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~

Showing posts with label Daffodils. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Daffodils. Show all posts

Thursday, March 14, 2024

Just the Bits

 


There is no method to figure out this winter weather madness.




One day it's rain, cold and windy, the next snow and very cold, and the next? We were in the delightful 60's for about 3-4 days.  We actually hit the lower 70's one day. Thunderstorms rolled in next.  

I took advantage of the better weather, and put the laundry on the clothesline.  It gets me outside, I get some extra physical movement, and a lower electricity bill.  A win all around.



I saw my first Robin.  I actually saw several.  The mornings now start much darker, but as the sun rises, the birds are busy singing good morning to the world.  I took that photo through my window, and I do need to wash some more windows ha ha!





I'm enjoying my nettle/oat straw tea infusions.  I serve them iced for us, and yes it tastes earthy, but very healthy at the same time.  The list for benefits of nettle alone is very long, and I am already seeing one benefit - healthier fingernails and hair.  I have been using the XL (come with drawstrings) teabags to fill for tea infusions, and I have to say that I love them.  They were an accidental purchase (meant to buy single use fill and brew type), but have come in handy for these tea infusions.  I love the no mess clean up vs. straining it out of the jar.



Daffodils are making their spring appearance.  I'm hoping the down pours here do not damage the flowers.


....and then there was one.  My husband, against my wishes, took them out to the grill, and broke the salt shaker.   These were antiques, and the replacements will not be.  Whatever they end up as, they will be more practical.  We used to have a set just for the grill, but we could not find them.

March Garden Notes:
-trimmed back the peppermint and spearmint plants (these are in contained pots, so I am hoping for them to spring back to life)
-dropped more egg shells out on one area of the vegetable garden

-yarrow is already growing this spring (also in a flower pot)

-deer tracks are all over the garden(s), which is odd.  We have never seen this many in all the years living here (the husband says we need a dog or two)

-I have seen a few ground hogs here and there

-I have seen a stray cat a few times here lately, and it can hang out if it continues to be good rodent removal

-today's rain is said to continue all day long and night, and will not stop until 10am tomorrow morning.  It will help the herb garden spring alive, and the fall planted garlic, but will flood some of the ground.







Wednesday, February 28, 2024

Sitting on the Front Porch in February

 

Update on the Tex Mex Sweet Potatoes and Onions:  Delicious!  However, I keep forgetting that our jalapenos from last year, were very "hot" in flavor (hence the small amount on my plate).  

It ended up very spicy, but next time I will cut the jalapenos to a smaller amount, ha ha!  I cannot find the recipe online, so you'll need to borrow the cookbook from your local library.  We served the side with homemade chicken enchiladas with homemade enchilada sauce.

My chicken enchiladas are filled with sauce, then a layer of cooked onion, chicken, chilies, and black beans (salt and pepper), and some cheese.


The enchiladas are super easy to make.  I cooked my chicken in the crock pot the day before, and the sauce can be made up to 3 days before (stored in the fridge).



On Monday, we had a 65°F day!  Sitting on the porch in February is unheard of in our area, and I took advantage of it.


Not once in the day, but twice I got to enjoy our front porch.  When my husband got home, and after dinner. we enjoyed the front porch until the cooler air set in.  

Tuesday, we hit a record for the month, and the day.  We heated up to a whopping 73°F (a feels like temperature of 76°F).  I got another day of reading on the front porch in February!

Rain moved in with thunderstorms overnight, but should end today.  The weather is to dip to a very cold 13°F (feels like) by tonight.  We may even get snow later today, after the rain stops.

Yes, I said that right.  Crazy weather.  The spring daffodils are starting to come up right now.  

Tuesday, April 4, 2023

Spring Weather and Spring Flowers and Tidbits

 

Yesterday I woke up to beautiful weather in the 60's and sunny.  I took advantage of it and washed a white bed cover and bed skirt.  I put more laundry out after that, but just my husband's.   Rain was still in the forecast off and on, but it all dried thankfully.  Next good day I will get more dried outside.



Spring Daffodils are up and more starting to bloom.  I wish I didn't have moles, or I'd have a ton of tulips as well.  

It's been a trying cycle of, move this to get that done or do that to get this done, and where did I put that or those?

It took me a while to find these felt pieces I bought to put under the bedroom dresser and night stands.  I still need to put some square ones under the bed as well.

More door trim was primed, and hopefully will be painted today.  I've unpacked the suitcase and we are getting moved back into the bedroom nicely.  The dresser has moved out of the master bath, we can clean in there and start using it again. 

There is dust everywhere, in the master bath, from the tile being removal in that one end of the bedroom.  It needs a good cleaning anyway.

I didn't even realize that Easter is this coming Sunday, until yesterday.  We are now invited to an Easter meal, and quite frankly the weekend is the only time we get any work done (unless we pay to hire someone else).  I would rather stay home and finish the bedroom.   I am in no position to cook/bake either.  I'd be happy with PB & J and some sliced apples.  We'll see what happens I guess.  




Thursday, March 18, 2021

Fog ~ Rosemary's Famous Face Cream ~ Signs of Spring

 



Yesterday started out with a lot of fog.  The weather warmed up to the 60's and felt so great.  Today it's dropping down again with wind and rain.  We are now in the mixed up time of year where we can get snow, rain, fog, nice days, ugly days....just typical for us.

I had high hopes to hang laundry on the line, but the wind was pretty nasty out.

I needed more wood on the porch, but someone left the garden cart out by the coop (full of dirty straw that needed dumped).  Wasn't me.


I finally got my homemade face lotion made.  I use the recipe in Rosemary Gladstar's Medicinal Herbs book (A beginner's guide).  I will need to make more oil this summer for the next batch.  I store the extra lotion in the refrigerator until I need it.




Signs of spring are showing up in the flower beds now.  Some areas are a bit over crowded, so I may be digging and splitting them up after they are done blooming.  

Update on the general store and consignment  - no response via email.  Although I had to clear up about 1,000 emails, there was zero back from the store.  If I don't get one today, I'll just call and check back in.



Wednesday, March 14, 2018

Random Tidbits

My weekly menu is going by the "seat of my pants."  Monday I really didn't want to go out, so I made "Garbage" soup.  Basically, it contained whatever veggies I had left in my freezer, and pantry - green beans, dehydrated mushrooms, celery, tomato sauce, the very last pint of onion soup, a small bag of corn, some zucchini....some last bits of leftover zucchini salsa in the fridge...you get the point.  It was actually very good too, and it helped start the cleaning of the fridge.

Monday was a catch up day on laundry, bedding, and what not.  It literally took all day, and in between fetching the last of the firewood pile and taking dogs out, I wrote out my grocery list for the remaining week.  I did absolutely zero handiwork.  I think I just got to a "burned out" point last week.

Tuesday, there was plenty of leftover soup, and I made a huge bowl of organic romaine/spinach and lots of other raw veggies.