06 April 2020

HELLO MONDAY! SO NICE TO SEE YOU AGAIN

Music on. Instant Pot going. Second Instant Pot going. Laundry swooshing down the hall. Dogs barking outside. Hello Monday!

So nice to see you again. 

Up next, bills, budget and all things good. That's because our crusade against debt continues, even during a pandemic - as we continue to put positive energy and empowerment into every single day.

For those who want to hear more about that, click my podcast EP: 103 EMPOWERMENT (even during a pandemic), or click the play button at the end of this blog post.

Now, let's get to the past weekend.

Tim and I celebrated our wedding anniversary outside. Thank you Sunny Day Spring. He wrote, I shucked peanuts. We listened to music and after that, we worked on the not-done-yet but soon-to-be, food lot.

When I woke this morning, the new area reminded me of an old black and white Sherlock Holmes or a Classic Monster Movie. I love them both, so I'll take it.

We also took measurements for additional areas where the garden boxes, raised beds and straight to soil plantings will go. Pretty good day, pandemic or no.

And before this post, I also made homemade orange-scented bleach wipes for the first time. Then I wiped down the a few things and so far, I love how they clean. I'll continue to test-drive them and report back. Have you made your own? So easy. 

And that my Boogerbutts, is all that's fit to print. But before I go, pictures! (and an embedded play button for podcast episode: 103).

Stay safe. Be well. Whisk, out.






114 comments:

  1. Glad you had a good anniversary regardless.
    You create so many things. One day you'll have to start selling them and make a fortune.

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    1. Hi Alex! We did have a good time. But we enjoy being home so that helps.
      Wishing you and Mrs. Alex a wonderful holiday weekend.

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  2. Happy Anniversary! And orange scented bleach wipes?! Wow! It is wonderful to see you back here on your site too my friend!

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    1. Hello Suzie! I was so happy when I saw your blog pop up in my feed.
      OMG the orange-scented are very, very nice.

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  3. Happy anniversary to you both. I love how you're being so productive (me too) and moving forward with projects. The garden will be so much fun fo you; spooky or not. You have TWO instant pots? *swoon*

    Text/comment font:
    I think when I adjusted my font for posts, it automatically went to comments as well. Maybe?
    In my blogger settings I went to Theme, customize, click both advanced & adjust widths (i have no idea why) then next to that column, you'll see BLOG CUSTOM where you can choose font, and below that you choose the size. I have mine set to 20.
    Good luck!
    You should probably download your blog first just in case you click something you don't like.

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    1. Hi Suz! Thank you. I will try this when I am on the desk top. I love the larger comment area on your blog. I find it peaceful and welcoming. Thank you for taking the time to help me out. I'll do it on my test blog first, to see how it goes. Thank you.

      Two by accident though really happy to have them. The first one died and I had used it (3qt) to make dog food. Instant Pot was taking FOREVER to replace mine. So Tim got me an 8qt. I can't believe it but I honestly use them both just as much.

      How goes dog food making on your end?

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  4. Happy anniversary to you and Tim! I am so happy to hear that your are staying positive. It's easy to slip under these days, but you're hanging in there. As my man Wim Hof would say, "All the love, all the power."

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    1. Hey Christian!

      It's been so cool to see you here. Thanks. Yeah, well, to be honest, I work from home anyway so it's easy for me and I cook all the time anyway, so this is a natural fit.

      Glad to hear you joined Tim's Monday game. Cool beaners. Game on!

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  5. Happy Anniversary!!! Looking forward to seeing the raised garden beds all happy and sprouting :)

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    1. Thank you so much. Love the cute pup photos you shared.

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  6. Happy anniversary. And a big hooray for garden beds.

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    1. Hi Sue! Thanks. I've never done raised beds before but I started watching Mark from Self Sufficent Me on YouTube. And I LOVE his raised beds.

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  7. Belated anniversary wishes! Take care!

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    1. Thank you, Marie. Take care and be well. Hope you're eating some fun foods at home.

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  8. That sounds veryproductive! Three cheers for positivity, homemade bleach wipes and anniversaries! Stay well.

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    1. Thanks, Jeanie. I was just at your page and loved the orange belly bird. And all the nature. Nature is the best (to me), I love it. Be well and have fun!

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  9. Happy Anniversary!! Everything sounds wonderful!! Keep safe and healthy my friend! Big Hugs!

