Pioneer Woman at Heart

We have all been sick these last few days.  We have been soothing sore throats with hot teas. Before I became worse, or had a house full of sick ones, I was able to crochet a new dishcloth pattern.  I used scrap Christmas colors for next Christmas. And, crocheted a simple (sc, ch1, sk 1 st, sc) scarf for one of the kids, with yarn I had on hand.  I also cranked out a rough draft article. My husband, even though it was not in the spending budget, allowed my 11 year-old to pick out yarn for her crocheted, hope chest blanket.   What is so amazing, is that she picked 2 yarn colors I have leftover from another blanket (she had no idea), and only one additional color to buy.  I decided, since I am not feeling so good, to use the same pattern as the scraf, and I created this rotation of colors on my own.  I will edge it in orchid when it is completed. Thankfully, my son ran errands, and is helping around the house, because I am still sick.  Two ...

What inspires you to start and finish cleaning your home?  When I write, I have a few muses that pump my thoughts with ideas.  When I clean, I typically have music on.   My kids are motivated to clean if they are allowed to have a friend over (house rule: you invite, you clean).  Prayer and inspirational quotes are also motivating.  Today, I was motivated by a note my daughter left me.  We often "noter" each other and it inspires up to get through the day with a positive attitude.  I'll add a photo later for you to see the note she left on my bed this morning. Yesterday, believe it or not, I was so tired and stressed, I actually stopped everything and perched myself on the couch.  Only a few minutes later, I was snuggled up with one dog and sleeping.  I am not one to nap, but I woke up revived and ready to start dinner.  Amazing how a little break can help you feel. When you are under stress and you feel you are at your limit , rea...

Here is a dishcloth I received in a dishcloth swap.  I was also tickled to receive a surprise, or two, of a notepad and an ornament.  How cool is that?

If your family is watching every penny spent, then you are like our family.  We have noticed that dry dog food has caused one of our dogs to become slightly overweight.  Even though they are walked 3 or more times a day and are taken out to play fetch, and run and run and run.....one of them remains a bit overweight. My daughter, after she participated in a job shadow at our local veterinarian, found out that we can simply replace 1/2 of our dog's food serving with vegetables, such as peas and carrots. We not only noticed a healthier dog, but found out that the other dogs were sneaking over to his food bowl and eating the peas too.  We have reduced our pet food costs, and proved our pets with a healthier diet.  We grew peas and carrots in the garden last year, and plan to grow more, now that our pets are enjoying our homegrown foods as well.

I have a child home sick today.  Although I know I need to wash laundry, hang it outside, vacuum, sweep the kitchen, wash leftover dishes, feed animals, and start mass cleaning on my bedroom, I know I need to tend to my child.  Did I mention my writing time also? I think the hardest part women at home have, is putting everything aside and putting full, and complete attention, to a child.  When they are sick, it's easier, because our instincts are to care for our children, but what about other days? Creating better relationships with our children is so important, especially now that the media provides easy access to areas on the Internet, television, and cell phones that kids should not be exposed to.   Even being in school can be a place where a child learns or sees things they should be prepared to say "no" to. Kids often reflect on their parents behavior as well.   I realized that when my 9 year-old came home from school one day.  She sai...

I finally finished my 16 year-old's blanket.  She is soon to turn 17 and it will be part of her hope chest.  However, because the upstairs is not heated, she is getting her blanket today. Here is a close up of the stitching  I have one more child to crochet a blanket for, and then I can start on a bedspread for my own bed.  I just need to decide on pattern and color.

My largest crock pot will cook up 3 pounds of dry black beans nicely.  For my family, I bake them up with chopped onions, salt and pepper.  Once these are baked (pre-soaked the night before) I cool them.  They are frozen for future meals.  Some may end up in tonight's dinner.  We are having a lot of fun searching out healthier meals using dry beans.  We recently used the last of the black beans I had in the freezer. Yesterday, we made Pumpkin Black Bean Soup, and found it delicious.  It's got a spicy~sweet combo going on.  We will be keeping that recipe.  Although the recipe calls for canned tomatoes, I dumped in a quart sized bag of tomatoes I had frozen from last summer's garden.  I skipped the sour cream, and heavy cream.  I simply used 1 cup of organic milk.  For the chicken broth, I found organic, free range chicken broth on clearance for $1.49 for 4 cups (or you could make your own). Here are other recipes, either f...

I'm taking advantage of some rotten bananas, some extra whole wheat flour (from the stone mill) that was in the freezer, and baking a double batch of banana bread. Freezing temperatures, down to zero, are perfect days to do some baking.  It helps heat up my unheated kitchen, and we have a healthy meal or snack. While the bread is baking, I can write, and enjoy the delicious aroma that works its way through the house.  Oh, and I can stay warm too.

