fun with the grandkids

I first saw some of these adorable horses at Annabel's beautiful and generous blog.

I went searching for the pattern and found it here.

I substituted the poster board with scrap booking paper given to me by a friend who was quitting that (rather expensive) hobby.

The scrapbook paper was not heavy enough to handle the buttons and wire that were recommended, but brass fasteners fit the bill perfectly.

I spent a very pleasant hour or more with my big grands, ages 8,9 and 11.  We created a mini herd of horses.

Including one unicorn.  Because, unicorns.

inventory

 With the weather outside being frightful and the fireplace so delightful, it seemed a good time to take inventory.





My little black book has daily to do lists, menus, birthdates, calendar, meeting notes, notes from significant books, sermons, conversations, lists of books read, books to read, challenges, lists of lists....You get the idea.  It basically holds my brains.  It is a rudimentary bullet journal.

It also contains a list of things I should never (or not for a long time) need to buy again.   I do not need to shop for:

• plates
• cups/mugs
• glasses (drinking not wearing)
• silverware
• pots 
• pans
• paper
• pens
• pencils
• scissors
• thread
• embroidery floss 
• paint
• file folders
• notebooks
• piano books
• candles
• luggage
• garden tools
• purses
• nuts
• bolts
• washers
• paint brushes
• mason jars
• furniture
• buttons
• sewing books

And tea.  I counted well over 300 bags of tea, not to mention several packets of loose leaf tea.  The resident fisherman does not drink hot tea as a rule. I drink tea almost every day, and half the time I  'have tea with an old bag' as I've heard it  said (use a tea bag more than once - this saying is in no way a reflection on my girlfriends).

So, I think it is time to throw a tea party or ten.  Other wise I will be drinking tea on my own for the next few years.

I'm also taking another inventory.  This list will never be finished.  It is an inventory of blessings.  Here are four for today:

• The resident fisherman is healing well from his recent vocal cord surgery, although he is still not supposed to speak
• I've finished three books, totaling over 800 pages (see first blessing)
• The sun is shining promising to warm up from the -16* we had to start the day.
• Lots of good friends to enjoy a cuppa tea with. 

What are some of the things in your blessings inventory?

inspired by Grandma part 5

two reasons we can't grow much of a garden - deer and trees
how many deer can you see?

Other resource saving tips:

WATER:

When I am running water to let it heat up for washing, I capture the runoff water for drinking, cooking, watering plants, etc.

GREASE:

I save the grease from cooking bacon.  I use this grease for cooking potatoes or other dishes that would compliment the flavor.

OTHER ITEMS OF TRASH:

Butter wrappers.  I save these in a plastic bag in the freezer.  I use these for greasing baking pans.

Cereal box liners.  Although we rarely buy commercial cereal, when I do I save the inner liner.  I use this for rolling out pie crusts, making tortillas on my tortilla press,  tenderizing   or smashing dry bread into crumbs.  My dad always took this one step further.  He would cut the cereal box apart, trace his feet on the box, cut out the foot prints and slip it inside his boots.  I think this was a holdover from his childhood - trying to make footwear last as long as possible.  He also polished his boots every time he wore them.  

Foil and plastic bags.  If I have not used the foil or plastic to store meat, I wipe down (foil) or wash (plastic bags) and reuse.

Glass jars.  Of course, I save and reuse all my canning jars.  But I also save straight sided jars from the grocery store.  These are great for freezing .  My freezer currently has more canning jars in it than plastic zip type bags.  I am a little suspicious of storing food in plastic. I have glass jars with chopped onions, chopped peppers, blueberries, corn, turkey broth, chicken broth, ham broth, peels, sloppy joes, spaghetti sauce, chili, peas….in the freezer.  As long as you use straight sided jars and  leave about an inch of head space you shouldn’t have a problem with breakage.  Also I don’t put hot liquids straight into the freezer but slowly cool them down first.

Some of the above lessons were directly learned but Grandma but many more were inspired by her way of life.  I am so glad Dad told me not to leave so much 'potato on the peel'. I don't use all of the ideas I have shared every time, but I use them as often as I can.  Not to be miserly, but to watch for ways to be a better steward of the things with which God has blessed me.  I store food for family,  and try to live frugally and responsibly so I have plenty to share.

