Sweet Finds

We live in a mid-sized town that is rather mired in limited options. We are half-way between two other large metropolises, so there isn't that much here. Sure, we have the one Target, the one Best Buy, the two Wal-marts, but there isn't as much beyond that. No World Market, and few nice thrift stores. Its either "boutiques" -- which tend to be more expensive -- or its Goodwill, which can be rather expensive for the quality of goods one finds there. I've heard good things about the "as is" lot at Goodwill and I hope to try that out some time soon.

To my great surprise, yesterday I found the neatest little grocery store. Its called "Frugal's Groceries". I had stopped in to Hobby Lobby (you are learning all the places I shop...) and noticed it as I was leaving the store (empty handed, no less). The name caught me eye, and I had to check it out. So, slightly-fussy Peanut and I sauntered over and entered the store.

It felt like one of those little, local groceries back in La Habra (a suburb of Los Angeles). Its a wide assortment of goods, all at amazing discounts. I figured out that they grab various deals on seconds, imperfects and out-of-date goods to see at some deep discount. Some of the herbs were a year beyond their stamped "use by" date, but others weren't. I found a container of coconut oil* that was 60% of the grocery store price because the lid was cracked. They had various baby items, such as pack-n-plays (which we don't need) to diapers (which we don't need) to shelf-stable food goods (which I will buy happily) to cosmetics and medicines. The overhead speakers occasionally moved from music to advertising and it said that if the customer buys something that they then deem unsafe, bring the item and your receipt and they will refund your money.

Unfortunately (or fortunately) the stock changes regularly, as it depends on what kinds of deals have come along recently, which means one must stop in regularly. Which I plan to do. If you live in Waco, and you are a thrifty tightwad as I am, you have got to check this place out. Its right next door to Hobby Lobby. Here's a link to the google map street view. Frugal's is the white-lit, completely unreadable sign. Yeah, you can tell by the lack of focus that the Google team wasn't so concerned about this area. If you check it out, tell me what you think.

*coconut oil is used on Peanut's bum, as its cloth diaper safe and has, as I've read, some amazing anti-microbial properties. And Peanut's bum always looks so nice and soft after shmearing the oil over his slightly irritated bum, whatever it might be from.

June 9 -- Rain, rain, please come again some other day!

Back on June 9, we got 5 1/2 inches of rain. It filled the rain barrel, it flooded the front and back yards and it cooled that day and the next off by several degrees. Here's the video I took that day:

We've love a bit more of that kind of rain, maybe not 5 1/2 inches worth, but 2 or 3 inches would be nice. The weather has been teasing us with lots of clouds and even some soft showers that last 3 to 5 minutes and let down minuscule amounts of rain. Oh, well, I guess that's June/July in Waco.

Gardening Lessons Learned

Been thinking on these things for a while. I've finally gotten around the writing it all out!

1. don't use newspaper as seed pots. It molds, soaks up way too much water, and falls apart long before the seedlings are ready to be transplanted.

2. I need to learn a lot more about the bugs and other diseases my plants can get infected with. I need to learn which bugs are good and which are not, and get bold enough to squash those who aren't beneficial.

3. I need to be better disciplined about getting seeds started and I need a better idea of Waco weather so I can know when to plant, etc. Then again, it may just me needing patience about living here longer.

4. Canning is hot work. I'll find out if it worth it in the next day. [I just canned huckleberry jam.]

5. If I have ideas of canning, I need to plant determinate varieties of tomatoes. Want lots tomatoes all at once.... Next time around, I plan to plant both interminate and determinate varieties.

6. Hand digging is hard work, and might break your pitch fork. Borrow a roto-tiller when you can.

7. Ollas aren't as spoofy as they seem at first look. Or perhaps I didn't use them right? Anyhoo, they worked great while the weather was mild, but aren't working as great with the hot, hot weather. Soakers might be better.

8. Get those soakers running EVERY morning, can't let the ground dry out or it will take hours to soak the ground again.

I'm sure I'll think of more things that I've learned in 6 months of gardening. and hopefully, I'll learn more in the next 6 months of gardening.