Back to Basics Challenge - Week 10

Sowing seed or Planting

Just lots of weeding. Found my feverfew tube that I bought on ebay has grown to be very tall, I am very happy with that. I wonder what clever things you can do with it?

Hubby rang me up on Saturday so say that there were leaves all over our new house's town. When he went to weed the yellow lily it had holes in it. There seemed to be no berries on first look. So we think there must have been large hailstones. The tiger lilies stems are damaged as well. It would have been very loud had we been there. Amazing.

Planning for The Future - meal planning, the next seasons garden plan, working out storage plans or more long term goals and projects like plans for digging root cellars

I put money aside to fix the other half of my car's motor which is going to be costly, but I can't drive it. When I went to the shops I stuck to the things I have needed for months and I don't think I varied from that. I paid back our son what we owed him, and he bought his own game with that. Their Grandparents gave them $60 between them and they got a little toy etc. from the toy shop, so they are happy. I suppose having their brother visit with a gift helped, and having little treats in the grocery shop. I kept out of BigW myself, my Christmas shopping was very generously done by my eldest where I provided the money, and he spent his time shopping. He researched things via the computer before going to the shops, and one electronic thing actually we bought secondhand. I then bought a case for my daughter and it has a nice net to keep the games in and to protect this new ds. At the moment it is housing the old one. I feel spoiled that he did that for me. We stuck to our budget. A lot of the games were on sale at the time.

I bought a card to put my ballet photos in for a gift, so I think I am set, but who knows.

Working for the Future - storing food, managing stores, preserving, building that home made cob or solar oven, adding house insulation, saving for manual grain mills etc

I managed to work out a system where I can have my fruit delivered a day early, rather than four days late. I will try to do it again next fortnight. It requires a bit of discipline to do it at the same time each week, but I was doing that anyway, just have to do it earlier. That way the fruit and my shopping arrives about the same time, rather than in dribs and drabs. Makes it easier to make something if everything is there in the house.

While I was out food shopping I came across a new spice display in the store. Many years ago I bought spices in large clear plastic jars with green screw top lids. These new ones have pop lids, green and made by GFresh. I found them in IGA. Usually we buy the sachets and cut the top and refill our larger plastic jars. I bought some sumac, which is fantastic, love it, and some Szechuan seasoning to try, which apparently is like Chinese five spice. Actually it is quite nice. Not too many recipes around for it, will look harder. I did find this recipe for lamb mince.

We have been using up the left over ham and unused bacon in the fridge. We tried the Warm Potato Salad with Lemon Mayonnaise recipe from last week and I enjoyed it.

While I was out, I got shoes, bras and clothes for this season. It was well planned and better than buying presents I thought. I was in Target for a very short time. My daughter also thought I owed her some money. At my age it is hard to keep track of despite my best intentions. She bought a phone, and very quickly learnt the value of money on the prepaid system. I was in the shop very little time, which was unfortunate, to buy the clothes. I am happy with the Christmas dress and the good outfit that I made best use of at the Bear Cafe! (See pictures.) The shorts, I saw better ones I thought when they were about to close the shop. It was 2 1/4 hours driving home, and the shop was in the middle sort of. BigW, JayJays and EBs always eat into my time if I go home to my hometown. I tried my best, they had to dash here and there while I was at the dentist or doing something else. JayJays seems to be good value for money though I think. It seems unreasonably cheap actually. I don't think I want to know. I did see a Free Trade store and took the time to look in the window, and it is also pictured. My daughter chose her own clothes in a lot of ways, so I am happy.

Building Community - volunteering, donations, joining an existing community group, forming your own community group, taking a cake to a friend having a hard time, calling someone you just let drift out of your life, etc

I suppose I reconnected with my hometown at least for a few hours. It was nice to talk to the dentist and her assistant, I find I had things in common with them just because we live or lived in the same town. Or I am used to certain things in that town and so can relate to them.

I went to the new cafe in the town I shop in, so was joining in.

Learn a new Skill

Maybe finding a use for this amazing flower can be my new skill.

Here is a recipe:

Feverfew Complexion Milk

1 large handful feverfew
1 cup milk

Put the leaves and milk in a small saucepan and simmer for 20 minutes. Allow the mixture to cool in the pan, then strain into a bottle. Keep in the fridge. Feverfew complexion milk moisturises the skin, helps to fade blemishes, and discourages blackheads.


Feverfew

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