Tuesday, July 23, 2019

Bits and Pieces

I moan and groan when it is hot and humid and I complain when it is too cold, so it is only right I mention the two perfectly fine days in a row here in the hinterlands of Minnesota.  Sunshine for those who are out and about and for those of us indoors, windows open with a lovely summer breeze flowing through my apartment.  Glorious!

As you know, my life is filled with drama and excitement.  OK. I lied.  There is very little going on here at present.  I am deciding what I need to can or dehydrate next and think I really need to do another batch of baked beans.  They are really good and the half pint jars are perfect for one person.  Duane hinted that more beans might be a good idea.  I sent a case of them home with him and I have a sneaking suspicion they won't last too long.

Has anyone noticed that grocery shelves, particularly the canned vegetable aisles, have been not nearly as full as they normally are?  I have a high school friend who is a Vietnam vet and retired cop, and who keeps me informed about news that I might miss.  I joke that he is plugged into the 'good old boy cop network,' but that may not be so much of a joke.  He knew about the Somali riot at the local amusement park last summer before I did.  He lives 100 miles away.  I live just a couple miles from the park.  Recently he emailed me about several people reporting signs hung on the canned veggie aisles of Walmart stores in various parts of the country, stating that due to the bad spring weather, Walmart was experiencing shortages of vegetables.  I don't get out to check on that myself and I have not heard of that happening in my area, but it is curious.  I know that some food shortages have been predicted due to the wet spring and the flooding that happened.  I do know that most grocery stores would, in an emergency situation, have their shelves emptied within three days.  I don't think I am willing to take a chance.  Personally, I will continue to add as much as possible to my food storage - just in case.

After taking stock, I find I am all out of home canned chili, so that is definitely on the list.  I think more half pint jars of meat for making sandwiches would be good as well.  I think it might be a good idea to dehydrate more potato slices before the price of potatoes goes up.

This morning I heard an awful racket in the street outside my building.  Turns out the city was removing half a dozen of the small trees that were planted along the boulevard.  They had died over the winter and are now mulch.  I hope the city replaces them.  They attracted the small birds that I like to listen to in the spring and summer.

Later in the afternoon I heard a strange sound outside my living room windows.  When I looked I saw a man at the window.  This was something new.  I live on the second floor of the building.  Seeing someone at my window is not an every day occurrence.  On closer inspection, I found he was on a ladder, painting the trim on the outside of my window.  I haven't been anywhere to buy curtains, but decided then and there to just make some.  I have several bed sheets of a cream color that I am sure contain enough fabric to cover all three windows.  The frugal (read 'cheap') part of me likes the notion of curtains without spending any money.  I come by the frugality honestly.  My parents, children of the Great Depression era, were the king and queen of 'making do.' 

That's enough blathering for now.  Hope your day was as nice as mine was, in spite of the racket and pseudo 'peeping tom."  :)

Keep on prepping!

19 comments:

  1. I know that it's a lot of bother, but canning is definitely the way to go. I hear of people filling their freezer and thinking they're prepared. BTW, do you have a Coleman stove or a gas hotplate that can use bottled gas?

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    1. Gorges...I agree. Home canned food is fully cooked when processed and can be eaten right out of the jar if necessary. Plus many foods are canned in water so extra water isn't needed for most cooking. I have a freezer, but use it mostly for food that I will eat within a couple of months. If the power goes out in the summer, it won't take long before stuff thaws and if you don't know how to can up what is in the freezer, all is lost. One of the first things I bought was a propane camp stove that will hold a pressure canner. Also a propane space heater because Minnesota gets a bit nippy in the winter. :)

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  2. Call the city and ask them if they will replace the trees. Fall is the best time for planting trees. You would think the people who own the building would alert people about people outside their windows who can and will look inside.

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    1. Linda...I hope they replace the trees, but I expect they need to find out what killed them off to begin with before replanting. The guy on the ladder wasn't peeping - just painting. I was just surprised to see anybody outside my second floor window!!

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  3. With the massive rains here in our state, and many farmers planting very late or not planting at all, I knew there would be a shortage of a lot of things this coming year.

