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~

Wednesday, April 6, 2016

Homestead Happenings ~ The Rug is Done!

Our daughter named the one on the left "Dallas."  Both Dallas and Jackson are enjoying the grass already.  Although this week has been cold, they love it here.  Dallas is very friendly, but Jackson is a bit timid yet.

I can tell already they know who "Mom" is as well.  As soon as Daughter walks near the barn (where they can see her approaching), they run inside to her.  Of course she is the food supplier, so they know.  So funny to see them so attached to her already.


A new sign has been put up on the house.  Hubby actually bought it a year ago, but we didn't get around to putting it up until now. 

Notice the date on those frozen tomatoes?  I'm so glad we had a bumper crop year in 2014 to get us through to this season. I made lentil soup, using the very last bag.  I also used carrot broth.  When I blanched the carrots to freeze, I saved the water to use for a soup base.  It tastes great, and works great in place of vegetable broth.  I added some fire powder to my soup, and it was delicious.  Every kid ate it.  I was surprised.  Typically, I have a few picky ones who won't even taste itIt's been too long since I made lentil soup. 


Kind of a bad picture, but my comfrey is springing to life.  I need to lay out all of the new herbs I'm planting this spring, and get a list made for supplies.  Herbs like comfrey, mullein and my mints are all in pots.  I may plant calendula in the ground this year.  The poultices I made last year (my first ever using plantain and comfrey) were so handy to have on hand.

The girls have used up all of their homemade lip balms, so the first thing to make this spring is calendula oil.  I saved seeds from last year to plant more.  



Ta-Da!  The rug is done!!  Phew!  It will go in the kitchen.  Right now I need at least one more, but will wait and save up more scrap yarn over the summer (doing smaller porch projects).  Hubby wanted me to start selling them, but I had to nicely tell him it wasn't going to happen.  

I tried the first teeccino herbal coffee yesterday - Dandelion Mocha.  Very good!  I have to say though, some of the packets state they are only 75% organic.  The are all caffeine free for those who can't have it, and this one tasted just like coffee.  I have many more samples to try, so I may be trying more this weekend.  It's expected to plummet to 19°F Saturday night.  Brrr!

 
 

10 comments:

Mama Pea said...

After plodding around for chores this morning (IN MORE SNOW!), I can't believe all that green grass your goaties are wallowing in!

Your rug is so bright and chirky. Love colorful rugs in the kitchen.

I haven't made lentil soup in a while either. For an evening meal, we like lentils cooked with minced garlic, salt and pepper until they get really soft. Then I sautee onions in butter and serve them on top of the lentils. Also good with leftover spaghetti sauce on before the onions.

Dawn said...

Our girls were a bit timid but now they nearly knock me over in the rush for food, they come to both of us as we both take turn about feeding them, love the rug such lovely colours, I was looking at some rugs to make need a couple for the kitchen a project for summer I think :-)

Susan said...

I love that rug! What great colors and combinations. You truly have a gift. And I also love that sign. I am very glad I can drink full-strength coffee, as it is the only thing that gets me going in the morning. I had to laugh at your husband's suggestion that you make rugs to sell. That would be fine, if that is all you had to do all day!

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

Mama Pea, we may get snow this weekend, and I am sure those two won't be happy about it, ha ha! The grass is very green here right now. Thanks for that tip on cooking lentils. We need to eat more of them.

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

Dawn, I love the crochet rugs, but I also make some from old sheets as well. The puppies have already found the one in the kitchen, ha ha!

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

Susan, I am also able to drink full strength coffee, but my Mom can't.. I may be sending her a sampler for Mother's Day yet. My husband can be pretty funny. When I told him I crochet two strings of yarn together to make it, he was shocked. He didn't realize how much time and effort went into making one. Silly man.

Sandra said...

Congrats on the new goats.
Love the rug :)

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

Thank you Sandra.

RB said...

LOVE the goat's names and LOVE the rug. I had one of similar colors at our back door that got moved into the bathroom when one of the cats "adopted" the white one we had in there. Never thought of crocheting a rag rug. Would be easier than trying to come up with all those rags and weaving them though I think. I'll give it a try.
Recently saw where someone was making them with old T-shirts that they conditioned with iron on web interfacing to keep them from stretching, then cut them into long continuous strips and used like yarn. Very pretty!
Prayers for a safe happy weekend for everyone.
God bless.
RB
<><

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

RB, it's actually fairly quick to crochet with strips of cotton or old sheets. Using a large (very large) crochet hook, you can whip one up in a day.