Weird Things You Can Freeze

I grew up with a grandma who have a very impressive pantry. Her canning collection was enormous, although sometimes digging into it felt like an archaeological investigation. Her freezer stash was equally impressive. Little containers labelled with dates and contents: would that I were so organized. But what was most impressive was the weird things she liked to freeze. Her freezer wasn’t just full of berries – it was also full of all sorts of oddball items that would make you raise your eyebrows. In the … Continue reading →

Designing Your Pantry

Yesterday we talked a little bit about why having a pantry is a good idea. But where can you put it? Pantries bring to mind big rooms full of food. Although a walk in pantry is a lovely idea, it’s not always practical. How can you make room for a pantry? 1. Declutter to create room for a pantry. Are there dish sets you’re not using, or big pots and pans that you last used a few years ago? Sell them on Craigslist, and use the money to buy some starter goodies for your new and spacious pantry! 2. Designate an … Continue reading →

Ten Staples for Your Pantry

With the snow still falling in parts of the country as a blizzard sweeps across the Midwest, having a well-stocked pantry is something to think about more seriously. After all, when the weather is frightful, the last thing you want to do is go out into the storm for groceries – or go hungry. Having a well-stocked pantry is important for other reasons as well. Four years ago, I got very sick. The weather was also awful, and I couldn’t get my sick self through the storms. I had to rely on what I had prepared in the cupboards, and it … Continue reading →

In Praise of the Junk Drawer

What a mess! You look into the drawers of your desk or craft area, and what do you find? It’s a mess, but it’s a creative mess. At this time of the year, when we’re inside more often than out, how can you use your junk to spawn creativity in your home? Look in your workshop, or in the place where you put bits and pieces like nails and string. Don’t have a place like this? Make one, even if it’s just one little drawer. Your grandparents probably found this to be the most useful drawer in the house. We … Continue reading →

Taming the Freezer Monster

I have a monstrous amount of food in my freezer, and I think it’s alive. It’s a little sticky, and it’s got some nasty hard edges. Yesterday when I went down there to dig up some strawberries and cherries from the depths, it leapt onto my hand. I am sure it was trying to suck me in. I have a freezer packed full of fruit, jam, and other goodies from the rest of the growing season. This is wonderful. However, I must admit that it’s really quite hard to delve into the depths of the freezer and come out intact. … Continue reading →

A Homemaker’s Christmas

What is a homemaker? A homemaker is not male or female, young or old. A homemaker is a person who builds a house into a home. Helping someone find the tools and skills to create a home is a wonderful gift. How can you share the homemaking love this Christmas? Give Inspiration I’m giving out a lot of homemaking inspiration this year in the form of jams, cookies, and canned fruit. I love to share what I’ve made, and sometimes it inspires others to do the same. Give Family Recipes I’ve done this a couple of times, and I’ve also … Continue reading →

Managing Family Paperwork

You know, I just had a realization. This realization involved the family paperwork. I do far too much of the stuff. Our paperwork takes at least 45 minutes every day, and that’s with one child. Granted, we have some complexities, but so do all families. I have a medical condition that involves paperwork. We’re members of a number of farm shares that need paperwork-related attention. We go to church. My daughter has extracurricular activities. She goes to school. I attend classes. We have a lot of pets. I run a couple of small businesses. Oh yes, and there are the … Continue reading →

Books To Inspire Homemaking

I’m loving the Little House books by Laura Ingalls Wilder these days. I have always loved them, and my copies show it. The Little House in the Big Woods book is quite close to falling apart. This time, I am reading them with my seven-year-old daughter. We tried this a couple of years ago, to very little interest. This time, she is enchanted, and it is lovely. No matter how tired we are before bed, we read an entire chapter. The simplicity and do-it-yourselfness of life back then is what is enchanting about these books, as are the close family … Continue reading →

Can You Do the Canning? Finding Old Jars

There’s a lot of can canning going on in my kitchen these days. This damp, sticky dance involves a lot of careful footwork and arm-lifting and a little bit of yelling upon occasion, as boiling hot water runs onto a part of me that doesn’t want to be exposed to boiling water. Yes, it’s canning time. This year I’ve done a whole lot of freezing. However, given that my freezers are mostly full now, I’m turning the focus to canning now. What I’ve discovered is that given my propensity to freeze jams and sauces in canning jars, I have very … Continue reading →

Creating a Kid-Friendly Lunch Shelf

So it’s back to school. This year, I’d really like my seven-year-old to start making her lunches. While she can come home for lunch sometimes, packed lunches are the way of things most days. I’m no fan of making lunches, and I’ve been known to be notoriously un-creative at times. In grade three, when I made my own lunch, I ate peanut butter sandwiches for an entire year. I still can’t eat a plain peanut butter sandwich without gagging. Enough said. Children have their own ideas about what makes a good lunch. If you’re aiming to have them make a nutritious … Continue reading →