I must admit that winter is my favorite season, and if you consider it, it occurs twice a year. For some, winter can be a joyful time, bringing a sense of tranquility and introspection, depending on your viewpoint and how you embrace the season. During this time of year, I enjoy reading extensively and baking.

Last year, I set two goals: one was to make better use of my time, and I am improving in that area. Time management will always be something I need to work on.

The next step was learning how to make sourdough bread. I had to purchase a starter because I couldn't successfully create one myself. I found a great one on Amazon, it is called 100+ yr old SAN FRANCISCO Sourdough Starter, and it has worked like a charm.

If you look up Farm House on Boone -Youtube -Farmhouse on Boone

@FarmhouseonBoone or blog - farmhouseonboone.com you can find many recipes using sourdough. The woman's name is Lisa Bass, and she does have a cookbook (I don't have it), but her online recipes are fantastic.

I do have a bread cookbook with an excellent beginner sourdough bread recipe that I've used so frequently, I have it memorized.

This year, I have two goals: the first is straightforward—making the bed every morning. The second is to enhance my home preparedness by stocking up my pantry. This could involve possibly doing more canning, and I'd love to make more soups for the winter. I currently make chicken soup and stew, but I'm interested in trying vegetable soup this summer. I'm considering making more jelly and much more. I intend to do more canning this year.

I also want to ensure that I have dry goods available. I would like to make my own noodles and store them. I want to have sugar, rice, and flour on hand. You can purchase these items in bulk. This winter, we have experienced some very cold days with snow, and I would rather stay home than go to the store if I can. During the last storm, I forgot to get snacks, but I knew I had flour, eggs, butter, and chocolate chips, so I was able to make chocolate chip cookies with what we had. I also managed to make granola. What I'm trying to say is that I want to make sure we have things on hand like bread flour for bread or sourdough, canned soups, etc.

One method I've found helpful is to purchase one extra item from my grocery list. For example, I might choose something like olive oil, which can be pricey if it's not on sale. I use olive oil not only for cooking but also for making soap. Since we use it for more than just cooking, I try to buy extra whenever possible. You can gradually buy extra items during your shopping trips. You don't have to do it all at once, but by purchasing one additional item each time you shop, your pantry will gradually stock up over time.

Another item on our shopping list is a freezer. I've wanted one for a few years now, and this year we plan to get one. This will be great for stocking up on fresh meat. We would like to get cuts of meat from elk, cow, and chicken. If I'm able to purchase from a ranch here in Colorado, it will be fresher than buying it at the grocery store. What I've discovered so far is that it will most likely not be cheaper, but it will be much fresher.

Finally, planning a garden is essential. I use a sketch pad to design my garden each year, allowing me to review past years to see what was successful and what wasn't. Gardening can significantly affect your grocery bill. Not only do you save money, but vegetables from your garden taste much better than those from the grocery store. There are various methods to preserve your vegetables, such as canning, freezing, and drying. You can also freeze-dry, although I haven't tried that yet.

I hope this provides you with some insight into how you can not only be better prepared for next winter but also save some money.

I have numerous ideas and intend to share them on the blog and the Facebook page I recently started this year.