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~

Friday, July 17, 2015

Stitching More in Red ~ Puttin' Up Squash ~ I'm a Winner!


First, I apologize for the long "coffee hour" post today.  It started out short, but it kept raining, and I kept typing.
 
Thursday and Friday cooled down to the lower 70's - perfect camping weather.  It was just the most amazing porch talk weather, the best ever sleeping weather this summer yet.

I've been bug picking, coop cleaning, and simply staring at our garden.   I am starting to worry that I am running out of exciting, happy moments to post here.


 A dentist visit allowed me
more handiwork time, and I almost completed an entire towel there on Wednesday - 18 year-old Daughter got her widsom teeth out.  I was the only person in the waiting room, that was not on a smart phone.  One person had buttons on her phone that had a bubble popping sound, like an underwater "blurp."  Drove me nuts.

Anyway, the chicken with the umbrella made us all laugh, and Daughter is feeling good now.  She was in pain and not feeling well, and I could not make her homemade ginger-ale - no carbonated drinks for 24 hours.  So, instead I brewed her some hot ginger tea with fresh ginger. 

I was thrilled to find more zucchini in the garden.  This put 3 pint size bags into the freezer.  We typically use all our squash over summer (salsa, relish, meals), so this is wonderful.

I was also thrilled to get more yellow squash.  This also put three pint bags in the freezer. 

We also had about six to seven more large yellow squash, and every year we look forward to eating squash patties.

These patties are a one summer dish we look forward too.  Since the weather is not in our favor this year, I decided not to freeze the last of the yellow squash I harvested.  I only had about a 1/2 cup of cheese this time, but made the patties anyway.  I fry them in a non-gmo, organic canola oil, and top them with organic sour cream.  Oh my gosh, they are so good, and worth all that shredding of the squash.  My hot pepper husband loves these with chopped jalapenos in them.  We all like them just as they are too.  If we get more squash, the happier I'll be.

My 16 year-old helped me stake almost 30 tomato plants.   It felt good to get in the garden. I could hear her boots squish into the mud as I tied up plants and she pounded stakes.  We had to work fast, as the mosquitoes were having us for lunch.  Despite rainfall, those particular plants are loaded with green tomatoes.  If I can keep them off the ground, we may get some of them this season.  It was too wet though, to pull old pea plants. If it dries up this next week, my plan is to get that done and attempt to fall plant the shell peas. 

I woke up to an early morning thunderstorm.  Poor Jesse is beside himself.  The news station told me that we've gotten 19-20 inches of rain (before today's rain).

On the positive side of all this rain, we are glad the corner of the big barn collapsed.  It put the reality of tearing it down, smack into our brains.  We are actually looking forward to getting it done.  We just need some dry days now.
 
I entered a drawing over at Fiber and Flea Village Blogspot, and won.  This arrived in the mail a few days ago.  I haven't decided what I'll make yet, but I love the colors.

I have three drawers ready to get pulls installed on them.  They are painted and sitting on tables in the kitchen.  That is on the weekend chore list - visit the hardware store.  As I work on each one, I empty it, wash it out with vinegar water, and go through what's in the drawer.  If I haven't something that was in the drawer, it either goes to the thrift, the girls hope chest, or the garbage.

If my Mom is reading this, she'll probably laugh.  It was in one of my kitchen drawers, and had been moved twice.  That's how fast the kids have grown.

She bought this material for us in elementary school, when they were required for messy projects.  As you can see there are paint marks where my own kids had fun.  They built playdough castles, and painted many many pictures on this mat.  I turned it over and found my oldest sister's name written on it in pen  It is very old.  In fact, the material felt almost melted from years of use.  In the trash it went, but with a smile on my face. I could picture my kids having so much fun with such little utensils.  

I'm actually starting to feel content with my kitchen.  Before I felt it was not put together just right, and didn't feel like a home.  It's getting there.  I just need one more vintage flour sack towel.  And a few tweeks here and there.


Thanks for sticking around and reading today.  Have a wonderful weekend. 

13 comments:

GrannyAnnie said...

Oh, my, it looks like you all have gotten even way more rain than we have gotten lately! Hope it lets up for you, soon!. Your umbrella chicken is beautiful! You do such nice work!
Those squash look yummy, I am going to have to try cooking some that way. Congratulations on your win! and may your daughter heal up very quickly. Have a blessed day!

Susan said...

Feeling happy and cosy in your home sure helps when you are surrounded by water! Those squash patties look so good - I do fritters, but this recipe sounds even better. I don't know that I'll be getting many of my own squash, so I'm hoping to "help" friends and neighbors who have excess. I love the redwork, too.

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

Thanks Anna, I am doing one redwork towel for each day of the week. We are getting more rain today and more in the days ahead.

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

Susan, I was worried we would get zero squash, and it's the one thing we are getting a lot of, ha ha! Strange.

Kim said...

I am so glad that God is blessing you with bounty from your garden. Can't wait to see what you make!

Kim said...

I am so glad that God is blessing you with bounty from your garden. Can't wait to see what you make!

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

Kim, I am amazed at what we have gotten from the garden this year. A blessing for sure.

Mama Pea said...

Your embroidery work is lovely, Kristina. I've been trying to get a little time in my quilt room after dinner these nights. The bugs are usually too bad to work outside.

Outside of salad greens of all kinds, radishes, scallions, two heads of cauliflower and strawberries, I haven't harvested anything from the garden yet. I finally found a blossom-to-be on my zucchini today. Hooray!

I admire you for your "deep cleaning." I finally vacuumed all the floors this morning. 'Bout time. It's those little things like just the right hardware for drawers that made it all yours. So glad you've gotten to that point with your kitchen.

My Garden Diaries said...

Your towel that you completed is incredible! I absolutely love the simplicity of it! And the goodness from the garden is amazing! Those patties look delicious! Now if the rain would just stop for a bit! Hope everyone is healing up and feeling better! Have a great weekend! Nicole xo

Patricia @ 9th and Denver said...

What an amazing post!
You are so busy, and so creative...and I loved the drop cloth story. This sounds exactly like something I'd do.
The squash patties sound good. I'll have to try this.
I tried the Alaskan Salmon this week... with a few adjustments according to what I had on hand... the hubby loved them, and they were great-for-me FOOD!

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

Thanks Mama Pea, I am enjoying the time I have to embroider, but the humidity is returning. I have four boxes ready to deliver to the thrift store.

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

Nicole, thank you. Yes, lets hope the rain lets up a few days.

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

Thank you Patricia! So glad you enjoyed the salmon patties.