The Mid-Winter Refrigerator and Pantry

I sometimes joke in the summer and fall that we're working on our winter provisions. It's only half a joke, though, because there always comes a time in winter when, due to weather, illness, and other things (ahem, newborn baby), I don't get to a grocery store for a couple of weeks. At least. At such times, I rely on the freezer, the pantry, and the immortal vegetables, i.e., cabbage and carrots.

This is what my refrigerator looked like yesterday:

At least there's a gallon and a half of milk in there for the sacred coffee.

There was also plenty of lamb broth (in that big pot on the top shelf). But everything else was pretty scarce. That carton of eggs had all of two eggs in it. The produce drawers contain a single lonely carrot (see? I knew I shouldn't have been so generous with the snowman noses), two apples, maybe ten clementines, four lemons, and half a head of cabbage.

The refrigerator door was looking similarly bare:

But at least there was still a little of the Special Sick Child Orange Juice for the sick child (Cubby) who had to be picked up at school yesterday after a relapse.

A. did go to the dairy store yesterday to get more milk, plus cream and eggs. But that's it.

The freezers have plenty of meat still, but only half a bag of peas and the last bag of green beans from the garden. Not much help in the produce department.

There are still several jars of applesauce, though, plus some jars of tomatoes and sauerkraut.

And a bag of potatoes. No more squash, though. I already ate the entire banana box full. Should've gotten a second one.

Last night we had venison, potato soup, and cabbage. Tonight we're having sausage, pasta with tomato sauce, and that last precious bag of green beans. Tomorrow we'll probably eat the last of the peas and cabbage, and then I really, really, REALLY have to get to a grocery store. Really.

Let's just hope we don't get an ice storm or something, or we'll be reduced to nothing but canned tomatoes and sauerkraut, like our pioneer forebears.