurements handy so that she has them with her when an item is needed...Good on you for starting one.  I am seeking a new planner that will fit in my purses and mean to keep such a list for those items I know I'll need that information in order to purchase.

Boot Camp Graduation  Lana shared this site, which I've been aware of for some time but thought others might like to view it, since I do also have Georgia readers.  And for others of you check online for such sites for your own states/areas.  It's a fun past time to view such photos as these.  https://vanishingsouthgeorgia.com

Pam Good Gracious a 12% hike on electric costs...YIKES.  Ours was higher in July due to the kids being here all June but it dropped back 1/5 of the total costs to something nearer what we consider normal for summer.  It should drop for September but perhaps not...It's being awfully stubborn about being hot, lol.  This is one area where I am careful but as Granny used to say over her heating costs that she meant to stay warm, I'll say over my AC that I mean to stay cool.  I'm a lot nicer woman to be about if I can be cool, lol.

Rebecca, I think discounted meat gives me as great a thrill as something truly needed or wanted on the clearance rack does, lol.

How to Receive a Blessing  Sarah your comment on this was a blessing to me.  It's rare for anyone to be as transparent as you were in this.  Thank you.

Kitchen CEU: Saving Sugar  I encourage you all to go read the comments on this post.   I long ago starting cutting way down on the sugar used to sweeten tea. I found last year at the hospital that a good tea is actually really good even if unsweetened.  It encouraged me to make that final cut and making my own tea unsweetened.

Just a side note:  Did you know that lesser teas are more likely to have more tannins?  This is something I have a problem with as it causes me to have some stomach pain if I drink tea daily.  I've learned to purchase better quality tea brands which have less tannins and so I have no problems drinking it now although I am careful of the caffeine content. 

Balance in a Teeter Totter World  I wrote about a bit of advice I'd read on another blog: Check your bank account daily...I thought it the most horrid bit of advice.  Several of you pointed out that you do this because you see it as a protecting factor, being aware of changes and catching major errors.  I confess I still check mine less often than daily and probably always will. In the old days when we had to wait for a bank statement monthly I had no problems getting banks to correct errors even after that time...but I don't check our account just once a month either.  I guess my caution is that we can get TOO focused upon what we have in our account, TOO concerned with the provision and less with the source...That's the point I really wanted to make.  Thanks to you all for weighing in with your own thoughts.

More for the Money  Wow Pam...I can't even imagine not having AC running in September, much less none in August!  You must have had some very nice weather.

Sarah I haven't had much luck with regular chives but I've read garlic chives are easier to cultivate.  I'll have to see if I can't do that next year.

Doe853(Dale)  Apparently Old English makes an Almond oil but mine is Scotts Liquid Gold.  I really like it a lot.  It's brought up the finish of my few wooden pieces very nicely.

Karla  I've visited Hometalk.com far too often...lol.  I had to give it up as I would get lost in it.   I just sent Virginia the chocolate brown black out panels I bought at Dollar General last year or so.  She really needed them in her southern exposed house in Texas.  I am going to go back and pick up two more pair and then move what's in my bedroom to the guest room which needs the additional light blocked when guests are visiting in that room.  I think they are every bit as good as those sold at Target after comparisons and they are 1/2 the price.

Power of  Penny   Lana shared this link in reply to Sarah mentioning how she missed childhood candies:  mastgeneralstore.com    We had our own favorite penny candies and while that wasn't the gist of the post the title illustration certainly made one think of the fun of penny candies. 

In my childhood, our bus driver had a small store out in the country.  Occasionally he'd go off route and take the busload of children to the store.  Some kids had money in their pockets but for those who didn't he always had a quarter to give them, so no child went without.  Funny thing, whatever we chose seemed to be covered by that quarter and I think every child from 1st to 12th grade had a bag of penny candy when we got back on that bus...Sweet memories!   What a kind heart he must have had to do that for all of us children.

Golden Days  Angela Thank you for that sweet remark.  I think of all the posts I do, I enjoy the Iced Tea/Coffee Chat ones the best.  And I love my aprons.  I finished two of the three I'd cut out.  I'm thinking I'll get time to make some more here.  I don't find it an onus to put them on and it makes me feel I'm equipped to work when I don them.

Sparkiedoll (Rose)  I have a few of those items I purchased myself, and I really need to go on one of those contents sites that tells you all the recipes you can make with those items...but some were gifts.  Mama decided I needed pine nuts...I've never ever thought I did.  I've no clue what to do with them!  I am sure there are other items.  I'm going to focus on the basics and then I'll add in those few things I know I will use like cooking sherry and often miss having on hand.  I don't use it daily but it's called for in several of my recipes I make. 