Winter weather keeps most people indoors.  After a long week of work, whether it's a paid job or non-paid job, couples tend to burned out emotionally and physically.  The recession also kept many people such as ourselves, from taking vacations.  We did go tent camping in late summer last year, and had a blast for $17.00/night.  We cooked over the campfire, and hiked.  It was a retreat of a different kind. I was reading the newspaper they other day and read about a couple who placed a cabin on their 1 acre of land for a place to get away from it all.  I have to admit, I was jealous.  I would love to place a hideaway on our property and use it for a personal retreat, or a mini-home vacation with my husband.  I think it's time to add a it to the family wish list. You may also enjoy reading:  How to have a weekend getaway in your home

This week I focused on the bathroom, although we did go back to the kitchen and clean light fixtures (badly needed it! Blech.).  I tackled one drawer in the bathroom, and lined it with scrap wallpaper that was simply taking up space in my craft closet. Before After (drawer lined with scrap wallpaper also) Now...if you asked what I wrote today, I'd have to tell you zippo.  Ugh.  I need an inspirational "coach" for daily writing, as Flylady is with cleaning and organizing.  They work together for me, because I can't sit and write when my house is a mess. In search for daily writer's inspiration, I found these Web sites: The Writing Coach Daily Writing - Prompts Writer's First Aid Liz Curtis Higgs Although I found these sites very encouraging, I would have loved to find a Web site that has fun daily writing goals for writers.  For example, Monday: write in a journal, write a letter to someone and mail it, or similar.  Sometimes I get into a rut wi...

I had a nice surprise today.  I came to my computer to find a "noter" from my youngest daughter.  A "noter" from me is in her lunch bag already.  Her note reminds me to take time to write today.

Meet Sadie.  It appears as if she is dreaming of a nice soft pillow to rest her head.  Sound asleep and drooling.

So many people have asked me "do they really dry" and I have answered "yes they do."  If there is wind, they dry completely.  If there is a small amount of wind, they dry almost 90% and then it only takes about 5 minutes to dry them in front of the wood burning stove (on drying racks).  I have not yet used my dryer.  It's there if I need it, but I have not needed it yet.  This is only one of my lines outside.  The other line was drying blankets that we keep in boxes for the barn cats.  I do put the laundry out early, so it has more time to dry.  It's all a matter of a little "hard work" and letting go of convenience and spending money for convenience. I am truly a pioneer at heart, with a urge to learn surviving without.  Do you know how to dry your laundry if your power was eliminated ? When I wrote the above article (click on highlighted link in above paragraph) on drying laundry without a dryer, I wrote it from true experience....

I am reading the diaries from pioneer women who crossed the U.S. in the 1800's and it's been interesting and amazing.  Many women took extra needles and thread with them and traded with Indians for food.  Embroidery work, on hankies and other items were also given as gifts.  In my quest to embroider, learn more, and improve my skills, I have completed several projects.  Here are photos of my progress so far: Here is my first embroidery sampler (posted before)

In the midst of cleaning through the house with flylady, I have discovered many books that can be donated to different organizations.  I am not only helping myself stay sane, but giving those extra books to others, who can benefit from them. Here are several ideas on what to do with your unwanted books or books that can no longer be read, but can be put recycled into something new:  Ideas for Books

I found this book at the library.  It's amazing.  Full of recipes for many different types of wild game, including dove, duck, moose, elk, frog legs, cougar, coot, buffalo, quail and even raccoon.  Alligator is not left out of this book either.  It's been interesting reading the recipes for bear, grouse, porcupine, pigeon, pheasant, lynx, javelina, ground hog, goat, and so much more.  It's amazing how people survived by trapping these types of wild game for food. I just received my guide to goats, from the library.  I'll be starting to research the caring for dairy goats.

I am making another 5 gallon bucket of laundry soap today.  It's been days since I have written anything, other than an e-mail (ha ha!) and my blog.   As long as I can buy zote soap, borox and washing soda, I'll never buy bottled or boxed store bought laundry soap again.  It's been a huge savings in our lives.

I was astonished that a recent swagbucks survey showed that 60% of people (who entered the survey) said they do not send a written thank you note for Christmas/Hanukkah presents.  Really?! Is this a long forgotten part of proper etiquette that people have forgotten?  In my opinion, I think that by teaching our children to write thank you notes, we are going well beyond helping them learn appreciation, and being thankful.  We are also teaching them writing habits, creative writing, and to acknowledge (and appreciate) the gift giver's extended hand.  It teaches kids to be caring and loving.  I'm amazed that so many people do not write thank you notes.  Even a simple piece of construction paper can be created into the most amazing thank you note.  I have one on my S.C.R.A.P. blog that my sister made using an empty M & M wrapper.  Here is a photo of her most recent thank you note.  It is not only extremely creative, it is frugal and full...

