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~

Thursday, March 16, 2017

Reflections of 2016 (that didn't happen)

Ha!  This draft never even made it to the blog.  The first year ever to not post a "reflections" post on December 31st. I gave it a title and that was as far as I got.

That's okay.  I think we all need a break from my long posts.  I can get a bit "windy."
  


Mama Pea had me hankering for a wild rice/chicken soup, so the first thing I did was pull out my crock pot.  I put in lots of garlic.  Thanks for that idea by the way.

It's freezing cold here again.  Brr!  I wanted it to stay cold, and we got more than cold.  Everything is frozen stiff. It took me several minutes to don Hubby's old full body carhartt, muck boots, thick gloves, hat, scarf and sunglasses.  It was very bright out, but oh so cold.  I managed to do all the outdoor stuff at once, including get the mail, and take the dogs out.  Funny thing about the dogs.  Jesse, the oldest one, loves to eat snow, so getting him back inside was a chore.  Even with the temperature so cold.  

Today, the wind will be less wicket and hopefully we'll see the temperature rise a bit. 
 

What's on the breakfast plate?  A dandelion green/jalapeno/garlic scramble.  I needed the garlic and the jalapeno.  And the dandelions.  Oh, and I am still using up some home canned sweet potato butter (extra vitamins) on my homemade bread too.  The tea was hot ginger tea (with freshly grated and sliced organic ginger).  I crave hot ginger tea when I am congested.  Then I switch it over to mullein/lemongrass or a mix.

Conversation funny from the day before:

Dad to Youngest, "You got all that snow shoveled already?"
Youngest laughing, "well I got the important stuff."

Ha ha!  The younger two had to shovel snow for the first time this entire winter.  We had a few tall drifts that had to be moved.

Yesterday I pulled out all the "stops" for killing off whatever I have.  I took a hot soak with tea tree oil and eucalyptus oil, I made teas, and one infusion, took my mullein tincture, sipped water all day too, and even used a rosemary/oil chest rub.  Between all of that, and the soup and breakfast, I'm feeling a wee bit better, but will take it easy again today.  Thankfully, I have enough soup (and scramble) for today, and won't have to cook dinner.




9 comments:

Rain said...

I hope all of your remedies work!!! Your scramble looks delicious. Our huskies love to eat the snow too and Marlene, the German Shepherd mix, sometimes plants her butt in the snow, refusing to come in lol...my body doesn't regulate that quickly!! Our driveway is kind of silly looking today...there were so many snow drifts moving back and forth with the wind the last few days, it has waves. I'm not looking forward to shoveling, but we're supposed to have freezing rain on Saturday so I guess my initial plan of letting Mother Nature take care of the snow is off the menu :)

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

Rain, you can tell where Jesse walks in the snow. In between his paw marks, is a tongue mark, lol! We are getting rain tomorrow I think. Crazy.

Mama Pea said...

I've been trying to take care of myself the last couple of days, too, because of swollen glands. So far, so good. I made pizza for dinner tonight with LOTS of fresh garlic on it. (No threat from vampires around here for a day or so.)

Our forecast is for freezing rain starting tonight turning into snow around 2 a.m. What a mess that should make! Spring, wherefore art thou??

RB said...

Been cold and windy here too...windy enough to almost blow one of the vinyl siding pieces right off the side of the house. Luckily I saw it (heard it creaking actually) in time to get Bro Tom up there to put it back in place. Glad we'd saved enough to buy a tall enough ladder last summer.
The cats went through their usual rigamarole of looking wistfully out windows at the sun shining, but as soon as they got to the open back door and saw how windy it was, they were content to stay inside tucked in their various blankets. We were pretty content to stay indoors too, when we didn't have to go to work that is.
It's suppose to warm up a bit and settle the wind some tomorrow. We'll see, won't we. LOL
Praying everyone's safe and warm.
God bless.
RB
<><

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

Mama Pea, I have the same issue - swollen glands. I plan on drinking several cups of hot ginger tea today, along with hot peppers. I woke up during the night very uncomfortable. I have a ton of laundry and had planned on making dinner, but I'm feeling poorly again today. We are to have freezing rain here today (Friday) too.

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

RB, I just noticed yesterday, that we lost the cover to Hubby's Coca-cola outdoor cooler. I will have to replace it soon. I'm glad that was all we lost.

RB said...

Be careful with sore throats. I saw this story on today's noon news. Scary stuff!!!
http://detroit.cbslocal.com/2017/03/15/michigan-man-loses-hands-and-feet-to-strep-throat/
God bless.
RB
<><

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

RB, thanks. I saw that too. I think mine is simply from drainage and swollen glands. Sipping hot ginger tea always cleans my lymp nodes and reduces swelling, and I downed lots of garlic and hot peppers for congestion.

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

It was 26 here the other morning but 75 today so I think the cold is leaving for good now and for you too! Your breakfast looks so good! And the chicken and wild rice soup sounds so good too! That should fix you up!