Category: Creativity

Basket Weaving, Coppicing, Creativity, ecosystems, Emergency Preparedness, Herbs, Homesteading, Nature, permaculture, Prepping, Scripture, Trees

Coppiced Hope

Lisa Burbank

“For there is hope for a tree, if it be cut down, that it will sprout again, and that its shoots will not cease.” (Job 14:7)

I have a short stack of books checked out on coppicing trees. A few years’ ago, I watched a YouTube video about a man who coppices the trees on his land for firewood to heat his home. It struck a chord.

When I first started with the notion of homesteading, my original plan was to move to a bigger property. But then I started watching videos, reading blogs, magazine articles and books about people homesteading right where they are, right now. And it got me thinking: what can I do here?

Originally, I thought I could tap the many maple trees in my yard for syrup and sugar…until I learned the difference in maple trees and discovered that my maple trees are mostly Norway maples, an invasive species to Connecticut that does NOT produce maple syrup.

Despite their invasiveness, the Norway maples are beautiful. So I’ve let them stay.

However, one of the reasons they’re considered invasive is because they grow fast. They also throw their seeds everywhere and it doesn’t take long for a new sapling to grow up. I have a young one growing through my fence as we speak (definitely NOT optimum). A also have a few that grew close together over the years so that they appear to share one trunk that has split in multiple directions. A friend of mine cut a couple of those splits, leaving a few feet of trunk standing. This was years ago, and I was furious at the time, but new shoots have grown up from that cut stump. I have an endless supply of firewood right at my disposal…if I learn how to manage it all correctly.

I know about as much about coppicing as I did about maple syrup. Hence, the stack of books on coppicing that I have checked out from the library. About all I do know is I will have to invest in a chainsaw and, probably, a decent ladder. (Again, I’m a complete novice…)

One of the books talks about planting willow where there’s a lot of wet, boggy land (Van Driesche 215-217). I have that, too, towards the back of the property. My ducks love it, but they’re about the only ones who do as the grass grows in thick tufts and any lawnmower gets stuck trying to cut it down (I’m also looking at learning how to use a scythe…). Willow can be debarked to make baskets. And the straight whips will also make good stakes for the garden when needed. I don’t know if I have enough boggy land for this last endeavor (although basket weaving is something I have enjoyed in the past…). It might behoove me to simply plant some water-loving herbs, like Joe Pye Weed, Black Cohosh and Solomon’s Seal (the latter doesn’t like its feet too wet…). That might be enough to mitigate the muddy mess.

But there’s hope springing in my heart as I contemplate the many potential ways I might make this little one acre holding work for me.

What are some of the possibilities you see from where you are right now? I guarantee you, if you put your mind to it, they may prove endless.

May God bless you & keep you!

Works Cited

Van Driesche, Emmet (2019). Carving Out a Living on the Land. Chelsea Green Publishing, Vermont.

Abuse, Books, Creativity, God/Jesus, Homesteading, Scripture, Writing

Making Every Moment Count

Lisa Burbank

“Yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.” (James 4:14)

To the best of my knowledge, I’m healthy and hearty, but I have been spending an inordinate amount of time struggling to concede my age…and, maybe something more detrimental to my mental and emotional well-being: fixating on chances missed throughout this lifetime. It’s that “if-I-knew-then-what-I-know-now” syndrome. And, if it’s not really a “syndrome”, it ought to be.

I alluded to this a little bit in yesterday’s post. It was focused completely on finances but, paying yourself first (after tithing, of course) should also be a *thing* when it comes to future goals.

The first thing I do every morning now is write…or at least that’s the goal each day. I don’t always succeed, but I do a lot better with keeping a writing habit in the morning than I do in the evening…especially if I don’t have a thesis holding my backside to the fire.