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    1. Kristina...I am not at all surprised about food shortages. I rather expected as much after the wet spring. I guess what surprised me is that it has begun this early. As I rely on grocery stores for my produce, I believe I will be canning and dehydrating as much as possible before it gets really bad.

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  4. Someone peering in my window would freak me out too. Seems like that window project is never ending!
    Interesting comment about the canned veggies. I noticed the same earlier this month. There was a sale for canned veggies. But not one can of corn on the shelf.
    I woke up stiff and sore from all of my apartment re-organization. Today will be an easy day of wondering around the gardens watering and waving at the weeds.
    Cheers, SJ

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    1. SJ...I have come to the conclusion that the window contractor will retire on this job - his son will take over and retire on it, too. Now they are painting the hallway. I guess I should be happy they are making an effort to keep things nice.

      I haven't heard anything in my area about shortages, but my friend tells me that in addition to some Walmart stores, the same is true of some Kroger stores. It might just be in my best interest to do another Sam's run before fall.

      I am not surprised that you need an easy day after all the organizing. I have no weeds to wave at, but am buy ignoring other chores. Sometimes we just need a "Me" day. Will be catching up on email later this evening.

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  5. I have been dehydrating onions lately, having heard that there might be a shortage due to the weather. Even if that doesn't happen, it'll all get used.

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    1. chipmunk...That's the way I look at it, too. Everything will get used, sooner or later. And even if nothing happens, we are still way ahead of those standing in line at the grocery before a storm rolls in. I like that part. :)

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  6. HI Vicki,
    I am usually a reader and not a commenter; but, I wanted to let you know that our Walmart grocery store, in the middle of Arkansas, is also VERY lean on canned veggies. Yesterday, while I was in Southern Missouri, I noticed a great deal of empty shelf space in 3 different Walmart stores. It was actually quite spooky looking at all of the barren shelves where food should have been.

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    1. Ozarkana...I really appreciate your confirming what I was told. My friend who keeps me informed has always been spot on and I didn't doubt him, but it is good to hear from someone else who has seen the shortages for themselves. I don't like to be negative, but I am thinking this may just be the start of food shortages. From the news reports I have seen, not only the crops were affected by the rains and floods, but untold numbers of cattle, hogs and poultry were lost. What is really scary is that so many people are not the least bit interested in stocking up on food. If this gets worse, it could be devastating to many. Thanks so much for your comment.

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  7. You are the biggest trouble maker I know. I too saw the veggie notice at Buffalo WM. But I think it was just for the cheap Great Value brand. The cannery here stopped packing corn here 3 years ago. They claimed they still had to much in the warehouse.

    Oh the Cannery is closing next month. Oldest plant the company has I guess they are down to 1 shift as nobody is apply for a job knowing it going to close.

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    1. Nope. Not a trouble maker, Rob...Just paying attention. I have been hearing rumors about the possibility of food shortages since about the middle of winter. And now it seems to have started with the canned vegetables. It is too bad about the cannery closing. I imagine that will hurt those who depended on it for work.

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    2. Its been rumored to close since the company was bought out two or three years ago. They have a plant down in Fairbult. It had lots of room to add on and that's what they did doubled its size and almost fully automated. It was one of the local business that it was getting hard to find employees who would stay. Rough on the body and managers not every people friendly. Lot more folks want the flash frozen corn and not the canned. Better tasting.

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  8. salvation army store good for cheap sheets make good dresses as well as curtains.

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    1. deb...We have a Goodwill here and I think a couple others. I love thrift stores. I have found lots of useful stuff for not much money.

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  9. Just in from running errands. One was to go to Safeway for the start of their weekly sale. They had canned veggies (storebrand) on sale for $1 a can. That's a great price for here in Canada. Happy to report the shelves were full. But this was the first day of the sale. And some of the cans were dated to 2022.
    Hope you're having a good day.
    Cheers, SJ

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    1. SJ...Glad to hear the store shelves are full in Canada. I have been debating with myself on whether or not to do a post about possible food shortages here in the states. Some news outlets say there will be shortages and some say the impact will be light. I guess I will just keep on prepping - just in case. And it was a good day. Any time a few chores can be marked off the 'to do' list is good. Time now to maybe find a movie and crochet for a while. Take care.

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