Simple Little Reminders of Grandma Bern

Grandma Bernadine Conklin, Laura, Matthew, and Dad
Four Generations
Happy Birthday in Heaven Grandma!

~ April 1st, her birthday
~ Thanksgiving
~ Miracle on 34th Street
~ big vegetable gardens
~ shelves of home canned foods
~ large pearl tapioca pudding
~ eggs fried in bacon grease
~ the smell of coffee and bacon in the morning
~ Christmas cookies
~ The Catholic Church
~ Pepsi in glass bottles
~ date pinwheel cookies
~ stacks of magazines
~ old metal swing sets
~ old Christmas carols
~ Bing Crosby Christmas songs
~ chickens
~ handprints in concrete sidewalks
~ cool, dark cellars
~ open stairs
~ cellar stairs under the kitchen floor
~ wringer washers
~ bowling score pads
~ waxed cardboard milk boxes
~ milk bottles and home milk delivery
~ braided plastic bread bag rugs
~ wooden screen doors
~ open cellar stairs
~ old-fashioned claw foot tubs
~ apple butter
~ cut-out sugar cookies in an ice cream bucket
~ hand cranked homemade ice cream
~ old black dial telephones
~ pump organs
~ crocheted doilies
~ big chest freezers
~ vintage brown stoneware dishes, I think they were Hull.
~ big Texas Ware bowls
~ black and white photos
~ cotton house dresses
~ long drives at night
~ raisin bread pudding
~ green ceramic Christmas trees with lights

Missing Grandma,
Laura

A Thrifty Week at Harvest Lane Cottage #186 ~ March 29, 2025

 

We lived in this little house that God provided for us during some extra lean times for nearly ten years. I have fond memories of using it up, wearing it out, making it do, or doing without. It's a lifestyle that works well today, too.

Hello y'all!

Oh my! What a busy week I've had. 

• Monday I worked at the junior high. 

• Tuesday, I did a lot of laundry, and I prepared for company. A couple of years ago, I invited a few friends over for a Christmas in July making party. It has developed into a monthly evening of creating gifts and working on projects for the Christmas season. I have three ladies who are old friends. We all homeschooled and raised our kids together. It's a marvelous time and so relaxed. I just love it. 

• Wednesday, I sewed a lot.

• Thursday I subbed at the high school. My daughter from Arkansas came for dinner and spent the night. 

• Friday I subbed in the same class at the high school. Friday night, I was just plain tired. We ate leftovers for supper since we were too tired to cook. My married daughter then called on FB Messenger, and we were able to visit and see our grandtoddler. It really is a miraculous age that we live in. I remember that it used to cost twenty-five cents a minute to talk with my mom long-distance. I didn't get to call her very often. The budget was too tight. Now we can communicate around the world with a few clicks. Amazing is not a big enough word for it.

Thank you for visiting today—or tonight!

Do say hello! I enjoy reading your thrifty things, your thoughts, and your ideas. 

Laura 

Here's my thrifty week:

• I mended my denim skirt again. I bought a denim dress over twenty years ago. The top part wore out. I made the dress over into a skirt. I've mended the seams on that skirt many times over the years. 

• I mended my jeans. The style has had many names over the year—clam diggers, cropped jeans, pedal pushers, capris. They're a bit cooler in the summer. The metal button had gotten loose. I tightened the fabric around it with some well place stitches.

• I sewed a key fob and a small zipper bag to try out some new swivel clasp hooks that I received for review. I used thread, fabric, and linings that I had on hand to make them. One will be a gift for sure. 

• We had a potluck for our Christmas Club craft group on Tuesday evening. We all contributed to nachos and cinnamon rolls.

• I listened to music on my free YouTube app.

• I reviewed a couple of pairs of earrings. 

• I borrowed a couple of books from the library.

• I used Duolingo to practice Spanish. The Spanish speaking population in our little town has grown dramatically over the last few years.