And speaking of sharing - I’d be interested to hear some of your ideas!

.

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4

inspired by Grandma part 4

backyard diner - or do you say dinner?

BREAD:

I save stale bread and make it into either crumbs or cubes.  Crumbs can be used in meatloaf or meatballs or as breading.  Cubes can be used as croutons or stuffing.

The last dregs of the bags of crackers and chips can be used in similar ways.  I use stale tortilla chips in taco meat for an unstructured taco.

French toast and bread pudding are great ways to use stale bread.  Recipes abound in your favorite cookbook or on the internet.

DAIRY/NON-DAIRY

If you make your own almond or oat milk, you can use the leftover pulp in baking cookies or breads.

Little bits of extra grated cheese or the ends of a block can be saved in the freezer and used in grilled cheese sandwiches, casseroles, tacos, quesadillas etc.

That last little bit of a gallon of milk in the carton can be put in a container and frozen.  This is a handy tip if you are headed out of town and have too much milk left to guzzle down but also too much to throw out.  And of course, you would not throw it out, would you?

MEAT/POULTRY

If you have some kind of bone-in meat – always make broth/stock.  Bone broth is healthy and also expensive.  The stock you buy at the grocery store tastes like glorified salt water.  Home-made bone broth/stock is so full of flavor.  After I cook meat –I put the bones and fat into the crock pot with a quart or more of water, depending on how many bones I have.  I cook it for 12-24 hours.  I refrigerate it  and often skim off the fat to use for another dish.  For example, if I am making fried rice, I add the chicken fat to the skillet for the frying (you may sometimes need to add oil too). 

Last night we had scalloped potatoes and ham for supper.  I parboiled the potatoes in a bit of water and ham bone broth.  The ham for the dish was what had fallen off the bone when I cooked it over night.  So full of flavor!  I just had the remains of that for lunch. 

Related: I don’t throw leftovers away.  Unless, of course, they get lost in the back of the fridge.  Before I eat lunch, I always scavenge in the refrigerator and eat the oldest leftover available.  When we (rarely) eat out, I always ask for a take home container if I can’t finish my meal.  It becomes tomorrow’s lunch!

I don’t drink coffee, but hubby does.  Instead of using all fresh grounds, the second day he will often add one spoonful of fresh over yesterday’s leftovers.

Once I have gotten all I can out of the peels, leftovers, grounds, etc., it goes into the worm bin or out to the compost pit.

Another note, I often help in the kitchen at church.  Too many times I have seen people pitch perfectly good food in the garbage.  If I am in the kitchen, I offer leftovers to the other helpers first.  If there are no takers, I bring it home.

Believe it or not, there are more ideas to come!  Food waste is a big problem - there are so many things we can do to eliminate food waste if we manage our kitchens well.

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5

inspired by Grandma part 3

  In the spirit of trying not to leave too much ‘potato on the peel’, here are some ways I try to make the most of the food that comes into my kitchen.  I call it trash cooking.  (It is more ‘a-peeling’ than it sounds.)

 There are 4 main cookbooks that I use when preparing food.  They are:

The More with Less Cookbook  .  This is my favorite.  At the end of each chapter the author gives ideas for ‘Gathering up the Fragments’ – using leftovers from the recipes in that particular chapter to make another dish.

I am on my second cookbook, having worn out the first.

Ball Blue Book.  The gold standard of canning books.  In it you will find recipes for trash cooking such things as watermelon rind pickles and preserves.

Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook.  My particular book was a wedding shower gift in 1973.  It is well worn and stained.  This book taught me how to cook from scratch.

The Joy of Cooking.  This has a recipe for just about everything.

The following are various categories of food and some ways I get the most out of what remains.

FRUIT:

Peach peel jelly.  Don’t throw away those peels!  Some caution against using the pits.  If you are unsure – just use the washed peels. This makes a delicious jelly out of what most throw in the garbage.

Apple cider vinegar.  I regularly make this.  While I wouldn’t use it for canning because I am not sure of the acidity level, I use it for my every morning apple cider vinegar and honey tea, in marinades, and in salad dressings. And cleaning!

