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, May 3, 2018

Getting Outside and Random Tidbits

Last Saturday, I planned a birthday bash for my husband.  I found out the band he hired for my birthday was playing at a local bar.  I got word out to family and friends, and wa-la, party at the bar and grill.  We brought the girls along, ordered food, played pool, and danced until 12:30am.  It was so much fun (Hubby too a long nap prior to the outing).  Not everyone showed up, but enough did.  He was so happy and even danced with me most of the night.   We were whipped on Sunday, but visited a new church, then took a motorcycle ride.

Monday was a "get back to it" day, since I lost out all of Sunday.  Hubby took Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday as vacation days, so we could take advantage of the weather and take a motorcycle ride as a reward for actually getting something done around here.

Shell and snow peas have been planted!  I forgot to buy sugar snap peas.


Home insurance has finally been switched over!  

I had about 30 library books (herbal, cookbooks, etc.) and I finally had porch time to go through half of them!  

The garlic bed was weeded. Oh my, it was a mess this year.  The wind kicked up the plastic, and the garlic wasn't even in all the holes.  Thistle was pushing up the plastic.  I finally just pulled up the plastic, weeded out the bed, and put the plastic back down the best I could (which worked).  However, I was greeted by a snake when I lifted the plastic.  That particular day, I was greeted by 5 snakes.  Two in my herb garden, one in another flower bed, and one I almost stepped on walking to the house.  I think they were stirred up because it was the first day we had the mower out.

Mailed in the rebate for the new tires on the Harley!




One flower bed weeded.  I started another, but the snakes won.

About half of the 6 acres mowed.


More chickweed harvested.

Guess where I was yesterday?  Helping change out the clutch cable on the Harley.  We took it apart in the morning, drove an hour for parts, came back and put it together. I was pretty sunburned by evening.  We didn't get a lick of outside work done (which was the plan), but the day before (while on a ride home) Hubby discovered an issue with the clutch.  He's a happy man, and with more money in his pocket too.  The cable was about $38.00 and $.99 for an O-ring, and the motorcycle shop wanted $300.00 or more to do the job.  He never had a clutch issue until it went into the shop for new tires.  We got a flat the day we picked it up also (the valve stem wasn't set and shot right out, and the cap was loose), so he's wanting to work on the bike himself now.  The shop we went to, will lose a customer.

I now have two more believers in my "I have a tea for that..."
One had bad cramps on a regular basis (raspberry leaf), and one had cough, drainage, congested ear (mullein, ginger, honey).  Both felt better after drinking their tea.

It's raining this morning, but I have a plan  - attack the housework.  I need to clean everything today - bathroom, kitchen top to bottom, kitchen bathroom, porches, and if the rain stops put out furniture.  We are hosting a breakfast this coming Sunday, and I plan on utilizing my front porch.

It was a long night last night too.  I have debated on explaining how the last two family member passed away, but suicide is a real thing and I feel preventable.  In fact, Hubby and I are working on making an annual ride each year for the two family members and donating the funds to a Suicide Prevention (local).  T-shirts, food, etc.  That's the plan anyway.  

Last night we got another call.  A close friend of our nephew's (who passed away) was home alone and needed to be with someone.  Immediately, one family member drove there, while Hubby got on the phone and talked to him the entire time.  Meanwhile, a brother (very young) to the great nephew who passed away, was also talking suicide, and he is now under medical attention at a hospital.  We do not want to see any more family gone.  We just can't.  The deaths were so sudden and we all still don't believe they are gone.  It was tragic, heart breaking, and everyone in the family is still grieving.  

Every day someone says, "could I have done this?"  or "I wish I would have been around more" or "I should have...."

Every Friday we want to pick up the phone and call his nephew to go meet up for a bite to eat.  Because we tried to stay closer to him as he hurt so much when his own son passed.  The pain was so unbearable, and he hid it well.  I really hope we can set up the annual fundraiser ride.  It will save lives.

Okay, I've talked long enough.  Sorry I haven't been posting lately.  The garden is back in swing, and I have much to plant yet.  As you can tell, the crochet hook is down for a while, and the garden hoe is picked up.




7 comments:

Susan said...

Paying attention and being there for someone who is battling grief or depression is so important. I used to worry about not being able to say the right thing - it's worse to say nothing at all. You and your hubby are forces of nature! You GO with your Harley repairs! It is a great thing to know how to do as much as possible yourself. I am not afraid of snakes, but they always sneak up on me!

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

Holy cow....look at your arm muscles! No upper arm flab on you! There are some mechanics that actually do things to cars/bikes that make more problems so you have to bring them back in. So glad you both were able to fix it yourself. How did you know how? Internet?
I am so sorry to hear about your family deaths. It is so sad! Suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem and it is just terrible that anyone feels so alone and bereft that they feel there is no way out of the pain. I think what you are planning on doing to reach out and help is wonderful! I love your flower bed...so pretty! I wish you the best with your coming garden this year! Enjoy your Spring!

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

P.S. Please wish your husband a happy belated birthday! So glad you were able to celebrate and have such a great time. I don't know how you do it all but you do!

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

Susan, so far they are the garden snakes, but they still make me jump when they are unexpected, lol!

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

Sam I Am, I do have some arm flab, but I'm lifting weights, and the outdoor work keeps me moving too.

mamasmercantile said...

My own young nephew took his own life 2 years ago it has been so hard for the family and like yours there has been a lot of what ifs? Not sure I could cope with snakes...

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

mamasmercantile, two of Hubby's cousins stopped by yesterday and one thought the rain had brought the snakes out, but they came out when the sun was shining, so I'm thinking it was the mower bothering them (first mow of the year). They won't hurt me, but they sure make me jump.