• My husband and I gave our son a recliner that we didn't use much anymore. It's the perfect addition to his tiny house.

• I passed on some acrylic yarn to my daughter. It was just what she needed for her granny square blanket, and it made a bit more space in my knitting cabinet.

• We bought a Dominoes pizza and got free breadsticks. We spent a bit over $8 and had two meals from it.

• Leftovers for supper Friday night instead of going out. 

• We skipped grocery shopping this week and just bought a few fill in items.

Well, that's about all I can think of right now. It was a long week. I'm off now until Tuesday. I'm looking forward to time at home. After a bit of rest, I'll get busy doing more thrifty and frugal things. 

God bless you all!

Laura

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• Tipsy Tuesday ~ Save Your Paper Shreds!
• Top Ten Shower Gifts That No One Else Will Bring
• Burden Bearing... Don't Be a Donkey!

Once Upon a Time...

• Wondering at the Marvels of New Life ~ Spring Chicks
• Blessed Among Women in my Own Generation

A Thrifty Week at Harvest Lane Cottage #185 ~ March 22, 2025

 

We lived in this little house that God provided for us during some extra lean times for nearly ten years. I have fond memories of using it up, wearing it out, making it do, or doing without. It's a lifestyle that works well today, too.

Thank you for visiting today—or tonight!

Do say hello!

~~~~~

♥♥♥

~~~~~

Dear Reader,

    Hello y'all!  I'm finally back to feeling pretty good. It's been almost two weeks since I caught cold, and boy did it catch me back. ~smile~ This isn't a fancy picture post, but I did jot down some notes this week. 

    My husband is in training this weekend by Zoom call. I'm hoping to get some laundry done, a bit more organizing done in my workroom, and I hope to sew a zipper bag. I hope to reopen my Etsy shop sometime this summer or early fall. I need to take some time and build up my inventory.

~~~~~

♥♥♥

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A Verse for You

"Seek the old paths and walk ye in them, for there you shall find rest for your souls."

Jeremiah 6:16

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♥♥♥

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Here's my thrifty week!

• I used bacon grease instead of butter in my biscuits when I ran out of oil. 

• I'd never heard of biscuits and sausage gravy until I moved to Southern Missouri. Girl, let me tell you! Yum!

• My son moved and needed a dresser. We gave him one that's been in our garage for too many years. That's a big space cleared in our garage and a savings for him.

• A sweet reunion with my friend, Beth, at McDonalds instead of a coffee shop saved money.

• Facebook Messenger Facetime allowed me to visit with my daughter and grandson in the next town.

• I bought some 9" ChiaoGoo circular knitting needles on Amazon. I paid full price— about $13. I'm going to use the free Cream Cabin Socks pattern from This Yellow Farm House to make some house/boot socks for a gift. I already have the yarn on hand. Are tools an expense or an investment? I guess it depends on whether you use them!

• We were planning to take a day vacation on Wednesday. My husband fell ill Tuesday night. I'm glad we were home when it happened. The flu is terrible. We saved by staying home.

• I made my Lowell some chicken soup with broth from the freezer, onions, carrots, and a chicken breast. 

• Supper of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for me while he was ill.

• I've been knitting socks with yarn that my friend, Laura, gave me.

• I hit an amazing sale at Woman Within. I ordered a white cotton cardigan sweater, two skirts, and three dresses for $130! I hope that I'm happy with the quality. One never knows when ordering online. That will most likely be all I need to buy for spring and summer. If, however, I really like the cardigan, I may order one in an additional color.

• Two more meetings at McDonalds with $.54 senior drinks. Being over 55 does have a few perks. 

• I bought a toy tool for me. It's a Magnetic Pendulum Wooden Yarn Holder that spins. It was just $17.99. I love it! I'll share more about it on my next On My Needles post. It was thrifty, because the name brand spinner is much more expensive. This one is like the one I gave my daughter for Christmas.

Have a wonderful week and think homemade!

Laura

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