Lana  My grandmothers did not wear aprons.  I once wrote that I recall both getting rid of them in the 1970's. Other women were tossing their bras...My grandmothers tossed out their aprons...and what wouldn't I give to have them!!  Mama too had a drawer full.  Oh well.  

Both my great grandmothers wore aprons.  Big Mama kept her front pocket filled with clothespins, pencils, an envelope to scratch down things she needed to remember (recycled of course), seeds, items gathered from the garden...Not always all at once but those pockets were handy.  I did put a small pocket in the enter of the chest area on mine. It should be handy for keeping my cell phone in.

Sarah  I was clearing out my phone camera this week.  Josh is allowed to do what he calls 'tink tink tink' which is the sound my phone makes when texting.  I usually open the screen to his Mama's phone and he texts her.  She does the same for me by the way when he's using her phone, lol.  Anyway, Josh apparently got into the camera of my phone and took many many pictures.  At some point he managed to get a video open.  I didn't see much of anything but I heard him speaking and then he said "Uh-oh...  Uh-oh!"   And then I heard Bess say, "What are you doing?  Bring that hear it doesn't sound like you're playing with the text... at which point the recording stopped, lol.  It was sweet to find.

Susie at Persimmon Moon Cottage  You do make me smile. Now how did that spare rib 'accidentally'  make it's way to your mouth? I had actually read somewhere about cooking the pork and beef roasts together in the crockpot and what a good flavor both had due to that.  I have cooked beef and chicken together but usually make my own little deep foil pans so the two don't cross flavor one another. 

Tammy  I love the idea of your giving aprons as gifts to nieces...My two are such thin cotton they are not hot to wear.

Seasonal Produce  Sarah Star fruit is also called Carambola in markets.  It's a tiny bit tart/sweet and crisp.

Using What I Have  Lana I love the red doors.  Not the most favorite of my colors but they go nicely with the house overall, since we have a reddish roof and red shutters.  I'd like to do the shutters in Navy Blue when we get to paint them.
We like the Homestyle White Bread and the Five Grain Italian loaf.  The Homestyle White Sandwich loaf is a fairly new one to us.  The first loaves we got were different than the one we're getting now but it's still good fresh bread that actually molds when it gets older rather than doing that awful thing most commercial loaves do.

Lynn  I do, as Charis Crowdis said, live in rural southwest Georgia.  The nearest town is about 750 people strong, so not a big town at all.  Georgia is far more rural than many people realize with lots of tiny towns that are hanging on or are just memories of towns.

Pam  I know there is a difference in salon formula hair dye and the sort of stuff we buy at the drugstore.  One has more metals in it than the other which is why salons prefer their own sort but I'm glad your hairstylist works with you on that.  I personally do NOT cut my own hair.  Disaster happens, lol.

Linda Shields I buy most of my vintage magazines from eBay.

Autumn Beckoning   Lana shared this link:  In my email from Ann Voskamp today. A wonderful description of Shabbat in Jerusalem.

Anne So happy you were inspired to work on your porches.  I've been cleaning the mildew off the back porch railings and rafters.  Hard work but it looks so much better!  We really enjoy sitting there on these cool mornings.

September Goals  Gramma D  It's staying so hot here that all I dare do is plan.  The mums that lasted all summer and even shared some blooms through the months have literally curled up and died...Makes me so sad, as they have been wonderful plants!  Dreaming is all I dare do at present.

Lana  I confess I've never had a hankering to have a bread machine.  When I do make bread, I do it by hand and I enjoy the process. 

Sarah  My shelves have perhaps 3 feet of space between them.  BUT there are holes in the shelves themselves so finding a solution will take time and patience.  I'll get it figured out if only to stack flat cut cartons one atop the other between layers of cans.

The Power of Less   Rhonda  yes you should recognize those kitchen towels.  I have others but those stay in the baking area.  I find they are just perfect for rolling out doughs, or covering bread dough to rise, etc.

Crystal Hankey  I just last week discovered that I can buy a small portion of the spices/herbs at The Fresh Market.  I'll be shopping there next outages since I save my old bottles and can refill them.

Well dears, that rounds up this month's comments.  Thank you all for reading and sharing.  I do encourage you all to read comments on posts.  It's amazing all that you can learn.