One day of bounty from our garden

As promised from yesterday’s blog, I plan to give you more insight into my history with the illustrious (at least for me) zucchini.  For all who know me personally, I have a pretty healthy sense of humor.  Hence,  no one in my family was surprised when while perusing for zucchini recipes I let out a serious belly laugh that resulted in tears flowing down my cheeks.  What tickled my fancy so much you might ask.  While searching for a zucchini saute, I noticed a little link on the side of the page.

When I opened it up (which I encourage you to do so – right now), I guffawed even more.  http://allrecipes.com/howto/sneak-some-zucchini-onto-your-neighbors-porch-night/detail.aspx?msg=2#comments  I love “invented” holidays – like “Watch the Last Sunset of the Year” which is a Team Stevens family tradition; thus “Sneak Some Zucchini onto Your Neighbors’ Porch Night” was right up my alley.  It was part good-natured fun, part It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown with a little mischief thrown in the mix.

What really spoke to me about this holiday was the notion I was way ahead of my time as a college friend and I were trailblazers in this movement. While reading the article, I was transported back to a night in the fall of my senior year of college.  Both of our dads taught at the college we attended; so we made the frugal choice to live at home and save our money.  Late one night while studying for Physical Chemistry in my friend’s basement, we heard a small voice coming from the top of the stairs.  “Girls, could you please come up here for a moment?”  Considering the time was already approaching 11 pm, we did not delay in our ascent upstairs.  Upon our arrival in the family kitchen, we discovered bags cluttering the counter. Yes!  Bags of club sized zucchinis!  “Girls, when you are done with your studies I would like you to kindly walk around the neighborhood and deposit these bags on the neighbors doorsteps.”  My mind was racing – “Did I hear her correctly?” and “Is this even legal?” were the most prevalent thoughts floating around.  Growing up in the South, I hadn’t quite embraced the Midwestern flair for neighborly love and sharing, because I know some neighborhoods where that type of generosity would be more than frowned upon, particularly at that hour of the night.  However being sweet college chemistry majors, we obliged the matronly request as if Mother Earth had whispered to us a siren call of sharing her bounty from the family’s garden.  In the chilly North Dakota darkness of a fall night, we ran with bags overflowing up and down a certain 1st street in a small town bequeathing beautiful, bountiful squash.  Vividly, I remember the adrenaline rush of our commando mission in the crisp air and the reverberations of our giggles throughout the neighborhood.

I know not everyone will embrace this holiday as much as I think I just might.  It has the potential to become an annual summer festival around my house. (Just to clarify, however, I do not plan to employ all the suggestions for revelry including, but not limited to, running naked or wielding a machete.)  Personally, I think this would be a much better countdown than the number of days until back to school.

So here’s to 15 more days until . . . the Zucchini Faerie strikes again!

Last week, I wrote about my best friend and our phone call concerning crockpot liner bags.  Today, I am lingering over a memory of another one of those moments that we shared.  Long ago, we shared nursery duty at our church on Wednesday nights.  One of those nights, she came bearing gifts.  She had the opportunity to purchase some books through her workplace, and she bought this great cookbook.  After reading through it, she realized that it was one of the best cookbook/hints book she had ever come across.  So through love she decided that I couldn’t live without this book either.  And she was right, second only to the Bible, that book Dining on a Dime is most used book in my house. 

Over the Christmas holidays, I was bored one day.  (That was painful to even write, but it was an exceptionally quiet day at our house.)  I knew that there was an order form sheet in the front of the book; so, I wondered if the Dining on a Dime folks have a website.  I was not disappointed.  By looking at the website, I found that I had more in connection with the authors (Jill and Tawra) than I had differences. 

From the moment, I received the cookbook, I poured over its pages, and I found I was doing the same thing with the website.  (What a way to fill a “boring” afternoon!) I also found that strong connection I felt had to do with where our mutual hope was rooted rather than where our stomachs and grocery budgets lie.  That strong connection is what I feel with most of my closest friends.  It is the acknowledgment of the blessing of friendships. 

I have never met Jill or Tawra (but hope to do so someday), but today, I have the opportunity to review one of their books, Penny Pinching Mama: 500 Ways I lived on $500 a month.  The good news for my readers is that you have the opportunity (through my blog) to win the book.  After receiving the book, I wasn’t prepared for how much it would touch me. 

I will be honest.  I had a hard time putting it down.  Despite being a hints and ideas book, the advice is given with heartfelt honesty and hard-hitting integrity.  While telling of a painful life story, Jill goes on to share not what she did, but more what she had to do to survive and to keep her family afloat.  Yet while going through these tough years, she clung to her faith which is evidenced throughout the book in her anecdotes and story-telling.  Throughout the pages, she tells of the personal circumstance and the tips that helped her in those moments.  Trust me I took good notes on many of the tips.

Now I will be brutally honest.  After finishing the book, the first thing I did was pray and thank God.  It was a good book, but the gratitude came from the fact that I have never been forced in life to live on nothing financially.  I realize that I had to dig deep from the well of faith in the tragedy that befell our family, but I have never walked in Jill or Tawra’s shoes, and for that, I am truly thankful. 

I am guessing that Jill would deflect compliments of amazing and inspirational.  I am equally certain that she would agree with my newest favorite quote, “I am convinced that “strong Christians” just know where to run in times of trouble.” 

If you would like to learn more about Jill and Tawra’s books, check out their webpage www.livingonadime.com .  To win a copy of Penny Pinching Mama, you must post a reply to this blog and share a money saving tip (of any kind) in your response.  Replies without tips will not be considered for the prize.  I will give one week for entry replies and from those participating; I will draw one name to be the winner.  I will use a random name generator (aka a clean sock and slips of paper at our house) to “scientifically” choose the winner.

Looking forward to the responses and great ideas!  Today, be thankful for the blessings BIG or small, because I know I will be.