Citrus peels.  These can be zested (I freeze the zest in small containers), dried for potpourri or candied.  I also put orange peels in some of my homemade ACV (apple cider vinegar) to use for cleaning.

I recently juiced several lemons that were on sale and froze the juice for making lemonade this summer.  Before I threw the lemon halves away in the compost, I sprinkled a bit of salt on my copper bottomed pots and pans and used the lemon halves to scrub the somewhat tarnished bottoms.  Brightened them right up!

Syrup from canned fruits (peaches, pears, pineapple, etc.) can be used in baking in place of some liquids.  I also use it to flavor my tea. A little bit of peach flavor in ginger tea?  Mmmm.

VEGETABLES:

Peels and stalks.  I scrub my vegetables before peeling and put the carrot peels, potato peels, onion skins, celery leaves etc. in a plastic bag or a glass jar in the freezer.  When it is full, I pull it out to make vegetable stock or add it to some kind of bone broth. Adds extra flavor and vitamins.  For free!

Tomato peels.  When I am canning tomatoes, I have saved the peels, dehydrated them and ground them up.  I add a spoonful or two of this to soups and stews and sauces for a flavor boost.

Broccoli.  I peel the stalks of broccoli, slice this up and add it to salads or eat it on its own.  

Pickles.  I save the juice, which is primarily vinegar, from sweet or dill pickles to make my own salad dressing.  I adjust spices and seasonings accordingly.  I have not bought commercial salad dressing in years!  For example, if using a sweet pickle juice, I don’t add sugar to the salad dressing.  If the pickles have garlic I don’t add garlic.

Celery and romaine lettuce.  I cut off the bottom few inches from celery or romaine and put it in a shallow bowl of water.  In a few weeks you will have some growth from the top of the stalk.  A few inches worth – not a lot but it is free.

Potato water.  I save water from cooking potatoes to put in place of the liquid in bread (if the recipe calls for milk, add powdered milk to the potato water).  Potato water can also be used in your stock base.  It is not advised to keep it for more than 24 hours in the fridge, but can be kept in the freezer for quite a while.

Carrot/radish/other greens.  I have used carrot and radish greens with great success in pesto in place of basil.  To avoid a bitter taste in the greens, blanch them for 3 minutes.  Three minutes plunged into boiling water followed by 3 minutes in ice water.

The last spoonful or so of veggies from last night’s meal can be frozen.  This can be a handy addition to: fried rice, stew, soup, frittata, meatloaf, meatballs and chili.

More tips inspired by Grandma in the next post!

Part 1
Part 2
Part 4
Part 5

inspired by Grandma part 2

After Dad’s words to me about ‘too much potato on the peel’, I made it my mission to not only ask Dad about how Grandma did things, but also investigate on my own how to make the most of what I am blessed with.  Grandma has been gone a long time now and I lost Dad 4 months ago, but here are the ways I try to follow in their footsteps.

1.      Avoid temptation.

My grandparents lived in a very rural area.  Even when I was a kid, there was only a small grocery store in town.  When Dad was a kid, a peddler would come to the house 'once every once in a while'.  Most of the time when John the peddler would pull into the driveway, Grandma would come out on the porch and say, “Go on, John!”  She was a very hospitable person, but when John showed up with all his shiny new trinkets, Grandma did not even want to be tempted.

I have always hated to shop, but in this day and age it is very easy to be separated from your money.  One click shopping is so convenient.  I do not store my credit card information on any of my devices.  If I do buy something online (rare), I have to go to some effort to retrieve my purse, fish out my wallet, remove my credit card, type in all the numbers and put everything away again.  Most of the time, I can talk myself out of a purchase because I don’t want to go to that much effort (this is how I make laziness work to my advantage).

2.      Make it do.

Grandma had a wringer washer and an umbrella type clothesline.  I remember being startled by a very loud POP one August when we were visiting.  Mom had fed a pair of plastic pants (remember those?) of my baby brother’s through the wringer.  The plastic pants did not survive.  Sometime after that, Dad and my uncle pitched in to buy Grandma a new-fangled washer and dryer.  I believe she did use the washer some when she was in her ‘80’s but she never did use the dryer., according to Dad.  It sat on the cement block in the cellar where they once had the gasoline generator (that powered their house before they got electricity).  Why use up precious electricity drying clothes when you have a perfectly good clothes line in the yard – and a line in the basement?

