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, February 4, 2017

Pearl ~ Purging the Bedding

Ever wake up feeling like Pearl (we accidentally left her out all winter)?  Rained on, snowed, on, hailed on, wind blown, knocked down.........looking all haggard?  I did.  All of December and all of January.

February is a new month, and I am back to almost walking 2 full miles a day.  It's been painful, but trips to the chiropractor are swiftly returning my body to a painless stage. It's a lesson to myself really.  I think about that miserable experience, and I wake up to a fully charged, positive demeanor.  

I don't skip the herbal teas.  I don't skip the exercise.  I clean something every day even in the midst of a canning day, or other engaging day.
I now run away from negative energy.  It can swallow you up if you let it, and then lower your immune system.

Extreme clean up date?  I hope you find my cleaning entertaining.

Well, I just finished cleaning out the drawers I keep school supplies in.  I found about a dozen (I kid you not) plastic protractors, 5-6 compasses, and more.  The price tags ($.41) were still on the protractors.  Evidently, I snatched up too many in anticipation of school days way back in the day.  I'm told by the kids, these items are on the supply list, but when they get to class, the teacher provides them (and those days of using them are over for my kids).  I kept one compass for crafting reasons, and the rest were all donated.  Someone else will be blessed with my over abundance, and lack of self control when the price is (was) right.  

I started going through bedding.  I opened a cupboard that was hidden behind a table, and wa-la found Christmas table cloths, a few baby blankets (I kid you not) and two sets of king sheets I can use on the bed.  Oh, there are many that will become rag rugs, some will become paint cloths, and many pillow cases will find there way to the "donation station."  I'm sure someone else can use my abundance that I didn't even realize I had. I can't believe I didn't go through this last winter. 

But. There is a big "but" in saving old sheets for rugs.  If I save them, I must sew them, or attach them, into strips before spring.  And roll them into rag roll balls.  Or I'll most likely put them somewhere, and forget about them.  Rag rolls stored is okay with me, but not the un-cut sheets.

Or I could put them in the tote box in the barn, for animal emergencies.   

And speaking of Pearl, I found a pair of coveralls (while purging bedding) that would be perfect for a new scare crow this spring.  

The weather is still bitter cold here.  We had a full day of sunshine yesterday, but it was wicked cold.  Today it's the same, but too early to know if we'll see the sun.  



  

6 comments:

RockWhisperer said...

If you are making rug strips from sheets, you can cut the sheets so that they are one continuous piece. To connect one loose strip to another, cut a "buttonhole" on both ends and larkshead one strip into the other. Wa-lah, no sewing. There's a youtube here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1C3mQEEmPsA
It's not mine, but I've watched it to make sure it's a workable example.

Good luck to you in your efforts.

Mama Pea said...

I think Pearl is a symbol of what you went through in December and January -- down but not out. Straighten that girl back up and she'll be back to doing what needs to be done just like you! ;o]

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

llene Jones, funny you mentioned that. I thought I had used that method last year, and went straight to YouTube to check it out. Thanks.

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

Mama Pea, I have new clothes for Pearl, ha ha! With my extreme cleaning right now, I found an old apron for her too. Next I'll be going through my own clothing. Oh, I plan on being so back on track this month. Hubby joked my jeans for motorcycle rides won't fit now. He's just trying to encourage me I think. I tried them on again. They fit! Woo hoo!

RB said...

I rarely feel like that waking up, but after work I often feel like that nowadays. Thank God the customers, the store and my co-workers are nice, or it wouldn't be worth it.
Prayers everyone has their best week yet, and a safe one too.
God bless.
RB
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Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

RB, I'm thankful to not wake up like that anymore. That's great to hear your co-workers are nice.