Day 24 - More Rain

I waited for the rain, but it never really came down all that hard, and then I decided that it was enough so that I didn't have to travel to the community garden. I fiddled around in the backyard instead. I monitored the cats while they loaded up on local grasses so they could have even better barf once they came inside.
For breakfast, I ate the usual potato, egg, cheese, greens (cooked in butter), toast and tea from partner Sean. I think I also set a record for the number of cups of tea made out of the same teabag.
For a morning snack, I enjoyed a taste of sauerkraut, some roasted squash seeds and a cup of the pea soup.
For lunch, I ate the rest of the vegetable soup with turkey, some newly-made granola (with cardamom from partner Matthew) and a grilled cheese sandwich.
For an afternoon snack I stopped by Trader Joe's and had a bit of salad, some tomato-ey pasta and a small cup of coffee.
For dinner, partner Tammy fed me. Lots of shrimp, raw carrots, cold-cut sandwiches with herbed mayo and some wonderfully warm decaf coffee with hazelnut creamer.
In the evening, I snacked on dehydrated apple slices, raisins and the last of the squash seeds, at least until I boot up another squash.

Day 23 - More Potatoes! and Celery

I have settled into the same old breakfast potato dish with greens, only it's not just for breakfast anymore. I don't ever really tire of it, but I am probably using more butter than I need to.
For breakfast, I had rice from partner Matthew, with garden veggies, cheese and butter. I made a cup of tea from partner Sean, and saved the bag for later.
For a morning snack, I had a small potato with butter and some home-grown toasted squash seeds.
For lunch I had a cup of the pea soup, tea from partner Sean, lime juice from partner Colin, an orange, and a tangerine from partner Jose.
For dinner I had ANOTHER potato with cheese, greens and an egg, butternut squash with the last of the tikka masala sauce from partner Karl, raisins, toast from partner Arlene and dehydrated apples from partner Colin.
For an evening snack, I had more toast, an orange and almonds from partner Igor.
In the evening, I cooked up a storm, processing several batches of vegetable broth from celery and leek tops. I cooked a couple of big chunks of butternut squash and made a soup base out of pureed squash, leeks, celery and fennel bulb. I will freeze this for summer use. I don't usually freeze much celery, but when it is blended with the other ingredients it seems to keep better. I harvest very little fresh celery for eating after May. Seems weird right now that there will ever be a time when I am not eating it constantly.
The pots in the backyard are filled with celery seedlings, and after the recent rains there will be even more seedlings to come. I transplant a few of them for friends and trading partners, and many will get to go to seed, and start the crazy process all over again.
The leeks and parsley are in the dehydrator.

Day 22 - Eating up What's Left

For breakfast I had a potato with dressing from partner Lisa. Good stuff! I also had a protein shake from partner Igor, raisins, tea from partner Otto and toast.
For lunch I had a large garden-fresh salad with lettuce, sliced Detroit dark red beets, radishes, peas, a tangerine from partner Jose, an orange, and cake from partner Arlene.
For an afternoon snack, I had lychee jelly from partner Lisa, raisins, vegetable broth with salt, and roasted home-grown squash seeds.
For dinner, I ate another potato with egg, cheese and greens, broccoli, and a cookie from trader Rena.
In the evening, I ate more raisins and dehydrated apple slices from partner Colin.
I made pea soup today, with split peas from partner Matthew, ham from partner Shary, pepper from partner Ophelia, thyme from partner Tomas, and tons of home-grown celery, leek and fennel, with garlic, habanero pepper and salt.
I did not spend any money on food today, so I have $1.77 in the food bank.

Day 21 - Eating Other People's Food

After today, I have only one week left. I am not bored with the food, or have too little of it, but I am worn out by trying to write it all down. Today's potlucks made things a bit easier. Not much cooking, just bringing fresh veggies from the garden, which were a huge hit at both events and kept me from having to lug home leftovers.
For breakfast, I had coffee from partner Irene, and a potato topped with an egg, cheese and greens cooked in butter, with salt and pepper.
For lunch, I went to a mini-potluck, and enjoyed fruit salad, hummus, lemonade, dried cranberries and vegetable chips.
After lunch, I stopped by Trader Joe's and had some coffee and a piece of muffin. (I shopped only for family food items this time.) I stopped by Fresh and Easy, but they didn't make it easy for me. They are always out of the sale meats when I am there, and won't give explanations or rainchecks. I did enjoy another cup of coffee there while I bought some other vegetables for my family.
For dinner, I went to another vegetarian potluck, featuring cheddar cheese, deviled eggs, bread, cabbage salad, eggplant casserole, chai tea, chocolate cake, apple streudel, cinnamon balls and water with lemon.
For an evening snack, I sampled some really great fried sweet potatoes in chipotle ranch dressing from partner Lisa.

Day 20 - Shopping spree

With only a week or so to go on the challenge, I am coming to the end with money to spare. I will have a couple of potlucks and special events, which always add to variety.
For breakfast, I had some decaf coffee from partner Irene, lettuce, dried apples from partner Colin, and granola.
I enjoyed some coffee, yogurt and some fruit jam at Trader Joe's. I stopped by the stores as soon as they opened, and I bought a large chunk of cheese, a bag of raisins, a banana and a package of California butter. I also snacked on some snow peas at the garden.
For lunch, I ate a grilled cheese sandwich, wheat berries with raisins and honey, a taste of sauerkraut, cake from partner Arlene, a huge plate of steamed broccoli and snow peas, and a tangerine from partner Earl.
For dinner I enjoyed the vegetable soup with turkey from partner Cindy, some toast and butter, and some beets fresh from the garden.
For an evening snack, I had granola and raisins.
My extensive food purchases totalled $9.68, leaving me with 11 cents in the food bank.
I am really getting sick of lettuce!

Day 19

Still on the road, I enjoyed a hearty breakfast of eggs, turkey sausage, sweet potatoes, a banana, a tangerine and coffee, all from trader Jose. But, I really worked off all that food throughout the morning with a combination of walking and hard labor.
For lunch I had half a chicken sandwich, potato chips, artichoke salad, cucumber and carrot salad, a diet Coke and some coffee, all from trader Jose.
For an afternoon snack I ate a part of a fish sandwich, a tangerine and a banana and some decaf coffee all from partner Jose.
For dinner I had the squash soup, toast with butter, cake from partner Arlene, a taste of sauerkraut and toasted squash seeds.
I had dehydrated apple slices from trader Colin for an evening snack.
I purchased some oranges for 25 cents, leaving $8.96 in the food bank.

Day 18

I am still on the road, and working hard!
For breakfast, I ate a banana and tangerine from partner Jose, and an orange from partner Danielle.
I was starving by the time the morning coffee break came around. I enjoyed a piece of cake and a mug of coffee from partner Irene.
For lunch I ate an Italian-style chicken pasta dish from partner Jose.
For dinner I had some turkey, salmon, sweet potatoes, salad, ice cream and coffee from partner Jose.
I saved up all my 83-cent allotment for today. There is $8.38 in the food bank.