I usually dry my clothes on a rack in the basement although I am not opposed to using my dryer.   Sparingly.

3.     No idle hands.

We would always visit in August.  ‘Mrs.  W.(Grandma) didn’t raise no dummies,’ my dad would say.  It was the smartest, most delicious time to go.  August was when the garden produce was at its peak.  Sweet corn, tomatoes, new potatoes, beans, cucumbers, to name a few.  Rhubarb pie (made by my mom). I don’t remember much about the meat but the vegetables – all you can eat and then some.

Although Grandma was very frugal, she was extremely generous.  I don’t remember ever being refused food.

We could sit on the porch and husk corn or string beans or otherwise help prepare food if we wanted.  Most of the time I was out in the field playing with my cousin.  But Grandma was always busy.

She and my Aunt D.  would sew for the family and keep up with the mending.  With 5 children in the family, there was always mending.  Aunt D. would turn collars  on the boy’s shirts.  I have done this with my husband’s shirts.  It is surprisingly easy to do, improves the appearance of a shirt and lengthens its life.    My dad commented once on his cousin, G.  ‘She was so tight, she would save her basting thread.’  He said this admiringly – it was not a criticism.  I remember thinking – Genius!

4.       Grow and make your own.

Even well into her 70’s and 80’s Grandma had a large garden.  Neat rows of vegetables, carefully weeded provided months of deliciousness for those she loved.

We try to grow some of our own food, but living in the woods has its disadvantages garden-wise.  We visit you-pick farms in the area and pick up quantities of food for canning and freezing from our local farmer's market.

5.      Manage your kitchen well.

We visited our grandparents for a week every summer.  The 6 of us would descend upon them during the first week of August.  I only recall Grandma going to the grocery store one time while we were visiting.  Otherwise, she would magically pull food out the fridge, the freezer, the garden, the cellar  and the cupboards and feed us until we were stuffed full. Many other aunts, uncles and cousins would gather when we showed up. They did not go hungry either.

 Because my dad was a stinker – we usually arrived a day before Grandma was expecting us.  Dad did this because she would worry about us on the road. So, he wanted to give her one less day of worry.  This back fired one year when we could not rouse them.  We had arrived well after dark and spent a rather uncomfortable night ‘sleeping’ in our car. 6 of us.

Even with arriving a whole day early, there was plenty of food to be had. Grandma was prepared for us ahead of time.  I try to do this too.  Before the kids and grands arrive (there are 15 of us now when we are all here) I shop and cook and bake.  I like to have as much done a ahead of time as I can so I can sit back and enjoy just being with family.

Part 1
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Part 5

inspired by Grandma part 1

Several potatoes in to peeling a mountain of potatoes for our family Thanksgiving, Dad looked over my shoulder.  ‘Your grandmother would never leave so much potato on the peel.’

Ouch.  Dad knew how much I set my homemaking standards according to ‘What would Grandma do?’  I always tried to ‘Use it up, wear it out, make do or do without’ as  Grandma did.  Dad was telling me that Grandma’s standards were much higher than mine, standards that included calculating the thickness of a potato peel as a measure of waste - or waste not.

Grandma was born in 1900.  William McKinley was president, Theodore Roosevelt his vice president.  The population of the US was 76,212,168.  New York City was the country’s largest city at 3.4 million – over twice the size of Chicago, the next largest city.  Of the 58 million people who were over the age of ten, almost 10.5 million were employed in ‘agricultural pursuits’.   https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1900/occupations/occupations-part-7.pdf

 The average American worker earned approximately $12.98 per week for 59 hours of work in 1900—$674.96 a year.

The Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum and The Interpretation of Dreams by Sigmund Freud were written the year Grandma was born.

I loved hearing stories from Dad of what his life was like growing up.  He was born at the beginning of the Depression.  He lived in a rural area; there was no electricity or running water in their home until he was about 10 years old when the Rural Electricification Administration started bringing electricity to the countryside.

Grandpa only went as far as fourth grade in school.  When he was 10 he went to work.  He had an ox and a cart and would haul gravel to various building sites – particularly bridges.  Can you imagine a 10 year old doing that today?  Grandpa never owned a horse but he could make his neighbor’s horses do about anything he wanted.  He had a way with animals.