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    1. Much, much thanks! Hubby still has to work out in the world but when he's home, we make the most of each day. Stay safe and be well. PS: Are you paiting? Hugs, back.

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    2. Good for you getting rid of Netflix!!! Yes, still painting! Tell hubby to be safe!! Big Hugs!

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    3. I love your art and the passion you bring. What you did for everyone with the food, was very, very cool.

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  10. Happy Anniverdary! The pandemic doesn't help the budget.

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    1. Hey Christine! I tell you the truth, we are still working on budget and being smart with money and that's a wonderful thing. Even in a pandemic, life finds a way. PS: Love the food you've been making. All looks WONDERFUL.

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  11. Happy Anniversary a wee bit late, Ivy! May you have many more years of happiness together.

    I love the last photo of the mist and trees! And I love that you've got garden plans. Good luck with all of that!

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    1. Thanks, Jenny! Me too. Many more years would be WONDERFUL.

      Thanks on the garden and mist and trees. More of those are coming down. Then we'll reuse them for something else.

      What's eating at your place today? I made soup and fresh bread rounds.

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  12. "Spooky fun new growing spot" . . . but where will you two bury the bodies now?

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    1. Hahahahahahaha. We'll compost them. Evil grin.

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  13. Home made wipes I know a lot people are doing them.

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    1. I don't ever buy them because of the ingredients, cost and waste. But making them at home? Yes, please. Stay safe and be well, Dora! Thanks for taking the time to stop in.

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  14. Oh, happy belated anniversary wishes from here and yay to Spring, too - I went out in a T-shirt yesterday!

    I´ve never heard of orange-scented bleach wipes - sounds great, hope you update soon on that.

    You have a beautiful voice!
    You can´t drink your water?! Bummer.
    Netflix is no use to us. We´d only get the German stuff. Saving money :-)
    Rice!!! Wow.
    So I got that right you live in a trailer? Like a cabin with wheels? Do you travel?

    Spooky indeed, I love fog :-)
    And a big YES to Kindness towards each other!

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    1. Thank you for the good wishes. Woohoo for being out in a T-shirt. Hello spring!

      Thanks, I will do a post/video on them. One kind I did, didn't work, the other was just okay but usable and the third one was the best. I have one more to make and then I'll toss a video/blog post together. So easy. And fun!

      You are kind. Thank you for taking the time to listen. I was trying to be quiet as not to wake hubby. The water here, we used to be able to drink but then they started to clean it and oh my gross. No. Not even the dogs get it. So we bought a Berkey.

      Heaven. Pure heaven.

      The trailer did have wheels at one point but those are off and the trailer is on cement blocks, I believe. We can't drive it or pull it because it's too heavy and big. But .. my dream is to own a small one that we can drive around. That sounds so fun!

      Thank you again, Iris. Very kind of you to take the time to listen and comment.

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    2. LOL, YOU are kind speaking quietly to not wake your Hubby. I was tiptoeing this morning also - he has to take two weeks off of work and slept in a little...

      So glad we need no filter here for water, we get it fresh from the Harz mountains.

      When we´re in Perth we stay in a cabin, too. And there it would be enough. Here I´m glad to have 80m² and a proper heating - sadly with the cellar underneath, brrrr.
      Thank you, btw for stepping by "at my place", too!

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    3. So glad you have excellent water. We once did. It was wonderful, The Berkey is a gravity-feed water system that sits on our counter. It is wonderful.

      Two weeks off for Hubby. Very cool. Tim would love that. Right now they are on skeleton crew but as soon as one skeleton gets sick, the place will close fur 14 days. Is your Hubby sick? Hope not.

      Proper heating is a wonderful thing. Very nice to read your posts, Iris. I can't recall which blog I found you on but I'm enjoying your posts.

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    4. Hubby is healthy, but they were on skeleton crew, too!
      Now they lack of spare parts as they used to come from China.... And there is nowhere to go, what a dumb holiday!
      LOL, can´t recall where we found each other, either, but glad we did!

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    5. So glad to read that Hubby is healthy. Woohoo!
      Me too. Blogging is so fun. I'd be away for awhile.
      But very, very happy to be back home to blogging.
      Today, I work on the wall. Hope your day is fun too.
      Cheers and boogie boogie.

