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Thursday 16 June 2022

Of cabbages and things

When Lewis Carroll wrote about the adventures of The Walrus and the Carpenter and mentioned “cabbages —and kings” together, could he have imagined a time when only kings could afford cabbages?


My husband and I like cabbage, both green and purple. We have it roasted, boiled, stir fried, in soup and as coleslaw. It is a versatile vegetable. My husband bought two medium sized heads of cabbage last week and they cost ten dollars. Just for two cabbages! 


I cannot understand why so many items we purchase now have increased in price by multiple dollars. How much price gouging is involved? Will prices ever return to what they were pre-inflation? I doubt it.


Why are so many drugs being advertised on television these days? During commercial breaks, pharmaceutical companies are peddling medicines which we can’t live without. Supposedly. Have you ever listened to the lists of side effects, which often include death? Ask your doctor for a drug? How about actually having a doctor? That would be nice. Lots of them are retiring or leaving Prince Edward Island and there are none to replace them. 


I have only been on the bike twice this year, once around our subdivision and once on the Confederation Trail. The result was too much pain to try again. Physiotherapy is helping but I am not ready for the bike yet. I really miss biking with my husband. 


We had a great year last year and I realize how fortunate I am, as a senior, to have had that year. I don’t want to give it up without a fight. My husband goes on short rides by himself and I want to accompany him. Maybe later this summer…


Enough complaining already!


We have completed the work outside for this year which included painting some trim. Then we weeded and mulched the garden. The perennial alyssum was magnificent this year.





Now it is time to plant the vegetable patch. Our daughter grew some herbs, tomato and pepper plants from seeds and enjoyed her first foray into gardening. Growing plants from seed is what her paternal grandmother still does, at almost ninety years old. I always buy plants, to this point anyway. Later this week I will fill the garden bed with some of our daughter’s first plants, nurture them and watch them grow. The seed packets cost 75 cents each. Quite a savings this year! Yay!




36 comments:

Boud said...

I'm always encouraged to hear about people growing plants from seed. Nowadays I do Thai basil each year and this year Italian basil and morning glory. That's it for seeds. But it feels so right, in a way.
Prices rising and savings shrinking are pretty scary, yes.
Sorry you can't get back into riding yet. I think it will come though.

Debra She Who Seeks said...

Get your daughter to grow cabbages, she'll make a fortune, LOL! Sorry to hear that pain prevents you from riding a bike this summer, but glad to hear that you're still getting physio for improvement. My Rare One just bought an electric bicycle for tootling around on. It looks like a little Vespa but is legally just a bicycle so she doesn't need a special licence or specific insurance for it.

DJan said...

There must be price gouging going on for such prices to be normal these days. And yes, you need to grow those cabbages. And I agree that the drug companies are taking over on TV. I only take a statin for my cholesterol and have never asked my doctor to give me a drug! Love the alyssum!

Jim and Barb's Adventures said...

Sometimes I wish we were home more so we too could plant a garden but the travel bug is a hard one to fight! One day maybe, but we have travel plans for the next couple years at least!

eileeninmd said...

Hello,

The price of food is crazy now, I hope they go back down soon.
I guess you could try growing your own cabbage. The alyssum is beautiful.
I hope you are able to get out riding your bike soon. Take care, enjoy your day!

Anvilcloud said...

Ah, I understand about having a great biking year and then not.

Sandi said...

"...pharmaceutical companies are peddling medicines which we can’t live without. Supposedly."

They are in business to make money, not to heal us.

photowannabe said...

It's criminal the way prices have sky-rocketed.
We went to the grocery store yesterday and it was total sticker shock...$10.00 for two cabbages is unbelievable...
Veggies in your garden will be quite a blessing.
Lets not even get started on gasoline prices. California is so far off the spectrum..I paid $6.59 for a gallon of the "cheapest" gas.
Needless to say we don't go very far anymore..
I do hope you begin to feel better so you can ride your bike again.
Sue

Beside a babbling brook... said...

INFLATION!!! A completely politically engendered happening. Which makes it even worse! Knowing it is being done, on purpose. A whole topic of itself, and not to be gone into, in someone's comments.

But gouging certainly rides on the back of inflation, as well.

πŸŒ•πŸ‘‘πŸŒ•

Beside a babbling brook... said...

I have 2 pharmacists in the family. So oh yes, we notice the adds of those meds. And the possible side effects, as well.

One of the worst things is, these meds seem to be for simply awful diseases. -sigh- Those poor people who suffer from them! If they could get relief, they might find the possible side effects, the least of their worries.

Hooray for your daughter starting veggies from seed. A lot of work but it certainly pays.

Are you growing cabbage????!!!????

πŸŒ•πŸ‘‘πŸŒ•

Beside a babbling brook... said...

Sorry about the bike riding... But you have to think of your quality of life, vs. a fun thing.

Is there any other sort of a moving *vehicle*, which would allow you to accompany him, but not on your usual bike????

πŸŒ•πŸ‘‘πŸŒ•

Elephant's Child said...

I hear you. Iceberg lettuce are $10 each at the moment.
Fortunately our television contains very few advertisements for drugs - and only for those like cold remedies for which you don't need a prescription. Congratulations on finishing the work outside - and I hope that you can indeed get on your bike again. Soon.

Bill said...

The price of cabbage is crazy. I know prices are going up but also at the same time some places are increasing their prices even more. Cabbage here is sold by the head and not the weight.

margi said...

