When the going gets tough, the tough

• go shopping
• get going
• take naps
• get frugal
• get on Pinterest

Lately, I feel like when the going gets tough, I get cooking. Or baking. Or preserving, canning, freezing, drying.

My minivan threw us another curve this week. After a second estimate, a compromise on the paint job, and a little readjusting of schedules, we had a plan.

And I went outside, cut a big batch of chives, and put them in the oven on low heat to dry.

Coping skills vary from one person to the next, one family to the next, even from one region to the next. If I’m preserving some of what I’ve grown, it means cooking from scratch will be easy and inexpensive come winter. Chives may not seem like a big deal, but putting them up for the winter makes me feel like I’m making a contribution.

Next up: oregano.