Prior to electrification, home power was generated by an engine bolted to a cement block in the cellar.  The engine was started with gas (crank engine), but it ran on kerosene which cost $.05 a gallon in the ‘30’s.  The engine powered sixteen 32 volt batteries.  They did not use the generator every day. The battery array powered:  An iron, a food mixer, a toaster, a wringer washer, a curling iron, a radio, lights and the bench grinder out in the shop.  I asked Dad how many lights they had. Compared to what we have today – their lights were minimal.  For example – a single light bulb over the kitchen table.  My kitchen table light fixture has six bulbs. 

A hand pump was used to bring water to the kitchen sink.  The well, hand dug by Grandpa, was in the cellar.  Water was carried to the second floor.  Every bedroom had a chamber pot under the bed.  Once they had indoor plumbing, there was one bathroom for 7 people.

For heat they had a woodstove in the living room, a wood cookstove in the kitchen and hot water radiators in the upstairs bedrooms kept them all warm.

Each winter blocks of ice were cut from one of the nearby lakes and hauled it to the ice house.  Blocks were stacked with layers of sawdust in between for insulation. They used an icebox in the house for years before they bought a refrigerator.

Grandpa and Grandma lived almost 100 miles outside of New York City.  Even though it was the depression, tourists still came out to the Catskills to stay at boarding houses or cabins or resorts.  Grandpa was a well-driller by trade, but he always had a few acres planted in corn.  Dad and his siblings would pick the sweet corn in August and sell it to the city people.  Each burlap bag held 100 ears of corn, which they sold for $1.00!  Can you imagine?   This past summer in our neck of the woods the going rate was $5 per dozen.  Dad just shook his head at that.

My grandparents had a huge garden and the cellar shelves were full of colorful rows of canning jars.  Grandma was afraid to pressure can, so she dehydrated (solar), smoked fermented or pickled  much of their meat and veggies.  Much of their meat came from the animals they raised, the deer that raided their corn fields, and fish from area ponds, lakes and streams.  Grandma did some oven canning – mostly to preserve flour.  Eggs were stored in waterglass.  These eggs were only used for baking.

Up next: lessons from Grandma.

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

say it with coleus

I bought this handsome fella as a nod to my sweet  paternal grandmother who always had a cement toad (frog?) on her porch steps.  My sister has it now.  Fond memories.

Early in our marriage I discovered the joys of coleus.  A versatile plant.  Easily propagated.  At home outside during our summers, comfortable inside during the winter.

I haven't had any coleus for years now and this past spring went a little crazy, buying four plants.

There are so many different varieties and the colorful leaves have grown more striking as the years have gone on.

They are super easy to propagate.  Simply snip off (above two opposing leaves) a stem or five, put in a glass jar of water and wait.  They grow roots and then you plant them in a pot.

So my new venture is to become the crazy plant lady.  I have now potted up many cuttings and am on the hunt for more pots.

Apparently my brother in law has bought up all the pots at the antique/thrift stores in town, so I'll have to get up earlier in the morning to beat him.  :)

 Why so many coleus, you ask?

I'm glad you asked.    Flowers are expensive.  I have decided to add color to our garden and home by these  beauties.  AND...a pot of coleus taken to a sick or grieving friend will help brighten a little corner of their room.  Also suitable for birthdays or just because.

Always ready, frugally purchased, easily transportable and longer lasting than flowers, I think these make a perfect gift.

I've also had success rooting sweet potato vines and impatiens.

 How about you?

what is that in your hand

There are snippets of Bible phrases that run through my head and inform my days - how I live my life.

One such phrase has been running through my head lately - "What do you have in your hand?"

I knew how I was applying it to my life, but wanted to refresh my memory as to how it was used in Scripture

In Exodus, Moses is afraid that the Egyptians (specifically Pharaoh) won't listen to him.  God asks him what is in his hand (a staff) and tells him how to use it to get their attention.
( Check out Exodus 4)


God is not asking me to release a nation from slavery, but I do hear that still, small voice asking me what I have in my hand.

Today, it was herbs in my garden.  I occasionally use them in cooking but I have not done a good job of preserving them. It is not hard.