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  15. Happy anniversary dear Ivy, have a nice day !!!

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  16. Hi Ivy! :) Congratulations on your anniversary outside! I love the photo of your new spooky area! Very cool!!! :)

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    1. Hey Rain! Thanks. Congrats on your soon-to-be new home! Are you excited?

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  17. Happy Anniversary! I love your spooky spot! Thanks for visiting my blog. You have a very exciting blog! Take care.

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    1. Thank you, Bonnie! I just got back from your page and read that you're new to blogging but have been a blog reader for years. That is very cool. Here's to many more posts your way. Happy Blogging and boogie, boogie.

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  18. Happy anniversary. Always a delight to have a Whisk post (or podcast) pop up in my blog feed. Glad to hear you guys are doing okay, and getting organised. Love that spooky shot - VERY atmospheric.

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    1. Heytim. Great to see you. How goes your side of the pond?
      Thanks. That's part of the area that we get to look out onto when we write outside.

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    2. All good here. Rachel's just discovered she's got all of Easter off (although she remains on call for emergencies), so we've joked about going away... to the garden room!

      Hopefully our Easter Eggs will arrive in the shopping delivery tomorrow (our last for some time, and you can't guarantee these days what will be unavailable or substituted!). Fun times!!!

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    3. Hahahaha. The garden room. I love it!

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  19. Happy Anniversary!

    Orange-scented bleach wipes sound good, anything with bleach in it nowadays sounds good! Stay safe!!

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    1. Thank you. I thought the picture of your granddaughter was too cute. The orange-scented is super refreshing. Been loving them. Stay safe and thanks for popping in.

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  20. a new garden-lots to look forward to. we have always had a garden-even when I worked full time (retired now) allot of work but it was in my farm roots blood-lol I did loads of canning-drying-freezing too. good stuff. In the past I did make a cleaner from oranges don't remember now how that worked out.
    Happy Anniversary glad you had a lovely day outdoors-hugs Kathy

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    1. Hi Kathy! My grandma had afarm and she gave me her love for all things growing and food. She jarred as well but I don't remember her drying-other than clothes and homemade noodles. For me, it has been years since I had a proper garden. What did you enjoy growing the most?

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  21. Happy Anniversary to both of you.

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  22. I enjoyed your post and Happy Anniversary! I need to put you on my blog list. Looks like a fun informative place to visit.

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    1. Hi Sandy. Thank you for stopping by. Thanks for the anniversary wishes, too.

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  23. Happy Anniversary! You are amazing! You have a new fan!

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  24. Even in a pandemic, we still have to do the chores and pay the bills *sigh*. I'd like to try my own garden from kitchen scraps, but we're putting the house on the market this summer so maybe in our new home next year. Carrots and potatoes would be fun to try!

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    1. Hi Theresa. I am enjoying the kitchen scraps. The celery is coming along so well from scraps and the green carrot tops are now taking on a life of their own. Can't wait to cook with the greens.

      Very cool on getting the house ready. Here's hoping for a fast sale. Will you do virtual tours? How does that work in a pandemic?

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    2. A lot of people are doing virtual tours right now, and we may have to go that route as well. Well just see where we are at in the pandemic when the time comes to actually list.

      I did start regrowing green onions from scraps this week. I also just planted grape tomatoe scraps in pots to see what will happen with growth there. Fingers crossed for good results! I am glad to hear your scraps are really taking off!

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    3. Very cool. I'm regrowing onion/garlic from the forest, just the greens and I stuck one store-bought garlic in just for the greens because the whole thing takes way longer. But I thought, lemme grow the greens. I am BLOWN AWAY but what can be grown indoors without sun. BLOWN AWAY.

      Tim bought organic grape tomatoes for me to try but I haven't done it yet because I confess, I ate them. Bad gardener. Bad.

      I get that about the house tour. Makes sense.

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    4. This is my first year trying to garden with scraps, but I am hopeful that I will be successful with it. I'd like to do garlic, maybe potatoes too. I am so bad with eating the grape tomatoes too, but I did control myself and set 2 aside to see if I could get them to sprout. I also did a few beefsteak tomato slices in pots too, so we'll see...