It was while I was working on that thesis that I started fixating on those missed chances. Why didn’t I do this writing degree thing 30 years ago when I was younger? Why did I allow another’s abuse to broadside me away from my dreams? If I had finished this book a decade or two ago, so many loved ones would still be here to read it. I can only hope they’re smiling down from heaven now, cheering me on. But I wish I could’ve shared it with them while they were here.

Ditto for my homesteading dreams. In this case, and maybe with my writing, too, I keep waiting for the perfect conditions. Or I’ll tell myself all month that with my next paycheck I’ll pick up XYZ for the garden, the kitchen, to streamline some project, etc. And then payday comes and goes and my inner-Martha comes out and my focus turns more to the day-to-day. Nothing wrong with that…except another month comes and goes and I’m no closer to that one little goal I set for myself. Slow and steady wins the race, but I also have to keep moving towards that goal…or it’ll be another dream never realized.

There’s a string of them behind me. I’m sure most people reading this will have them, too.

And, yes, this is where I remind myself of two great ladies I’ve mentioned in the past: “Grandma” Mary Moses, who didn’t sell her first painting until she was 78 years old (and lived to be 102!), and “Grandma” Emma Gatewood, who became the first woman to hike the Appalachian Trail alone at the age of 67 and is the first person to ever hike three times.

I’m not too old. And it’s not too late to have a successful career as a writer. It’s also not too late to develop a thriving homestead.

However, I do have to take those steps. That’s where the paying-myself-first advice comes in. It may only be something small, but at least it’s something. It’s a step in the right direction.

“If one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours.” (Henry David Thoreau)

What dreams are on your heart today? And what steps are you taking to meet them? I’d be delighted if you’d share them in the comments.

May God bless you & keep you!

19th century, Books, Creativity, Diversity, Fashion, History, Nostalgia, Reading, Scripture, Tradition

Proud to Be A Woman

Lisa Burbank

“Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.” (1 Peter 3:3-4)

I’m going to get myself in trouble today. We have our monthly book club meeting this afternoon and this month’s selection is our own. I.e. We chose this month to read a biography, autobiography, or memoir of someone we like, or admire, and will share little bits and bobs from what we read and why we chose the person we did.

My choice?

Well, to be honest, I couldn’t decide between Tasha Tudor and Tucker Carlson. I like Tucker. I love his faith, how open he is in his belief in God, and the gentle and respectful way that he interviews those invited on his show. I also like his courage in being willing to interview those that most journalists and writers would shudder away from…such as Vladimir Putin.

But I’ve settled on Tasha for today. I’m rather tired of political debate. And, if anyone notices the Trump/Vance 2024 bumper stickers on my car, there will be enough political discourse at this book club meeting without me adding Tucker (though I may bring both books in with me anyway…who knows?)

However, for the moment, I’ve settled on Tasha because she is someone I have long admired. She chose her 1830s lifestyle at a very young age and she never wavered from her course. Her art and her creativity was infused with her gentle love for children, animals and nature and, of course, days gone by. She spun yarn, wove cloth, perused antique stores and estate sales for 1800s fashions, which she wore rather than just keep as displays (I’m guessing she was a tiny woman; my 5’8″, 190 lb. self could never fit into such clothing). She kept doves and chickens and geese and goats and birds and at one time even had a crow. She also raised Corgis, which she called Corgyn in the plural, declaring it the only proper way to do so. She cooked on both a hearth and cast iron cook stove. She lit her home with candlelight and oil lamps.

After years of working in living history museums, why wouldn’t I choose Tasha? I wish I had been so focused in my youth and lived much the same way.

But the real reason I chose Tasha is a quote from the book The Private World of Tasha Tudor by Tasha Tudor and Richard Brown:

“Why do women want to dress like men when they’re fortunate enough to be women? Why lose our femininity, which is one of our greatest charms? We get much more accomplished by being charming than we would by flaunting around in pants and smoking. I’m very fond of men. I think they’re wonderful creatures. I love them dearly. But I don’t want to look like one. When women gave up their long skirts, they made a grave error.” (Tudor and Brown, 1992, p. 63)

Having worn the long, full skirts and petticoats of the 1830s, I wholeheartedly agree with Tasha’s view here. When I’m wearing long skirts, I feel attractive and feminine. I feel confident and vital. That’s when I can truly say: I am woman. Hear me roar. It’s when I take myself seriously…so you should, too.

