My Off-grid and need to be frugal diary

AnimalTribe

Another sunny day here so I managed to transplant turnips and carrots and potted up some seedlings in the greenhouse. It turned windy this afternoon so plenty of energy generated.

DH had an appointment for a dental checkup - everything was fine. He managed to buy 4 boxes of chocolate biscuits on the way home, he has a very sweet tooth, but it doesn't seem to affect his dental health - thankfully.

I finished a cross-stitch tonight, so that's another one to add to my stash. 

AnimalTribe

I've had family visiting all weekend so I've been very busy. It was great to see everyone and we all had a good time. I'm a bit tired today though, so today I'm going to do very little. DH watered all the inside plants for me first thing this morning, and the most I'm going to do is pick salad from the garden for lunch. 

I'm ridiculously excited as I've got the first teeny tiny baby cucumbers on one of my plants.

AnimalTribe

The salad plants in the garden are really starting to do well. Today's salad included lettuce, sorrel, rocket, mustard, beetroot leaves, radish leaves and root, mustard, nasturtium leaf and a little mint. I added bought celery, cucumber and tomato.

The first of my strawberries are ripening, and a single tomato has begun to turn red. I love eating from my own garden.

There was lots of sunshine today so lots of energy has been generated. It's raining now so I haven't had to water the garden, which is always a relief.

If the weather is good tomorrow I will dehydrate some elder flowers. I'm not sure how I'll do that as the flowers will fall through the dehydrator holes. I'll try putting kitchen towels down with the flowers on top. It will stop airflow a bit, but hopefully it should still work, as long as the flowers don't stick to the paper.

AnimalTribe

There was something wrong with MSE yesterday so I couldn't post.

Yesterday was overcast and still, so the batteries had enough stored energy to do the regular household stuff, but not enough to let me dehydrate the elder flowers. I did manage a bit of weeding though even though it wasn't very warm. I sorted the laundry and mended a few clothes items. Another small area of the house was organised so a fairly productive though not very exciting day.

Today is fabulously sunny so I've dehydrated the elder flowers, done some more weeding (it never ends, but it keeps me fit) and have started to work on a rockery. Two chocolate cakes have just come out of the oven, so that will keep DH happy. DH has done the washing, sold 2 Ebay items, and fixed a few minor things. All in all a lovely day.

rachmac3

I have been trying to get myself used to radish, as they're growing in my garden. I never used to like them much but figured I could find some different ways of using them. I don't mind them grated into a coleslaw, but so far pan fried in brown butter is my absolute favourite! If you haven't tried that, do it, with some nice bread for to soak up the browned butter. I think I might make that for lunch today!
I have one green tomato (from a plant I ovewintered) that is refusing to turn green, the anticipation is almost too much

Ordinary_Yet_Unique

It certainly is a busy lifestyle! 

AnimalTribe

I tried to post this last night, but couldn't

Rachmac3 thanks for the radish idea - I'll give it a try. When I put the radish in a salad I slice it very finely, I couldn't eat them whole. I know what you mean about the tomato - my strawberries have started to ripen - two so far, but I keep going to look to see if there are any more.

It's been so hot here today so I've only been going into the garden for 20 minutes at a time then coming inside to cool off. All the bedding has been washed and dried and a load of clothes too. 

I've added turnip leaves, rhubarb chard, garlic chives and coriander to the daily salads as they are big enough to harvest now. I think where I live is about 4 or 5 weeks behind the South. I have my first, tiny, yellow courgette.

Tonight it's so hot that I'm just watching a film with a fan on full blast.

AnimalTribe

Ordinary_Yet_Unique I'm at home all day so I have plenty of time. I don't know how I managed when I was working, doing the school run, and had farm animals as pets. Having less income is a good trade off for me. DH still enjoys what he does (outside of the times he has to commute).

Today is just as hot as yesterday, so it will be a gardening day again.

AnimalTribe

I don't know why I'm not able to post in the evening. Luckily I draft my comments in Microsoft word first. Here's what I tried to post yesterday

A fantastic day in the garden, more weeding done. I'm now able to provide salad every day from the garden which is great. DH did some grass mowing so that helps.

I managed to finish another cross-stitch kit, so that's another one down and so many to go.

As it's the summer solstice I decided a glass of wine was called for, so I opened a 6-year-old bottle of carrot wine, very sweet, but that's how I like it. I've only had one glass but it was lovely.

AnimalTribe

I couldn't post last night again so I've switched to going online earlier.

Today's been a pretty boring day. Too much wind to do anything outside. I've done general housework, watered the greenhouse and my numerous houseplants, and been shopping. I did snag a box of reduced-price chocolate tarts that will do for a treat after dinner. Dinner is going to be a vegetable stir fry, so very easy.

I have asked DH to fill a couple of jerry cans with petrol in case of price rises so at least that's a little frugal. I've also made an Approved Food order. I look at their site every now and again. Mostly, they sell brands which, even reduced cost more than stores own products, but sometimes, like today, they do have good deals.