      I just noticed I put an e on tomato up there. D'oh. I need to start proof reading my comments better LOL

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    5. Very cool. And so fun. Hubby got me more tomatoes and I just had some with supper. So yummy. I do have heirloom seeds that I bought a few weeks back but I think it'll be fun to try both. Neato on the beefsteak slices. I'm excited to see how it goes. So fun to grow.

      Thanks for stopping by again. Blogging is so fun. Cheers!

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  25. Happy anniversary for you and Tim.
    Happy forever.

    Stay safe
    Greetings from Indonesia

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  26. Happy Anniversary. That Instant Pot soup looks really good! We are trying to keep some sort of routine while we are shut in.. Hope life gets back to normal soon.

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    1. Thanks, judee. The food on your page looks so good, too. Here's to more yum and fun.

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  27. Loving your positive energy, Wonder Woman! Very cool. We're also feeling positive here. I refuse to let got of that. We're keeping busy around here and enjoying stuff in our home. The weather hasn't been that great, so no work on the garden yet. But it's coming! I'm hoping to do a lot of work out there this year and pretty it up. That's it for now. Wishing you and your honey bunny many more wonderful years together!

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    1. Hello My Beautiful Friend. I was just thinking about you today. Very cool that you're gonna work on your garden this year too. Excellent. Did you get snow? We had a few flurries today and then stopped. Heard more coming tomorrow. Wishing you and the Most Wonderful Man in the World, a fun weekend ahead.

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  28. Thanks for visiting me! this photo does look like it is from "Hound Of The Baskervilles"! You have a cute blog!

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    1. Hi Ginny. I loved the picture of you and your hubby and the lilacs were so pretty. I love, love, love, the smell of those flowers. Yes, I agree. It really does look like that with the spooky morning. Thanks for stopping in. Cheers and boogie boogie, Ivy.

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  29. Hello! Thanks for the visit and comment.

    Happy anniversary to you and your spouse.

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    1. Hi Rose. Sure thing. Thanks for posting the bean/pancake idea.
      Wishing you a wonderful weekend. Cheers and boogie boogie.

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  30. Happy Anniversary!

    I'll have to try growing carrots from old carrot tops. I never thought of doing that.

    Blessings~

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    1. Thank you. From what I understand, Only the greens of the carrot tops grow, but are filled with nutrients. Very fun. Thanks for the visit. Happy weekend.

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    1. Much, much thanks and Happy Baking to you. I love how much baking, cooking and growing of veg is going on and I love seeing folks post about it. Cheers and boogie boogie.

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    1. Much thanks, Mary. Wishing you guys well. And that the people next door are less loud this weekend. And also, health well-wishes your way.

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  33. Hi Ivy, nice to meet you. Thanks for visiting my blog. Happy belated anniversary! Have a great weekend, stay safe! Hugs, Valerie

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    1. Hi Valerie. I loved your blog. Super creative and all-out fun. Those glasses on bunny were too cute. Great to meet you too. Stay safe,hugs back.

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  34. thanks for stopping by my blogs today.. I really love your cartoons and the look of your blog. looks good to me. plus the Happy Whisk is a great name. I smiled as I read three of your posts.

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    1. Hi Sandra! I just saw your puppy shoot. I also love shooting dogs. So fun. I loved the one eye open, Ha! Thank you for the kind words about my blog and the name. Hubby picked my name for me over a decade ago. Thanks for stopping by and boogie boogie, Ivy.

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  35. We also had our wedding anniversary this week, all the best to you!

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    1. Happy anniversary to you guys. Wonderful fun. Cheers to you both.

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  36. Happy Anniversary Love your Foggy forest !
    Happy Easter
    parsnip.

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    1. Hey Gayle. Loving the pup videos you post. Happy Weekend you guys, too!

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  37. Happy anniversary! :-) Keep safe.

    Greetings from London.

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    1. Hello London! Thanks for taking the time to stop in. Stay safe and be well.

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  38. That IS a spooky spot, and I hope you garden grows well there. :) Enjoyed your podcast - good food for thought, Ivy. Happy Easter and a belated Happy Anniversary!

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    1. Hi Becki. LOVED the pink mask. I thought of you today when I was using my saw outside. I had to use a bandanna and mine was bright pink with white polka dots. I did the hair band no sew trick but I thought of you with the pink mask.

      Thank you for taking the time to listen and for the Happy Anniversary wishes. Catch you in the next post, cheers and boogie boogie.

