Baking Budgeting Gardening and Chickens

Baking For Easter

Today I have a bunch of baking to do. I am in charge of dessert for my mom’s Easter meal. I am trying some homemade cookies, brownies and a toffee cheesecake recipe that I just love. I can’t bake the cheesecake today but I can prepare the rest. I work 12.5 hours Saturday so I will have to bake the cheesecake after my shift. Then my Sunday morning looks like this:

1. Get up while it is still dark and get ready
2. Pack up the desserts and take them to moms
3. Go to a church with an urban garden and some chickens for breakfast, service and a tour.
4. Come home and check on chickens change food and water if necessary
5. Make sure hubby is up and moving so we can rush to his grandparents for an hour or so
6. Go to my moms who will be expecting me at 2pm

It wouldn’t be so bad if it was not all crammed into a few hours but then again it is just one day and I can make it work. I have been meaning to go back to church and this is a start. I love going to church once I don’t have to drive in the snow but I have been putting it off until I am done with the long Saturday shifts.

Garden Update

Well right now my urban farm idea is up in smoke but I am looking at finding places to volunteer that have it together and know what to do when the weather is not cooperating. I have seeds planted in a tray indoors but I can only have so many plants in the house at a time. I have been thinking about getting a raised bed going here and working on raised bed plans at my mom’s house. I don’t know how they will feel about that but I can always ask on Sunday.

As I said above I am visiting a church that is making some strides in urban gardening here in the Toledo Ohio area. Monroe Street United Methodist church is also has many other great services that help the community. I look forward to learning more about this project and to the service and fellowship.

Budgeting Mania

Okay so I kind of fell of my queen of cheap wagon this month. I bought way too much chicken stuff! Now the chickens only cost fifteen dollars so they were cheap. The tub to put them in was about 13 dollars and their food was about the same. Then dishes, bedding and warming light and a little grit about 40 dollars. The main expense was a bunch of magazines and books about chickens and gardening. I really can’t believe how much I spent on that stuff by not paying attention to price. So now it is crack down time. I have lowered our Netflix plan for next month and I am selling a bunch of my older books on eBay. Next month the grocery bill will need to be much lower and no going out to eat unless we have a coupon or go to one of the places where we have a gift card.

I will have to come up with more creative ways to earn money. I just have to say a quick thanks to the people visiting this blog. I have had enough visits and clicks on my ads to earn a few dollars and this is a baby blog. I would really love it if this blog would help me earn a bit but I am really just glad people are enjoying it.

 

I am finished with my Saturday shifts after May 14^th so I will have to work to replace that income in some way. Now that can mean saving money by working for food somewhere or getting another part time job. I am not too worried about it we can make it without my income but it is nice for saving for that future farm. So I either have to find a way to save that money or make it.

I have some fun unpaid work lined up and I am really excited about it as it is good for building a resume that will get me closer to my goals and dreams. You know, the dream of living on a farm and running some sort of program for children or needy people or something that would change lives. It may not seem like it is related now but it will be as it seems to be where God is leading me.

My Back Yard Chickens

They are doing great! They are getting big fast and they can fly either across the tub or straight up to near the top of their brooder. It has me a little worried but I do have a plan to use some netting left over from last year’s garden over the top to keep them inside. I just have to cut it and figure out how to secure it to the container.

 I will be moving them to the basement today because the weather is a bit warmer and they seem to be hot and running away from the warming light even with it raised. I have to admit I can’t wait to put them down there because it is much more convenient for changing bedding and cleaning dishes. I won’t have to use buckets to haul things up and down the stairs and I won’t have to clean out dishes in my bath tub. 

Happy Easter Everyone!