Hello. My name is Margarite Stever, and I'm a simple Ozarks gal with a loving husband, two adult stepkids, and three beautiful grandchildren. I also have one gorgeous crabby cat. I grew up in a tiny Missouri town of 200 people with small-town principles and a self-sustaining lifestyle. People in my hometown often had livestock. My family had cattle, bees, and chickens during my childhood.

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I've lived in the Ozarks my entire life. During regular business hours, I work for a community action agency where I help people make their homes more energy efficient. The rest of the time, I'm a nana, country cook, gardener, pecan farmer, preserver of nature's bounty, savvy shopper, author, blogger, and someone who deals with special diet restrictions due to a health condition. 

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I wrote my first book when I was in 3rd grade. It was called The Lonely Toothbrush, and I typed it on an old manual typewriter in my classroom as part of an assignment. I still have that book, but it wasn't until I was 12 years old that I decided I wanted to be a writer. I wrote a great deal in junior high and high school. I obtained my Bachelor of Arts Degree in English from what is now Missouri Southern State University, but it was a college when I was there. Then life got in the way, and I took a 20-year hiatus before I picked up my pen and paper and began writing again. Once I began creating, I found a piece of myself that I'd been missing for a long time. Writing completes me. 

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I write my blog to share my knowledge, thoughts, and musings with anyone who is interested. I may even share some recipes now and then. My friends often express admiration for the things that I take for granted as simply being part of life. For example, I've always known that you must use a pressure cooker to can green beans, but boiling bath jam is perfectly acceptable.

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"Waste not, want not" is my philosophy. Times are uncertain, and it is more important than ever to use my resources wisely. I strive to live well, have fun, preserve what nature gives me, waste nothing, shop smart, and write about it all.