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, June 22, 2016

Random Tidbits

No rain as of today (Wed. morning).  The forecast states that we have chances of bad storms late tonight, including bad winds and hail.  I could do without the storms, but we need the rain. 

The grass is dried up and brown, and the dirt around my trees have dried so badly, the ground is cracking.  



First lettuce from the garden.  We enjoyed it with homemade bean burritos.  It felt so nice to go out and pick it vs. have to drive to the store and buy it.


If the suspense on the herb pot destruction is driving you nuts, it is a raccoon.  It's the raccoon from h-e-double hockey sticks.  No matter what I try, that raccoon avoids the live trap we have. The photos taken by our trail camera prove it.  Pots are turned over and dirt everywhere again today.  Obviously, this raccoon was trapped before and possibly released in the woods or near us recently.  We've seen it in the day and in the night.  We have never had a raccoon do this much destruction.  I'm about ready to call our local animal Warden and see if they will trap it.  I'm just out of ideas.  I can't have it coming after me, the kids or the dogs.  And we all know if it's seen in the day time, there's the possibility it's sick.


It's not the best picture, but King and Zuri are being trained by commands off of their leash now.  Although King still has one on in the photo, they both are learning commands outside, now that the racket out back is gone.  King seems to be picking it all up a bit better than Zuri, but they are gaining better behavior.  Can you see the brown, crispy grass?  

As for the nuisance business, it's been very quiet lately.  They opened one Sunday (and used the land that has a cease and desist), but we later saw deputies at the park.  Since then it's been quiet.  However, yesterday I was out watering the flower beds and herb garden. I saw our neighbor drive out of the "park" and then headed past our house.  I was standing at one rain barrel, filling a watering can and watched him pass our house.  He literally flipped me off (without looking at me).  Let's just say Hubby felt this as a threat.  It's been documented.  

The boys (goats) are growing up, but still a bit small. Dallas and Jackson are hilariously entertaining on a daily basis.  My Vet-Tech in training daughter gets those boys outside of the barn, and plays with them.  Literally.  I'll see her sitting in the grass and the boys will be running and romping in and out of the barn, playing tag.  Then they come up to her, try and eat her clothes, and run off again.  So now every day I have "goat duty" they expect me to spend "play time" with them.  I love on them, rub their necks, but it's never enough, ha ha!  She is spoiling them rotten.

Update on my sinus infection.  I have a small trace of drainage and that's it.  I honestly don't know if Mullein did it on its own, or it was a combination of the salt water, mullein tea, and ginger tea.  No over the counter medications, and I am thrilled it all worked.  Well, that and I do take a multi-vitamin that is a non-gmo vitamin.  I don't trust vitamins sold in stores anymore.  I was reading the label on garlic and it has soy in it.  Soy is in everything anymore.  Blech.  

One last tidbit.  I'm still being judged by extended family for the choice to eat only organic, non-gmo, or homegrown food.  I don't sit around and judge them for the cheetos they eat filled with petroleum, or the fake butter that is almost considered plastic, or the breakfast cereal made from gmo corn and other garbage, so it gets frustrating some days.  

Okay, off my "soap box" and back to work.  I have yellow squash seed to water, in hopes they pop up this time.

5 comments:

Mama Pea said...

Nothing like that first lettuce from the garden, is there? We've been eating our (as one concoction or another) every day now. I figure the vitamins and minerals in any and all salad greens have GOT to be good for us!

If that raccoon was doing the damage on our property that it's done on yours, it would have "disappeared" long ago. Just sayin'.

Glad to hear you've gotten control of your sinus infection using all homemade remedies. Way to go!

Sure hope some rain comes your way soon. How different from your conditions last year!!

Mama Pea said...

P.S. Regarding your family not understanding (and being nasty about it) your choice of food you eat and feed your family, I've found it best just not to say anything about it . . . unless asked. Most folks (sadly) are simply uneducated regarding our reasoning, and what's more, have no desire to become educated because that would mean they'd have to make some hard changes.

Lady Jane said...

I must admit I am a scaredy cat when it comes to severe storms. Your lettuce looks so crisp and delish. Hugs, LJ

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

Mama Pea, we have tried every trick in trapping that raccoon. He came back in the day yesterday after we swept up all the dirt and put them back in the pots. We gorilla glued a plastic container into the trap, and this morning? Well, the container is gone. Yep, he got away again, and the trap is secured to the ground so he can't tip it like before. This one will is horrible. Guess I'm setting my alarm or trying one more trick.

I think, as far as the non-gmo/natural remedy stuff goes, I believe I have taught my kids some things. One prefers tea over taking pain killers, and one tea for PMS. I hope I can at least teach my kids to be able to take care of themselves in their future adult lives.

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

LJ, we have one dog that absolutely hates storms. We have a thunder jacket for him.