Since I order from www.amazon.com food items mainly that are not available in my area or I can get there cheaper than I can find here; especially with the $25 or more purchase and free shipping! (certain items) which is what I get!

 Have been watching JR Specialties which offers 7 vanilla beans for $7.95 with free S&H; far cheaper than I can get locally; reading all the reviews discovered many recipes for making it yourself vanilla extract! Incredibly simple and inexpensive and the reports said repeatedly that it was far superior than the boughten ones. So I took the plunge and am looking forward with joy to getting them anyday now!

www.hillbillyhousewife.com offers a lot of great recipe ideas including one to make your own sweetened condensed milk! Going to take another plunge and make this as well.

As soon as my mayonnaise is gone, I am going to make my own as well! on www.ehow.com I was reading many ways to make your own; they all say the same thing: incredible taste! and you will never go back to store bought again!

I NOW know to buy "spices" a Tablespoon or so from "bulk" rather than the prepackage stuff that is over priced, fills land up and sits til outdated in a shelf anyway! Also, may times the Mexican or Asian markets or places in groceries stores for these offer small amounts of spices far cheaper than those in the "regular" aisles that we have grown up buying from!

Love seeing reviews, and learning of new beans, rices, recipes that I had never encountered before in my life! that are healthier, and exciting to try out!

Change is indeed good! After reading reports over "rice" and basmatic and jasmine; I tried both and could not believe on what I had been missing out on! wonderful items! Now I do have to go about 15 miles to a nearby town to get them at the store there that offers many organic items: but it is well worth the trip to me! Last time I was there, I bought a 25 lb bag of brown basmatic organic rice; and put into glass jars; so much fun to use soups, or spagetti sauce, or just top with salsa which I love!  Absolutely adore the rice cooker I got at a thrift store for $4! However, I have discovered to check it when cooking the rice as many times I need to add more water to it; especially when using soups and spagetti sauce!

Jasmine rice though is a favorite as well; so incredibly delightful one wonders why the other "rice" is offered at all! (generic!) 

Today I am going to make chili beans; I have all the ingredients; and it just sounds really good as it is super cold here; and I hate canned chili! This way I can make a bunch; and then freeze so many nights ahead I only have to make cornbread and can have a delightfully delicious meal or lunch at little cost, and great to my health!

looking to see what other items I can easily make my own at far less expense!

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While I was snuggled all safe and warm in my bed, reading an excellent book, I heard a little noise; going to the door and peeking out: I observed 4 fat and fluffy raccoons on my deck, eating cat food and drinking water!

I bought extra cat food, putting it in a "window box" planter, added a full size pan of water; and this AM they were there; eating again! So sweet to see them!

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My neighbor just turned 76; she is more disabled than I am; her daughter is coming to move her back east to live closer to them. We got boxes and have been slowly packing her items for her so it is easier on her children when they come. A friend put many of them in the smaller bedroom, and then we put many in her front room. The items she no longer wants, or needs, is packed on my deck currently, waiting for me to take to Salvation Army for her.

Today  she wanted me to throw good food away out of her fridge freezer; I said, no, I will take it home! and did so; she had lined up a man who was going to take her full freezer full of food; for some unknown reason, he said he didn't want to have it. So I was blessed to be able to fill my freezer full of food, and give quite a bit to another neighbor who welcomed it gladly! She then baked some bread pudding with some of the bread and shared it with all of us!

We also got quite a bit of beans, spices, etc; which are always welcome! Some of the bread was a kind I am not fond of, but it is going to be fed to the birds! Didn't get to much time today to watch them for a long time, but did enjoy seeing them feeding on the ground, and on the feeders; and took time to speak with, pet and feed my cat, Mr B. He had been acting skitterish again, but now seems to be calming back down.

What a wonderful surprise this turned out to be! Was cold outside today; and even my hands were like ice cubes from the frozen food; had to rearrange food, etc; to get the other in. It felt like Christmas to my neighbor and me!  It was really a delight as I had just about cleared my pantry and freezer out for others who were in need. Now I got treated! Joy joy joy!

Happy thanksgiving to all!

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Today when the sun finally broke thru a short time, I went outside and filled my bird feeders; some of them, wet from the rain, had to be brought into the house, washed, dried, and then filled. I was using my car hood to set feed on as I filled various feeders; I had opened a bag of "regular: bird seed; a 20 lb bag; what I do is to mix the black sunflower seeds in with it as while it comes with some, not very many, and this way there is a very good mixture; I put in various other odds & ends as well;

Now, the "hood'" of my car of course has a slant to it, downwards; in the midst of filling, feeding, etc; the large bag slid off and some was on the ground. Thinking I would sweep it a little later, but wanting to run to the store quickly while it was still sunny; and not raing, I went to get cat food, as I had very little and needed to feed a hungry cat as well. (remember, I was "adopted" by a Siamese);

Upon returning about 15 to 20 birds flew away; they had been feeding on the spilled bird seed! And better yet, they were dry as it was under the carport awning! This way, the birds can eat, the birdseed stays dry, and all are happy campers!

A scarecrow moment for sure! " if I'd only had a brain, i  would have thought of this a long time ago!"

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