Fun and festive, along with easy and budget-friendly, is on the menu for December! It’s the most wonderful time of the year, it’s the hap-happiest season of all. They’ll be parties for hosting, marshmallows for roasting, and caroling out in the snow. Okay, maybe when Andy Williams sang this roasting marshmallows was a Christmas-time …
In 2008 I first read about kombucha. I loved what I was reading, for the most part. The health benefits: probiotic, antioxidant, gut healing, good for your liver… Kombucha sounds wonderful! What’s not to love? Then I read articles about the taste of kombucha: vinegar, tart, strong cider… I have to say, it didn’t sound …
Sausage! It’s what’s for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. This delicious hot sausage has a bit of spice, but not too much. It’s slightly hot with an undertone of sweet. And it’s made fresh by you, so you’ll know exactly what’s in it. The flavor of this sausage is slightly reminiscent of Mexican chorizo. I’ve had …
Warming and delicious is on the menu for November! With the long-term forecast for Wyoming showing daytime temps hovering around 40 degrees and dropping into the teens at night, it’s time for a roaring fire and cozy, comforting, budget-friendly meals — with a slight splurge for a Thanksgiving celebration. We all know a huge turkey …
The question I receive most often is “how do you afford real food on a meager (small, tight, limited, paltry, minuscule, tiny, wee, etc) budget?” I’m happy to share what we’ve found to be helpful in our quest for real food. Please keep in mind, what I share is what has worked for us. For …
I love a good bowl of soup! I can’t think of many better things on a cold day. Especially with a chunk of crusty bread on the side and knowing my bowl of soup not only tastes great but is a nourishing bowl of goodness. What makes it so nourishing? Starting with a base …
September is National Preparedness Month, when FEMA and Ready.gov promote planning ahead for emergencies. Many times when we think of an emergency, we think BIG. Hurricanes, earthquakes, tornado, a disastrous ice storm, etc. No doubt, these are big emergencies, but do we take the time to plan for other smaller things? Or even better, take …
There are certain things I remember about my Grandpa Dick. He always wore a grey button shirt with a pocket and a pocketed t-shirt underneath. He wore black working boots, slip-on cowboy style, that went to the middle of his calf. Grandpa Dick was a blue collar worker, in charge of the grain co-op in …
It is still hot and dry here in Wyoming. Even so, I find myself thinking to the cooler days of autumn. One reason I love autumn is the change of foods. Soups, stews, and big pots of beans are oh, so welcome during the cooler months. But what about those days when it’s still blistering …
So back in January I received an email that plans were being made for my 30th Class Reunion. After the shock that I was old enough to have been out of high school 30 years wore off I started planning in earnest a return trip to my hometown for my reunion followed by fun and …
This week we’re continuing our Creating Margin series by talking about Personal Growth and Development. I don’t know when I first started focusing on Personal Growth and Development. It may have been in high school, when I’d take an hour long walk in the evening with my 60-something neighbor and she’d ask questions about what …
One of the most stressful parts of our lives is dealing with finances. Many people grow up without solid financial role models in the home, and without schools teaching personal finance. Debt has become the new normal. The “Perfect Credit Score” the thing to pursue. If you don’t know what you’re doing, it can be …
The Art of Frugal Hedonism: A Guide to Spending Less While Enjoying Everything More When I first started reading this, we’d just gotten our patio set out back. I sat in the sun, and ate very slowly. I savored every bite and every word on the page. This book made me think about what my …
My little family is planning a backpacking adventure over the summer. Two weeks in and out of the wilderness. Considering not long ago I was what could be referred to as a couch potato (without a TV but with a computer) the idea of a trek through the wilderness is mildly amusing. Originally we thought …
This week in the Creating Margin series, we’re going to talk about relationships. Specifically, how to curate relationships so that they have room or margin, to become inspiring, nurturing, loving lifelines with other people instead of anchors that weigh you down, stress you out and cause drama. “You are the average of the five people …