And, despite her love of all things 1830s, including the attire, Tasha had a long, successful, and modern career as a commercial artist, and could navigate between the two worlds quite nicely…even though, by her own admission, she wasn’t always “nice”. There was never a sign that she gave up her rights as a female to look and dress as a female. Instead, she simply celebrated being a woman.

It is something to celebrate.

But that’s just what I think. Let me know what you think (or thought?) when you read Tasha’s quote above in the comments below.

May God bless you & keep you!

Works Cited

Tudor, Tasha and Brown, Richard. The Private World of Tasha Tudor. Little, Brown & Company, 1992.

Appreciation, Books, Christianity, Creativity, Faith, God/Jesus, Gratitude, Healing, Homesteading, Writing

Catching Up

Lisa Burbank

There is a time for everything,
    and a season for every activity under the heavens:

2     a time to be born and a time to die,
    a time to plant and a time to uproot,
3     a time to kill and a time to heal,
    a time to tear down and a time to build,
4     a time to weep and a time to laugh,
    a time to mourn and a time to dance,
5     a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
    a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
6     a time to search and a time to give up,
    a time to keep and a time to throw away,
7     a time to tear and a time to mend,
    a time to be silent and a time to speak,
8     a time to love and a time to hate,
    a time for war and a time for peace. (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8)

So it’s been a little over a year since, by the grace of God, I was able to turn the mortgage right side up again. Of course, I now owe more than the home is worth, but I no longer fear phone calls or a knock on the door. Nobody is likely coming to evict me. And that’s a huge relief–praise the Lord!

Life as a librarian is way more involved and multifaceted than I could have ever imagined…in a very good way. I laughingly tell everyone that I am now using every skill from nearly every job, or pet interest, that I have ever had. The exception is forklift driving, but it’s only been 2 years since I took over as director. We are looking to build a bigger facility in the not-so-distant future so maybe they’ll have need of a forklift driver in the building process. It could happen…just saying.

Actually, being a librarian has its perks. We now host a weekly story time for the kids, a Knitting & Crocheting Club (I am still abysmally slow at knitting…), both an adult Book Club and an adult Writer’s Workshop (my favorite for obvious reasons), as well as a Juvenile Book Club and Young Writer’s Club. It’s been incredibly rewarding.

I graduated on August 1, 2024 with my Master’s degree in Creative Writing. The first draft of the working title: Familiar Witch is complete and, after a quick revision from my professor’s editing notes, I will be sending it off to my beta readers…and likely doing another revision of it once each of them is finished reading the rough draft and giving their opinions on how to strengthen the story. My story actually proved to be a trilogy; “Ivy” and “Moz’s” story is far from over. But I’m thinking of toying with a few other ideas in the meantime. Any revisions to Book 1 might require revisions to Books 2 & 3, which would be a daunting task to say the least.

Lastly, I am once again looking at homesteading. I’m planning to start right here with what I already have. If He provides a way for me to move and expand, I will be eternally grateful for the opportunity. But I won’t pass up the chance to grow and thrive here first. I want to show Him that I can manage what He’s already given before I ask for more. I’ve spent the last 20+ years not wanting to invest the time here, viewing this as too small and restrictive to the larger plans in my head. (I think it was Mother Teresa who said, “You want to make God laugh? Tell Him your plans.) As I’ve done over and again for the last couple of years, I’m turning over the “keys” to my heart, and especially my life, to Him. His plan is far greater than anything I could ever imagine.

