Pioneer Woman at Heart

One Flourishing, Frugal and Fun Family!

One family learning to live off the land, cut back on expenses, and to live a simpler and a more self-sufficient lifestyle.

Adopted Motto

"Eat it up,
Wear it out,
Make it do,
Or go without."
~A Pioneer Sampler, by Barbara Greenwood~

Saturday, January 10, 2015

Tidbits and Herbal Tea Making

I have only tried my home canned pepper mustard sauce on chicken so far.  I know meatballs would be wonderful, but this time I tried it on organic pork tenderloin (in the crock pot).

Delicious.  Another winning way to eat from our summer stock up.  We topped it over organic brown rice, and had a side of roasted brussel sprouts.  

We are having another cold day. 
Suiting up to go fetch buckets and watering units, takes a bit of time.  Once I'm bundled up, I head out for three or four trips back and forth.  I can only carry two buckets, so it's out and in for a while.  Then come dinner time I get the pleasure of freezing my bum off all over again.  By the last trip, I am pulling the hood down to get some fresh air, despite temperatures that could freeze my eyeballs open. 

Right now it's 0°F outside, with a windchill of -19°F.  It's actually warmer than they predicted.  We'll see maybe a low of -2°F (actual temperature) today.  

Yesterday, one hen almost escaped during my entrance, and I had to grab her.  I was afraid if she got out, and into the snow, she would get frostbite on her tootsies.

I was up very early to put wood in the wood stove, check water pipes and of course feed one very annoying cat named Tiger.  He follows me around meowing no matter what time it is.  Once he's fed, he leaves me alone.

Since I was up, and my blood was pumping so early, I could not go back to bed.  I actually put steel cut oats in the crock pot for breakfast.  I figure it will be done before the sleepy heads wake up, and before Hubby arrives home. He worked the midnight shift last night, picking up an extra shift.

It's pretty quiet this morning too.  No traffic outside at all.  The only noise I hear, is the water dripping from the faucets.
 

Remember my post on our popcorn harvest?  

I forgot to tell you that we saved all the dried cobs, and they will be used for campfire kindling this coming camping season.



I've started drinking my herbal "high calcium" or "bone building" tea this week.  It's very tasty.  I have another herbal tea that I will be mixing up for eye protection soon as well.  




To mix my calcium tea, I decided to use a 1/2 cup measure for measuring "parts" in the recipe.  It really didn't make that much, so next time, I'll mix it by the cup.  I'm not sure if this tea will help joint discomfort, but I guess I'll find out soon enough.  I am storing this tea in an old tea tin I recycled from my Uncle.

4 comments:

Kim said...

The cold has been brutal around here as well. You take care of yourself and keep that skin covered up.

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

Kim, I forgot my hat when I went to the store one day and got gas. Brr. I thought my ears would freeze. I won't forget a hat next time.

RB said...

Ohhh my goodness, how I remember that heavy tiring water hauling when I lived out in Kansas City and had horses. The wind out there can be so harsh, it seems to cut right through your clothes straight to your bones. I don't know why that barn didn't stay warmer than it did with those huge animals inside of it and with every wall stacked high with hay in hopes of insulating it, but it didn't seem to do much and required hauling water three times daily to ensure the horses had all they needed.

They do make water heaters for troughs. I don't know much about them because once winter came, we gave up on the outside troughs and just used galvanized buckets inside each of the horse's stalls to water them. That helped us make sure each horse got their portion and one or two wasn't drinking it all, leaving none for another.

Prayers for you Kristina. Will no one help you haul all that water?

God bless.

RB
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Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

RB, I have to water the goats that way too. We don't have many outlets in the barn, so we don't heated water units. The kids are all in school, and oldest daughter is gone a lot, so watering early morning is my chore. I sometimes get help in the evenings.