Cut them.

Rinse them.

Tie them in bunches and hang them in a cool dry place.

When they are fully dry, remove them from the stems and chop them up.

Then you will have something that might look like this:

.I now have a few jars of dried herbs in my pantry.  From garden to pantry.  Summer flavors will be enjoyed this winter.

frugaling part 5

BE GOOD (or behave)

verses from the book of Proverbs on handling money

Honor the LORD with your wealth, with the first fruits of all your crops;

Then your barns will be filled to overflowing and your vats will brim over with new wine.  3:9

My son, if you have put up security for your neighbor, if you have struck hands in pledge for another, if you have been trapped by what you have said, ensnared by the words of your mouth, then do this my son, to free yourself since you have fallen into your neighbor's hands.  Go and humble yourself; press your plea with your neighbor.  Allow no sleep to your eyes, no slumber to your eyelids.  Free yourself, like a gazelle, from the hand of the Hunter,Mike a bird from the snare of a fowler.  6:1-5

The wicked man earns deceptive wages but he who sows righteousness reaps a sure reward.  11:18

One man gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty.  11:24

A generous man will prosper;he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed.  11:25

People curse the man who hoards grain, but blessing crowns him who is willing to sell.  11:26

Dishonest money dwindles away, but he who gathers money little by little makes it grow.  13:11

He who ignores discipline comes to poverty and shame but whoever heeds correction is honored.  13:18

Misfortune pursues the sinner but prosperity is the reward of the righteous.  13:21

A good man leaves an inheritance for his children's children, but a sinner’s wealth is stored up for the righteous.  13:22

The righteous eat to their heart’s content, but the stomach of the wicked goes hungry.  13:25

The poor are shunned even by their neighbor's, but the rich have many friends.  14:20

Better a little with righteousness than much gain with injustice.  16:8

Better a dry crust with peace and quiet than a house full of feasting with strife.  17:1

A man of perverse heart does not prosper;  he whose tongue is deceitful falls into trouble.  17:20

He who is kind to the poor lends to the LORD, and He will reward him for what he has done.  19:17

Food gained by fraud tastes sweet to a man; but he ends up with a mouth full of gravel.  20:17

A fortune made by a lying tongue is a fleeting vapor and a deadly snare.  21:6

If a man shuts he ears to the cry of the poor, he too, will cry out and not be answered.  21:13

A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold.  22:1

A generous man will himself be blessed for he shares his food with the poor.  22:9

He who oppresses the poor to increase his wealth and he who gives gifts to the rich – both come to poverty.  22:16

Do not exploit the poor because they are poor and do not crush the needy in court, for the LORD will take up their case and will plunder those who plunder them.  22:22

If your enemy is hungry give him food to eat;  if he is thirsty give him water to drink.  I doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head and the LORD will reward you.  25:21

Better a poor man whose walk is blameless than a rich man whose ways are perverse.  28:6

He who increases his wealth by exorbitant interest amasses it for another who will be kind to the poor.  28:8

A tyrannical ruler lacks judgment, but he who hates ill-gotten gain will enjoy a long life.  28:16

A faithful man will be richly blessed but one eager to get rich will not go unpunished.  28:20

A stingy man is eager to get rich and is unaware that poverty awaits him.  28:22

He who robs his father or mother and says, “It’s not wrong” – he is partner to him who destroys.  28:24

A greedy man stirs up dissension but he who trusts in the LORD will prosper.

He who gives to the poor lacks nothing, but he who closes his eye to them receives many curses.  28:27

The righteous care about justice for the poor, but the wicked have no such concern.  29:7

Two things I ask of you O LORD; do not refuse me before I die:

Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches but give me only my daily bread.  Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, “ Who is the LORD?”  Or I may become poor and steal and so dishonor the name of my GOD.  30:7-9

frugaling part 4

BE DILIGENT

verses from the book of Proverbs about money

Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise!  It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, yet it stores its provisions in summer and gather its food at harvest.  6:6-8

How long will you lie there you sluggard?  When will you get up from your sleep?  A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest – poverty will come on you like a bandit and scarcity like an armed man.  6:6-11