It’s good to be back. It’s good to be contemplating ways to grow and expand this community…if it even still exists. It’s good to be looking towards the future again. Whatever it holds, I know He’s in control. And knowing that is worth every hardship and hiccough in life that I’ve experienced over the last, well, almost decade.

What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, right? Well, maybe not…what doesn’t kill you makes your faith stronger because He makes all things new.

May God bless you & keep you!

Creativity, Emergency Preparedness, Faith, Folklore, Gaia, gardening, God/Jesus, Healing, Herbs, History, Holistic Health, Homesteading, Nature, Plants, Self-esteem, Self-improvement

A Saturday Weed Walk

Lisa Burbank

“The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup; you hold my lot. The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.” (Psalm 16: 5-6)

This one is live! As in, in-person…my first!

To say that I’m not feeling a bit of that “Imposter Syndrome” would be a lie. Yes, I am a certified herbalist…and a Master Gardener. Yes, I do know how to use herbs and make medicine, health & beauty aids. I know how to use herbs for scent and I have at least a rudimentary knowledge of how to make dyes with some. And, yes, there are certain ones I can readily identify in the wild.

However, a recent walk through the nature trail that I will be working from at this live event revealed there are a lot of plants I don’t know. And, in this particular setting, there wasn’t a huge variety of plants…outside of some invasive species. That being said, I identified enough that I can put together an interesting walk.

At least I hope so…

Again, “Imposter Syndrome”–I am plagued with doubts. However, if I was too cocky and sure of myself, that would be the road to failure. A little nervousness is to be expected and, like all things, the more often I do this, the more comfortable I’ll get with it…and, in the future, I’ll make it a point to plan more “weed” walks through abandoned lots and sunny meadows rather than deep woods and dappled sunlight since most of the herbs I’m most familiar with are typically grown in sunnier locales. ;o)

Despite my nerves, I’m looking forward to the challenge of creating a fun and interesting experience for everyone who decides to join me on the walk.

If you live in northeastern Connecticut, the “weed” walk is part of an event being hosted by the Brooklyn Middle School in Brooklyn, CT between 10:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. on Saturday, June 3, 2023. Wear your walking shoes because the terrain is uneven, rocky in places, full of roots ready to trip you up, and steep in some areas.

May God bless you & keep you!

Brothers & Sisters, Christianity, Creativity, Faith, Forgiveness, Gaia, gardening, God/Jesus, Gratitude, Holidays, Nature, Religion, Writing

He is Risen!

Lisa Burbank

“Then He opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. He told them, ‘This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem’.” (Luke 24: 45-47)

I’m a day late with Easter greetings but, I decided a long time ago that I would avoid making any posts on Sunday, the Lord’s day. I may have broken it once or twice but, overall, I tend to rest on the seventh day. If it was good enough for God to rest after 6 days of creation, it’s good enough for me.

Anyway, I hope your Easter holiday was special and filled you and yours with joy this year. Mom and I spent the day at a friend’s house, enjoying good food and good conversation. Today I “O.D.ed” on black jelly beans (is there really any other kind???), having given up sweets for the Lenten season. However, after satisfying my deprived sweet tooth today, I hope to continue the good habit of avoiding sweets except on rare occasions.

And though I failed to read a chapter of the Bible each day as vowed, still, I spent more days with it than not, cognizant of those failures, and He allows for another recalibration.

He makes all things new. After Easter, I always feel a sense of new beginnings. Maybe it’s Mother Earth waking up to the warmer temperatures. Maybe it’s the anticipation of this year’s garden. Whatever it is, I am filled with hope and expectancy, looking forward to the growing season.

I also start a new class next week: Short Story Writing. I’m looking forward to this one. I’m hoping it will help improve my writing habit since I will have new stories to turn in each week…another area of life that needs recalibrating.

What are some areas of your life that need recalibrating? I’d be delighted if you’d share below.

May God bless you & keep you!

