It’s What You Do With What You’ve Got

Some people have more money, talent and time, but — you guessed it.

The left-over mashed potatoes might be mush for the compost pile, but I chose potato cakes, added some fried mushrooms, an egg, some chopped basil, coated them with flour, fried the cakes in a little butter and the potato cakes made a delicious meal. The crisper drawer of the fridge always has some vegetables almost past their prime. So vegetable soup it is. Just add some soup base and a fresh herb from the herb pot at the back door. It makes enough for several meals. I am aware of wasted food all over the country; what better place to start than at home.

But don’t look in my deep freeze, that’s another story.

Money is a tough one; maybe I’ll need it down the road. I don’t need, but I want a new style sweater from the catalog. I also want to subscribe to a magazine for the neighbor children. Difficult decision.

Talent? What talent, we wonder. Is baking bread a talent? I could share a loaf with a new neighbor I haven’t as yet met. They moved in last winter. There is something blooming in the garden all the time. I could take a bouquet to church. My friend in the nursing home might enjoy some snapdragons.