Eco Things and Frugal Stuff

I've had some fun going to a yard sale lately and some thrift stores.  

At a yard sale I got:  a cute black overnight bag with a cherry print, purse, strainer (which I have been needing since the mesh in mine tore away from the rim), saucepan with lid (for my sister) and 2 water guns.  You can guess who those are for.  Altogether I believe I paid $6 or $7 for the whole lot.  The stack of towels you see in the back were from my mom, who bought twice as many of them in a box at an auction for a cheap price.  She gave me these to take to the Humane Society.  They all look either brand new or gently used.  

At a thrift store I found all of the items in the picture below for $4!  One book was a duplicate so I donated it to the Friends of the Library bookstore to sell.  

I had a bag of Megablocks to donate to the Lego League at the library as well.  

A while back I took another trunk full of things to the Goodwill donation truck.  I wondered if they would take the folding chair, and they certainly did!  I've been trying to sell that thing for $1 at a yard sale forever, and nobody was interested even though it's in good shape.  

I had a few Christmas items to get rid of as well.  

And this old book that came from my grandmother's house.  I remember looking at it as a child.

Apparently I really did put my stamp on it!  At least it was only on the flyleaf.  The rest of the pages are in good shape, although terribly out of date.  

I found this lid, a Cuppow, pushed back into a drawer and forgotten.  It came in one of those monthly sample boxes---Vegan Cuts or Conscious Box, I forget which one.  I'm enjoying the heck out of it though!  It's great for my glass of water that sets on my nightstand.  No worries about water gushing out if I knock it over.  

I've been trying to catch up on some mending.  I'm not great at sewing but I just want to mend the holes so that the items are usable.  I also don't have a sewing machine, so it's all done by hand.  So far I've mended a pillowcase (from back in the days when Milo liked to carry the pillows all over the house) and 2 sheets.  

Our car just went over to 100,000 miles!  We have a 2008 Prius and we love it.  I hope it lasts for another 100,000 miles.  

We go through a lot of brown rice in this house, so I finally broke down and bought a big 25 pound bag of it from Amazon.  I parceled it out and bring out a bag from the freezer each time we need one. It doesn't freeze together so can go directly into the rice cooker.  Yes I'm still using plastic bags to store it but unlike the ones at the store, these can be reused over and over.  And I love that this big bag is completely made of paper.  There's no plastic lining, and no plastic in the tear strip--just some cotton string.  

And of course, I am line drying some of our clothes.  The last few days have been rainy but we should have some more sunshine coming up.  

I love this section at my grocery store.  Sometimes I can find organic fruits and vegetables here, and when I do of course I snap them up.  But if it's something I can't find organic normally, I might as well buy the slightly older conventional items if I'm going to be using them right away or if I can freeze them for later.  It helps save on food waste and it helps save money, so win/win!  

Got anything eco or frugal going on at your home?  Please share!  

Spring!

I have to say, while I am fond of cooler temperatures, it seemed like a very long, cold winter this time around.  I was ready for spring, and most of what it brings.  

Milo enjoys sitting out on the deck with me, rocking on the patio chair.

The red bud in the lower yard is beautiful.

The apple tree is trying to get going.

The weeping willow is coming along nicely.

J picked some phlox for me, and I had just the right tiny little bottle in which to display it.

There have been several visits to the park.

And a poster made (mainly by J with a little help by me) for a festival here in our hometown.

But there's some bad associated with springtime in the South as well, namely tornado season.  Here we are hunkered down in the tiny guest bathroom----2 dogs, one cat, and 3 humans.  

J and Mr. GV found a way to pass the time.

Me?  I sat there and obsessively checked the radar, the warnings, and in general just worried.  That's what I do during ugly weather.  It makes me feel like I have some control which of course I do not.  :)  

What is springtime in your neck of the woods like? 

Easter activities

The day before Easter, J, Mr. GV and I went to a "Breakfast with the Bunny" fundraiser for our favorite local humane society.  Along with breakfast, J got to hold a bunny for the first time.  He was thrilled!!  Mouse the bunny was sweet and so soft.  It was another great way for the kids to learn about treating an animal in the proper way.  

J was a happy boy when the pancakes were replenished.  (He had a Sonic cup full of water, his drink of choice.)  

The next day, on Easter, we had an egg hunt in our front yard for J.....

....and his NaNa.  J likes a little competition and since he's the only child in the family, and my mom enjoys competing, she was nominated.  I love the look on her face in this picture.  She was mock-sad because J had just found an egg hidden in the magnolia tree.  Ha!

Mr. GV did yard work while the rest of us played.  We are getting rid of the plastic fencing around our raised beds.  It was impossible keeping them taut and the deer just put their necks over it or jump inside the bed anyway.  

J got an Easter basket with some nice things, but his favorite was definitely this Plants vs Zombies graphic novel. 

As a matter of fact, it was tough to get him to do anything else.  He finished it within a short while, but I'm sure he will be reading it over and over.  (By the way, that's a bag of recycling in the background, not trash mounding up, I promise.)

I hope everyone had a good Easter weekend (if you celebrate), or just a great weekend!  Mr. GV and I don't celebrate it in the religious sense, but we do enjoy participating in fun activities with J that go along with the holiday.