19th century, Abuse, Animals, Appreciation, Christianity, Creativity, ecosystems, Faith, Global Warming, God/Jesus, Herbs, Homesteading, Prepping, Religion, Understanding, Writing

Two Out of Three Ain’t Bad

Lisa Burbank

“Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man.” (Proverbs 3:3-4)

I’ve been working on that third website and still questioning the wisdom of it. Yes, there’s been a desire to branch out a little, defend the innocent when it comes to abuse and neglect, defend Mother Earth, tackle those few social issues that capture my interest enough to comment. But I’ve been completely stymied by the purpose of the assignment.

We were asked to pick a subject, research it, and then use this subject to help build our brand. Not a single topic had anything to do with herbs, homesteading, prepping, animal husbandry or rescue, 19th century living, frugality, fiber arts, or faith.

That’s my brand.

I chose “social media research”. As a writer, I can recognize the importance of researching sources of information. I’m just not sure how creating multiple posts about how to fact-check and verify an article will prove interesting to anyone else on a live platform. Do I even want it to? And, while this post has nothing to do with herbs, homesteading, prepping, animal husbandry or rescue, 19th century living, frugality, fiber arts, or faith either; still, I reckon most of my readers here are used to my rambling detours by now.

As I write this, and as I continue to build the other page, I’m also struck by how He works.

I’m not exactly kicking and screaming against this other page. In fact, I can even see the merits of separation between this blog and the new one, especially if I decide to tackle some meatier subjects. But, despite the fact that I will probably take the other site down once class is over, the effort of building a new site (something I actually enjoy) has given me some ideas for this blog. As I seek to define this other site, what it will contain, what it’s about, my intention for this blog is becoming clearer. So He’s brought about a blessing even in the midst of something as mundane as “social media research”.

What are some of the unexpected blessings He’s brought to your life? I’d be delighted if you’d share.

“I come in the little things, saith the Lord” — Evelyn Underhill

May God bless you & keep you!

Christianity, Cooking, Creativity, ecosystems, Emergency Preparedness, Frugality, gardening, Homesteading, Human rights, illness, Minimalism, Nature, Politics, Poverty, Prayer, Prepping, Self-improvement

The Best Investment Made on the Homestead

Lisa Burbank

“The Mighty One, God, the Lord, speaks and summons the earth from the rising of the sun to the place where it sets. From Zion, perfect in beauty, God shines forth. Our God comes and will not be silent; a fire devours before Him, and around Him a tempest rages.” (Psalm 50:1-3)

In an earlier blog post, I talked about how when under extreme amounts of stress we often get “stupid”. Or, perhaps a better way of putting it, the feeling of being overwhelmed becomes so great that staying on top of even the littlest thing becomes a challenge. Translation: yours truly has been seriously off her game for way too long.

I didn’t check the level of oil in the furnace this weekend past. My bad!

Yesterday, Mom thought the house was starting to feel a little chilly. She fired up the woodstove, which is fine. Temps are supposed to be minus zero this weekend and I had purchased some bundles of wood to supplement the oil. Prices are ridiculous, which is probably why some part of me didn’t check the gauge: avoidance. This is the first year in a long time without full heating assistance. With my new salary, we no longer qualify. That’s not a lamentation; I am extremely grateful, especially after so many years of want. But this winter is an adjustment…and yes, I dropped the ball.

We are out of oil.

I called George at the local oil company and he will deliver later this morning. However, unlike so many others who would be in dire straits in such brutal cold, we weathered it just fine because we are not bound by one source of heat. The woodstove I purchased back in 2011 has been the best investment into this homestead that I have made so far. Power outages, extreme temperatures, and yes, even human error have proven to me time and again what a valuable investment it was. It has more than paid for itself in the last 12 years. When I can’t afford cords of wood, deadfall, bio-bricks, which you can make yourself (more on that in another post…), or even old pallets cut up will do in an emergency. I can even heat water, or cook, on it in a pinch.

We are also not 100% reliant on “the system”.