It's nice to hear your daughter grows herbs and tomatoes and pepper,... I like gardening very much, too. Home grown vegetables are cheaper and also healthier. Maybe you and your husband could spend some time in the garden together, gardening could be very creative.

At Home In New Zealand said...

Cabbages are the same price here. I was at the supermarket this morning and noticed medium green whole cabbages for sale at $4.99 each. I opted not to buy it!

Red said...

I will never quite understand how the economy works. ten bucks for two cabbages. that's nuts.

The Furry Gnome said...

That alyssum is amazing!

Joanne Noragon said...

We all could be gardening, real soon.

peppylady (Dora) said...

I like cabbage also. I was looking at Cherries and seen they were around 8 dollars a pound. Last year one could them for around 2 dollar pound.

Coffee is on and stay safe

gluten Free A_Z Blog said...

Marie,
I hear you about the escalation of prices! Food has definetely gone up and of course gas prices. I am beginning to think twice before driving anywhere and consolidating our errands. I like to buy my herbs as plants. I have a herb garden of thyme, sage, basil, mint, oregano, stevia and rosemary.

John "By Stargoose And Hanglands" said...

Get planting those cabbages - you could soon be millionaires at the present rates of inflation.

David M. Gascoigne, said...

If we go out for lunch, Marie, the absolute minimum is thirty dollars and often more, so the cabbage we buy (average price $4 to $6,) and convert into several meals seems like quite a bargain! At least we can afford it.

Salty Pumpkin Studio said...

Prayers your bike days return soon
Prices are depressing. If the resizing to smaller soup cans keeps going, then I see the day when we will be able to recycle the containers as sewing thimbles.

Pam said...

You can fuss and vent all you want about these crazy prices we are paying. I was paying 25 to 28 for a tank of gas, the other day I had 50 miles left before being on empty and it cost 62.86 the other day. That is crazy. Between buying food and putting gas in the car is eating up way too money. So.....fuss on! I love cabbage, both colors. Boiled, roasted, on the grill, raw....I like.

Helen said...

Your perennial alyssum is stunning!
We don't have it, but our white, an annual, self-seeds prolifically.

Rose said...

I am so sorry you cannot ride your bike and still.have pain. Yes, I do.listen/read about the side effects of medicine. As for the prices, no.they will never go back down.

Liz Hinds said...

Roasted cabbage? that's interesting.

Hope you can get back out with Husband for bike rides soon.

Tabor said...

I do not think I have ever seen yellow alyssum. Lovely! Is there a brace that you can wear while biking? I find that my bottom is getting to thin-skinned and sitting on a bike for any length of time is painful. Even the cushy seats are not soft enough.

The Liberty Belle said...

What's that you say? $10 for two cabbages?! Oh my. It's time for all of us to garden and go back to canning.

Maebeme said...

I believe there is a whole lot of price gouging going on. It starts with the O&G companies - their profits are sky-rocketing. The truckers who bring the goods pay more for gas, hence the retailers pay more for their goods, and then they add a little more to increase their own profits. And we pay for it all.

Sorry you're not able to bike because of the pain. I hope there is some relief and you're able to get back in the saddle soon.

The alyssum are beautiful! Good luck with the garden.

Susan Zarzycki said...

Hi Marie. I am still on the Island but a bit under the weather so I have been binge reading your posts back to the time of your accident. I hope that you will be able to return to your biking adventures soon. I so enjoy your style of writing. Your Musings are vivid and interesting no matter what the topic and your pictures of family and wildlife show your interest. Have a wonderful Summer on your island❣️

Debbie said...

oooooh marie, i am so sad to read about you having trouble on the bike. as you know, i fell several times 2 years ago (last year i was in the hospital all summer and did not ride) and i too struggled getting back on this summer. but i did. my first ride was on the boardwalk and i did great, no falls. second ride on a bike path and i rode several miles without incident. i stopped to photograph some honeysuckle and when i started back up, i fell, in to a patch of sticker bushes. once on the ground, the only thing sticking out were my flip flops. it was a bad fall and my clothes got ripped up...people stopped to help, OMG, i was mortified. long story short, i have not been on the bike since. one thing that i have been using is my zinger chair, that has helped me a lot. i hope you can get past this!!

my vegetable garden is doing so well. starting with seeds is so much more rewarding!!

HWIT BLOGG said...

Everything gets more expensive now! It´s crazy! Im so happy to have my garden and greenhouse so I can grow my own tomatoes and cucumber. Onion and carrots. Flowers and potatoes...
Have a great day and take care...
Titti

The Padre said...

Big Hugs My Friend

Cheers

Goldendaze-Ginnie said...

Yes, everything food-wise is a shock in price right now ... I thought it was only us down here in the States but not true. Your daughter picked a great time to start gardening...reminds me of the old Victory Gardens of the 30's & 40's.

John's Island said...

Hello Marie, I think you will a kick out of this. I opened up Google Maps and asked for directions from Seattle to Prince Edward Island. 😊 The little symbol, that means it is working, spun around for a few seconds and then the map opened up. The result: 54 hours, 5,635 km, with these warnings: This route has tolls. This route includes a ferry. This route crosses a country border. Verify COVID-19 restrictions. Your destination is in a different time zone. Interestingly, the route takes me all the way across PEI to Cavendish, near the beach. Well, my reason for doing this was just to say, after reading your post, I can feel your pain all the way over here on the other side of the continent. Prices are crazy over here too. And I sure hear you about the other items you mentioned that seem to be adding to our suffering. You ended on a positive note, telling us about the vegetable patch. That sounds good and I wish you success! John