To me life had become just filler food.
Before we changed to living a more simple old fashioned life I felt that I was going through life on just filler food. Spending on unnecessary things, shopping without making sure it was exactly what we needed. Often things ended up in the donate box or trash with very little use.
It was like going to a buffet bar restaurant and eating a mixture of things that were not that healthy but something to fill us up.
Many people today just buy to fill up that emptiness. Constantly looking for entertainment but never seem to get enough. All the while the credit card bill grows larger and most of the items charged are no longer even being used or had no nourishment.
Our nourishment comes from God and the place we reside. Our home is our refuge and yet so many people ignore what they truly have in their home and the possibilities.
It does not take a lot of space to make a home. What we do with our space and how we nourish it to nourish us is what matters.
We should take care of our clothing, inspect each item and care for it so it will last. Never throw it on the floor but do what is proper such as hang it back up or put it in a hamper for it to be cleaned.
Find ways to preserve food like our generations did in the past. Stock a food supply for our family. Things may be going smoothly at this moment but can change quickly and it is our responsibility to provide for our children and for ourselves.
Even if we don't raise the meat ourselves or the vegetables we can still preserve it so we are not completely dependent on the grocery store. It is wonderful to have a stocked pantry, larder or cabinet.
Build the tools necessary to can or ferment or dehydrate.
So when you come across a bargain you can preserve and store it and this is what we did last week.
As some of you know I have not been well and stored food is very important during times of illness or injury or power outages. On better days I do some canning since this is summer and the vegetables and fruits are available. This helps me when I do not feel like cooking and I can just open some canned goods to make a meal.
I would much rather eat what I canned such as these peaches and apples when it is available in season than eat food that has traveled great distances. I can mostly in pint jars because most of the time it is just Charles and I here. For a larger family you would most likely need quart jars.
Then we have fast food right here at home. This is canned beef that I canned myself.
I store certain items such potatoes and onions, butternut squash, sweet potatoes and other food in cardboard boxes with newspaper on the floor under certain pieces of furniture to keep it cool so it will store longer.
I try to keep the amount that we can rotate properly.
This is another fast food meal at our home. I did not have to go out to the store to buy anything for dinner.
Our garden did not do well this year due to my health and other issues and I have not had the ability to take care of the garden so I got busy and have spent my days that I feel a bit better canning items from the produce market.
Our garden started out well and we did harvest many things but it suddenly was attacked by bugs, drought and heat.
We do not need to have a garden to have a fully stocked pantry of good home canned, dehydrated and fermented food. I have always said this but I do love to have something growing in the garden. We have been working towards many things being Perinnial and many of these food plants are starting to mature to where we are able to harvest such as the peaches and figs. The many herbs and some of the vegetables will start to show up again the next year.
Even if you do not wish to preserve your own food it is wise to still keep a food stock for emergencies.
I had to retrained myself to do these things after many years of no canning while I was not in my right mindset of living a simple lifestyle.
We can change our direction in a very second if we are not going in the right direction and I have done this several times in my life because I am human and we all make mistakes at times.
Sometimes it helps to take a long look at where we will end up if we keep going like we are right now.
Little things can make a big difference. Do not throw out the fruit water used for canning and boil it down, reduce it until you have a lovely golden syrup and it can be used over pancakes or french toast and other things you would use a light syrup.
This is homemade apple syrup.
Charles just had a Birthday this month.
We did not go out to dinner but had one of his favorite meals called Rahmschnitzel. Long ago he went to a lovely little German Restaurant and a Lady called Ms. Walley would cook this. We have been making it ever since for a special occasion.
If I have a couple of good days I plan on canning strawberries and also pineapple this week.
And I found some lovely fabric to make pillowcases so I hope to be doing some sewing as well.
So now I rest when I feel unwell and get all I can done when I feel better. It is comparable to putting money in savings when you can and when you cannot plan doing it when you can and before you know it you do have something saved or done. It is much better than nothing at all. Grandma Donna
