Everyone knows I'm pretty frugal and when I assessed recently my kitchen appliances I had to agree as many of them I got for free or low price and I keep them for as long as they work. For instance, my $9.99 white
Rival crockpot that I got at Walmart; this has got something heating or cooking in it just about every other day, from sauces to dinners to jams or soups. It doesn't have a timer so I just hook up a timer if I need to set it to start when I'm not at home. Who can not have a crock pot? Then I have this vintage
Hamilton Beach juice squeezer. This I found in the trash one day when I was cruising by what was obviously a massive toss-out of someone's stuff. I've had it for 15 years already! It's squeezed a thousand oranges, lemons and grapefruit. Who can live without fresh squeezed juice? Then there's my
Hamilton Beach hand mixer that was given to me by best friend in college who had received two of them at her wedding shower and gave me the extra one. And I went to college over 25 years ago, so you know this has made a lot of cakes, puddings and whipped cream! And where would I be without a blender? This I use just about every other day for something. My son has a disability so we grind up all his food in the blender at just about every meal he eats with us. I also use it to grind granulated sugar into icing sugar, or to make gravies or soups or guacamole. Due to such heavy use I burn the motors out on these every 12 months or so, so I go buy a new one. Interestingly, the price of these has not changed over my 30 years of cooking! They still cost between $20 and $40, depending on quality and sale discounts! Then, this past year I discovered the value of a food processor as a mini processor came free with the
Oster blender I bought the most recently. I use this to make hummus and dips and grinding up larger quantities of food that the blender can't handle. Last, but not least, is a microwave oven that my mother-in-law gave to me when she downsized her kitchen. It's made by
Samsung who I thought only made TVs! I know some people think these are bad for you, but the occasional re-heating of food or quick melting of something makes it a very efficient device. This particular model has a rotating plate in it so the food or liquid is evenly heated. This model of microwave also talks to me! Yup, after setting and finishing its timed cooking cycle, it beeps. Then, if I forget to open the door within a few minutes, it beeps twice again at me, as if to say "hey, you forgot you're melting butter here." I have other appliances such as a coffee maker and a food processor and a coffee grinder -- all of which are just as old, or donated to me or bought on sale -- but I just wanted to share my most-used and useful appliances. Only these made it into this all-star lineup! How wonderful to have these! Look what electricity and manufacturing have wrought!
We recently visited the United States Botanical Garden in Washington, D.C., up near the U.S. Congress buildings. We were thrilled and amazed at the plants and flowers and trees growing there. As it was a very cold wintry rainy sort of day, it was very pleasant to go into a warm and humid environment and see brightly colored flowers and tropical plants. It's set up with many different rooms all of which are glassed in, although there is an outside area -- the Children's Garden -- that is only open in warm weather. There was a room full of orchids that were spectacular hues, some with tiger skin design or flaming pink or orange or colors you didn't think existed naturally. Another very interesting room was filled with desert plants, such as various cactii and grasses that grow in very dry areas. They had specimens from many areas of the world and with just enough text to explain what it was, although I think they could have provided just a little bit more information. One room was filled with medicinal plants and having more text it was cool to find out how many commonly-used 
pharmaceuticals are derived from plants. Another huge area, two-storeys high, was filled with jungle trees and vines and bromeliads, some flowering, some just hanging. Inside the Children's Garden you could see a large plant that looked like it was made of glass. In fact one visitor looking at it said "That's not a real plant!" But it turned out there were several of these milky white glassy plants growing there and they are real. Another treat were the topiary trees shaped as animals such as bears, and some potted mosses and ferns arranged to look like frogs or other creatures. Since it was the holiday season there was also an extraordinary display of poinsettas, some pink, some cream and the more familiar red ones. Another (small!) glass room displayed some endangered species plants, including some interesting ferns and flowers.