Lazy hands make a man poor but diligent hands bring wealth.  10:4

He who gathers crops in summer is a wise son, but he who sleeps during harvest is a disgraceful son.  10:5

He who works his land will have abundant food but he who chases lacks judgment.  12:11

Diligent hands will rule but laziness ends in slave labor.  12:24

The sluggard craves and gets nothing but the desires of the diligent are fully satisfied.  13:4

Where there are no oxen, the manger is empty, but from the strength of an ox comes an abundant harvest.  14:4

All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty.  14:23

The way of the sluggard is blocked with thorns, but the path of the upright is a highway.  15:19

The laborer’s appetite works for him; his hunger drives him on.  16:26

Laziness brings on deep sleep,and the shiftless man goes hungry.  19:15

The sluggard buries his hand in the dish; he will not even bring it back to his mouth.  19:24

A sluggard does not plow in season; so at harvest time he looks, but finds nothing.  20:4

Do not love sleep or you will grow poor; stay awake and you will have food to spare.  20:13

The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty.  21:5

He who loves pleasure will become poor; whoever loves wine and oil will never be rich.  21:17

The sluggard’s craving will be the death of him, his hands refuse to work.  All day long he craves for more, but the righteous give without sparing.  22:25-26

The sluggard says, “There’s a lion outside” or “I will be murdered in the streets”.  22:13

Do not join those who drink too much wine or gorge themselves on meat, for drunkards and gluttons become poor and drowsiness clothes them in rags.  24:33-34

The sluggard buries his hand in the dish, he is too lazy to bring it back to his mouth.  26:15

He who is full loathes honey, but to the hungry even what is bitter tastes sweet.  27:7

Be sure you know the condition of your flocks, give careful attention to your hearts:

For riches do not endure forever, and a crown is not secure for all generations.

When the hay is removed and new growth appears and the grass from the hills is gathered in,

The lambs will provide you with clothing, and the goats with the price of a field.  You will have plenty of goats’ milk to feed you and your family and to nourish your servant girls.  27:23-27

He who works his land will have abundant food, but the one who chases fantasies will have his fill of poverty.  28:19

frugaling part 3

BE WISE

verses from Proverbs about wisdom with money

My son, do not forget my teaching but keep my commands in your heart, for they will prolong your life many years and bring you prosperity.  3:1

Blessed is the man who finds wisdom, the man who gains understanding, for she is more profitable than silver and yields better returns than gold.  She is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire can compare with her. 3:13

The wealth of the rich is their fortified city, but poverty is the ruin of the poor.  10:15

Better to be a nobody and yet have a servant than to pretend to be somebody and have no food.  12:9

One man pretends to be rich, yet has nothing.  Another pretends to be poor, yet has great wealth.  13:7

A poor man’s field may produce abundant food, but injustice sweeps it away.  13:23

The wealth of the wise is their crown, but the folly of fools yields folly.  14:24

How much better to get wisdom than to get gold, to choose understanding rather than silver.  16:16

Of what use is money in the hand of a fool since he has no desire to get wisdom?  17:16

A man lacking judgment strikes hands in pledge and puts up security for his neighbor.  17:18

The wealth of the rich is their fortified city; they imagine it an unscalable wall.  18:11

Wealth brings many friends, but a poor man’s friend deserts him.  19:4

Houses and wealth are inherited from parents, but a prudent wife is from the Lord.  19:14

In the house of the wise are stores of choice food and oil but a foolish man devours all he has. 21:20

Rich and poor have this in common: The LORD

Rich and poor have this in common: The LORD  is the Maker of them all.  22:2

The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.  22:7

Do not be a man who strikes hands in pledge or puts up security for debts; if you lack the means to pay, your very bed will be snatched from under you.  22:26

Do not wear yourself out to get rich; have the wisdom to show restraint.  Cast but a glance at riches and they are gone, for they will sprout wings and fly off to the sky like an eagle.  23:4

If you find honey, eat just enough – too much of it, and you will vomit.  25:16

It is not good to eat too much honey, nor is it honorable to seek one’s honor.  25:27

A man who loves wisdom brings joy to his father, but a companion of prostitutes squanders his wealth.  29:3

The poor man and the oppressor have this in common: The LORD  gives sight to the eyes of both.  29:13