I am absolutely loving this book.  I found out that this is volume 2 and there are many more to read.  If you want to read diaries of women who traveled across the U.S. in covered wagons you will enjoy this book.  I ran out of dandelion root that I dug up over the summer, so the tea I made today was using a dandelion teabag.  I love a good cup of tea with a good book.

I'm sharing our favorite steel-cut oats recipe.  It's a great way to start the day, or a healthy after school snack for kids.

My days are so short anymore, especially with having to restock firewood, hanging the laundry outside, and other chores that I decided it was time to start getting back in shape.  It's not a "new year" thing for me.  Today was day 3 in going back to the gym to work out.  I have to say, it wasn't as hard as I thought, considering I had been splitting wood by hand and other work around here.  If I want to be a better writer, I need to have better health.  We hit the gym at 5am this morning.  This means we preset the coffee pot for 4:30am so I can down a cup of coffee and a banana.

 Meet Jesse (aka Jesse James because he used to steal shoes and chew up flip flips) Hilarious!  I've seen our smaller dog drop toys right on top of my one daughter's school book bag, but this is so funny.  Right before the kids go to school, they get wound up and start bringing toys to their owners.  Each child has a dog or cat that is theirs and the three older ones each have a dog.  When my 8th grader came home the other day, she came inside laughing.  She was holding a dog toy that her dog had dropped into her bag while it was hanging on the back of a chair.  She found it in her bag while digging through it on the bus ride home.  I guess he really wanted to play fetch.

To help provide lunch snacks for the kids, I baked banana bread two days in a row, using organic bananas. I used some whole wheat flour I purchased from the stone mill, and mixed it half and half with the white.  I also had about 5 sun dried apricots leftover, so I chopped those up and added them to the bread.  It was pretty tasty. Today, I am using a ham bone from the holidays, and making soup.  I'm taking several items from the freezer that I froze over summer (from the garden).  It sure smells good! For dessert I dug through my cupboards and used one can of canned sweet potatoes to make a pound cake.  I didn't have the orange juice it called for, but made it anyway.  The chickens have supplied us with some eggs this week. My daily reading chair has moved from the front porch, to the back yard, and now to the living room. This is my favorite place to crochet, read my Bible, and write.  Today's it's a perfect chair to view the beautiful snow w...

It is funny how I thought that cleaning the living room would be a piece of cake.  It's been very productive and I found my lost Writer's Market Guide I've been looking for too.  In fact, I found to antique candle holders, which should be hanging on the wall.  I bought these in an antique store in Michigan a few years ago, and they were tucked away in my breakfast bar.  Speaking of that.  I also found two new (bought on clearance) photo frames that should have been used by now.  I not only got rid of the broken, plastic frames, but put the photo's into the new picture frames, and added "buy 2 more frames" to my shopping "wish list." I can't decide whether I should keep the coffee pot collection or do away with it yet.  I've had it for several years now. What do you think?  Keep or get rid of it?  The kids say keep it, but it does collect dust in our country home. So far, I've donated 3 bags of movies (DVD, VHS) and books to our libr...

The tree is completely down, the decorations are all packed away, and the tree skirt is folded and packed.  It is hard to believe that the year of 2010 went so fast.  When one of the kids asked me what my resolutions were, and I didn't have any to share. By her asking me, I became motivated to hunt for my journal I keep specifically for goals and resolutions.  Remember, I'm a journal junkie.  I not only found it, but found another one I used for short stories.  Now I have something to read over tomorrow.  It could be just the source to motivate my writing. I have to admit that writing on-line can quickly burn a person out.  It's requires a massive quantity of articles for a small income.  Did I mention small?  I'm ready to move on to bigger pastures.  Putting everything away reminded me to "put away" all the negative memories and keep them put away. 

There's nothing better than sitting around in my pajamas, doing nothing but whatever I feel like, and enjoying leftovers from New Year's Eve. We make our "chex mix" a bit different, and use Crispix cereal.  I was so lucky to have coupons for the cereal this year.  The cereal is not cheap.  This is a tradition for our family that I carried over from childhood.  We are fighting over the leftovers so I hid it earlier in the day. He he he!  They are already asking where I put it.  Ha ha ha! Around here you have to hide it if you want it later.