This is the real reason why so many people turn to homesteading and prepping. I know this last is often associated with negative connotations. “Prepper”, to some, may conjure up images of some guy in camo, fully armed, living off roots and reindeer carcasses in the wilderness. Sure, this stereo-type is ready for anything–supposedly–but, prepping is just homesteading taken a step beyond. We’re not just reducing our dependency on modern systems, such as food, heating, and transportation; we’re also planning and preparing for a total system shutdown. And, if that last word conjures images of 2020 2.0, you would be right.

The pandemic should’ve be a lesson to us all. Systems break down. Supplies don’t always get through on time. Illnesses, injuries, and natural disasters happen. There is no way of knowing when, or for how long, these things will last, the toll that they may take. Inflation, and a potential world war, may be our next breakdown of systems; prepping, to my mind, is the only sensible course to take.

That being said, financial difficulties in recent years have put me behind on my prepping. Prepping kept me solvent for over 2 years after losing all 3 jobs that I had been working when the Great Recession hit. Unless your last name is Gates, Fauci, or Schwab, no human being’s finances will last them forever…no matter how carefully we plan, save, or how frugally we live. But careful planning, frugal living, and saving will serve you well for much longer than any government assistance that may, or may not, be forthcoming in a crisis.

For those who rent, no, installing a woodstove may not be an option for you. However you may be able to create a small grocery budget for, say, $10.00 extra each month to purchase extra canned and frozen foods. No, not the healthiest options but, it’s always good to have them around. Organize them by expiration dates. Those that will expire first, place at the front of the cabinet, drawer, or closet. Add new products to the back so you don’t take them first and allow older food to spoil. Even if you don’t garden, learn how to can and ferment food. When able, take advantage of sales and can, or ferment, whatever your family won’t eat before it all spoils. You can do this with food donations from a food pantry, too, if you are in such dire straits as to need them. It’s nothing to be ashamed of; Mom and I have had to rely on such extra ourselves in recent years. It falls under the heading of “sh** happens”. And, as much of the gifts received from a food pantry may be day-old and won’t last so long, canning or fermenting will extend the shelf life. You can also extend the life of canned goods nearing their date. Heat them up, or pre-cook meals, and freeze them in serving-sized bowls to be re-heated at a later date. Be sure to label them and, like the canned goods on your shelves, place newer additions to the back of the freezer. They should be fine for up to 3 months in the freezer. Peruse army/navy surplus stores for cold weather gear. Purchase a small tent that can be put up in your living room, or bedroom, to help you conserve heat should systems fail. Keep a supply of bottled water, extra pet food, candles and/or oil lamps with their oil, and matches on hand.

And don’t vote for anyone who wants to take away your right to grow and/or preserve food for yourself and your family, or heat your home with a fuel that grows naturally and can be found by a quick walk through nature. This isn’t conspiracy theory; it’s common sense. It is much easier to hold onto the freedoms we already have than to get back any we’ve lost. Government may make it look more attractive, such as with these 15 minute cities where everything is conveniently within a 15 minute walk from home, but the cost is always higher than the convenience is truly worth.

When all else fails, pray without ceasing…in fact, pray without ceasing before it all fails.

May God bless you & keep you!

Christianity, Cooking, Creativity, Frugality, Homesteading, Minimalism, Poverty

Learning to Live on Less

Lisa Burbank

“Sing praises to the Lord, enthroned in Zion; proclaim among the nations what he has done. (Psalm 9:11)

I’ve talked a lot about my financial difficulties over the last couple of years (probably ad nauseum for many!) If this is your first visit here, I fractured my shoulder in 2019 and lost my job due to time missed recovering. For those who have been following for a while, you also know the extent of those difficulties. It’s been stressful and frustrating and downright scary at times; still is. But, the significant number of missed mortgage payments notwithstanding, how have we been surviving? We is my mother, a small farm complete with livestock and pets, and myself.