      PS: That spot grows wild onions really well so I'm hoping the leeks, red onions and other onions I have will take to it. Still much to do but it's a fun, much to do.

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    2. I wish I had a cute bandana that I could make a mask from. I have a goofy Smokey the Bear bandana. It's a fun bandana, but it's goofy for a mask. lol Having discovered leeks recently, I'm in awe that you will be able to grow them there. Mmmm.

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    3. Hi Becki! Love the goofy stuff. I gotta say, that's fun.

      What brought you to the discovery of leeks? Have you eaten the roots yet? I love those too.

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  39. Sounds like you are going to have a mega impressive veggie, herb garden there HW, I'm really looking forward to seeing how the rice growing goes, must Google rice growing, thought you had to have a rice paddy 😉 I have plenty of room in my back garden to grow veggies but we have so many bugs to contend with. How do you manage there, will you use chemicals to control the pests?

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    1. Hi Grace. Thank you for taking the time to listen to my podcast. Much appreciated.

      No, I never knew about the rice either but I’m excited to try in one area that might work. I’m told by people who have done it that a rice paddy isn’t needed. It’s so crazy but I’m gonna give it a go. Not sure if there’s enough sun in the one area I have planned for it but hey, I’m going for it.

      What kinds of bugs are you in battle with?

      No, no synthetic chemicals for us. Although, if need be I’ll make the stuff at home that Mark from Self Sufficient Me, makes. Excellent YouTube channel if you’re into organic gardening and raised beds. He also talks about the kind of plants that bugs go after and how to combat that.

      If you have a nice area to grow in, Mark’s channel might be able to help you as well as California Garden TV. Even though I’m not from Cali, he is an excellent teacher as well. And because of him, I’m growing squash vertically. What? I had no idea. So fun to learn.

      Those are two teachers that might help you with your space and the crusade against buggies eating your food. Though I haven’t seen California Garden TV’s anti-pest videos yet (or even if he has one), but as far as growing and use of space and being an excellent teacher, I can’t recommend those two enough.

      For us, what we have to deal with is deer, squirrels, mice, moles, rabbits, birds, gofers, sometimes bears (but not often), and anything else like that that wants to eat. Found a few hacks online and I’ll give them a go too.

      PS: We live near a swap and we do have mosquitoes so I’m going to combat them herbs. We’ll see how it goes.

      PPS: Thanks for the question and boogie boogie.

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    2. Thanks for the tip HW, will check out Mark's YouTube videos 👍

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  40. the mouse still lives. ha ha

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    1. Hi Sandra. The mouse still lives, that's funny!

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  41. Have a blast with the raised garden beds, I am hoping to get a couple built as well.

    God bless.

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    1. Hi Jackie. Very cool. What are you planting in your beds?

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  42. That stew looks so good. I love the banner at the bottom of the blog!

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    1. Much thanks, that bottom clickable banner was Smoochie Face's idea. And I can change out the cartoons from time to time. So fun. Enjoy your broccoli and rice. I'm waiting on mine. So close to eating. Life, THIS close. Num, num, num.

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  43. Happy Anniversary and wish I could grow an herb garden. Especially with the pandemic, it will great to be growing your own stuff. You have a 2nd Instant Pot? Great idea too.. Have a safe and healthy week!

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    1. Hey Judee! Are you able to grow any herbs inside or on a window?

      I do, yes a 3qt and an 8qt. The 3qt died on me and they took a very, very long time to replace it. Hubby suggested getting a bigger one since I made dog food all the time in the small one. We got a CRAZY good deal on the 8qt.

      To be honest, I use them both all the time. Blows my mind.

      How about you? Do you have any helpful tools like that in the kitchen? Ones that you use more than you thought you would?

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  44. Hi Ivy,

    First of all, thank you so much for stopping by...
    I love your veg & bean chili...such a comfort dish...you have your carrot and I have my celery...LOL
    Thank you so much for this fun post...oh ...before I forget...Happy Anniversary!
    Have a great weekend and stay safe!

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    1. Hi Juiliana! Very cool on the celery. I have that too and it blows my mind that it's growing in water? Oh my gosh. So fun. What made you do yours? Thank you for the anniversary wishes and stay safe.

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  45. Hi Ivy, Belated anniversary wishes and happy Spring!

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    1. Much, much thanks! Thanks for the visit too. Great to see you here.

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