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, August 6, 2016

Choices

I've discovered that when you decide to be self-sufficient, a homesteader or simply (ha!) grow a garden for preserving purposes, you have one giant messy home all summer long.

Messy = chaos.  Chaos=headache/stress.  I took the day off (one afternoon) from the garden (sort of), and attacked my bedroom with gusto.  I still had a sweater on the back of a chair, from cool spring weather (Yikes!).  

I told the girls, "I'm finally going to vacuum my room after a month," and the response was "that's gross."  Ha ha!  Ain't that the truth though?  We just can't do it all.  Even with the help from the kids.  Two work and go to school, and two are about to go back to public school (cry).  I'm about the only Mom who doesn't like the start of school.  I appreciate all the help, believe me.


I still have to dust (cough, cough), but the spiderwebs are down in there.  Soon I'll be able to reclaim the once claimed utility room (again) and the rest of the house.....and garage.

Now, when I enter my bedroom, I feel like singing and dancing.  It's such a good feeling. 

When I visit the herb garden, that's a whole 'nother feeling.  It's a weed fest going on I tell ya'.  

This is our very first peach harvest.  They are small due to lack of rain, and I lost one to japanese beetles, but these hopefully will ripen and we'll get a little taste.  I think I originally counted 9, but I see we got 7.  I had to purchase peaches to can jam this year.  We were down to our last jar.

Today we water (again).  Rain never arrived.  Any chance we had went "poof" into la la land again.  Now they say nothing until next weekend.  It's pretty much like a drought.  Fall planting is now even more difficult, but we are thankful to have the well water and the rain barrels. 

Hubby and I were exhausted to the hilt last night.  We both slept in despite the need to water.  We needed it.  The heat here has sucked our energy to the lowest of lows and we needed to recharge and get a break.  I've been infusing teas here lately too.  A few kiddos complained of feeling like they were coming down with something, and so far we are all staying clear of any sickness.

I'm now on the search to find watercress.  I have never eaten it.  Our grocer stopped selling it, so we are searching elsewhere, or I just may need to grow it myself.  You cannot freeze it like a green, but you can dehydrate it or freeze it in soups for winter.  Eating it fresh is best, so I hope to locate some to taste.  

10 comments:

Mama Pea said...

Boy, can I relate to this post! I finally took most of the day last Thursday (I think it was) to clean house. Isn't it remarkable how much better you feel when things are neat and tidy and CLEAN??

We're lacking rain, too. I did manage to get two raised beds planted with experimental "fall" crops, but I'm having to water each day so the little seeds don't die from lack of moisture to sprout. In a couple of days I'll have two more empty beds that I could plant out. An exercise in futility? Gotta keep trying.

Papa Pea and I were in the same shape as you and your hubby last night. Both exhausted to about the nth degree. Slept 'til 7 this morning (yikes!) but feel better for it. This time of year it's important to try to get enough rest 'cause we sure are working hard physically, aren't we? And in this blasted heat . . . arrrrgh!

Dawn said...

I feel for you not having rain, something we have no shortage of, rainy days are spent doing cooking and housework, but then I dont have children at home and find I no longer have to juggle jobs. You are the second blogger I have come across on the look out for watercress, I have some growing usually it goes mad and I end up hacking it back and feeding it to the chickens

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

Mama Pea, you are right about the house being clean and the heat. The heat needs to go. We are really exhausted from just that alone. We may get a break today - lower 80's possibly.

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

Dawn, I read that if you have varicose veins, it is suggested to eat watercress. It has many good healthy values to it. I am calling around to grocers who carry healthy, organic items, but may try growing it indoors. I can't do it outdoors in this drought.

Patricia @ 9th and Denver said...

Clean house! huh!
I have all but given up on self-sufficiency! Where did my gusto and mojo for that life-style go?
We are smoking ribs today and making salad and having our daughter and son in law over... I was outside helping get the smoker going and my thoughts were, DANG! it's hot out here! what were we thinking.
I looked out across my yard... grass has grown in where the box gardens used to be.
We have the littles here everyday (the kids pay us to baby sit, while they work) I think some days ...it would be easier to get a job! But then I think of my sweet little grand babies being in day care and how sick they'd be ALL THE TIME. It's just not worth it. I'm with you-- too busy to clean my house with any decency, I have to literally SCHEDULE a time to clean. Also, like you--- I dread school starting. The school age kids bring home sickness and pass it to the littlest grand kids. Last year-- HAND FOOT AND MOUTH! ICK! did you know that your finger nails turn black and fall off!?
I wonder why my kids don't homeschool... It makes me wonder what I did wrong?
I could have written a post on this...
I could just go on and on.

I'm not certain about the water cress... I've had it, never thought of growing it-- I see in the comments your eating it for health reasons, I'm focusing on getting my bloodsugar back into check w/o meds.
So... I'm with you on eating the right foods for your needs too.

have a relaxing Sunday friend!

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

Patricia, I dread school starting too. I hope to keep all the germs out this fall and winter (and next spring). My husband's family has a history of diabetes, and his blood sugar is a completely normal level since I've added more greens into our breakfast (and dinners). We eat more dandelions, than the other greens, but we eat them all more often. He levels were up in the 200's and now 99. He continues to check it often, but so far it's been very good. No medications required. I found one store that carries watercress, but have to wait for them to restock.

RB said...

We've had rain a'plenty here...over an inch since Sunday alone. Wish I could send you some, but we're grateful to have what we got.
I LOVE watercress, but like you, have difficulty finding it. It's a tender green with a slight peppery taste which is GREAT in soups and salads. One of the best soups I've ever eaten was decades ago in Atlanta, cream of watercress soup. I'm sure all it probably was was watercress, vegetable or chicken broth and a bit of cream, but boy, was it ever tasty.
Been a little under the weather here myself - very weary. Felt ok today. Went to work. Twenty minutes later was running to the bathroom and then came right on back home. If anyone knows something natural to help make an old (69-years) lady's plumbing more predictable, I'd appreciate it.
Prayers everyone has a great, safe week.
God bless.
RB
<><

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

RB, I am happy to find a store that has it, but haven't tasted it just yet. I plan on making watercress soup and freezing it for winter if I can locate enough. I hope you feel better soon.

Sam I Am...... said...

I need to clean my bedroom again. I end up piling things on the dresser so Miss Peeps won't get them! LOL! I would love to have watercress...I thought it only grew along stream beds? It would be nice to grow myself. As for RB...I am 68 and have never have a problem with my plumbing and I had 4 kids....I have coffee in the morning, water the rest of the day and sometimes Kombucha I buy at Walmart. Lots of water is key except before you go to bed. I am retired though so I have bathrooms handy but don't go excessively. Kegle exercises are supposed to help...so far no Depends....yet! LOL!

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

Sam I Am, we found one grocer, but is it's very often they have watercress.