Ask Mavis: Today I’m Telling You Why You Should(n’t) Become a Blogger {Among Other Things}

More of your questions, more of my answers. You know the drill by now. If you can offer a more coherent response than I can {not a tough job}, pretty please with sugar on top, chime in!

Hi Mavis! Love your blog. Writing for advice. I would love to get your thoughts on the pros/cons of being a blogger.

~Hillari

Oh Hillari, where do I begin. Excessive blogging will sometimes cause you to dress up like a pilgrim and prance through the streets. May also cause you to bolt straight up in bed startling your husband when you have a post idea at 3am. Blogging is the biggest time suck EVER and will also steal every ounce of your free time, become a full-time job, cause you to gain a blogger’s butt and require you eat an unholy amount of chocolate mindlessly while you are glued to a computer screen. So what I’m saying is, RUN in the other direction as fast as you can.

But… blogging also allows you to meet the most incredible, generous readers all over the world. Blogging challenges you. Blogging forces you to be creative and active and engaged even when you don’t want to. Blogging is a blessing, and I am incredibly grateful for it every day. So there’s the oxymoron that is blogging. Um, you’re welcome?

Hi, Mavis! Love your blog. I’m considering canning this summer and have a quick question. Do I absolutely have to have a canning pot or would a heavy duty stock pot and a rack do?

~Terri

You can absolutely use a heavy stock pot, as long as it’s large enough to hold a few cans, and the jars and lids have room to be completely submerged in the water for the duration of the processing time. If your pot can do that, can away! Here are some of My Favorite Equipment for Canning and Preserving in case you do decide to  buy one down the road!

Hi Mavis, This year I am trying to grow my own vegetable garden to start learning how to can. Any advice on growing peas? Do they need a trellis? I have them coming up already but I wasn’t sure if they needed a trellis or stakes. Here is Eastern Pennsylvania we have been having wonky weather so they still have a few weeks before they go outside {we even had a freak snow storm on Friday}.

Thanks, Kayla

Peas are seriously so easy to grow. I think you’ll have great success with them. I always provide them with a trellis or pole to climb. You can find tips on How to Grow Peas Start to Finish HERE or Digging for Your Dinner HERE. Hope that helps!

Mavis I just want to thank you for the great idea you posted about freezing pancakes. I like pancakes but hate making them for just one person. The recipe is for 15 pancakes and one person cannot eat that many at one sitting. So your idea was great about freezing them. I made a regular batch and froze 4 pancakes in each bag so I have them for a quick meal when I am craving pancakes.

Thank you again, Robee

You are so welcome. I’m seriously still kicking myself that I haven’t been making them in bulk for years. It’s so genius. Glad my Freezer Pancake idea was helpful to you!

I found your wonderful egg custard and have been making it for cancer patients who are having difficulty swallowing. My problem I have lost the directions sheet, and cannot find out how to look it up on your web.

Thanks, Perry

Perry, I don’t think I’ve ever been so touched by a recipe request on my site! I have always been fond of my Old Fashioned Egg Custard recipe, but knowing that cancer patients are able to enjoy it even with swallowing difficulties will make me love it that much more. Click over on the link and print yourself out some new directions!

Hello, Mavis! I discovered you at the beginning of this year and really love your blog. I, too, love to garden, cook, can, travel, etc. My husband is very good at managing our finances {I’m currently a stay-at-home mom} and we try to leave a smaller footprint both environmentally and financially. That said, I do have a question about your $100/month or less spending goal; is that an allowance your husband & you agreed upon or is it “extra” money in your budget you simply track? Or something else entirely? Again, I love your blog and have become a dedicated reader. I look forward to future posts!

Sincerely, Meghan

First, so glad you found me! Second, in previous years both my husband and I have had $200/month budgeted for our personal spending. I decided I wanted to cut back this year by $100 a month so I could use that money somewhere else in our budget {I’m  saving up for something I have not yet talked about on the blog}. After being married for 20+ years I know my husband’s spending habits so I just budget {assume} that he will spend about $200 a month on crap that I think is a waste of money. 😉 Having a budget, and sticking too it is pretty awesome.