For starters, the wi-fi I’m using right now is the only “luxury” we have. If it wasn’t for my classes (50-something returning for my Masters in Creative Writing), I could eschew wi-fi, too. We don’t have cable or satellite (i.e. no paid TV). We don’t pay for any streaming services. And, since coming to work in a library, I seldom buy books…unless I’ve already checked it out a few times and know I’ll read it again. Neither of us is fond of movie theaters or sports.

So what do we do for entertainment?

Well, we read a lot. We play board games. Scrabble is our favorite. We play cards, mostly Rummy. We took a $10 art class through the church a couple of years ago and painted our first acrylic landscapes. I came home thinking I was Monet and painted a mural on the wall of my office.

In short, living on less means getting creative and also, connecting with others. Sure, we still do a lot of screen time. Mom has a lot games downloaded onto the tablet she got for either Christmas or her birthday. I, of course, write.

Entertainment is a big chunk of expense for many people.

We don’t have a washer and dryer. I take everything to the laundromat. Yes, the machines are a bit pricy. However, my electric bill is lower. If I had town water instead of a well, my water bill would be significantly less, too. We hand wash many things, especially in the summer when they can dry outside on a line, or on a clothing rack.

We don’t have a dishwasher either. I know many so-called “experts” claim it uses less water than doing it by hand. That’s only true if you leave your faucet running non-stop instead of turning it off between rinses. What a waste of water and resources! It may seem like pennies but, those pennies add up. They’re better off in you pocket, or in an old jar to turn in at the bank when it’s full.

I save bread wrappers. I rinse them out and allow them to air dry. Then I use them for wrapping sandwiches to take to work for lunch. And, yes, I brown bag it. Unless your employer provides free lunch every day, those lunches out can add up pretty quick.

Ditto for the coffee and donuts on the way into the office. Give yourself time in the morning to eat a good breakfast and brew extra at home to pour into a travel mug. Speaking of which, that fancy Keurig machine? I won’t even allow one in the house. Ditch it. It’s costing you too much for coffee. A 40.3 oz. canister of Folger’s coffee costs $11.97 at Walmart. Each canister makes approximately 380 cups. Divide 11.97 by 380 and you get a little over .03 per cup. A 48 pack of Folger’s K-Cups costs $26.72 at Walmart. Divide $26.72 by 48 and you get around .56 per cup. Or, another way to figure it is to get the same number of cups of coffee from the K-Cups, you would have to purchase 7.9 cases of 48 at a grand total of $211.62. That’s almost $200 more for the same amount of coffee. You’re paying all that extra for convenience. A heaping tablespoon of coffee for every cup you’re brewing will produce a great-tasting cup.

When you’ve mastered freshly-brewed coffee, move onto cooking and baking from scratch. I believe there’s another blog post in the archives where I break down the savings on a loaf of homemade bread. It came out to, like, .30 per loaf.

These are just some of the things we do, or have done, to live on less. Your wallet will thank you. And, in these uncertain times, those few pennies really do add up.

May God bless you & keep you!

Animals, Christianity, Creativity, Writing

Building an Audience

Lisa Burbank

“Glorify the Lord with me; let us exalt His name together.” (Psalm 34:3)

Phew! Finals are done. I passed both of them. And, hooray, I am now scaling back to being a part-time student going forward because trying to work full-time and go to college full-time…and take care of a multitude of animals full-time, all while navigating the waters of foreclosure mediation and this nearly unlivable fixer-upper, was becoming a bit too much. It simply means I will graduate sometime in May of 2024 instead of July of 2023. It’s a little cringeworthy; I’d like to be done with it. But scaling back also means saving some sanity.

It also means I have a little time to take a step back this next term and evaluate.

My next class is more of the business side of writing. I’m thoroughly enjoying the writing business classes: building an audience, freelance writing, etc. Not so much the actual writing classes. I confess to not liking the direction today’s fiction is headed. But that’s another story for another day.

May God bless you & keep you! It’s been a long week.